Volume 94 Issue 17

Opinions PAGE 5

Culture PAGE 11

Sports PAGE 15

Queer students still face struggle for identity equality.

FET put on the classic show, Little Shop of Horrors.

Football beats Georgetown ; falls to No. 21 Cincinnati.

STAY UPDATED theramonline.com facebook.com/thefordhamram twitter.com/theramonline

SERVING THE FORDHAM UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY FOR OVER 90 YEARS

1918-2012

OCTOBER 17, 2012

VOLUME 94, ISSUE 17

Roach Emphasizes ‘Winning With Integrity’ New Athletic Director Discusses His Visions for the Future of Fordham Athletics at Introductory Press Conference

By CHESTER BAKER SPORTS EDITOR

A packed house of Fordham coaches, student-athletes and administrators welcomed David Roach as Fordham’s new athletic director at an introductory conference in Butler Commons on Oct. 4. The AD placed an emphasis on “winning with integrity,” as the new AD visioned to lead the Rams to athletic prominence in the Atlantic 10 and the Patriot League.

Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the University, introduced Roach, praising the new AD for his dedication to academic success, as illustrated by the 100 percent graduation rate Roach was able to achieve during his final year at Colgate, where he served in the same position for eight years before coming to Rose Hill.

“Throughout his career, Dave has proven himself to be a man of great principle,”McShane said, continuing to describe Roach as, “a man who places an emphasis on the needs and potential of his student athletes and who has compiled an impressive record of success in intercollegiate athletics wherever he has been.”

While the academic success of Fordham is at the forefront of all decisions made by the University, the school also wanted an AD who would be able to take the Rams into a new era of athletic success, something that McShane expressed to

Urban Studies Dept.

Hosts Panel Speakers Discuss Future Uses of Public Spaces

By SARA DESIMINE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

have to make it so that people don’t want to come to Fordham to play, whether it’s rocking in the Rose Hill Gym or Jack Coffey Field, we just have to get this place rockin’ and rollin’.”

Still, Roach understands that it will take some time for Fordham to rise up from a dry spell of athletic prominence. The AD believes that the student-athletes will need to raise their performances both on and off the fields.

“They have to be, as I say, great citizens on campus,” Roach said.

“They need to get to know other students and have the student body

Industry heavyweights discussed how to prepare New York City’s public spaces for the projected one million new immigrants projected to move to New York over the next 20 years during the latest installment of Fordham University’s Urban Dialogues series last Wednesday.

“The status quo isn't going to work,” Janette Sadik-Khan, a panelist and commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation, said. “We’re not going to accommodate a million more people by single occupancy vehicles. We need to change how we prioritize the use on our streets.”

Sadik-Khan said that by 2030, the population of the city will rise from its current 8.4 million residents to 9.4 million.

The discussion, entitled Public Spaces, Public Good: Building the Livable City, featured a panel and commentary on the current state of public space in New York City, sponsored by the Urban Studies Program at

SEE ROACH, PAGE 20

SEE PANEL, PAGE 2

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

David Roach poses with Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., to receive his first piece of Fordham gear.

Roach during the interview process. “[McShane said] I want athletic excellence and I want success,” Roach said.

Roach, who took the first few minutes of his speech to introduce the Fordham community to his family, assured members of the athletic department that he too wanted to win.

“There’s nobody in this room that wants to win more than myself,” Roach said.

Still, Roach made sure to illustrate his commitment to staying true to the character of the University as he described how athletics would be run while under his supervision.

“We want to win, we want to be successful, but we’re always going to do it the right way,” Roach said.

“We’re going to go by all the rules, we don’t pick and choose, there are none too small. I believe that to really feel like you’ve been successful and you have excellence, you’ve got to do it the right way or it’s not meaningful.”

It was clear from the meeting that Roach has big plans for Fordham, as he believes the school could become the preeminent college athletic program in New York City.

“We have to get our student body and our community really excited about our sports,” Roach said. “We

Annual Ram Town Rallies Students, Athletes Students Pack the Rose Hill Gym to Show Their Support for the 2012-2013 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams and Win Prizes

By DALEY QUINN ASSISTANT WEB EDITOR

The loud music and shouts of excitement from the Rose Hill Gym could be heard outside of McGinley on Friday, as Fordham’s annual Ram Town event lured massive crowds into a packed gymnasium.

Free Ram Town shirts, one of the many giveaways of the night, were distributed to students at the door. Available in all sizes, the shirts featured a basketball logo on the front, with a picture of Fordham’s gymnasium on the back above the slogan, “Rock the Hill.”

Students couldn’t avoid dancing to the remixed music as they walked toward the stands or picking up a pretzel or two as they made their way to find a seat. A couple of brightly-colored bouncing castles had been set up along the sidelines as well, and little children scrambled through the castle’s obstacle courses while their siblings participated in the event.

The castles were just some of

PHOT O BY KATE DOHENY/THE RAM

Students, decked out in their maroon and white, packed the stands to cheer on the teams and participate to win prizes.

the many means of entertainment provided for children and Fordham students. Various arcade games had been brought into the gym, including a “Dance Dance Revolution” machine for students to battle and win gift certificates.

Emceed by Fordham alum Kyle Kesses, FCRH ’12, the

opening act of Ram Town wowed the spectators. Fordham’s Flava dance group tore up the court with their well-choreographed routine to P’s remixed “Gangnam Style.”

After the entirely maroon-colored crowd went wild over Flava’s fantastic performance, Fordham

men’s and women’s basketball teams ran onto the court through a cloud of white smoke.

While multiple people from the stands were chosen to participate in the various competitions, many involved some of the players from both basketball teams.

“I’m a huge basketball sup-

porter, so I wanted to come and support our team,” Sonja Nuhic, GSB ’14, said. “I love the music, the hype and the school spirit. It was a blast,” Nuhic was not the only student enjoying the show.

Three girls from the audience were chosen to sing various karaoke songs to the crowd. The singer who received the most cheers at the end of their performance won a flat-screen television.

Other prizes included a cruise, an iPad and books for a semester.

Douglas Soto, FCRH ’16, winner of the free books, shared his experience of the relay event.

“We had to dribble a basketball and then make a layup while wearing basketball jerseys, shorts and basketball shoes,” Soto said.

“As soon as I had [won], I had like 11 texts from my friends. All of them saw me and were excited for me.”

Some students, however, had no interest in participating in the competitions.

“I was too embarrassed to be in any of the games,” Megan Donovan, FCRH ’14, said. “I like to SEE RAMTOWN, PAGE 2

PAGE 2•THERAM•OCTOBER 17, 2012

SECURITY

BRIEFS

Oct. 7, 187th and Arthur Ave. 12:30 a.m.

A student reported an assault to the NYPD that occured after the student left a house party that night.

NYPD is investigating.

Oct. 8, Ziggy’s Sports Bar 2 a.m.

A student left her purse on one of the tables and when she returned a short time later, she discovered her debit card, ID, cash and her iPhone were missing. The student did not wish to file a police report.

Oct. 8, Millennium Grille 7:45 p.m.

The smoke alarm was activated due to burning food left on the stove.

FDNY responded. There was no damage. The building was ventilated and the alarms were reset.

Oct. 8, Lombardi Center 10:30 p.m.

A student left his backpack on the shelves. He returned a short time later to find his keys and USB port missing. The lock on his door was changed and security is investigating.

Oct. 9, Lombardi Center 2 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.

A student placed his or her backpack on the shelf before going to work out. The student returned 90 minutes later and discovered $40 missing from his bag.

Oct. 9, BX12 Bus 4 p.m.

A student had her purse over her shoulder while she took the bus from Third Ave to Grand Concourse. After she left the bus, the student realized her keys, ID and credit card were missing. The locksmith replaced the lock on her door and the student canceled her credit card.

Oct. 10, East Fordham Road and Washington Ave. 8:30 p.m.

A student was walking eastbound on Fordham Rd. near Roosevelt High when two males approached the student and demanded money.

They proceeded to put the student in a headlock. During the altercation, his wallet was stolen. Security and NYPD responded. Their search was met with negative results.

Oct. 12, Between Webster and Marion Hall on Fordham Rd 2:30 p.m.

A student was approached by two men who asked to borrow his cell phone to make a phone call. One of the men took the phone and proceeded to have a long phone call. The student asked for his phone back and an altercation ensued. The student retrieved his phone and did not want to contact NYPD. Oct . 15, Queen’s Court 9:15 a.m.

The fire alarm was activated due to excessive steam from an electrical closet in the basement. FDNY was not called.

—Compiled by Kelly Kultys, Assistant News Editor

NEWS

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Music, Prizes Draw Crowds to Ram Town Public Spaces, Immigration Discussed by Panelists

FROM PANEL PAGE 1

PHOTO BY KATE DOHENY/THE RAM

The women’s basketball team defeated the men’s basketball team in three-point shooting and even dancing.

FROM RAMTOWN PAGE 1

watch.”

Her favorite event was the basketball teams facing off in a three point shooting contest, because she likes to see the women’s power.

One of the more comical events was a dance-off.

“I really liked the dance-off because it’s really funny to watch people dance, and I thought it was exciting when the guys team

had to dance [against] the girls team,” Nuhic said.

Students who came to support the basketball teams were rewarded with not only great prizes, but also with great refreshments. Pizzas, pastas and quesadillas were among the many assortments of food being handed out throughout the event. Desserts from Arthur Ave included cannolis and cookies. And there was no shortage of soda or water for those

thirsty after cheering throughout the contests.

“I had pizza, a cannoli and a cupcake and it was really delicious and a very high quality of food,” Nuhic said.

Ram Town, one of Fordham’s most popular traditions, allows students to take a break from strenuous midterm studying while also getting the basketball teams pumped for their upcoming seasons.

Fordham in the Bronx

By JEFFREY COLTIN STAFF WRITER

Many Sophomores Are ‘Movin’ Out’ “Are you moving off [campus] next year?” Only seven weeks into the school year, this is a common question for many Fordham sophomores. Disappointed with Fordham residence halls and excited with the possibilities of living off campus, many current sophomores are looking to move outside the gates into non-Fordham housing.

“Well, I think it was fun freshman year, but it’s like that Billy Joel song: ‘if that’s moving up, then I’m moving out.” Jordan Catalana, GSB ’15, said. She and her roommate in Tierney Hall, Michelle Pathe, FCRH ’15, intend to move off-campus in December, just before the second semester.

“We’re trying to save some money, and we found a really great place that’s pretty close to campus and has a lot of space,” Pathe said. “We’re going to give it a shot and see how it goes.” Catalana agreed that money was a motivating factor. She said she has a lot of reasons for moving off campus, “mainly because I can save a lot of money.”

This is a significant worry for many sophomores, especially as U.S. News & World Report just

named Fordham the school with the most expensive room and board in the nation, at an average cost of $15,374. Students living in the primarily sophomore residence halls Finlay and Tierney each pay an average of around that, in the mid $15,000s. Students living in O’Hare, the other primarily sophomore hall, have to pay even more, averaging in the low $16,000s.

Hard numbers are difficult to find and averages are nearly impossible, but off-campus, non-Fordham-owned housing is widely considered to be cheaper on average than living on campus. Even disregarding the average price, it is definitely possible to find off-campus housing at a lower price than any dorm on Fordham’s campus. For example, Pathe and Catalana, with their two other roommates, expect to pay $3,750 each for the semester, or $7,500 for the school year.

This does not include food like the on-campus price, but the two still expect to save a lot of money.

Not all sophomores are as interested in moving off campus, however. Alex DeSimine, GSB ’15, is considering moving out for junior year, but worries about

getting disconnected from his life on campus.

“I have a lot of commitments here on campus and it’s easier to be here and close to things,” DeSimine said.

Danielle Catinella, FCRH ’15 says she has no intention of moving, because she prefers the “comfort” of living on campus.

“On campus, I can walk back to my dorm at 3 a.m. and not feel unsafe,” Catinella said. “Off campus, I can’t do that, especially not by myself.”

Pathe is not as worried. “It seems like a very safe area,” Pathe said. “The whole block has all Fordham kids, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”

DeSimine agrees.

“I’m not really worried about safety off campus,” DeSimine said. “I know where to go and not to go and when not to go there.”

“Are you moving off next year?” will surely continue to be a big question among Rose Hill sophomores for the remainder of the year, especially those who agree with Catalana: “I really love Fordham University for a lot of things, but their on-campus [living] arrangements are not one of them.”

Fordham.

The discussion was moderated by Kenneth T. Jackson, director of the Herbert H. Lehman Center for American History and professor at Columbia University.

After an opening statement

by Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the University, the discussion began with an introductory statement from Jackson, who gave a brief history of New York’s economic woes since World War II. “The way we can tell the city has turned around is that it's so bloody expensive,” Jackson said, as he ended his introduction with the current state of affairs in the city.

The panelists discussed both the strengths and shortcomings of New York’s public spaces.

Sadik-Khan talked about taking better care of New York’s public spaces and furthering the eco-friendly movement that has already been put into place by the Bloomberg administration.

“We need to build in more sustainable modes of transportation to make it easier for people to get around, invest in our roads and bridges and create quality space for people to enjoy,” Sadik-Khan said.

The discussion moved to a debate about the current state versus the possible evolution of the city’s walking space, transportation and roadways.

“Our public space, although in many ways wonderful, is also highly contested,” Michael Sorkin, panelist and director of the graduate program in Urban Design at the City College of New York, said.

A major topic of debate was whether the use of the streets and the main purpose of the streets was for cars, bikes or pedestrians.

“The greatest public space in New York — that's the streets,” Hugh Hardy, architect and founding partner for H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture, said.

“The stock market began in the street, actors finding agents began in the street,” he said.

“It's what's made New York a place to go to.”

All of the panelists agreed that a balance must be striken between pedistrians and vehicles on city streets.

Sadik-Kahn mentioned that there have been multiple projects in the city aimed at making the streets friendlier to pedestrians.

The comissioner also noted that no major changes to the roadways have been made since the mid-20th century and that there is much work to be done.

“If you didn't change your investment strategy or approach in 50 years, if you were a business, you'd be out of business,” Sadik-Kahn said.

NEWS

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OCTOBER 17, 2012 • THE RAM • PAGE 3

SCC and G.L.O.B.E Host Thai Chef, Bring Exotic Cuisine Chef Sakuchol ‘Oak’ Cholup Visited Campus, and Set Up Various Food Stations and Dinners in the Marketplace

By EDDIE MIKUS STAFF WRITER

Fordham students received a taste of Thailand’s cuisine when global chef Sakuchol Cholup visited Rose Hill last week.

Cholup, who is commonly known by his nickname Oak, operated Thai food stations in the Marketplace on Oct. 10 and 11. He was also given a reception, which was hosted by both the Student Culinary Council (SCC) and the G.L.O.B.E. International Business Program.

Overall, the chef said he felt he had a positive experience.

“I’m proud to be here and to cook for such a campus like this, because I feel Fordham is a grand campus and very impressive,” Oak said in remarks delivered to The Ram through an interpreter.

The assessment of Fordham’s campus as grand is rather relative.

Oak’s background includes cooking for two five-star hotels in Bangkok, Thailand, which is the country’s capital and largest city. He has also cooked for Thai hospitals.

Oak lived full-time in the hospital where he worked during a flood in Bangkok.

Oak found that his reception by the Fordham community exceeded his expectations.

“They made a giant balloon for Chef Oak, and they also made a poster,” Oak said, who further stated that the kitchen staff members were “very nice to me.”

Students and faculty treated the chef ’s visit as a way to promote diversity within Fordham.

“It provides us an opportunity to expose the Fordham community to an authentic experience from another country where they

THIS

week at

FORDHAM Thursday, Oct. 18 Post Grad Public Service Networking Fair 2nd Floor McGinley 5-7p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 18 Careers in Counseling Psychology McGinley 234 1-2:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 19 Pygmalion, Theatrical Outreach Program Collins Auditorium 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 20 Kaplan Practice Tests Fordham University, 10 a.m.

Saturday, Oct. 20 FET Improv Show Black Box Theater 8-10 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 22 GO! Domestic Applications Due McGinley 2nd 5 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 23 CAB Cinevents!: Moonrise Kingdom 9 p.m.

