Volume 46, Issue 4

Coach M or r ison Tr iumphs over Cancer Page 6

Profiling Adam Fer rone '06

Bir kmire's Beats Whole Lotta Red Page 7

Page 10-11

Phils Re-Sign All-Star Catcher Page 18

Follow us on I nstagram and Twitter @SJPHawkeye or read our issues online at issuu.com/thehawkeye6

The Student Newspaper of St. Joseph's Prep

Vol. 46, I ssue I V

1733 West Gir ar d Ave. Philadelphia, PA, 19130

Febr uar y 17, 2021

Prep Receives Big Financial Boost

Pr incipal Cavacos Retur ns

Howley Foundation contribution marks largest gift in St. Joseph's Prep history.

The Prep's Journey Towards Normalcy Continues

Not only is Cavacos back to

Mr. Andrew Cavacos, Principal of St. Joe's Prep, has returned to school.

work, but he disclosed that he plans on being in school every day, upholding his reputation

that he created last year for see PRI NCI PAL on pg. 4

(Photo: St. Joseph's Prep)

In an announcement to the entire Prep community, Mr. Andrew Cavacos, the Principal of St. Joe?s Prep, revealed that he was returning to school on Tuesday, February 9. Cavacos was out of school for the entire school year thus far, refrom Mr. Cavacos covering serious injuries.

Mr. Daniel Ranalli '00, the Assistant Principal of Academics and Faculty Development, served as the Acting Principal since the start of the school year.

(Photo: St. Joseph's Prep | Twitter)

By Daniel Sponseller ?21

On February 4, St. Joseph's Prep announced a $5 million gift from alumnus Nick Howley '70 and the Howley Foundation. The gift will be split between scholarships in the Howley Scholars Program and the For Others Forever Campaign for facility renovations. "St. Joseph?s Prep has had a lasting impact on me and I am proud to support the school," Howley said in a statement released by the Prep. "[W]e look forward to continuing our support so that more students have access to a Prep education."

Tik Tok Goes Java for Comp Sci Club M r. Ghee's Prep's Computer Club went L unchtime L ineup Science viral on TikTok, amassing over 1 million views

Director of Student Activities Bryan Ghee implemented new changes to boost morale.

Ashton Dial ?22 (left) and Maxwell Scales ?21 (right) share a jam session outside of the Senior Lounge as part of Mr. Ghee?s rollout of lunchroom entertainment.

By Benicio Beatty'21 From the top of the senior lounge, Maxwell Scales ?21 overlooks the dining hall. Bass guitar in hand, he sits down on his amp and begins to riff off of a guitar solo by Ashton Dial ?22 . Heads turn momentarily to catch the jam session, then return to their conversations.

The hubbub in the cafeteria is now more lively than ever.

As the Prep Community looks to start the second semester on the right foot, Preppers like Scales and Dial can be found enjoying the inperson student experience much more thanks to Mr. Ghee?s new and exciting offerings during free periods and lunch. On any given day, walk into the cafeteria and you may see LUNCHTI ME pg. 5

?We started it as a complete joke and it was just fun for us.

We had six followers, and now it's like fifty-five thousand,? said Nile Andah ?21, when describing the recent viral TikTok he was in as a member of the Prep?s Computer Science Club?s TikTok account which recently reached over a million users in a matter of hours.

TikTok, one of the fastest growing social media apps with over one billion users and over 2.6 billion downloads, has taken the world by storm.

Formerly known as Musical.ly, the app was known for lip syncing and its short form dancing videos. Now, as TikTok, it is still known for its music and dancing, but houses creators of all types. For many, the lure of the app is its ?For You Page? (commonly tagged as #fyp)? a never-ending stream of videos that is curated for each user via TikTok?s algorithm. The page offers the

(Photo: @computerscienceclub | TikTok)

(Photo: Benicio Beatty '21)

By M ur phy Bonner ?22

Computer Science Club members Michael Leon '21 (left) and Nile Andah '21 (right) racked up over 1.6 million views (as of 2/8) on their most popular TikTok video.

chance of instant exposure to thousands or more if a user?s video is put on the For You Page of the masses.

For avid TikTokers, such a feat is akin to winning the

lottery. Users can increase their chance of having their video go viral by using hashtags or popular audios. Other times however, it is completely random. see VI RAL pg. 7

2 | News | Wednesday, February 17, 2021 | The Hawkeye Table of Contents

News: 1 - 4

Features: 5 - 6

Enter tainment: 7 - 12

Op/Deb: 13 - 17

Spor ts: 18-20

Cur rent Events as told by Bobby

(Photos: Jessica Griffin | The Philadelphia I nquirer)

time since he has left the White House. Vice President Pence, however, was there, and many notable members of Congress and several Supreme Court Justices were there as well.

Supporters of former President Trump storm the U.S. Capitol on January 6.

The political climate of the opening weeks of 2021 has been nothing short of a hurricane. Less than a week into the new year, a joint session of Congress met to certify the results of the electoral college in favor of Joe Biden. In the days prior, a great portion of the Republican caucus in both houses had sworn to object to the proceedings, citing unproven claims of voter fraud.

The count opened to an anticipated debate. However, in the middle of the proceedings, an armed mob of Trump supporters, who had just heard a speech delivered by the President, marched to the Capitol, broke down police barricades, and occupied the building, sending Congresspeople and their aides running for safety.

For the next 3 hours, the rioters ran amuck throughout the building. Startling images emerged, such as videos of police officers being crushed by doors and beaten on the Capitol steps. The insurrectionists were photographed bold- faced and smiling inside the Senate chambers and the offices of various Representatives, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose lectern was stolen. One particular shocking picture showed a Confederate flag flying in the Capitol, the first time this has ever happened, as Confederate forces failed to ever enter Washington during the actual Civil War. After a combined effort by Capitol Police and the National Guard, the riot was dispersed.

At the end of the day, five people, including one Capitol Police officer, were killed. While

the shocked nation responded to the attack, Congress reassembled and certified the election results.

Shortly after the incident, the President, who had not spoken since the rally that morning, gave a condemnation of the attack called half- hearted by some, saying to the participants, ?We love you,? but it was time to, ?go home.? However, many found that to be easier said than done. Hotels in Washington canceled bookings, air and train service was canceled, and those present at the attacks found themselves on terror watch and no-fly lists, resulting in their being unable to leave. DC, Capitol, and the state police units sent by various governors, plus 15,000 National Guard units patrolled the city and shut down streets.

Photos emerged of troops sleeping in the capitol building, sparking shock and fear.

Talk of impeachment began as a murmur and grew to a roar as the inflammatory statements made by Trump that morning came out. The following Wednesday, the House debated one article of impeachment- inciting insurrection- - and it passed by a margin of 232-197, with 10 Republicans joining the ranks of the Democrats.

This impeachment is historic in several ways. It was the first time a President has been impeached twice, and the 10 Republicans mark the most members of an impeached President?s party to vote against him. But it is not without controversy, for many are questioning both the constitutionality and the purpose of impeaching a President who has

left office. In their brief, Trump?s attorneys wrote that, ?The Senate is being asked to do something patently ridiculous: Try a private citizen in a process that is designed to remove him from an office that he no longer holds." Supporters defended it as a move to prevent Trump from running for office in the future. Ultimately, the Senate voted 57-43 for guilty, falling short of the two-thirds majority required.

The FBI launched a massive investigation effort, using social media as one of their main tools. Dozens of rioters actually posted photos of themselves inside the Capitol, leading to their swift arrest. Social media companies also took action themselves, and President Trump had his accounts suspended on Twitter, which has thus far been one of his main forms of communication. The

suspension prompted outcry from conservatives and others concerned about the future of free speech on the internet.

Trump?s suspension was followed by the purging of other accounts that had promoted violence or conspiracy theories, and the shutdown of the app Parler, which was known to be a popular communication spot for the far-right.

Two weeks from the date of the Capitol attack, behind walls and barricades and amid a sea of flags, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were inaugurated. Biden, a devout Catholic, spent the morning at mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew before the inauguration. In a break from tradition, President Trump did not attend the ceremony, instead opting for an early departure on Air Force One to his Mar- a- Lago resort, where he is living full-

However, the political turmoil of the past few weeks has left many Americans feeling that reconciliation cannot come so easily, a sentiment shared at the Prep. Nolan Reddy ?22 did not see unity in this or any future election, saying, ?Politicians on both sides and their allies are using all their resources- - ethical or not- - to give them the edge now more than ever because, unlike in the past, it now has the power to make the difference between winning and losing. Both parties, and I like to think that one blue side loves to do this particularly, have eliminated large amounts of ethicality, standards, and principle when questioning what they'd do to win an election.?

On the other hand, Joe Massaua ?21 still believed unity was possible. He said, ?There is a shared American patriotism that holds us together at our core. We will move forward as a diverse nation hungry for change!?

(Photo: Patrick Semansky | The Associated Press)

By Bobby Woltj en ?22

The inauguration had many high points, including a call for unity from three former Presidents: Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama; performances of patriotic songs from Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, and Garth Brooks; and an emotional and uplifting poem from poet Amanda Gorman. Biden gave an inaugural address that made an impassioned plea for unity and patriotism in a divided nation, in which he promised to be, ?a President for all Americans,? and stating that, ?We have never, ever, ever failed in America when we have acted together.?

The inauguration President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took place just weeks after rioters ravaged the Capitol.

The Hawkeye | Wednesday, February 17, 2021 |

News | 3

New Semester Br ings M ore Changes

By L uke Gallagher ?23 With the second semester beginning on January 19, there have already been many changes noticeable here at the Prep. As announced in a recent Principal?s Newsletter from January 13th, The Prep has implemented four major changes going into the second semester.

The first change being a move to shared lunches and community periods across all grade levels. There will no longer be a Community AM and a Community PM sign- up option. All students will have the same lunch period from 11:00-11:40 a.m, and the same Community Period from 12:50-1:30p.m.

Acting Principal, Dan Ranalli, explains this decision and the safety of it saying ?it allows all students the chance to interact with one another both at lunch and during community periods. Given our current on- campus population, space and food service are not an issue.?

The second, and most major change, being made going into the second semester is the shift to asynchronous Wednesdays on five- day school weeks as compared to seeing each class

for thirty minutes on Wednesdays. This allows students to continue doing work for all of their classes but get a break from Zoom and the ever-so evident ?Zoom fatigue? that has become evident in schools and workplaces across the country amidst our current circumstances. This is not just an observation that was made by The Prep?s administration. Social scientists say it is the result of this mass adoption of technology disrupting what used to be considered ?normal.? ?We?ve evolved to get meaning out of a flick of the eye.

Our species has survived because we can produce those signals in a way that?s meaningful. Zoom smothers you with cues, and they aren?t synchronous. It takes a physiological toll,? Jeremy Bailenson, professor and director of Stanford University?s Virtual Human Interaction Lab, told The Wall Street Journal on May 27, 2020.

That being said, the Prep has officially implemented asynchronous Wednesdays, allowing for teachers to assign certain assignments throughout the day without students having to report to classes. Office hours will be offered for students wishing to check in with

their teachers during the hours of which class would have taken place on the previous Wednesday schedule.

Ranalli explained that there will not be a ?one-size-fits- all model? of how to approach Wednesdays but teachers may pick and choose deadlines for the submission of work on Wednesdays or assign a larger amount of work on Monday/Tuesday to be due Thursday/Friday, utilizing the new Wednesday schedule. As a result of Wednesdays being made asynchronous, besides mandated advisory periods taking place once or twice a month from 10:45- 11:40am, the Prep has also made the decision to create its third major change: ?Brotherhood Wednesdays.?

Brotherhood Wednesdays will happen once or twice a month, meaning each grade will have a Brotherhood Wednesday about once every two months. Brotherhood Wednesdays will allow for both the crimson and grey cohorts from a particular grade to be brought on campus (while maintaining all health and safety guidelines) in order for the entire grade to get together at the Prep with gradespecific programming.

Ranalli comments on the

matter saying, ?We wanted to provide an opportunity for students in each cohort to see and interact with one another (in person). Other opportunities for gathering as a class will be offered on certain Saturdays.?

In the latest Principal?s Newsletter from January 27, it was announced that the first Brotherhood Wednesday will take place on February 3 for the Senior Class, followed by February 24 (Junior Class) and March 24 (Sophomore Class).

The Freshman will also be having a Freshman Fun Day on February 5. On these Brotherhood Wednesdays, those in attendance are to be exempt from all asynchronous work.

Ranalli clarifies by saying, ?It applies solely to asynchronous work. It is likely that students will have homework that is due on the Thursday/Friday following a Brotherhood Wednesday, since it would have been assigned on Monday/Tuesday.?

After the first asynchronous Wednesday, the general census seems to be of positive feedback. Joseph Adams ?23 says, ?I think asynchronous Wednesdays are a great idea. I love the chance to get caught up on sleep and be able to work at your own pace for a

day.?

Joe Massaua ?21 adds to this saying, ?Asynchronous Wednesdays give students the opportunity to rest, recuperate, and catch up on work, as well as relieve stress, while still allowing the students responsibility. It was a necessary change to implement and I am grateful that Student Council and the administration made this happen.?

The fourth and final change going into the second semester will be in regards to the Examen. An Examen will be led in the Multi- Purpose Room during the first ten minutes of rotating academic periods on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings in hopes that there will be an Examen available during one?s free period at one point over two weeks. All students available during a particular period when the Examen will be offered are invited to attend.

With the second semester and all its new changes already underway, these changes will hopefully present themselves as positive ones for the time being, until we may all return back safely and as one to the Prep.

President Biden's Pr ior ities What will the first few months of a Biden Administration look like?

President Biden takes the Oath of office of the President of the United States on Inauguration Day (January 20th, 2021)

By K ier an Hicks ?23 On Wednesday, January 20, 2021 Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. was inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States.

Faced with an abundance of crises? COVID- 19, a struggling economy, and persisting racial issues chief among them? Biden?s actions in these early days will quickly make a mark and set the tone for the rest of his presidency.

Within the first 24 hours, many executive orders were

signed, including ending former President Trump?s controversial ?Muslim Ban,? which heavily limitied entry into the U.S. from several predominantly Muslim countries, rejoining the World Health Organization and Paris Climate Accords, cancelling construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, expanding COVID19 testing, and more.

Biden?s biggest priorities in the first few months are slowing the spread of COVID and helping Americans in need be-

cause of COVID. He outlined a days.? Food stamps, tax cred$1.9 its, trillion child"Biden?s actions in these early days care, relief will quickly make a mark and set the student bill called tone for the rest of his presidency." loans, the and Amerihelping can Rescue Plan, which would small businesses will also be give $1,400 stimulus payments accounted for in the bill. Reto Americans. These payments publicans pitched an idea to have been extended to adults split the plan into multiple considered dependents and parts over time, however their households with mixed immiproposal was rejected. gration status, a difference Outside of COVID, Biden from the previous relief bills also vowed to get rid of which were more narrow in Trump's tax cuts early on in his who received these payments. presidency, which, according The package would also give to his administration, unfairly those who were put out of work during the pandemic a $100 increase to the $300 weekly federal boost, and extend it to September. $25 billion is set aside for low income families struggling to pay rent, while $5 billion is for landlords to pay for utilities.

