The Chronicle
February 4th, 2014
The weekly student newspaper of The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York www.strosechronicle.com - @strosechronicle
Volume LXXXII Issue 20
Alumna Brings Journalistic Work Back to Campus By VANESSA LANGDON Staff Writer
Marijuana legalization is a hot topic across the country and a 2007 graduate of The College of Saint Rose, Alyson Martin, wrote about it with her co-author Nushin Rashidian, in their book, “A New Leaf.” The book will be out Tuesday and it’s available in the Saint Rose book store. The book, first focused on medicinal marijuana, changed as legalization occurred across the country. The 27-year-old has accomplished a lot since her journey as
a student here in Albany, but she has not forgotten where she came from. The two authors, Martin and Rashidian, will come to campus Thursday, February 6 for a Frequency North talk at Jack’s Place, in the Hearst Center at 7:30 p.m. The event is free. This is “the first time an alumnus is part of the series,” said Associate Professor Dan Nester, who heads Frequency North events for the College. Nester also had Martin for a student during her tenure here at Saint Rose. Nester had nothing but nice things to say Continued on Page A5
Christmas Sweater Abductor Admits to Kidnapping By JACKSON WANG Executive Editor
KELLY PFEISTER
On Sunday night, headliner band Transit, along with three other bands, played at Jack's Place.
For more photos around campus, see page A6 News & Features
Arts & Opinion
An Albany man pleaded guilty to second degree attempted kidnapping charges last week, according to the Albany District Attorney. Anthony Collins, 54, admitted to trying to abduct two UAlbany students before Judge Roger Mc-
Donough in the Supreme Court of Albany last Monday. Back on October 4, Collins was seen wearing a Christmas sweater and running pants when he used a knife in the attempted abduction, according to Saint Rose security. The incident occurred just before 8 a.m. Continued on Page A2
Sports
Minor gas leak on Madison Avenue. See page A2
Jimmy Fallon takes over The Tonight Show. See page B7
The marijuana debate in the NFL. See page D13
Search for new dean down to three. See page A4
St. Rose Confessions a Farce. See page C11
The Golden Knights fall to the Skyhawks. See page D16
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The Chronicle
News
Collins Pleads Guilty
February 4th, 2014
Utility Crews Fix Minor Gas Leak on Madison Avenue By JACKSON WANG Executive Editor
LAUREN HALLIGAN
The city security cameras that caught Anthony Collins. Continued From Front Page UAlbany student Joseph Jackson witnessed the situation unfold and then intervened. The woman got on a bus and away from the scene. Approximately half an hour later at the same bus stop, in front of Waterbury Hall, Col-
COURTESY OF SAINT ROSE SECURITY
Collins, above, on the day he attempted to abduct two females.
lins attempted to abduct another woman, this time without using a knife, according to Albany police. The individual also escaped safely and unharmed. Neither Jackson nor the victims reported the incident right away. But later on, Jackson told his residential assistant what happened and then she called University at Albany police and Albany police. The cameras on the corners of Western Avenue and O’Leary Boulevard caught a photo of Collins, from which Jackson was able to confirm Collins’ identity. Jackson then filed criminal menacing and weapon charges against Collins, which caused police to keep Collins in custody after they arrested him a few days after the incident. Once the news got out to the public, the first victim came forward and the charges upgraded from misdemeanor to a felony— attempted kidnapping in the second degree.The second victim never came forward. Collins remains in custody until his sentencing on March 10,
and he faces up to 12 years in state prison. Chief Assisant District Attorney David Rossi is handling the prosecution of the case. There was speculation that Collins was a resident at 326 Western Ave., the same building where the Albany District Attorney said Oscar Valcarcel killed Caleb Capen back in early December. Valcarcel is facing two counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder. When a reporter from The Chronicle inquired whether Collins was a tenant, the landlord of 326 Western Ave. from Hyjinks LLC hung up the phone. A neighbor, Sifat Anwar, said he believes Collins was a former resident at 326 Western Ave. before his arrest. “I spoke to a few friends and they said this house in general is sketchy,” Anwar said a few days after the homicide occurred. A resident of 326 Western Ave, who identified himself as DH, confirmed that Collins did live in the basement apartment on the north side of the building.
