Volume 109 Issue 06

AWA R D-W INNING CENTR A LR ECOR DER .COM Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Central Connecticut State University

Volume 109 No.6

Blue Devils Go Back And Forth

rAchAEl bEntlEy | thE rEcOrdEr

Emily Cochran attacks ball from outside court at this weekend’s volleyball game.

NEWS:

New English Course For Spring Semester

Page 3 UPGRADE:

Dada Life Comes To Hartford

Page 8

SPORTS:

Golf Team Displays Confidence

Page 10

Yale Professor Discusses Maya 2012 AcAdiA OtlOWski the recorder

According to Dr. Oswaldo Chinchilla, a Yale University professor, the Mayans actually believe that the world will end December 21, 2012.

A lecture dedicated to debunking the myths and rumors about Maya 2012 was held last Thursday in Vance 105 at CCSU. Chinchilla said he was hesitant to lean either way on the issue of the world ending this December. His lecture gave the history of the Mayan and Aztec legends and predictions that have inspired the current cultural phenomena.

Chinchilla hedged around answering the question, giving no personal opinion.

According to Chinchilla, there is a distinct lack of evidence to conclude anything definitive.

“The hieroglyphic text we have for the Maya is very brief,” said Chinchilla. “They don’t give much detail, so there is no reason to think that we know everything they thought.

That is why I’m saying, they might have thought that.”

Chinchilla explained to the audience that the world is supposed to end at the conclusion of the 13th baktun. A baktun is equivalent to approximately 394 years. It is at the end of the 13th baktun that the Mayan calendar ends.

In the modern world, such an end may seem like nothing. But to the Mayans, said Chinchilla, this was significant.

“I think that the end of 13 Baktuns was such a critical moment in time that they probably would have thought that the world might end,” said Chinchilla.

Chinchilla said that the world has ended many times in ancient lore. In all of these catastrophes, there were a few survivors that went on to be reborn as several different animals.

“So it could be that the world ends on the 21st and starts again on the 22nd?” asked Professor Mary Ann Mahony, history professor and coordinator of Latin American studies.

“If there were such a cataclysm, I don’t think the next day would be fine. We might turn into fish or monkeys; that may happen,” joked Chinchilla.

Several members of the audience were skeptical.

Krystal Lentini, a young woman in the

crowd, said that Chinchilla was not taking the Mayan predictions seriously.

“The inscription that they have was dated back thousands of year, that their ancestors basically preserved,” said Lentini. “Obviously they are special, since it was something that their ancestors maintained, kept throughout the years.”

Lentini said she was frustrated by the answers given to her by Chinchilla.

“He didn’t know what he was talking about,” said Lentini after the lecture.

The next lecture will be held on Oct. 16,in the Marcus White Living Room. The lecture will feature Dr. Abigail Adams, Professor of Anthropology at CCSU.

AcAdiA OtlOWski | thE rEcOrdEr

Yale University professor Dr. Oswaldo Chincilla speaks at Vance 105 on Maya 2012.

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NEWS

THE RECORDER

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Senate Passes Finance Committee Recommendations Joe Suszczynski The Recorder

Erin ODONNELL I The Recorder

Senator Ryan Baldassario speaks in favor of an allocation.

The Student Government Association passed three recommendations made by the Finance Committee at its last meeting.

It was first motioned to pass FC13-010 and FC13-011. FC13010 was a motion to set a standing rule for the 2012-2013 academic year stating that new club budgets can’t exceed $500. FC13-011 was to set a standing rule for the 20122013 academic year stating that the new club budget restrictions also apply for all clubs who did not apply for a base budget in the spring of 2012.

Senator Kory Mills spoke in favor of the motion. In regards to FC13-010 Mills said that it was an “implied rule” that the Finance Committee had to begin with.

“Just making it a standing rule is something that would help us keep this precedence all year. It’s not like we’re telling them you have

Erin Odonnell I The recorder

Senator Bobby Berriault spoke to the senate about Memorial Hall hours.

to stick to 500 dollars all year,” said Mills. “As for the second motion, it’s for clubs that don’t submit a base budget the year before. We do this anyways already so now we just can’t change our minds and everything is more fair to the clubs.”

Senator Kim Towler spoke in opposition. Towler said that if there’s a club that needs to spend more than $500 then they should be able to get it.

The motion was then passed.

The Senate then moved on to motion FC13-009. The motion was to allocate $500 to the Design Club to their “Entertainment and Exhibitions” line item, which would go towards their fashion show.

Senator Ryan Baldassario spoke for the motion. Baldassario said that they needed the money to fund their main event.

No one spoke in opposition and the motion was then voted on and passed unanimously.

Erin Odonnell | the recorder

Clarifications: Arrest Log In a previous issue of The Recorder, we published an arrest log for the week of Sept.

07 through Sept. 14.

Under the log, we reported that Katie Dyden, 20, was arrested for operating a motor vehicle while using a handheld mobile device on Sept. 9.

It should be clarified that Dyden was not physically taken into custody, and did not leave her car.

Our publication informs CCSU of the arrests or citations that are distributed to us by the CCSU Police Department. In the detailed descriptions, it does not specify the procedures after the citation or whether the individual was put into custody.

This principle has applied and will apply to all of the arrest logs that The Recorder has published in recent issues and those to follow.

Follow @RecorderSGA for Live Tweeting Of The Senate Meetings

Senator Kim Towler spoke in opposition of a motion to the senate.

FINISH IN

FOUR

Have you had your TLC (The Learning Center) yet?

Students who seek academic help have higher GPAs!

IRC Welcomes The New Season Amanda Webster The Recorder

FINISH

Now that Fall is in full swing and the month of October has begun, IRC discussed upcoming events for residential students to participate in that reflect the season, specifically Fall Fest.

Fall Fest was a main topic during the IRC meeting last Tuesday and President Ian Mangione had each hall go over what they have planned for the day.

Fall Fest will be held this Friday on Vance lawn at 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. and each residence hall will have fallthemed activities for students to participate in. The activities range from a hygienic version of bobbing for apples to pumpkin decorating.

The committee has already allocated $5,925 for the event.

“Fall Fest. Be there. 11 a.m.

Tell your residents,” stated Mangione.

Later on in the meeting Mangione also informed the committee that he met with the Director of RESlife, Jean Alicandro, and Facilities Management Liaison for RESlife, Fred Bonvicini, about the possibility of new basketball

courts on campus and a sand volleyball court as well.

According to Mangione, Bonvicini said that no IRC money would be spent in the construction of either recreational court; all the money spent would come from Bonvicini’s department.

“We have a lot of money so tell me how to spend it the right way,” said Mangione.

“Especially in terms of the basketball court and in terms of the sand volleyball court. If you want to make that a reality we have to talk about it.”

During open floor Mangione asked the council if they would want Bonvicini to make an appearance during an upcoming meeting in order for students to give their input in what they want done around campus. The council said that they thought it would be a good idea and Mangione said that he would try and plan for Bonvicini and Alicandro to come in at a later date.

IRC will also be appointing a new secretary following the resignation of Kayleigh Marler. The position is to be filled immediately and will be considered a temporary position until next semester.

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THE RECORDER / Wednesday, October 3, 2012 / NEWS

The Recorder

Student Center 1615 Stanley Street New Britain, CT 06050 T 860.832.3744 editor@centralrecorder.com centralrecorder.com twitter.com/therecorder Editor-in-Chief Kassondra Granata kgranata@centralrecorder.com

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Managing Editor Sports Editor Justin Muszynski Matt Aveni jmuszynski@centralrecorder.com sportsed@centralrecorder.com

Upgrade Danny Contreras Irene Yukash, Assistant upgrade@centralrecorder.com Copy Editor T.J Coane Photographers: Erin O’Donnell Staff Members Brittany Burke Acadia Otlowski Alyssa Pattison Corey Pollnow Morgan Skovich Joe Suszczynski Derek Turner

About The Recorder is a student-produced publication of Central Connecticut State University and does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of CCSU’s administrators, faculty or students. The Recorder articles, photographs and graphics are property of The Recorder and may not be reproduced or published without the written permission from the Editorin-Chief. T he pur pose of T he Recorder is to approach and def ine issues of impor tance to the students of Central Connecticut State Universit y.