Support for the vaccines and COVID tests were also on the bill, to help speed up the vaccine rollout and increase testing nationwide, with a plan to get 100 million people the first dose of the vaccine in 100 days according to a press release by the White House on January 22. Additionally, a $15 minimum wage requirement for federal contractors will be put into place ?within the first 100

reward wealthy Americans and corporations. Police reform and racial equality are also on the agenda. He revoked Trump's executive order that restricted diversity training for federal employees, and called for the passing of the SAFE Justice Act, which will reduce the number of people incarcerated, specifically those in prison for drug use.

Faced with a pandemic killing thousands of Americans per day, millions unemployed, and a divided nation, Biden will have to step up and deliver a strong start to his presidency.

President Biden named slowing the spread of COVID-19 as the most immediate issue facing his administration on Day One in office. Biden intends to combat the effects of the pandemic through stimulus bills and more efficient vaccine rollout

4 | News | Wednesday, February 17, 2021 | The Hawkeye

Cavacos Retur ns

Tr ivial Pur suit: Tr ivia Club

PRI NCI PAL from pg. 1

When asked about what he missed the most while away from the Prep, Cavacos responded, ?I have missed the rich life of the school the most - visiting the classes that build the mind, attending athletic and other co- curricular events that fuel our interests and passions, and those experiences that feed the soul - Masses, retreats, service, and our initiatives to educate and bring greater justice in Diversity and Inclusion.? He added, ?It is so important to never stop learning, and I definitely learn from colleagues and students every day at the Prep.?

With everyone so overjoyed at Cavacos?s return, he said, ?I thank everyone so much for their warm welcome back, and especially thank Mr. Ranalli, for his outstanding leadership and generosity during this most challenging year.?

(Photo: Seamus Blaney '22)

constantly being present among the rest of the school in the halls, in classrooms, and anywhere else in the school.

Cavacos admits, ?As an ?offthe-chart extrovert,?being separated from campus was extraordinarily difficult but necessary (I'm sure many can relate!),? so it is definitely an understatement to say that he is excited to be back.

By Joseph K r iz ?22 ?I started the club because I?ve always had a love of trivia and I felt that kids just needed something more competitive but fun at the same time,? said Seamus Blaney ?22, founder of the Prep?s new Trivia Club.

What began as an interest in ?random facts? sparked by his 6th grade geography club has turned into something he and many other Prep students have come to enjoy as shown by the club?s ?fifteen dedicated members.? The club aims to use knowledge that students already possess, and turn it into a fun, competitive game that gets the Prep community involved.

Like many Trivia Clubs across the country, the group participates in tournaments against other high school students. In these tournaments six club members? knowledge of

history, sports, the arts, or anything else is put to the test in a fast- paced buzz- in style competition. Given the constraints of the pandemic, the tournaments are facilitated over Zoom. ?Having competitions over Zoom is not ideal,? said Blaney, ?but we make the best of it.?

The moderators of the tournaments asks the questions, known as toss-ups. There are a total of 20 toss- ups per round and there are anywhere from eight to ten rounds in a game.

Once the toss up has been asked, everyone from both teams types ?buzz? into the chat as fast as they can when they have come up with an answer. If the answer is wrong, their team loses five points.

Then, the other team has a chance to answer it correctly.

The first person to buzz in from that team answers the question. If they get it right, their team wins ten points, and if they answer incorrectly, they neither gain nor lose any points. When either team answers the toss- up correctly, that team has the ability to get bonus points. There are three bonus questions for each correct toss- up, each of the bonuses is worth ten points if the answer is right, and no penalty if the answer is wrong.

With each lasting a little over half of an hour and multiple games throughout the day, the competition can be grueling.

Blaney said the tournaments are, ?All day from about nine to five with about an hour break.?

So far some club members have put themselves to the test by participating in two competitions. In their first competition held by the University of Washington in December, the club sent one team that went 08. Despite the rocky start, Blaney is proud of their performance because the team ?had some very close games that could have went our way? which is especially impressive given that it was their first ever tournament.

Aiden Anderson ?22, a member of the club who competed in the tournament said, ?We didn?t do very well but I noticed that we have strength in politics and history and weaknesses in science and literature.?

During their next competition, an invitational by Morgantown High School in January, they sent two teams which went 2-7 and 1-6. ?There was definitely an improvement as we all became comfortable with the format of the tournaments,? said Anderson. The team?s record reflected the club?s ability to adapt and showed that they are on their way to becoming a threat in the upcoming Philly City Championship of March 6.

As the team works to find its footing in its first year, Blaney remembers why he started the club in the first place. He said, ?Trivia tournaments are mostly about learning new things every round and being able to say that I played and competed with some of the best of the best.?

Aside from just participating in trivia competitions, the club has hopes of hosting their own tournament to raise funds for when they can compete inperson. Any of those interested in joining the Trivia Club should contact Blaney or Anderson and follow them on Instagram @Sjp_triviaclub for updates. The club meets Thursdays during community hour and has in-club competitions during the week.

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The Hawkeye Staff of 2020-2021 St. Joseph's Prepar ator y School 1733 West Gir ar d Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19130 Editor s-in-Chief

Enter tainment Editor

Jimmy King '21

Ethan Spillane '22

Matthew Bae '21

Nile Andah '21

Joe Massaua '21

Corbin Taylor '22

Alfonso Procaccino '21

Colin Birkmire '23

Opinion-Debate Editor

Liam Stephens '21

Luke Gallagher '23

Connor Siemien '21

Joseph Tagliferro '21

Ian Gomez '23

Aiden Anderson '22

Kieran Hicks '23

I f you are interested in contr ibuting mater ials to The Hawkeye, contact an editor or our email (below) to submit an ar ticle, photogr aph, or to wr ite a letter to the editor.

L etter s should not exceed 600 wor ds. hawkeye@sj prep.or g

Benicio Beatty '21 Garrett McCloskey '21

Junior M anaging Editor s Murphy Bonner '22

Spor ts Editor

Seamus Blaney '22

Liam Holden '23

Robert Woltjen '22

Stephen Cain '22

Matthew Corr '22

Jake Wisniewski '23

Caleb Datto '22

Matteo DeJesse '24

News Editor

Staff Wr iter s

Danny Deeney '22

Isaiah Littlejohn '24

Daniel Sponseller '21

Kieran Dougherty '21

Brennan Fitzgerald '22

Antoine Robinson '24

Will Guckin '21

Andrew Flanagan '22

Mason Sullivan '24

Features Editor

Thomas Hillman '21

Joseph Kriz '22

M oder ator s

Alex Currie '21

Matt Hopkins '21

Daniel Law '22

Mr. Leo Vaccaro '05

Andrew Kallmeyer '21

Andrew Sergovic '22

Mr. Kevin Kearney '06

All mater ials pr inted by The Hawkeye are intended to both enter tain and infor m the Prep community as well as cultivate an environment that gener ates meaningful and productive discussion. The opinions and beliefs expressed in the adver tisements and ar ticles in this publication do not necessar ily reflect the values or mission of The Hawkeye Student Newspaper or St. Joe's Prep.

The Hawkeye | Wednesday, February 17, 2021 |

Features | 5

Features ASC Spotlight: Aaron Sykes '16

By M att Bae '21 Bob Ross said it best, ?We don?t make mistakes. We just make happy accidents.?

Mr. Sykes would certainly attest to this statement because had it not been for a sleepover, he would have never found St. Joseph?s Prep. Sykes would have never tagged along with his friend to take the practice entrance exam as a seventhgrader. ?I didn?t even know about St. Joe?s Prep till that day,? said Sykes. ?Fast forward almost ten years later, and I?m an ASC.?

In Mission and Ministry, you can find Alumni Service Corps member Aaron Sykes ?16 working alongside associate campus minister, Mr. Dushel, Senior Director of Mission and Ministry, Fr. Chuck Frederico S.J, Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Mr. Bush, or with Associate Campus Minister for Ignatian Service Mr. Woods.

Growing up in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Sykes attended King's Christian grade school.

Ultimately, it was that fateful day in seventh grade where Sykes decided there was no other place he would like to

In the coming year, Sykes' goal is to find a PostBaccalaureate with the hopes of receiving an MD-PhD. Ultimately, he hopes to become a medical doctor with a background in biomedical engineering.

spend his high school career than as a Hawk.

Despite the rigorous academic standards that the Prep holds itself to, Sykes would not have traded those four years for anything. ?The Prep has done so much for me, in ways that I am still figuring out, till this day,? said Sykes. ?I don?t know where I would be without this place.?

When he was not in class, Sykes was busy running for the Track and Field team. Hard work paid off during his senior year when the track team won the Penn Relays for the PCL Championships. Sykes was also a member of the Black and Latino Culture Club (BLCC) and a part of the Mission and Ministry Leadership Board senior year, organizing service projects and coordinating various school- wide events.

Sykes attended Villanova University. There, he studied chemical engineering with minors in mathematics and biochemical engineering. While balancing a heavy course load, Sykes found ways to get involved, running track freshman year, working in the Alumni Relations Office, and serving

Sykes '16 takes off with the baton in the 4 x 100 meter relay at the annual Penn Relays

as an executive member of the National Society of Black Engineers as well as president of a male mentorship program for students of color.

Sykes has found this year to be incredibly rewarding. ?As much as I loved my undergraduate experience, it was a bit stressful,? he said. In search of a way to take a brief intermission from the facepaced, demanding academic environment, Sykes found himself at 17th and Girard.

At the Prep, every day brings a new set of tasks and challenges. Whether it?s planning out the next Men for All advisory or helping Mr. Woods to

organize the next service event, Sykes is always on the move, helping out where he can. ?I was a bit worried that it would derail me from my career, but it has done the complete opposite,? said Sykes. ?It has given me skills that I will be able to take anywhere down the line.?

As one of five ASC members, Mr. Sykes has enjoyed getting to know the students but also his previous classmates. ?It?s been a phenomenal experience,? said Sykes. ?I wouldn't want to be in quarantine with any other group of guys.?

With an opportunity to work alongside doctors and conduct research in the lab, Mr. Sykes finds chemical engineering to be the best of both worlds. In such a diverse scientific environment, Sykes could find himself working in biomedical research or working with genes, or in the heart of the healthcare industry, consulting with doctors while maintaining a presence in the research and business setting.

As students continue to live out their days at the Prep, Mr. Sykes encourages students to stay focused on what is important. ?Make sure you are mindful with your time because it can escape you. Mak[e] sure that you are taking full advantage of the opportunities? mak[e] sure you are getting to know the people around you and finding people you can really trust.?

Ghee's L unchtime Enter tainment ping pong skills in wait for the next challenger.?

LUNCHTI ME from pg 1 witness live music or a spirited game of Spikeball.

Of course, the opportunity for quiet study still has a home in the Fieldhouse, where no activities are held during free periods.

These new privileges are part of a rollout in the new semester changes. One goal of these additions is to boost student morale, which seems to have fallen considerably due to safety restrictions on sports practices, club meetings, and general face-to-face interaction with peers. This ?lunchtime lineup? is one of many fresh changes that will undoubtedly restore some liveliness to the halls. ?We have been limited by Covid restrictions to offer activities like intramurals, pep rallies, and assemblies,? said Mr. Ghee, Director of Student Activities and Transportation. ?The student life office has been keeping a close watch on the restrictions and waiting for the ability to start.?

In addition to the live music courtesy of the band members (The Hawkeye?s own Mr. Kearney ?06 accompanied several student guitarists on the drums) large TV screen that

Mr. Ghee also expressed his openness to student- proposed activities. ?The activity has to be within the current limitations and reasonable but yes, I am open to all suggestions. Student Council will be adding to the stockpile of fun activities in the coming weeks. I can be reached virtually or in-person.?

Seniors Titus Henkels (front left) and Michael Marrone (front right) play chess while Nick Yagodich (back left) Trey Doyle (back right) look on.

once sat in the foyer providing schedule information now serves a greater purpose: screening highlights from the NBA. It has garnered a small crowd during lunch period of those who didn?t catch last night?s game.

And the Multi- Purpose Room isn?t forgotten either; students in the MPR can take turns playing ping-pong, which

is set up adjacent to the desks. ?I?m definitely enjoying the ping- pong,? said Abel Rupertus ?24 mid- rally. His opponent, Jeffrey Moore ?23, agrees. ?It definitely gives us something to do other than just sitting on our phones.?

Across the MPR, chess matches and Spikeball games provide a necessary escape

from the Zoom calls and 70minute classes. ?These games really break [periods] up,? said Joseph Millison ?23.

Students can have a muchneeded ?game break? in the MPR, but so can administrators. ?Watch out for Head of Security, Mr. White,? said Ghee. ?He has been sharpening his

So what?s in store for the future of lunchtime and free periods? Ghee?s mindset here is to expect the unexpected. ?I want to keep the possibilities open. We have so many talented Students and Colleagues, my next goal is to start highlighting some of these talents in a fun way,? said Ghee. ?Lunchtime geography bee? Midday juggling contest?

Who knows it could be anything.?

6 | Features | Wednesday, February 17, 2021 | The Hawkeye

Coach Ryne M or r ison: 'Unsung Hero' After battling cancer in 2020, the wide receiver?s coach still made an impact in Prep football?s latest state championship.

By Alex Cur r ie ?21

for his yearning to coach.

In March 2020, Prep football coach Ryne Morrison felt uncertainty. The NBA had just shut down, COVID- 19 was beginning to disrupt life as we knew it, and the wide receiver?s coach didn?t know what his future might hold.

Life for Coach Morrison seemed to come to a standstill.

His uncertainty however, was not only driven by the threat of coronavirus like that of many Americans at the time.

?He reminded me a lot of the values I was brought up on and what I believed in? the values and principles that Coach Infante really believed in and held true as core values of the program aligned with what I believed in and what my dad raised me on.?

Rather, he had just heard the words no one ever wants to hear: you have cancer.

Lifetimes before Coach Morrison found himself in that life-changing situation, he was a sports enthusiast growing up in Southern California outside of Los Angeles. Despite a love of both basketball and baseball, Morrison found his passion playing football. A consummate ?coach?s son,? football was in his DNA. He remarked, ?I was born in August so my first football game I was less than a month old.?

He began coaching at the Prep the 2016 season and instantly fell in love. ?It just wasn?t enough for me. I wanted more out of my experience. The Prep really felt like home to me.? So when a job in the finance office became available, he applied and received the job, enabling him to spend more time on the Prep?s campus. *** When life was turned upside down for virtually everyone in early 2020, Ryne Morrison had

did that when there were those hard days that I had something to look forward to, something to get back to, and people to lean on for support ? I consider myself? it sounds kind of counterintuitive? but very lucky to be in the position I was all things considered.?

Morrison was evidently able to keep his perspective even in the worst of times.?I give a lot of thanks to God for giving me the tools necessary to be able to fight through it and never have any doubt that I would come out on the other side better for it ? I really do believe there is a reason God put me in Philly and I think this year really showed that.?

Resoundingly admired and universally appreciated, Morrison?s players offered nothing but effusive praise.

Wide receiver Marvin Harrison ?21 said, ?Coach Morrison Ryne Morrison with his mother after finishing his last chemotherapy treatment.

thank him enough for all that he has done for me and my teammates. He's truly inspiring and I am very thankful that I was able to be coached by him.?

Morrison ?always watched the game differently? and found a knack for, and a way to get on the field at, wide receiver. ?I love the skill behind the position,? he said. ?There?s something about playing receiver, being able to run through traffic and get behind the defense.?

When Morrison didn?t get the ball, he was willing to throw a block if it meant it would help the team. He took this selfless teamsmanship to Division I Colgate University in Hamilton, New York where he played wide receiver, returner, and received snaps on special teams? anywhere he felt he could make a difference.

