Volume 94 Issue 10

Opinions PAGE 7

Culture PAGE 11

Sports PAGE 20

Spring Weekend budget should be reconsidered for worthwhile performers.

SEAJ promotes Earth Week around campus.

Baseball avoids sweep with a dramatic comeback.

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1918-2012

APRIL 18, 2012

VOLUME 94, ISSUE 10

Freshman Charged With Second-Degree Murder

BY CONNOR RYAN NEWS EDITOR

Fordham freshman, Henry Wachtel, Professional School of Continuing Studies ’15, was indicted Monday after he was charged with second-degree murder on Tuesday, April 10 and ordered to be held without bail on Wednesday, April 11. The son of Edward Wachtel, a Fordham communication and media studies professor at Rose Hill, allegedly beat Karyn Kay, his mother, to death last Tuesday in the Midtown apartment in which they lived, according to both The Wall Street Journal and The New York Post.

The 19-year-old was apparently “in the throes” of an epileptic seizure, for which he was taking two anti-convulsive medications, when Kay called 911 to get her son medical attention Tuesday morning, The Wall Street Journal reported. But the recording of the 911 call suggests violence as it includes sounds of struggling and shouting, according to the report.

“[Wachtel] is heard on the 911 recording beating his mother to death,” Assistant District Attorney Courtney Groves said last Wednesday, according to The Wall Street Journal. “The radio call involves the female caller stating, ‘He’s coming after me. No, no, no.’”

Toward the end of the 10minute emergency call, Wachtel’s voice is reportedly heard saying, “Mommy, mommy, please don’t die,” according to a criminal complaint.

Police arrived at the West 55th Street home just before 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 10, according to The New York Daily News.

Wachtel was found “covered in blood” and “wild-eyed,” Groves said in court, according to The New York Times.

“It was a mistake,” Wachtel said as emergency responders found him in the living room of the apartment, sitting next to his unconscious, unmoving mother, The New York Times reported.

A tearful Wachtel was removed from the apartment building on

PHOTO BY KATE DOHENY/THE RAM

Flowers, candles and personal momentos were placed outside of the Manhattan apartment building where Karyn Kay lived.

April 10 in handcuffs and “in what appeared to be a police-issued jumpsuit,” a CBS report said. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital for a psychiatric exam, according to The New York Post.

Kay, an English teacher at La-

Guardia High School in Manhattan and screenwriter of the film Call Me (1988; staring Steve Buscemi), sustained a fractured skull, facial bones and several ribs from Wachtel’s alleged assault, The New York Observer said. Kay died sev-

eral hours after being transported to New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, according to The New York Times.

She was 63 years old.

Doctors and other experts have SEE WACHTEL, PAGE 2

Library Hours Extended 3LAU, Jay Sean for Spring Weekend ’12

By CONOR RYAN& TARA CUZZI NEWS EDITOR & STAFF WRITER

COURTESY OF THE RAM ARCHIVES

Walsh Library, pictured above, is set to extend its hours for the ’12-’13 year.

By KELLY KULTYS ASSITANT NEWS EDITOR

As reported by The Ram in V. 94, i. 8, United Student Government (USG) under the leadership of Caitlin Meyer, FCRH ’12, USG executive president, and in collaboration with Residence Halls Association (RHA), Campus Activities Board (CAB) and Commuting Students Association (CSA), has completed its initiative of extending the library hours. The library hours will officially be extended from a 7 p.m. closing time on Fridays to 9 p.m. and from a 12 p.m. opening time on Sundays to 10 a.m.

“The idea is that we will run this on a trial basis and see if the student

demand is there for those times, and then re-evaluate the hour extension at the end of the semester to see how we can adjust the extension to best serve students,” Meyer said.

USG, with the help of RHA, CAB and CSA, has been working on this initiative for most of the term, because many students had been complaining about the lack of access to the library.

“One of the most common issues brought to all of the student governments is the library hours,” Meyer said. “In Student Life Committee (SLC), students submit public agenda items about extending the library hours. People come SEE USG, PAGE 4

On Tuesday, April 10, Fordham’s Campus Activities Board (CAB) announced that 3LAU and Jay Sean would be performing on April 27 and April 28, respectively, as part of this year’s Spring Weekend schedule. The announcement was made on the lawn near Rose Hill’s McGinley Center amidst a flash mob, organized by students with the hopes of attracting a crowd.

3LAU is a 21-year-old “musician and producer” who is most recognized, according to the artist’s website, “for his bootlegs and remixes.” Dance Floor Filth is 3LAU’s latest album and is available for download on the musician’s website (3lau.com).

Jay Sean, the 29-year-old pop and R&B singer, is most known for his songs, “Down (feat. Lil Wayne)” and “Do You Remember (feat. Sean Paul and Lil Jon.” Both songs were included on Sean’s 2009 album, All or Nothing.

CAB’s Facebook page said on April 10 that students are permitted to bring up to two guests to both concerts, as long as the guests have been properly signed in.

Despite the sizable crowd that gathered on April 10 for the announcement, many students took to social media websites, such as Facebook and Twitter, to vent frustration over CAB’s selections.

“Can we boycott Spring Week-

PHOTO BY KATE DOHENY/THE RAM

CAB members in a flash mob before the Spring Weekend announcement.

end?” one student wrote via Twitter after the announcement was made.

“It’s up to @3LAU to be the savior of Spring Weekend at Fordham,” another student tweeted.

Many students have expressed complaints regarding Jay Sean, in particular, claiming that he does not have many well-known hits.

“To be honest, the guy is kind of a one-hit wonder,” Vincent Corcoran, FCRH ’13, said. “I think it’s safe to say most people know the song ‘Down,’ but I also think it’s safe to say that he doesn’t have much more to offer than that one song. He’s really just a product of mainstream radio and its generic

sound.”

Corcoran was pushing for Foster the People to perform Saturday’s concert.

“When I saw them on the voting card I actually got kind of excited. I thought that it wouldn’t be too hard for CAB to attain them,” he said.

While some agree with Corcoran’s sentiment and wish a different artist or group was taking the stage this year, it seems other students are optimistic about Sean’s upcoming performance.

“The weekend is going to be a great time,” Madeline McGinley, GSB ’14, said. “Jay Sean and 3LAU are going to be really fun.”

PAGE 2 • THE RAM • APRIL 18, 2012

SECURITY

BRIEFS

NEWS

theramonline.com

From Classroom to Courtroom in a Matter of Hours

April 4-13, Rose Hill Gym A faculty member reported his or her new computer and monitor stolen. Security is investigating.

April 12, Walsh Hall, 5 p.m.

A student was stuck in an elevator between the 10th and 11th floor with the doors partially open. The elevator company was called. It responded and released the student without a problem.

April 13, Arthur Ave and 189th St, 3:55 a.m.

Two students were victims of a robbery as they were leaving Howl at the Moon Bar. A man with a handgun approached the students and said “Hand over your bag if you don’t want to die.”

The students obliged and the man drove off in a small SUV, headed south on Arthur Ave. NYPD and Security responded. They canvassed the area with negative results. NYPD is investigating.

April 14, 885 E. Tremont Avenue, 2:15 a.m.

A female student was the victim of grand larceny at a deli on Tremont Street. She was approached by a male who asked her if she needed help. The student said she was lost and asked if the man knew where campus was.

The man then stole her phone and ran off.

April 15, Finlay Hall, 5:25 a.m.

A student activated a fire alarm on the fourth floor of Finlay Hall.

The building was evacuated without incident. However, members of the fourth floor were not allowed to return to their rooms for approxmiately 90 minutes.

April 16, Lombardi Center, 7:15-8:15 p.m.

A student left his backpack unattended in the fitness center. He discovered that $65 was missing out of his bag when he returned.

April 16, Lombardi Fieldhouse, 8-8:45 p.m.

A student left his iPhone on the basketball court. When he returned, he discovered his iPhone was missing.

— Compiled by Kelly Kultys, Assistant News Editor

PHOTO BY KATE DOHENY/THE RAM

The lobby of the West 55th Street apartment building where Henry Wachtel allegedly beat his mother, Karyn Kay, to death.

WACHTEL, FROM PAGE 1

spoken about how epileptic seizures do not typically cause the type of damage that was done last Tuesday.

Lloyd Epstein, Wachtel’s defense attorney, has suggested that the medications Wachtel was taking could have contributed to the epileptic incident.

“We all know that this is a tragic circumstance, and we all know that heavy medication is involved in this,” Epstein told The New York Times.

Epstein reportedly asked for Wachtel to be placed in a hospital instead of a jail, because “[Wachtel’s] seizures could put others at risk in a general prison population,” according to The New York Times.

Dr. Alan Ettinger, an epilepsy specialist, however, told CBS New York that medication as a cause of such violence is unlikely.

“Any kind of repetitive, complex aggression would be extremely unusual as a result of these medications.”

Wachtel was taking Keppra and Lamictal, two anti-convulsive medications used to treat epilepsy, “an unnamed antidepressant” and other medications at the time of the attack, The New York Post reported.

Possible side effects of Keppra, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, include depression, anxiety and agitation or hostility.

Wachtel’s father, who has been divorced from Kay since 1998, spoke about his son’s history of epilepsy and “told investigators his son had suffered about eight seizures over the years,” The Wall Street Journal reported. Police and other emergency personnel have responded to Wachtel three times since 2008, the report notes.

The New York Post gobbled up coverage of an interview on Rikers Island where Wachtel spoke to journalists and investigators about his history of epilepsy and the relationship he had with Kay. “I miss my mom so much,” Wachtel said, according to The New York Post. “No one has even given

me condolences.”

When confronted about the incident, Wachtel claims that he was not conscious and does not remember anything.

“I don’t know what happened, I was unconscious,” he said, The New York Post reported. “When I woke up, I was on the floor and the police were there. I thought they were there for me.”

The New York Post reported that neighbors heard him apologizing to his mother to which Wachtel apparently responded, “I always apologize when I come out of a seizure. I feel like I put people out, and it’s scary for them.”

“He was screaming, ‘I’m sorry mommy! I’m sorry mommy!’ over and over and over,” one neighbor told The New York Daily News. “Then suddenly it all stopped.”

Wachtel said he was up the night before studying for a psychology test that he was worried about passing.

“I thought the only thing I

had to worry about was failing my test,” he told The New York Post. “What’s today? Thursday?

I should be at my theology class at six o’clock. I love my theology class.”

The New York Times reported last Friday that Wachtel graduated high school from Urban Academy, “an alternative public high school for children who had failed to flourish elsewhere,” before joining Fordham’s class of 2015.

Days after the incident, the small lobby of the Hell’s Kitchen apartment building was quiet and residents appeared somber.

A manifestation of love and support, however, had accumulated right outside the building’s main entrance in the form of flowers, cards, candles — even Tootsie pops — in memoriam of a lost high school teacher.

“Dear Ms. Kay, I am so happy to have seen you one last time a few months ago,” one letter began. “I took my first film class with you, and your passion and intelligence

COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

Henry Wachtel, PCS ’15, was charged with second-degree murder last week.

were insurmountable. I will write for you, create in your memory and never forget the passion you ignited in me.”

The building’s doorman, who identified himself as Herman, said that while he had met Wachtel only “a few times,” he did not see any violent or dangerous side to him. “It’s just a tragedy for everybody.”

The New York Times and other news outlets published conflicting reports last week about the observations of neighbors. “[Residents] had seen no potential for violence [between Wachtel and Kay],” The New York Times reported, while Leigh Miller, a neighbor, told The New York Post, “It’s been a very volatile relationship since [Wachtel] was a young boy.”

Fordham students were alerted about the “unimaginable tragedy” via a community-wide email sent

by Rev. Joseph M. McShane, president of the University.

“It is my sad duty to inform you that a member of the student body, and the son of a Fordham faculty member, was charged last night with killing his mother, an instructor at another institution,” the email said. “I ask that you afford the affected individuals as much privacy and compassion as you possibly can while they struggle with this heartbreaking burden. I know that you join with me in keeping the family in your prayers during these dark hours.”

Private funeral arrangements for Kay will be held outside of New York City. Details regarding a public memorial have not yet been released, but students at LaGuardia High School have reportedly decided to pay tribute to their teacher by making a short movie about her.

Wachtel’s Manhattan Supreme Court arraignment is currently scheduled for May 10.

THIS

week at FORDHAM Thurs., April 19 Earth Week Guest Speaker SEAJ Campbell Commons 7 p.m.

Thurs., April 19 Cinevents!: Mission Impossible 4 Keating 1st 9 p.m.

Fri., April. 20 Earth Week Fair Day SEAJ McGinley Lawn Fri., April 20 Relay For Life Lanaenic Society Lombardi Fieldhouse 5 p.m. – 1 a.m.

Sat. April 21 “Pardon My Swag” Flava Rose Hill Gym 7:30 p.m.

Sat., April 21 Cheerleading Tryouts Lombardi Fieldhouse 1:30 – 7 p.m.

Mon., April 23 Under the Tent Dance Ticket Sales RHA McGinley Lobby 1 – 7 p.m.

NEWS

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APRIL 18, 2012 • THE RAM • PAGE 3

Fordham Hosts ‘Queer 101’ to Educate Students

By EDDIE MIKUS STAFF WRITER

Many Fordham students identify themselves as either straight or gay, and some may believe that these are the only two possible ways to classify sexual orientation.

What may not cross students’ minds is that some people may not place themselves into either of these two categories.

What, exactly, would such a person call himself or herself ?

The term used in such a case is “queer,” as attendees learned at an assembly on April 12 in the Keating first floor auditorium.

A sheet distributed at the assembly stated, “queer” is a reclaimed word that was, at one time, a pejorative slur for gays and lesbians. Now, “queer” has become much closer to its dictionary definition: ‘differing in some way from what is normal or usual.’

Specifically, the sheet said that people who do not identify with heterosexual norms, relationships and sexuality identity themselves as queer.

Fordham students Carissa Avalos, FCRH ’14, Leslie Feigenbaum FCRH ’14, Jeff Lockhart, FCRH ’13, Liam Lowery, FCRH ’14, Danielle Moeser, FCRH ’12 and Stuart Primm, FCRH ’14, spoke at the assembly about their interpretation of the meaning of queer.

The event was moderated by Jeanne Flavin, professor of sociology and women’s studies.

Flavin gave contradictory advice that students should be both pa-

tient and impatient in pushing for change regarding attitudes toward queers.

“We are all works in progress, and there are many things which Fordham desperately needs to change and is changing even as I stand here before you,” Flavin said in her remarks addressed to the students and faculty. “But many of the changes that we need to make in our campus culture and in our structures and institutions take time.”

As evidence of this phenomenon, Flavin said that many Fordham faculty members had not given much thought to the concept of the queer identity.

However, Flavin also stated that the students must be proactive in bringing about such change.

“I also want you to tell faculty, staff, administrators what you need to push us, press us, educate us,” she said. “If kids aren’t moving swiftly enough, take matters into your hands, try to makes something happen.”

Flavin’s address was followed by some remarks from Lowery, who said that he was excited for an event that had been in the planning stages since before he came to Fordham.

After Lowery’s remarks, panelists were asked to introduce themselves and to state their preferred gender pronoun. Following this introduction, panelists were asked to state their experiences with the term “queer” and what it meant to them.

A popular sentiment among the panelists was that “queer” offered

a way to accurately describe feelings without using the terms “gay” or “straight.”

“Gay, straight, bisexual, trans — I feel like I relate to all parts of those, yet none of them at accurately explain how I feel or who I am,” Feigenbaum said. “I had difficulty finding the word ‘queer’. I didn’t really know what it meant or whether that was me specifically, and I was confused a lot of time.”

Other panelists chose to share stories of personal experiences that they have had with the term “queer.”

“One of my professors came out to our class as ‘queer,’ and that was really the first time that I had heard the term used in a classroom and it was the first time I had heard the identity acknowledged,” Moeser said. She went on to state that the class became more open and prone to freedom of expression as a result.