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Library Offers Kindle Rentals Students Can Now Utilize Kindle e-readers Up To A Week Alyssa Pattison The Recorder

This fall, four new Kindle e-readers are available to rent at the Elihu Burritt Library for matriculated part- and full-time students and faculty.

The fourth generation black and white ink display e-readers are pre-loaded with over 80 books from The New York Times bestsellers to non-fiction reads. Jane Austen, the Dalai Lama and Mark Twain are an example of authors who can be found on the pre-downloaded list of titles, along with others like E.L. James (for you 50 Shades fans out there). The e-readers do not allow downloading of new material and textbooks are not included.

Library staff are eager to spread the word about the new Kindles and were excited to offer information about the devices, along with a short tutorial. Currently, only a few people know about the option to borrow a Kindle through the school library.

The devices can be borrowed for seven days, and may be renewed for an additional seven days. Kindles may be checked out for a maximum of two weeks and cannot be reserved due to a first come, first serve basis. A $10.00 per day fine can be expected for overdue returns, maxing out at $100.00.

Students and faculty with a history of lost or damaged books are not eligible to rent.

Kindles should be returned to staff at the circulation desk as opposed to the book drop where they may become damaged by heavy textbooks. Students who leave Kindles in the book drop will be billed a $25.00 fee.

Upon returning, Kindles will be

inspected for the four key items: The Kindle, USB cord, power adapter and case. If any pieces are not returned, the renter will be billed accordingly, which will include replacement cost as well as a non-refundable processing fee of $25.00.

In the event of damaged equipment, staff will determine if the damage is the result of normal wear and tear. It is not suggested that renters attempt to repair, adjust or alter the e-reader in any way.

While the Kindle e-reader is user-friendly for even the least tech-savvy readers, library staff are available for any questions about the devices and are excited to spread the word about their new addition.

A similar program for Netbook rentals is expected for the future. To check out the fourth generation Kindle e-reader for yourself, visit the circulation desk on the first floor of the library with your Blue Chip card ready to go.

Photo | Amazon.com

The Kindle can be used by part- and full- time students and faculty.

Photo | Amazon.com

New English Course For Spring Semester Jazzya Rivera

Special To The Recorder

Central Connecticut State University’s English Department revised its curriculum by introducing a new course, English 398, that will be offered starting the Spring 2013 semester.

Any CCSU students who declared English as their major at the start of the Fall 2012 semester fall under the new curriculum.

Students seeking a Bachelor of Arts in English or a Bachelor of Science in English, Secondary Education will be required to take and pass the English 398 course with the grade of a C- or higher.

“The English 398 course will be piggybacking,” said Dr. Stephen Cohen, professor and Chair of the English Department at CCSU. Essentially, the material learned in English 298 will be applied and expanded upon in the English 398 course.

The work load for both students and the professors as well as the crammed amount of material in

English 298 spiked the English movement in creating the English 398 course.

“It’s a matter of pedagogy,” said Dr. Cohen. “If you try to teach too much you don’t teach it as well or as thoroughly and we weren’t able to give the class time or the outof-class time to all the things we wanted to cover in a single three hour class.”

English 298 will now serve as a prerequisite for all 300-level English courses. Students will be introduced to the literary genres, learn close reading skills, how to examine primary sources and develop critical arguments. All 300-level courses will then practice the skills learned in the 298 course.

English 398, on the other hand, will serve as a prerequisite for all 400-level courses. Students will learn how to incorporate secondary material into their own critical arguments. The 400-level courses will then practice and emphasize the use of secondary material.

The English Department and

faculty say the inclusion of the new English 398 course and revision of the University’s english curriculum will be beneficial to students and their progression throughout the English Major.

Dr. Mary Anne Nunn, english professor at CCSU, spoke enthusiastically about the new curriculum.

“I think it’s a great design; it is very much to the advantage of the student,” said Nunn. “I really believe in 298. I think it’s a really valuable course and I’m very excited about 398. I think it’s going to prove to be a very valuable course.”

While professors at the University are excited about the new English curriculum, students are a bit more reluctant due to misleading rumors lingering and a lack of knowledge regarding the changes made.

Evan Tingey, English Major and senior at CCSU, expressed his conflicting feelings regarding the change in curriculum.

“I’m torn. On the one hand, I would have been upset if this applied to me and I had to take 398 to graduate considering I got a majority of the content of that class in 298,” said Tingey. “On the other hand, I feel as if that content was rushed and kind of thrown in at the end and superficial. From what I’ve heard, the GRE’s for English are heavily based on theory and criticism, something that I only received basic instruction on.

So, for new students declaring themselves English Majors, it’s

probably for the best.”

Students are also concerned that the addition of English 398 will mean an overall increase in the credits required to complete a B.A. or a B.S. in English. The English Major remains the same size in terms of credits.

The English 398 course will count towards the upper-division course requirement that English Majors have already been fulfilling with other various 300 and 400-level English electives.

Not the normal minimum wage job, check out www.greatcollegejob.com

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, October 3, 2012, 2012 / NEWS

Jazzman’s Hosts Jazz Concert Erin O’Donnell The Recorder

The Elihu Burritt Library played host to the Jazz and Jazzman’s show held on the second floor balcony last Tuesday.

The outdoor location allowed for the smooth jazz sound to travel across campus for all to hear.

The group opened up with “Recordame” by Joe Henderson, a classic jazz tune that is as sophisticated as it is charming.

Students listened to the music, softly chatted and happily applauded the musicians at the proper moments. Many were welcomed to come and enjoy the music, and a free cup of joe from Jazzman’s café. Judging by the turnout, most seemed to agree that there aren’t many things better than smooth jazz and a free cup of coffee on a beautiful autumn day.

The event started at 3:15pm and lasted about 45 minutes. It was a delightful break for students from all the stress that homework and exams bring. The atmosphere around the music was light and pleasant, as the musicians were excellent at their craft.

Instruments that were utilized by the band included: saxophone, cello, drums, guitar, trumpet and piano. The combination of those sounds were married together in harmony. The rhythmic beat of the drums provided a low and vibrant sound, as well as other instruments that provided a beat. The saxophone solos were perfectly placed on top of the beat and added just the right amount of pizazz. Students tapped their fingers and nodded to the beat of the music while sipping on their coffees.

Marisa Sullivan, a student who attended the concert, said that it was a truly enjoyable experience.

“The rhythm section was solid and the tunes they played were great,” said Sullivan.

Nuff Allen, who also came to view the show, said that the group of jazz musicians were the best around.

“They are the most talented group of people here at CCSU,” Allen said.

The concluding tune was “Four” by Miles Davis, the perfect end to the show. This original and timeless groove really got the students listening and drumming their feet.

Joe Proud, a saxophone player for the group, said he enjoyed participating in the event.

“It really was a lot of fun, and a great spot on campus to play music,” said Proud.

The two saxaphone players perform at the balcony at the library.

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Erin Odonnell | THE RECORDER

Erin Odonnell | THE RECORDER

The jazz band played songs such as “Recordame,” and students were provided free coffee from Jazzman’s café.

OPINION

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THE RECORDER Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Broadcast Journalists Aren’t At Fault Broadcasting live breaking news is a very sensitive task. On one hand, a news organization is doing its job by showing the public all that there is to see at the site of a story. On the other, you’re always at risk to air something horrendous when you don’t adopt some sort of delay on the news feed.

For the most part, live news is generally accepted as the standard form for broadcast when something breaking happens.

Occasionally, though, a news organization comes under fire for something that isn’t necessarily its fault.

The most recent case like this came last week when Fox News was following a car chase in which Jodon Romero, the driver of the car, exited the vehicle and began running aimlessly off the road path. Fox News host Shep Smith commentated as Romero made it clear that he was about to harm himself.

Smith called to the production team to cut the feed, but Romero’s suicide was shown for all the viewers to see.

It was an obvious misstep by Fox News, but it was a mistake that is going to happen from time to time as long as news is broadcasted live. It is just the price you pay for viewing things in real-time. Every now and then something like this will happen.