Keating First

PHOTO BY EDDIE MIKUS/THE RAM

Students enjoy a wide variety of cuisine from Thailand, made by visiting chef Sakuchol Cholup, including a dish of steamed red curry fish mousse with seafood.

might not have been,” Brian Poteat, Sodexo’s general manager at Fordham, said. “It helps foster diversity, and it allows me personally to interact with somebody from a different culture and meet somebody else from my company from a different country and have a robust dialogue.”

Fordham students shared similar sentiments to those expressed

by Poteat.

“There’s a lot of different opportunities for food to be expressed through different cultures,” Sama Habib, FCRH ’14, president of the SCC, said. “It’s not just something that people need for a basic, it’s more of a way to engage socially and interact with others. Think of

yourself as living in a place that isn’t New York. I feel like I had a little excursion today. I was eating lamb chops that I’ve never had before with sauces that I’ve never tasted before.”

Habib was referring to a braised rack of lamb, which was served during the event. Other dishes served included stir fried noodles with sweet tamarind sauce and shrimp, steamed red curry fish mousse, jasmine rice, pineapple fried rice, spicy and sour prawn broth and a Thai-style fruit salad.

Emily Zhong, GSB ’13 and G.L.O.B.E’s vice president, offered a more pointed response.

“I’m actually originally from Malaysia, so I know all these foods,”

Zhong said. “A lot of my American friends, I realize they’ve been eating hamburgers and fast food, and this will help them see other cultures’ food.”

According to Poteat, having an actual visit by the chef provides students with a different experience than they might have had in a restaurant.

“We serve food, so for us, it helps to gauge their reaction to a different authentic experience and cuisine, not something you might find in a chain restaurant,” Poteat said.

After the meal, SCC and G.L.O.B.E members were invited to ask the chef questions. These included food-related questions,

such as Oak’s favorite Western dish (lamb chops) as well as others like; “How do you say ‘hi’ in Thai” (Swas di). During the event, a PowerPoint presentation displayed facts about Thailand and Thai culture.

Oak is just the latest in a long line of global chefs that have given Fordham students a taste of a foreign culture’s cuisine.

“This is our seventh or eighth global chef over the years,” Poteat said. He added that other chefs came from Colombia, Hong Kong, Madrid and Chile.

Currently, plans are in place to bring an Indian chef to campus during this week, and another global chef will be paying a visit in the spring.

McGinley Fitness Center Open, Free for Students Students Can Enjoy Free Benefits of New Fitness Facility, Including Certain Group Fitness Classes

By KELLY KULTYS ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Many students, especially those who have seen fliers advertising the new McGinley Fitness Center, which opened on Oct. 15, may have been a little surprised to see prices listed.

“Are they charging us to use the gym?” was a popular question, echoed by many students across campus. These prices, however, do not affect full-time undergraduate and graduate students.

“Free membership to full-time undergrads and graduates,” Sarah Bickford, administrator of fitness and recreation, said via email.

“Others [can] relate to the fees.”

Mike Roberts, the assistant director of club sports and recreation, has backed up Bickford.

“Full-time undergraduates, and full-time students in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences pay no membership fee,” Roberts said in email. “All other members of the Fordham community must pay a membership fee to use the Lombardi and McGinley Center facilities. Additionally, anyone who wants to retain a locker must pay a $35 annual rental fee.”

This means that full-time students in FCRH, GSB, FCLC or

Fordham graduate schools have free access to the fitness center, just by showing their student ID. Faculty, staff and part-time undergraduate and graduate students can access the gym at a price.

It costs $105 per year for parttime undergraduate and graduate students, $170 for part-time and full-time faculty members and $165 for a family member option.

The McGinley Fitness Center will also offer a wide variety of group fitness classes for students beginning Monday, Oct. 22. According to the McGinley Fitness Center class schedule, there are two different varieties of classes students can access. The first group is “Core Classes” which are a variety of cardio, strength and mind/body sessions, open for anyone to walk in and participate.

These classes are a mix of beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. These do not require students to pay an additional fee.

Some of these include certain spinning, Zumba, yoga and ‘RamFit’ classes.

The other group is “Specialty and Hybrid Classes.” These classes require registration. A package of four classes costs $45.00 or eight classes for $75.00. The classes are taught by trained instructors

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH ZANGHI/THE RAM

Students take advantage of the new state-of-the-art cardiovascular machines

and are progressive from week to week. In each class students will advance to another level of endurance, technique or strength based on the goal set by the instructor.

Hybrid classes include two or more formats combined into one to create a more challenging work-

out.

Anyone who is not a full-time student and is interested in registering for access to the Fitness Center should contact Mike Roberts, the assistant athletic director for intramurals, club sports and recreation, at 718-817-4263.

NEWS

PAGE 4 • THE RAM • OCTOBER 17, 2012

theramonline.com

Prospective Students Flock to Campus PRIDE Alliance Sparks Thousands of High Schoolers Travel to the Experience Fordham through the Open House Discussion with Activists

By EDDIE MIKUS STAFF WRITER

As this year’s crop of students has finally adjusted to life at Fordham, the focus has shifted to how to attract next year’s students to the University.

Fordham held the President’s Open House on Sunday, Oct 15, providing current high school seniors with an opportunity to visit campus.

Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J, president of the University, welcomed the prospective students to campus with a speech in the Rose Hill Gymnasium where he explained the importance of their decision on where to attend college.

“Between now and May the 1st, you have to make the most important decision of your young lives,” McShane said. “Because between now and May the 1st, you have to choose the school that you are going to go to. In choosing a college, you are also choosing a home for your heart, and you are choosing a place where a network of friends who will be your friends for the rest of your life will be formed.”

McShane also offered the prospective students advice on how to select a college.

“The choice of a college is a highly-personal choice,” McShane said. “You can get advice, and you should get advice, from

many people, but only you can make the choice, because only you live in your skin. Only you know what makes you tick.”

He proceeded to tell students that they should take themselves seriously and listen to their hearts during the college selection process. The president also contrasted Fordham with other institutions where they might not get to know their professors.

“Between now and May the 1st, you have to make the most important decision of your young lives,” McShane said.

“We take our students seriously enough that we take the time to get to know them, to get to know what makes them tick,” McShane said.

After the speech, students were invited to attend information sessions about the Rose Hill campus’ two colleges. They were also provided with a lunch on the second floor of the McGinley Center where they could learn more about the various majors and programs the University offers. Other activities at the open house included a Financial Aid Workshop as well as various University tours.

Overall, the reaction to the

open house from prospective students was generally positive.

“I liked that they had all of the majors out here to speak to the heads of the departments,” Christian Rodriguez, a prospective student, said.

When asked why they were looking at Fordham, prospective students often cited the fact that the University is a college campus in the middle of New York City.

“I really like how it looks like you are in the country when you’re on campus, but then when you walk off, you’re in the city, and you could have so many different activities to go do,” Christina Storino, a prospective student, said.

Other students were enticed by the campus’ proximity to New York City.

“I want easy access to internships, so being right here in the city makes that very good for me,” Daniela Cleary, whose older sister is currently a sophomore at Fordham, said.

Although college selection is a serious process, the day also contained some humorous moments.

For example, after explaining in his speech that Fordham is a “Giants school” since it is the alma mater of Wellington Mara, McShane claimed that he was wearing black due to the recent injury suffered by New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter.

PHOTO BY CONNOR RYAN/THE RAM

Fordham’s PRIDE Alliance group hosted several members from bklyn boihood, a group of artists and activists dedicated to building accepting communities, for a panel discussion Friday night in Keating First Auditorium. The event focused “on building bridges between LGBTQ and anti-racist organizing, within Fordham and beyond,” according to the event’s Facebook page.

“I definitely hope that we can do more of this type of programming because I think it’s really needed and it was accepted well by students,” Liam Lowery, FCRH ’14 and vice president of PRIDE Alliance, said of the event.

Stay updated with Fordham News! theramonline.com facebook.com/thefordhamram twitter.com/theramonline

Joining the fight against hunger, Sodexo at Fordham University is partnering with the NYC Food Bank for its annual Check-Out Hunger campaign. Students, faculty and staff may donate $1, $3 or $5 at the register during check out and 100% of all donations go to the Food Bank For New York City. Sodexo at Fordham University will match .50 cents on every $1 donated.

Ashley Brewley > Gluten Free Cook

Each $5 donation through Check-Out Hunger helps the Food Bank provide enough food for 25 meals to New Yorkers in need.

Creating Exceptional Experiences Everyday

OCTOBER 17, 2012

PAGE 5

Queer Students Still Face Struggle for Identity Equality

By NIKOS BUSE COPY EDITOR

Behind the actions of humanity, there is a common theme: the desire to be accepted and respected for simply being yourself. Despite the ubiquity of this desire, many people are hated and shunned because of their uniqueness. In fact, it seems that certain segments of every society look for a group that could be considered different and choose to demonize it. While our society has eliminated some of this oppression, many groups are still rejected. Like famed San Francisco poet, Robert Duncan, I too “propose to discuss a group whose only salvation is in the struggle of all humanity for freedom and individual integrity; who have suffered in modern society persecution, excommunication,” providing greater awareness of the struggle for the acceptance of the queer community.

In 1944, Duncan wrote a landmark essay entitled “The Homosexual in Society” that is widely cited as the first public use of the word “gay” as it is used today. For a time, it was the only term that was claimed by the past equivalent of today’s community. Since 1950, however, as more people have sought recognition, we have seen the genesis of a group with a growing alphabet soup for a name, calling for the acceptance of people of all identities and orienta-

tions. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) community refers to the group of people who do not identify within the constructed norms of body types, gender identities or sexual orientations. There have been many variations upon this acronym; as people of different groups seek acceptance, they add the corresponding letters.

In response to the growing assortment of letters that were being used to unite people of different identities and orientations, and to prevent its use as a pejorative expression, groups began to reappropriate the term “queer.”

Author and cultural historian Steven Watson remembers that he first heard the positive use of the word around 1986. According to Watson, before the mid-to-late ’80s, “queer” had been used in an almost solely-derogatory manner.

Since then, it has been used as an umbrella term to accept all who consider themselves non-normative but do not identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

“Queer can involve sexual orientation; it can also be used to describe any people who are open to or accepting of all orientations and genders,” Watson said in an interview with The Ram. This is just one of the many ways the term is used, as it encompasses those who are intersex, allies, asexual and more.

At Fordham University, stu-

dents who identify with any title that comprises “queer” can feel frustrated in their search for recognition of their identities.

Clubs like the People Recognizing Identities and Differences for Equality Alliance (PRIDE) support students as they integrate their sexual orientation into their personhood and provide an environment where all students can safely declare their identities. It has become increasingly difficult for them to create this setting, however, as the Fordham administration has unofficially forbidden clubs to use the word queer in certain instances, like their constitutions and the University website.

Leslie Feigenbaum, FCRH ’13, president of PRIDE Alliance, was aggravated.

“It feels like I am being silenced in the instances when I am not allowed to use it, “ Feigenbaum said, “While conversations with the administration are continuous about this issue, I feel that the only reason we are not allowed to use it is because people who are not queer, who have not been exposed to our community, think that it is a pejorative term.”

In defense of the members of the Fordham administration, however, they have a similar goal, born out of appreciation for all the students. The forbidding of the word queer, as they see it, is not about denying any group acceptance so much as it is about protecting a

KATE DOHENY/THE RAM

Fordham’s PRIDE Alliance has fought for the use of the word “queer.”

minority group that has historically faced intense oppression.

“Our community works hard every day to ensure that it is a welcoming place for all of the students and other members of the community who live, work and attend school here,” Jeffrey Gray, senior vice president for student affairs, said.

Despite the University’s good intentions, the prohibition only reflects the antiquated views of those who enforce it. The vaguely prohibitive nature of the current guidelines make for a less open, inclusive environment. The term queer has been taken back, and its proper use is yet another step towards the existence of an openminded and accepting society.

With the use of the word queer, society has a way to accept all ori-

entations, body types and identities. If the Fordham administration can look beyond the tragic history of the word to its current use and allow it, we, as members of the Fordham community, can better acknowledge and love all of our members for who they are.

Difference is beauty. People do not only love that which is uniform; we love phenomena like the snowflake for its dynamic nature and alluring individuality. Likewise, we now have the opportunity to respect members of the LGBTQ community for their own individuality. Just as we seek acceptance for our own personhood, we must accept those who are different and find the beauty of their uniqueness.

Nikos Buse, FCRH ’14, is a Spanish Major from Nicasio, Calif.

Affirmative Action Is Too Little, Too Late

As Supreme Court Weighs Issue, Underlying Lack of Access to Better Primary Education Remains

By PATRICK MAROUN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

When considering candidates for admission, the country’s most selective universities make decisions based on a number of criteria: GPA, SAT/ACT scores, curriculum, course difficulty, extracurricular activities, leadership and race.

In the Supreme Court case Fisher v.

University of Texas at Austin, the constitutionality of this final criterion is being called into question.

The plaintiff, 22-year-old Abigail Fisher, filed a complaint against UT’s use of race as a factor in admissions. Fisher believes that she was denied admission to UT because she is white, and as a result has not performed well (as an alumna of LSU) in the job market in Austin where she now lives. While the school claims that Fisher would have been denied admission whether or not she were white, should the Court rule in her favor, it could do much to dismantle affirmative action.

Racism in education and the socio-economic inequalities that it creates in this country cannot be denied.

“It makes sense for the government to subsidize minority groups because they have been systematically oppressed for so long,” Justin Hyland, FCRH ’14, said. I wholeheartedly agree, but I do not see affirmative action as the most effective avenue to combat racism and racial

OLIVIER DOULIERY/MCT

The Supreme Court is reviewing the constitutionality of the use of affirmative action in American universites.

inequality in this country. The problem with affirmative action is that it addresses the problem far too late in the lives of people affected by racism.

Affirmative action is used as a way to assist minorities who are disproportionately affected by poverty, crime, poor education and more in gaining acceptance into colleges and acquiring jobs. The problem with this is that by the time members of minority groups reach young adulthood and are ready to attend college or begin their careers, they have already experienced 18 or more years of systemic disadvantage.

At the point in a person’s life

when he or she becomes a potential beneficiary of affirmative action, he or she has “either taken advantage of or been taken advantage of by [his or her] situation,” Austin Ruiz, FCRH ’15, said. These issues need to be tackled earlier, and it is not money that should be the focus, it is the level and the quality of education (since this ultimately leads to betterpaying jobs).

The reason why minority groups are so impoverished is because they tend to have diminished access to education or must travel more difficult avenues (literally and figuratively) in order to acquire it. There are several steps to be taken in order

to address these systemic disadvantages. The first step is to enhance opportunities in early and elementary education for minorities.

High school becomes an entirely different issue, as the quality of education is often necessarily correlated to the price of tuition. This is why poverty and poor education become inescapable traps for minorities. In order to make money, one needs a good education, but to get a good education that person needs money.

This is why we must resurrect our public school system. As the public schools flounder, more affluent white Americans are able to send their children to private schools,

while minority students are left behind. This is the “white flight” of our time.

In order to offer minorities equal opportunities, a stronger network of “test schools” must be created to take on the influx of qualified students who have received the enhanced early and elementary educations mentioned above and shape them through rigorous programs without the burden of expensive tuition.

My father grew up as a naturalized citizen with little money in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, but was able to receive a first-rate education from the Boston Latin School.

Schools like Latin are to be the framework for creating equality in American collegiate education. If students are able to receive quality education, regardless of their socioeconomic situations, colleges and universities will be able to select highly-qualified, diverse student bodies without the need to account for a student’s race.

I do not believe that now is the time to begin stripping away affirmative action. First, minority groups need to have equal access to quality education in early, elementary and secondary education. Once minorities have access to equal education from an early stage, it will be possible to break the cycle of poverty and inequality that plagues them today.

Patrick Maroun, FCRH ’15, is a political science and theology major from Norwood, Mass.

OPINIONS

PAGE 6• THE RAM • OCTOBER 17, 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.

www.theramonline.com Advertising: (718) 817-4379 Executive: (718) 817-4380 Publishing: (718) 817-4381 Editorial: (718) 817-4382 Newsroom: (718) 817-4394 Fax: (718) 817-4319 theram@fordham.edu Fordham University - Station 37 Box B Bronx, NY 10458 Editor-in-Chief Olivia Monaco Managing Editor Victoria Rau Executive Editor Sarah Ramirez 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 John Bonazzo Talia Boyer PJ Brogan Nikos Buse Megan Connor Rosemary Derocher Deirdre Hynes Stephanie Kawalski Francesca Leite Shannon Marcoux Daniel Murphy Katie Nolan Sara Powers Anthony Pucik Anna Romagnoli Allison Russell Marlessa Stivala Elizabeth Zanghi 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 Scharon Harding, Culture Editor Three years ago, Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the University, told me to “Set the world on fire.” So far, I think I have only managed to set myself on fire.