Some panelists also suggested ways in which Fordham University could better accommodate queers. Two ideas that were discussed were to reform the housing lottery and to increase the number of LGBTQ clubs on campus. LGBTQ is an abbreviation for ‘Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer.’ “[In] our housing policy, they don’t even acknowledge the existence of queer people,” Lockhart said. “I have to room with a man if I want to live here.”

Lowery took on the subject of LGBTQ clubs on campus.

“I would like for there to be

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

Students gather to show solidarity for the PRIDE Alliance movement.

an LGBTQ club on campus, and would like for that to be recognized,” he said. “I’m not asking for us to be NYU, but I’m just saying that NYU has a multi-billion dollar LGBTQ center and upwards of 30 student organizations that are extremely specific by identity.”

Lowery further suggested that

such groups could be given specific functions like a social group, a support group, an educational group and a safety group. Currently, many of these functions are governed by PRIDE Alliance; however, Lowery said that providing each of the listed functions was a lot to ask for one group.

Spring Preview Takes Over Rose Hill Campus

By TAYLOR ENGDAHL COPY CHIEF

The Rose Hill campus felt a little cramped this past Sunday, April 15, as 2,500 admitted students and family members flocked to Rose Hill for the Office of Undergraduate Admission’s Spring Preview. With the May 1 deadline looming on the horizon, the Spring Preview provided the perfect opportunity for the high school seniors who have yet to make a deposit at their university of choice to get answers to any last-minute questions.

Liz Davis, an assistant director of admission, identified the goal of Spring Preview as spreading “the good word about Fordham.”

“If we can ensure these students have a positive experience, then our mission has been accomplished because even if they do not choose Fordham in the long run, they will at least have a better sense of who we are and will not hesitate to share that message with others,” Davis said in an email.

There was a full schedule planned for all who attended, beginning with campus tours at 10 a.m. The tours, led by Rose Hill Society Ambassadors, included a peek at a classroom, a freshman dormitory, the Rose Hill Gymnasium and the McGinley Center.

Despite the overwhelming number of people on campus, RHS Ambassador Shannon McKenna,

CHRIS SWEDA/MCT

Students, with their parents, visit Fordham for the annual Spring Preview in an effort to learn more about the University.

GSB ’14, said that she especially enjoyed giving tours during the Spring Preview.

“I always love giving tours during Spring Preview because students have already been admitted to the University and are therefore very enthusiastic,” McKenna said in an email. “My tour groups this weekend had some great questions and loved hearing about my own experiences here at Fordham. I find I can relate to the students on these tours more

because they are in the exact same place I was just two short years ago.”

More tours were given in the afternoon, beginning at 2:30 p.m.

Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the University, gave a welcoming address at noon in the packed Rose Hill Gym, which was followed by student life panels at 1 p.m. Each of the accepted students were assigned to a classroom, where a panel of Rose Hill

Ambassadors was ready to address any of the students’ concerns and to talk about their own Fordham experiences.

Academic presentations, given by professors in a variety of fields, began at 2 p.m. Topics ranged from traditional “Deus Vult: The Motivations of the Early Crusaders,” given by the history department’s Dr. Nicholas Paul, to slightly outrageous, in the case of “A Glimpse of Grace in Lady Gaga: A Comparison of ‘Born

This Way’ and Psalm 139,” given

by Fr. Thomas Scirghi, S.J., of the theology department.

At 3 p.m., faculty members and representatives for University programs and organizations gathered in the McGinley Ballroom for the Faculty and Administrators Fair. A range of departments was represented: everything from mathematics to African and African-American studies. Prospective students could also speak to administrators representing the Fordham College Rose Hill Honors Program, Fordham Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC), the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Career Services, just to name a few.

All in all, the event was deemed a success.

"Spring Preview this year was a fantastic event,” Vincent Perito, assistant director of admission, said. “It was a gorgeous day, and the spirits were high from students, parents and administrators alike. The admission staff, Rose Hill Society and all of their partners at the University did a terrific job in welcoming the admitted students for the upcoming class, and we know they each left with an incredible impression of Fordham."

McKenna echoed Perito’s positive sentiments.

“I am always amazed by how organized the Spring Preview event is,” McKenna said, “and this year proved just as impressive.”

NEWS

PAGE 4 • THE RAM • APRIL 11, 2012

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Communications Department Offers “Brown Bag” Lunch Series Guest Lecturers, Both Fordham Graduates and Non-Fordham Graduates, Offer Students Advice on Breaking into and Having Success in Their Prospective Fields

By KAREN HILL ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Students find themselves stressed and worried about finding a job after graduation with the increasingly competitive job market, especially in the field Media.

With this in mind, the Communication and Media Studies department arranged a series of “Brown Bag” lunches, where expert alumni from various parts of the field came to Fordham to speak to students about their careers.

“I think it is a great opportunity to bring alumni to campus and bring students to learn more about the field of communications,” Beth Knobel, the associate chair of the Communication and Media Studies, said. “I wanted it to be very broad in who we invited because the field of communications is so broad.”

The speakers gave advice on how to break into the field of communication and how to succeed once they’re in the field. There have been speakers throughout the month of April.

The line up of speakers was as follows: Paul LaRosa, FCRH ’75, producer for CBS News’ 48 Hours; Yesenia Almonte, FCRH ’97, and Molly Ritterback, FCRH ’10, the Beauty Director and Beauty Assistant of Seventeen magazine; Mike Breen, FCRH ’83, of ABC and ESPN; and upcoming speaker Laura Tessinari, a former Fordham Public Relations professor at Fordham’s Graduate School of Business.

Despite the differences between the various careers of the guests, the advice was useful and interesting to students of all interests.

“It was reassuring in this job market to hear Fordham graduates discuss how they got their jobs and how Fordham helped them, especially because they are doing jobs in the fields that they love,” Christine Kirby, FCRH ’14, a political science major, said.

The speech from the editors from Seventeen magazine was a round table discussion with a turnout of about 20 women. The talk was fairly informal as the editors introduced themselves and told their stories about breaking into the magazine industry, but the majority of the lunch consisted of

JASON DECROW/MCT

Mike Breen, FCRH ’83, pictured on the right, returned to Fordham to speak and offer advice to students.

questions and answers.

Yesenia Almonte was the first to tell her story. Almonte came into Fordham set on being a fashion journalist and planned her college life around that dream. She majored in English and minored in Journalism. Almonte was an avid reader of magazines and Latina was her all time favorite. Out of college she landed a job as an Assistant Beauty Editor with InStyle.

“I graduated thankfully at a time when magazines were doing really, really well and were hiring a lot,”Almonte said.

Originally Almonte aspired to write about fashion, but since the only available position was in beauty, she took it.

“I landed there and it has been a love affair ever since,” Almonte said.

From there she went on to her dream job and worked with Latina magazine for seven years moving from Associate Beauty Editor to Beauty Director and was then hired

by Seventeen.

“I love it so much, and I feel truly blessed to get to do what I love,” Almonte said.

She then described and discussed the responsibilities of a beauty director, which are laying out the magazine pages and paying

attention to every minute detail of every page, but the job extends beyond the office. The beauty director must also travel to discover new trends that appeal to the readers.

Rittenbeck, the most recent graduate, gave her story, which contrasted with Almonte’s. Rittenbeck did not know what she wanted to do coming into college, and through various trials she found her niche in beauty writing. Rittenbeck took on as many internships as she could and worked at Glamour, Allure and Cosmopolitan. She recommended internships to gain experience and to network. Rittenbeck had a unique strategy to get her name out in the magazine industry.

“I just sat in a Border’s one day and wrote down the names of all the beauty directors from every magazine that I could find,” Rittenbeck said. “I emailed all of them with my resume asking for an informational interview. It is something you can do if there is not an open position to get your name and face out there. I do not know if it is ‘cool’ to do, but I did it.”

Rittenbeck heard about the open position at Seventeen through former employers at a previous internship.

Almonte and Rittenback went

on to give more valuable advice.

One issue that many students suffer with is choosing what to study and correlating that with career plans.

“When I’m looking at resumes I am not looking at majors,” Almonte said. “I am more interested in the person. When I interviewed Molly she had this crazy resume and had interned everywhere and worked with top-notch people in the industry, and I was not interested in that. I was more interested in really knowing who Molly is.”

After that was said, many of the students laughed and smiled, feeling reassured.

A talk that drastically contrasted with this topic, but was fairly similar in content to the that of Seventeen magazine was the one delivered by the “legendary” Mike Breen, who is a sportscaster for ESPN and ABC. Breen opened with two key pieces of advice.

“One, follow your heart,” Breen said. “Two, don’t be afraid of failure.”

He then based his story around these two mantras and illustrated all the times he was happy he followed his heart and learned from his failures. Breen personally was hired out of college as a news re-

porter for a small Poughkeepsie, NY radio station. Like Almonte, he did not initially fall into the career path he hoped for. However, he was passionate about broadcast journalism. Breen did what he had to do to get to the job he wanted.

“It is tough [finding a job], no matter what career you pick, but if you are not pursuing a career you love, it is going to be more difficult,” Breen said.

Breen shared a story in which he landed an interview with ESPN fresh out of college. He was too confident and did not adequately prepare for his interview and missed out on his big break. He was told that his interview was the worst ever for a job at ESPN. While Breen got the job ten years later, it was only because he learned how to prepare for interviews with his experience.

“Get ready for failure; it’s okay,” Breen said.

The only action Breen said he would change if he could do it all over again was to major in English.

“It is amazing when someone has an amazing vocabulary,” Breen said. “Learn the language.”

Breen talked with a male-dominated audience and not only advised about career paths, but also joked about the current state of the NBA with the students.

The series will continue until Thursday, April 19, when Laura Tessinari comes to speak about Public Relations.

Knobel, department organizer of the “Brown Bag” lunches, is content with the series.

“I think they have been a real success,” Knobel said. “Students have turned out and they have been really interesting and enjoyable.”

At least one student agreed with Knobel, but it is certainly more, judging by the large turnouts of eager students taking advantage of the opportunities to speak with the professionals.

“I found it incredibly helpful.

It gave me an inside look into the company [Seventeen], the culture, what to expect and how to make your way into that kind of business,” Andrea Kate Diano, GSB ’14, said. “It looked like they truly enjoyed their jobs, which made me more excited about working in the fashion field. I’m glad they came to share their experiences.”

Students’ Demands Met: Library Remains Open Longer on Weekends USG, FROM PAGE 1

RAM ARCHIVES

USG’s library team helped the Provost and library staff extend the hours.

to our meetings and talk about it. People send us emails and talk about it. It’s something we hear all the time.”

USG’s library-initiative team, which included Muhammad Sarwar, GSB ’14, Jennifer Lim, FCRH ’15, Sera Yoon, FCRH ’14 and Donald Borenstein, FCRH ’13, began the process by gathering peer-aspirant research from other comparable universities, such as Georgetown and NYU, of what their library hours are.

Meyer and her team met twice with library directors to discuss their proposal. Then she and Elisa DiMauro, FCRH ’12, presented their edited proposal to ProvostStephen Freedman and Ellen Fa-

hey-Smith, assistant vice president and chief of staff.

“They asked us if this was a priority for students and we told them that this is probably one of the most common issues brought to student governments,” Meyer said. “[The Provost’s office] said if it’s that big of a priority for students, then we’ll look into it as seriously as we can to make it happen.”

They then began working in collaboration with the library staff to complete the necessary logistics needed to expand the hours.

“They had to figure out how to staff, where the funds would come from and, since there’s going to be a new library director, they had to make sure that the people there now would be able to see that

through once we have the new library director,” Meyer said.

After they secured the funding for the staffing of security guards, the Provost worked with the library team to finalize the exact details of the extended library hours.

Also, students should be aware of the fact that although the library hours are advertised online as opening at 8:30 a.m., and the latenight zones open at 6 a.m. Monday through Friday. USG is in the process of updating the library’s website to reflect the accurate hours.

“We’re hoping that these hours will serve students well and that students will actually use the, hours,” Meyer said. “But if not we’ll re-evaluate and see how we can best serve the students.”

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APRIL 18, 2012 • THE RAM • PAGE 5

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APRIL 18, 2012

PAGE 7

Spring Weekend Budget Should Be Reconsidered

By CHRISTOPHER KENNEDY STAFF WRITER

The anticipation builds this time each year. Whispers turn into rumors, which take Facebook and Twitter by storm. Everyone thinks their “inside source” is correct and, despite saying to their friends, “Tell no one else!” the information spreads like wildfire.

I am speaking, of course, of the featured Spring Weekend performer, recently announced as Jay Sean, best known for his hit “Down,” featuring Lil Wayne.

Yet this year, the disappointment regarding the selection seemed greater than usual. Despite the sighs heard last year when Third Eye Blind was announced, people generally seemed happy to know that they would be treated to songs with which they grew up. Likewise, people praised the choice of MGMT two years ago.

This year, however, people took to social networks to vent their frustration in great numbers.

Which made me wonder — is it worth it? Is it right to spend a large sum if so many students are unhappy? The Campus Activity Board’s concert committee receives $50,000 yearly (“SLC Approves Autonomy for CAB’s Budget’s,” V. 93, i. 9).

With so many clubs wanting to

program with limited funds, why put down a large portion of the total Student Activities Fee budget allocations for an event with which students are more than happy to express their dissatisfaction?

This is not to say that CAB does a bad job or that they should not be respected for their work.

The concert committee has been working tirelessly since last year to plan this year’s concert, which takes a tremendous amount of work each year. Fordham is lucky to have students willing to do the legwork necessary to bring wellknown acts to campus.

It seems to me, however, that CAB and the Office of Student Leadership and Community Development ought to ask themselves if a large yearly expense is worth it, or if they are just planning an event because it has occurred in years past. If the Concert Committee allocation is not enough to book acts that will please more people, then CAB needs to rethink how to spend its money. Since we are in New York City, there are numerous smaller acts that could be booked for much less than $50,000 and likely would not be subject to the same kind of vitriol that Jay Sean was.

Moreover, there are many popular student acts that would likely

graciously play for free or close to it.

Under the status quo, though, CAB is under pressure to book the biggest, most expensive, most well-known act it can, knowing that students have come to expect a big name to headline the weekend.

But with the DJ events of the past two years, we have seen that a large event without a large budget can draw big numbers of happy students. Thus, there seems to be no reason for the University to shoot for the biggest name possible just for the sake of name recognition.

I am by no means saying that Spring Weekend should be any less of a good time — if anything, a better, if less well-known performer would make people more satisfied with the weekend and happier with how their Student Activities Fee is being spent. Nor am I saying that there is some perfect scenario in which no students would complain about the weekend’s events.

Jay Sean’s selection, however, demonstrates how large allocations of money can yield lessthan-satisfactory results. Instead, perhaps, CAB could get creative.

Funds could go toward a greater diversity of events at the Saturday concert and picnic, or even

PHOTO BY MICHAEL REZIN/ THE RAM

Martyrs’ Lawn becomes the stage for the guest artist during Spring Weekend.

toward a greater quantity of the most sought-after Spring Weekend commodity.

As Ray McCreavy, FCRH ’12, suggested, “Nearly everyone wants a Spring Weekend t-shirt,

whereas few want to hear an hour of Jay Sean songs not called ‘Down.’”

Christopher Kennedy, FCRH ’12, is a theology and urban studies major from Mystic, Conn.

Fordham IT’s Approach to Internet Service is Flawed

By SAMUEL VERZINO STAFF WRITER

Many Fordham University students have recently — or perhaps not so recently — become fed up with a cumbersome and impeding drawback on campus, in the form of a sluggish Wi-Fi connection and recurring IT failure. With the end of the semester and finals swiftly approaching, it is imperative that the Internet and University online portals are functioning at peak performance in order to eliminate student and faculty stress. In addition, many feel that a more powerful online connection would eradicate potential system overloads and crashes.