The only reason that this was such a big issue that has drawn Fox so much scrutiny was because it involved a suicide.

Sometimes disturbing things are part of the news and whether or not everyone agrees that they be shown, under the First Amendment, Fox had every right to broadcast it. It is also important to remember that Fox did apologize for the incident afterwards. Instead of standing by what happened it did admit that it was

not the network’s intent to show Romero’s suicide. The network labeled what happened as “severe human error.” This is just a fact of life in the news industry. It just so happens that in broadcast you only get a split second sometimes to decide whether or not to cut away.

This is a burden that the print side of journalism does not have to deal with on the same level that the broadcast side does.

Tough decisions need to be made, but are more carefully planned and thought out in print. Multiple people voice their perspectives about difficult issues that a newspaper faces when deciding if it is ethical to run something controversial.

Broadcasts news is not allowed this luxury and the public needs to understand that real news can sometimes carry depressing images. When the Twin Towers

in New York City were attacked on Sept.

11, 2001, there weren’t masses of people criticizing the networks that aired the burning buildings despite inadvertently showing some victims plunge to their death rather than burning alive at the top of the building.

News happens everywhere at all hours of the day and in the bat of an eyelash it can change from a standard car chase to a suicide that is accidentally broadcasted.

There was no gross negligence on the part of Fox. What occurred could have happened to any media organization.

Networks should certainly do everything they can to avoid mishaps like the one that happened to Fox, but when a media outlet is serving the public by bringing it the news day-in and day-out, it deserves some slack when it commits an error like this.

Drinking Age Should Be Upheld Justin Muszynski The Recorder

Editor’s Column: ‘Apple Picking’ Sweeping The Nation KAssondra Granata The Recorder

Apple released their newest product the iPhone 5, on Sept. 21, selling up to 5 million units throughout the first three days of its availability. Just like the iPhone 4S, the iPhone 5 starts at $199 for the 16GB model, $299 for the 34GB model, and $399 for the 64GB prototype.

According to many different media outlets, the new product has created an app store “boom,” being the fastest selling iPhone in history.

Alongside the increase of sales of Apple products, the toll of theft, termed as “apple picking,” has skyrocketed in the past year.

According to the Huffington Post, Apple thefts have soared to 40 percent. In The New York Post, an article estimated that Apple crime has jumped 55 percent.

NYPD announced that more than 11,400 Apple gadgets have been stolen this year. Around New York City, stationed officers were placed outside 21 different stores to assist buyers in registering their devices when they purchased the iPhone 5. Paul Browne, a spokesman for the department, said that about 1,500 phones were registered on the first day.

According to Apple Insider, Applerelated thefts have succeeded other crimes

in New York City such as murder, rape and robbery. Because of this, “Anti-Apple Picking” campaigns have spread across the nation to heighten the monitoring of these thefts.

Apple should deliberate on how expensive their products are as an underlying reason to why these “iCrimes” exist. Browne said that there has been a rise of 3,280 Apple thefts during 2011.

There must be a pattern. As Apple products continue to expand, so does their prices.

More customers cannot afford them, so stealing is their next option.

The mania of consumers and Apple products has always been a fascination of mine. Every time a new product is put on the market, headlines of different news avenues have something to say about its popularity. What is hard to comprehend is why owning an Apple product is so prevalent?

As a disclaimer, I currently do use a MacBook Air for work-related purposes that was bought and paid for by The Recorder. I do agree that it is a high quality device with many different perks.

However, I would not waste my time standing outside of an Apple store rain or shine to be one of the first ones to purchase a product, nor do I deem it eminent enough to join in this latest trend.

www.centralrecorder.com

One of the oldest and most used arguments in favor of lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18 is that a person can die while serving their country in the military, but they cannot buy an alcoholic drink. This argument has become somewhat cliché, but in its defense it is valid.

It would be absolutely ludicrous to compare something like consuming an alcoholic beverage to death; the two aren’t even in the same stratosphere. There is an obvious inconsistency here.

So why doesn’t the government lower the drinking age?

According to www.teenalcoholabuse. us, about 5,000 teenagers a year die in an alcohol-related death in America.

Furthermore, car accidents are the leading cause of teen deaths and anywhere from one-third to a half of those are alcohol related.

With all of those teenage fatalities occurring each year all while they cannot legally purchase alcohol, how can the government justify lowering the drinking age and making alcohol even more accessible? Teenagers will always find a way to get drinks. There is no way to stop that.

But we can’t in good conscience make it easier for them by reducing the drinking age knowing about all the increased risks that they are prone to.

But that still leaves us with a conundrum.

How can we justify sending 18, 19 and

20-year-olds overseas to serve in the military while denying them the basic right to enjoy a beer? The answer is we can’t and we shouldn’t.

The solution to this longstanding debate is to raise the age that one can serve in the military. You shouldn’t be forced into fighting in a war by being drafted without every other right that Americanst hat are just a few years older have.

An 18-year-old isn’t ready to fight a war.

At 18 you’ve just graduated high school.

You’re basically going from a world that puts a greater emphasis on your social status more than anything else to a place where you’re literally fighting to survive.

Remember back to when you were 18.

Some of us went to college and others went into the workforce immediately. Whatever you did at that age is irrelevant. But now try to imagine yourself in the Middle East with an automatic weapon worrying about stepping on a landmine.

No one should be expected to have to deal with the types of worries that someone serving in the military has to, but to overcome these at 18 or 19, sometimes unwillingly, is simply too grueling and an unfair request.

It’s too risky to lower the drinking age in this country from 21 to 18. The way high school drinking is we would likely see an upsurge in teenage deaths. But at the same time, kids shouldn’t have to cope with the burden of possibly being drafted into the military, however unlikely that it is, without the privileges of being an adult.

Follow The Recorder on Twitter @TheRecorder for breaking news multimedia and live tweeting @RecorderSports FOR LIVE TWEETS DURING GAMES

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THE RECORDER / Wednesday, October 3, 2012 / OPINION

The Great Debate In Denver Joe Suszczynski The Recorder

It’s finally here. On Oct. 3, Gov. Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama will debate in Denver, answering to each other rather than in campaign attack ads across America.

According to polymic.com, the first debate will be strictly domestic policies, or policies regarding the United States of America.

This will be Romney’s best chance to do any type of damage to the president because the unemployment rate is still up. Romney will have to do his best in convincing America that the president is to blame for the economy not doing so well. He will also have to convince Americans that his plan to

fix the economy is better than the president’s.

Romney has to make a significant impression and has to keep repeating one-liners regarding the president’s “failures” domestically.

The president cannot take Romney lightly. Romney just might come out “guns blazing” against the president. The only thing Romney can talk about is domestic policy.

The media has been questioning Romney’s foreign policy experience, but that will not come up until the second and third debate on Oct. 16 and 22, respectively.

Obama’s best chance is to use Romney’s own words against him and also give facts regarding not only Romney’s plan, but his own with specific detail. Obama must call out Romney on the constant flip-flopping he has done. According to rollingstone.com, Romney has flip-flopped on issues such as

his stance on the issue of abortion, has signed a tax pledge when he said he wouldn’t, his views on Ronald Reagan, his stance on assault weapons, and whether he thought humans could be contributing to global warming.

Obama should bring up not only his political stances, but his recent statements as well.

“There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to youname-it. That that’s an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what ....

These are people who pay no income tax,” Romney said.

Obama should question Romney on that statement because if the president had said something that drastic, Romney would take that opportunity to use that to his advantage.

This should be an entertaining debate.

Obama and Romney have been going back and forth at each other for months now and it is driving America up the wall. We will get to see the President defend his domestic policies and decisions and we will see Romney defend his positions and the statements he has made in the past.

It is hoped that no stone will go unturned.

Each candidate will have no where to hide when serious issues are brought to light.

Good luck Mr. President and Governor Romney! You’ll both need it.

American Team Too Reliant On Each Other Europeans Stage Incredible Sunday Comeback

Justin Muszynski The Recorder

American athletes have long been criticized as being selfish and arrogant. The stereotypes paint them as prissy, conceited millionaires who care more about the size of their contract than they do about winning.

In some cases these conceptions apply to many American athletes in a variety of popular sports that pay its athletes millions and millions of dollars.