My career at Fordham has definitely been overwhelming. My junior and senior years thus far especially embody this. I went hard with internships, crazy shifts at stressful jobs, Tuesday nights until the wee hours of the morning at the most wonderful place in the world (also known as The Ram’s office) and, most recently, joining a Global Outreach team. Some people may think that is not that much, but when you’re the kind of girl who demands more sleep, eating and personal relaxing time than the average student should, it becomes hectic.

So, for the past couple of years I have been running around the Bronx and Manhattan on fire. I have been burning with stress, anticipation, anxiety, exhaustion and, often, hunger. Although there is a sense of accomplishment that comes with completing

my tasks, the feeling is usually accompanied with a more alarming feeling of, “There’s no time to feel accomplished. There’s much more to do!”

And so it happens every now and then that the fire goes ablaze.

I get a bit too hungry, have a few too many assignments and become dangerously hot, capable of disintegrating everything I touch.

My meltdowns (get it? melting?) have varied throughout the years.

Sometimes they just include sleeping my troubles away, which inevitably adds more trouble, but sometimes they are a bit more interesting. One can imagine ways a stressed out college student may act out, so I won’t bother detailing it or criminalizing myself.

Those types of stories are best saved for a memoir written many, many years from now.

As I burn my sanity away, I prepare for the end of my college career, and I simply cannot manage it anymore. Then, the firemen come, which is surprising because I rarely call them. But they always come. My friends have saved me

from burning away more times than I can count and more times than they even know.

I remember last year’s Halloween, when a Halloween marathon and a 30-pack made all my problems go away. I remember times when friends left parties to sit with me in my room, stroke my hair and tell me I’m great. I remember sitting on rooftops and balconies with pals and feeling like a king because “One day, everything the light touches will be mine.” I remember lamenting over the loss of my life, and usually my phone, (See my last “From the Desk)” when friends burst in the room screaming about their own horrors, which seemed pretty similar to mine.

I remember hunting around dark Bronx streets for free bread and any other free things we could acquire. I remember dancing in circles to the same songs with the same people and having more fun each time than the last. I remember spending money I never had to do things that became awesome adventures. I remember

sharing beds when mine was just feet away because sleeping alone just felt too alone.

Even though my friends can always fi x me, for some reason I have continued to catch on fire.

I tend to forget that my friends are enough for everything to be worth it. For the rest of my last year at Fordham, I will try to remember my greatest accomplishment here is these crazy kids that insist on being friends with an even crazier girl.

From fourth floor South, to the corner of O’Hare, to running Arthur Avenue, to stumbling around Hoffman and everything in between. Good luck guys, and thanks for not being afraid to burn.

EDITORIAL: Catholics Should Advocate “Spirit Day” Amid a politically-charged atmosphere surrounding lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) rights, wherein religious belief often proves a divisive factor, Rev. James Martin, S.J., called on Catholics to participate in “Spirit Day,” an annual showing of support for LGBTQ youth.

Started on Oct. 19, 2010 as a tribute to young members of the LGBTQ community who had been lost to suicide, “Spirit Day” involves wearing purple as a symbolic gesture against bullying that targets LGBTQ students.

Purple represents “spirit” on the rainbow flag, a symbol of LGBTQ rights since the 1970s.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) publicly advocated the event, encouraging everyone to wear purple in order to raise awareness for a growing bullying problem.

According to Thomas Perez, U.S. assistant attorney general, bullying of LGBTQ students has showed the largest area of growth over this past year, which makes supportive events, such as “Spirit Day,” all the more important.

The Ram lauds Father Martin’s call on Catholics to support the efforts of “Spirit Day,” particularly given some Church leaders’ attitudes toward other LGBTQ issues and, as Martin acknowledges, the fact that many gay and lesbian Catholics do not feel accepted by their Church.

The more political issues at stake, including same-sex marriage, may prompt strong reactions related to different Church teachings. That LGBTQ youth should not suffer from bullying due to their sexual preference, however, is something upon which everyone should agree.

We at The Ram are grateful to

Martin for pointing this out in a blog post for America, a weekly Catholic magazine.

“If you wait to work for a cause until you’re working with people who agree with you on everything, you’ll wait forever, and the injustice will continue,” Martin wrote.

We hope that this statement will resonate with his audience, attracting a broader spectrum of participation in supporting what really should be a no-brainer.

As Martin also cites, the Catechism stipulates that Catholics should show “respect, compassion and sensitivity” for LGBTQ people.

Regardless of whether a Catholic, or anyone, believes that gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to marry, participating in a day dedicated to standing against bullying of LGBTQ youth is a way to demonstrate this respect

at the most basic level.

Especially in the wake of the bias incidents that occurred on Fordham’s campus last spring, it is important for students to show their support for all communities and express their disdain for discrimination.

We also appreciate on-campus efforts and organizations supporting LGBTQ students, including PRIDE Alliance and the LGBT and Ally Network, sponsored by the Office of Mulitcultural Affairs. It is extremely important that we continue to support these efforts and make sure to fight as a community for equality in expression.

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.

Letter to the Editor Dear Editor, I am an alumnus of Fordham College, Class of 1973. I happened to be on the Rose Hill Campus last week and was delighted to pick up a copy of the Oct. 3 edition of The Ram. It was with great interest that I read the article entitled “Eight Historical Events That Shape Fordham Today,” (v. 94 i.16). I must take exception to one small section of the article relating to the part labeled “1954-1975: The Vietnam War.” In that portion of the article, it is stated that the outbreak of the war in Vietnam sparked a strong anti-war movement on campus,

which resulted in the shutdown of classes in the spring of 1970.

I was a student in the second semester of my freshman year at that time, and I remember the events of that term quite vividly.

There most certainly was a strong anti-war sentiment on campus, but this is not what caused the shutdown of classes.

The student protest which resulted in the takeover of the administration building and an eventual student strike of classes was sparked by the denial of tenure to a popular professor of English, Dr. Ronald Friedman. Eventually, other issues were included in the students’ list of grievances,

including opposition to an imminent tuition increase and a lack of student/faculty involvment in university governance.

If I recall correctly, most classes were canceled or curtailed for at least a week. Some courses finished the semester early, and for many courses students were allowed to opt for a pass/fail grading system for their semester work. Although the denial of tenure was not overturned, the university administration agreed to the formation of a Campus Council, composed of representatives of the administration, faculty and students.

A most interesting aspect of

the student protest was that all actions were orderly and respectful of person and property. As an example, before the students left the administration building, they performed a general clean-up to restore the offices to their condition prior to the takeover.

I am certain that you can find more detailed information about this period in the archives of your paper.

You can also check the following webpage: www.fordhamtradition.org/jan95.htm for additional descriptions of this time.

Sincerely, John Buckley, FCRH ’73

If you have an opinion about something in The Ram, send us a Letter to the Editor at: fordhamramletters@gmail.com

OPINIONS

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The Left Lane Conor

OCTOBER 17, 2012 • THE RAM • PAGE 7

Lack of Moderates Hinders Congress

Righter’s Block

John P. Castonguay

Fucci

Biden Rejuvenates Dems

Respect Lacking in Debates

On Oct. 3, President Obama and his challenger Mitt Romney participated in the first presidential debate. Before the debate took place, it was believed that President Obama would be a huge favorite to “win” the debate over Romney.

This belief was so strong, people favored the president two-to-one over Romney; the debate itself, however, yielded different results.

The economy was the dominating focus of the debate, and Romney came out swinging. Romney laid out his five-point plan to economic recovery and unexpectedly went on the offensive, swatting away the few weak prods that Obama managed to muster.

The first misstep for Romney was that he was rather vague about his tax plan, which would close the deficit while lowering taxes across the board. The second misstep occurred when Romney stated which programs his presidency would cut. Romney cited PBS, a basically microscopic portion of the budget that also happens to be a favorite of Democrats. This seemingly-small misstep has resulted in a barrage of Sesame Street jokes that have a root in the idea that Romney does not have his priorities straight when it comes to the government budget, and that he is negatively impacting the children who enjoy PBS’s programming. Also, the moderator of the debate was Jim Lehrer, who has been interviewing presidential and vice-presidential candidates since 1976 and works for PBS. Even with these relatively-minor mistakes, Romney had a very successful debate; it is impossible to say this, however, without noting that Obama’s lapses helped him significantly.

From the moment Obama started speaking, it was evident that this was not going to be one of his better debates. The president appeared aloof and from the get-go seemed to be on the defensive. Every time Romney addressed the president directly or made a comment about a policy, the president would not make eye contact, almost as if he was resentful that he was being attacked. More significantly, Obama failed to reference one of the largest talking points: Romney’s “47 percent” comments. Obama’s performance was regrettable, and it will affected polling in the following week. Historically, however, the first debate tends to go to the challenger, and any polling upswing is usually short-lived.

In the far less-influential vicepresidential debate on Oct. 11, Joe Biden fared much better than Obama. Biden was more aggressive than Obama from the start, calling out Republican policies and firmly stating his position on both domestic and foreign policy. The only flaw would be Biden’s smirks and laughing, but really those are to be expected. Ryan on the other hand held his ground, but there was little doubt that Biden stole the show.

Overall, this debate will not make up for Obama’s failure, but it was effective in rallying the Democratic base leading up to the second presidential debate.

After the first presidential and vice presidential debates, both campaigns have displayed an aptitude for spinning the results.

President Obama is minimizing the impact and meaning of his poor debate performance, claiming he simply “had a bad night” while the race still favors his re-election. Mitt Romney’s campaign is portraying his debate performance as completely altering the nature of the campaign and as evidence of his true personality coming through.

Both sides claimed victory following the vice presidential debate.

Both Democrats and Republicans have reasons to be excited and disappointed with their performances in the two debates, but decorum was the real loser. The moderators, candidates and the journalists covering the event demonstrated a lack of respect for the offices of president and vice president of the United States. During the vice presidential debate, particularly in the early stages, Vice President Joe Biden spent the majority of the time Rep. Paul Ryan was permitted to speak smirking, rolling his eyes and laughing.

For most of the debate, Biden referred to Ryan as “my friend” rather than by his earned title, and by some counts, Biden interrupted Ryan over 80 times. In addition to allowing Biden to interject his opinion over Ryan’s remarks, moderator Martha Raddatz of ABC News interrupted the Republican vice presidential nominee 31 times compared to 19 interruptions of Biden. Regardless of personal views on the candidates, the American people deserve a dialogue that relies firmly on the factual and logical merits of the speakers, rather than childish grandstanding.

The disrespectful and irresponsible tone was continued by campaign staffs and journalists. Eva Longoria, a supporter of Obama’s campaign, re-tweeted during the vice presidential debate, “Biden is making Paul Ryan his prison b-----.”

The tweet has since been removed, but it is concerning that anyone in an official capacity within a presidential campaign would appear to find rape amusing and comparable to a vice presidential debate.

Washington Post reporter Dan Zak used language best described as trash talk in his analysis of the debate. His comments alluded to Ryan as a child whose feet could not touch the floor of the Oval Office. Zak also referred to Ryan as, amongst other choice phrases, “perp of the week” on “Law and Order: SVU,” meaning that Zak was calling him a murderer or someone guilty of repulsive sexual offenses.

These are not the ramblings of an isolated, insignificant group.

Biden, Longoria, Zak and other dangerously-irresponsible speakers have the ability to change the views of the American public and are choosing to do so by slandering the opposition and disrespecting the presidency. For failing to fulfill the obligations of those in positions of power, they owe the American people an apology.

OLIVIER DOULIERY/MCT

Congress has become increasingly polarized in recent years, with members of both parties moving to the extremes.

By DECLAN MURPHY STAFF WRITER

The number of moderate Congressmen and women has been shrinking in recent years and will drop even more once the next Congress assembles. Many of the few remaining moderates in both the House of Representatives and Senate have been undermined by congressional redistricting and substantial campaign contributions from partisan interest groups. The redrawing of moderates’ districts has favored their opponents in many cases, and their challengers’ sizeable campaign spending has strained their chances of reelection. State legislators have used gerrymandering frequently to this end when completing the redistricting process, often making fair, competitive elections a thing of the past.

These factors, combined with frustration with the lack of compromise between the two parties, has either pushed many middleof-the-road lawmakers out of Congress or prompted them to retire.

This decrease in moderates has made Congress even more polarized, with both parties struggling to come to an agreement on even simple legislation. Such polarization is not only the result of redistricting and campaign spending, but also a reflection of the political views of Americans.

“Contrary to popular conceptions, redistricting plays a very small role in the larger polarization story,” Richard Fleisher, professor of political science and author of Polarized Politics, said.

“If it was redistricting, the House would be polarized but not the Senate. Yet the Senate is as polarized as the House. The issue of mass polarization is complicated with respected scholars on both sides of the debate. My reading of the evidence is that the public has become increasingly polarized.”

This means that increased partisanship is visible not only on Capitol Hill but also amongst many Americans. According to the Pew Research Center, “as Americans head to the polls this November, their values and basic beliefs are more polarized along partisan lines than at any point in the past 25 years.” The recent study also points out that, “the average gap in views between

Democratic and Republican partisans has nearly doubled, with most of the increase coming during the Obama and George W. Bush presidencies.” Such a large ideological disparity between the two parties has made recent compromise efforts extremely difficult.

The limited number of centrists in the current Congress has certainly not helped improve the constant gridlock that has plagued legislation in recent years. Moderate politicians on both sides of the aisle have helped alleviate the painful process of passing bills by acting as facilitators who support many policies of their own party but also understand and support some views of the other party. Even if moderates might disagree with the other party’s positions on certain issues, they are often willing to work with their counterparts to find a solution. Unfortunately, moderates have disappeared in both parties because Republicans and Democrats have become more extreme to the right or left.

The absence of moderates also affects how the president deals with Congress and works to reconcile his policy goals with the objectives of lawmakers in the House and Senate. Without the help of moderate politicians, cooperation from the president is even more instrumental in creating legislation that is suitable to both parties and benefits the American public. It is also critical in satisfying the interests of legislators who represent their own district’s or state’s constituents.

“Although a president’s job is to focus on the greater good of the country, he or she must also remember to consider the needs of citizens living in specific states,” Rushi Shah, GSB ’13, said. “The issues that a person from a conservative state such as Texas thinks are most important probably differ from the problems a citizen of a more liberal state wants the president to concentrate on.”

President Obama has been labeled by many Republicans as a poor compromiser. Many conservatives claim that he quickly pushed his health care bill through without properly discussing it and taking into account the views of Republicans.

Obama, however, has worked

with a Republican-controlled Congress and has publicly reached out to Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner to promote cooperation, in hopes of creating a bipartisan partnership.

Clinton was known as a great compromiser and has said that reaching “across the aisle” is a key element in creating trust and getting things done.

Republican candidate Mitt Romney was known as “Moderate Mitt” during his time as governor of Massachusetts. Because Massachusetts is a liberal state, he was forced to compromise with a state legislature that was almost completely Democratic. Romney worked closely with Democrats to cut spending, and during the massive Boston construction project called the “Big Dig,” Romney used his business expertise to facilitate tunnel repairs.

A recent success story of President Obama and Congress building consensus and finding common ground was the implementation of sanctions on Iran. Iran’s nuclear program was viewed by both Congress and the president as a looming threat to the U.S. and the already unstable Middle East region. Because there was overwhelming bipartisan support for sanctions on Iran, the Obama administration and Congress collaborated to approve the sanctions which eventually crippled the Iranian currency.

Still, without moderates in Congress and politics in general, there is little hope for real compromise to become common practice. Because of such a polarized public, politicians are often forced to stick to their guns even though Americans constantly complain about how ineffective and incompetent Congress can be.

A real solution would be a return to the less-polarized system that existed before the 1980s.

Both parties would have to move closer to the center to make cooperation on split issues a reality.

This would require a commitment from elected officials and citizens of both parties to reevaluate their views in the interest of reducing gridlock and creating workable relationships that produce much-needed legislation.