After graduation from Colgate with a degree in mathematics, he moved back to California to figure out his next steps. He decided to return to the East Coast to be closer to friends and opportunities, but even after finding a finance job in Philadelphia, something was missing in Morrison?s life. ?It was the first time in my life that I didn?t have football, that I wasn?t part of a team that season. And something just didn?t feel right. That football season I was miserable. I was trying to figure out ways to stay involved or get back in.?

Morrison?s opportunity came when his father, who was a high school football coach in California, became acquainted with former Prep football Coach Gabe Infante, who saw the potential in him and who Morrison saw as a perfect fit

Coach Morrison working with wide reciever Marvin Harrison '21 at practice.

to contend with an extra battle.

His Hodgkin?s lymphoma diagnosis in March led to treatment that extended throughout the summer. The chemotherapy treatments? that ended in early September? took a physical toll, but was also emotionally and spiritually exacerbated by the circumstances of the past year. ?It was, to an extent, a little bit of a lonely summer for me because I wasn?t able to be around the Prep, my family?s on the West Coast, and then football- wise I wasn?t able to be around anybody. That part of it was tough, and then obviously the physical toll that it took was not easy?

is a very hard working man.

He has definitely helped me get to where I am today not only as a player but as a person as well. I remember the day he called me and told me the news and how he was going to fight his battle with cancer. I didn?t have any doubts in him.?

He added, ?He is definitely a special person to me, I couldn't

Quarterback Kyle McCord ?21 added to the enthusiastic endorsements, ?The past 4 years working with Coach Morrison have been life changing. He's been a great influence on me and has really brought my game to the next level. He has a great football mind. And then to see what he did this year, beating cancer in the middle of a pandemic, was really motivating to the team.

He is the true definition of a fighter.?

The most recent state championship won by Prep football this past November undoubtedly carried more meaning for Ryne Morrison. Culminating an obstacle- filled year, he was able to watch his first freshman class as a full- time Prep em-

Coach Roken said of his colleague, ?Since his arrival in 2016, Coach Morrison has shown his passion for this great game in his coaching but more importantly his drive in developing hard working young men both on and off the field."

He continued, "In March of 2020, when many would crumble at the sound of a doctor explaining that the young men he cares for, the game he appreciates and his very own life itself was then at risk of being taken away from him, Coach Morrison didn't flinch.

He understood it was not going to be an easy road but accepting defeat is not what he believes.?

This year?s team would?ve been missing a key part of their coaching staff without Ryne Morrison. His team- first approach, resilience, and values based philosophy has made him an important part of all teams he?s been a part of. In fact, in his junior season at Colgate, Morrison won the team?s Unsung Hero Award.

Coach Morrison humbly summed up the award as simply a culmination of a season of hard work, saying, ?Whatever my role was I tried to take great pride in it.? This year, it seems clear Ryne Morrison?s humility in accepting his fight and returning to his team has made him Prep football?s unsung hero.

His diagnosis added to the pressure of the year, ?Everybody going through quarantine and having this virus going around, I had to really make sure I protected myself from everything because my immune system was in such a weakened state from the chemotherapy.?

But the Prep was there to support him. ?I?m very fortunate to have the people in my corner that I

ployee finish their career with a championship. And thanks to his tenacity in his battle, he was able to be there on the sidelines.

Coach Morrison embraces Malik Cooper '21 after Prep football's 2019 state championship victory over Central Dauphin.

The Hawkeye | Wednesday, February 17, 2021 |

Entertainment | 7

Entertainment

Bir kmire's Beats: Whole Lotta Red

By Colin Bir kmire ?23 Playboi Carti is one of the most interesting and controversial figures in popular music. An associate of A$AP Mob, Carti?s self- titled 2017 mixtape gained him popularity through hits like ?Magnolia? and ?* wokeuplikethis,? and his 2018 album Die Lit is now considered one of the greatest and most influential albums in the trap sub-genre.

Die Lit broke many of the rules of mainstream rap music.

With a punk- inspired album cover, tripped- out sound, and big-name features, Carti set the bar high for his next album.

His follow up, Whole Lotta Red only continues to push the boundary on his aforementioned punk aesthetic and psychedelic sound. The album opener, ?Rockstar Made?, is a song made for a mosh pit. In fact, most of the punk leaning songs on the album sound like they were made with a live show in mind.

Carti?s vocals on most of these tracks are almost reminiscent of Iggy Pop?s vocals on The Stooges 1970 album Fun House. The two albums also share a common idea; The Stooges wanted to create an

album that captured the energy of their outrageous and chaotic live shows, and Carti explores this idea, both sonically and vocally, on the opening track, and tracks like ?Stop Breathing.?

Colin's Count:

7/10

While this punk sound is present on many of the songs, most of the songs in the second half are more psychedelic leaning, like his older work, such as the spacey ?Over? and the catchy ?ILoveUIHateU.?

The album also contains high profile features from the album?s executive producer Kanye West, as well as Kid Cudi and Future. West delivers a fantastic verse on ?Go2DaMoon?, and Future mumbles his way through his part on ?Teen X,? but it?s Kid Cudi who really shines on ?M3tamorphosis,? where he hums over Carti?s repetitive, mantraesque lyrics, as well as having a great verse on his own.

While there is a lot to love about the album, it has its obvious flaws.

The most glaring issue is the wait, which took two years after being teased many times.

This delay is likely because of the fact that many of the songs were leaked online around

with Jimmy Fallon like Carti did either.

Cudi is a frequent collaborator of other Hip-Hop greats including Kanye West, Travis Scott, and Plain Pat.

2019, such as the fan favorites ?Pissy Pamper? and ?Cancun,? the latter of which blew up on TikTok a few months ago. Because of this, Carti had to rework practically his entire album, and as a result, the final product is all over the place.

There are many different ideas presented throughout the album aesthetically, vocally, sonically, and lyrically, with various degrees of success. But at the same time, there hasn?t

been such a polarizing mainstream rap release possibly since Kanye?s Yeezus back in 2013, which is now considered one of his best and most influential releases.

Not to discredit other envelope- pushing rap albums, but not many of them debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, let alone charted at all, and not many of those artists got to perform those songs on The Tonight Show

What really shines on Whole Lotta Red is the wildness, and how bold it is for an artist whose songs are popular Slowed+Reverb TikTok sounds, to release an album as left field as this. It also makes sense at the same time, Carti has been moving forward with this punk persona in his fashion, his live shows before the pandemic could rival those of Travis Scott, and he also indulges in the excess of the rockstar lifestyle that has been very prevalent in mainstream rap music for years now. All of this aside, to determine just how good Whole Lotta Red is, fans will have to give it some time to age and see if it?s legacy grows with time, or if it was a rushed attempt at making some of the most unique popular music to grace the Billboard charts in the past decade.

TikTok Goes Java for Comp Sci Club (cont'd...)

VI RAL from pg 1

Kushnerick.

Andrew Kallmeyer ?21, Co-President of the Computer Science Club said, ?People are drawn to TikTok now because you can just blow up for some random thing you post online.?

Andah said, ?The funny part was I just came one day because my friends were all there. I don?t really know anything about computer science.?

Such is the case for the video posted by the Computer Science Club. Garnering over 1.6 million views and over 680,000 likes, the video features Andah, fellow Computer Science Club member Michael Leon ?21, and Computer Science Club Co-President Michael Kushnerick ?21. Adorned in senior sweaters and surgical masks, Andah and Leon dance to a mashup of Britney Spears? ?Toxic? and ?Love Shack? by the B-52?s in the computer science lab as Kushnerick enters in and out of frame.

While the entire video lasts for only fifteen seconds, it caught the attention of many, something none of the club members had expected.

That fact does not matter to their over fifty-thousand followers. Kushnerick said, ?[Andah and Leon] are not even in any of the [computer science] classes which is ironic because that is who our fans think are really good coders.?

viral when it wasn?t even supposed to.?

Kushnerick said, ?[The account] actually started off as kind of like a joke between Ms.Hoffman [the club?s moderator and Prep?s Computer Science teacher] and I. I told her, I bet I can get TikTok famous [...], so my friends and I just made a random video and then it went

It could have been the sometimes unrhythmic and well-intentioned choreography of Andah and Leon, along with the vintage look of the senior sweaters, that caught the eye of over a million. Together, with their username @computerscienceclub

Gone Viral: The club still garners thousands of likes and comments on each new post thanks to their nearly 55,000 followers on the platform.

For those in the video, they can only point to the mystery of the algorithm as to why their video went viral. Leon said, ?I think it's really random because there were no hashtags or anything.?

The comments of the video, however, may reveal why so many liked and followed.

showing an interest in STEM, the viewers saw the group as endearing which elicited comments like, ?I feel comfortable here? from TikTok user @dripadropa and ?I know y?all have good manners? from TikTok user @_90svibez.

Nearly two hundred thousand people agreed, judging by each comment accumulating thousands of likes. ?They were very very kind,? said Andah. ?[T]hey were very nice spirited [and] made me feel good.?

Ironically, Andah and Leon, the main focuses of the video, actually had never taken a computer science course nor had interest in the field like the club presidents Kallmeyer and

Those fifty-thousand followers helped their most recent videos top over one hundred thousand views and gained thousands of likes. This new following also has moderator Ms. Hoffman excited for the opportunity it poses.

Kallmeyer said, ?[Ms. Hoffman is] all over it. She?ll email us like, ?Let's do this idea? or she?ll send us a TikTok. She also wants to incorporate more of the actual computer science into it, but she's really into it.?

For Ms. Hoffman, the account started as a way to boost morale and bring the students closer, but has also proven to be an effective way to spread the club?s message of getting students interested in

the computer science field. She said, ?I thought the video was lighthearted and fun! I also thought it was really exciting, because they have a real platform they can use for computer science promotion.?

Part of that promotion comes on March 12 during the club?s in-house robotics competition.

They plan to live-stream the event to their followers and walk them through their creations.

Even for someone without a background in computer science like Andah, Ms. Hoffman and her enthusiasm about the account has begun to change his perspective. ?I guess I have [to learn to code] now. I have a reputation to live up to,? he said. ?[H]er energy is so contagious?

The club's gain has not only been in followers, but in members as well. Kushnerick said, ?There used to be 5 people in the club, which was all seniors, and now there's about fifteen of all grades.?

While they are unsure about whether this influx is because of their TikTok, they encourage any of those interested in the field to join.

The Computer Science Club meets every Tuesday during community period.

8 | Entertainment | Wednesday, February 17, 2021 | The Hawkeye

Gunder son on Master of Puppets (1986)

Playlists at the Prep: Often lost in the sauce is the fact that teachers are real people, too? people who listen to music. In this recurring segment, The Hawkeye features songs from a faculty or staff member's playlist. Consider adding these jams to your own playlist!

(Photo: Elektra Records)

Compiled By Benicio Beatty '21

The third studio album by the legendary metal band, Master of Puppets marks a powerful moment for both the band members and the music scene of the 20th century. Its popularity continues well into the new age.

By L iam Gunderson '22 Metallica is to metal as Tupac is to rap.

Both are highly influential and considered by many to be the top artists of their respective genres. Even though the band may be considered old, this does not detract from their interesting music. There is a lot of hype surrounding new music, but often it is the classics that hold the most value.

Let?s revisit one of the best bands to ever do it.

Metallica, a metal band that flourished in the 1980s, drew from the work of other classic bands such as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath to create a new, aggressive, and angry sound that would go on to spawn their contemporaries: Slayer, Anthrax, and Megadeth. Together these bands are known as the ?Big Four? and in 1986, they all recorded groundbreaking records.

Metallica?s 1986 album, Master of Puppets, has sold over six million copies and is considered one of their most popular records. It also marked the end of an era because bassist Cliff Burton was killed in a bus accident while on tour in September 1986.

Not only did he play his instrument in a revolutionary way, he also taught the rest of the band to write songs. He was able to do this so well because he studied classical music at Chabot College in California. This path allowed him to create harmonies and melodies that made for memorable songs. For instance, on the song ?Orion,? Burton plays a bass solo, a musical decision that was practically unheard of up until then. This instrumental song contains intricate bass playing that shows both his technical and musical abilities.

Another place where Burton?s bass playing shines

through is in the song, ?The Thing That Should Not Be?.

The bass line adds warmth to the otherwise cold, almost mathematical rhythms of James Hetfield, who is famous for his guitar technique. Hetfield is the backbone of Metallica?s rhythm section, even though that role usually belongs to the drummer. Hetfield?s rhythm playing is noticeable on every song, but it is especially obvious on the legendary title track: ?Master of Puppets?. ?Master of Puppets'', the song, has arguably the most recognizable metal riff. If you walk into any Guitar Center, it is guaranteed that someone is playing this song. It is amazing that the band (all in their early 20s at the time) were able to create a song so iconic that, nearly 30 years later, it?s still extremely popular.

Master of Puppets, the album, is where Metallica really found their unique sound and is a great starting place for those wanting to get into metal as it has done for so many others like Prep senior Max Scales, who plays the bass. ?Master of Puppets is definitely one of the best albums of all time,? said Scales, ?as it is instantly recognizable among everybody. It is the band?s masterpiece, and if I had never come across the album, then I would?ve never been a metalhead.? Master of Puppets is Metallica's masterpiece because it is the culmination of all their efforts and is harmonically rich while still maintaining their aggressive energy. All the band?s members found their place in the music and created something beautiful. It is a shame that the legendary starting lineup was broken up by the death of Cliff Burton; who knows what other masterpieces Metallica would have been able to create if it wasn?t for this tragedy?

M r. Sykes '16 1.

New N3on

Dr. Ber na 1.

ZZTop

Playboi Car ti 2. Lo Mein

2. Black Magic Woman Santana

Lil Uzi Ver t 3.

Save Your Tear s

3.

4. Sultans of Swing Dire Str aits

Tr avis Scott 5.

Hor oscopes

5.

6. Don't Stand So Close to Me The Police

Dr ake ft. The Weeknd 7.

Lost Kids Get Money Brent Faiyaz

8. Almeda Solange 9. New Per son, Same Old Mistakes Tame Impala 10. Chamber of Reflection Mac Demarco 11. 20 Min Lil Uzi Ver t 12. Pink & White Fr ank Ocean 13. Who You Foolin Gunna 14. Right Now Playboi Car ti ft. Pi?er re Bour ne 15. What You Won?t Do for Love Bobby Caldwell

Under Pr essur e Queen

Pi?er re Bour ne 6. Cr ew Love

Takin it to the Str eets The Doobie Brother s

The Weeknd 4. ASTROTHUNDER

La Gr ange

7.

It's the end of the wor ld REM

8. We ar e the Champions Queen 9. The Fir st Cut is the Deepest Rod Steward 10. How Sweet It Is Junior Walker & the All Star s 11. The Stor y in Your Eyes The Moody Blues 12. Sledgehammer Peter Gabr iel 13. Steppin Out Joe Jackson 14. Hotel Califor nia The Eagles 15. Song Summer Highland Falls Billy Joel

The Hawkeye | Wednesday, February 17, 2021 |

Entertainment | 9

Who?s Releasing New M usic in 2021?

By Aiden Ander son '22 While many tours and concerts were cancelled in 2020, that did not stop a multitude of artists from dropping new music. With the vaccine being distributed, hopefully allowing for artists to tour again, 2021 is expected to be a great year for music.