But the 2012 American team in last week’s Ryder Cup was anything but an egotistical group of golfers more worried about their own needs than the team’s. The first two days of the competition, which are played as two-man teams, were dominated by the Americans. It was a true joy to see the camaraderie between the pairings and the support that the teammates gave each other.

This is something that had been missing in previous years when the Americans had

been defeated by the Europeans.

Coming into the cup this year, a number of players acknowledged their poor records in previous years and vowed to put more effort forth. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson were at the forefront of this group that had never seemed bothered by their lack of success. In 2002, Woods openly called out the importance of the Ryder Cup with a now infamous comment he made to a group of reporters.

“Does anybody in here know Jack Nicklaus’s Ryder Cup record off the top of your head?” asked Woods.

Then after no response he continued, “How about how many majors he won?”

Woods has taken a lot of scrutiny over the years for this comment, but through it all his opinion seems to have changed. He now admits that his performance needs to improve and that the tournament needs to be taken seriously. But he wasn’t the only one who came into this year with a chip on his

shoulder. The entire team felt like they had something to prove given that coming into this past week the Americans had only won two cups since 1995. Before 1995, America had won 23 cups to Europe’s five. There has been a huge turning of the tide here and no one can explain what caused it.

However, this year was different. The Medinah crowd was more boisterous than in years past. As a result, the American golfers thrived off of the gallery’s intensity and the first two days became a runaway leaving Europe down 10 to 6, a deficit that had only once been recovered from by the Americans in 1999 in record fashion.

Coming into Sunday, the final day, most people had already handed the cup to the Americans. The problem that America faced at this point was that after all the support that they received from their teammates the first two days was absent on Sunday as the players approached their singles matches.

In a sport that is primarily played as an

individual, the Americans shouldn’t have seemed lost without the partners that they had been paired with the first two days.

The problem that has plagued the USA in previous years was completely turned around this year and the team faced the exact opposite issue. Instead of coming into this tournament as individuals, the Americans relied too much on the team aspect of the tournament and were disoriented on Sunday when there was no one to support them after hitting a poor shot.

As a result, the Europeans completed the record comeback to retain the cup. After two days of brilliance the USA team collapsed.

In the future the Americans need to find a balance in Ryder Cups that endorses the team portion of the tournament as well as the imperative singles matches or it will continue on this downward spiral that saw the Europeans put a harsh damper on the victory celebration that the American team had already been prepared for.

NFL Referees Compromise Credibility Corey Pollnow The Recorder

The interim National Football League referees have been atrocious this season and have put the league’s integrity in jeopardy.

Their experience, or lack thereof, was evident on Sunday and Monday Night Football in Week three, but the officials that were previously refereeing in the Lingerie Football League (yes, I’m serious), collegiate and high school football should not be subject to scrutiny. The vitriol should be aimed towards Commissioner Roger Goodell.

As commissioner, it’s Goodell’s duty to give the fans the best product he possibly can.

That wasn’t the case the first three weeks of the season. The New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers players and fans were victims of inexperienced officials, but there’s a bigger issue at hand.

The NFL earns $9 billion in revenue each year. With that amount of money, the

negotiations between the union and the NFL ought to be simple.

The two sides had difficulty coming to an agreement because the officials have always had a pension plan. That means after the official retires, he or she is guaranteed a certain amount of money based on the salary and the amount of years served in the league.

Roger Goodell argued that the referees should have a 401k plan. With a 401k plan, the referees are forced to invest their money in the stock market, bonds or money market investments. If the stock market crashes, ala 2008, the worker is doomed.

According to a Yahoo Sports report, the union workers and the NFL were feuding over $3 million annually in pension funds.

To put the situation in perspective, the NFL would increase the referees current pensions by 0.00034% in order to maintain the leagues high standard of play. If Goodell was concerned with the integrity and safety of the game he would put all the hogwash aside,

pony up, and sacrifice $3 million per season.

After the Packers were robbed of a win in Seattle, Wisconsin Sen. Jon Erpenbach tweeted Roger Goodell’s phone number. On Tuesday morning Goodell arrived to his office and was confronted by 70,000 angry fans via voice mail messages.

After four months of bitter negotiations, the sides came to an agreement last Thursday (Sept. 27) with the union giving into the league’s demands.

The pension plan for current officials will remain intact until the end of the 2016 season or the official completes 20 years of service. Goodell knew his brand could suffer and the ratings wouldn’t budge, nor would the advertisers or popularity.

I loathe using the term “we,” but we keep the league afloat. I have empathy for every fan. We’re the ones purchasing NFL Sunday Ticket, NFL RedZone, merchandise and ticket gate sales. Yet we see an inferior product.

Don’t take out your frustration and anger

on the officials. Point the finger in Goodell’s direction. This isn’t the first time Goodell’s arrogance has been on display. Last summer the league and the players union fought over work conditions. Per usual, the union conceded part of their turf in the negotiations and the rich got richer.

It’s pathetic that Goodell has the audacity to undermine his own league that has made him rich, famous and powerful. Although the owners of the teams fully comprehend the circumstances of the referee lockout, they were speechless throughout this period of time.

Why? It’s all about the Benjamins. The owner’s profits are too hefty to stand up to Roger Goodell in his ivory tower.

The bigger issue is that unions are dissolving and the people continue to lose the battle in labor negotiations. Corporations continue to slash retirement and health plans.

How and where does it stop?

Have an opinion?

We are looking for writers who wish to share their views with CCSU! Email kgranata@centralrecorder.com

7

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, October 3, 2012 / UPGRADE

Green Day’s ‘Uno’ Group Remains Strong ryAn Orsini the recorder

Green Day, a band that has sold over 70 million albums worldwide, has eight platinum albums, and will be a first ballot inductee into the Rock ‘N Roll hall of fame, has just released their first of a trilogy of albums that will be coming out over the next six months.

The album Uno, was released only days after lead singer Billy Joe Armstrong had a mental breakdown at the iHeartRadio Music Festival and in turn was put into a rehabilitation institution. Green Day is at that point in their career where they can do

whatever they want.

This album proves it with songs like “Oh Love” and “Kill the DJ,” which both show the ups and downs of change that the band has gone through musically.

“Oh Love,” the record’s first single, is a ballad showing a rare sensitive side to lead singer Billy Joe with lyrics like, “Far away, far away, waste away tonight, I’m wearing my heart on a noose.” “Oh Love” is a wise choice of a first single and an excellent portrayal of the growing the band has done.

But with the good comes the ugly. “Kill the DJ,” which is debatably the worst song on the album shows the band trying for a new sound but failing horribly, creating what sounds like something from a Franz Ferdinand record. Other songs like “Fell For You” and “Sweet 16” are simple yet catchy cliché pop punk songs about young love, which is a refreshing sound that never gets old. It is most notable in the song “Let Yourself Go,” which is indisputably the best song on the record. It is a fast, catchy, angstfilled, power chord driven song which is everything that makes Green Day great.

Towards the end of the record the songs start to blend together and “Uno” starts to get a little boring, lacking creativity and uniqueness. All in all, Uno is by no means Green Day’s best album, but it’s still worth a listen because there’s a song for every type of Green Day fan.

No Doubt Keeps Their Sound skylEr mAGnOli the recorder

It has been eleven years since No Doubt’s last punk rock-fueled album Rock Steady, and needless to say anticipation for this “reunion album” was extraordinarily high. With”Push and Shove,” No Doubt delivers a more mature sounding and genre-hopping album.

True to No Doubt style, “Push and Shove “stays close to the band’s Southern California ska roots. The always evolving band, however, does try to keep up with new popular music sounds, adding almost dubstep breakdowns in their unbelievably catchy new single, “Push and Shove.”

No Doubt came out bold with their first six-minute-long single “Settle Down.” While it had mix reviews through its loyal fan base, “Settle Down” gave listeners exactly what they expected from No Doubt, which is upbeat pop rock with quirky lyrical hooks.