Volume 82 Issue 20
Utility crews were out in front of Centennial Hall Thursday and Friday fixing a cracked cast iron gas main, according to Patrick Stella, spokesperson for National Grid. “We were called to Centennial Hall due to the smell of natural gas being reported in the area,” Stella said. The utility crew worked all day Thursday and into Friday morning to replace the main. Stella said this is normal this time of year, especially with the cold weather, causing a shift, which can lead to a crack. He also said that at no point was it necessary to evacuate Centennial Hall or nearby buildings because the leak happened outdoors instead of indoors and in a confined area. John Bryant, vice president of facilities at Saint Rose, said the level of gas was very little and
posed no threat at all to the buildings or its residents. He said the gas could only be picked up on a windy day because the scent was so low. Since Centennial has been built, many students have complained about the smell of gas, especially the residents of Centennial Hall. Bryant also said the crack has existed when the old houses on the block were demolished for the construction of Centennial Hall, which began in 2011. He said it’s an old service feed to the building at 920 Madison Ave. He also said an order had been sent into National Grid to fix the crack for some time, but since there was no present danger, an immediate repair wasn’t necessary. “This was a very minor, low priority situation,” Bryant said. “If [National Grid] had a major leak, they would have been out here right away.”
KELLY PFEISTER
The area where utility crews fixed the cracked cast iron gas main.
February 4th, 2014
News
Volume 82 Issue 20
In Brief
New Degree Agreement Between Saint Rose and CGCC Students who have earned their associates degree at Columbia-Green County Community College will now have the opportunity to turn their two-year degrees into four-year degrees at The College of Saint Rose. A new agreement has been reached where students at CGCC can transfer a maximum of 62
credits to the College. The newest portion of this agreement stipulates computer science at CGCC may transfer their credits to Saint Rose to earn a bachelor’s degree in computer science. The program will stipulate which classes students need to take, as well as their transfer equivalents here at the College.
Currently, the College allows for CGCC students who majored in business-accounting, business administration, and criminal justice to transfer their credits to Saint Rose if they major in accounting, business administration, economics, or criminal justice and law.
Draw Like an Egyptian On Sunday at 2 p.m., the Albany Institute of History and Art will present a lecture on art in Ancient Egypt. The talk will be led by Melinda Hartwig, associate professor of ancient Egyptian art and archaeology, from the School of Art and Design at Geor-
gia State University. It will explore how the Egyptians viewed the world around them and how they translated it into art. Hartwig will share her insight into Egyptian life and art, their funeral and death practices, as well as new scientific discoveries regarding
mummies. Hartwig’s visit is presented as part of The Mystery of the Albany Mummies Lecture Series and will be open to the public and is free with the purchase of museum admission. For more information, please visit www.albanyinstitute.org
Beatle Mania’s 50th Anniversary On Friday, February 7 at 7 p.m., the Albany Institute of History and Art will hold a program celebrating the arrival of The Beatles in New York in 1964. The event will chronicle The Beatles’ arrival historic concert at Shea Stadium, as well as their
The Chronicle
Executive Editor Jackson Wang ‘14 wangj847@strose.edu
first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. It will explore the impact their music had on popular culture, as well as the phenomenon known as “Beatle Mania,” something that probably will never occur (to that magnitude) again. The event will include his-
Features Editor Conor Shea ‘15 sheac613@strose.edu
toric film clips, recordings, and photographs, as well as live piano performances. This program is presented as part of the Empire State Plaza Performing Arts Center’s “New York Living Legacy” series.