ALREADY RELEASED Weezer

FKA Twigs

Weezer released the unexpected OK Human on January 29, and the album was led by strings and featured almost no electric instruments. The lead single ?All My Favorite Songs? featured rich orchestration in strings and piano. In contrast to OK Human, the second album from the alt-rock band to be released in 2021 is expected to be much heavier. Van Weezer, the band?s tribute to classic rock, will come out on May 7. The album was postponed due to the pandemic.

On January 24, FKA Twigs posted a selfie on Instagram with the caption, ?Did someone say they wanted new music?

Might have something for you this week? ?She later announced that the track will be titled ?don?t judge me?and will be accompanied by a music video. She dropped the single on January 26, titled ?Don?t Judge Me?

Madlib Legendary producer and rapper Madlib has collaborated with many notable artists in the past, including MF DOOM and Freddie Gibbs. On his most recent album, Madlib teamed up with Four Tet to create the instrumental hip-hop album, Sound Ancestors, which was released January 29.

Slowthai TYRON, the follow up to 2019?s Nothing Great About Britain, was released on February 5. The new album from the UK rapper features A$AP Rocky, James Blake, and Skepta.

FooFighters

Shortly after he announced his presidential bid in 2020, Kanye announced that a new album, DONDA, would be released in July. Though, the album was never released. Kanye has a reputation for never releasing music on time or on the original release date so the album may still come out sometime this year.

Tyler, the Creator In the past, Tyler, the Creator has followed a release schedule of a new album every two years. His last release, Igor, was in 2019, so many fans are hoping that he will keep to his schedule and drop new music this year.

Lorde Lorde has hinted that she was inspired to create new music following a 2019 trip to Antarctica. ?Antarctica really acted as this great white palette cleanser, a sort of celestial foyer I had to move through in order to start making

Black Country, New Road The highly anticipated album from the experimental rock band was released on February 5. For theFirst Timeis the band's debut album, and they have released two singles, ?Science Fair?and ?Track X?.

Florida Georgia Line In early December, the country duo announced their fifth studio album, LifeRolls On, which was released February 12. The duo also announced a multi-year touring partnership with Live Nation, and the band hopes to begin touring as soon as next summer.

Medicineat Midnight was originally scheduled to be released in 2020, but the album was pushed back due to the pandemic and was released on February 5.

Three singles were released

PROBABLY KanyeWest

early, including ?Shame Shame?, ?No Son of Mine?, and ?W aiting on a W ar?.

the next thing,?she wrote in an email to fans. Lorde is known to take her time between albums, as she took four years between the hit-producing Pure Heroineand its follow up, Melodrama.

TravisScott Following an explosive 2020 chalk full of collaborations with Fortnite, McDonald?s, and others, the Houston rapper is anticipated to be releasing Utopia in 2021. Travis Scott first teased the album in summer of last year and confirmed the album title in October.

Slowdive In September, the revolutionary shoegaze band shared images on Instagram with the caption, ?slowdivelp5?.

Previously, the band released their first album in 22 years in 2017, which was met with mostly positive reactions. Details about a title, release date, and tracklisting, are yet to be determined for the new record.

PROBABLY NOT (but maybe) Frank Ocean Frank Ocean hasn?t released a new album since the immense success of 2016?s Blonde. Many fans are starting to grow impatient and are eager to hear new music from him. He last released a set of two singles back in March and April 2020.

Death Grips The underground experimental hip-hop trio Death Grips has kept to a fairly predictable release schedule since it formed in 2010, with a new album every two or three years. Their last release, Year of theSnitch, was in 2018. The band has influenced artists such as Kanye West as well as David Bowie in the past. On January 27, the band released a new single and also put an EP which was originally released in 2019 onto streaming services for the first time. Other than the single, no allusions to a new album have been made.

Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar?s last release DAMN., came out in spring 2017. Kendick has taken roughly two to three years, so many fans are expecting new music from him soon. The artist has made no allusions that new music is coming, but that has not kept fans from speculating a new album from him will be dropping in 2021.

CONFIRMED/VERY LIKELY King Gizzard and theLizard Wizard King Gizzard is a psychedelic rock band hailing from Melbourne, Australia and is known for their prolific discography (16 albums in the past 8 years) and their genre-bending style. The now six-piece (formerly seven) band has experimented with jazz, progressive rock, microtonal rock, thrash metal, folk, and even narrative music.

The band plans to release three albums this year, the first of which is expected to be a follow up to their previous album, K.G., and now L.W. is scheduled to release on February 26.

L.W. is also expected to be the band?s third microtonal (playing the notes between the notes, typical and middle-eastern music) album, with the first being 2017?s Flying Microtonal Banana and 2020?s K.G.. So far the band has released two singles for the album, ?If Not Now, Then W hen? ?and ?O.N.E.?, both of which speak on environmental and political issues.

Drake Originally, Certified Lover Boy was planned to be released in January.

On an Instagram story, the rapper announced that it was being indefinitely postponed due to him undergoing surgery.

KingsOf Leon When You See Yourself by the alternative rock band Kings of Leon is set to release March 5.

Lana Del Rey ChemtrailsOver the Country Clubis the seventh studio album by singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey and is set to be released on March 19.

TheAntlers

Sweet Trip

Green ToGold will be the indie rock band?s first album in over seven years and will be released on March 26. The Antlers gained much critical acclaim following the release of their 2009 album, Hospice, which is a concept album based on the relationship between a hospice worker and a patient.

Sweet Trip is an electronic/ indie duo from San Francisco.

The band is known for blending IDM (Intelligent Dance Music) and shoegaze (effect heavy guitars) on their second studio album - Velocity : Design : Comfort, which was released in 2001.

The band followed up that album with an indie pop/ dream pop release, You Will Never Know Why, in 2008. The band recently announced their new album, A Tiny House, In Secret Speeches, Polar Equals, which will be released in the late spring. The band dropped two singles for the album on January 15.

Black Country, New Road Royal Blood is an English alternative rock duo consisting of drummer Ben Thatcher and vocalist/ bassist Mike Kerr. The band?s third studio album, Filthy Minds, will be released on April 30.

So far, two singles have been released from the forthcoming album, ?Trouble?s Coming?, and most recently, "Typhoons?.

Brockhampton W hile the album title has not been officially announced, sleuthing fans have figured out the forthcoming album from the self proclaimed hip-hop ?boy band?will be titled Roadrunner.

Over the summer, the group released rough drafts of songs they were working on during the lockdown on YouTube, in a series called Technical Difficulties.

Roadrunner is expected to be released sometime this winter or early spring, as members of the group have been releasing teasers on social media.

St. Vincent In recent tweets, the indie rock artist has stated that, ?The rumors are true.

New record ?locked and loaded?for 2021.?In an interview with MOJO, she described the record as a ?tectonic shift,?from her past works.

EricChurch The 2020 CMA Entertainer of the Year recently told his fan club about plans to release a trilogy of albums in April. The first one, Heart, is due out April 16, followed by & on April 20 and Soul on April 23.

SZA On Christmas Day, the popular R&B singer dropped a single titled ?Good Days?. In a new interview with Cosmopolitan, SZA revealed that the follow-up to 2017?s Ctrl would be out this year, as well as giving some details about what she?s putting into it. She said, ?This album is going to be the [expletive] that made me feel something in my heart and gut.?

Rihanna In December 2020, Rihanna revealed that she plans "to take my music and my brands to a different level" in 2021. On October 31, Rihanna was suspected to be doing a music video shoot, sparking rumours of an upcoming music release.

10 | Entertainment | Wednesday, February 17, 2021 | The Hawkeye

There are not many job descriptions that include "interview a bear before a hot dog eating contest," but as one of Barstool Sports' top interviewers, Adam Ferrone '06 has interviewed former Boston College and NFL QB Doug Flutie, Santas at 2016 Santacon, Phish concertgoers, Eagles OT Lane Johnson, and random people on the street across the country.

By Gar rett M cCloskey ?21 On Thursday, July 12, 2018, Adam Ferrone ?06 was performing with his pop- punk parody band ?Pup Punk? at the Irving Plaza in New York City.

On Saturday, he flew into France on Bastille Day, and the next day, Ferrone was covering the nation?s explosive FIFA World Cup victory celebration in Paris. Two days later, he was co-hosting a radio show at the MLB All-Star Game in Washington D.C. All of this was thanks to his job at Barstool Sports? the comedic sports and entertainment media company that is wildly popular among teenagers and young adults.

(Photo: The Chronicle Yearbook)

While ?content creator? may be the most succinct description of his role at Barstool Sports, Ferrone has established himself as the company?s point man for on-the-ground reporting? if that means investigating the magical aura of a Buffalo Bills fan?s apartment or interviewing enthusiastic, and occasionally intoxicated, Eagles fans after a Super Bowl victory.

But before he became a two- time battle rap world champion and one of the top talents at Barstool Sports, Ferrone was a St. Joseph?s Prep student from Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania and never shy to make a joke.

A "Smart Aleck, but in a Good Way" During the Christmas concert in Ferrone?s senior year, he pulled a lighter out of his pocket and waved it from the front row, like a rock concert attendee, as the pep band performed ?The First Noel.? ?I thought I was carrying on a tradition, but it just got me a week of JUG,? he said.

Ferrone was an active member of The Hawklet, the Prep?s now- defunct student newspaper, and the tennis team because, as he explained, ?they didn?t have cuts.? ?My friends and I were more into making our own films after class. I would take the late buses home, and we would just [mess around],? said Ferrone. ?And now the same dudes who

I was making videos with when I was 15, 16 and 17 now work with me at Barstool Sports, and we?re making videos on a national scale.?

An eagle- eyed observer can spot him in pictures for numerous clubs in the 2006 Chronicle yearbook. ?I wasn?t actually in any of the clubs. It was more about getting into the picture and having posterity,? he said. ?I was picturing someone in the year 2100 finding the yearbook and being like, ?Wow! This guy was really engaged when he was in high school.?? It was a prank that Ferrone?s classmate and Prep English teacher Mr. Kevin Kearney ?06 still remembers.

Kearney recalled Ferrone as a ?non- stop? source of quickwitted humor. Kearney, who was a co- editor with Ferrone on The Hawklet, is not surprised by Ferrone?s success in battle rap and at Barstool Sports. He said Ferrone ?always had a comeback or a line" for any topic of conversation.

Prep English teacher Dr. Christian Rupertus, Ph.D., who taught Ferrone in his freshman and sophomore years, concurred, calling him a ?smart aleck, but in a good way.? ?He used to just crack jokes about the material in class that seemed like jokes that would be beyond something that a 14or 15- year- old could concoct on the fly,? said Rupertus. ?From what I understand, his quick wit in other classrooms wasn?t received quite as well,? he laughed.

Rupertus did not find his banter aggravating and distracting. Ferrone was ?legitimately funny and bright,? he said. ?All of his quips indicated that he was engaged with the concepts of the class. It was related to what was being discussed in class.?

Ferrone kindled an interest in writing at the Prep, enrolling in Mr. Whelan?s journalism class and finding bylines in The Hawkeye and The Hawklet student newspapers. And then came Ted Silary, a since-retired high school sports reporter for the Philadelphia Daily News who maintained a website that was the one-stop shop for stats and write- ups of all area games.

Silary enlisted high school

Prep alumnus Adam Ferrone '06 on JUG at a Christmas concert, a La Barstool

students to cover their respective school?s teams. Ferrone and his classmate Pat Murphy ?06 covered the 2005 St. Joe?s Prep football season, but their coverage was nothing like the formulaic sports reports of other student reporters. ?The way the LaSalle faithful stormed the field you would have thought Abercrombie and Fitch was holding a 25% blowout sale,? the duo wrote after the Prep's overtime loss in the annual Thanksgiving Day rivalry against La Salle.

On top of covering the X?s and O?s of the game, Ferrone and Murphy would also detail the chants of rowdy student sections, nickname some opposing players (?Drew ?2nd team? Wilkins? or ?Bill ?OMG Homecoming Was Sooo Much Fun?Edger?), and report on the ?Catholic League Cutest Player? award, while also unleashing occasional jabs at their the student reporters from La Salle.

for the Daily Collegian, the article was rejected, and he was instructed to be ?safer? and ?softer.?

He left that student newspaper, and an interest in theater soon blossomed into battle rap.

Ferrone, who describes battle rap as ?two grown men shouting angry poems at each other,? began to watch numerous battle rap videos on a relatively new video platform called YouTube and familiarized himself with the realm of battle rap. ?I started watching them obsessively,? said Ferrone, who adopted the moniker ?Rone? as a stage name. ?I started practicing freestyling in my room, and it turned into this massive hobby [...] because of my massive love of language and words and wanting to be witty and wanting to be funny. All of those pursuits and focuses came to a head, and [battle rap] was the perfect outlet for me.?

At a sports media and entertainment compa individual personalities than sports opinions, A academically witty interviewer with clever hum Notre Dame football culture before dressing a only to student attendance. That video has

little money I was making from cooler things like music and battle rap,? he wrote.

The white, somewhat nerdy, prep school kid is far from what one pictures as a Philadelphia rapper. His unapologetic ability to parry attacks on those traits became a staple in his craft.

In a 2010 battle, he rapped, Ferrone had ?I look better in a sweater / always been having tools, grammar rules / fascinated politically correct answers, ?Hawk with wordwittier dinner banter / propane Talk?, the play. He cited igniting and creative writing / name of Ferhis kinderhiking, biking, pretty much rone and garten ?Word "Hawk Talk" co-writers Adam Ferrone any white thing.?

Murphy?s Wizard?

'06 (left) and Pat Murphy '06 (right).

With tremendous stage column, was award as command and piercing wit, read religiously by Preppers, proof. Ferrone even credited Ferrone ascended the professchool faculty, students at his education in Latin at Walsional battle rap ladder. He was other schools, opposing playdron Mercy Academy and the eventually battle rapping in ers, parents, and coaches alike.

Prep as a catalyst to his Canada, Europe, and Australia. success. ?It was an event when it ?The stamps in my passport came out,? Ferrone recalled, ?Latin is a massive root for acted as a little consolation as I ?and that was a rare thing for me to build everything off of,? saw my friends making more writing at the time.? he said. ?The Prep gives you money and being successful in the chance to explore all the The anticipation surrounding the, ya know, real world,? he worlds of language.?

Hawk Talk was built in an era wrote in that same 2018 blog. before smartphones and lapFerrone entered the battle rap Gaining recogtops, let alone nition and social school- issued lap"[Adam] used to just crack jokes about the tops? an era of material in class that seemed like jokes that would media shout- outs from superstars AOL Instant Mesbe beyond something that a 14- or 15-year-old like Drake and senger (AIM), could concoct on the fly."

Kevin Durant, MySpace, and Ferrone was also message boards. ? Dr. Christian Rupertus building a portfoAnticipating the release of Hawk St. Joseph's Prep English Teacher lio beyond battle rap. He submitted Talk, students from scene after an impromptu batcontent for albums from Kanye the Prep and other schools tle with rapper Charles HamilWest and The Roots, tried his would ?gather around the ton, who was visiting Penn hand at the television industry, computer like it was a fireside State. A video capturing the and fostered interests in imchat, like they were warming battle went viral on Worldstar prov and stand-up comedy. their hands to the front of the Hip-Hop. After that, Ferrone?s Macintosh,? said Ferrone. battle rapping transitioned Ferrone twice conquered from a dorm room hobby into a King of the Dot league, ?which ?At that time, and it still career. But in a volatile indusis the biggest piece of hardholds true to the content I try that struggled to gain the ware you can get in battle rap make today, I was trying to backing of advertisers due to these days,? he wrote. Still, make the people around me its brashness, he had to finanFerrone said he will always laugh." cially support his battle rap calook back on the journey to the Hobbyist Turned reer through several odd jobs. top, side jobs and all, rather Champion than the championships.