Declan Murphy, FCRH ’13, is a political science major from Parkland, Fla.

PAGE 8 • THE RAM • OCTOBER 17, 2012

OPINIONS

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Fordham Gives Students a Necessary Push to Vote

By JOSEPH VITALE STAFF WRITER

Since the start of this academic year, a number of writers for The Ram, myself included, have emphasized the impact of student issues and youth voting leading up to the presidential election. We have talked about the importance of voting, reading party platforms and deciding how issues affect us as students.

Rightly so.

Despite this emphasis on political activity within the University, our words are not solely swayed by our position as students or our political biases.

Rather, the momentous importance of the choices of America’s youngest voters come Nov. 6 shape our words. In truth, how we vote (if we vote) will be our generation’s response to this presidential campaign, in which everything from birthplaces to Big Bird has stirred debate.

Beyond these distractions, however, is the issue that is essential in determining how we discuss politics: our future. Our votes will decide how we will be getting jobs, how we will be repaying our loans, how we will be taxed and how we will be preparing for our retirement. The list goes on.

For Fordham students, fortunately, our administration recognizes the importance of this matter and has taken action.

In fact, the University has ex-

ceeded the mandate of The Higher Education Act of 1965, which required all colleges and universities to make voter registration forms available to its students, by initiating a student voter registration drive that took place at one of the University’s hubs of student life, the McGinley Center.

The effort kicked off on Oct. 1 with a barbecue where students could find out information about registering, absentee ballots and organized events relating to the election. There were posters, buttons, balloons and pocket sized Constitutions for students to take home as well.

“We had tables, we had people, we had sheets of information, we had balloons, and we had paraphernalia. It was in your face for just 10 hours and we registered over 350 voters,” Leslie MassiahArthur, associate vice president of Government Relations and Urban Affairs, said. “It was one week, but it was focused and it was successful.”

In addition to the voter registration drive, Fordham designated a number of locations for students to watch and discuss the televised debates.

“It is a perfect example of civic engagement,” Massiah-Arthur said. “Students saw there is a place for conversation, and they had a desire to be there.”

The registration drive lasted from Oct. 1 to Oct. 5, thanks to the volunteer work of students from organizations such as Unit-

ed Student Government, Residence Hall Association, Commuter Student Organization, Student Affairs and the Dorothy Day Center for Service and Justice.

“It was exciting to see how eager everyone was to register to vote,” Ashley Domagola, a volunteer for the USG and FCRH ’16, said. “It says a lot about the student body’s political awareness.”

With a few weeks to go before the election, Fordham’s students are becoming increasingly wellversed on political issues. The issues and the debates can be heard everywhere from the cafeteria to the residence hall lounges. With good reason, students are becoming mindful of the issues at hand and motivated to cast their first

vote in a presidential election.

“Relative to other folks, young voters perceive themselves as having less of a stake, as most don’t have a job, own a home and aren’t close to retiring age — the things that attach them to the process,” Bruce Berg, a professor of political science, said. “But just because you don’t have an immediate stake doesn’t mean you don’t have a long term stake.”

As students are registering and mulling over how they will be casting their ballots next month, the next step is taking the registration component and transforming it into participation and education.

Fordham, like most universities, is a place where students have a lot of diversity. This di-

versity is key for conversing and exchanging of ideas and opinions.

The next component regards the establishment of resources where students plan to explore new political ideas.

“Creating civic spaces is essential. You don’t just walk through a place, you inhabit it. Any space for students to gather is a place to think, discuss, disagree,” Massiah-Arthur said.

On Nov. 6, the number of Fordham students who cast their ballots may not be determinable by a statistic or a poll, but if the President-elect was not their first choice, at least the ones who voted have a right to complain.

Joseph Vitale, FCRH ’16, is a communication and media studies major from New York, NY.

TOM DODGE/MCT

Through voter registration efforts, Fordham hopes to boost the number of students exercising their right to vote.

Gap Year Can Present Opportunity if Planned Correctly

By KRISTOFER VENEZIA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

More high school graduates are deciding that time away from the classroom is a better decision for them from college. The Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California-Los Angeles says about 1.2 percent of up-and-coming college freshmen will take a year off before heading to a university.

That is not a huge number, but it is a growing trend. And hey, why not spend a year exploring a new country, learning a new language or working to earn some money to pay for school?

Jeff Coltin, FCRH ’15, columnist for The Ram, wrote that he likes the idea of a gap year. He says that he would like to visit

a Spanish-speaking country to learn the language intensively.

Bernie Stratford is the director of experimental education at Fordham University’s Office of Career Services. He says that if young adults are productive with their gap years, it can look good on a resume.

“With the marketplace being as volatile and as dynamic as it is, employers are interested in students’ experiences,” Stratford said. “I don’t even consider the gap year a year off, it’s just another year developing your employability and developing as a person.”

Padding a resume is not the only reason people are delaying going to college; some students need time to save up cash. According to USA Today, tuition

went up 15 percent from 2008 to 2010. Administrators in Fordham University’s Office of Admission say they understand that some students must defer going to college for a year because of financial reasons.

“Since 2008, we’ve seen more students expressing the need to save for college,” John Buckley, associate vice president for undergraduate enrollment, said.

“Economic reasons [among deferring students] have probably climbed in recent years.”

The gap year can have its downsides, as some young adults struggle to find the motivation to get back into the swing of things.

A study done in 2003 by the National Center for Education Statics shows that only roughly 15 percent of students who waited

a year to go to college picked up a bachelor’s degree. In that same report, 44 percent of those who went straight to a university got their diploma.

There are some high school graduates who defer enrollment for a year and take classes at a community college. This is a risk, as students who perform poorly at a local school can hurt their status at other universities.

“If they [gap year students] go to another school for a period of time to strengthen their academic profile, there would be a reassessment of their credentials” Buckley said.

Stratford agrees that anyone thinking about time off should have a strategy in place.

“If you’re going to take a year off, make sure you have a plan because the importance of receiving an undergraduate degree speaks for itself,” he said.

The U.S. Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections has some tips for those interested in taking a gap year. The department says

students should figure out how their financial aid will be affected by talking to the school they are interested in attending. It is also important to plan out a budget that calculates living expenses for the year.

After talking with Fordham’s Office of Admission, career services and students on the Rose Hill campus, I thought about whether I would have taken a year off before coming to Fordham knowing what I do now. I could have gone to Italy, learned Italian and found a nice Italian gal to settle down with in Venice.

Luckily, coming to the Big Apple from a small suburb in Arizona has worked out pretty well for me so far.

“The whole idea of a year off sounds like a good time,” Martin McCormack, FCRH ’15, said.

“But I don’t regret my decision to come to New York City. I’m having a blast here.”

I could not agree more.

Kristofer Venezia, FCRH ’15, is an undeclared major from Phoenix, Ariz.

Are your friends really tired of hearing you complain?

Write for The Ram’s opinions section.

E-mail us at: fordhamramopinions@gmail.com HUGH GRANNUM/MCT

Students are increasingly taking gap years in-between high school and college to pursue non-academic interests.

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PAGE 11

FET’S Starts New Season with Little Shop of Horrors

By ALYSSA TAGIOS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The allure of singing, acting and dancing, in addition to a talking plant, brought students to the Blackbox Theater to see Fordham Experimental Theatre’s (FET) Little Shop of Horrors on Oct. 3 through Oct. 6.

Little Shop of Horrors follows the lives of Seymour (Chris Nicoletti, FCRH ’14), Audrey (Michelle Flowers, FCRH ’13) and Mr. Mushnik (Mike Dahlgren, FCRH ’14) in the Mushnik Flower Shop. The antagonist is a plant called Audrey II, voiced

by Chris Ingrao, GSB ’13.

The intimate space of the Blackbox provided an atmosphere unlike any other play. The Blackbox seats about 50 people. People squeezed into rows so they could fit into the theater.

“It was hot,” Will Ganss, FCRH ’14, said.

The number of people caused a slight problem for the show’s Greek Chorus (Ann Pierret, FCRH ’14, Pam Zazzarino, FCRH ’14 and Izzy Menard, FCLC ’13) who sat in the audience on their “stoop” when they were not on stage.

“One show, people actually sat on our stoop spot,” Zazzarino said. “We had to ask them to move.”

Ganss said he was originally skeptical about the show.

“I wasn’t sure how it was going to be because that show is normally

PHOTO BY MICHAEL REZIN/THE RAM

The Little Shop of Horrors play is based on the 1960 black comedy film of the same name. It depicts a man-eating plant.

done on a stage much bigger than the Blackbox,” he said. “But I thought it was done really well.”

Menard directed the show. In the program director’s note, she states, “I could not be more excited to be directing one of my longtime favorite shows in the Blackbox.”

Nicoletti said he believed that everyone worked hard to make sure Menard’s vision of the play came through.

“Izzy worked very hard on the

show and had to organize everything by herself, so for it to come out as outstanding as it did is a real testament to her talent,” Nicoletti via e-mail.

Not only did Menard direct the show, but she also became one of the Greek Chorus members when an actress had to step down towards the end of rehearsals.

“It was awesome, it was so great because she just kind of stepped in,” Zazzarino said. “She learned it so fast because she had been the one coming

up with it or watching it the whole time.”

Zazzarino said Menard brought people together to help out on the show.

“She had a whole bunch of people from FET helping her build,” Zazzarino said. “She had some of the girls from Expressions come and […] helped out with dances.”

Rachel Pincus, FCRH ’13, and Alexia Couture, FCRH ’13, choreographed the show.

Zazzarino said she enjoyed the three-week rehearsal process, especially when she was finally able to work with the whole cast.

“Some of my best memories are watching my fellow cast mates coming up with their gimmicks,” Zazzarino said.

Other cast members of the show include Justin Clark, GSB ’14, as Orin Scrivello and Philip Reilly, FCRH ’15, as Audrey II manipulation.

“The whole show I was like snapping, singing along,” Ganss said. “I thought it was great!”

Nicoletti says his cast members enjoyed working together.

“It was a fun experience working with a bunch of talented friends to put on an entertaining show, so I am really lucky to have been able to be a part of it,” he said.

According to Zazzarino, the cast worked cohesively in order to create a show of which everyone could be proud.

“Everyone has the show as a priority, but also looks out for each other to get work done too,” Zazzarino said.

FET’s next production will adapt Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind into a play.

“They are trying to incorporate film and stage,” Zazzarino said. “It will definitely be a very artistic endeavor.”

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind opens this November.

Fordham University Makes Its Own Strides Against Breast Cancer

By PATRICK DOHERTY COPY EDITOR

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, over 230,000 new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in the year 2011 alone. Just under 12 percent of women in the United States will develop breast cancer at some point in their lifetime. That totals out to one in eight women being affected by this awful disease. While these sobering statistics can spread feelings of hopelessness among the general population, some people refuse to allow such daunting numbers to bring fear into their lives and prevent them from establishing positive change in this world, such as the members of the newly-established Breast Cancer Awareness Club at Fordham University.

The club’s co-presidents are Maygan Anthony, FCRH ’14, and Kimball Fontein, FCRH ’14. While a committee that raised breast cancer awareness during the month of October has been around for the past few years, these two students wanted to establish an officially-sanctioned club that would operate throughout the entire year.

“It has been a slow but steady progress,” Anthony said in regards to creating the club.

Since October is the official month of breast cancer awareness, the club has been incredibly active. From bake sales, to three-on-three basketball tournaments and cupcake delivery services, the Breast Cancer Awareness Club has been busy spreading its presence on the campus.

According to Anthony and Fontein, Fordham’s response so far has been warm and welcoming.

“At the club fair [...] we had over 250 people sign up,” Fontein said.

“People have been really generous,” Anthony said regarding bake sales. “They sometimes won’t even take food, they’ll just leave money. It’s really amazing.”

All of the proceeds go toward the Making Strides Foundation and the American Cancer Society. In turn, this generates awareness of symptoms and signs of the disease, while furthering research that aims to prevent and slow the spread of cancer and sponsors free mammograms for women at risk of developing the disease.

The club has also been working in tandem with several other established organizations on campus.

“Sodexo has been hosting a caf event every Thursday during the month of October called ‘Think Pink’,” Fontein said.

In addition to Sodexo, the Ramblers, Expressions, Student Culinary Council, B-Sides and Rent The Runway have all worked with the Breast Cancer Awareness Club to help the group get its feet on the ground.

By far the largest event that the Breast Cancer Awareness Club will be a part of is the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in New York City on Oct. 21. The walk is a five-mile trek through Central Park, starting at W. 77th Street.

“I think the walk is wonderful,” Anthony said. “I think that everyone who is able to do it should. It’s free, and it’s fun. It’s a really good commu-

nity feeling.”

Fontein said she agreed.

“It’s a chance to actually walk Central Park, something most people don’t get around to doing,” she said.

The walk is a fantastic example of a united community event. It displays hundreds upon hundreds of people taking time out of their day to work together for a worthy cause.

Fontein and Anthony also promised that the club will not fall off the map after October ends. They plan to continue holding fundraising bake sales at B-sides concerts, hosting additional charity basketball tourna-

ments and running regular meetings.

“We try to get leaders from different grades to start early so we can keep training them,” Fontein said.

It is a sad fact of life that this disease affects so many men and women across the United States and across the globe. All is not lost, however.

Over the past 10 years, thanks to early prevention, more informed public knowledge and improved treatments, both incidence and mortality rates have been on the decline.

While attention and accolades have been focused on nationwide, multimillion-dollar charity organi-

zations, those organizations would be nothing without the support and actions of local community-driven awareness groups made up of ordinary men and women who donate their energy and free time to the cause.

The co-presidents and members of the Breast Cancer Awareness Club are brilliant examples of such people who constantly demonstrate that positive change is possible against seemingly-impossible odds and that a brighter future, where all forms of cancer are non-existent is becoming more likely every day.

ERIKA SHULTZ/MCT

Central Park walkers who raise more than $100 in credit card donations by the date of the walk will be entered to win a Kindle Fire .

PAGE 12 • THE RAM • OCTOBER 17, 2012

The Seersucker KEVIN ZEBROWSKI

The Seersucker provides a wealth of knowledge on sartorial fundamentals, contemporary male fashion and the mastery of personal style.

CULTURE

Dining Out: Michaelangelo’s Overall Location Food Quality Atmosphere Hospitality Price $$$ (Out of 4

’s)

The Denim Article

By DANIEL MURPHY Johan Lindeberg, the inspirational Swede behind BLK DNM, mentioned in an interview with Details that he has been wearing the same pair of black jeans without machine washing them for six months. The trick with raw denim is to put a more natural beat-down on the fabric through constant wear instead of having a machine do the heavy lifting for you in a factory. You walk, run, jump and climb in them for a while so that the cool whiskering and creasing you see on a pair of distressed jeans happens in a more organic fashion, and it always looks better than the fake version. There’s something creepy to me about the idea of a machine roughing up your pants and punching some holes in them before you ever put them on.

Wear your raw denim until all of your creases and scratches are fully worked in, then you can throw the jeans, jacket or whatever the piece is, into the washer on a cold setting. The creases will cement and the dye will drain out a bit. When you pull it out of the washer, let it air dry, and you’ll have a perfect pair of jeans. Now it’s important to consider how you’re going to wear them.

Color rules for denim are pretty simple.

It’s a good idea to wear dark blue jeans when in doubt. I personally like black jeans, but they don’t suit everyone’s taste and they look strange when paired with light brown things. Lighter shades of denim are considered more casual, so if you’re doing the jeans-with-a-blazer-thing, try to wear a dark, simple pair of slim-fitting jeans. Denim worn with more denim should contrast as much as possible. If you’re audacious enough to consider the matching-denim getup, try to mix colors, or at least mix shades.

When it comes to the fit of a pair of jeans or a denim jacket, it’s ideal to have that stuff fit as close to the body as possible without causing discomfort. The difference between a slim straight fit or a skinny fit is the leg opening. Any type of straight fit goes straight through the leg, while a skinny fit generally tapers downward so that the holes where your feet pop through are a few inches narrower than the part that covers your legs. A straighter fit of jeans looks better on those with bulkier legs, while the skinny fit works better for those with a smaller hip measurement and skinnier legs.

P.S. When buying raw jeans, seek a selvedge finish on the hem.