Now, I may not be a computer science expert, but I am a student who has experienced these issues, and at the risk of sounding cliché, I will throw in my two cents. I personally feel that at most times of the day, the Wi-Fi connection operates at a spectacular velocity. Yet, it is undeniable that at peak hours of student productivity, which are approximately between 8 p.m. and 1 a.m., the connection is often so slothful that simply opening one’s web browser becomes a five-minute ordeal.

Furthermore, IT failure appears to be rampant during the periods when its success is most crucial.

For instance, the portal for 20122013 housing deposits collapsed under high traffic a few hours prior to the deadline for submissions.

This, however, is dated news.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL REZIN/THE RAM

Fordham IT has updated its Wi-Fi, but it is merely treading water instead of wholly tackling massive Internet problems.

Recently, more than a few students to whom I have spoken reported that they had trouble accessing the class registration portal during their designated time slot.

Tom Honan, FCRH ’15 was among one of these individuals.

He said that he feels he was “closed out of two potential courses due to a delay in accessing the portal.”

Additionally, Honan claimed that “in order to avoid these types of situations, the IT department seriously needs to work on expanding the number of access points.”

Fordham IT was contacted to comment on these issues. While

IT did not address the failures during registration due to it being a new and developing issue during the time of the interview, I was able to speak to Mark McNeil, the director of network engineering and operations at Fordham IT. McNeil said that it is “constantly in the process of adding new access points, as well as responding to slowdown issues as they are received by faculty.” McNeil also explained that there is a constant influx of Wi-Fi capable devices on campus.

“It used to be just laptops that students would need to connect to the Internet,” McNeil said.

“Now they have their phones, televisions and even game systems on campus. When you have four devices feeding from the Internet, and they all belong to one student, your connection problem is quadrupled.”

Additionally, McNeil told me that over spring break, the connection speed was increased and a difference in connectivity should certainly have been noticed. Unfortunately, “students will always believe something is bad if it was bad before an improvement” according to McNeil, implying that predispositions on the power of the Internet connection are issues

that no office can repair.

From this information, it is evident that Fordham IT is truly attempting to advance its systematics. Perhaps there is a great responsibility on the student as well. Shutting off the television, game system or laptop from Internet connectivity while it is not in use certainly has the potential to increase Internet speed and reduce the chances of future IT failure during inevitable periods of high traffic.

Still, I cannot help but feel a bit scornful of the whole system.

It seems as if the IT office has taken on this “repair, don’t prepare” mantra. With the increase in connective consumption, the IT office seems to only expand upon what is necessary to avoid constant crashing, rather than looking to the future and investing in ideas that will consistently improve the Wi-Fi. In this way, it seems that the connection never really shows noticeable improvement, but is increased just enough to keep the same pace to which we as students are accustomed.

This treads into the realm of available finances for IT expansion, however, and that is not exactly my area of specialty. But then again, as I stated earlier, neither is computer science. Here is to hoping that students and IT can reach a happy medium, whatever that may be.

Samuel Verzino, FCRH ’15, is a biology major from Waterbury, Conn.

OPINIONS

PAGE 8• THE RAM • APRIL 18, 2012

The Ram Serving campus and community since 1918.

The Ram is the University journal of record. The mission of The Ram is to provide a forum for the free and open exchange of ideas in service to the community and to act as a student advocate.

The Ram is published and distributed free of charge every Wednesday during the academic year to the Rose Hill, Lincoln Center and Westchester campuses with a readership of 12,000. The Ram office is located in the basement of the McGinley Center, room B-52.

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Editor-in-Chief Connie Kim Managing Editor Olivia Monaco Executive Editors Sarah Ramirez Emily Arata Business Editor Lindsay Lersner News Editor Connor Ryan Assistant News Editors Karen Hill Kelly Kultys Opinions Editor Rory Masterson Assistant Opinions Editors Ricky Bordelon Canton Winer Culture Editor Scharon Harding Assistant Culture Editor Devon Sheridan Sports Editors Chester Baker Dan Gartland Assistant Sports Editor Matt Rosenfeld Copy Chief Taylor Engdahl Copy Team Anisa Arsenault Nikos Buse Isabella Fante Ava Gagliardi Deirdre Hynes Stephanie Kawalski Chris Kennedy Celeste Kmiotek Brian Kraker Cathy Landry Tom Merante Meghan Mulvehill Katie Nolan Erik Pedersen Anna Romagnoli Photo Editor Michael Rezin Design Editor Elizabeth Mallozzi Web Editor Anne Couture Assistant Web Editor Daley Quinn Faculty Advisor Dr. Beth Knobel Opinions Policy The Ram appreciates submissions that are typed and saved on a disk in *.rtf, *.txt or *.doc formats, or sent to the staff via e-mail at fordhamramletters@gmail.com. Commentaries are printed on a space available basis. The Ram reserves the right to reject any submission for any reason, without notice. Submissions become the exclusive property of The Ram and will not be returned. The Ram reserves the right to edit any submissions. The opinions in The Ram’s editorials are those of the editorial board; those expressed in articles, letters, commentaries, cartoons or graphics are those of the individual author. No part of The Ram may be reproduced without written consent.

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From the Desk of Elizabeth Mallozzi, Design Editor We all have moments when we must stop to think about where we are headed. Many of us tend to rush through each day, taking small steps that fit within a certain plan.

For many Fordham students, our daily decisions bring us one step closer to graduation and obtaining our dream jobs. As exciting as being an accountant or a banker may be, however, I was recently intrigued upon hearing a story of a friend’s uncle who moved to South America to improve the efficiency of foreign factories. This certainly took me by surprise, and I felt a strange sense of confusion.

As I contemplated this man’s way of making a living, I asked, “How did he even find that job?” Did this man go to college and think, “Wow, I would really love to make factories efficient one day”? As far as I could tell, he loves what he does, but is it not absurd that he could very well have been another business student, aiming to become an accountant, who stumbled upon this position? I highly doubt that he ever dreamed of this when he

was 20. So where will we all be in 20 more years?

I think about myself and my future, and I have to be honest that I have no clue where I will be. Unfortunately, I cannot help but stress about my plan — my next steps — but when I hear stories like this man’s, I realize how difficult forming a plan can be. I become filled with doubt and wonder if everything I am doing is wrong. Although I know I have some time to figure things out, I have no dream job or ultimate goal. This is not a comforting feeling for someone who loves to plan.

My whole life has had a set direction — elementary to middle school, middle school to high school, high school to college... but what about after college? Do I want to attend graduate school? Or do I want to start working? Will I want to return to school? These questions are a bit overwhelming, but upon hearing that man’s story, though I found it absurd, it also made me hopeful. It is possible that I have yet to discover the job that

will make me happy one day. My dream job is out there; I just have not come across it yet.

My mother has often said to me, “We make plans and God laughs,” and I know that she is right. We can plan all we want in life; however, those plans cannot guarantee even a slight indication of where we will end up.

So, if that is true, what is the point of making a plan at all? The more I try to figure out a plan, the more pointless it seems. If the ultimate goal I plan for myself is likely to change anyway, and is in some ways out of my control, what is the point of stressing out over that ultimate goal? Well, this is the answer I have come up with: If we give up altogether, we will miss the many opportunities that will lead us into the unknown.

Think about how many stories you have heard of someone meeting the right person in the strangest places. I know I have. Once you give up, you miss out on the experiences that will lead you to that right person; you miss out on discover-

ing what you truly love and what you may be surprised to dislike.

When I get overwhelmed, I try to keep all this in mind. I remind myself that I should not stress about the unknown, although that is not always easy. I find myself worrying over both the next step and my general confusion about my future.

But when I finally stop to take a deep breath from my hectic schedule, I realize that the best thing to do is to relax and take life one step at a time. Each good decision that I make will help me find wherever it is I am meant to be. The possibilities are endless and that should be exciting, not stressful. Maybe one day I will end up in South America too…you never know.

EDITORIAL: Spring Preview-Goers are Misled This past weekend, the arrival of thousands of wide-eyed high school students on campus signaled the annual Spring Preview.

The week preceding this event is always full of gardeners planting entirely new flowerbeds around campus and a general cleaning of the University’s buildings.

The editors of The Ram, however, are concerned by the way the image of Fordham changes the moment prospective students step foot on the campus. We love Rose Hill for its quirks, which result from having been loved by students for hundreds of years. From the iconic ram statue in front of Hughes Hall to the thousands of flyers untidily hanging on the bulletin boards in the McGinley Center, students at Fordham relish the small imperfections that make this campus home.

The administration, however, attempts to put a squeaky-clean finish on our University the moment would-be students become involved, going far beyond the expected trash pick-up and touching

up of paint. Fences are replaced, entire gardens are uprooted and already-blossoming flowers are planted in their place. The Ram believes that our campus speaks for itself; its beauty includes its imperfections. Giving the campus such an intensive (and expensive) face-lift is unnecessary.

The Ram would even venture to suggest that minor flaws might make a school more desirable to prospective students. After days upon days of visiting colleges on week-long East Coast university tours, students do not want to hear speeches from every tour guide about the perfection of Fordham University, showing off Bishop’s Lounge and talk about Fordham’s medical school acceptance rate.

It is important that students have those pieces of information, but we think it is also valuable for visitors to learn about some of Fordham’s quirks, even if the administration might not think students will find them all that appealing. Sure, our dormitory washing machines flood if you use too much soap, and the

omelet line on Saturday mornings is almost always a 30-minute wait, but the student body understands these somewhat frustrating but ultimately endearing idiosyncracies, and so will would-be students, or at least, the potential students for whom Fordham is the best fit.

Furthermore, the editors at The Ram want to suggest that some of this money could be better spent elsewhere. We understand that it is important for the University, as an academic institution, to put a significant amount of time, energy and, yes, money into informing prospective students about all that Fordham has to offer, with the hope that their interest in the school will increase as a result.

That being said, do we really want the students who are transfixed solely by Fordham’s aesthetic beauty to attend this University?

No, we want students who are passionate about Fordham as an institution, who want to study here because they are excited about the strong sense of community found on campus or the wide range of ac-

ademic programs it offers. Perhaps the money would be better spent paying for extra employees at the library or the Caf so that either could stay open later.

This is not to say that we do not enjoy and appreciate the maintenance of Fordham’s campus. We would be hard-pressed to find a campus that we find more beautiful and well-kept than Fordham, especially as the spring weather kicks into high gear. There is nothing better than waking up to hear birds chirping in the flowering tree outside your window.

We at The Ram merely question whether focusing so heavily on making the campus pristine for Spring Preview is really necessary, when the students for whom Fordham is the right fit will find what they are looking for, regardless of whether the fence around Eddie’s is new or not.

Editorial Policy The Ram’s editorials are selected on a weekly basis, and are meant to reflect the editorial board’s view on a particular issue.

Letters to the Editor Dear Editor: I thought it was very inappropriate for Fr. McShane to demand an apology from The Ram regarding the satirical April Fool’s edition. Fr. McShane has a lot of nerve. My various Jewish friends thought it was a good satirical piece. In fact, I have not read of nor do I know of any Jewish student at Fordham who complained about being offended by your article.

However, many Muslim students have complained about having the Islamophobic Police Commissioner Ray Kelly as an alumni luncheon keynote speaker in March because of his defense of spying on innocent Muslim students and his anti-Islamic views when he appeared on the anti-Muslim propaganda hate film sponsored by the “Clarion Fund: The Third Jihad.” Many

university presidents have condemned the spying of innocent Muslims on college campuses, but Fordham has not. This is very ironic, considering that our University has experienced a string of hate-based vandalism towards African-Americans and gays. Fr. McShane issued university-wide emails condemning singling out minority groups, and he called for not just mere tolerance of those who are different, but why did he not do the same for Muslim students when there was a major uproar about the NYPD spying on college campuses?

Moreover, I have filed complaints against professors regarding nasty, violent, anti-Islamic rhetoric in a couple of my classes.

For example, a professor who said with glee: “It is good for American foreign policy when the Shias and Sunnis kill each other be-

cause it provides for a balance of power in the Middle East;” “We need to go into Pakistan militarily and forcibly change the Islamic penal code;” and showing offensive videos mocking Orthodox Muslims (like myself ) which disparage the Prophet Muhammad.

The University’s response was that it was “academic freedom.”

So, Fr. McShane should understand that it’s academic freedom to make jokes as you please about other religions and discontinue this hypocritical self-righteousness.

The Ram should not have caved in to the administration’s pressuring and should have stood their ground on freedom of expression.

Best regards, Ayca Bahce, PCS ’12

Dear Editor: As a member of the class of 2012, I am thrilled about the commencement speaker Fordham booked this year. Mr. Brennan is not coming to Fordham to impose policies or decisions with which some would disagree. He is coming as a member of the Fordham University community to share his experiences from his time as a Ram. We cannot disrespect an individual for pursuing a career that best suits the talents they have developed over their time at Fordham. Whether or not you agree with his career choice or policy views, Mr. Brennan is a Fordham graduate who used his experiences at Fordham to choose his path in life. I, for one, cannot wait to hear what he has to say.

Sincerely, Tom Brown, FCRH ’12

OPINIONS

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Left of the Allen Dial

APRIL 18, 2012 • THE RAM • PAGE 9

Fordham Should Embrace Bronx

John P. Castonguay Do Not Ignore Ron Paul

Ying

Settling for Romney And then there was one. Last week, Rick Santorum canceled his bid for the Republican presidential nomination and essentially left Romney as the sole nominee. Romney’s remaining contenders, Representative Ron Paul and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, have demonstrated a remarkably lackluster fight against Romney’s nomination. According to The Huffington Post, Gingrich’s campaign is over $4.5 million in debt, while Paul has failed to garner much support outside of his youth base.

It is strange that this primary has seen so many leading nominees besides Romney. A parade of contenders rose to national prominence, either spectacularly crashing and burning or fading away. Romney was always on the back burner, merely there in case someone better came along. And it shows. An astounding 54 percent of conservatives objected to Santorum pulling out of the race.

Even now, many conservatives are hoping for an 11th hour redeemer to save them from the inevitability of a Romney nomination. In fact, Romney is possibly the least-liked nominee exiting the primaries in history.

His repertoire of endorsements is missing key individuals, such as the recently-dispatched Santorum.

Romney currently holds 666 delegate votes, just north of the halfway point needed to win the nomination. His closest contender, Gingrich, holds only a fifth of the number of delegates that Romney does.

But how fragmented will the party be come September? Even with the Bain Capital founder in the lead, there are many consequences of a contentious primary. The diverse dichotomy of the GOP, first appearing in the Tea Party in 2010, has come to the forefront of the American consciousness.

Bible Belt conservatives, fiscal conservatives, Tea Partiers and libertarians have emerged as competitors to the base of the Republican Party. Unlike 2008, when Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama divided the Democratic Party due to issues of experience and character of the candidates, there were no divisions over ideals. The Republicans this year face those very issues.

So just accept it, Republicans: Like it or not, Mitt’s your guy. I know he’s not your ideal candidate.

He comes from a Northeastern state, where Republicanism is a bastardization of the Bible Belt GOP. Romney is a Mormon, which silently bothers many. But in the end, did you really think Santorum would win the general election? Sure he captivates the party, but he also excites moderates in the opposite direction. And who else will appear this late in the game?

It is unlikely that the party would embrace Ron Paul; he’s even more radical than Romney. Furthermore, Romney has the most financially-secure campaign, and with Obama soliciting millions of dollars a day for his campaign, Republicans need the most financially-stable campaign to enter the general election.

Of course, a miracle could occur in the form of a better candidate appearing. Then again, wasn’t that supposed to be Santorum?

Righter’s Block

RAM ARCHIVES

Fordham students should be proud of and involved in the Bronx neighborhood that surrounds the Rose Hill campus.