In an April 2018 blog titled Ferrone graduated from the ?My 20s?, Ferrone said he was ?It was incredibly humbling Prep and attended Penn State a roast beef man, obtained to be at the top,? he said, ?but with intentions to pursue jourlawn care and snow removal also getting towards the top nalism. But he was soon turned jobs, sold websites to Catholic was way more fun than being off by the ?stuffy? and Churches, ripped up industrial at the top. Being at the top, ?cliquey? nature of that envicarpeting, had songwriting and everybody wants you to lose. ronment. When Ferrone subacting gigs, held boom mics, They say you don?t deserve it. mitted a satirical opinion piece among other things. "All of They?re waiting for the next about Penn State?s president this was to supplement what person. It?s almost like the Pa(Photo: tedsilary.com)

(Photo: Barstool Sports)

From JUGs to Bar sto

The Hawkeye | Wednesday, February 17, 2021 |

ool: Adam Fer rone '06

atin education's influence in battle rap, and why he wanted to work for ol Sports.

Chromebooks, wear Barstoolbranded sweatshirts on dress down days, and follow unofficial Prep- centric accounts modeled after Barstool. Student hosts of the ?All Things Prep? podcast even called an ?Emergency Press Conference? (a reference to Portnoy?s popular public service announcement method) to report a delay in the first episode?s release.

fics in everything from misogyny to racism to outright violent, abusive language directed at women.?

Citing female-dominated executive roles on the business side of the company, Ferrone said the company?s biggest misconception is that it is aggressively male.

Entertainment | 11

puses for a ?5th Year? tour of college football tailgates, traversed the nation for their travel show, and chased storms? basketball court stormings, that is. And through this, both have unveiled a knack for spontaneous, funny, and intentionally awkward man-on-street interviews. ?Caleb is a genius at making these videos,? Ferrone said. ?The way that I edit videos and the way that I look is footage is me following in his footsteps.?

While Ferrone is still unafraid to capitalize on the edgy humor that encompasses Barstool, he has taken a harder- hitting journalistic stance in some slickly produced videos where he investigates the parallels between chess and football, the dangers

expose truth, and often it?s the softest way to expose truth.?

But still, comedy comes first.

Part of the appeal to Ferrone?s videos has been his professor- like academic attitude. Early on, Prep history teacher Mr. William Conners ?80 noticed Ferrone?s ?ability to entertain two audiences? with both ?sophisticated and sophomoric? humor. But Ferrone was quick to deflect a suggestion that he is one of the smarter minds at Barstool Sports.

?I think that there?s a lot of ?Dave Portnoy likes to find people who are brilliant at difthe line as well. And someferent things. In some ways, I times when you?re finding the Back when Ferrone was have the corny, superficial, line, you cross the line, and I writing music and battle raps, show-off smartness.? think that he would be one to he would frequent the Barstool any where the talent is more recognizable for say that he?s crossed the line at Big Cat is ?content savant?

Sports website.

Adam Ferrone '06 has established himself as an times as well. But I think there and ?PFT Commenter is one of mor. Above: Ferrone explains the "triduum" of ?As I was reading [Barstool has been an unapologetic air the best people to do wordplay as an usher and sneaking in to a game limited Sports], it was like: ?

This is my about what he? s that is alive right millions of views across multiple platforms. sense of humor. This is what done that has been "As I was reading [Barstool Sports], it was like: now.? West Virginia triots. Do you want to see the I?m into. I could do what these beneficial to the ?This is my sense of humor. This is what I ?m boys KB and Nick Patriots win another Super guys are doing,?? said Ferrone. growth of Barstool into. I could do what these guys are doing.'" are ?some of the Bowl?? ?It wasn't above me. I was not Sports.? funniest, wittiest, of TikTok houses, and the difabove it. It was like, ?Oh, this sharpest, most incisive peoferences between naturallyWhile Ferrone worked his However, Ferrone also said it makes sense to me.?? ple.?

Gillie Da Kid and Waland artificially-bearded Santas. way up through the battle rap would personally be ?sanctilo267a are social media ranks, Barstool Sports started During his battle rap career, monious? to criticize Portnoy Dressed in a three-piece suit ?geniuses.? scaling the sports commentary Ferrone saw Barstool grow and without recognizing his own and speaking matter- of- factly and entertainment industry. grow and grow. He applied for faults. ?There?s a lot of people I for an investigation video of Barstool?s Philly- based blogwork with that are just fasciTemple University skateboard?I?ve said homophobic "Dream Job" with ging gig in 2014, but narrowly nating and inspiring people to ers, Ferrone walks towards the things. Things that I wouldn?t Barstool Sports lost that spot to Jordan Demwork with.? camera, strategically controls say today I said in 2010.? cher (?Barstool Jordie?).

Branding itself as a company his hand gestures, and enunci?If you had asked me in high ?This is a term I ?by the common man, for ates every syllable, saying, school or in grade school what the common man,? "I started practicing freestyling in my learned from battle rap: ?The anthropological implicajob I wanted,? Ferrone said, ?it Barstool Sports can offer room, and it turned into this massive ?You learn more from a tions were even deeper than I would be something like this, loss than you do from a you a website overflowhobby [...] because of my massive love win.? And sometimes had imagined. [Skaters] were but that job didn?t exist at that ing with blogs, around 40 re- defining clothing, even time.? podcasts covering every- of language and words and wanting to those moments that are linguistics.? be witty and wanting to be funny." controversies or blips on ?The fact that I get to do thing from hockey to Between storyboarding, lothe radar become the every single thing that I want movies and pop culture, Two years later, from his cation scouting, and cutting biggest learning experiences in to do at an extremely high pay- per- view amateur boxing desk at the nowdefunct Hip clips, the Prep kid who made your life.? level is the best part of the matches featuring a retired Hop news site Oogeewoogee, short films after class has a job,? said the Prep grad.

MLB star and a company inSince the former battle raphe squeezed another opportuhand in each aspect of his tern, or a social media umper started at Barstool, the For Ferrone, there is a clear nity. In January 2016, Barstool videos, from start to finish. brella that posts videos of atrosheer amount of content that through- line of quick- witted ?Every single part of it I he?s produced has been diffihumor and creativity threaded have my hands on [...] because cult to keep track of. between Rupertus and Conners I?m the only one that knows classes, Ted Silary?s Hawk ?There?s not a tidy title for how it?s supposed to look at Talk, battle rap, and Barstool. [my role],? Ferrone explained. the end of the day.? ??Content creator?is the easiest ?[Barstool Sports is] the perAs for the journalistic value way to put it, but it could be, fect intersection of creativity of his work, Ferrone said, depending on what conversa[and] opportunity. It really is a ?Satire is the easiest way to tion I have, I might tell ten difdream job." ferent people that I do ten different things.?

With natural wordplay skills and a St Joseph's Prep education in Latin in his back pocket, Adam Ferrone '06, better known as "Rone" in the battle rap circles, became a two-time world champion in his craft. Along the way, he rapped internationally, posed with Drake for a post on the rapper 's Instagram, and even saw NBA superstar Kevin Durant request his next battle opponent. "It seems cliché, but the journey was what I'll always look back on [...], rather than just being the champion," he said.

cious golf swings, big fishing catches, dogs on business calls, and Gronk jump- starting a car?s dead battery.

Initially beginning as a fourpage Boston newspaper, Barstool Sports and its growing legion of loyal ?Stoolies? has built itself (?brick by brick? according to founder Dave Portnoy) as a one- stop shop for comedic sports commentary, entertainment, sports betting, and everything in between.

Barstool?s presence at the Prep is quite pronounced, too.

Students paste ?Viva La Stool? stickers to the back of their

Sports announced that it was relocating to Manhattan following a majority stake acquisition by the Chernin Group.

Ferrone, recognizing the company?s sudden cash flow, contacted Adam Smith (?Smitty?), another Philly- based Barstool personality. Smitty was on the receiving end of numerous sample blogs that Ferrone wrote on a Tumblr burner account during the interview process in 2014.

Barstool Sports has not been without its fair share of controversy. Philadelphia Magazine said the company, often at its founder?s own doing, ?traf-

Ferrone co- hosts a fantasy football advice podcast, a Philly sports and culture podcast, and a wildly popular radio show that has no real set theme but still boasts a relatively large listenership.

Behind the camera, he?s searching for and developing new Barstool talent, writing content, and producing videos.

Rapid- Fir e with "Rone" Q: Grade School A: Waldron Mercy Academy Q: Hometown A: Br yn Mawr Q: Rank your Philly sports fandom.

A: Eagles, Sixer s, Phillies, Flyer s.

Q: Carson Wentz or Jalen Hurts?

A: It?s gotta be Jalen Hur ts. Car son Wentz hasn?t shown me anything.

Ferrone?s also been the face of numerous videos plastered onto Barstool?s site, social media platforms, and YouTube page. He?s developed a persona that breeds the strained puns and investigative journalism of 60 Minutes and the quick-witted, on-your-toes humor of a Daily Show correspondent.

Q: Which Prep teacher would you want to battle rap?

A: Mr. Kear ney '06

And in Caleb Pressley, another Barstool personality and UNC Football?s former ?Supervisor of Morale?, Ferrone has found his match. The duo has criss-crossed college cam-

Q: What was your favorite video to film?

A: The Mummer s video

Q: Who is your favorite media personality?

A: Caleb Pressley Q: What?s your Wawa order?

A: Meatball par mesan sandwich with a toasted bun, some of the sour cream and cheese Ruffles, and a Diet Green Tea. Q: Which sport could you hold own in?

A: Skeleton, laying on my back and going down a slide.

Q: If Dave Portnoy could give JUGs, which Barstool personality would get the most JUGs? A: Nate, probably. And then Smitty.

12 | Entertainment | Wednesday, February 17, 2021 | The Hawkeye

The Hawkword

Cr uciver balist: Rober t Woltj en '22 Note: Spaces not included

Across 3. Bioshock city 10. Mother Earth 11. Japanese sing-along 14. _____ are red 15. "V is very. very..."

17. City of Lights 18. Street home to Shane's Confectionery 19. Greeting card company 21. Greek God of love 22. _______ are blue

Down 1. 39th President

7. Hitchcock's first film

16. Language of love

2. 2017 WWII film

8. Lincoln is its capitol

20. In like a _____

4. The Kentucky ______

9. Roman God of love

23. Out like a ______

5. Oldest Gospel

12. French palace

6. Of flowers

13. A girl's best friend

Faculty Gr id

By I saiah L ittlej ohn '24

M r s. Ambrose

M r. Woods

M r s. Gulli

Dr. Gillespie

I f you were a super hero what would be your power ?

What does the Hulk have? I want that.

The ability to read minds

Invisibility

Read minds.

What animal best represents your per sonality?

Octopus

The Lion, relentlessly on the hunt to be the King, willing to die for my Kingdom.

I'm not sure, but my Patronus is a horse!

Labrador retriever - loyalty.

Still going strong!

I don't believe in New Year's resolutions, I set goals and accomplish them.

No, I didn't make one

No, actually I?ve been healthier so far this year.

About 4 hours

I am in the routine of nightly, putting my phone down at 9 pm and not taking it to my bedroom. I don't check it again until my alarm goes off at 5 am.

Probably 10 or 12 hours?

Recently, maybe 5 hours. It?s pathetic.

Did you break your New Year ?s Resolution yet?

What?s the longest you?ve gone without checking your phone?

The Hawkeye | Wednesday, February 17, 2021 |

Opinion/Debate | 13

Opinion/Debate

By Daniel L aw ?23

I nter net Dumps Tr ump child pornography, hate speech, profane imagery from child- friendly sources, and much, much more. Account suspensions are no different.

For some, the choice was shocking, and for others, it was a long time coming. Yet, the decision to ban the now-former President Trump from Twitter indefinitely is tremendous.

Following the January 6 attacks on the US Capitol, the former President made several comments that broke the camel?s back for Twitter, leading to a permanent suspension.

The social media company cited a violation of its Glorification of Violence Policy.

Soon, other platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, publicly announced their suspension of the 45th President from their services.

Was this suspension warranted after the violence on the 6th, or is it a dystopian violation of the freedom of speech? Let?s take a closer look.

Former President Trump?s conflict with Twitter is no new story. During and after the 2020 presidential election, Twitter had restricted many of Trump?s tweets, citing how his false claims of election fraud contradicted fact- checkers.

This series of restrictions culminated on January 6, where a series of tweets from the thenPresident issued more and more restrictions on his account as a sort of ultimatum.

As Trump continued, Twitter took serious action and perma-

After the outrage of the suspension, several conservative voices quickly made comparisons to George Orwell's famous novel, 1984, where a dystopian government ruthlessly controls the means of information, history, and beliefs of society. Orwell, himself a democratic socialist, modeled the dystopia after fascist and Stalinist governments, and sought to warn of the dangers of totalitarianism.

With the ban of then-President Trump from Twitter, there was much backlash from conservative political figures, and the legality of the decision was called into question. While Daniel Law '23 argues that the ban was legal action, the ideas therein are complex, and often misinterpreted.

nently suspended the @realDonaldTrump account for breaking Twitter?s Terms of Service. They cite that they wished to prevent the possibility of Trump inciting more violence, including at the inauguration of President Biden.

Within the aftermath of Twitter?s statement, numerous notable Trump supporters, including Ted Cruz, Ben Shapiro, and Tucker Carlson, made claims that Twitter had made a grave violation of the First Amendment?s freedom of speech by deciding to ban the former President.

While it could seem like that, this simply is not true.

The First Amendment?s freedom of speech represents the law that the government cannot

arrest you over free speech. It isn?t an absolute rule either.

While you have protection for what you can say, the First Amendment does not guarantee a platform for what you can say, and private companies, like Twitter, are within their right to take non-criminal, nonmonetary action against those deemed to have broken their own terms of service. This right is protected by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which gives internet- based services the right and the power to use discretion to selectively screen and remove unwanted content from their platforms. While this might sound bad, in practice, Section 230 is a cornerstone for free speech, and it?s used to regularly take down

The Cape and Swor d Dr ama Society Presents

So are the comparisons between Orwell?s novel and the presidential Twitter suspension valid?

Well, yes and no.

As mentioned earlier, Twitter is a private company with the government- issued right to make suspensions. The suspension of Donald Trump was not random, as he had already made several violations in the aftermath of the 2020 election.

Breaking a company's Terms of Service and getting suspended for it is not a new sight to be found on the Internet, and the president is not excused from that umbrella.

It can be interpreted as an act of malice, sure, but the messages that President Trump made on social media before,

during, and after the events in the US Capitol gave enough material to validate the suspension.

Regardless of whether the suspension was warranted or not, it has raised serious questions about the role of social media in our society. With these major social institutions becoming increasingly integral to American politics, they have remained increasingly unscathed from public input.

Twitter took an act that, for better or for worse, is unprecedented in the history of the Internet. The unchecked rise of social media platforms could lead to a control of information that would be not too different from Orwell?s vision.