It’s a more rugged stitching technique that will improve the durability of your pants drastically, and it will make you seem wellversed when you ask the sales associate.

theramonline.com

STAFF WRITER

Before coming to Fordham, I had expectations about a variety of things: classes, social life, but most importantly, the food. Everyone who knew that I was going to school in the Bronx told me how the “real Little Italy” would be right at my doorstep.

Once school started, however, I mainly consumed whatever Sodexo brought to me daily, maybe venturing to Dollar Pizza on East Fordham Road. This was until I stumbled upon the lovely Michaelangelo’s.

Michaelangelo’s, right on the corner of Arthur Avenue and 189th Street, provides an entrancing atmosphere that is matched only by its menu.

I went with my family, and my older brother was shocked that you could get a full eggplant parmigiana as a side meal with

no judgment. If you are there in the summer, or on a lovely warm day, there is a beautiful outdoor seating area located behind the restaurant.

Although I am not the biggest fan of outdoor eating (or existing), the semi-roofing allowed for this to be an ideal dining area.

Being a vegetarian for about eight years, I have come to accept the fact that my main meals will consist of the amalgamation of various side dishes at most restaurants, but I was catered to at Michaelangelo’s.

The waiters were willing to do substitutions, but the food listed on their menu made this unnecessary. In addition, it seemed almost cruel to change the goodness of the original dishes.

The first major plus of this experience was the bread served to us minutes after sitting down.

My only question was why they apologized for the time it took for the bread to arrive, as it was right out of the oven. Warm bread with olive oil should never be accompanied with a sorry, only with endless refills.

Anticipating my large entrée, I decided to be healthy and get risotto aranici ($9) for my ap-

DANIEL MURPHY/THE RAM

The restaurant specializes in pear salad ($10) and also features a full wine bar.

petizer; which are basically balls of cheese. Paula Deen would be proud.

Devouring those was an easy task, and there was enough time between courses to make me anxious and hungry again. This did lead to some awkwardness.

The table setting outside is family style, with little space between you and the other patrons.

My eggplant parmigiana pasta ($13) came out and made me forget all about the loud family

next to me. It included tomato sauce, baked cheese and a free house salad. I bowed my head to make sure I did not miss a single bite.

Overall, Michaelangelo’s is a great place for a great meal. It is more expensive than the slices you can get at Pugsley’s, however, so save it for family weekend or a “Real Housewives of New York” reunion.

My rating: two thumbs up and a stained cardigan.

Editor’s Pick: “White Collar”

DAVID GIESBRECHT/MCT

“White Collar”, starring Matt Bomer, premiered Oct. 23, 2009. This September, it was signed for a16-episode 5th season.

By ELIZABETH MALLOZZI DESIGN EDITOR

Upon first viewing “White Collar,” I was immediately hooked. I should not have been surprised by another success from USA Network, but out of all their hits, this one is by far my favorite.

Matt Bomer (“Chuck”) plays Neal Caffrey, a mastermind in white collar crimes who escapes from jail and is tracked down by FBI Agent Peter Burke, played by Tim DeKay (Peaceful Warrior).

“White Collar” is an interesting twist on the criminal justice television genre. Instead of serving his full sentence in prison, Neal makes a deal with Peter to use his knowledge of white collar crimes and forgery to work with the FBI and help them track down other criminals. For

the first time in his life, Neal is working with the system rather than running from it.

This newfound interest in working with the FBI, however, is not due to a sudden change in character. Neal has the ulterior motive of winning back his exgirlfriend Kate, portrayed by Alexandra Daddario (Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief) while keeping Peter in the dark.

Personally, I find “White Collar” much easier to watch than most other crime shows. The plot is intriguing, mysterious and humorous, and it eliminates the gruesome scenes used by other shows that make me feel uncomfortable. Instead, “White Collar” keeps things light with entertaining dialogue and clever mysteries.

The suspense of each episode

does not lie within the discovery of the true criminal, but rather the ingenious and fun ways that Neal and Peter work together to catch them. Constant surprises always keep viewers guessing.

The two men’s brilliant but vastly different mindsets always make for very interesting outcomes.

Although each episode has a new crime, the story of Kate, and Neal’s struggles to find her, progress during each episode.

The two different storylines work perfectly each week, both individually and together. Neal’s obsession with finding Kate leads him to discover that someone is manipulating both of them, but he does not understand why. He cannot rest until he knows the truth, which constantly pulls him back to his old, illegal ways of solving his problems. Each

episode brings forward another piece of the puzzle and keeps the viewer itching for more.

The relationship between Neal and Peter grows each week, as does the respect they have for each other. Although they realize that they cannot completely trust one another, they truly do care for each other. Both Bomer and DeKay are perfect for their parts, and their chemistry is undeniable. Working together and using wit as their weapons, the two men always embody a brilliant partnership.

As much as I love Neal Caffrey’s charm, Mozzie is definitely my favorite character. Played by Willie Garson (Groundhog Day), Mozzie is hard not to love.

As Neal’s best friend and fellow criminal mastermind, Mozzie is always willing to help Neal work around the system to solve any mystery. His dialogue and wardrobe suits him perfectly and adds to the upbeat, playful attitude of the show. His extreme paranoia and his distrust of the FBI always result in amusing interactions, but even Mozzie’s relationship with Peter grows to a new level of respect.

The show is all-around fun, fast-paced and extremely highstyle. The attention to detail in every aspect of the show makes it that much better.

Everything from the dynamic characters and their befitting outfits, the witty jokes mixed into the clever plot and the setting of beautiful scenery in New York City is well done.

With that said, I strongly suggest “White Collar” to anyone who has yet to experience this hit.

CULTURE

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WHO’S THAT KID? Monica Wetzel

I am goofy, sarcastic and sometimes quiet.

What is your favorite aspect of Fordham and why?

My favorite aspect is the campus because it is very nice.

If there was one thing about Fordham you could change what would it be?

I would change the curriculum.

I would like to improve as an individual by becoming more professional, ambitious and attaining new skills.

After I graduate from Fordham, I want to stay in New York and find a job in the marketing industry.

What show, food, artist or movie would you consider your “guilty pleasure”?

If you were stranded on a desert island, what would you bring with you?

Brownies!

What is the biggest misconception people have about you?

This

Miike Snow Where: United Palace When: Friday, Oct. 19 Doors: 7:00 p.m./Show 8:00 p.m.

Price: $40

If you could go back to your first day at Fordham, what advice would you give yourself?

If I could go back to freshman year, I would tell my younger self to become more involved with campus activities.

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

I like to discover new restaurants.

COURTESY OF STATICBLOG

Swedish/American electronic/DJ/rock trio Miike Snow released its full length debut in 2010. Since then the band has ridden a steadily-growing wave of popularity as music fans across all genres, from dance to rock to indie, have found Miike Snow’s music to be both infectious and thoughtful, catchy and playful but also serious and edgy. Friday’s show will take place at United Palace located at 175th Street and Broadway in Washington Heights, a venue much closer than most to Rose Hill Campus. Rather than taking the subway, a cab might be a better choice: it’s less than a 15-minute drive from Rose Hill.

College Music Journal 2012 Music Marathon Where: various city music venues When: Oct. 16 – Oct. 20 Price: $130 student pass

What is something about you that not many people know?

I am obsessed with Harry Potter.

If you hear students complain about “not having anything to do this weekend” well then The Ram, or I at least, give you full permission to slap that ignorant fellow in the face on the condition that right after doing so you tell them “Hey silly, College Music Journal’s 2012 Music Marathon has taken over for the week in New York City ,and would ya look at that, you’re in New York City!”

Notable venues include the Bowery Ballroom, and notable music acts include Kimbra, AraabMUZIK, Asher Roth, Local Natives and Theophilus. There are also numerous music panels, including discussions led by prominent musicians and journalists. The list of panels and musical acts, as well as product and merchandise showcases is extremely extensive. Details can be found at ww.cmj.com.

What is your favorite class at Fordham?

Integrated Marketing Communications with Professor Timothy Malefyt.

What is a personal goal you would like to accomplish over your four years here?

Check

Music.

People think that I am mean.

What are some of your plans, career or otherwise, for after college?

!

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

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

A MEMBER OF GSB ’13 MARKETING MAJOR FROM BRONX, NY Describe yourself in a couple of sentences for the readers.

OCTOBER 17, 2012 • THE RAM • PAGE 13

PHOTO BY MICHAEL REZIN/THE RAM

- COMPILED BY DEVON SHERIDAN

People tend to think Monica is mean. She is a quiet girl who loves brownies.

ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR

Ram Reviews BOOK PRINCE OF CATS

+++

TELEVISION

THEATER

MUSIC

“THE VAMPIRE DIARIES”

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS

FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE

MOVIE PITCH PERFECT

By PATRICK DOHERTY

By COURTNEY SMITH

By RICKY BORDELON

By ANDREW MONTELONGO

By NICOLE HORTON

COPY EDITOR

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

ASSISTANT OPINIONS EDITOR

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The tale of Romeo and Juliet is perhaps the best-known love story of all time. Dozens of authors and playwrights have attempted to update the story for modern times. Most have failed, leaving behind forgotten counterfeits that add nothing clever to the tired formula. This changes with the Prince of Cats.

Illustrator, inker and animator Ronald Wimberly accepted dual roles as author and artist for Prince of Cats.

The star of our show is neither of the titular characters from the original play. Rather, the protagonist of Prince is Tybalt, a prominent member of the Capulet family.

The psychedelic art style is reminiscent of the experimental comic scene of the late ’80s. Dark blues and purples show the Capulets clashing with muted greens and yellows of the Montagues. This all stands in contrast to the bright teal of the city sky and the solid pink of the interior.

Wimberly combines illuminating illustration, competent characterization and perfect prose to create one of the best original graphic novels of the year.

The initial premise of the show has reached its final coda, and the show is no longer about human girl, Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev, “Degrassi: The Next Generation”). The storyline ofher life with a bunch of blood-sucking vampires has run dry. Elena is now one of the undead. In the fourth season’s premiere this past Thursday, Elena has completed her transition into becoming a vampire and is ready to begin her new life.

Then of course, we have the villain, the “original” vampire Klaus (Joseph Morgan, Immortals). Hopefully the writers will have a new twist for Klaus this season. “TVD” needs a big bad character, which gives the show that extra level of suspense that keeps the audience constantly on edge.

Regardless of the inevitability of Elena becoming a vampire, the writers have taken this change of direction and decided to go full force with it.

The new season started with a bang, and the rest of the season is sure to be similar. “TVD” has taken a clichéd story and turned it into one of the most plot-driven series on television, and it is bloody awesome.

“I want people to love me…for my money!” So says Freddy Benson, a character from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, which Fordham’s Mimes and Mummers performed last weekend.

This lovable musical about an unlikely pair of con-artists in the French Riviera includes a jazzy score

by David Yazbek (The Full Monty) and a joke-filled book by Jeffrey Lane (“Mad About You”). The orchestra performed the score well, particularly the string section, but it seemed to lack a brass section, which detracted from the rollicking score.

The ensemble gave an excellent performance, featuring proficient dancing and adding nice vocal harmonies to a number of songs.

The costumes were especially good, notably the Western and formal ones.

There were a few issues with lighting and sound, however. The actors were occasionally not lit during scenes, and the microphones on some characters were going in and out.

The show was made even better by the energy of the cast and the hilarity of the production. It truly “gave them what they want[ed].”

If asked who Florence and the Machine are, the typical American would fail to give you an accurate response.

Although not a trendy pop-band, FATM are nothing short of extraordinary and no less unique.

What FATM does that is so appealing is bring together many elements of music that one might not typically expect. This produces something very sincere. The lyrics of their songs offer a personal touch to their music as well — and people can relate to that.

The question now remains: How consistent can FATM stay with their style of music? Their first album Lungs was great, but their second album Ceremonials was even better. This past summer, however, Florence Welch has been collaborating with Scottish musician Calvin Harris on two pieces.

Despite the collaborations being a hit in the U.K., how far has Flo gone?

Could this be a cheap attempt to increase FATM’s fanbase, or possibly an experimental action?

Will there be a new FATM or will they provide the same unparalleled music by which many were initially entranced?

Pitch Perfect is a movie musical about a group of freshmen at Barden University who join the highly-competitive and comedic world of a capella ensembles.

The film is Anna Kendrick’s next starring role since receiving an Oscar nomination for the highly acclaimed film Up in the Air. Kendrick plays Beca, a quiet DJ who devotes most of her time creating her own beats and interning at the radio station. She joins the all-female group Barden Bellas to show her father that she is making an effort to participate in campus life. She quickly becomes involved with a sweet guy named Jesse (Skylar Astin, Hamlet 2), a member of the rival Barden Baritones.

Beca’s originality put her at odds with Audrey (Anna Camp, The Help), the neurotic, controlling senior member of the Bellas.

The film’s laugh-out-loud comedic one-liners, many of which come from Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson, Bridesmaids), and its ability to poke fun at traditional movie musicals allow Pitch Perfect to differentiate itself from other movie musical counterparts.

TO READ THESE REVIEWS IN THEIR ENTIRETY, VISIT THERAMONLINE.COM AND CLICK ON “CULTURE” ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HOMEPAGE.

PAGE 14• THE RAM • OCTOBER 17, 2012

CULTURE

theramonline.com

Superheroes, Mutants, Fans and Stan Lee Meet at Comic Con

By NIKOS BUSE COPY EDITOR

This weekend, I, dressed alternately as a Star Trek expendable and a Batman villain from the Court of Owls, went to one of the greatest and fastest-growing annual events the city has to offer: New York Comic Con. With incredible artwork, early video game betas, movie stars, rare comics and some of the most hilariously-outlandish costumes imaginable, the convention literally has something for everyone — and is offered at a price about five times less than its San Diego counterpart.

On Friday, Oct. 12, I arrived with the sole expectation of having a great time, an expectation that was quickly met.

This was my first visit to Comic Con, and I was struck by the enormous number of people in attendance. Coming around the corner of 37th Street and 10th Avenue, I saw nothing but a flood of people flowing in and out of the convention.

Upon arriving, it became apparent that two floors of the Javits Convention Center (located on 11th Avenue between 34th and 40th Streets), a building with over 675,000 square feet of exhibit space, was completely packed with fans and curious visitors of all kinds.

It is estimated that over 116,000 people attended the event, a huge increase from the first New York Comic Con in 2006, which attracted only 33,000 guests.

The convention took place over the course of four days, from Thursday, Oct. 11 until Sunday,

Oct. 14, and pulled in many illustrious celebrities and famed comic book artists. Throughout the weekend, attendees had the chance to meet and receive autographs from the likes of Stan Lee (creator of Spider-Man and former Editor-in-Chief of Marvel Worldwide Inc.), Sean Astin (Lord of the Rings, Rudy), Carrie Fisher (Star Wars IV-VI) and many more.

For the most part, however, the autographs, like many of the wonderful things one could find at Comic Con, were not cheap.

With long lines and prices ranging from $30-$60 per autograph, some attendees decided to forego the process and stuck to roaming around the booths of the exhibition floor.

Getting autographs was not the sole purpose of the event.

Many went to see early previews of movies, to sit in on panel discussions about upcoming films and television shows, to find rare comic books and one-of-a-kind illustrations or simply to marvel at the unrestrained fandom.

On the exhibit floor, it was all about shopping. Colorful booths filled with beautiful artwork, comic books and various other items stretched out as far as the eye could see. Walking around the floor was a fantastic opportunity to see many items from independent vendors and to get lots of free paraphernalia.

In short, it was similar to a wonderfully geeky farmer’s market.

It is a Comic Con tradition for some of the most joyfully diehard fans to attend the event in costume and walk around in character, thus creating one of the biggest modern attractions

PHOTO BY TAYLOR ENGDAHL/THE RAM

Upcoming films were announced, including Ant-Man, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.

for the event: people watching.

One of the best parts about attending Comic Con is simply the process of walking around and looking at all of the marvelous (and often homemade) costumes.

The event was full of zombies, superheroes, movie characters and even a few seven-foot and

taller Transformers. Although I highly recommend dressing up, it is fun just to explore the event and watch all of the costumed characters interact with one another.

If anyone reading this article likes superheroes, science fiction, movies, video games, art or a generally awesome and outra-

geous time, he or she must visit Comic Con next year.

The experience is at once bizarre, thrilling and exhausting, and well worth the $65 for the three-day pass.

Regardless of whether you like comics, I can promise that you will have an unforgettable experience.