By MICHAEL CHARBONEAU CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Spacious green lawns, tall leafy trees, stately stone buildings, lots of affluent suburban students: Does this sound like the Bronx to you? Probably not. Yet, you can find all of these things in the Bronx, and more specifically, here at Fordham. An island in the urban sea of New York City, Fordham stands out from its surroundings. Everything from the landscaping to the makeup of the student body sets it apart.

Even so, Fordham does not exist in isolation from the community that surrounds it. In fact, the relationship between the school and the Bronx is highly important, and also complex.

Unlike universities located in tiny “college towns” — ahem, Notre Dame — Fordham finds itself amidst a community that is vibrant and thriving in its own right. Many families and workers live in the neighborhood outside Fordham, and one needs only to stroll down Fordham Road or Arthur Avenue to see that the neighborhood deserves its reputation as a busy shopping and restaurant district.

The vibrancy of the community creates many opportunities for students, but it can also pose problems, especially when students’ lifestyles conflict with those of the people who call the Bronx home. John Carroll, Fordham’s associate vice president of Safety and Security, has firsthand experience with the ups and downs of Fordham’s relationship with the neighborhood outside its gates.

Although he now works for Fordham, Carroll once worked for the New York Police Department as a captain in the 48th Precinct, which includes Fordham and the surrounding neighborhood. Based on this past experience and his work at Fordham’s Safety and Security Department, Carroll has an excellent perspective on the Bronx neighborhood around Fordham and the relationship between the neighborhood and the school. When asked to characterize this relationship, he

quickly responded, “wonderful,” and he has the facts to back it up: Store owners appreciate the business that Fordham students and faculty provide, and students often volunteer to work on service projects in the community.

Even so, Carroll readily admitted that there are “downsides” to this relationship, and that students themselves are often the cause. He noted that students’ late-night drinking can create issues in the neighborhood, such

with the commander of the 48th Precinct, Deputy Inspector Bill McSorley.

Carroll also mentioned that he meets with different community groups that represent the interests of the neighborhood. He acts as their contact for concerns regarding Fordham students or the University in general. They contact him about incidents and concerns, and Fordham’s security team responds, even when the NYPD will not. This kind of responsive service helps keep Bronx residents satisfied and Fordham students safe.

Overall, Carroll said the relationship between the University and the Bronx is “90 percent good and 10 percent bad.” The relationship has benefits for both sides, especially from a business perspective. The variety of restaurants, bars and shops, as well as other establishments that cater to students is a testament to this claim.

Maximum Barber Shop, on Fordham Road, is one such example. The employees there have especially strong feelings about Fordham and its students. The owner, known to most simply as Freddie, remarked, “there’s nothing negative I could say” about Fordham students. He is especially fond of Fordham’s many Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) students, who frequent his barber shop in order to keep their hair neatly buzzed.

Freddie’s story typifies the feelings of many business owners and employees around Fordham. The Bronx provides Fordham students with many great resources, and Fordham’s presence benefits the neighborhood in many ways. It is an important relationship.

Both sides have inherent bad aspects — crime will always be a problem in working-class neighborhoods, and students’ late-night activities are often, well, loud. Regardless, it is a relationship that demands attention, and one of which we should be proud.

Michael Charboneau, FCRH ’15, is a communication and media studies major from Detroit, Mich.

“Unlike universities located in tiny ‘college towns,’ Fordham finds itself amidst a community that is vibrant and thriving in its own right.” as incidents of vandalism.

Often, the greatest source of conflict comes from the clash between student and neighborhood lifestyles. Parties at students’ apartments and houses in the neighborhood are frequent and well known, and nobody notices them more than the workers and families living in the buildings nearby.

“Some [Bronx] residents probably hate us,” Carroll said, remarking that one of the biggest downsides to living near Fordham, from the perspective of Bronx residents, is simply not being able to sleep. A 2 a.m. rager full of college students does not make a good lullaby for the people in the apartment next door.

Although there can be tension between Fordham students and Bronx residents, Carroll and the rest of Fordham’s Safety and Security Department have taken steps to lessen or prevent any hostility.

Carroll pointed out a number of ways the Security Department does this. Fordham’s security vans help students move safely through the neighborhood at night and, as Carroll put it, keep students from “interacting negatively” with the neighborhood, either as perpetrators of crime or victims of it.

The Safety and Security Department works closely with the NYPD to monitor crime in the area, and Carroll regularly talks

In the Republican presidential primary, the biggest recent news is Rick Santorum’s suspension of his campaign, which effectively ends his bid to become the next president.

His departure from the competition to earn the Republican nomination creates an opportunity for one of the remaining candidates to position himself as the Romney-alternative.

Many amongst the conservative base of the GOP have expressed dissatisfaction with Romney. Some are concerned about Romney’s past advocation for health care legislation , which many argue is similar to “Obamacare.” Others believe he is not committed enough to social or fiscal conservativism, while some simply see Romney as boring. This presents an opportunity for one of the remaining candidates, either Ron Paul or Newt Gingrich, to experience a late surge in popularity.

Of the two, Paul is in a much better position to take advantage of the newly-created vacuum, although according to The New York Times, Paul trails Gingrich in delegates 55136; Romney has 684. Reports have surfaced of the Gingrich campaign bouncing checks. Alternatively, the Paul campaign has a proven track record of raising money quickly through “money bombs” — quick injections of large sums of money.

Paul has a particular appeal to younger voters — possibly explained by a resurgence in libertarianism — and also to veterans, as Paul served in the Air Force. He has an expanding group of dedicated followers committed to seeing his campaign through to the convention. Interestingly, Paul has a large number of supporters amongst delegates currently listed as uncommitted to any candidate.

In terms of his policies, Congressman Paul offers something for almost every portion of the political spectrum. He is socially conservative and strongly opposes the Department of Health and Human Services’ contraception mandate, saying, “In truth this mandate has nothing to do with health care.”

On the other hand, Paul opposes the involvement of the federal government in social issues and wants the states to pass appropriate legislation. His quest to drastically cut defense spending and his anti-war positions appeal to liberals and independents. Paul’s willingness to cut taxes and shrink the federal government appeals to fiscal conservatives.

Paul would also appeal to those in favor of decriminalizing marijuana possession and use.

Unfortunately, the media has refused to acknowledge Paul’s potential to appeal not just to Republican voters but those from across the political spectrum. Romney has been selected as the presumptive nominee, and Paul will have an extremely difficult time convincing voters otherwise.

The media has overstepped its role as the provider of information and seeker of truth by declaring one candidate to be the favorite, while treating a candidate with the ability to appeal to a wide audience as unelectable. Paul should have a chance at overtaking Romney but most likely will not due to the decision of the mainstream media.

PAGE 10 • THE RAM • APRIL18, 2012

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APRIL 18, 2012

PAGE 11

Sustainability Promoted On Campus for Earth Week

KAREN BORCHERS/MCT CAMPUS

SEAJ hopes that Earth Week will encourage students to care about the Earth by performing simple tasks like recycling.

By SCHARON HARDING CULTURE EDITOR

Sunday, April 22 is Earth Day. To prepare for this celebration, many participate in Earth Week, the week leading up to Earth Day, which is the week is dedicated to promoting environmentalism.

This year, Fordham Students for Environmental Awareness and Justice (SEAJ) is hosting a bushel of events this week to get Fordham excited about being green.

The week’s first event will take place on Wednesday, April 18, which has been named Conser-

vation Day. SEAJ has worked with Residential Life and Custodial Facilities to have all lounge lights turned off from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“I’m really excited for the lounge lights to be off,” Ani Esenyan, FCRH ’14 and SEAJ meeting coordinator, said. “We printed out flyers on the back of old flyers we collected explaining the day. We’re trying to encourage people to live in a more sustainable way in just the easiest way.”

The Marketplace will also be turned into a Sustainability Carnival on Wednesday. Sodexo will

serve organic food, including more vegetarian dishes. Homemade treats and reusable bags will also be distributed.

“I’m excited about what the caf is doing because I think that’s an easy potential thing the school can do to be a lot more sustainable,” Kyle Clonan, FCRH ’14 and event coordinator of SEAJ, said.

The caf will not be the only dining facility celebrating Earth Week. For customers who bring reusable thermoses or mugs to The Grille, Campbell Cafe or Deli from 9-10 a.m. or 3-4 p.m.

on Wednesday and Thursday, the coffee is free. During regular, non-Earth Week days, customers can still bring in a reusable container and get charged for a small cup, no matter the size of the container.

The week’s activities continue on Thursday with a lecture by Scott C. Smith, the CEO and founder of Opflex Solutions.

His business creates a remarkable sponge that absorbs oil from contaminated water and leaves clean water behind.

Smith will discuss environmentalism, his beliefs and his product. He will also share some exciting news about possible solutions for diminishing pollution in nearby areas.

SEAJ goes outdoors on Friday, April 20, with the Earth Week Fair. From 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. the club will be set up alongside many GO! teams and the cookie delivery system Twice Baked Cookies, owned by students Stephen Shami, GSB ’13 and Germán Chabur. Food, fundraisers and other activities will take place on McGinley Lawn.

“We’re also going to be tabling for the Green Fund,” Clonan said.

“It’s a sustainability fund that’s kind of for students by students.”

SEAJ is promoting the idea of a Fordham Green Fund that would be for sustainable projects around campus. The money could be raised in a number of ways, such as increasing the tuition by a mere $10 per student.

“We presented it to USG [United Student Government], and they said they would support further research into it,” Clonan said. “So we have a survey trying to get people interested, to figure

out what kind of things students would want to do with the fund and how much money they’d be willing to spend.”

There will also be a table for those who would like to sign up to volunteer in the creation of St. Rose’s garden, Fordham’s new organic garden a few blocks away.

On Saturday, SEAJ will team up with Parks Action for the City of New York (PACNY) to clean up and plant in Franz Sigel Park, which is near Yankee Stadium.

Volunteers are encouraged to come. The meet-up is at 10:40 a.m. at the Walsh Library Gate.

On Earth Day, Sunday, April 22, SEAJ will hike in Mohonk Nature Preserve in upstate New York. The cost of the trip is $12, and all are welcome to join by emailing either shafezjr@fordham.edu, fordhamseaj@gmail. com or by writing on SEAJ’s Facebook page, Students for Environmental Awareness and Justice.

“There’s been a lack of excitement about living greenly on campus, and I hope Earth Week starts off a greater consciousness of the student body,” Clonan said.

Anyone interested in joining SEAJ or their upcoming elections, has a green idea they would like to see come to fruition or has questions about any events can check out SEAJ’s Facebook page, email them at fordhamseaj@ gmail.com or visit their blog at fordhamseaj.blogspot.com.

“We really do believe that this can go far and make an impact on our campus,” Esenyan said.

“That’s the point of Earth Week.

We’re really trying to impact the campus for the better.”

Reid Family Writers of Color Series Holds Poetry Reading

By CATHY LANDRY COPY EDITOR

On Thursday, April 12, Fordham students crowded into the Keating first floor auditorium to hear poetry readings by two of the country’s celebrated poets, Patricia Smith and Terrance Hayes. Sponsored by the English department’s Reid Family Writers of Color Series, the event was a hit with students and faculty alike.

I was curious about how they came to be poets, and I had the opportunity to sit down with both of the poets for a few minutes before their readings.

“I was always writing, from the time I was eight years old,” Smith said, who is a four-time champion of the National Poetry Slam. “I liked it because the canvas is clear all the time. The Slam was just a recreational activity — something I did to enhance the way I wrote and connected with an audience.”

Smith has since retired from Slam poetry.

“At this point, I don’t do performance anymore. I just do poetry. I don’t separate performance poetry and poetry on the page. Most of my

career has been spent reaching that juncture where they work both ways.”

Hayes, on the other hand, never thought he would be a writer.

“I liked to paint. That’s what I studied in college,” Hayes, a recent winner of the National Book Award for Poetry, said. “I was mostly reading. I wrote, but mostly I just liked to read. My English teacher finally told me to send my poems somewhere.”

Both poets were friendly and engaging, and even more captivating when performing their readings for the audience.

They spoke on subjects that ranged from humorous anecdotes, to reflections on people in their own lives, to national topics such as Hurricane Katrina.

The energy in the room was palpable, especially because many students were already familiar with the poets’ work (Hayes’ book Lighthead’s Guide to the Galaxy is taught in many Fordham English classes).

Frances Reid, who, along with her husband, donated the money to support this event, spoke with me about the Reid Family Writers

of Color Series.

“My husband and I were looking for a way to support the University, and one of the options was starting a writers’ series,” Reid said. “That option appealed to me the most because I’ve always loved literature.”

“I wanted to see more of an African-American and ethnic presence in the events on campus,” Reid said.

The series is now in its fourth year. Previous speakers have included Junot Diaz, James McBride and Tyehimba Jess.

“Sometimes they ask me if there’s a particular type of writer I’d like,” Reid said of the selection process. “The poetry actually came about by accident because one of our writers fell ill last year. But I’m glad, because I learned a lot about poetry.”

Both Hayes and Smith also taught master-craft classes for students who were chosen to attend.

“The lesson for the class was reading to write, because that’s how I learned,” Hayes said.

Both of the poets read beautiful poems, and everything about the event was impressive.

The timbre of their voices, their

PHOTO BY NORA MALLOZZI/THE RAM

Hayes won the National Book Award in 2010 for Lighthead’s Guide to the Galaxy.

engagement with the audience and the outstanding quality of their poetry all made for a successful event at this year’s Reid Family Writers of Color Series.

Correction The Ram would like to clarify that Fordham’s production of The Vagina Monologues did not change or omit any of V-Day’s monologues this year.

CULTURE

PAGE 12 • THE RAM • APRIL 18, 2012

Going Global

Dining Out: Woodrow’s

This week’s column is written by Donald Ross, FCRH ’13.

This past Friday night, I had two cab experiences in Beijing that were entertaining for different reasons and also an accurate reflection of daily interactions in China.

The first experience took place as my friend and I were going to get pizza in Sanlitun (the expatriate district of Beijing). The cab driver who picked us up, a man in his mid 50s, immediately began conversing with us over the loud thumping of generic Western pop music playing in his car.

He seemed really happy to be driving Americans around, and once my friend complimented his music, he got excited and started talking about how much he liked Lady Gaga. He then switched the song, and Ke$ha started bumping. The driver looked over to me and exclaimed in broken English: “Lady Gaga! Lady Gaga!”

As Ke$ha played, we talked about various things (he did not understand how I, as an American, found the iPhone too expensive) as he utilized a “secret” route that got us to the restaurant more quickly than usual.

This cab driver, like many other Chinese people that I have met, embraced all things Western. Western culture is still relatively new to China, and many Chinese are fascinated by it. Once you leave Beijing and go to other provinces where fewer foreigners visit, fascination gives way to surprise and curiosity. Members of our program have had their pictures taken by countless Chinese tourists wherever they go because they are white and have blond hair or facial hair.

China is a big country with a massive population, so once you move away from the cities along the coast, which have exploded in size and industry due to high foreign investment, the population is less familiar with the West.

There is no single “Chinese” belief to which everyone subscribes, so it is useful to keep in mind the differences in culture and attitude throughout the country.

My second cab experience last Friday is an example of another aspect of China with which I have become all too familiar: haggling and arguing. As we tried to find a cab home, my friend and I argued with a cab driver when he tried to gauge the price by going off the meter. My friend pretended to copy his license plate down, which scared the driver. My wrist quickly fell prey to the driver’s death grip as he tried to reverse course, begging us to take the meter price (I guess price gauging is illegal). We did not want his business anymore, but he continued to hassle us for what seemed like an eternity. He followed us down the block refusing to take no for an answer, and I still might be arguing with him today if we were not able to lose him by crossing a busy intersection and then slipping into a bar.

Haggling and arguing are a big part of life here in China. When various ticket offices do not give you your student discount because you are a foreigner, you learn to yell back at them.

The Chinese life is such a hectic life, and once you live in a country with over a billion people, there is a decent chance you will become pretty impatient and argumentative as well.

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PHOTO BY COURTNEY HO/THE RAM

The A, C, 1, 2 and 3 trains all stop close to this American cuisine restaurant.