Business Manager Shawn Dixon dixons@strose.edu
Managing Editor Opinion Editor Chris Surprenant ‘14 Zachary Olsavicky surprenantc572@strose.edu olsavickyz977@strose.edu
Advertising Manager Shawn Dixon dixons@strose.edu
News Editor Searching For Applicant
Arts Editor Andy Gilchrist ‘14 gilchrista788@strose.edu
Web Editor Christopher Lovell ‘15 lovellc083@strose.edu
Layout Editor Jennifer O’Connor ‘16 oconnorj984@strose.edu
Sports Editor Joshua Natoli ‘14 natolij477@strose.edu
Head Photographer Kelly Pfeister ‘14 pfeisterk953@strose.edu
Assistant Layout Editor Searching For Applicant
Copy Editor Jenessa Matis ‘14 matisj311@strose.edu
Faculty Adviser Cailin Brown
Staff Writers Tori Addison Katherine Bakaitis Asia Ewart Katie Klimacek Kevin Jacob Lauren Klose Vanessa Langdon Nicholas Negron Alex Pecha Lauren Sears M. William Smith Brendan Tenan
Staff Photographer Chris Alvarado Anthony Chapin
The Chronicle
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Calendar of Events Tuesday, February 4th 4 p.m. MAPS ALB 109 6:45 p.m. Spectrum St. Joseph’s Hall 7 p.m. G4G (Girls For God) Sanctuary 8 p.m. Outside the [Box] Albertus 216 8 p.m. Yoga Sanctuary 9:30 p.m. Guided Meditation Sanctuary Wednesday, February 5th 2:40 p.m. Natural Science Association Science Center Room 352 4:30 p.m. Student Association Meeting Standish 5 p.m. Mid-Week Mass Sanctuary 7:30 p.m. BASIC Sanctuary 8 p.m. Date Your Classmate St. Joseph’s Auditorium 8 p.m. Colleges Against Cancer Meeting Albertus Room 210 10 p.m. Karate Club Practice EAC Room 110 Thursday, February 6th 10 a.m. Dean of Arts of Humanities Open Session with Dr. Jeffery Fager Carondelet Symposium 3 p.m. Stalking Awareness Presentation Standish 4:15 p.m. Adventure Club Lima Basement 5:30 p.m. SEB Meeting St. Joseph’s Hall 7:30 p.m. Identity Main Lounge Friday, February 7th 7 p.m. Judy Linn Artist’s Lecture St. Joseph’s Auditorium Saturday, February 8th 4 p.m. Girls Next Door Invitational Massry Sunday, February 9th 6:30 p.m. College Mass St. Vincent dePaul Church Monday, February 10th 4 p.m. Environmental Club Meeting Community Service Office 5:15 p.m. Yoga Sanctuary 8:30 p.m. CEC Lima Basement
If you have an upcoming event you would like to see in our weekly Calendar of Events, please e-mail chronicle@strose.edu. ANY student can join The Saint Rose Chronicle The Chronicle is published weekly on Tuesdays during the academic year and once during the summer months. The Chronicle is published at the facilities of New England Newspapers in Pittsfield, M.A.
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The Chronicle
News
February 4th, 2014
Volume 82 Issue 20
Search for New Dean in Final Stages By JACKSON WANG Executive Editor
The search for the next dean of the School of Arts and Humanities is down to its final stages. The first of three candidates stopped by The College of Saint Rose last week for a visit. Leroy Bynum of Albany State University spoke for about an hour on Friday with administrators, faculty members, and students in the Carondolet Symposium. Bynum, who’s currently the dean of Arts and Humanities at Albany State University, dished out background information and some insights on what he would be like as dean for Saint Rose. “It’s our job, as higher educators, for students to have a broad education,” said Bynum, referring to the liberal arts education that students receive from the College. He also mentioned the importance of diversity nowadays because the world is getting smaller due to today’s technologies. And with all these new tools available, Bynum said he wants to make sure new programs will pop up at Saint Rose and facilitate them to students. “I want to be the leader among them to bring that vision,” Bynum said. But in order to bring new technologies and programs to the College, fundraising will be a necessity. That’s why Bynum said raising money would be one of his first tasks here at Saint Rose, and the best way to get started on it is by getting to know the community. “I’ll help find grants, internally and externally,” Bynum said. “It’s one of the jobs of the dean.” Recently, Saint Rose launched a huge marketing campaign with advertisements all over the internet, newspapers, and bus stops in an attempt to increase enrollment. But while displaying what the College has to offer is important, Bynum believes the institution has to find students that are willing to learn.