A great thing about “Push and Shove” is that it shows emotional growth from the rock group. After the eleven year break, all members of No Doubt are now married with children, and this personal progression is reflected in a majority of the songs on this album. With many heart-felt ballads on the album, lead singer Gwen Stefani’s voice is electric and soulful in songs such as, “Gravity” and “One More Summer.” The sweet hooked and emotionally packed song “Sparkle,” could come close to rivaling their smash 90’s hit “Don’t Speak,” and should be the next single off the album.

There are aspects in this new album that are sadly missing from previous No Doubt

albums. Out of the 11 tracks on the album, there are only three songs that deliver the upbeat, dance-around-like-no-one’swatching style of rick, which is a No Doubt staple. While their single, “Push and Shove,” does come close to those standards, nothing on this album touches their older hits like “Spiderwebs,” “It’s My Life” and “Hey Baby.”

In fact, some of the slower and deeper songs on the album start to blur into one long clash of sounds, which might be the biggest letdown of the long-awaited album.

Even if “Push and Shove” is missing a true anthem to really bring No Doubt back from an eleven year hiatus, it does not mean that fans will be disappointed. This new album shows that No Doubt can change with new fads of music while staying true to their origins. If anything, this album will make fans crave more from the musically evolving twenty-six-year-old band.

Mumford & Sons Continues To Stand Out mOrGAn skOvich the recorder

Mumford & Sons is a band that challenges convention in the music industry today. In a world of Lil’ Wayne, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj and Justin Beiber, it is reassuring that Mumford has planted themselves in so many ears and hearts of the world.

Coming off of the immense success of their Grammy-nominated album “Sigh No More,” which was also their first album, the fellows from England are back with their sophomore album entitled “Babel.” Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall and Ted Dwane have done it again and maintained their individual sound.

The new album, as mentioned before, is the distinct Mumford sound but with an extra kick of energy and over all more confidence.

From the opening title track, “Babel,” you instantly jump right back into that familiar groove in which the fans know and love. This melody and its explosive sound is the perfect way to ensure that this record will be one of the best albums of the year.

In “Babel,” everything comes together from start to finish; there was never even a second of doubt or concern with what they’d be doing next.

‘Babel’ brings you on a sentimental journey of lost love, found love, and self-discovery. It is one of those albums that you can truly get engrossed in.

Songs such as “Ghosts That We Knew” and the new radio hit, “I Will Wait,” are both equally seizing despite their differences in tones. That’s what makes this band different from the others.

The group does very well at drawing people in when they’re at their loudest, and quietest.

Lyrically, Mumford created yet another record that is both thought provoking and very relatable.

Track nine on the CD, “Hopeless Wanderer,” is one of the best songs on the album. One can listen to this song 100 times over and it will still hit close to home.

‘Babel’ is just one of those albums that will constantly get put on when driving or having a cozy late night in your house. It is warm and just feels right, like a nice slice of hot apple pie on a chilly fall day.

Mumford & Sons has taken all of the right steps in the right direction and again has created an album that will be on high demand this fall.

PhOtO i fAnArt.tv

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Submit a Weekend Central grant proposal to request funding support!

Proposal Forms available on The Link: https://ccsu.collegiatelink.net/organization/studentactivitiesleadershipdevelopment/avail ableforms For questions please contact Colleen Powers at 860-­‐832-­‐1999 or cpowers@ccsu.edu

8

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, October 3, 2012 / UPGRADE

Dada Life Comes To Hartford Danny Contreras The Recorder

Dada Life made a stop in Hartford as part of their nationwide tour, “Dada Land,” in support of their “Rules of Dada” album. Caveat and 12th Planet supported the DJ duo with very distinct sets in a crazy night of electronic dance music.

The electro, Swedish DJs took to the stage for two hours following an intense and grimy one hour dubstep set by 12th Planet, who in turn was preceded by Caveat and his progressive house selections. By the time the authors of “Rules of Dada” (an internet list of rules that apply to their live performances) took the stage, the crowd’s voice grew sore. Olle grabbed a microphone and said, “Are you ready for Dada Life?” The masses were ready.

The opening of the set didn’t take long to build up to harmonious melodies and face melting drops. The DJs opened with a remix of their insanely famous, “Kick Out the Epic MF” before transitioning into the overly catchy “Happy Violence.”

Although the Webster Theatre’s main stage hall is relatively small, the crowd reacted well to the songs and ultimately gave the concert an arena feel. Thirty minutes in, they honored their German colleague, Zedd, with a crazy mash up of “Shotgun” and one of their most know remixes, “The Big Bad Wolf.”

The visuals resembled a bad acid trip with a peculiar drawing style and a creepy but innocent theme. The cartoon drawings had Olle’s and Stefan’s face ripped apart, revealing

a full brain where the skull should be. Another interesting visual was that of the headless woman shaking her tail with a bouncing eyeball dropping on every step.

Dada Life kept the intensity throughout the whole set but the crowd lost it when they played their most commercial album to date, “Rolling Stone T-Shirt,” and gave the crowds the lyrics to sing along—although no one needed them. In unison with strobe lights, the drop of the song hit almost too perfectly, giving the audience an easier time to part ways with the floor as they jumped up and down at the command of the Swedish producers.

Although Dada Life had a “hits” setlist that included almost all of their remixes and original mixes, the crowd was there for something far more important to the identity of the DJ group: the champagne and the bananas.

Their latest single, “Feed the Dada,” played 15 minutes prior to the ending of the show.

Those in the crowd dressed as bananas were told to get on stage and dance as Olle and Stefan threw real bananas to the crowd, in addition to the confetti that came out of a gigantic champagne bottle.

“Feed the Dada” was released a month ago as the lead single to “The Rules of Dada” album, with the primary themes of the song resembling the rules of a cult. In its lyrics, the song expresses its wish of replacing negative feelings with more positive ones whenever one reaches a bad spot in their life as long as you “feed the dada.”

They concluded their show with a bootleg of Alesso’s “Calling” and Gwen Stefani’s “Holla

‘Trouble With The Curve’ Not Just A Baseball Movie Derek Turner The Recorder

his conventional, stubborn old man and even garners quite a few laughs throughout the film.

Adams and Timberlake take the usual movie course of male and female that are interested in each other. The rivalry between Gentry and “Peanut Boy” was meant to be renewed at some point and the way it happens, especially with how Mickey is involved, was wonderful.

The overall story was great, just don’t expect to see real baseball.

If you want a movie with entertaining acting based around the game of baseball, “Trouble With The Curve” is for you.

Gus (Clint Eastwood) is an aging amateur baseball scout on a make or break assignment for the Atlanta Braves only a week before the draft. He notices his vision deteriorating, but doesn’t want to tell anyone because he has a job to do. Pete Klein ( John Goodman) is Gus’s boss and longtime friend. When Klein notices something is wrong he elicits the help of Mickey (Amy Adams), Gus’s daughter and big-shot lawyer, to attend this last scouting trip to make sure everything goes smoothly. Mickey has not had a regular relationship with her father since she was 6-years-old; he sent her to live with her aunt and uncle whom she barely knew and went on with his work.

Gus, a typical grumpy old man who just wants to do his job the way he’s always done it is not happy when his daughter arrives in North Carolina. But he soon realizes that he needs her there. While taking on the first game, Johnny Flanagan ( Justin Timberlake), a former pitcher originally recruited by Gus, introduces himself after he notices Mickey from a mile away. Flanagan is now a scout for the Red Sox with hopes of landing a position in the broadcast booth next year. Mickey and Johnny grow fond of each other as time moves on, and Gus begins to soften until he sits down with his daughter and she tries to have a heart-to-heart.

Bo Gentry, the player everyone is looking at, is not the nicest kid around. He is a pudgy kid with an inflated ego, mostly fueled by all the draft talk surrounding him and his ability to seemingly hit homeruns at will. Gentry refuses to pay for the peanuts tossed to him by the “Peanut Boy” before a game.

Mickey makes it known throughout the film that she is a serious baseball lover and never actually wanted to be a lawyer. In the last game of the trip, Gus hears a noise that he can only describe as something “you’ll know when you hear it.” Gus leaves the hotel early without his daughter, but she makes Photo | Warner bros. her mark by finally hearing a baseball noise Clint Eastwood plays Gus, an aging and she knows she has something special. amateur baseball scout.