PHOTO BY COURTNEY HO/THE RAM

The blackened spiced burger has an overwhelming amount of bleu cheese.

By COURTNEY HO STAFF WRITER

It has become difficult to find old-school American cuisine amidst the sea of foreign, fusion and funky food in New York City. Thankfully, the archetypal American neighborhood joint is not lost — in fact, it just opened up a couple of weeks ago. Woodrow’s, located on 43 Murray St. in TriBeCa, is a self-acclaimed American tavern. Inspired by New York during the prohibition era under President Woodrow Wilson, the interior design and menu are reminiscent of 1920s America.

The exterior of Woodrow’s is bare

and inconspicuous, with only a small wooden sign hanging from the door.

The restaurant itself opens up to a long, wooden bar lined with liquor and a special selection of draft beer.

The interior is adorned with a mixture of dark wooden floors and tables and exposed red brick. Every table is garnished with a small bouquet of flowers, and every party is supplied with colorful crayons that invite children (or young adults such as myself) to draw freely on the table.

Woodrow’s successfully creates a casual, laid-back and family-friendly atmosphere.

The dinner menu offers American comfort food with a hint of Italian

influence and features bold, yet unassuming flavors. The menu includes soups and salads, but specializes in steaks and burgers. For an appetizer, I ordered the potato bites ($8.75), prosciutto and ricotta with toasted baguette ($9) and the fried pickles ($6).

The most notable starter was the potato bites — and surprisingly, the best part of the dish was not the potatoes. The bites were accompanied with the most heavenly truffle cream dipping sauce I have ever had the pleasure to consume. The potato bites (more like croquettes) were fried perfectly and deliciously seasoned with fresh parmesan cheese, but the sauce put the dish over the top.

The baguette dish was tasty. It was simply a platter of fresh ricotta cheese, prosciutto and bread. Also, unlike most places, Woodrow’s fries its pickles whole and serves them with none other than the same comainducing truffle cream sauce. The sauce contains mayonnaise, garlic and truffle oil, among other ingredients. I was honestly willing to bathe in that truffle cream sauce — its flavor lasted long after I finished my dish.

I then moved on to the entrees and decided to try some of the more popular dishes. Woodrow’s offers four different steaks: filet mignon, NY strip, rib eye and the porterhouse. My friend ordered the 10oz filet mignon ($26), which was perfectly cooked medium rare, juicy, well-seasoned and tender.

The waitress recommended the Chicken Woodrow’s ($16), a sautéed chicken breast with Swiss cheese and prosciutto in a cream sauce, served with vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes. Although the flavors were

Overall Location Food Quality Atmosphere Hospitality Price $$$ (Out of 4

’s)

excellent and everything was cooked well, the dish proved to be a bit overseasoned.

Lastly, I tried the blackened spiced burger ($12), topped with lettuce, tomato and bleu cheese crumbles on a sesame seed bun. When the dish was served, I took a minute to admire the cheese that was bubbling and overflowing out of the burger. Because bleu cheese has such a strong flavor, however, it can easily overpower, rather than balance, a dish. Do not get me wrong — the burger was cooked well and was enjoyable, but unfortunately, I had a difficult time tasting anything but bleu cheese.

Woodrow’s is family-friendly and even offers a select menu, which serves familiar dishes, such as chicken tenders and mozzarella sticks. Although the restaurant has great ambiance, let us not forget that Woodrow’s personifies the rebellious American citizen of the prohibition era.

On Wednesdays through Saturdays, Woodrow’s opens its downstairs speakeasy and whiskey lounge.

It offers everything from the best whiskey, bourbon and scotch to special cocktails.

If you want to elicit memories of the French fries and crayons from your childhood, but are now old enough to appreciate parmesan cheese, truffle oil, good beer and whiskey, then head over to Woodrow’s.

Editor’s Pick: The Week

By CANTON WINER

ASSISTANT OPINIONS EDITOR

I am one of the five people on campus who actually gets excited to check his or her mailbox every week. No, it is not because my mom sends me brownies, random spam mail offers for “free” cruises to the Bahamas or even because my crazy uncle sends me incoherent birthday cards every other month. The reason is simple: I subscribe to The Week magazine.

Like most college students, I do not have the time to read “all the news that’s fit to print” every day of the week. I do, however, need to find some way to fulfill the raging wonk within me. The Week is my solution to that problem.

As the name suggests, the magazine is published weekly as a distillation of the best news, opinions, reviews and ideas from national and international media. The Week is easily read cover to cover, as it cuts out most of the fluff while still providing news, health, reviews of books, film, art and more, all in a succinct 50 pages.

One of The Week’s particular strengths is the remarkably wide breadth of political viewpoints

it covers. Because the magazine pulls from the best writing and reporting on the biggest news, an average issue may contain opinions from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Forbes, Time, CNN and more.

The Week transcends conservative, liberal, Democratic and Republican points of view, leaving the thinking and formulation of opinion to the reader.

The Week is a publication that serves the needs of a busy current events follower. I canceled my subscription to both Time and The Economist. Both are excellent magazines, but The Week offers more news than any other news magazine I have read. The coverage is not as in-depth, but in the age of the Internet, The Week allows you to sift through all the stories of the week in their most important details and then search on your own for more detailed coverage of the stories you find most compelling. The Week provides compact coverage without sacrificing quality.

The editors at The Week, however, also provide readers with some brief snippets of more frivolous, yet entertaining and funny, information.

My personal favorite was “Bad

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

The Week prints for 99 cents a week and provides quick yet enjoyable coverage.

Week For: Playing Santa Claus, after a 23-year-old CA man forgot his keys and tried to enter his house through the chimney, shedding his clothes to reduce friction. Police found him trapped in the chimney, naked and crying for help.”

There is also a gossip section (although to be honest, I usually have no idea what they are

talking about, because I am basically celebrity illiterate) and an “It must be true…I read it in the tabloids” section.

You do not have to be a dork like me to love The Week. All you need is 99 pennies per week, about an hour and a half to read it and a desire to know what is going on in the United States and the world.

CULTURE

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Students Display Talents In Campus Film Competition

APRIL 18, 2012 • THE RAM • PAGE 13

Check Take a look at the latest events and hotspots in NYC!

This

Send tips, event listings, or comments to fordhamramculture@gmail.com.

!

Out

Fashion for Philanthropy “Twisted Tea Party” Fashion Show Friday, April 20 Doors 6:30 p.m Show 7 p.m. $5 GA, $12 VIP seating and gift bags

COURTESY OF CAMPUSMOVIEFEST.COM

Rachel Spagnoli’s film “color blind” won the filmmaking competition last year. The film was primarily black-and-white.

By DEVON SHERIDAN ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR

About a month ago, colorful flyers started popping up on Eddie’s, in McGinley and on hallway bulletin boards announcing the arrival of Campus MovieFest. Soon, armed with video cameras, tripods and boom microphones, students could be seen filming around campus as they quickly put their artistic talents to work. The goal? Make a fiveminute movie in one week. It can be about anything, as long as the film is written, directed and produced solely by college students. The competition also stresses that the film’s soundtrack must be student-produced or include songs by independent artists.

Finished movies are submitted for school competition for awards in Best Comedy, Best Drama and Best Action categories, as well as a special social justice award and even a 3D movie award. The best films are awarded a range of prizes.

Last year, Rachel Spagnoli, FCRH ’14, captained a crew for the movie “color blind” which won Campus Best Picture and earned her a trip to Hollywood.

CMF’s website claims that “students will earn over $400,000 in

prizes and cash in this year alone.”

Some of the most outstanding movies also have the opportunity to be screened at Sundance Film Festival.

Still, the competition draws students in with the kicker: It is free. CMF provides students with all the equipment they need for the price of simply signing up.

Here at Fordham, the competition was launched on March 28 and finished films were due a week later.

This year, over 80 “crews” signed up to compete, with names ranging from the normal (Three Guys Production and Shannon Morall’s Crew) to stranger ones (BEARS and Team Narnia).

“I signed my name, and they gave me a whole backpack of equipment,” Andrew Burns, GSB ’15, who belongs to the crew Puntillo and Burns Records said.

He and friend Mike Puntillo, GSB ’15, decided to join the competition the week before Easter Break and have taken a unique approach to the competition. With Burns producing and Puntillo directing, the two teamed up with rapper and fellow freshman Dane “Swagg-On” Carter, FCRH ’15, to make a music video.

Titled “College Life,” the video follows Carter as he goes about his daily college routine, urban living and ex-

periencing college nightlife.

“I had applied to film school and Andrew introduced me to Dane, and I immediately saw the potential in doing this contest,” Puntillo said, also mentioning the learning experience that came along with the competition.

“We’re all students, you know, so it’s very difficult to get everyone available to coordinate,” he said. “But what was really interesting was when I went to the editing room, and I started working on cutting up film.

Shots that seemed like a disaster at the time ended up being better than I could have ever expected.”

Now that the filming and editing process has come to a close, crews are looking forward to the red carpet finale, which will take place in Keating Hall first floor auditorium. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. and the show starts at 3 p.m. At the finale, the best movies will be recognized in their respective categories with prizes ranging from iPads to cash rewards, but the big prize involves the trip to Hollywood for the CMF International Grand Finale, which goes to the films which make it to and through the national competition.

“It’s really just a great thing for Fordham to support and participate in,” Burns said.

COURTESY OFFASHION FOR PHILANTHROPY

Fordham Fashion for Philanthropy will be hosting its sixth annual fashion show “Twisted Tea Party” on Friday. Like every other event that the club hosts, all proceeds will go to charity, in this case the Make-a-Wish Foundation, which received $6,000 from last year’s show. The show is entirely student-run and relies on contributions from designers and students. Sponsors and designers include Jeffry Campbell, Lilly Pulitzer and Longchamp. Contributions are also included in the raffle and gift bags. Pregame with a delicious slice of pizza or some vegan stir-fry in the McGinley Center Marketplace.

Campus MovieFest Finale Keating First Floor Auditorium Saturday, April 21 Doors 2:30 p.m. Show 3 p.m.

Free For weeks, your fellow students have poured their hearts and souls into producing some of the finest cinema this side of the Hudson. The least you can do is applaud the end products of their hard work when the films are screened in the Keating auditorium this Saturday afternoon. Over 80 crews participated this year, and films have been judged by a panel of experts. The best will earn various prizes, including a trip to Hollywood for the CMF International Grand Finale. For lunch, grab a salad or wrap at the Grille before the show.

— COMPILED BY DEVON SHERIDAN

Ram Reviews

MUSIC

TELEVISION

PINK FRIDAY: ROMAN RELOADED

“ANDERSON”

THEATER FREUD’S LAST SESSION

MOVIE FRIENDS WITH KIDS

By SARAH SULLIVAN

By AMANDA RYLAND

By JAKE KRING-SCHREIFELS

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

STAFF WRITER

STAFF WRITER

STAFF WRITER

This follow-up to her smash debut, Pink Friday, marks a new direction for Nicki Minaj, as evidenced in her single “Starships.” She begins the album with rap verses reminiscent of her mixtape days, but the album suddenly careens off from a hip-hop oriented sound into fullon auto-tuned dance music similar to her song with DJ David Guetta, “Turn Me On.” In fact, a few of the songs on the album sound so similar to each other that it becomes tiring to listen to the constant barrage of generic dance songs.

I respect Minaj for wanting to experiment with different genres of music, but her exploration into dance music has not led to music that is unique or distinctive. No one can deny Minaj’s lack of unique musical direction with this album.

He really is a jack-of-all-trades. On Monday, April 16, Anderson Cooper welcomed another television personality, widely-acclaimed actor, writer and stand up comedian Aziz Ansari to the set. Ansari proved to be hilarious both on and off the air of the hit NBC television show “Parks and Recreation.” The comedian had the audience keeling over with laughter within the first five minutes.

To be fair, the audience should have expected endless jokes from the comedian who has kept America laughing since debuting in 2007.

I definitely recommend everyone check out his work. Next up, “Anderson” will have another star, Debra Messing, as a guest on the show, which is filmed at the Time Warner Center, only a short block away from Lincoln Center campus.

The play is a mere 85 minutes long without intermission. Usually, a play with just two actors does not prove to be the most interesting, but Freud’s Last Session dispels this assumption. The two actors are engaged in a dialogue that the theatergoer would believe is between Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis themselves. Their heavy psychological and theoretical dialogue could have come right out of the mouths of these two scholars.

Playwright Mark St. Germain definitely did his research and was able to involve true points of view from Freud and eventually convince the doubting Lewis.

The factual dialogue combined with the strength of the two actors entertains an audience for 85 minutes without dragging, and the play is definitely worth seeing.

Friends With Kids promotes a novel idea. Well, I guess that depends on who you are. In the film, two good friends have a baby together without any intimacy beforehand. It is a rather insightful blend of whimsy, sarcasm and reality, oftentimes dark, centered on an all-too-familiar spiral of a less than hopeful platonic relationship.

Jennifer Westfeldt (Kissing Jessica Stein) directs, writes and stars in this insightful romantic comedy. She plays Julie, who works in an isolated cubicle, while living the single life in a Manhattan apartment.

A few floors down is her best friend Jason, played by Adam Scott (Stepbrothers), who also lives in solitude, though a different woman who meets his superficial busty requirements shares his bed each week.

By CHRISTOFER NICOLETTI

Jason and Julie pretend to be a couple for their other wed-locked friends, but now in their 30s, they must cherish their moments together before they begin their own families.

The film does have a dark side and some jokes fall at inopportune moments, but you know a conversation is serious when Jason is not talking about breast sizes.

“There’s definitely a mixed tone,” Westfeldt said. “I wrote the first half of the film easy-breezy, and then I put it in a drawer because I was probably nervous about how dark it had to go to make sense of this material.

I don’t know if it’s just having more life experience about these issues we were dealing with, but it felt like the truth of the story had to be more painful and more difficult than basic romantic comedy genre tropes.”

To an extent, she is right. The film breaks through the sugarcoated appeals of films past, providing enough substance to consider both the rewards and damages of relationships.

Friends With Kids eventually responds to meaningful questions.

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CULTURE

PAGE 14• THE RAM • APRIL 18, 2012

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WHO’S THAT KID? Vicki Spicer A MEMBER OF FCRH ’12, DOUBLE MAJORING IN HISTORY AND THEOLOGY FROM DANVERS, MA Describe yourself in a couple of sentences.

I have a younger brother and a younger sister. I am a terrible driver, and I am overly caffeinated most of the time. I really love coffee, Diet Coke, dancing, running and music. I am a vegetarian, and I love talking about education. I also love the Bronx!

In what campus organizations are you involved?

One of my favorite things I am involved in is Global Outreach! This past year I led the first project ever to Detroit. During my junior year, I participated in GO! NYC and in my sophomore year I did GO! New Orleans.

I am also the editor-in-chief of The Maroon Yearbook and work in the Office of Student Leadership and Community Development organizing different leadership programs like FUEL and Leadership Weekend, so basically I live in the McGinley Center!

This past year, I was also an Urban Plunge Assistant, and I give tours with the Rose Hill Society.

Can you describe something about yourself that not many people know?

I worked at a lumber yard for four years in high school.

What is your favorite aspect about Fordham? Why? COURTESY OF JOHN SCOTT

My goodness, I have so many memories. I love a lot of things about Fordham, but one of my favorite aspects is the awesome people. Most are super friendly and really want to get to know you. I have met such great professors and friends.

What is your favorite class at Fordham and favorite professor?

My favorite class at Fordham was Introduction to New Testament with Dr. Larry Welborn. Dr. Welborn truly cares about each and every one of his students and really made the New Testament come alive in the classroom.

Another one of my favorite professors is Dr. Peppard. I have taken two of his courses, and he really is passionate about every-

Senior Vicki Spicer enjoys baking and, unknown to most, used to work in a lumber yard. Here she is exploring the City.

thing he teaches, whether it is social justice, the Bible or religion in American life.