course at a different location, said Bynum. And during his short visit at the College, he says he has really enjoyed what the campus has to offer. Jean Paul, assistant director of human resources and a member of the search committee for the new dean, says it was Bynum’s experience as a dean right now that made the committee want to
bring him in for a visit. “Overall, we thought his credentials looked good on paper and it has materialized in real life,” Paul said. “So I thought he made a good first impression.” Two more candidates are scheduled to visit Saint Rose this week. Email invites were only sent out to full-time faculty members of the School of Arts and Humanities and administrators asking them to attend the open interviews. No email invite went out to students of the School of Arts and Humanities. Tamara Jhashi, an associate professor of art history at Oakland University in Michigan, will be at Saint Rose on Wednesday. Jeffrey Fager, vice president of academic affairs at Iowa Wesleyan College, will be at the College on Thursday. “After the interviews are done, the decision making process will begin,” Paul said. The search committee will then make recommendations for Provost Hadi Salavitabar, who will ultimately decide who the next dean of the School Arts and Humanities for the College will be. No timetable has been set on when the decision will be made.
people’s questions directed to the group for outside input. The group is planning a trip to a local mosque to further their understanding of religious views, and create a better and more welcom-
ing atmosphere at The College of Saint Rose. Contact Fr. Christopher DeGiovine at 518-454-5250, or Joan Horgan at 518-454-5296 for more information.
KELLY PFEISTER
Leroy Bynum spoke to a room full of administrators, faculty members, and students on Friday. “The student has to be willing to participate in his or her education,” Bynum said. “Getting the right students for arts and humanities is important.” But Bynum also said Saint Rose has a lot of great people and stories, and believes the College needs to give more attention to those people for better marketing. “Saint Rose needs to really, really hone its ability to tell its story better,” Bynum said. “Everyone is fabulous. The world should know you all.” Bynum earned his undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, master’s at University of South Florida, doctorate from University of Georgia, and several musical certificates from institutions around the world. But Bynum, who currently resides in Georgia, is originally from New York state, growing up in Manhattan and Saranac Lake. He also joked that if he gets the dean position at Saint Rose, his biggest challenge will be separating Albany, GA and Albany, NY. “People are going to wonder which Albany I’m talking about,” Bynum said. Bynum actually thought he was going to Albany, NY over 20
years ago, around the timewhen he got his first teaching position at Albany State University. He soon learned that the flight from Atlanta was turning south, instead of north, sending him to Albany, GA. What brings him to Albany, NY today is the fact that Saint Rose has a lot of similarities to Albany State University, but of
Judgment-Free Religious Meetings By ANTHONY CHAPIN Staff Photographer
Last Monday at the Hubbard Interfaith Sanctuary, students of The College of Saint Rose met in a spring introduction to converse about the College’s openness to various religions. The meeting began with the participants removing their shoes, finding a chair, and participating in a moment of silence to say a prayer or think about what brought them to the sanctuary. It was no surprise that the majority of the room identified themselves as some form of Catholic; however, there was diversity in the group. The discussion dealt with individuals’ personal beliefs, and
ANTHONY CHAPIN
Tinamarie Stolz and Enedina Maya participated in last Monday’s Interfaith meeting at Hubbard Sanctuary.