"Irrespective of left or rightwing politics, of private or public institutions, Orwell was fundamentally antiauthoritarian, and was an outspoken critic of any ideology that threatened totality,? said Mr. Lederer, an English teacher here at the Prep and one knowledgeable about Orwell and 1984. ?For him, censorship wasn't about silencing opposing views, but about control itself over the access and dissemination of information. It was Orwell's conviction that whoever controls the knowledge we receive, controls reality as we perceive it."

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14 | Opinion/Debate | Wednesday, February 17, 2021 | The Hawkeye

Single-Sex Education: M aybe Not Ever yone?s Saving Gr ace ?coolest? guys are the ones who are athletic, or at least enjoy watching and talking about sports, and as long as that dictates what is ?cool? for men overall, that fact can simply not be changed at a school where all of the students are male.

(Photo: Benicio Beatty '21)

Simply put, someone like me, whose favorite artists are Ariana Grande and Doja Cat, whose favorite shows are Pose and RuPaul?s Drag Race, and who hangs a pride flag in his room, will never be popular among the Prep student body as long as someone like me is never respected in the overall One of the distinguishing features of the Prep is its all-male student societal understanding of manbody. While some view it as a positive, providing a boon to the learning hood, unless I make myself the environment, others, like Daniel Sponseller '21, believe otherwise. butt end of a merciless barrage According to Sponseller, this male-dominated environment allows of gay jokes, which, at this sexism to go unchecked and intolerance to be accepted among the point, is part of my daily roustudent body. One possible solution to this "bro culture" is an inclusion tine here at school. And reof students of all genders. gardless of how comfortable

By Daniel Sponseller ?21 at that time were girls. Society and vocal I am about myself was telling me that I had to be outside of school, I always feel Before I begin this piece, I friends with boys, and that I that I have to contain who I am would like to clarify that this is had to do more masculine at school, feeling that being not meant to be slander about things, in order to be a ?true? authentic to myself will cause the Prep or any other individman. me to receive ridicule from ual school, or any specific Prep others. I have struggled with faculty or staff member for that Although I loved my friends sometimes serious forms of matter, but rather a critique in middle school, I saw an anxiety and depression for too about single- sex education in overwhelming presence of many years to count at this general. I understand that the girls in my life as the problem point, and I wonder how much problems that I am going to to why I was not able to relate of what I have sufdetail are present fered mentally is a "I t is undeniable that the Prep? s environment is at every school. I continue to be way more masculine than that of the real world, result of the insecurities about being thankful for all but it has been far from beneficial for me, or myself that I have of the tools that really for any of my other friends." developed here at the Prep has prothe Prep. with other guys and why I was vided me academically to pursue my dreams.

I first ask this question: if the real world has people of all sexes, then why do so many schools claim that single- sex education is the best way to prepare people for what lies ahead in their adult lives?

Any Prep student can remember the catch phrases about our school that were coined during admissions sessions during middle school: ?The most important thing about the Prep is the Brotherhood?; ?College starts here?; and ?At the Prep, we always strive for the magis.?

Out of all of these platitudes, there is one that caught my attention the most as a middle schooler, and it was, ?There is nothing better for a young man?s development than a single-sex education.?

In middle school, I felt disconnected from other boys in my grade. They were athletic while I? to put it simply? am still not. While the other guys in my grade preferred the soccer field or the blacktop for kickball, I preferred the band room or the stage in the gym, and during recess I gossiped with girls comfortably in the shade. Really, all of my friends

not feeling like a ?true? man.

So when the Prep came to my school and talked to me about the benefits of single-sex education, it was the music to my ears that I chose to hear.

To me at that time, there were two scenarios in which a single- sex education would help my formation as a man: either I would become ?manlier? (gaining the traits that a stereotypical ?masculine? man has), or I would be more comfortable with being myself, finding people with interests similar to mine. Either way, I was hoping that I would find more connections with other guys in ways that I could not accomplish in middle school.

What ended up happening was the complete opposite.

It is undeniable that the Prep?s environment is way more masculine than that of the real world, but it has been far from beneficial for me, or really for any of my other friends.

Regardless of what efforts have been undertaken by the administration, which, I will be the first to admit, have been impressive, ?bro culture? still reigns supreme here among the Prep student body. The

Because I am overwhelmed by personalities who are so unlike mine at the Prep, making long- lasting friendships here has been quite a challenge. To this day, there are only a few people at the school with whom I have become seriously close, compared to the other guys at school, who seem to be friends with everyone.

Part of this promise that is offered by the Prep that pertains to a young man?s development into manhood is the sense of brotherhood that is created among the student body, this seemingly unbreakable human chain of classmates, but how can I feel that I am a part of this brotherhood if there are few people at school with whom I can actually relate?

Just as I have struggled with being myself and with making durable friendships here at a single-sex school, so too have I wondered how much the school has really improved upon the maturity of its students as a single- sex institution.

When there are Prep students throwing food at each other in the cafeteria, making misogynistic jokes that objectify girls from other schools, calling ri-

val La Salle students or something that irritates them ?gay,? ripping off stall doors in the bathrooms, or drawing phallic images on the sides of stalls, even as seniors, how can someone argue that a singlesex education is so revolutionary for a young man?s development?

If single- sex education is so superior to co- ed education, then why was there a Black at the Prep Instagram account that was created, detailing countless racist actions carried out by Prep students and teachers alike? Why is Breaking Barriers, which is a club that is meant to be a safe haven for Prep students who are part of the LGBTQ+ community, both constantly mocked and so sparsely attended by Prep students? These are all actions that children do, immature children even, not men, not proper adults.

portion of students who answered the way that I feel is far from 0%. Given that these are current students and alumni of single- sex schools, this could very well be the Prep student body answering these questions. There are 885 students at the Prep currently, so that would hypothetically be 390 students for the first question, 363 for the second question, 266 for the third question, and 292 students for the fourth question who would agree with me about their experience at a single- sex school. Not a small problem anymore, is it?

Through the results of the polls, I found out that what I was feeling was not unique to me, but rather plights that are felt by single- sex school students everywhere.

From the way that I see it, although there is much more that must be done, the Prep administration has already done a

Has goin g t o a sin gle-sex sch ool been good f or you r social h ealt h ?

Has goin g t o a sin gle-sex sch ool been good f or you r m at u r it y?

Yes - 56.0%

Yes - 70.0%

No - 44.0%

No - 30.0%

Has goin g t o a sin gle-sex sch ool been good f or you r m en t al h ealt h ?

Do you f eel t h at you h ave t o act m or e like t h e gen der st er eot ype at sch ool if you go t o a sin gle-sex sch ool?

Yes - 59.0% No - 41.0%

Yes - 33.0% No - 67.0%

This is not just a problem at the Prep either. Some of my best friends attend the Mount and Gwynedd, Notre Dame, and Merion, four all- girls schools, and they have explained to me how unbearable the pressure is for them to maintain the traditional feminine image that has been perpetuated by society as a whole.

These questions about the effectiveness of single-sex education have formed in my mind throughout the time that I have been a student at the Prep. In December, I created four polls and posted them for anyone who went to a singlesex school at some point in their lives to answer. Students from all- male schools, namely LaSalle, the Prep, Church Farm School (PA), and The Asheville School (NC), as well as all- female schools consisting of Notre Dame, the Mount, Merion, and Gwynedd answered. The results of that polling can be seen in the graphics on the right Some people looking at the results of my polls would want to say that the way that I feel is not the way that the majority of students answered in any of the polls, but the fact is that the

significant amount in combating these problems that I have detailed (especially for a Catholic school), from inviting Father James Martin, SJ, to speak about the Catholic Church?s need to include and respect members of the LGBTQ+ community as they are according to their authentic selves, to being one of the few private high schools in the Philadelphia area to have a Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Regardless of what the administration has done, or still needs to do, this feeling of the Prep being a ?masculine men?s club? is still ubiquitous here.

Because of this, it is becoming more apparent that the Prep needs to examine whether its identity as a single- sex school is just not improving the social health, mental health, maturity, and gender expectations for its students, or if its single- sex identity is actually making these issues worse.

The Hawkeye | Wednesday, February 17, 2021 |

Opinion/Debate | 15

Ant oine's Declassif ied Valent ine's Day Sur vival Guide

By Antoine Robinson '24 The greatest holiday of the year has come around? Valentine's Day! This is your chance to find love or keep love. The problem is you don't know how to do that!

Well, you?ve come to the right place.

While this article sure can't tell you what to do, it can tell you what not to do. Some traditions that must be avoided at all costs are sending a secret admirer letter, bringing the third wheel, and singing karaoke. These actions are the worst ways to spend your Valentine's Day. While I am not even close to a love guru, I'd suggest taking these to heart.

If you send a secret admirer's card for Valentine's Day, give up on love? it's clearly not for you. Just think with me for a second. Imagine you're the person receiving this letter. What would your first thought be? ?Oh, I wonder if this card is from Single Sal from The Prep," or ?Um, I think a weirdo is trying to take me away.? I think it's obvious they would think the latter.

Now imagine you open up the card. It's just filled with hearts, candy, and cursive

handwriting. How would you react to that? Let's be honest, you'd be throwing that card in the trash. Let's pretend you wouldn?t. Remember how this is a secret admirer? Well, they?ll never know that you sent it, and I highly doubt they?ll think it was you. Let's go back.

This letter is going through the United States Postal Service, but I don't want to be too disrespectful, so I?ll stop there.

By the end of the day or week, you will have no response and you're still single. What a waste of your time.

Look, I understand that the boys are important, but you need to give your date at least one day. I would just ask you not to bring one of the boys as a third wheel to your date to Taco Bell. Come on, why would you even think this was a good idea?

Let's keep in mind there's a car ride you have to endure, which will most certainly end in the AUX cord out the window. When you get there you realize you don't have the money to pay for him; guess who has to pull out an extra $20 for the boys.

Now there's nearly a one hundred percent chance that your date will be uncomfortable by the way he annihilates the three Doritos Locos Tacos

supreme combo to win an Xbox Series X. Let's be honest, after he's finished his combos, he?s gonna be bored, and with boredom comes stupidity.

You shouldn?t be surprised when he?s trying to make the waitress his queen.

tempt to gain back their love, you order food. While you wait for the food you're forced to small talk, but due to the scenery at the karaoke place you can't come up with anything to talk about. You sit there awkwardly for about ten minutes, and then see your date looking at a big brody in the back.

?One must not repeat gifts, one must keep their spouse on their toes,? he said. That is one expert piece of advice from the admirable prose he called a research paper. Later in the paper, Harry wrote, ?If thine is generic, and commences with the bartering of gold for chocolate and fliers thine will not be able to court another female.? Shakespeare is rolling over in his grave with this quote.

Please don't go karaoke for Valentine's Day.

Next, his opinion on Taco Bell: ?Dining inside at Taco Bell was deemed unsafe even before the pandemic.? Take notes, don't go to Taco Bell.

When you finally get home you look down at your phone and see two texts, the first asking if you want to hop on The food finally comes, but Xbox, and the other about how to your dismay, it tastes like the date was horrible and the tomatoes thrown at you on you're now single. If I had to stage. Your date has had Once again I went to Latin guess, it was probably because enough and they leave, possiteacher Mr. Pohlig for his you brought them opinion. Sadly he to Taco Bell on "Look, I understand that the boys are important, wasn't an authority but you need to give your date at least one day. I on what not to do Valentine?s Day. would just ask you not to bring one of the boys as for Valentine?s, but Lastly, I would still had great ina third wheel to your date to Taco Bell." highly advise you put. I asked what not to go to a he thought about a bly catching big brody?s num?Karaoke Night? for Valensecret admirer card, and he reber on the way out. You walk tine's. I know it's very random, vealed the workings of the out of the karaoke place sad, but I feel it's appropriate just in universe to me. single, and smelling like case; I know one of you would tomatoes. have the idea. First off, I can ?Creepy,? he said. sense that you cannot sing whatsoever, and you're just gonna straight up embarrass yourself. You'll be laughed off the stage at your attempt to sing ?Dynamite? by BTS. While you were voice cracking the third refrain of the song, your date was eyeing up another potential mate who can sing. When the final tomato is thrown and you do the sad dance back to your date, you?ll find they're highly disappointed with you. In a final at-

I embarked on the journey to find what my classmates felt about this issue. I felt as if there was only one man who had the answer, Harry Kane ?24. I told him my thoughts and asked about him. He wrote me an MLA formatted research paper, expressing his views and thoughts. After reading it I assume he agreed with what I thought and added a little more.

Lastly, he said, ?Karaoke is fine, but one can only sing along to ?Colorblind? by Counting Crows. No smiling, no laughing, no irony. If you listen to the original, you will find that the ability to sing is clearly optional.?

Siemien: Vaccine Rollout Falling Shor t

By Connor Siemien '21 In the early days of COVID19, with the world turning upside down in such a dramatic fashion, there were so many unknowns: How many people would contract the virus?

When would we get back to school? When would sports resume? The list goes on. The most important unknown, though, was when we were going to get back to normal?

And, while mask- wearing and social distancing saves lives and will continue to do so for many months to come, widespread vaccination is the largest hurdle in achieving that goal of normal? and thus far the vaccination efforts have fallen short.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and Chief Medical Advisor to the newly inaugurated President Biden, said at a U.S. Senate hearing in early March 2020 that a COVID vaccine was ?at least a year to a year in a half? away.

In late March 2020 this projection was called ?optimistic,? with a CNN headline stating that experts saw Fauci?s timeline as ?risky.? And yet, here we are.

Americans in certain groups? the elderly in nursing homes and frontline healthcare workers, most notably? were able to receive a COVID- 19 vaccine in early December. As of now, there are two vaccines widely available in the United States? one from Pfizer and the other from Moderna? both requiring two separate shots taken several weeks apart, with a one-shot vaccine by Johnson & Johnson tantalizingly close to approval.

Despite the much earlier than expected availability of millions of vials of vaccine, the vaccine distribution process thus far? especially in the earliest stages? has been wildly behind schedule and filled with errors.

Here in Philadelphia alone, vaccines have expired and

country, and there should be an organized nationwide volunteer group trained to give vaccines? all at the bare minimum.

Philadelphia mayor Jim Kenney, Prep Class of '76 , observes Vaccination efforts at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

subsequently thrown out, and a seemingly fraudulent group, ?Philly Fighting COVID,? has embezzled vaccines for personal gain and had inexperienced college students administering vaccines, according to The Washington Post.

In conjunction with these egregious examples of maladministration, the vaccination effort as a whole has had a lackluster start. By the end of the calendar year of 2020, just 2.8 million vaccines had been administered out of the 14 mil-

lion doses that had been sent to states, according to the CDC. While the vaccine distribution process is improving (the rolling average of daily doses given is now 1.7 million, according to Bloomberg), the early sluggish start was unforgivable and continues to hamper compounding gains on the daily average.

To combat this slow start, restrictions must be relaxed, federal funding must be distributed to hospitals around the

The suggestion that may draw some ire, relaxing restrictions, is the course of action that will help us get back to normal the quickest. In fact, at least 28 states agree, allowing all elderly people to sign up for a vaccine? and other workers such as police officers, teachers, and more are being brought into the eligibility pool in 32 states, according to the New York Times.

Actions like these are driving the recent boost of daily vaccines given. Healthcare workers and nursing home residents should continue to be the most prioritized group, but gradually expanding the number of people allowed to be vaccinated is the right decision in order to raise the number of daily vaccines? propelling the U.S. closer and closer to herd immunity and, subsequently, a degree of normalcy.