I would have to say my favorite memories are not what I did, but rather the people I have met at Fordham.

I have met awesome people through GO!, Urban Plunge, Tierney freshman year, classes and many other events and people that have really made my time at Fordham truly special.

es. I love walking and getting lost somewhere and trying to find my way back to somewhere I know.

This past summer, my roommate and I walked from the Bronx to Brooklyn, and it was so cool seeing how New York changes from borough to borough.

However, I still think my favorite place is Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx at the end of the 4 train.

I know it is really weird to love a cemetery, but it was the first place I went during Urban Plunge, and I love how there is so much history there.

education and social studies teacher. Next year, I will be receiving my Masters at Fordham through the five-year Masters in Education program, and I am really excited to also be a resident assistant in Queen’s Court next year as well.

What is your favorite thing to do in New York City?

What are your plans for after college?

Anything else you want people to know about you?

My favorite thing to do in New York City is to explore new plac-

After college, I plan to become a middle school special

I also really love to bake, especially cupcakes!

What is your favorite memory while attending Fordham?

What do you want to do or accomplish before you leave Fordham?

I don’t have much time! I just want to enjoy every minute that I have left with my friends!

A Walk Around NYC’s Greatest Parks

PHOTO BY MICHAEL REZIN/THE RAM

Central Park is 843 acres and the biggest park in Manhattan. There are many other beautiful parks to see around the City.

By QUETZALLI TORRES STAFF WRITER

It seems as if warm weather is here to stay, and students are beginning to forgive Mother Nature for that one cruel week of gorgeous weather followed by more cold temperatures.

In the last few days, students have swarmed Eddie’s, happily sporting flip-flops, sun dresses and other ensembles with sun exposure in mind.

Although Eddie’s is a great sunnyweather destination, there are also plenty of great parks worth a trip into Manhattan during sunny days.

Central Park and Bryant Park are rightfully at the top of the list of city parks. Central Park’s massive grassy fields and wooded areas are perfect for picnics, and Bryant Park’s bistro chairs are ideal for reading books (we all know those book-readers are secretly people-watching). One may

think these two parks are all the City has to offer, but there are many hidden gems waiting to be happened upon.

Use these parks as a starting point.

Greenacre Park is a necessary visit for any Fordham student who frequently rides the Metro North.

This park is mere blocks from Grand Central Station and often serves as a lunchtime refuge for many of the area’s office workers who stumble upon this secret garden. Though the park is

relatively small, occupying approximately one city lot, its size allows it to retain an air of intimacy. Greenacre Park’s focal point is a 25-foot waterfall whose roar is just loud enough to block out city sounds but is still soft enough to provide a sense of serenity.

Take the 6 train to 51st St. or the 4 or 5 train or Metro North to Grand Central Station.

While Washington Square Park lies in the middle of NYU, it is much more of a public space than a typical college hangout. The park is immediately recognizable by its 77-foot arch constructed in 1892, but it also boasts a large fountain and a dog park. What makes Washington Square Park so appealing as a destination is that it facilitates social interaction. The park has ample seating for eating and conversation, and its large open spaces guarantee that on any given night, visitors will be treated to a performance; dancers, musicians, street artists and jugglers have all been known to frequent this park. Take the A, B, C, D, E, F or M train to West Fourth Street.

As far as parks along the Hudson River go, both Riverside Park and Hudson River Park are must-visit destinations, each with its unique own characteristics. Riverside Park is by far the larger and better-known of the two. It runs an impressive 57 blocks, from 72nd St. to 129th St., and has much to offer. Sprawling grassy patches, a scenic view across the river and the set from the final romantic scene of You’ve Got Mail are only part of what this park offers, but are certainly enough in themselves to merit a visit.

Hudson Park is also well worth

visiting. It too lies along the east side, only much further down. Its most distinctive feature, besides the view, is the long pier that juts out of the island and provides plenty of grass for picnics. Sporting types will enjoy a skate park and tennis courts.

For Riverside Park, take the 1 train to any stop between 125th St. and 72nd St. For Hudson River park take the 1 or 2 train to Houston St. One of the best parks on the island can be found — and you literally have to find it — in Tudor City Greens, which lies nestled away on the western end of Midtown within throwing distance of the United Nations.

The park is above street level, so look for one of two inconspicuous staircases. The park’s lush vegetation and bistro seats offer a great refuge from the breakneck speeds of Manhattan.

Because the park remains mostly unknown to tourists and boisterous crowds, it is the perfect place to enjoy a casual stroll or conversation.

This park is privately maintained, but opens to the public between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Take the 4, 5, 6, 7 train or Metro North to Grand Central Station.

These parks are a good first step to exploring the City’s smaller and more unique parks, but there is no substitute for park-hopping around the City on a day off.

Each park has its own feel and, more often than not, the more secret parks offer the biggest reward. So fill up a bottle of water, put on your walking shoes and go enjoy the City’s secret parks. You never know what you will find.

PAGE 15

APRIL 18, 2012

Softball Picks Up Pair of Wins in Sweep of Saint Louis Fordham Defense Surrenders Just One Run as Rams Improve to 11-1 in Atlantic 10

By MATT ROSENFELD ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

The Fordham softball team continued its conference dominance this past weekend in a two game sweep of the Saint Louis Billikens.

In the contest on April 13, the Rams jumped out to an early lead in the second inning when junior shortstop Chelsea Palumbo and sophomore third baseman Elise Fortier had back-to-back singles.

Sophomore catcher Gabby Luety then walked, loading the bases.

The door opened for freshman Michelle Daubmann to deliver, hitting a sacrifice fly to center field to give Fordham a 1-0 lead.

The Rams doubled their lead in the next frame, when senior

second baseman Nicole Callahan hit a home run, her third on the season, giving the Rams a two run lead. Callahan has been one of the most consistent hitters on the team this year, batting second in the lineup for most of the year.

“I put in that little extra work, be it an extra round [in the batting cage], a couple of hours, any little bit helps,” Callahan said.

“We work way too hard to let that pitcher get us out.”

The lone Saint Louis run of the game came in the fourth, when junior second baseman Laura Bohning hit a solo home run off of senior pitcher Jen Mineau, making the game 2-1 in favor of the Rams. Fordham did not wait long to strike back, though, tacking on two insurance runs in the

PHOTO BY MICHAEL REZIN/THE RAM

Freshman Paige Ortiz smacked her team-leading11th home run of the season in the series against Saint Louis.

fifth. What started out as a walk to freshman designated hitter Paige Ortiz became two runs when Fortier hit a two-run home run onto the tennis courts to extend the Fordham lead to 4-1.

“It was great because home runs always pick up a team whether you are up or down, especially late in the game,” Fortier said. “It also definitely helps Jen [Mineau] out knowing that she has the run support and she can throw her game.

Mineau did just that, finishing the game giving up only one hit, the home run, walking two and striking out 10 Billikens in her 20th win of the season.

Saturday’s matinee proved to be another successful home game for the Rams, who have yet to lose at Bahoshy field this season. Fordham improved its home record to 7-0 in a 4-0 shutout of Saint Louis.

It was another great performance by Mineau, who pitched her 26th complete game of the season and struck out another 10 in the victory. “[Having] a pitcher you know can keep the other team from scoring much, if at all, is a huge reason for our success,” Callahan said. “I think we know we are going to win when we step on the field, and in this game, a little bit of confidence can go a long way.

We just need to make sure we’ve got our swag with us that day.”

All of Fordham’s offense came in the fifth inning, when Luety led off the inning with a walk.

Freshman outfielder Cora Ianiro came in as a pinch runner and was advanced to second on a ground out, and then to third on an infield single by senior outfielder

PHOTO BY MICHAEL REZIN/THE RAM

Freshman Michelle Daubman has contribued both on the mound and at the plate in her first season. She had a sacrifice fly this weekend

Lindsey Kay Bright.

After Kay Bright stole second, junior first baseman Jamie LaBovick delivered a huge single that gave her two RBI and Fordham a 2-0 lead.

Callahan continued the rally, singling to set up first and third with just one out.

After a failed steal attempt by LaBovick, Ortiz delivered her 11th home run of the season, this time a two-run shot that gave the Rams a 4-0 lead they would not relinquish.

“Being in the designated hitter spot, it is my role to help the team in that area [hitting],” Ortiz said. “So being able to provide the team with that breathing room is

always great for our pitchers.”

These two wins improved Fordham’s overall record to 2717 (11-1 in conference) and put the Rams on a four game winning streak.

The team is looking to win the Atlantic 10 for the second year in a row and make the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year.

“We just have to keep our eyes on the prize,” Callahan said. “For the seniors, this is it, and for everyone else, we want to keep the [NCAA] Regionals appearance streak going.”

Fordham’s next home game is on Friday, April 20, when it takes on another conference foe in the St. Bonaventure Bonnies.

Men’s Tennis Reaches A-10 Quarterfinals For First Time in School History

By KARA SCAGLIOLA STAFF WRITER

The Fordham men’s tennis team had a groundbreaking weekend at the A-10 tournament, where the Rams made their first quarterfinal appearance in school history. After a monumental season, this was certainly the climax that the Rams deserved.

The team’s first match against Saint Louis came down to the last points, with sophomore Mischa Koran stepping up in the second singles position rather than the third due to injuries. He fought to take the last two sets after dropping the first, winning the match in a third set tiebreaker. In this match, Koran took the victory for the Rams.

“I spoke to Mischa this morning before the match, and I told him he is the guy I want to be in the deciding match,” Head Coach Cory Hubbard said. “He has stepped up in that situation all year, when the team has needed him he comes through.

He plays with so much heart and plays for the team. The other guy

was serving for the match and just two points away, but Mischa willed his way back and clinched it for us.

I talk all the time about our team playing with heart and mind, in the end and pressure situations and that’s what they did.”

The rest of the team played strong matches as well, winning the doubles point in a sweep with victories from teams of sophomore Kuba Kowalski and freshman J.J. Tauli, freshmen Srikar Alla and Max Peara, and Koran and freshman Peder Gram. In singles, Alla, Peara and Koran took their matches and Fordham beat Saint Louis by an overall score of 4-3.

Every point counted in this victory and contributed to the history of the Fordham tennis program, as the team progressed to the quarterfinals for the first time ever.

This game served as an impressive combination of all of the hard work the team has put in throughout the season, and was sentimental for the players, according to senior captain Eli Plangger.

The Charlotte 49ers were victorious over the Rams in their first

quarterfinal attempt at A-10’s, as Charlotte came out on top by a score of 4-0.

“I am so proud of the way our team fought today,” Hubbard said, after the loss to Charlotte. “We had a few chances to really get the match closer but they clinched it. We were in a third set at third singles and had a match point. We were two points from splitting sets at No. 6 and were up 3-0 at No. 2, so we could have won the last three matches. Charlotte is a very good team, and we battled back and fought till the end.”

“It’s unfortunate the A-10 plays a doubleheader for the teams not in the top four seeds, because it is truly unfair to have to come back and play again just hours later, while they were fresh. No other conference in the country does that, and hopefully we will get it changed next year since the conference is getting so much better.”

Stay tuned as the Rams finish up the season on April 18 here at Fordham against Rider University at 11 a.m. and against Marist College at 3 p.m.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL HAYES/THE RAM

Freshman Srikar Allah has been an instrumental piece of the men’s tennis team’s resurgence in his first season at Fordham.

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SPORTS

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Man City’s Roberto Mancini Under Pressure as Team Begins to Falter

By ADAM KANJI STAFF WRITER

This season has been the first that Manchester City has contended for the title of the top flight of English football since 1968. It seems ludicrous to think then, that, the man who has led it to this spot, Roberto Mancini, is under intense pressure.

This, however, has become the standard for City, now that it is being bankrolled by its Abu Dhabi owner. City has spent most of the season at the top of the Barclays Premier League, but now, as the season reaches its end, it finds itself trailing its arch rival, the ultra-successful Manchester United.

This unbelievable slip has put immense pressure on the players and manager of Manchester City.

Mancini’s job is on the line, and the players are playing for their careers at City. All this pressure seems to have gotten to Mancini, who has made some very unusual comments. Recently, he has given up on the title, saying that United has already won it.

What is really baffling, however, are Mancini’s comments and actions regarding two of his key players, Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli.

Tevez walked out on Manchester City back in September. He deserted his teammates, his club and his manager. Tevez was the star of last year’s team and is a fantastic footballer when he wants to be.

Tevez has no loyalty to any club, however, he is never happy anywhere and is always looking for the next best thing.

He played for the biggest club in the world, yet he was not happy there, so Tevez moved to its rivals and is paid more than any club will be able to offer him, yet, he is not happy there either. He said he wants to be closer to his family, but he then said he would move to Italy, further away from his family.

He said he does not care for the weather in England, yet, he then said he would be willing to move to Russia.

Tevez is a football mercenary,

and when he walked out on his club, he showed how little he cared for Manchester City. While his team was battling through the tough British winter on a dreary day at Stoke City, he was in Argentina in the sun playing golf. His manager said that he would never play for City again, and rightly so.

His behavior was disgraceful.

Now that the winter is over and City is challenging for the title, however, Tevez wants to be back in the fold. He supposedly apologized to the players, yet he has never apologized to the fans. Hints of desperation and worry seem to be creeping into the City set up.

If Mancini doesn’t win the league, there is a good chance that this decision is going to be scrutinized.

Mario Balotelli is another one of City’s stars. He is always wearing the shirt marked “Why always me.” Well, it is always him. In a key match against Arsenal, Balotelli was sent off disgracefully and was suspended for three matches.

Again, Mancini said that Balotelli would not play for City and would be sent to the transfer market. After Man United dropped points on Wednesday, however, his attitude suddenly changed.

Mancini realized that Balotelli’s first game back would be against United in a title-decider. This is another key decision in Mancini’s future. He needs to show that he’s the boss. He can not keep backtracking like this.

Mancini is losing the respect of the team and, more importantly, outside observers, especially the fans and owners.

Man City needs to show that it is a club to be reckoned with. Barcelona would not let any player do that, even the mercurial Messi would be disciplined.

Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, none of the biggest teams would allow this sort of behavior. Manchester United has proven that in the past with Beckham, Keane and Tevez.

If City is to be truly recognized as a big club, it must sort out how it deals with players.

APRIL 18, 2012 • THE RAM • PAGE 17

Men’s Tennis

Softball

Baseball Fordham 5-11 Dayton Fordham

AB

R

H HR RBI

Swatek rf Cianci 3b Lee cf Maghini R. ss Mauri 1b McSherry lf Kownacki dh Phelan c DeSilva 2b Maghini B.ph

4 4 4 4 4 3 4 3 3 1

0 0 0 2 1 0 1 0 1 0

1 0 0 2 1 1 1 0 1 0

Totals

34

5

7 2 5

Dayton

1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0

AB R H HR RBI

Glover Gayda Coughlin Blasik Gillman Ryan Stewart Broughton Skotchdopole Sunderman Jeffery

cf dh ph ss rf 1b lf 2b pr 3b c

4 3 2 5 4 4 5 3 0 4 3

Totals Fordham

0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0

3 0 0 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

37 IP

2 1 2 0 1 1 1 1 0 3 2

0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

1 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 5 0

11 14 1 11

H

R

ER BB SO

Pike 5.1 7 Anastasi 1.2 3 Reich 1.0 4

7 2 2

7 3 4 0 0 1 2 0 0

Dayton Bury

IP

H

R

ER BB SO

9.0

7

5

3 1 7

A-10 Championships Fordham 4-1 St. Louis

Fordham 4-3 St. Louis Fordham

AB

R

H HR RBI

4 4 2 0 2 2 3 1 1 3

0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0

0 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 1

Totals

22

4

5 2 4

St. Louis

AB

R

H HR RBI

3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 1

0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

21

1

1 1

1

Singles LaBovick Callahan Ortiz Ciuffi Turgeon Palumbo Fortier Luety Daubman Bright

1b 2b dp pr cf ss 3b c rf lf

Buschjost Harcar Bohning Brand Faletto VanNostrand Biggs Friedman Dockins Flanagan Totals

0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1

rf cf ss 1b lf dh c 3b 2b

Totals

R

H HR RBI

4 6 4 4 5 4 3 5 5

1 2 1 0 1 0 1 2 1

1 2 3 3 1 0 0 1 2

40

9

13 0 8

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 2 0 2 0 0 1 0 3

AB R H HR RBI

Glover Gayda Blasik Gillman Ryan Stewart Broughton Coughlin Sunderman Duggan Jeffery

cf dh ss rf 1b lf 2b ph 3b c c

5 3 4 4 5 4 4 1 3 3 1

Totals

37

Fordham

IP

H

Charest Adel

5.0 11 4.0 3

3 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 1 0 0

4 3 0 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 0

1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

2 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 1 1 0

8 14 2 8

Huebbe

IP 6.0

2

10

1

LOB - SLU 2; FOR 7. HR - Bohning; Callahan; Fortier. HBP - Palumbo.