February 4th, 2014
Volume 82 Issue 20
Alyson Martin Continued From Front Page
when he recalled Martin. “She’s just whip smart, really intellectually curious…we’re going back to when she was 20 or 21-a whale of a writer. A born journalist,” he said. Martin, who was the editor of The Chronicle during her time at Saint Rose, said that “The Chronicle prepared me the most; working for The Chronicle was pretty close to what it’s like in a real newsroom-- breaking news, enterprise stories, [and] layout… helped reporting for the book.” Reporting for the book was no small task for Martin and Rashidian. The duo, who met in an ethics class at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, went on the road for eight months. During this time, “We reported from Maine to California. We went to many states in between. It was crazy and a really, really interesting time, Martin said” While it was just the two women on the road together, Martin mentioned numerous mentors: “we of course had mentors that kept us from getting anxious on the road, including Cailin Brown.” Martin estimated three to four years of research was dedicated to this project. Brown, Martin’s mentor, has the former student on her speed dial and even texted Martin during the interview, to inform her
that “A New Leaf” was now in the campus store, exclaiming, “Sorry, I would never usually do this, but she’s that good of a friend.” Beyond their friendship, Brown stressed the pride that Martin brings to the College. “Saint Rose was very lucky that Alyson Martin chose to come to school here,” Brown said. “Those of us that were fortunate enough to work with Alyson are happy for her success. I’m especially happy that she chose to include me in her journey because it’s been fun.” Nester shared similar feelings of camaraderie and pride with Martin. “I don’t know if I taught her anything but I think her experience here was good,” Nester said. “She made her professors work. She would call me on my BS. I really learn so much from my students, exhibit A is Alyson. It’s weird to have a beer with her. She’s a peer now.” Martin characterizes herself as someone who always wanted to pursue journalism from her time crouched over the Times Union. “[I] was always kind of a talkative, inquisitive kid [and that] ended up serving me well in my career,” Martin said. That career is now taking a new turn with the publishing of her first book with Rashidian. She maintains “A New Leaf” is definitely not an advocacy book for
VANESSA LANGDON
Alyson Martin’s plaque on the Communications Alumni Notables wall.
News
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VANESSA LANGDON
Alyson Martin and Nushin Rashidian sat down Friday for an interview with WAMC’s Joe Donahue. the end of marijuana prohibition, but “a work of journalism.” The publishing of “A New Leaf,” which Kirkus Reviews calls a “cogent, well-sourced and ambitious analysis of the slow decline of cannabis prohibition in the United States,” was always planned in book format. “I think we both hoped it would end up as a book, but of course when you start an involved project you have your hopes for what it’ll end up being in the end, especially when publishing has become a different world after the recession,” Martin said. The research process was one the two went into with their goal of a book in mind. “We wanted it to be a book. It could have been a documentary, a photography project, a few long form pieces tied together,” Martin said. “The best case scenario [was a book]. The reporting was done in that way, as deep as it was and as broad as it was. That’s what we wanted to do. We scheduled enough interviews in every state and enough varied interviews to expand the length of a book, and it was bold. At the time, we were a little naïve, but it
worked in our favor.” Martin remembers those eight months vividly. She recalls the moment when she realized the magnitude of what she was covering. “Actually at the end of the trip, we were in Colorado in 2011 and we were at a national conference at the Hyatt in Denver where people from across the country and the world [came] to talk about cannabis and the cannabis industry…the lobby was even packed,” Martin said. “Everywhere you turned, people were coming and going —that was the moment— because the industry had become so sophisticated. Anytime money investors, creative people, all of those kind of minds invest their energy in one thing, it can only mean it’s going to get bigger…I knew it was going to keep growing and keep changing,” she said. The book was something both Martin and Rashidian poured their heart and soul into, but Martin didn’t have any expectations for readers’ reactions. However, she did realize the differences between writing a book and the daily grind of writing for a paper. “Daily journalism is a daily
sprint and writing a book is a really long marathon. Keep going and have faith that you’ll reach the finish line,” Martin said. The long marathon of the work resulted in the first-person reporting featured in its 228 pages. The personalities of both Martin and Rashidian are evident in each word they have crafted. While the work is light enough for the average person to read and enjoy, the nonfiction narrative in it makes it not a ‘light joking book,’ but rather a hard hitting piece of journalism that is already being used for a textbook. Martin explained that there has been interest in the book in many different types of classroom settings including law, medical, criminal justice, and sociology. In response to being asked for closing remarks, Martin simply said, “I would really encourage anyone who is thinking about doing anything new or innovative to be persistent and be your own champion. It’s really amazing what people can do when they just don’t give up…[“A New Leaf”] exists today because we just kept at it and kept at it.”