16 | Opinion/Debate | Wednesday, February 17, 2021 | The Hawkeye

L et's Get (M eta)physical: Hillman on Adding Philosophy Elective phy elective would deal in matters of history. This casts a much wider net than a standard religion class, and it does so both by lessening religious affiliation and by playing to students with a pre-existing interest in philosophy, history, or other related topics.

elective, however, is that a curriculum could cover those values and more. A class isn?t bound to ethics and morality in the same way a religion course is.

Some students There are still a may see religion "[T]his course would most certainly teach kids couple of key quesclasses, both how to build arguments, defend them, and tions that remain contentand unanswered. contextualize the beliefs of our culture and society grade- wise, as Namely, why would on a much broader scale? skills whose usefulness mattering less a religion departpersist far beyond the walls of the Prep." than other the ment teach a secular offerings of other course, and what department is the addition of a departments. This may be bewould this look like? These philosophy elective. cause of a disinterest in reliquestions are valid. gion, something occurring on a But where does philosophy global scale, or just the relaWhile this course wouldn?t tie-in? tively little power they hold on have a pronounced affiliation This course would definitely a college application, since the with religion, the curriculum is address the first problem of invast majority of high schools still under the control of the terest in the religious tradition are public and not private. department. The class could as a whole but for college apmake an effort to impart the While these problems curplication strength, it may still exact same principles as, for rently exist, a remedy can be fall short. However, I would example, the Christian Ethics found in diversifying the curargue that a secular offering course does, but just do so riculum. This will benefit both would help tremendously. In a without the attachments to a students and teachers in that similar way to how the particular religion. students will be more receptive Bioethics elective deals in to the material by virtue of The real advantage to this matters of science, a philoso-

A group could go from the morality of contraception to what makes a chair a chair, and it would still fall under the course description. And, from the perspective of studentgrowth, this course would most certainly teach kids how to build arguments, defend them, and contextualize the beliefs of our culture and society on a much broader scale? skills whose usefulness persist far beyond the walls of the Prep.

(Photo: Amazon.com)

There is a prevailing disinterest among the student body toward the Prep?s religion curriculum. This apathy to the subject is caused by a variety of factors and there is no single fix.

having more autonomy in what they are learning and teachers will, ideally, have a group of engaged students who don?t see their class as the ?class they?re taking because they have to.? In order to help fix these problems, I would suggest that the next step for the

A philosophy class could theoretically go anywhere.

(Photo: Amazon.com)

By Thomas Hillman ?21

The diversity of the learning material within the course, I believe, is really its selling point. A class could cover really heady, abstract topics like the study of knowledge (?how do we know a chair is a chair?) or go to something more topical like the ethics of abortion

or economic systems. All of this can be done while promoting the intellectual values the Prep seeks to promote. As icing on the cake, it would also take students even closer towards those Ignatian Grad- atGrad principles, namely Intellectually Competent and Open to Growth.

In sum, the Prep should remedy a perceived lack of diversity in the school?s religious curriculum with a philosophy offering, likely an elective (similar to the Bioethics course). This would allow a course to teach the same values that a Jesuit education seeks to teach, but casts a wider net while doing so. The course is completely customizable, as philosophy is a broad topic and can cover almost anything.

This offering is obviously not going to interest every student.

It might not have some students on the edge of their seats waiting to apply for it come course selections.

However, what this course does do, I believe, is worth the

L etter to the Editor : The Capitol Siege was an Attack on Our Democr acy

By Joe M assaua '21 Our Democracy was imperiled on January 6, 2021. When turning on my phone after Mr. McGlynn?s Systematic Theology class, I was met with a flood of messages. I instantly felt a rush of emotions: shock, horror, fear, anger at the events that transpired at the seat of our legislative power last month. Insurrectionists and extremists invaded the Capitol building and forced our elected representatives into hiding for fear of their lives.

Waving the Confederate battle flag and Trump 2020 flags, they rioted and pillaged their way into the chambers of our democracy. This was exactly what our forefathers fought against. These riots caused physical damage: broken windows, fallen police officers; but these appalling actions did more than that, twisting a knife into our American ideals.

This was not a cause worth rioting for. Joe Biden won the election, and has since been inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States. Regardless, these insurgents disregarded their health and the health of capitol police officers in the middle of a pandemic to loot and sack our citadel of democracy. Our status in the world has been diminished; no longer can nations look to us as a ?city on a hill,? a beacon of democracy. Now, they see a nation, broken by racial strife, falling apart. The center cannot hold. These acts were legitimized and encouraged by the former President of the United States. He is unfit for office and was impeached and ought to be convicted by the Senate for his ghastly actions. The flag and Constitution of the United States were desecrated last month by the brutal acts agitated by a demagogue. I can only imagine the scene that would have occurred were the majority of protesters a different race or ethnicity.

Nevertheless, we will make it through these trying times through dialogue and honest conversations in our community. Our shared Jesuit values call us to be open and honest. We must listen to our neighbors and our family at the Prep. Though I am only a student, I consider myself well versed in politics and open to discussion and debate. As a co-president of Prep Democrats, I see this as a travesty easily recognizable for people across the political spectrum. We must ensure this never happens again. When the going gets tough we come together. Our democracy is on the brink of crumbling, but still we persevere. God bless these United States of America.

The Hawkeye | Wednesday, February 17, 2021 |

Opinion/Debate | 17

DEBATE: Should Simmons Have Been Dealt Har den?

No! Keep Ben

By L iam Stephens ?21 I am aware of the possibilities. James Harden is a generational talent and a top three scorer of all time. And the Sixers could have had him paired along with a top center having an MVP- caliber season. On paper, the trade of Ben Simmons along with other assets seems like a no- brainer, but there is more to it than that.

For starters, Simmons himself has a very high ceiling.

At 6?10, with the athleticism and playmaking that he was given by God, he has easily proven himself to be one of the best players in the league. His progression since his rookie season may not seem like that of many of the Sixers fans liking, but it is too early to give up on him. His defense since his first season has improved drastically, and he is now displaying the fact that he is a top five defender in the NBA. That type of impact on the defensive side of the floor is crucial. And when you replace him with a player like Harden, who plays half the defense and double the offense, it could create problems.

Simmons has been one of the cornerstones of The Process, and giving him up so quickly would be in part cheapening all

With James Harden, the former Houston Rocket seen above, recently traded to the Brooklyn Nets, did the 76ers make the right move by keeping Ben Simmons on the team, or did they miss an opportunity?

of the losses during the early years that gave the Sixers the number one draft pick in the draft. Him and Joel are one of the best young duos in the NBA and have incredible potential. Flat out, whether you like it or not, he is still a special player.

I realize that James Harden is also a very special player. The one- time MVP and three- time season scoring leader can single handedly take over a game

and most times beat out the best player on the opposing team. He can also on the court lead the team and from the past it seems that he could, with the right surrounding cast, win an NBA championship.

However, his record as a teammate is not great. It seems that every high-level teammate that has encountered Harden has left discouraged. Take for example, [specific example].

Considering his departure situ-

ation in Houston, he could very well be an extremely toxic teammate. And that is not what the Sixers need right now.

Especially in this moment, the Sixers look like they are playing their best basketball in 20 years and are currently first in the Eastern Conference.

There is no need to bring in a player such as Harden, regardless of his talent.

Kris Malitas ?21 backs this

up by saying ?[Joel and Ben] are two young superstars in the league, and playing together should only make them and the Sixers beter as the years go by.?

All of the pain and suffering is finally ending. The Process is finally showing the potential that we have been wishing for.

Ben Simmons is a quality player for the organization. Do not mess it up now.

Yes! Harden was Final Piece

By Alfonso Procaccino '21

dipped significantly; Simmons is averaging career lows in points, assists, and field goal percentage. He is also averaging the most fouls and turnovers per game in his whole career this season.

After analyzing Ben Simmons? performance so far this season (and coming to grips with the fact that the Nets are clearly the team to beat in the East) I personally think that if the Sixers wanted to win it all However, I think part of this this season, then the team can be attributed to the blosshould have soming of traded Sim"Simmons is averaging Tyrese mons for Maxey and career lows in points, Harden.

Shake Milassists, and field goal ton. These I undertwo young percentage. He is also stand that guards conSimmons? averaging the most fouls tinue to outdefense is and turnovers per game in perform Ben something to night after his whole career this marvel at, night, which and his passseason." is causing ing ability Ben?s role to diminish on this helps create good shots for the team. I am seeing more and team?s shooters, but he is lackmore of the Sixers offense being a lot of fundamental skills ing run through Milton and in his offensive game.

Maxey because they can both The most obvious critique of score at will and get points in the 6?10??, first round pick of bunches. Ben is left spotting up 2016 is his shooting ability. in the corner.

Simmons is still a subpar shooter and he is also lacking passion and aggressiveness. He is still not taking enough shots offensively and is becoming lost in the offense.

This year his numbers have

Simmons also is fourth in usage rate among Sixers players behind Maxey, Tobias Harris, and Joel Embiid. ?This is not a good thing especially because Ben is considered the second best player

on this team,? said Michael Procaccino ?23. We are seeing the Sixers not use Simmons as much offensively, mainly because players like Maxey are better scoring options. In the three games he started, Maxey averaged 23 points!

A big argument against the Simmons and Harden trade that fans were making was that losing Simmons' playmaking ability and defense would be a huge detriment to the Sixers.

However, Harden is quite the playmaker himself. Over his last seven seasons he has averaged around eight assists a game, which is the same as Simmons.

counter that with our own firepower. Harden is also one of the greatest scorers of all time and is a former MVP. He could have been our go- to scorer to get points in clutch situations and could have easily contributed 30+ points on any given night.

This trade would have turned the Sixers from being an above average team in the NBA to not only contenders for an NBA Championship, but the favorites to win it all.

?I think James Harden?s offensive game would have made us a better team overall compared to that "The time is now for the of the contributions of Sixers to make a run for the Ben Simtitle, and it will not be mons,? said because of Ben Simmons." Nick Mulvanerty ?21.

On the defensive side of things, yes, the team will be at a loss. However, I value scoring over defense any day of the week in today's NBA. In one of the Sixers first games of the season against the Wizards, Bradley Beal had 60 points alone, and the Sixers had no way of stopping him. The top tier of players in the NBA will always find ways to score, and it is important that we can

This is unfortunately an unlikely reality because Harden now joins Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant on the Nets. However, there is still hope for the Sixers because they are one of the frontrunners to acquire Bradley Beal, a shooting guard from the Wizards who seems to want out of Washington. The

Wizards are not winning games even though Beal consistently puts up big numbers.

Beal?s preferred destination must be a championship contender, because he does not want to waste his best basketball on a team that has no shot at a title anytime soon. The Sixers have been in contact with Beal for a few months now and only time will tell if the team can strike a deal and trade for the silent MVP candidate.

The time is now for the Sixers to make a run for the title, and it will not be because of Ben Simmons. Joel Embiid is officially playing the best basketball of his career and is currently the favorite to win MVP of the NBA. It is only fitting to pair Joel with a deadly shot creator like Beal, so the Sixers can reach their full potential.

Their time is now and I believe they have the next three years to make something special happen with this roster.

Daryl Morey, the 76ers President of Basketball Operations knows this as well and it is only a matter of time before he pulls the trigger and trades away Ben Simmons.

18 | Sports | Wednesday, February 17, 2021 | The Hawkeye

Sports

Eagles Star t Fresh with Sir ianni & Co.

After the firing of Doug Pederson, many names were brought up for the new head coaching position: Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy, Eagles RB coach Duce Staley, and Patriots OC Josh McDaniels, just to name a few. After interviewing just some of the many proposed names, the Birds landed on former Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni.

In Indianapolis, Sirianni coached alongside former Eagles OC Frank Reich, who, in reaction to the Eagles? hiring, said, ?He has a brilliant mind, he is a strong leader, and will relate well to the city and its fanbase.?

Sirianni entered the NFL coaching atmosphere in 2009, serving as the quarterbacks and wide receivers coach over a

(Photo: phillyvoice.com)

Never heard of any of these guys before? That?s okay!

Here?s your guide to getting to know the new leaders of the Philadelphia Eagles.

(Photo: sportingnews.com)

After an extremely disappointing 4- 11- 1 season, the Philadelphia Eagles have hit the reset button on the coaching staff. With the firing of Doug Pederson and Jim Schwartz just two years after the team's first Super Bowl victory, the Birds look to fill the voids with Nick Sirianni, Jonathan Gannon, and Shane Steichen.

(Photo: insidetheiggles.com)

By M atthew Cor r '22

After going from Super Bowl champs in the 2017-18 season to last place in the worst division in football, the Eagles look to begin their rebuilding process through the hires of Indy upstart Nick Sirianni (above left) as their new head coach, Shane Steichen (above middle) as their new OC, and Jonathan Gannon (above right) as their new DC.

four- year stint with Kansas City, and took on a similar role for the next five years with the Chargers. In 2018, Reich hired Sirianni as his OC with the Colts, where they went 28- 20, and earned two playoff berths and one playoff win.

However, much speculation has come with this new head coaching hire because of his lack of play calling. Although Sirianni did not specifically call plays in Indianapolis, he played a major role in developing the playbook week- toweek. Plus, Sirianni?s job in Philly will not be easy. As a first year head coach, he will have to navigate through a heated quarterback predicament, having to decide whether or not he can fix Carson Wentz, or if it is better to continue and develop Jalen Hurts.

However, he will not do so alone. Not long after Sirianni?s hire, the Eagles hired Shane Steichen as their new offensive coordinator. Steichen, who worked with Sirianni in the Chargers organization from 2014- 2017, was named the Chargers OC in 2019. In 2020, the Chargers went just 7-9, led

by NFL Rookie of the Year finalist Justin Herbert at quarterback.

Now, you?re probably saying to yourself, ?Why hire an offensive coordinator that went 7- 9?? Well, the blame should not be put entirely on Steichen.

While coaching under Chargers HC Anthony Lynn, Lynn stressed a strong run game, and with Austin Ekeler missing significant time during the season combined with the worst offensive line according to PFF, the run game proved in-

effective.

What Steichen did best was how he utilized Justin Herbert?s arm strength by stretching the field and letting him throw deep. With the way the Eagles offense is built at the moment, a healthy offense line, a great running back in Miles Sanders, speed on the outside with young receivers, and hopefully a better Carson Wentz or a sophomore season explosion from Jalen Hurts, the Steichen hire could prove to be a significant upgrade.

Steichen isn?t the only new Eagles coach with experience with Sirianni, as former Colts defensive backs coach Jonathan Gannon was also hired by the Eagles as the new defensive coordinator.

This past season marked Gannon?s 9th year as a defen-

sive coach in the NFL. Over this nine-year period, he served different defensive roles with the Falcons, Titans, Vikings, and Colts. Since Gannon only served as a positions coach, there?s no telling what type of defense he will implement with the Eagles. But when it comes to looking at his previous success, the Colts secondary ranked 4th in the NFL, compared to the Eagles 20th. This means that although it may be his first season as defensive coordinator, fans are expecting big things from the new hire.

Even with these new coach hirings, the Eagles are far from ready to contend for a championship. But bringing in new faces could be a step in the right direction on their way to reclaiming the Lombardi Trophy.

Realmuto Re-signs: Phils' Fans Rej oice

By K ier an Dougher ty ?21

ginning of the season, the fans made sure it was by the final game. Throughout the abbreviated 60- game season, a group called the Phandemic Krew, who would stand at the center field gates for every home Phillies game, began hanging signs that read "#SignJT."