SH - Van Nostrand. SF - Daubman.

5 3 2 0 0

Fordham

5. Davison (CHAR) def. Peara (Fordham) 7-6, 6-1

1. Williams/Calott (CHAR) def.

Kowalski/Tauil (Fordham) 7-2 unfinished 2. Cisti/Davison (CHAR) def. Alla/ Peara (Fordham) 8-3

AB

R

H HR RBI

3 3 0 3 2 3 3 1 0 2 2

0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1

1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2

Totals

22

4

6 1 4

2. Ali (Fordham) def. McCarthy (Marist) 6-3, 3-6, 10-6

St. Louis

AB

R

H HR RBI

3. Dabu (Fordham) def. Sun (Marist) 6-1, 6-2

2 1 3 3 3 2 3 2 2 2

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

23

0

3 0

0

LaBovick Callahan Willis Ortiz Turgeon Fortier Palumbo Luety Ianiro Daubman Bright

1b 2b pr dp cf 3b ss c pr rf lf

Buschjost Flanagan Harcar Bohning Brand Faletto Biggs VanNostrand Friedman Dockins

cf ph rf dp c 1b 3b ss lf 2b

Totals

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

7.0 3 0 0 IP

1

2 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Women’s Tennis Fordham 7-0 Marist Singles 1. Simidian (Fordham) def. Raynor (Marist) 3-0, retired

4. Genkina (Fordham) def. Tahir (Marist) 6-3, 6-2 5. Leong (Fordham) def. O’Donovan (Marist) 6-1, 6-1 6. Fritzinger (Fordham) def. Lewis (Marist) 6-1, 6-0 Doubles 1. Raynor/McCarthy (Marist) def.

Simidian/Dabu (Fordham) 8-5 2. Genkina/Ali (Fordham) def.

O’Donovan/Tahir (Marist) 8-2 3. Fritzinger/Leong (Fordham) def.

Sun/Lewis (Marist) 8-2

10

H R ER BB SO

3 3 2 0 0

1 1 1 0 0

7 1 1 0 1

Austin

6.0

6 4

4 4

0

E - Palumbo(12); Luety(4). DP - SLU 1; FOR 1. LOB - SLU 5; FOR 4. 2B - Bohning(5). HR - Ortiz(11). HBP Friedman. SH - Van Nostrand(7). SB - Bright(7). CS - LaBovick(1).

Visit theramonline.com for blogs covering NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, college sports and EPL.

Roberto Mancini must figure out a way to deal effectively with his star players.

4. Cisti (CHAR) def. Koran (Fordham) 6-2, 6-4

Fordham 5-2 St. John’s

ER BB SO

E - McSherry(2); Charest(3); BROUGHTON(10); DUGGAN(4); MITCHEM(2). DP -Dayton 1. LOB - Fordham 11; Dayton 10. 2B Lee(5); Maghini(9); GLOVER 2(12). HR - GLOVER(7); BROUGHTON(1). HBP - Kownacki; Small; GAYDA;SUNDERMAN; DUGGAN. SH - GAYDA(2); SUNDERMAN(4). SF - BLASIK(7). SB -Swatek(6); Maghini(5); DeSilva(2); GAYDA(2); BROUGHTON(3); SUNDERMAN 2(9).CS ROHR(3).

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

Fordham 0-4 Charlotte

Doubles

St. Louis R

3. Koran/Gram (Fordham) def.

Kella/Welkener (SLU) 6-5, unfinished

6. Shanok (CHAR) def. Krouham (Fordham) 6-2, 5-5, unfinished

Mineau

7 4 3 0 0

2. Alla/Peara (Fordham) def.

Poledica/El Sallaly (SLU) 8-3

3. Calott (CHAR) def. Koran (Fordham) 0-6, 7-6 (9-7), 2-0, unfinished

4 2

7 2 1 0 0 0

H

1. Kowalski/Tauil (Fordham) def.

Flanagan/Kidera (SLU) 8-0

5 4

8 0

IP

Doubles

2. Khalil (CHAR) def. Alla (Fordham) 6-4, 0-3, unfinished

Fordham IP H R ER BB SO

9.0 2.0 1.0 0.2 1.1

6. Kella (SLU) def. Puntillo (Fordham) 6-2, 6-1

H R ER BB SO

ER BB SO

Mitchem Schrage Lahrman Miller Konrad

5. Feder (SLU) def. Tauil (Fordham) 6-2, 6-2

1. Williams (CHAR) def. Kowalski (Fordham) 6-4, 6-4

7.0 1 1 1

R

Dayton

4. Peara (Fordham) def. El Sallaly (SLU) 6-2, 6-1

3. Khalil/Kwasniewicz (CHAR) def.

Koran/Gram (Fordham) 8-2

AB

Dayton

3. Poledica (SLU) def. Gram (Fordham) 6-1, 6-3

Mineau

Fordham 9-8 Dayton

Swatek Lee Maghini R. Mauri McSherry Kownacki Small Cianci DeSilva

2. Koran (Fordham) def. Kidera (SLU) 6-3, 0-6, 7-6 (3-0)

Singles

Fordham 4-0 St. Louis

Fordham

1. Alla (Fordham) def. Flanagan (SLU) 6-4, 6-1

Fordham IP H R ER BB SO

St. Louis E - DeSilva 2(5); Pike(5); GILLMAN(9); SUNDERMAN(5). DP - Fordham 1. LOB -Fordham 4; Dayton 7. 2B - Maghini(8); DeSilva(1); GLOVER(10); GAYDA(3);JEFFERY(5). 3B COUGHLIN(1); SUNDERMAN(1). HR - Maghini(5); Kownacki(1); GILLMAN(5). HBP - BROUGHTON; JEFFERY. SF - McSherry(2).

SB - GLOVER(17). CS - McSherry(1).

cf 3b ss c 1b dh rf 2b lf 2b

0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

Singles 1. Simidian (Fordham) def.

Selakovic (STJ) 6-3, 6-4 2. Ali (Fordham) def. Adams (STJ) 5-7, 6-2, 11-9 3. Zwirbulis (STJ) def. Dabu (Fordham) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 4. Genkina (Fordham) def.

Austin (STJ) 6-1, 6-4 5. Firat (STJ) def. Leong (Fordham) 0-6, 7-5, 6-1 6. Fritzinger (Fordham) def.

Thomas (STJ) 6-4, 7-5 Doubles 1. Selakovic/Adams (STJ) def. Sabu/Simidian (Fordham) 9-7 2. Genkina/Ali (Fordham) def. Firat/Zwirbulis (STJ) 9-7 3. Leong/Fritzinger (Fordham) def. Austin/Thomas (STJ) 8-4

PAGE 18 •THE RAM •APRIL18,2012

TWO-MINUTE DRILL

CHRISTIAN BEAULIEU

By CHRISTIAN BEAULIEU STAFF WRITER

The NBA season that many thought wouldn’t happen is drawing to a close. When the playoffs roll around, many fans will surely be focused on the talented Miami Heat. The Heat’s “Big 3,” made up of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, will look for redemption after losing in the NBA Finals last season. One would imagine, then, that the team would be looking to finish off this season strong and focus on achieving that elusive championship.

Wade, however, decided to call attention to himself this week by making controversial comments regarding the Olympic Games.

Wade said that while he looks forward to representing the United States in the Olympics, he believes that there should be financial compensation for playing in the Games.

The initial reactions to Wade’s comments were generally negative, as people believe that it is an honor to represent your country.

At no other time in sports history have players needed compensation to play in the Olympics, and that was when NBA players made peanuts compared to what today’s players make.

Wade’s comments bring up thoughts of the Dream Team, led

by NBA legends Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Patrick Ewing, Larry Bird and Charles Barkley.

That team played and won for pride, their country and the thrill of being a part of the most special basketball team in history. The Heat star’s comments seem to separate him from the honor of being chosen by one’s country to compete on the world’s stage.

Wade, however, is not alone in his thoughts. Boston Celtics’ veteran Ray Allen also thinks players should be paid for participating in the Olympics. Allen takes the sentiment a step further by saying that, “[NBA players are] commodities, your businesses.”

It’s sad but it seems as though the simple joy of playing the game they love is not enough for players like Wade and Allen to play for their country.

The Celtics and the Heat are strong basketball teams that are perennial threats to make deep runs in the playoffs. Those players whose teams make it to the NBA Finals only have a two-week period of time off between the season and the start of the Team USA training camp. That is not a lot of time off for players who have to go through the daily wear and tear of a grueling NBA season. After the Olympics, the players have a shortened offseason before NBA

SPORTS training camps.

Players who go away are making sacrifices regarding not only their bodies, but time with their families.

If Wade or Allen are really concerned with being paid for playing for the USA Olympic team, then their concerns may lack validity.

NBA players make up some of the biggest stars at the Olympics.

They are on a global stage for everyone to see. They gain fans not only in America but around the world with every game they play.

To put it in Allen’s terms, they would be advertising their “businesses” by playing in the Olympics. They get huge endorsement deals from companies like Nike and Adidas to wear their respective gear in front of the world.

Take, for instance, a guy like Russell Westbrook, a good, upand-coming player for his first two years in the league. In 2010, he made the USA FIBA Basketball World Cup team. Westbrook showed hustle and grit as a key player coming off the bench for the USA team that would go on to win the FIBA championship. He got his name out to a number of fans who normally wouldn’t see him play for the Oklahoma City Thunder. After the FIBA Championship, he received an endorsement deal with Nike, now has his own signature sneakers and has developed into one of the best point guards in the NBA. For many players like Westbrook, there are great financial opportunities that come from playing internationally and in the Olympics that do not come from being paid directly.

From a logistical standpoint, paying Olympic athletes just isn’t feasible. There are more than just basketball games at the Olympics, and the revenue is shared between all of the sports. While a great deal of people tune in to watch the basketball matches, that doesn’t mean that athletes who participate in other sports don’t work just as hard. If anything, they spend a greater percentage of their time practicing their sport.

They may not have a high-paying contract to come home to like every NBA Olympian.

I don’t agree that players should get paid for playing in the Olympics. These guys already have huge contracts and have everything covered for them once they go away. They get to fly with the team, live with the team in another country and eat with the team.

Every four years the team gets to test its skills against competition that plays basketball in such different ways than the way it is played in America today. Every game is a statement game about how basketball in America has evolved for the better. The Olympics are good for NBA players and they should want to be involved.

However, the most important detail is brought up by both players’ gripes, and that is that being a member of the Olympic team is voluntary.

Actually, the USA team is even more than voluntary, you have to try out to make the team. So the solution is simple: If playing for the USA national team for free will financially cripple any of the players, then don’t try out and get a summer job.

theramonline.com

Senior Profile: Eli Plangger

By KARA SCAGLIOLA STAFF WRITER

Eli Plangger has been an integral part of the Fordham tennis team for his four years at Fordham, both on and off the court. As a player, Plangger exhibits strong numbers and singles wins in matches of previous seasons. Also a strong squash player, he was named the 2011 Fordham squash MVP. He then turned his focus to being tennis captain for the rest of the year.

With the team on the rise, and with a great deal of young talent, Plangger has served a unique role this season as a seasoned athlete. He has been able to celebrate the team’s various accomplishments, while providing immense support to his new teammates who helped to turn the Fordham tennis team into a competitive team on the court.

Plangger has also been a member of the Atlantic 10 Commissioner Honor Roll, displaying strong academic caliber as well in his major, business administration.

TR: Why did you come to Fordham?

TR: You have been more of a behind the scenes leader this year, how has this been different for you?

EP: For me, its different because I had always been a starter, in high school and junior tennis. It’s different because you always play on your own and you are not really part of a team, but I realized from the outset that I had to make an adjustment and we had a lot of new freshman on the team this year. I would not discount this year at all. I think it’s been just as meaningful as all of the other years I’ve been playing. A moment like this past weekend was something really special — to be on the court and share that with my teammates.

TR: What are your plans after graduation?

EP: Still looking for a full time job in financial services. I am also working towards degrees as a finance and economics major.

TR: Who is your favorite tennis player?

EP: I’d say Goran Ivanisevic. He retired a couple years ago. He was a wild card who won Wimbledon, an underdog type with a big personality; everyone liked him.

TR: How has this season been different for you after succeeding early in your career?

EP: There’s definitely been a change in the culture of the team.

We started out undefeated, so obviously our schedule got tougher in the spring with more of our A-10 competition. In the fall we played some weaker teams, but it was a good way for the freshmen to come in and get acclimated.

TR: There are a lot of new freshmen this year. How does this add up to other years?

EP: It’s really different. Usually we only bring in two, maybe three guys every year, but this year we had seven or eight. Obviously, this decision is up to the coach. I’ve had different experiences with the two coaches, and there are a lot of things I can take away from both of them.

EP: Because of the location and a chance to play Division I tennis, and the school’s name. My uncle went to Fordham, so I was a little familiar with it. Also, my sister lived in the city, so I had visited. I liked the school’s Head Coach Bob Hawthorne a lot. He was the one that was kind of recruited me. He coached here for 54 years, I think.

TR: What is your most memorable Fordham moment?

EP: Tennis-wise, it would be this past weekend at our A-10 championships. Our number three guy — but he was playing number two for the match — Mischa Koran, was up 5-2 in the third set against Saint Louis; that’s how we came back and won. It was our first conference victory at the A-10’s. We had never made it to the quarterfinals before.

It was a huge accomplishment for our tennis program.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL REZIN/THE RAM

Plangger was chosen as the tennis team’s captain in this his senior season.

Golf Wins Rhody Invitational

By MICHAEL BROCCOLO STAFF WRITER

The Fordham men’s golf team has done it again this season, winning its second tournament of the spring at the Rhody Invitational.

Aside from the team-event victory, five of the nine Rams golfers finished in the top 10, three representing Fordham in the team event and two as individuals.

Junior Jason Del Rosso led Fordham, shooting 75-73 and finishing T-3rd place overall. Senior Captain Devon O’Rourke, known for his level head on and off the course as well as his majestic swing, followed closely behind Del Rosso, shooting 77-72, good for fifth place.

Junior Connor Monaghan, another team-event representative, shot 76-75 to finish seventh overall. Freshman Jeff Hogan and junior Brody Nieporte, also playing in the team event, finished 29th and 38th respectively.

“I feel great about my team right now,” O’Rourke said. “We have been looking forward to this point in our season for a long time. We have gone from a young, talented team to an experienced one.”

The tournament, a two-round event that happened last Saturday and Sunday, took place at Green Valley Country Club in Portsmouth, RI. Fordham finished three strokes ahead of second-place Sacred Heart University after two rounds, defeating the five other squads.

“Most of us had played the course a few times previously, so we knew where not to miss and how best to play a lot of the holes,” Del Rosso said. “We definitely fed off each other’s scores, and we knew that we had a decent chance to win after Saturday.”