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The Chronicle
February 4th, 2014
Volume 82 Issue 20
Photos Around Campus Photos by Chris Alvarado and Kelly Pfeister
CHRIS ALVARADO
Designers and models made and wore clothing composed of entirely recyclable materials.
CHRIS ALVARADO
The three boardmembers of Outside the Box, a club at Saint Rose promoting positivity.
KELLY PFEISTER
On guitar, Torre Cioffi provided background vocals for Transit.
CHRIS ALVARADO
Supplies were on hand to decorate cookies and grab a cup of tea at the Outside the Box meeting.
CHRIS ALVARADO
Green Pageant participants (from left) Joe Lancelot, Mckenzee Greene, Ashley Sweet, and Emily Rancourt.
CHRIS ALVARADO
KELLY PFEISTER
Jack’s Place was packed for Transit’s show Sunday afternoon.
Mckenzee Greene showed off Joe Lancelot’s outfit made of pieces of jeans and recycled newspapers.
KELLY PFEISTER
Joe Boynton, the lead singer of Transit, kept up the crowd’s energy with his expressive singing.
February 4th, 2014
Volume 82 Issue 20
Arts
The Chronicle
Rosebud in Full Bloom:
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Saint Rose Alumni Jimmy Fallon Takes Over “The Tonight Show” By KATIE KLIMACEK Staff Writer “The Tonight Show” is one of those talk shows that has been rooted in pop culture for the past six decades. From Jack Paar to Johnny Carson, Conan O’Brien to Jay Leno, these hosts, guests, and monologues were always sure to be talked about the following morning around the water cooler. With this show being the Holy Grail of late night and home to an eclectic mix of personalities, it’s an honor to call the next host one of our own. At the conclusion of the 2014 Winter Olympics, current “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno will pass the microphone to former Rosebud, Jimmy Fallon. After more than 4,000 episodes as the current host of “The Tonight Show,” comedian Jay Leno will step down from his set in California and call it quits. After hearing that Leno was leaving for good this time around, many viewers wondered why. Was it because he wanted to retire? Was he asked to step down? Or did he accept a better offer? After much speculation, Leno divulged his reason for leaving. While sitting down with “Fox News,” Leno said he felt it was time to leave. “You get to a certain age and you’re the old guy. For me, talking about rap music and things, it seems a bit silly” he said. So it makes sense that NBC decided to have funny man Jimmy Fallon, who is 24 years younger than Leno, take over “The Tonight Show,” bringing a fresh breath of air and youth to the late night circuit. For the past five years, Jimmy Fallon has been hosting “Late Night.” During that time, Conan O’Brien took over “The Tonight Show,” before Leno retook the position and O’Brien moved to TBS. Fallon is a good host with a
lot of charisma and a genuine personality that anyone could love. He has the potential to bring a new flair to “The Tonight Show” that others have not been able to master. With his background in stage and music, Fallon has an arsenal of great skits, parodies and musical duets that appeal to a wide range of viewers. When Fallon first took over “Late Night,” he had a rocky start. He was new to the late night scene, making it hard for audience members to get used to a new host. But after a few months, his ratings began to pick up. Fallon is not the conventional late night host. Unlike David Letterman and Leno, Fallon doesn’t just give a monologue, sit down and interview his guests. Instead, he has weekly bits after his monologue, such as #HASHTAG
young comedian, to his debut on “SNL,” and what the future has in store for him with “The Tonight Show.” David Kamp, author of the article, states perfectly who the soon-to-be host really is. “Fallon has brought a quirky sincerity and a musical sophistication to late-night.” It sounds cliché, but he’s real. He’s not one to show off his many cars or million dollar houses. Rather, he’s the kind of man who is honest about who he is both on
and off camera. In Vanity Fair, Fallon’s former “SNL” Weekend Update cohost Tina Fey talked about him. “Jimmy actually likes talking to people, and that’s a little bit of a rarity.” It’s true. So many of the past and present hosts seem to get bored in the daily act of interviewing stars about their newest movie premiere or humanitarian efforts. But Fallon goes into each interview with a clear head and a
true passion for discussion. “He’s the type of guy you can see attending a BBQ,” said freshman and late night TV enthusiast Alex Dindy. Without his quirky personality and lovable antics, Jimmy Fallon would not have been a shoe-in for this prominent position. On February 17, don’t forget to tune in at 12:37 to watch our favorite Rosebud take over “The Tonight Show.” Herrrrrreeeeee’s JIMMY!