However, with all of these changes, one constant remained. Since the 2020 season?s Opening Day in July, #SignJT signs could be seen up and down Citizens Bank Way, just outside the center field gates, even though fans couldn?t go in to watch the game. The hashtag is, of course, in reference to Phillies All- Star catcher, and arguably the best catcher in baseball, JT Realmuto.

Realmuto made his debut in Miami in 2014 and stayed a member of the Marlins until he was traded to the Phillies in February 2019 as a package deal to land then-free agent and mega-superstar Bryce Harper.

(Photo: Bryce Harper | I nstagram)

Throughout the entire 2020 season and the first few months of the 2020-21 offseason, many changes have taken place in the Phillies organization. A new manager hired. A GM fired. An experienced former World Series Champion in Dave Dombrowski brought in as president of baseball operations.

After the news broke, Phils' fans salivated over JT Realmuto (left) and Bryce Harper (right) playing together for the next 5 seasons.

In his one real season and one coronavirus season with the Phillies, Realmuto has exceeded all expectations. With a batting average of .273, 36 home runs, 115 RBIs and 48 thrown out base runners in only 192 games, Realmuto became an integral part of this Phillies team.

The 2020 season was the final year of Realmuto?s contract

and with his emergence as the best catcher in baseball (or BCIB as the Phillies? social media profiles tend to call him), he became a top free agent target, joining the likes of Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer and World Series Champion George Springer.

If signing JT to a new contract wasn?t on the top of the Phillies priority list at the be-

The hashtag soon gained traction among the entire fanbase and quickly became a popular movement. Everywhere in Philadelphia #SignJT signs could be seen. Phans of Philly, a Philly sports fan group, even rented a mobile digital billboard to be placed in front of Citizens Bank Park that said, ?SIGN REALMUTO! It would be terrible and sad if we didn?t.?

Just like in 2019, when the Phillies seemed to listen to fans preferring Bryce Harper over Manny Machado, the Phillies did what their fans asked and got the deal done with Realmuto. On January 26, Realmuto and the Phillies agreed to a 5 year, $115.5 million dollar contract with a $23.1 million AAV, or annual average value,

which is the highest any catcher has ever received. This contract was not what Realmuto initially wanted, (Realmuto would have preferred a 7 year, $200+ million contract), but thankfully for the Phillies, Realmuto decided to sign anyway. Realmuto made his signing official with an Instagram post, where he said, ?I?m coming home! ? I can?t wait to get out there with my teammates and go battle for this city ?

Let?s get to work.?

With Realmuto's signing, the Phillies then moved their focus to resigning shortstop Didi Gregorius and acquiring additional bullpen help to go along with recently signed reliever Archie Bradley.

The Realmuto signing will be a big part of the Phillies success this upcoming season, but Dombrowski and the rest of the front office still have a long way to go until they can assemble a team that can resemble the level of success of the late 2000s and early 2010s Phillies.

The Hawkeye | Wednesday, February 17, 2021 |

Sports | 19

Flyer s L ook to Soar to the Stanley Cup bad news is that they lost their top line center, Sean Couturier, and a top pair defenseman in Phil Myers. Both of those losses have been especially visible this season, as the Flyers? defense and special teams have both declined.

By Anthony Salvato ?23 Going into the playoff bubble for the 2019- 2020 NHL season, the Philadelphia Flyers were just clinging on to a top spot as the fourth seed in the East.

But after an impressive round- robin performance, the Flyers found themselves reseeded as the #1 seed in the East. In the first round, they continued their dominance from the regular season with a thrilling series win against the Montreal Canadiens in six games. Although the Canadiens entered as the 12th seed in the East, they had the Flyers a few times on their heels during the series due to their young talent excelling. However, despite Montreal?s surprising play, the Flyers were able to hold on, with the team defense and special teams at an all-time high.

The Flyers went on to play the New York Islanders next and ultimately lost the series in seven games. After going down 3- 1 in the series, the Flyers started to mount a storybook comeback and received another jolt of energy after Oskar Lindblom, who had not played most of the season after

Yet the most concerning issue is that their franchise goaltender, Carter Hart, has let in 30 goals in 9 games for an average of 3.3 goals per game.

This is a noticeable dip from his playoff performance, as he sported a 9-5 record while also posting a .926 save percentage and 2 shutouts all while facing about 29 shots a game last season.

After surviving a cancer diagnosis and helping the Flyers win Game 6 against the Islanders last season in the playoffs, Oskar Lindblom (above) looks to bring the Flyers their first championship in 46 years.

a cancer diagnosis in December, returned to play for Game 6. Both Games 5 and 6 were decided by overtime winners.

While the Flyers may have had the momentum going into Game 7, they certainly lacked energy. They came out flat in Game 7 and were shutout 4-0.

While they may have gone out with a whimper last season, the future looks much brighter for the Flyers this year, as they kicked off the season by taking back to back games against a longtime rival, the Pittsburgh Penguins. They then went on to split a two game series against the Buffalo Sabres and

lost both games to Boston.

The Flyers now stand at 8-32 and have plenty of questions heading into the rest of the season. The good news is that the Flyers did get Oskar Lindblom and the return of their second overall pick in 2017, Nolan Patrick. However, the

The fact is that a healthy Flyers team can and will only play their best hockey if Carter Hart is on top of his game.

Philadelphia has waited years for a true franchise goalie, and in order to actualize that goal for the city, Hart needs to prove that he is, in fact, the missing piece to this championship caliber team. Without him, the Flyers will not go very far into the postseason, and those two Stanley Cup championships from 1974 and 1975 will continue to collect dust.

I ndoor Tr ack M oves Outdoor s their races. In some of the other meets they will be attending, the athletes will have to race outdoors in what are referred to as ?polar bear meets? at La Salle primarily.

The benefit to these polar bear meets is that athletes will not have to wear masks during competition. But while that is a plus, both of these options are still not ideal. ?I don't expect to run an amazing mile time with a mask on, but I understand the necessity of wearing it during the indoor meets,? said co- captain Will Guckin ?21. ?As for the polar bear meets, we practice outside in the cold all the time.

The cold will be nothing new, and I think we will be able to adapt.?

Despite the future of their season remaining uncertain, the Prep's indoor track team remains all smiles through their masks, with Lawson Miller '24 (above left), Joseph Magnotta '22 (above left middle), Harry Kane III '24 (above left center), Daniel Hoban '23 (above right center), Coach Pohlig '02 (above right middle), and Assistant Coach and Associate Minister for Liturgy Mark Dushel (above right) posing during one of their outdoor meets.

By Conor Flaher ty ?24 COVID- 19 had an overall negative effect on sports, with some teams having to change how they practice to others being unable to practice at all.

One sport that has been successfully navigating these difficult times, despite the limitations, is indoor track.

While indoor track?s cousin, cross country, has thrived during this pandemic, that can be attributed to the fact that cross country already practices outside, thus making social distancing guidelines much easier to follow. In order to somehow salvage their season, the Prep?s indoor track team has been

forced to also practice outside.

New challenges have arisen that the indoor track team now has to face. The main concern arises from the weather because as it gets colder, being able to practice outside becomes more difficult. But this hasn?t stopped the team yet, as practices have run accordingly

along with some meets planned in the future.

Even though practices are going smoothly for the team, the real trouble begins at the meets. The track team plans to attend several meets at Glen Mills, where athletes will be running indoors and be required to wear masks during

?Practices have been challenging because I've been training with the hybrid model,? said Coach Cockenberg ?71. I try to separate the two groups as much as I can to minimize the potential for an outbreak. We want to train outside to minimize the risk of spreading the inconvenience because the hardship of training outside is still better than a potential spread of the virus.?

Despite all the complications and the issues that have arisen from the pandemic, the indoor track team has been able to push through, and will hopefully have another great season.

20 | Sports | Wednesday, February 17, 2021 | The Hawkeye

?Even from the time D?Andre was a freshman, he was already dominating and I knew he would be great,? said Dan Avington ?18, a former member of WSJP who covered Swift during his time at the Prep. ?One moment that I?ll never forget from ?Dre? was the season opener of his senior year, when he torched Oaks Christian on a screen pass on the very first play of the game, where you could tell he was on another level.?

With D?Andre Swift beginning his pro career in Detroit, John Reid ?15, a red shirt cornerback from Penn State, was selected as the 141st

Completing the trio of Prep grads joining the NFL in 2020 was Jon Runyan Jr. ?15 being selected by the Green Bay Packers as the 192nd pick.

Runyan Jr. looked to improve an already astounding Packers?

O-line, but he struggled to get playing time. While seeing action in all 16 regular season games in some form, in only two games did he play in more than 40% of the Packers? offensive snaps.

But while this season may be marked as a disaster by some pessimists, one will find that Runyan Jr. did shine when given the opportunity. When offensive tackle David Bakhtiari was out with a chest injury ahead of a Thursday Night Football clash with the 49ers in Week 9, Runyan Jr.

Runyan Jr. provided the jolt that the Hawks needed, as he had a huge sack against Pittsburgh Central Catholic?s QB for a 16 yard loss on third down, causing a three-and-out that gave the Prep a chance to make a comeback. The Hawks would then go on to score 28 unanswered points against PCC, giving them their first state championship of the decade, which then led to the beginning of their eventual dynasty. ?I would just like to personally thank all of my teachers from the Prep for sticking with me even though I was not the easiest student and believing in me at times when I didn?t believe in myself. They all had a profound impact on me as a student and man,? said the Packer offensive lineman. ?From day one of being at the Prep, I was taught how to work and compete the right way. I was taught how to

(Photo: texanswire.usatoday.com) (Photo: madison.com)

A perfect example of Runyan Jr.?s versatility was in the state championship in 2013 during his junior year. The Prep found themselves down 10-7 to Pittsburgh Central Catholic at halftime, and with PCC getting the ball in the second half, they needed a spark on defense.

After Jon Runyan Jr. '15 (above left and right) proved himself on both sides of the trenches in his high school days, the question still loomed if he was ready for the NFL. Runyan Jr. answered that question resoundingly for the Packers when he filled in starting tackle David Bakhtiari's role and aided the Packers in their win over the 49ers in Week 9.

discipline myself. The values that I was taught from my coaches and teachers at the Prep are still with me today and have shaped me into the man I am now on and off the field. Attending the Prep and being a part of the football program was one of the hardest things I?ve ever done, but I am so glad that I was able to be a part of such a prestigious institution,? said Runyan Jr. A rookie season for an NFL player is a challenge. A new

environment, more complex playbooks, bigger and faster plays, demanding coaches and fans -- add in a worldwide pandemic, and the challenge is almost impossible to imagine.

For D?Andre Swift, John Reid, and Jon Runyan Jr., one can be sure that their Prep experience has been a big help in weathering this storm.

(Photo: 247sports.com)

When Swift arrived at the Prep as a freshman in 2013, he also had a lot to prove.

However, then-head coach Gabe Infante trusted the 14-year-old with the keys to the rushing game. Infante?s faith in Swift was later rewarded with Swift?s best performance that season in the state championship, with 68 rushing yards and a touchdown that sealed a 4A State title for the Hawks.

?The memory that I recall most vividly about John was around the 2014 state championship game,? said Simon Williams ?15, another WSJP alum. ?He had gotten injured the game before, but the consensus was that John was going to play. On game day, John was fully dressed but didn?t see a single snap on the field. That move was a little trickery on the coaches? part, but it spoke to how dangerous John was as a two-way player.?

When John Reid '15 (above left and right) was terrorizing opposing PCL QBs as a Hawk, many thought he was poised for an explosive NFL rookie season.

While it didn't go as planned, Reid still was able to gain valuable experience, as he was assigned with the task of guarding top Chiefs WR Sammy Watkins (middle) in his first ever NFL game.

(Photo: onwardstate.com)

Both of these games are evidence that Swift is getting opportunities to thrive in Detroit in spite of his struggles.

Oddly enough, this current situation parallels Swift's early days as a member of the Hawks?football program.

While at the Prep, Reid was a two-way threat, playing both receiver and cornerback.

However, it was during the 2013 season, his junior year, that he made his presence seriously felt on the Hawks roster.

Reid had four interceptions as a DB, and also managed to lead the team in receiving yards, which was impressive considering the fact that he exceeded the yardage total of Olamide Zaccheaus ?14, now a receiver for the Atlanta Falcons.

While at the Prep, the son of former Philadelphia Eagle Jon Runyan Sr. worked hard at his craft to uphold the family legacy, and met adversity head on. During his freshman season in 2011, it was a struggle for Runyan Jr. to get starting minutes. For Coach Infante, it was a leap of faith to give the young lineman the starting job at right tackle. But, by his junior year, Runyan Jr. underwent a metamorphosis, turning from a solid player into an absolute nightmare in the trenches for opposing teams.

He was not only a terror on the O-line, but was also getting a chance to showcase his skills on the D-line.

After humble beginnings as a Prep Hawk leading his team to three PIAA State Championships, D'Andre Swift '17 (above left and middle) delivered some promising plays in his rookie NFL season, including a 100+ yard rushing game with two touchdowns against the Jaguars and linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson (above right) in Week 6.

(Photo: inquirer.com)

Swift not only did exactly that, but also had a rookie campaign that displayed signs of enormous potential. After an unfortunate game-winning TD drop in the end zone in Week 1, he battled back with his best performance of the season in Week 6 against the Jaguars, breaking 100 rushing yards and scoring two touchdowns. Swift also managed to average five yards per carry and accumulate 70 receiving yards and a TD against a defensively stacked Washington squad.

?I think I really exceeded my personal expectations for my rookie year,? Runyan Jr. ?15 told The Hawkeye. ?Being a late round draft pick, I had my mind set on just earning a roster spot. Fast forward to the end of the season, I accomplished all my personal goals, saw extended playing time in some games, and contributed to every game in some capacity.?

(Photo: hudl.com)

After being drafted into the NFL with the 35th pick, it was time for Prep alumnus D?Andre Swift ?17 to try and provide a boost to the Detroit Lions. Swift?s job coming into 2020 was to give the Lions a viable rushing attack after an abysmal 3-12-1 record last year.

But Reid also had a gleaming bright spot. The Texans faced an already daunting task to open their season on the road against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, but add on an incredibly depleted secondary, and the challenge seemed practically insurmountable.

Despite a 34-20 loss to the Chiefs, Reid, in his first ever NFL game, still tied his teammates for the most tackles against one of the most explosive offensive teams ever.

helped give QB Aaron Rodgers solid protection in the pocket that allowed the Packers to triumph with a 34-17 victory.

Runyan Jr. also filled Bakhtiari?s role again when he was out in Week 11, and even filled starting center Corey Linsley?s role against the division rival Chicago Bears in Week 13.

(Photo: tedsilary.com)

This past year?s NFL season was a strange one to say the least. We witnessed empty stadiums, a Denver Broncos team left without one serviceable QB due to COVID, games taking place on Wednesday afternoons, and many more oddities. But arguably the most unique aspect of the 2020-21 NFL season was the abundance of NFL rookies that also happened to be Prep graduates.

pick in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. Like Swift with the Lions, Reid found himself playing for a franchise that has yet to win a Super Bowl. But while Swift was scoring touchdowns, Reid saw limited action, playing in less than 50% of the Texans defensive snaps, and suffering a neck injury that sidelined him for two weeks in December.

(Photo: pennlive.com)

By Stephen Cain ?22

(Photo: clickondetroit.com)

For mer Prep Hawks Take Flight in Fir st NFL Season