Eastwood does a wonderful job playing

Back Girl” before following the rule of kicking out the epic MF with an original rendition of “Kick Out the Epic MF”.

As the show ended the crowd chanted for an encore, which the group could not give. Nevertheless, the show truly rocked the Webster Theatre in a way rock acts cannot replicate.

Overall, the Swedish DJs showed that

electronic dance music can be both popular and smart and catchy, and provided once and for all that regardless of the skill one possesses in the DJ craft, it is ultimately one’s attitude that determines the performance.

Their album, “Rules of Dada,” will go on sale later this year. The group has also appeared in Electric Daisy Carnival, a popular EDM festival.

Photo | www.facebook.com/dadalife

Dada Life performs electronic dance music, also known as dubstep.

FIFA 13

Video Game Fails To Reach New Heights Danny Contreras The Recorder

The global game has once again been brought to the world’s gaming consoles in EA Sports “FIFA 13,” a game that polishes the quirks of last year’s effort, but fails to innovate like the predecessor.

The features are fairly small, with one key addition to the game. “First-touch” technology is a new feature in the FIFA engine that gives the ball more realistic physics akin to real life.

Additionally, EA Sports has added a more robust experience in career mode, sacrificing the player/manager found in FIFA 12, and introducing national team level managing as part of the career mode.

EAS FC returns to the game with a key feature called “match day center,” in which the EA servers monitor real life games and reflect the teams’ performances into the game.

The gameplay has been revamped, featuring more alertness from your team and smarter opponents, but the difficulty settings do not reflect those of FIFA 12.

Professional-level difficulty plays similar to

Photo | Electric Arts

Fifa 13 does not meet standards to its predecessor.

Semi-Pro in FIFA 12 while World Class plays like Legendary.

While FIFA 13 offers mini-games to teach you the basics of the game in between matches, they don’t serve any purpose other than unlocking trophies.

The best touch-up in gameplay has been with teammate alertness and awareness.

Depending on your formation settings, teammates will create runs and draw out defenders to create spaces. They will be aware of the referee and will try to keep themselves onside until you pass the ball.

By the same token, opponents have become a lot smarter and do not adhere to any true football philosophy. A player may see Manchester United in 4-4-2 but play as if they were 4-3-3. Aggressiveness has also increased with difficulty with opponents willing to chase balls and bring the game to your court more than before.

Career mode gameplay has also been changed to allow for a more invasive experience. In manager mode you are in charge of any club in any of the leagues and can manage a national team depending on your performances.

Meanwhile in virtual pro player career mode you will get harder objectives to achieve and teammates will ignore the player if they ask for the ball a lot. Depending on the position of the virtual pro, the gameplay becomes tweaked to make the player more engaged.

For example, a virtual pro who plays as a defender will see himself more often than not trying to qualm wave after wave of opponent attack. Overall, they created an extensive career mode that will surely waste many hours.

The presentation is typical of a EA Sports game. The graphics, on the other hand, have been touched up and look sharper than ever. Player models look a lot more realistic, and facial expressions have improved. The crowd, as it is with many sports games, look nothing short of cardboard people and their animations are relatively unchanged.

The sound has been improved upon as well, with Andy Townsend and Clive Tyldesley as the default commentators for English matches. Soundtrack wise, it is the first in five years that sounds largely uninteresting and though it features Deadmau5, Kasabian and Madeon, it is extremely forgettable.

9

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, October 3, 2012 / UPGRADE

Bookmark It!

COLUMN From the Outside Looking In

A Study Abroad Experience Irene W. Yukash The Recorder

I found my passion for writing and journalism while studying abroad in Spain. It was a combination of checking The New York Times website an absurd amount and my attachment to travel that really tipped me off. Since then I’ve started writing this column and taking other steps to build my future. I’ve learned that I’m not the only one that has had their career path shaped by study abroad.

Aa a volunteer for the Peace Corps, Nicole Kennedy shipped off to Georgia, a little country wedged between Armernia and Russia. She arrived just a year after graduating from CCSU with a degree in International Relations, with a focus in African and Arabic studies. Though she’s always dreamed of joining the Peace Corps, her plan wasn’t solidified until her course abroad experience through Central.

“I’ve always wanted to do the peace corps, since I was 5-years-old, but especially since I went to Central, met international students and studied abroad I realized it was what I really, really wanted to do to before my masters to gain some experience in the field,” said Kennedy.

Kennedy was ultimately encouraged to fill out her Peace Corps application (nearly a year-and-a-half process) by a contact she met during her course abroad trip.

“The woman who led our trip in Morocco (a hired organization), she just finished her Peace Corps there. She’s the one who really pushed me to fill out my application,” said Kennedy. “It was the best trip I think I’ve taken.”

In addition to her short stay in Europe, she also studied abroad for a year in Sweden, living in a flat with 15 other roommates. Yes I said it, 15, and all from different countries. This was only the

start of her quirky memories in Sweden.

She’s biked to class in the pouring rain, went dog sledding and experienced the Northern Lights. She especially treasures a monumental point in her trip.

“It was my last night as a teenager; we were sitting out on the beach just looking over the Baltic, realizing that I was about to turn 20 in Europe and reflecting over life and being happy that I had decided to study abroad,” said Nicole.

When all was said and done, Kennedy had a difficult time returning to America.

She knew it wouldn’t be her last long term stay overseas, and it wasn’t.

Stepping off of a plane in Tsabili, Kennedy was immediately greeted by news crews anxious to interview her.

Mind you this was after learning her 100 pounds of luggage was lost (recovered three months later). But these were only the start of her adjustments. Gender roles and general views on sexuality took a little longer to get used to. But despite her challenges, Kennedy remains a huge advocate for the Peace Corps and is ultimately very happy with her decision.

“For me it’s been extremely interesting, of course times have been interesting, dealing with food poisoning. In the end, ultimately you get a lot more out of it than what you can give,” said Kennedy.

After the Peace Corps, she plans to either teach English in Vietnam or complete her master’s degree in either the Netherlands or France. She advises people to get out there and see the world first hand, and to take advantage of the affordable cost of studying abroad( the deadline for 2013 is Oct. 1).

“Travel while you’re young, don’t just travel to the usual spots where Americans go to. Of course people go to the beach on spring break but it’s not the real deal,” said Kennedy. “Travel while you’re young and you’re able to save your money and take the time to get to know a different culture.”

photo | facebook.com/pages/

Malcolm-Gladwell/13587987060

‘The Tipping Point’ by Malcolm Gladwell Corey Pollnow The Recorder

Malcolm Gladwell’s “The Tipping Point” came out in January of 2002 and was a #1 National Bestseller. The “tipping point’ occurs when a concept or message gets taken from a small-scale and becomes of epic proportion.

It’s a relatively easy read and poses eight different questions about epidemics. Gladwell answers the questions within the sociology framework and discusses underlying causes or the “tipping points” in each epidemic.

Baltimore’s drastic increase in syphilis in the ‘90s, Paul Revere’s famous ride, as well as why the crime rate dropped in New York City during the ‘90s are just a few of the topics that Gladwell touches.

In the introduction, Gladwell asks the reader: “Why is it that some ideas or behaviors or products start epidemics and others don’t?”

Gladwell states there are three theories as to why epidemics occur. One of his theories is the stickiness factor: “The Stickiness Factor says that there are specific ways of making a contagious message memorable; there are relatively simple changes in the presentation and structuring of information that can make a big difference in how much of an impact it makes.”

Sesame Street and Blue’s Clues are cited as two children’s television shows that became main stream as a result of the writers and producers understanding the stickiness factor. The two shows were heavily tested

with children to ensure they comprehended the intent or meaning of the episodes.

Gladwell also discusses the power of context.

“Human beings invariably make the mistake of overestimating the importance of fundamental character traits and underestimating the importance of the situation and the context.” Gladwell cites an experiment conducted of two groups of highly skilled basketball players.

One group was shooting in a well-lit gym and the other group was shooting in a dark gym. The group that was shooting in the dim gym struggled to shoot well because of the inferior circumstances, or what Gladwell calls, “the power of context.” Essentially, Gladwell is saying that the world isn’t black and white, yes or no, or good or bad. Everything is much more complex.