PHOTO BY TAYLOR ENGDAHL/THE RAM

DC Comics released news of a new untitled Superman series created by writer Scott Snyder and artist Jim Less. Marvel announced Superior Spider-Man, in which someone will learn the hero’s identity.

OCTOBER 17, 2012

PAGE 15

Football Downs Georgetown 38-31; Falls to No. 21 Cincy 49-17

Rams Pick Up First Patriot League Win Since 2010; Put Up Fight Against Bearcats

By CHESTER BAKER SPORTS EDITOR

Fordham snapped an eight-game conference losing streak by defeating Georgetown 38-31 in an emotionally-charged shootout at Jack Coffey Field on Saturday, Oct. 6.

The Rams then traveled to Nippert Stadium to take on the No. 21 Cincinnati Bearcats, where Fordham fell 49-17.

The lopsided final score obscures the fine effort the Rams put on against an undefeated Big East team, as several Fordham players performed well on the national stage, including senior kicker Patrick Murray, who set a new school record by booting a 55-yard field goal.

The offensive explosion in the Georgetown game was led by senior quarterback Ryan Higgins, who completed 29 of 38 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns. Senior running back Carlton Koonce had a stellar second half after being bottled up by the Hoyas defense in the first half, finishing with 99 yards and two scores, including a 44-yard touchdown run.

Both Higgins and Koonce put up solid numbers in the loss to the Bearcats, with Higgins throwing for 262 yards on 31 completions while Koonce collected 88 total yards. Sophomore wide receiver Brian Wetzel was the game’s leading wide receiver, catching nine passes for 121 yards and the team’s only touchdown.

Despite the 32-point defeat, Fordham hung with one of the top teams in the nation, trailing just 14-6 at halftime. The story could have been much different if not for a Higgins fumble on the first drive of the game for the Rams, which was scooped up by Cincinnatti and returned for the opening touchdown.

Fordham had been moving the ball nicely before the turnover, marching the ball into Bearcats’ territory.

The 17 points scored by Fordham are a major improvement over the three combined points the Rams put up in their two games against Football Bowl Subdivision opponents last season, being shut out by Army and mustering only a field goal against UConn.

Koonce believes there are some positives to be taken away from the loss.

“It’s most definitely a confidence builder going into the game against Holy Cross,” Koonce said. “Coach Moorhead likes to say ‘Don’t let a game ever beat you twice.’ What he means by that is that we’re not going to accept losing, but at the same time we’re going to use that to build for the next game.”

Looking back at Fordham’s win over Georgetown, the Rams used their recipe for success once again: An offense that scores a lot, and a defense that gives up some points but buckles down with the game on the line.

The Rams secured the victory on an interception by senior defensive back Brendan Melanophy, as the captain ended Georgetown’s come-

PHOTO BY MICHAEL REZIN/THE RAM

Mike Martin and the defense stood tall with the game on the line to preserve Fordham’s victory over the Hoyas.

back attempt with 29 seconds left in the game. Senior linebacker Mike Martin led the game with 18 tackles.

Despite giving up 31 points, the Fordham defense came up huge in the win with a goal line stand with just under two minutes left in the fourth quarter, leaving Georgetown knocking on the doorstep. The Hoyas tried four times to punch it in from inside the 5, but the Rams would not allow it.

“We knew what we had to do,” Martin said. “In that situation, they’re down by one touchdown, and we came together as a defense and we found the plays that we needed to make four in a row. You can’t ask for a better play defensively to end the game, to make that stand.”

Martin and the defense faced a familiar foe throughout the game, as Georgetown runs a no-huddle offense similar to Fordham’s.

“Early we let them get off a little bit too much, but we got it together and made the stops when we needed to.” Martin said. “All of our practices are run up-tempo, so them coming out trying to speed it up really didn’t affect us too much.”

While Fordham was able to come away with the victory, the Rams committed a myriad of penalties, including three on a drive in the fourth quarter that ended with the goal line stand. Head Coach Joe Moorhead knows his team will need to clean up its act heading forward.

“The ones that bug me we refer to, unfortunately, as stupid penalties,” Moorhead said. “There are some things in the speed of the game, there’s going to be pass interferences and holding and you obviously have to put a limit or a cap on those. But, obviously it’s still way too many.”

The Rams capitalized on some favorable field position in the first quarter following a poor punt from junior Matt MacZura, as senior kicker Patrick Murray put Fordham on the board with a 30-yard field goal, giving the Rams a 3-0 lead.

The Hoyas then took the lead with a 4-yard touchdown run from

sophomore wide receiver Kevin Macari, giving Georgetown a 7-3 advantage. The drive was aided by a 31-yard completion from Skon to Macari.

Fordham answered, however, as the Rams marched 70 yards down the field for a touchdown drive capped off by a 19-yard pass from Higgins to senior wide receiver Greg Wilson, giving the lead back to Fordham, 10-7.

The Rams used another trick play, a new staple in the offense, as senior wide receiver Blake Wayne received a handoff, which he promptly threw to senior wide receiver Brian Wetzel for a 13-yard pickup. Wetzel finished the game with eight catches for 123 yards.

After trading field goals to make the score 13-10, Martin got the ball

right back for the Rams, recovering a fumble on a failed option play by the Hoyas, giving Fordham possession at the Georgetown 40-yard line.

On the ensuing drive, the fans were treated to an offensive lineman run, always a crowd-pleaser, as Mason Halter picked up a Higgins fumble before rushing back to the line of scrimmage before the Rams were forced to punt. Halter also got into the offensive mix against Cincinnati, as his number was called on a successful two-point conversion when the offensive lineman dove into the end zone on a designed screen.

The Rams took a gamble on their first drive of the second half against Georgetown, going for it on fourthand-inches from the Hoyas’ 44 yard

PHOTO BY AL BEHRMAN/AP

Wetzel had a 100-yard receiving game against the No. 21 team in the country.

line. The risk garnered a high reward, as Koonce broke loose on the run, scampering home to the end zone to give the Rams a 23-10 lead.

Koonce knew it was just a matter of time before he was able to break off a big run.

“We kept the faith, it’s a steady grind,” Koonce said. “It’s not all the time that it’s going to hit for a big play. Sometimes you might get knocked in the backfield or you might just have to stick up there for a 3-yard gain, but at the end of the day it worked itself out.”

Coach Moorhead had no hesitation in taking the chance.

“I knew we were going to get a yard,” Moorhead said. “I didn’t know we were going to get 44 but I knew we could get one. We talked to them at halftime that [Georgetown] was going to get the ball, we were going to force a three-and-out, we were going to get the ball and we were going to score a touchdown to make it 23-10.”

Georgetown followed Fordham’s gambling ways on its next drive, as the Hoyas took a chance of fourthand-goal from the Rams’ 2-yard line.

The odds were once again in favor of the offense with a touchdown pass from Skoa to Macari on the crucial drive. The wide receiver’s second touchdown of the game and the extra point shrunk the Fordham lead to 23-17.

Georgetown’s good fortune continued on its next punt when Wetzel tried unsuccesfully to recover the bouncing ball.

The turnover set up a Georgetown touchdown, giving the Hoyas a 24-23 lead.

The Rams would regain the lead on their next drive, however, with a touchdown pass from Higgins to Wayne. Wetzel made up for his error by collecting 34 receiving yards as Fordham marched 74 yards in under four minutes. A two-point conversion gave the Rams a 31-24 lead.

Despite the turnover, Wetzel’s confidence never wavered.

“I knew my teammates were right there for me, and they just told me to keep my head up,” Wetzel said. “I knew that the next drive I was going to try to make it up. Higgins threw me the ball and I caught it, we were just doing our jobs.”

The back-and-forth game continued with another Georgetown touchdown, when junior running back Nick Campanella dashed into the end zone from seven yards out, his second score of the day. The seven points tied the game at 31 with 14:30 left in the contest.

The shootout saw its final points of the game when Fordham completed a 47-yard drive as Koonce rushed for his second touchdown of the game to give the Rams the lead for good, 38-31.

Fordham heads into its bye week with a 4-3 record.

The Rams will get a chance to pick up their second consecutive conference win on Oct. 27 when they travel to Holy Cross to take on the Crusaders.

PAGE 16 • THE RAM • OCTOBER 17, 2012

SPORTS

theramonline.com

Men’s Soccer Begins Conference Play on the Road

By MATT ROSENFELD ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Conference play is officially underway in the Fordham men’s soccer team’s 2012 campaign.

The Rams began their Atlantic 10 schedule on Oct 5; when they faced La Salle in Philadelphia.

Fordham fell in that game by a score of 1-0 in overtime.

This past weekend, Fordham continued its in-conference road trip with a scoreless tie against 22nd-ranked Charlotte and a 2-1 victory over George Washington.

The matchup with Charlotte last Friday, Oct. 12, was the Rams’ second game against a nationallyranked opponent. The previous encounter came when Fordham defeated 24th-ranked Brown by a

PHOTO BY ALLY WHITE/THE RAM

Kyle Bitterman scored the game-winning goal in Fordham’s victory over GW.

score of 1-0 back on Sept. 9.

The Charlotte game was, like most Fordham games have been, a defensive battle. The Rams had the first scoring opportunity in the fifth minute, as sophomore midfielder Kalle Sotka had a shot blocked by a Charlotte defender.

Charlotte had the upper hand offensively, forcing Fordham’s sophomore goalkeeper Sean Brailey to work hard for his fifth shutout of the year.

The 49ers’ first good attempt at goal came in the 10th minute, as a shot from Charlotte sophomore forward Giuseppe Gentile got past Brailey and rang off the post out onto the field.

Charlotte’s only other first-half shot on goal came in the 32nd minute, when Brailey made his first of six saves on a shot from 49ers junior midfielder Tony Gibson.

In the second half, Charlotte continued to keep the pressure on Fordham, who did not have a shot on goal in the game.

“It’s frustrating at times [not getting many shots offensively],” Brailey said. “But we just stay positive. We know if the defense as a whole can do our job, then shots will come.”

Charlotte was able to get three shots on target in the second half, including another Tony Gibson attempt in the 87th minute, but Brailey remained firm in goal, able to keep the game going into overtime.

The action came in the second 10-minute period, in which Brailey made his final two saves of the game to preserve the point for Fordham.

“Anytime you go on the road, you’re trying to pick up points,” Head Coach Jim McElderry said.

“Charlotte’s a very good team.

They have a good record. It’s a tough place to go, so I was happy we got a point.”

Up to that point, the Rams had only scored one goal in their previous four games. Offensive struggles have been a theme this year for Fordham. The team is ranked 15th out of 16 teams in the Atlantic 10 in goals per game, averaging only 0.67 goals per game.

Those struggles seemed to disappear when the Rams traveled to the nation’s capital to take on George Washington.

In the first half, it seemed as though goals were going to be tough to come by again, with neither team scoring through 45 minutes. Fordham broke the scoreless tie in the 58th minute, however, when a set piece from freshman midfielder Tommy Granot found the head of junior forward Julian Nagel to give the Rams the lead.

“It makes it a whole lot easier knowing the team is going to score goals,” Brailey said. “We stay a lot more positive.”

Less than a minute later, though, George Washington was able to equalize. A shot from junior forwad Tyler Ranalli hit the crossbar and bounced to freshman midfielder Dominic Gallelli, who was able to head the ball toward net where it was blocked. Freshman midfielder Philip McQuitty was then able to get a shot off that was saved by Brailey, who gave up the rebound that senior forward Seth Rudolph was able to tap in for the

Colonials.

“We fell asleep for a quick second, and they made us pay,” Brailey said. “But we were able to fight back for the rest of the game.”

The game looked as if it was headed to overtime, but in the 89th minute, a Sotka corner kick was contained by freshman forward Kyle Bitterman, who found the back of the net to give the Rams a last-minute victory.

“It was very nice to win the game,” McElderry said. “But it was also nice to see the team rewarded for keeping at it. We keep telling them the goals will come if we keep doing the right things and it was nice to see the group rewarded.”

The win was Fordham’s first in Atlantic 10 play. The Rams’ conference record is now 1-1-1, placing them at a tie for eighth in the conference, while their overall record stands at 5-4-2.

Fordham’s next opponent is Virginia Commonwealth University, new to the conference this year.

VCU, also nicknamed the Rams, are the leading scorers in the conference, averaging 2.5 goals per game.

“They’re a very good team,” McElderry said. “They’ve got a lot of goal scorers. It’s going to be a different type of team than any we have played this year in that they have a lot of different guys scoring goals for them. I think they’ll be one of the more talented teams we’ll play this year.”

Fordham faces VCU Friday, Oct. 19 at Jack Coffey Field. It is the team’s first conference home game of the year.

Impressive Showing for Volleyball Dropped by Xavier, No. 18 Dayton Rams Cross Country

By KENNY DEJOHN STAFF WRITER

By RYAN SCANLON STAFF WRITER

Coming off an impressive effort in Van Cortlandt Park at the Metropolitan Championships, the Fordham men’s and women’s cross country teams were in action this past weekend in Williamsburg, Va. for the William and Mary Cross Country Tribe Open. The men’s team won its race easily. In cross country, the lowest possible score a team can accumulate is 15 (having your top five score 1-2-3-4-5). The Rams’ team score was 17, packing extremely well and dropping some impressive midseason times to win the meet over Loyola Maryland.

Senior Nick Synan captured first overall with a time of 25:29, with freshman Mike Turi trailing with a time of 25:39. Synan and Turi had been honored with Atlantic 10 Cross Country Performer of the Week and Rookie of the Week, respectively, the week prior. They have been working off of each other in practice, and it’s going to be great to see how low these two can get their times down towards the end of the season. Sophomore Jon Annelli put together a solid performance in third overall with a time of 25:50 and will look to build off this race to seek some consistency down the stretch. Junior Kevin Harvey came in at 25:54 and freshman Quincy O’Connor at 26:14 to

place fifth and seventh, respectively. It should be noted that junior Ryan Polo returned last week from nursing an injury and placed eighth with a time of 26:17 in his second race back.

The women’s team improved mightily at the Metropolitan Championships, packing well as a team and racing up to their potential. The Tribe Open was a good meet to test them. The Rams responded with a third-place team finish out of seven teams, with host William and Mary clinching the victory. Junior Anisa Arsenault continues to lead the Rams this year, placing fifth overall in a time of 22:18 on the 6-km course.

Freshman standout Suzy Sikorski finished second for the Rams with a time of 22:58 to place 11th overall. Arsenault and Sikorski mirrored teammates Synan and Turi by being honored with Atlantic 10 Performer of the Week and Rookie of the Week the previous week as well. Sophomore Melissa Higgins finished 14th in a time of 23:04, while junior Christina Vivinetto and sophomore Mara Lieberman placed 21st (23:25) and 24th (23:31), respectively, to round out the scoring for the Rams.

Fordham will have this coming week off, but will be faced with the challenge of the Atlantic 10 Championships the following week (Oct. 27) in Philadelphia.

The Fordham volleyball team took on No. 18 Dayton Flyers last Friday. Even after starting their Atlantic 10 schedule with a 4-1 start, the Rams were in for a tough matchup. To make matters worse, the match was held at the Fredricks Center, the home court of the Flyers.

The first set of the match was a tight one. There were several instances in which the Rams were down by just a single point, the last of which came at 18-17. Unfortunately for the Rams, the Flyers took seven of the final nine points to win the set.

In the second set, the Rams simply had no answer for the impressive Dayton attack. The Flyers hit .484 as a team while committing just one error. This led to a 14-point set win, 25-11.

Dayton again posted a hitting percentage over .450 in the third set, which was more than enough to take the set by a score of 25-19.

Fordham played well in the set, recording just two errors and hitting a very respectable .423.

Junior Lisa Hipp played very well for the Rams, leading the way with 11 kills and six digs. Senior Randi Ewing and freshman Brianna O’Neil each tallied eight kills of their own. Junior Sara Konkel contributed 26 assists and six digs. Junior Maria Rodenberg played well

on defense, adding in 10 digs.

With the loss, the Rams fell to 12-13 on the season and 4-2 in the Atlantic 10. Fordham looked to get back on track against the Xavier Musketeers the following day, but had another rough time.

In the opening two sets, Xavier posted strong hitting percentages of .370 and .371, respectively. In the first set, the Rams fell by nine points.

In the second, they fell by 11.