Sophomore Brandon Nolan, junior Pat Herlihy, red-shirt freshman Justin Clark and freshman Ben Alcorn all played as individuals. Nolan posted 75-75 for a sixth-

place finish, while Herlihy put up 73-79 for a ninth-place finish.

Clark and Alcorn finished 13th and 45th respectively.

“The win means a lot,” O’Rourke said. “We don’t send our starting lineup to the St. Peter’s Invitational, so this was our last event before the A-10s. We have a total of three wins this year and we can’t wait to see how we fare against the other A-10 teams.”

Del Rosso, also emphasizing the importance of the victory, explained why it was not easy.

“The course itself was playing somewhat tough,” he said. “The greens were hard and fast and the wind really picked up at times.”

O’Rourke is optimistic about his team’s chances at the Atlantic 10 Championships.

“I think it’s key not to put pressure on ourselves,” O’Rourke said.

“That’s the last thing you want to do as a golfer. We can just use this victory to reaffirm that we are talented and capable.”

SPORTS

theramonline.com

Students Compete in Fordham’s Own “World Cup”

By ADAM KANJI STAFF WRITER

The World Cup is the most watched sporting event in the world, eclipsing the Super Bowl, Olympics and World Series.

This soccer tournament evokes pride in one’s country, passion and immense feelings of happiness, which can quickly turn into anguish and despair. Every year, Fordham University hosts its own World Cup. Anybody affiliated with Fordham is eligible to participate in the competition, from students at any of the three campuses to faculty and staff and even to alumni.

Winning this tournament is a source of great pride amongst the Fordham family, and the competition is not easy to win. The tournament consists of 11 teams divided into three groups, and the top two teams from each group along with the two best thirdplace teams advance to the quarterfinals, which are being held this Friday, April 20, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Murphy Field.

In between the group stages and the quarterfinals comes a transfer window, where players who are not on any of the teams that have qualified for the next round can join one of those teams. Often it is the signings teams make during this period that lead them to either win or fall short in the tournament. Awards are also given out to the top scorer of the competition, the best goalkeeper and even the best-dressed team.

Brazil is the defending champion after beating Germany in a nail-biting final last year, in which junior Mike Valencia had a goal controversially ruled out for being offsides. This year, however, the champions have not entered as a

team, and instead the majority of the senior varsity soccer players have formed a formidable team, Djibouti, and have come into the competition as heavy favorites.

Captained by senior Sam Jolly, Djibouti was placed in Group C with Greece, Haiti and Trinidad and Tobago, a group it won easily. Coming second in this group was Haiti, made up of the club soccer team players and Professor Booi Themeli’s pick to be a dark horse in the tournament. Greece also qualified from this group in third place, but will have to play last year’s finalist Germany, who qualified top of Group A. Along with Germany in Group A were Argentina and New Zealand. Argentina’s reward, however, is to play the very tough Ireland team.

Ireland, captained by sophomore Reade Maier, reached the semifinals last year and easily won Group B, beating United States, Spain and Ivory Coast. Ivory Coast and Spain both played well in the group stages and qualified in second and third place respectively.

The Spanish team has the tough task of facing tournament-favorite Djibouti, while Ivory Coast takes on Haiti. The tournament is set up nicely now for a very interesting round of knockout matches.

There are three or four teams that have a good chance of winning the tournament, but they will all be weary that one poor performance, mistake or piece of magic can lead to the end of the dream, for another year at least.

Quarterfinal Draw (all matches at Murphy Field): Djibouti vs Spain 6 p.m.

Haiti vs Ivory Coast 7 p.m.

Germany vs Greece 8 p.m.

Ireland vs Argentina 9 p.m.

APRIL 18, 2012 • THE RAM • PAGE 19

By CHESTER BAKER SPORTS EDITOR

This weekend, I saw Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Aaron Asham slam his stick into the jaw of Philadelphia Flyer Braydon Schenn. After falling to the ice, Schenn received a punch to the back of the head, also courtesy of Asham, which made me think about something: Why isn’t this action illegal? I don’t mean illegal in that he should get some time in the penalty box; I mean illegal in that he should get some time in a jail cell.

I understand that fighting is a major part of hockey and that all sports are physical by nature. Just because someone is skating on ice or wearing a football helmet doesn’t mean that they are no longer held accountable when their actions go beyond the realm of the game. When someone tries to injure someone intentionally, for whatever reason, it should not be tolerated. In extreme cases of disregard for human life, there have to be some kind of legal repercussion from people other than the commissioner of the league.

Now, I am not saying that anyone who gets into a baseball brawl or hockey fight should automatically be up for an assault charge or anything like that. Fights happen in sports, and that’s understandable given the competitive nature of the business. If two guys beat the hell out of each other on the ice, then that is just fine. Everyone loves to see two benches clear every once in a while and see just how much passion these guys play with. Violence in sports, especially hockey, has been around forever and will not be going anywhere any time soon. Fights can work the crowd into a frenzy and fire up the players with some extra motivation.

Still, these players have to remember that the people they are

pummeling in the face have families, friends and a career that they can ruin with each blow.

There have been some cases in the past in which fights on the ice have led to criminal charges, with the most recent culprit being Todd Bertuzzi in 2004. While playing for the Vancouver Canucks, Bertuzzi sucker punched Steve Moore of the Colorado Avalanche in the back of the head, sending Moore to the ice with a myriad of injuries to his face and neck. What happened to Bertuzzi? He got off with a conditional charge from the police and lost half a million dollars as a result of a suspension handed down from the NHL. Bertuzzi now plays for the Detroit Red Wings, while Moore never played in the league again.

Let’s say I go down the street right now, punch someone in the back of the head and they suffer the same injuries as Moore did. What are the chances that I will get off without having to serve any jail time? I would be spending multiple years in prison for causing intentional harm to another human being. The only difference between Bertuzzi and I in this situation would be that I was wearing a t-shirt, and he was wearing a hockey sweater.

Even more shocking is the fact that only one hockey player has ever been suspended from the league for life. Billy Coutu suffered this punishment in 1927, when he attacked a referee, leading to a bench-clearing brawl. There have been cases of hockey players killing men on the ice in fights with their fists and their sticks, yet none of them ever saw jail time or received lifetime bans for their actions. In fact, the longest jail sentence served by any hockey player for an on-ice action is one day.

Some may make the argument that these players should not be criminally charged for their actions because they are attacking other players, people who have signed up

for their professions knowing that violence is a part of the game. If this were the case, then one would expect athletes to receive strict punishments for attacking fans.

Even when athletes go after fans, however, they still are given special treatment from the courts.

Frank Francisco threw a chair into the stands during a 2007 game while he was a member of the Texas Rangers. The chair hit a woman in the face, an injury that required stitches and led to criminal charges against Francisco. He pleaded guilty and received no jail time, instead having to go to anger management classes as punishment. More famously was the Malace at the Palace, when members of the Indiana Pacers attacked Detroit Piston fans. The brawl was a black eye for the NBA, as players and fans engaged in an all-out melee.

Once again, though, no players saw any jail time, instead only receiving suspensions, fines, community service and anger management requirements.

While it is important for athletes to be suspended by the league and have their actions affect their livelihood, they must also be susceptible to punishment by a court of law.

If Asham had injured Schenn for life, why should he not have to face the same consequences as any other person? It was not a fair fight in which both men dropped their gloves; it was a cheap shot that nobody saw coming. Just because Asham plays a sport in which violence runs rampant, it does not give him a license to harm another person whenever he deems fit. States have to make it a point to charge athletes when they seek intentionally to harm another player. Some fans may argue that the action was just “classless” or “stupid,” but the reality of the situation is that “classless” actions have turned out to be deadly in the past and could be again.

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Upcoming Varsity Schedule CAPS=HOME Thursday lowercase=away April 19

Friday April 20

Saturday April 21

Sunday April 22

Baseball

LA SALLE 7 p.m.

LA SALLE 1 p.m.

LA SALLE 12 p.m.

Softball

BONNIES BONNIES 3 p.m.

12 p.m.

Women’s Tennis Track & Field

Women’s Rowing

PHOTO BY KATE DOHENY/THE RAM

Murphy Field will play host to the remaining rounds of the Fordham World Cup.

Men’s Golf

Monday April 23

Tuesday April 24

Wednesday April 25

at Columbia 2 p.m.

IONA 3 p.m.

Atlantic 10 Championships at Boar’s Head Sports Club, Charlottesville, Va. Princeton Night at the Races Kerr Cup & Metro Chamionships Peacock Invitational

APRIL 18, 2012

PAGE 20

Baseball Avoids Sweep With Six-Run Comeback Over Dayton Rams Salvage Lone Win in Three Game Series Against Flyers, Tied for Fifth Place in Atlantic 10

By CHESTER BAKER SPORTS EDITOR

The Atlantic 10 postseason is starting to take shape, and the Fordham baseball team is hoping to stay in the picture. The Rams sit in a tie for fifth place with a 7-5 conference record.

If the regular season ended today, Fordham would have a place in the A-10 playoffs. The Rams’ playoff picture could be clearer, however, if they had been able to take more than just one game over the weekend in Dayton, Ohio in their three-game series with the Flyers.

The Rams opened the series with a 4-3 loss, despite solid outings by senior starting pitcher Daniel Munday and junior reliever Rich Anastassi, who allowed just one earned run. Fordham’s defense, which has struggled throughout the season, did not help its pitching staff, committing three errors leading to three unearned runs.

Senior shortstop Ryan Maghini believes the difference in playing surfaces has played a role in the struggles this season.

“It has been hard to transition to dirt surfaces after playing most of our games on turf, where we get a true bounce every time,” Maghini said. “We have to do a better job of charging the ball and helping out the pitchers.”

Maghini had no problem handling the bat in the first game, however, blasting his team-best fifth home run, a new career high for the senior.

Sophomore first baseman Tim Swatek contributed to the offense in the first game as well, collecting two hits and scoring a run. Swatek believes that Ram’s hitters’ approach at the plate has changed over the season, leading to more

PHOTO BY MICHAEL REZIN/THE RAM

Senior left fielder Stephen McSherry is currently on an eight game hitting streak. He collected three hits and batted home a run in Dayton.

productive games.

“I was just trying to go with the ball, something we’ve been focusing on a lot lately,” Swatek said.

“They had some good pitchers who were doing a good job mixing up their pitches, but we just wanted to make sure we didn’t swing at many bad pitches.”

The second game of the series was delayed by rain, forcing a doubleheader on Sunday, with an early start time of 9 a.m.

The team spent the day off exploring some of the legendary scenery of Ohio, getting work done in the hotel weight room and completing some school work.

Fordham dropped the opening game of the doubleheader, 11-5, as sophomore pitcher Chris Pike was touched up for seven runs.

Sophomore catcher Ryan Phelan believed that the morning game led to some sloppy performances.

“It’s hard when you have to get

up so early and you can’t get your routine in,” Phelan said. “I think that led to some of Chris’ struggles, and he just couldn’t control his changeup or curveball very well.”

“Not everyone is going to have their best start every time they go out there, and we have to do a better job picking him up when he doesn’t have his best stuff,” Phelan said.

In the loss, the team committed three more errors, and Maghini was the only Ram with a multi-hit game.

Fordham continued to sleepwalk through the series in the final game of the set, falling behind 6-0 after three innings. Junior pitcher Joseph Charest was roughed up for seven earned runs in five innings of work, ending a streak of three consecutive brilliant starts in which he flirted with perfect games.

After going down by six, however, the Rams started to chip away at the Dayton lead by picking up three runs in the top of the fourth inning. Fordham scored runs in the fifth and sixth inning, while also continuing to surrender more runs to the Flyers. The Rams entered the inning down 8-7, finally breaking through with a pair of runs to grab their first lead of the game.

Maghini had an idea that the team would be able to gain the lead, despite being down by six runs early in the game.

“You never want to start the game like that, and we have been able to string together a couple of hits,” Maghini said. “Scoring runs gets everyone fired up, and the team had confidence and we knew that we could get the job done.”

Head Coach Kevin Leighton sent out junior closer Jeremy Adel to shut the door on any Dayton

comeback effort in the bottom of the ninth.

The final inning was the fourth inning of work for Adel in the game, his longest outing of the season. In his final inning on the mound, Adel worked himself into some trouble, allowing runners on the corners with two outs.

The closer was able to secure the victory for the Rams, with a little help from junior outfielder Ryan Lee. “Ryan [Lee] made a heck of play for us,” Adel said. “I was just trying to throw strikes and get ahead, knowing that the defense would make a great play behind me if I needed them to.”

The diving grab from Lee was the exclamation point on a thrilling comeback victory for the Rams as they avoided the sweep.

Fordham will look to carry the momentum of their crucial victory into another critical conference series this weekend at home against the La Salle Explorers.

This will be a big series for the Rams, as impending matchups against powerhouses like Rhode Island and Xavier creep closer.

Phelan, along with many other players, knows that the team needs to win the series to improve its playoff hopes.

“La Salle is going to be a big series, we’re in the last two spots for the playoff hunt just trying to take the series,” Phelan said. “If we can take two of three, it’ll put us in a good position.”

Fordham dropped an out-ofconference game against Iona, 5-3, last night, April 17. Swatek drove home the only run of the game for the Rams.

Fordham will battle the Hofstra Pride this afternoon, April 18, before beginning the series against the La Salle Explorers on April 20.

Women’s Tennis Closes Out Season with Wins Against Marist and St. John’s

By KENNY DeJOHN STAFF WRITER

Fordham’s number one singles player, junior Amy Simidian, returned to action on April 11 against Marist College, and she helped lead the Rams to a decisive 7-0 victory at East Campus Tennis Pavilion in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Fordham opened the match strong, taking the doubles point by winning two out of the three doubles matches.

Freshmen Bella Genkina and Sarah Ali were victorious at second doubles, 8-2, while sophomore Hanna Fritzinger and freshman Julie Leong came out on top at third doubles by the same score.

The Rams could not be denied in the six singles matches, as four of the six were decided in straight sets. Sophomore Angelika Dabu took third singles, 6-1, 6-2, and Genkina took care of her opponent in fourth singles, 6-3, 6-2.

Leong won at fifth singles, 6-1, 6-1, and Fritzinger won at sixth

singles, 6-1, 6-0.

Ali had to work harder at second singles; she was able to take the first set, 6-3, before dropping the second set by the same score.

In the tie-breaking third set, Ali defeated her opponent, 10-6.

Simidian was up 3-0 in the first set of her match at first singles before her opponent retired, thereby forfeiting the match to Simidian.

The win was Fordham’s fourth in the last five matches, and it also marked the fifth shutout for the Rams on the season.

Fordham’s next match took place on April 15 against St. John’s on Senior Day. Bethany Boyle and Sarah Tremaine, the only seniors on the roster, were both honored prior to the match by Head Coach Bette-Ann Liguori.

In the final match of the season before the Atlantic 10 Tournament, the Rams were able to take the doubles point from the Red Storm, just as they have done in nearly every match of the season.

Leong and Fritzinger were victorious at third doubles, 8-4, and

Genkina and Ali took the doubles point for the Rams by winning at second doubles, 9-7.

The Rams then took four of the six singles matches to secure the match; three of the wins were in straight sets.

Simidian, Genkina and Fritzinger all won easily, while Ali had to come from behind to win her match.

She dropped the first set at second singles, 5-7, but came back to win 6-2 in the second set to force a tie-breaking third set. It was a competitive set, but Ali was able to come out on top with a score of 11-9.

“It was a huge win for us,” Liguori said when asked about the match. “They’re a good team.”

With the win, Fordham closes out the season with a 17-5 record, its best record in recent memory.

With the strong finish, it is likely that the team will have either a No. 7 or 8 seed in the A-10 Tournament, which begins on April 20 at the Boar’s Head Sports Club in Charlottesville, Va.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL REZIN/THE RAM

The women’s tennis team closed out its regular season play with consecutive wins, boosting its seeding for the A-10 Championships this week.