Drugs, sex and violence are all popular culture topics that interest the majority of people and the “tipping point” touches all three.

If you’re one of those people that is constantly asking why or how in all aspects of life, you’ll enjoy this book.

Unlike many books that start slow, Gladwell doesn’t struggle in the beginning pages to get your attention.

This book will cause you to think more cerebrally about your interactions with people, and how a situation or conversation can be manipulated for the better or worse.

10

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, October 3, 2012 / SPORTS SPORTS BEGINS ON BACK PAGE

Blue Devils Continue To Improve Lommori Setting In With New Role MAtt Aveni The Recorder

The women’s volleyball team has had an amazing beginning to NEC conference play this season, led by seniors Emily Cochran, Jamie Rademacher and Blaike King.

During the offseason the Blue Devils Head Coach Linda Sagnelli brought in four new freshmen hoping they could fill some of the holes in their team. One freshman, Makenna Lommori, exceeded expectations for Sagnelli and is now running the Central offense.

Makenna has won four NEC Rookie of the Week honors and “Best Setter” in the Temple Invitational.

At the beginning of the season the Blue Devils were running a 6-2 offense. This style of offense allowed Lommori to be both a setter and a hitter. When Sagnelli switched the offense to a 5-1, Lommori was given complete control of the offense, being the main setter and touching the ball on every offensive possession.

The change came after the CCSU Invitational.

“That week of practice we focused on making Makenna our primary

setter. We thought with her skill set that she could lead the offense and it would really help our style of play for the rest of the team,” said Sagnelli.

After the tough week of practice the Blue Devils went into the University of New Hampshire Invitational with a hopeful outlook on their new style of play. Lommori performed extremely well in the tournament, earning the award of the “Best Setter” in the tournament.

“I never go into a game thinking lets win an award this week. I try and set up my teammates to put us in the best position to win and I am starting to feel really comfortable in my role as the setter,” said Lommori.

This season the Lommori has recorded 552 assists. With each practice and game she is getting better, gaining more experience and evolving her role on this team explained Sagnelli. With the change of offense occurring so early in the season the Blue Devils have had time to work out the flaws in the offense before NEC play began.

In NEC play the Blue Devils are 3-1 with their only loss coming against Robert Morris on Saturday.

The newly implemented offense gives

versatility to the Central gameplay.

Blaike King, Jamie Rademacher and Emily Cochran now have more opportunities to record kills and keep teams guessing on who will be the main hitter.

“When a team has one main hitter the defense tries to contain that one player and put most of their focus towards stopping her. Makenna being the primary setter it allows teams not to focus on stopping Emily, but worrying about three players that at any time can get on a streak of good hits,” said Sagnelli.

Lommori said she expects her team to win the NEC tournament because of how hard they have worked and how close they have become as a team.

“Coming from Nevada this team has become my new family,” Lommori said. “We have worked really hard this season and I fully expect us to win the NEC tournament. It’s a goal of ours that we should achieve.”

With a tough week of NEC play the Blue Devils will travel to Sacred Heart University on Wednesday and Bryant on Saturday. They will finish the week playing at home against the Quinnipiac Bobcats.

Rachael Bentley | THE RECORDER

Makenna Lommori prepares to spike the ball.

Golf Team Displays Confidence

Tommy Liljedhal The Recorder

Interested In Writing Sports?

Email Us At sportsed@centralrecorder.com

The CCSU men’s golf team, brimming with confidence and optimism, only continues to improve, no one at a steadier rate than Sophomore Monte Mullen, winner of CCSU’s Invitational.

Mullen won the event held at Wethersfield Country Club on Sept. 8, shooting a 74 in the first round and a spectacular 67 in the second round. He shredded the competition, finishing as the only player who finished with a score under par. Despite his effort, CCSU finished second, trailing Sacred Heart by a single stroke.

“I set a goal this season to make my later rounds better,” said Mullen. “There were a few tournaments last year where I played well in the first round before falling off, which I wasn’t happy about. I want to improve each round.”

Thus far, Mullen has achieved the level of consistency and growth which he has been striving for. At the Turning Stone Tournament in Verona, New York, he shot a 74, a 71, and then a 70, to finish tied for third. CCSU finished the event fourth out of 16 schools, trailing only Louisville, Memphis and Missouri.

“We’ve constructed an extremely competitive schedule this season,” said Coach Kevin Giancola. “Last year was unequivocal in terms of difficulty, and this year looks to be more of the same. I believe in these guys, and we want to go up against the best competition.”

This mindset has CCSU Golf thriving as owners of back-toback Division 1 New England Championships for the first time in school history, which has the future looking bright.

“Both academically and competitively, this group is off the charts in terms of work ethic and camaraderie,” stated Coach Giancola proudly. “We’re on the same page, with the same philosophy, on and off the course, thanks to tremendous leadership from Captain Daniel Fanion.”

Fanion, a senior, has been instrumental in keeping the goals, motivation and unity of this team at an all-time high.

“Since I’ve been here, this is the closest team we’ve had, and we’re all coming together for a common goal,” said Fanion, who went on to praise Monte Mullen.

“Monte obviously has exceptional talent, but he’s shining because he’s been working hard all summer. He’s an awesome teammate who approaches the game the right way.”

Like most passionate and successful golfers, Monte’s drive and work ethic has been relentless.

“I got hooked,” said Monte, smiling. “At only 18 months I had a plastic club and my father would take my brother and I to the course.”

Residing in Farmington and attending Farmington High, Mullen played courses such as Tunxis and Westwood most often, while still travelling to play as much as he could.

“In the summer before my Senior Year at Farmington High, I played 20 tournaments in only eight weeks,” Mullen said. “I had played well, but was burnt out. I didn’t touch a club until the following spring.”

This was Monte’s only extended break from golf, the game which has consumed him for 17 years. Since then, he has been playing feverishly, with a burning desire to improve.

“The results are coming, which makes me happy, but I just need to keep playing every day, improving, and putting in the work, just like my teammates,” Mullen said.

The entire team seems to share this mentality, starting with Coach Giancola and Captain Daniel Fanion.

“Our expectations always are, and always have been, to win the NEC,” said Giancola. “We lost our top two players from last season, Kevin Josesin and Daniel Morgan, but that’s no excuse. Monte is emerging as an incredible talent, and players such as Matthew DeJohn and Greg Beloin have stepped up admirably. We only expect to keep improving.”

CCSU’s next tournament is the Hartford Hawks Invitational on Sept. 24 and 25, followed by the Yale/Macdonald Cup on Sept. 29 and 30.

11

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, October 3, 2012 / SPORTS

Volleyball Weekend Wrap Up Blue Devils Suffer Defeat Against Robert Morris MAtt Aveni The Recorder

The Blue Devils volleyball team dropped their first home conference match of the season Saturday with a 0-3 defeat at the hands of Robert Morris University.

With leads in every set and the largest margin of victory for RMU being four points in the first set, CCSU just let this one get away.

“It was a great match and I think we missed opportunities,” said Head Coach Linda Sagnelli.

“I think we had opportunities in every single set to win that particular set and at crunch time we didn’t execute.”

The first set, like the entire match, was very close on the scoreboard, but CCSU led total attacks by nine. CCSU also had six additional errors which led to a four point run at the end of the set for Robert Morris en route to a 25-21 first set defeat.

“The passing was a little inconsistent, but then it picked back up again,” said Sagnelli.

The second set was more of the same hardhitting volleyball with both teams recording 15 kills apiece. Again, CCSU had the advantage in the attack category, but couldn’t finish, making six errors. The Blue Devils focused more on getting kills. Leader Emily Cochran had the opportunities to put the ball away, but she only recorded three kills in the set and eight on the day. CCSU dropped the second set 22-25.

The third set Robert Morris really took control. It didn’t seem that way if you were watching the scoreboard, but the intensity and hitting was definitely in their favor.

“We’re up 20-18 and then an unusual play happened which we should have handled, but we didn’t and it changed the momentum there and put them on a five-point run,” said Sagnelli after the 22-25 third set loss.