The third set was all Xavier. In the 25-11 set win to clinch the match, the Musketeers committed just one error and hit an impressive .556 as a team.

Hipp was the top hitter yet again for the Rams. She posted eight kills and four digs. Freshmen Brennan

Delsing and O’Neil tallied similar lines, as both recorded five kills and six digs. Konkel continued to dish the ball well, recording 21 assists while also posting five digs. Defensive-specialist Rodenberg tallied eight more digs of her own.

The loss dropped the Rams to 12-14 and 4-3 in the Atlantic 10.

After winning the team’s previous three matches, the Rams have now dropped two in a row.

The Rams will look to get back on track on Friday, Oct. 19, when they start a four-match homestand.

The homestand begins against the Temple Owls, with matches against La Salle (Oct. 20), Butler (Oct. 26) and Saint Louis (Oct. 27) following.

PHOTO BY ALLY WHITE/THE RAM

The Rams had a three-game win streak snapped by Dayton.

SPORTS

theramonline.com

Onward to Victory

By DOMINIC KEARNS STAFF WRITER

There have been plenty of surprises in this wild college football season, but Notre Dame’s resurgence might be the most unlikely storyline of the season’s first half.

Notre Dame began the season ranked 24th in the Coaches’ Poll, but questions at the quarterback position had most experts saying the Irish were overrated. With earlyseason games at Michigan State, versus Michigan, and versus Stanford, I expected Notre Dame to lose at least two of its first six games. Surely the Irish would lose in East Lansing, where the ninth-ranked Spartans had owned Notre Dame in recent years. The Irish had not started a season 4-0 since 2002, and there was no reason to think this year would be different.

Notre Dame showed promise in a blowout win over Navy, but that optimism was muted in a sloppy home game against Purdue. As in seasons past, the Irish allowed a second half lead to slip away, and the in-state rivals were tied at 17 with two minutes left. With tougher games coming up, Notre Dame needed a win, and Head Coach Brian Kelly made a huge decision. Kelly replaced sophomore Everett Golson at quarterback with junior Tommy Rees, and the move paid off. Rees led the Irish down the field, and a last-second field goal gave Notre Dame a 20-17 win. Despite the nice ending, Notre Dame entered its rivalry game at No. 9 Michigan State as the six-point underdogs.

Notre Dame asserted its character in massive wins over Michigan State and Michigan, proving that this year could be special. In East Lansing, the defense stifled the formidable Michigan State running game, while Golson threw one touchdown and ran for another.

Senior linebacker Manti Te’o captained the defense with a legendary 12-tackle performance. Earlier in the week, Te’o endured the deaths of his grandmother and girlfriend, but his inspiring effort mirrored the collective fight shown by Notre Dame.

The Irish soared to a No. 11 ranking in the AP poll and South Bend was buzzing. Nonetheless, pessimistic fans feared a letdown in a primetime game versus No. 25 Michigan.

Denard Robinson broke Irish hearts in 2010 and 2011, so the Notre Dame faithful desperately wanted revenge. However, Notre Dame needed some exemplary defense to stay in the game. Te’o made

two interceptions on Robinson and the defense forced seven Michigan turnovers. The Notre Dame offense did just enough, as backup quarterback Tommy Rees helped the Irish get a crucial touchdown before halftime. This game showcased Kelly’s elite defensive unit, which has improved dramatically over the past two years.

The past two weeks have seen the Irish continue their progress with a blowout win and a nail-biter. On Oct. 6, they blew past Miami in a 41-3 romp that gave Golson and the running game a much-needed lift.

This year’s team has handled inferior opponents and the defense dominated a previously-explosive Hurricane offense. On Oct. 13, Notre Dame battled No. 17 Stanford in a driving rain, with the Irish prevailing in a controversial overtime thriller.

(Stanford’s Stepfan Taylor appeared to have crossed the goal line on a potential game-tying touchdown, but officials appeared to whistle the play dead prematurely.)

For the first time in 10 years, Notre Dame finally deserves to be in the national championship conversation in October. The defense has not allowed a touchdown in its last four games and the offense has generally avoided the costly turnovers that defined Charlie Weis’s tenure. The Irish have not taken advantage of a weak schedule, because they have defeated three ranked opponents. Longtime fans might compare this team to the 2002 squad that started 8-0 in Tyrone Willingham’s first year with Notre Dame.

That team won several close games, featured an athletic quarterback and relied on its defense for memorable wins.

The 2002 Irish lost a 14-7 home heartbreaker to Boston College and faded to a 10-3 finish after getting destroyed at the Coliseum by USC. Yet, if the No. 2 scoring defense plays like it has in 2012, then Notre Dame should match up well with anyone. The Irish still have a difficult schedule ahead, with games at No. 12 Oklahoma, Boston College and No. 9 USC left. I still see one or two losses on the schedule, but Notre Dame has proven us wrong before.

Regardless of how the Fighting Irish finish their season, this fall has already been memorable for Golden Domers and college football fans alike. In September, the Irish seemed to be doomed to another 7-8 win season. In October, they look like a team of destiny. If they make it to November undefeated . . . well, let’s not get too crazy.

OCTOBER 17, 2012• THE RAM • PAGE 17

Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/theram_sports Varsity Scores & Stats Volleyball Fordham 19 11 19 0 Dayton 25 25 25 3 Hipp (FOR)- 11 kills Selsky (DAY)- 41 assists Fordham 16 14 11 0 Xavier 25 25 25 3 Konkel (FOR)- 21 assists Brown (XAV)- 14 kills Men’s Soccer Fordham 0 Charlotte 0 Cross Country Tribe Open Men: 1st Women: 3rd St. John’s Fall Festival Men: 1st Women: 1st

Water Polo Fordham 8 Redlands 11 Fordham La Verne

10 9

Fordham 6 Fresno Pacific 5 Fordham 5 Pomona Pitzer 13 Football Fordham 3 3 8 3 31 Cincinnati 14 0 21 14 34 Higgins (FOR)- 262 yards passing, 1 TD Legaux (CIN)- 262 yards passing, 2 TDs Golf- Big 5 Invitational 9th out of 19 teams

Women’s soccer Fordham 1 Charlotte 3 Goals: Carballeira (FOR); 12’ Jones (CHA); 36’ Meyers (CHA); 41’ Trickett (CHA); 52’ Fordham Charlotte

0 0

Men’s tennis Fordham 7 Hartford 0 Fordham 6 St. Peter’s 1 Women’s Tennis Fordham 7 Manhattan 0

Athletes of the Week Mike Turi

Angelika Dabu

Freshman

Junior

Cross country

Tennis

Turi took second at the Tribe Open and was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week. Turi took home A-10 Performer of the Week honors the previous week.

•

•

•

•

Dabu had a 6-1, 6-0 victory at fourth singles and teamed up with sophomore Julie Leong in an 8-3 doubles win as Fordham beat Manhattan College 7-0.

News & Notes

According to the NY Post, former Fordham guard Lamount Samuell was arrested near his Brooklyn home on Oct. 6 on weapons charges. As of Tuesday morning, he was still in jail. Samuell left Fordham last year and transferred to the University of Bridgeport.

The Fordham golf team finished in a tie for ninth place at the Big 5 Invitational in Huntington Valley, Pa. Senior Jason Del Rosso was the top finisher for the Rams with a two-day total of 149. Next weekend, the team travels to Bethlehem, Pa. to take part in the Lehigh Invitational.

The 2013 Fordham baseball schedule is now available on FordhamSports.com. The Rams open the season in Port St. Lucie, Fla. with four games against the University of Michigan. The home opener is on Mar. 5 against Wagner.

The women’s rowing team competed at the Head of the Housatonic regatta in Shelton, Conn. on Oct. 6. The Varsity-8 took 12th place and Fordham’s two boats in the Varsity-4 took 7th and 14th. Next up is the Head of the Charles in Boston this weekend.

Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/theram_sports PHOTO BY MICHAEL CONROY/AP

Manti Te’o has led the Irish defense and is a dark horse Heisman candidate.

PAGE 18 • THE RAM • OCTOBER 17, 2012

SMITH SAYS ALEX SMITH

By all accounts, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout had an incredible rookie season. He hit .326 and blasted 30 home runs while driving in 83 runs. Trout is the only person ever to hit 30 homers, steal 45 bases and score 125 runs in one season. Those numbers are all very impressive, especially because they are coming from a rookie. Fans across America are calling for Trout to win the American League MVP award. I don’t take anything away from Trout’s unbelievable season, but the MVP of the American League did not play his home games in California; he played them in Detroit.

If Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera does not win the AL MVP award, then I renounce my faith in the game of baseball.

Miguel Cabrera has been a great hitter for a number of years.

In his 10-year career, the Venezuelan-born Cabrera has a batting average of .318 and has smashed 321 home runs. Despite six AllStar Game appearances in his first nine years, Cabrera’s 2012 campaign is not only the best year of his career, but it just may be the single-greatest offensive season in baseball history.

Cabrera won the American League’s Triple Crown, which is the ultimate statistical award that a baseball player can accomplish.

Cabrera led the AL in batting average (.330), home runs (44) and runs batted in (139). He was the top man in the three offensive categories that matter most. I don’t care much for the new statistics like WAR (wins above replacement) and OPS, a stat that adds a player’s slugging percentage to his on-base percentage; they don’t mean very much to me. When I go about determining whether a player had a good year, I look at average, home runs and RBI. Think about how rare the Triple Crown is. The last time it happened was in 1967 by Boston’s Carl Yastrzemski.

Since 1900, there have been just 12 different players to win it.

This year, Cabrera becomes only the third living person to have the crown, the other two being Yastrzemski and Frank Robinson.

A player winning the Triple Crown has happened fewer times than a player pitching a perfect game or hitting four home runs in a game. Achieving the Triple Crown is more difficult than any single-game accomplishment, because it means that its winner was great for more than just one game; he was great for the entire season.

Anyone can have one good game. If you don’t believe me, ask Bud Smith, who won a whopping seven games in his career, about his no-hitter in 2001.

Let’s get back to the Trout/ Cabrera MVP debate. There is no clear definition as to what the term “most valuable” means. It is up to the people voting for the

award to decide for themselves.

Some say it should be given to the most outstanding player in a league, while others say it should be given to the player who is the most valuable player to his specific team.

Was Trout more valuable to the Angels than Cabrera was to the Tigers? I believe it is impossible to answer that question. They were both the best players on their respective teams, and there really is no way for anyone to know exactly how the teams would have performed without their best players.

The MVP award should be given to the player who had the best year, period.

I said earlier that Cabrera might have had the single greatest offensive season in the history of baseball.

The more I think about it, the more I believe it to be true. Consider the time in which Cabrera won the Triple Crown.

The steroid era is basically over in baseball. Aside from a few rare examples, most current players in Major League baseball today are clean of anabolic steroids. While Barry Bonds was never found guilty of using steroids, his 2001 season of 73 home runs and 137 RBI came at the height of the steroid era. The numbers from this time have to be viewed with skepticism.

In 1927, Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig hit 47 home runs and drove in 175 runs. Those numbers are terrific, but when you compare the pitching of 1927 to the pitching of 2012, those numbers seem to mean less. It’s like inflation in the economy. In 1927, $100 were worth much more than $100 today. Inversely, 100 RBI today are worth much more than 100 RBI in 1927.

Today’s pitchers are so much stronger than pitchers in the ’20s.

They can throw harder, break down film on every hitter and can throw different types of pitches.

Also, bullpens are a much bigger part of the game today than they were in Gehrig’s days.

Teams today can stock up on 97 mile-per-hour arms who make things much tougher on hitters late in games.

I feel bad for Trout, I really do.

In any other season, he would be the clear choice for AL MVP. He would have been the first rookie since Ichiro Suzuki in 2003 to win the MVP award, and Trout’s success would have been much more impressive because Suzuki played professional baseball for nine seasons in Japan before coming to the United States.

His numbers are incredible, and no one saw them coming, but Trout was still the second-best player in the American League this season.

To me it all comes down to one thing: Cabrera had the best season of any hitter since 1967, and possibly the best of all time. He is the 2012 Most Valuable Player in the American League.

I was having this discussion with a friend of mine the other day, and I think he put it best.: “Give Trout the AL Rookie of the Year,” he said, “Hell, give him the NL Rookie of the Year Award too if you want. But you can’t give him the MVP. That belongs to Miguel Cabrera.”

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Senior Profile: Carlton Koonce

By CHESTER BAKER SPORTS EDITOR

After funding for Hofstra’s football program was cut in 2009, Carlton Koonce needed to make a choice about where to continue his collegiate career. Fordham must be thanking God that Koonce decided to become a Ram. The senior running back has been a centerpiece for the rejuvenated Fordham offense, rushing for 884 yards through seven games, while collecting seven total touchdowns.

The New Jersey native took a winding road to end up at Fordham, however, after originally committing to the Pride and making up his mind to attend Eastern Kentucky.

After telling Fordham, “Thanks, but no thanks,” it was Koonce’s father who eventually convinced the running back to give Rose Hill a second thought.

“My dad calls me up and tells me, ‘You need to take a visit to Fordham, I know you’re already set on Eastern Kentucky but you need to go on a visit one day and see how you like it,’” Koonce said. “Without that visit I definitely would not have come here. Probably one of the best decisions of my life and I definitely thank my dad for that one.”

While the academics drew Koonce to the Bronx, he ran into some roadblocks soon after becoming a Ram. When he joined the football team in 2010, the Rams were already stacked at running back with the likes of Xavier Martin and Darryl Whiting taking up the majority of the carries. The clogged-up depth chart led to Koonce switching to a full-time wide receiver in 2011.

“I’m a team player and I’ll play any position that the coach asks of me,” Koonce said. “It was the kind of thing where [former Head Coach Tom Masella] felt that we were lacking some speed out on the perimeter and wide receiver, and I realized that and decided to attack it and give it my best, my 100 percent no matter what.”

Despite Koonce’s commitment to adjusting to his new position and his 38 catches, which were tied for the team lead, he still faced a learning

PHOTO BY AL BEHRMAN/AP

Koonce leads all rushers in the Patriot league with 884 yards, good enough for 126.3 yards per game, which ranks second in the conference.

curve after the switch.

“It was a difficult transition at first, wide receiver is definitely a different phase of the game with route running and reading coverages and blocking on the permiter as opposed to running between the tackles,” Kooce said.

Although the running back by trade faced some challenges in learning the new position, he looks at his brief change in position as a positive.

“It helped me from the mentality standpoint and the physical standpoint, as it helped me develop some of my other skills,” Koonce said.

“For instance, running routes out of the backfield, little things like that just help me add to my game that make me better as an overall player.”

When Head Coach Joe Moorhead arrived, he was a familiar face for Koonce, as Moorhead had expressed an interest in Koonce during initial recruiting phase coming out of high school, while the coach was at Akron. Because Moorhead was well-versed in the skills he could bring to the table when rushing the ball, the communications and media studies major was moved back to running back.

“I definitely thanked him for that,” Koonce said. “Playing running back is definitely fun for me. I just have a certain feel for it that I didn’t have at wide receiver. I made sure to let him know that I wouldn’t let him down.”

Letting Moorhead down is the

exact opposite of what Koonce has been doing this year, as he is second in rushing in the Patriot League.

The 2012 campaign has garnered Koonce two Patriot League Player of the Week awards, coming via his 176-yard, two-touchdown performance against Cornell and a 250yard, one-score effort in the Liberty Cup victory over Columbia. The 250-yard game, which was highlighted by a 92-yard touchdown run, was the third-longest in Fordham history.

As shown by his gaudy numbers, Koonce is taking full advantage now that he has finally been given a chance to be the starting back.

“It’s very satisfying, this is something that you work for throughout high school and college,” Koonce said. “Just taking a back seat the whole team and finally having my shot to get the job done and to have the whole team counting on you, it’s definitely pleasing. It just shows that hard work pays off.”

Due to his redshirt season at Hofstra, Koonce will be eligible for competition next season, pending approval from the NCAA. “That’s definitely something that I’m looking forward to,” Koonce said. “Hopefully I can return and compete again. I love these guys.

This is a great school, with a great opportunity and we’re building something special. That’s something that I definitely want to be a part of.”

Men’s Tennis Perfect Through Four Matches

By MAX PRINZ STAFF WRITER

The Fordham men’s tennis team defeated St. Peter’s and Hartford on Saturday, Oct. 13, and maintained its perfect record in fall play. The Rams won both matches by a score of 7-0, to improve to 4-0 in the fall season.

The Rams faced the St. Peter’s Peacocks in the first match of the doubleheader. Just like the doubleheader two weeks ago, the Rams came out with a lot of energy, circling together and hyping themselves up before the match.

“Energy is definitely important for us,” senior Ben Kelly said.

“The circle is new this year and it’s something our captain (senior Alex DeRienzo) has installed. Coach Hubbard also creates an energetic atmosphere and it makes for a very hostile environment.”

That energy was very helpful for

the Rams, as they started fast and won all three doubles matches.

Sophomores J.J. Tauil and Max Peara teamed to win their match 8-2, sophomore Srikar Alla and junior Kuba Kowalski won 8-1, and juniors Emilio Mora and Mischa Koran also won their match 8-1.

Singles play was a bit tougher, as Kowalski lost the first set of the Rams’ fall season. The team pulled through, however, and won all six singles matches to sweep St. Peters.

Kowalski fought for three sets and won 2-6, 6-2 and 6-4. Alla, Mora and sophomores Jan Krouham, Peder Gram and Michael Puntillo all won their matches in straight sets.

The Hartford Hawks were Fordham’s second opponents in the doubleheader. The Rams came out raring to play yet again, winning all three doubles matches. Koran and Mora had the strongest match, winning 8-1.

“In the second match we came out

and probably played our best doubles of the year,” said Head Coach Cory Hubbard. “For me, doubles is a huge factor. It starts off the match.

If you can get the doubles point, it can really carry over into singles and you don’t have to fight uphill.”

Singles play went just as well for the Rams. Senior captain Alex DeRienzo, Tauil, Krouham, Mora, Alla and Kowalski all defeated their opponents in straight sets. They was able to maintain their energy, yelling encouragement to each other all match long.

“I was very pleased in the second match, compared to two weeks ago,” Hubbard said. “I thought we were much stronger, both mentally and physically.”

Fordham’s sweep of both Hartford and St. Peter’s gives them an undefeated record in the fall season.

Fordham has its last event of the fall schedule next weekend at the ITA Northeast Regional Tournament.

Water Polo Goes .500 On California Road Trip

By MATT ROSENFELD ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

PHOTO BY DREW DIPANE/THE RAM

With the best stretch of their season complete, the Rams improved their record 5-16, with the majority of their wins coming in California.

By JUSTIN OLSON CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Fordham water polo team will go into the final part of its season with some momentum after finishing off a very good West Coast trip with a 3-3 record, splitting matches on all days from Oct. 4-6.

On Thursday, the Rams held on for a 21-18 victory over Mt. San Antonio after leading 10-3 after the first quarter and 14-7 at the half. freshman driver Patrick Lenihan led the way for the Rams with a career-best five goals. Freshman driver Andrew Gonzalez also chipped in four goals for the Rams.

Sophomore Noah LeBeau played in goal for the first half, making six saves, while freshman Patrick Harrigan and junior Eric Mullery split time in the second half and combined to make three saves.

The Rams were not as fortunate in their second game of the day, falling 20-7 to Cal-Baptist.

Cal-Baptist led 12-4 at the end of the half, and never looked back on their way to the victory. Junior driver Dan Kearney led the scoring for the Rams with two goals. LeBeau made 11 saves through three quarters of action. Harrigan made one save in the final frame.

On Friday, the Rams began play in the Gary Troyer Tournament in Claremont, Calif., with an 11-8 loss to Redlands. Lenihan scored three goals and LeBeau had 11 saves. The Rams cut the deficit to 8-6 after three quarters but were unable to complete the comeback in the fourth.

The Rams made up for the loss, however, with an exciting over-

OCTOBER 17, 2012• THE RAM • PAGE 19

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time win over La Verne later in the day. The game was tight from wire to wire, with neither team leading by more than two goals.

The Rams had a late rally to tie the game at eight and force overtime. With the game tied at 9-9 and 28 seconds remaining in overtime, freshman Defender Davis DeFontes scored to put the Rams up 10-9, which the defense was able to hold for the win. Along with that goal, Defontes also had one in regulation to lead the team with two goals. LeBeau made 13 saves for the Rams.

Saturday started off with a lowscoring 6-5 defensive struggle in which Fordham prevailed over Fresno-Pacific. The Rams were up by merely one goal with two minutes left in the game, but the defense and red-hot goaltender LeBeau killed off two penalties to preserve the win. LeBeau ended up having a career day making 15 saves. Junior Nicholas Allen scored three goals for the Rams, while Defontes and Lenihan also scored.

The Rams finished off their Gary Troyer Tournament appearance and their West Coast trip with a 13-5 loss to Pomona-Pitzer. Fordham went down 7-2 in the second period and was unable to mount a comeback, despite a goal by DeFontes in the final frame. Harrigan made four saves for the Rams in the first half, while Mullery had three saves in the second half.

The trip left the Rams at 5-16 on the year. The Rams come home for just the third time this year to play Mercyhurst this Saturday for the first of their final three games of the season.

The playoffs: the time when intensity is turned up, fans are tuned in and performance is at its highest. As baseball fans, we follow an excruciatingly-long regular season, waiting for the fall and postseason baseball to commence. Now that it has finally arrived, and has delivered some of the most drama-filled series in recent history, there is one question that is an elephant in the room.

Why is Yankee Stadium so empty?

Aside from the complete lack of offense, what has been the one completely obvious observation when one watches a 2012 Yankee postseason game?

The lack of fans.

Since the Yankees opened up their brand new stadium in 2009, they have hosted 17 playoff games.

In those 17 games, the average attendance was 50,140 fans. That falls about 100 short of the 50,287 stadium capacity listed on the Yankees website.

On Sunday, however, game two of the American League Championship Series against the Detroit Tigers, the Yankees drew fewer than 47,200 fans. This marked the third straight playoff home game in which the Bronx Bombers had an attendance number this low.

Playoff baseball is quite familiar to the Bronx. As many of us know, the Yankees lead the Major League with 27 World Series Championships.

They have also made the playoffs 17 of the past 18 seasons (2008 being the exception). Yankee fans are often said to show up only for the playoffs, having been spoiled by the team, assuming they would make the postseason every year.

So why is attendance so bad?

There are a few possible reasons.

This year, Major League Baseball implemented a new format to its divisional playoff series. Instead of the games rotating locations in a 2-2-1 format, MLB decided to make the games start at the lower seed’s ballpark for the opening two games and then go back to the higher seed’s city for the remaining three. This decision was made to reduce the travel

of the teams and to condense the schedule.

Because of this new format, however, the Yankees have now played five straight home games. This can often lead to “fan fatigue.” It is hard for even the most popular franchise to sell out a 50,000 seat stadium for five days straight, especially given the amount of money playoff tickets cost for the fan.

And that is where we hit what I think is the real problem: the cost of tickets.

It is not a problem of Yankee playoff tickets costing too much money (which they often do), but more so that the Yankees themselves overprice the tickets from the beginning, which starts the dilemma.

When the Yankees have high prices on the tickets coming out of their box office, season ticket holders who plan on selling their tickets (a large number) price the tickets even higher on secondary ticket markets such as StubHub. People aren’t willing to pay those incredibly-high prices, even for Yankee playoff tickets. The Yankees overrate themselves, and because of it, everyday people are able to find great seats for very low prices. As game time draws nearer and nearer,

PHOTO BY JULIE JACOBSON/ AP

Yankee Stadium has been a ghost town this postseason, with plenty of empty seats during the Bronx Bombers’ series against the Orioles and Tigers.

Upcoming Varsity Schedule CAPS=HOME lowercase=away Men’s Soccer

Women’s Soccer

Thursday Oct. 18

Friday Oct. 19

Saturday Oct. 20

VCU 5 p.m.

LA SALLE 7:30 p.m.

DUQUESNE 5 p.m.

Water Polo

LA SALLE 7 p.m.

Men’s Tennis

Sunday Oct. 21 RICHMOND 1 p.m.

Volleyball

Golf

ST. BONNIES 1 p.m.

BUTLER 7 p.m.

Lehigh Invitational Bethlehem, PA

ITA Northeast Regional New Haven, CT

PHOTO BY DREW DIPANE/THE RAM

Freshman driver Bobby Wurtz and the Fordham offense scored a season-high 21 goals in the Rams’ win over Mt. San Antonio.

sellers try to cut their losses by lowering their once-very-high asking numbers. But that type of market does not lead to a full ballpark.

The solution lies in the hands of the franchise. The Yankees, although very lucrative and popular, have overpriced their tickets. And although corporations and other ticket sellers might buy the tickets in bulk to sell again, the unreasonablyhigh starting price trickles down and leads to many tickets going unsold to people that actually attend the game.

As a Yankee fan myself, I hate to see a playoff game, let alone an ALCS primetime game, played in what looks like a half-empty Yankee Stadium. It’s embarrassing to the fan base, to the league and especially to the storied franchise of the New York Yankees. For a franchise that personifies postseason success in sports, it just seems wrong that they play their most meaningful games in front of a lackluster crowd.

But at the end of the day, the Yankees have nobody to blame but themselves, and since they have chosen to learn their lesson the hard way, it will only be a matter of time before prices from the Yankees box office are lowered and all is right again in the Bronx.

Women’s Tennis

ITA Regional West Point, NY

Monday Oct. 22

Tuesday Oct. 23

Wednesday Oct. 24

OCTOBER 17, 2012

PAGE 20

New Athletic Director Roach Introduced To Fordham Community ROACH FROM PAGE 1

want to come out and support them and see them play.”

Roach sees the student body as one of the most important ingredients to turning around the athletic programs at Fordham.

“We have to get the students to buy into this, they’re a part of it,” Roach said. “At Duke, those students who are there feel as though they are a part of it. We have to get that same feeling here. You’ve got to have a little bit of success to keep them interested and get them going, but we have to get everybody to buy into what we’re doing.”

If and when the student body becomes a staple at all major sporting events, they may be seeing some new facilities, as Roach has a long history of athletic renovations.

During his time at Colgate he helped to build the Trudy Fitness Center and oversaw major renovations to the school’s football stadium.

Roach will need some time to assess the school’s situation, before making any final decisions on how to improve the Rose Hill Gym, the oldest venue in all of Division I college basketball.

“I got to really get around and see everything,” Roach said. “You

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

David Roach spoke on the importance of academic and athletic excellence last week at his introduction ceremony in the Butler Commons.

start with the little things, you address all of that and then you can kind of lay it all out.”

The stadiums used by Fordham will be getting some increased airtime as the Rams enter the Roach era. The Atlantic 10 recently inked deals with ESPN, CBS Sports and NBC Sports Network, which will more than double the national exposure for the A-10 beginning next year.

“I just think that the Atlantic

10 has set itself up to be a tremendous basketball league with the additions of Butler and VCU and the TV contract,” Roach said.

“The exposure is going to be phenomenal. I think the A-10 needs Fordham to have success, given the media market that we’re in.”

Roach’s enthusiasm about the conference made it clear that he has no intention of ever taking Fordham out of the Atlantic 10.

Instead, he is content with the

school’s full membership with the A-10 and associate membership with the Patriot League.

The former head swimming coach at Tennessee, Roach described his personality as a “renovator and a builder,” and he plans on being himself throughout his tenure at Fordham.

Bringing in Roach to lead the athletic department is an important step for Fordham, as the University tries to change the image of

the sports programs. Those who attended the conference left with a hopeful image of what Fordham athletics can be under Roach’s guidance.

“When our student athletes pick up their diplomas with their right hand when they graduate, we want that right hand to have a championship ring,” Roach said.

“Academics and athletics can coexist, and we will prove that can happen.”

Women’s Soccer Salvages Split of Homestand Thanks to Overtime Goal

By DOMINIC KEARNS STAFF WRITER

After falling in consecutive road matches to VCU and Richmond, the Fordham women’s soccer team returned home in dire need of some wins. The Rams entered the weekend at 2-2 in Atlantic 10 play, and wanted to work towards their goal of reaching the A-10 tournament.

On Oct. 12, the Rams lost 3-1 to a strong Charlotte 49ers squad at chilly Jack Coffey Field. Fordham started the match with attacking intent, as Charlotte keeper Alex Kubrick was forced into three saves in the first eight minutes. In the sixth minute, Kubrick received help from the crossbar when sophomore Kristina Maksuti smashed a shot off the woodwork. Fordham got its deserved reward in the 12th minute, as junior Kaitlyn Carballeira headed in a goal off a deflected free kick from freshman Jojo Marino. The Rams kept their poise in the next 20 minutes and continued to challenge Charlotte.

The 49ers completely turned the game on its head with two goals just before halftime. In the 36th minute, a Fordham defensive clearance was intercepted by freshman Alex Meyers, who passed to sophomore Amanda Jones for the equalizer. Charlotte struck again in the 41st, when Myers scored with a header off of Jones’s perfect chip pass. As a result, the 49ers enjoyed a shocking 2-1 halftime lead.

The second half started with Charlotte taking the initiative and looking to increase its lead. Senior Rachel Suther made a 47th-min-

ute save, but could not prevent a 51st-minute 49er goal. Jennifer Lee found Monica Trickett, and her 20-yard chip shot narrowly eluded Suther’s outstretched arms.

Charlotte’s third goal in 15 minutes stunned the Rams and knocked the wind out of their sails. Fordham gained several corner kicks, but could not take advantage of the opportunities. Meanwhile, Charlotte saw the game out with confident passing and resolute defense that stifled the Fordham offense.

Alex Kubrick enjoyed a significantly calmer half in goal for the 49ers, and the game ended 3-1 in favor of Charlotte.

“Our team played with lots of positive energy […] and we could have been up by few goals,” Head Coach Ness Selmani said. “But our defense had some mental lapses and allowed Charlotte to score goals they did not deserve.”

Fordham bounced back with a pivotal 2-1 overtime win over the George Washington Colonials on Oct. 14. Both teams looked to score in the first 10 minutes, but Colonials keeper Nicole Fasano and sophomore goalie Ally White made saves. In the 10th minute, Maksuti struck a header just over the crossbar, and she forced Fasano into a tip save just four minutes later. The pace slowed a bit after the explosive start, and Fordham enjoyed tons of possession over the next 20 minutes. Senior Cara Rooney connected on a 26th-minute cross, but her shot rolled into Fasano’s arms.

George Washington finally threatened the Fordham goal in the last minutes before halftime, when

Kyla Ridley and Taylor Katz nearly connected on dangerous chances for the Colonials. The goals never came in the first 45 minutes, and both teams looked to break the 0-0 stalemate in the second half.

Senior Rachel Madcasi shot twice for the Rams early in the second half, but neither side put a shot on target until the 57th minute, when freshman Victoria Camaj scored on a sublime strike. Camaj had the ball with some space, and fired a left-footed beauty to the top right corner from 35 yards out.

The goal awakened both squads, and the game became more physical. George Washington nearly received an equalizing own goal in the 61st minute, but the lineman had already raised his flag for offside. Fordham relied on a strong

defensive line to fend off the Colonials and still pressed forward for an insurance goal. After White denied Kristi Abbate with an 83rdminute tip save, the Rams looked like they would complete a shutout. Abbate, however, had different ideas. With 53 seconds remaining, Abbate dribbled past two defenders and fired a cool left-footed shot into the right side of the net. With the late goal, the Colonials sent the 1-1 match into golden-goal overtime.

Most of the first overtime elapsed without any clear chances for either side. Yet, Maksuti capitalized on her 97th-minute opportunity, and the Rams celebrated a win. Senior Annie Worden delivered a good ball into the box, and Maksuti turned past a defender

before firing from 10 yards out. Fasano got a hand on Maksuti’s effort, but it trickled into the net for a 2-1 Fordham victory.

“On the goal, Annie played the ball back, and I was just trying to hit the ball as hard as I could,” Maksuti said. “It was crucial. We lost our three previous games, so we had to have this to make the A-10 tournament.”

“The results in last three games do not show, but we totally dominated Richmond, Charlotte and GW,” Selmani said. “This team has zero fear, will finish strong and make the A-10 Tournament.”

The Rams will battle the firstplace La Salle Explorers on Friday Oct. 19 in their final home match.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

COURTESY OF TOMI LAHCANSKI

Sophomore Kristina Maksuti scored the game-winning goal in Sunday’s game against George Washington