The Blue Devils offense did not get the job done in the third set, Sagnelli stated. In 36 opportunities, only 13 points were actually put on the board.

“It wasn’t what they were doing, it was what we were not doing when handling the ball,” said Sagnelli.

Freshman Setter Makenna Lommori led the team with 33 assists on the day and her effort was noted by her coach as “phenomenal.”

Middle Blocker Rachel Dunlap led the team in kills with 10, followed by Cochran with eight. Blaike King and Rademacher each had seven.

Sagnelli knew Robert Morris was going to come out swinging led by outside hitter Lindsey Monger and opposite Amanda Craig.

Her team just didn’t execute in “crunch-time.”

“This was a hard-hitting match. It was a lot of good defensive touches, a lot of good net play,” said Sagnelli. “We’ve got seniors on the court that have to make the execution and it just didn’t happen.”

Rachael Bentley | THE RECORDER

Coach Linda Sagnelli watches the team play against Robert Morris.

CCSU Volleyball Teams Makes Comeback Rachael Bentley The Recorder

The CCSU Volleyball team defeated St. Francis in a 3-1 match on Sunday, thanks to a strong showing from the team’s defense.

The Blue Devils won the first set (25-21) and the second set (25-13), but lost the third (28-26) in a back and forth set that required extra points. They made a comeback in the final set with a 25-12 win, which took the match.

Coach Linda Sagnelli credits the team’s win to the hard push from their defense to force SFPA to change their playing style.

“Once we realized that the other team played a majority with their middles, we asked our right sides to go ahead and help our middle to make them do something different,” Sagnelli said.

“Mackenna, without a doubt, shut everything down. She must have had three of four blocks against their middle,” said Sagnelli.

“She did a great job at the net for us.”

The Blue Devils recorded 15 blocks as a team and they limited the Red Flash to a .097 hitting percentage.

Senior Jamie Rademacher and freshman Mackenna Lommori led CCSU’s defense.

Lommori posted a match-high 41 assists and 10 digs.

“Mackenna is such a heads-up player,” said Sagnelli, “She is just a heads-up player, and certainly plays much older than a freshman”.

The team’s offense was spearheaded by senior Emily Cochran and sophomore Jamie Rademacher, who both recorded doubledigit kills. Cochran recorded 12 kills and Rademacher recorded 11. Rachel Dunlap also got 10 kills during the match.

“Yesterday, I felt like our offense let us down a little during crunch time, and I thought Robert Morris put better pressure consistently through out the match so we talked about that after the match yesterday,” Sagnelli explained.

“We also made it one of our goals for today to never step back again, and to keep pushing and pushing.”

Coach Sagnelli could be heard shouting, “be aggressive” from the bleachers, a method that seemed to work in the team’s favor for this match against SFPA. “I wish we had taken the match in three, and I think we sat back a little bit in the third set, but I am so happy with the way we came out in the fourth set and the offense really took it to them, and the defense set up a great block,” Sagnelli said. “Today went awesome; we rebounded just the way I wanted us too.”

Jennifer Waddill hits the ball over the net to St. Francis at a home game.

Makenna Lommori sets the ball to assist another teammate.

Rachael Bentley | THE RECORDER

Rachael Bentley | THE RECORDER

12

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, October 3, 2012 / SPORTS

Menzies Penalty Kick Gives Blue Devils The Win Corey Pollnow The Recorder

After a tough loss earlier in the week at Rutgers, the Blue Devils hosted 5-2-1 Monmouth on Sunday afternoon. CCSU outshot Monmouth 10 to 4 with Jesse Menzies accounting for four of the shots. The Blue Devils defense and senior goalkeeper Anthony Occhialin held Monmouth scoreless through 90 minutes.

The lone goal of the game came when Jesse Menzies put the pressure on Monmouth by dribbling past their defender and forcing an ultimatum: let Menzies put a shot on goal or tackle Menzies and hope the referee doesn’t blow his whistle.

Menzies was tripped up in the penalty box and awarded a penalty kick. Calm and composed, Menzies used technique rather than power and struck the ball with the inside of his foot to the bottom right corner of the goal.

The goalkeeper guessed the wrong way and the Blue Devils were up 1-0 in the 38th minute.

Coach Green preaches to his players to not second-guess their decision and be confident when stepping up to take penalty kicks.

In the second half Monmouth was unable to capitalize on a flurry of crosses, including four cornerkicks. CCSU defended their net well in the late minutes with Thomas Obasi using his height advantage at 6’ 3” to head the ball away from the goal.

Coach Green was specifically pleased with forward Reece Wilson’s display of leadership and Occhialin’s protection of CCSU’s goal.

The Blue Devils next game is on Oct. 5 at 3 p.m. against the 4-5-1 St. Francis Terriers in Hackensack New Jersey.

Erin Odonnell | THE RECORDER

Jesse Menzies shot four of the goals at Sunday’s game.

Blue Devils Fall To Bryant Danny Contreras The Recorder

Erin Odonnell | THE RECORDER

Erin Egan gets ready to pass the ball to an opponent at last week’s game.

A lone Jewel Robinson goal was not enough to propel the CCSU Blue Devils Women’s Soccer team to victory over Bryant University.

The Blue Devils entered the game with two NEC losses so far in their campaign, and could not capitalize on massive amounts of possession with Bryant outdoing them in the counter-attack.

The Blue Devils began the game positively, participating in multiple pass and run movements that almost unlocked the Bryant defense before the tenth minute.

Marissa Quesnel would try her luck from 20 yards but her shot went high off the bar. Minutes later, the Blue Devils would gain a corner kick that resulted in nothing.

Shortly thereafter, Danica Foglio beat the keeper with a powerful header that bounced painfully close to the post but eventually went wide.

CCSU was outdone on thirteen minutes, however, when a Bryant attack produced a corner kick from the right. Shana Follette curled the ball directly at Carolyn Giuliano who was in front of the goal, and cooly scored the first goal of the game by beating Nikola Deiter.

Similar to the Bulldog’s goal, Kerriann Welch lofted a corner kick to Robinson, who patiently waited

for the ball to arrive and equalized by sending the ball diagonally to the bottom left corner of the goal.

CCSU came close to doubling their lead on 23 minutes when Welch’s shot was kept out by the posts. Minutes later, Welch and Robinson would test the Bulldog keeper, Lauren Viverito, with two well taken shots on goal, forcing Viverito to save both shots as her defenders failed her over and over. CCSU searched for another goal for the remainder of the half, stopping all counter-attacks, producing a 5-10 shots on goal ratio before the half time whistle.

The team entered the second half in search of a winner and early on, accumulated three shots-ongoal through Walsh, Allison Kelley and Egan. The efforts were in vain because in 57 minutes Bryant gained the lead after a moment of brilliance from Shana Follette.

One goal down, CCSU began playing a more attacking formation and crowded the midfield with players in order to exert more dominance and create more chances. It almost paid off when Kerriann Welch took a dipping shot on goal from the right, but the outstretched Viverito managed to keep it out, resulting in a fruitless corner for the Blue Devils. CCSU then allowed five shots on goal from the Bulldogs in 10 minutes, exposing their backline too often

and relying on Deiter.

The intensity increased with 15 minutes to go when Jewel Robinson forced a save from Viverito with a powerful line drive from the left.

CCSU then gained a corner kick off a deflection, but ruined their chances by committing a foul in the penalty area.

The Blue Devils were poised to score the equalizer that would take them to overtime and almost broke through the Bryant defense when Rachel Cerrone’s shot rattled the crossbars, beating the keeper but not the post.

Welch and Cerrone forced two saves from Viverito. Allison Kelley earned a yellow card on 89 minutes due to aggressive play. With one final move left Cerrone tested her luck exactly at 90 minutes, but her shot was poor and it went wide of the post, effectively concluding a game that was already won by the astute Bryant defense.

The Blue Devils are currently last in the NEC witha a 0-3-0 record, allowing 17 goals in the process and registering a sole win against New Hampshire.

Their next NEC game will be against St. Francis, on Oct. 5. The Blue Devils and Coach D’Arcy will be keen on getting at least a point from this match as they are last in the standings with zero points, and Robert Morris has acquired one following a draw in their fixture.