“It sounds cliché, but he’s real... he’s the kind of man that is honest about who he is both on and off camera.” OF THE WEEK, or viewer favorite Thank You Notes, thanking common objects and places, not to mention the incorporation of SNL-style skits and parodies, where his nightly guests partake in the wacky bits. From Jacob’s Patients, where Fallon and his guest use mannequin arms, to Point Pleasant Police Department, a parody of 80s cop sitcoms, Fallon’s slew of skits bring a new element to late night TV, an element that many fans are looking forward to being on “The Tonight Show.” In the February issue of Vanity Fair, a several page spread talks about everything from Fallon’s humble beginnings as a
Jimmy Fallon
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
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The Chronicle
Arts
February 4th, 2014
Volume 82 Issue 20
“The Fault in Our Stars:” A Tearjerker for Everyone By NICOLAS NEGRON Staff Writer
John Green is an accomplished writer and video blogger, having written four novels and coauthored another two. John and his brother Hank have over 1.7 million subscribers on YouTube, and are responsible for the yearly YouTube convention, VidCon. The brothers have gained a huge fan base, and have inspired many school clubs. Green has gained a loyal readership amongst youngadult fiction readers in the past eight years. Green was an English and religious studies major at Kenyon College. He once critiqued books for the New York Times Book Review. His plans were to become an Episcopal priest. “The Fault in Our Stars” was inspired by Green’s experience working in a children’s hospital for those with serious illness; this is how he
chose the path to become an author. The idea for this novel came to his mind in 2000, but he did not write it immediately due to his anger over young lives being taken so quickly. Green has stated that the novel could not be possible without the inspiration of the late Esther Earl, a girl who died at just 16 years old from metastasized papillary thyroid cancer in 2010. “I could never have written this if I hadn’t known Esther. She introduced me to a lot of the ideas in the book, especially hope in a world that is indifferent to individuals, and empathy. She redefined the process of dying young for me,” says Green to goodreads. com. “The Fault in Our Stars” is a love story between main charac-
ters Hazel Grace Lancaster, who has thyroid cancer, and Augustus Waters, who is in remission from osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer. There are surely tears to be shed when reading this young adult novel and it has become a favorite of many. I have read the novel and find it extremely compelling. The reader almost has to take a break between sittings just to digest that seriousness of the situation Hazel and Augustus are in. This is an addicting book and the absolute best love story published in young adult literature in the 21st century. After reading the novel, I realized that I was not as thankful for my health as I should be. All Hazel would like is to breathe properly, an action that most people take for granted. It is not until we look into the lives of
others, whether they are fictional or real, that we become grateful. The book is not just a novel for females. The Green brothers have both loyal male and female fans that support the novel. “[‘The Fault in Our Stars’ is] an electric portrait of young people who learn to live life with one foot in the grave,” says Jodi Picoult, author of the famous novel “My Sister’s Keeper,” another tearjerker about those with a terminal illness. The book debuted at number 1 on the New York Times Best Seller List for Children’s Chapter Books, although it is for every age. It also hit number 1 on the Wall Street Journal’s Best Seller List. As of late 2013, there are over 1 million copies of the novel in print.
The book has recently been turned into a film directed by Josh Boone. Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort star in the film as Hazel and Augustus, respectively. John Green was on set during production and has made video blogs about his experience. Fans are appreciative that Green was on set, giving hope that the bookto-film adaptation has been done right. The film will hit theaters on June 6, 2014. The success that John Green has had is not due to anything but his artistry. He has not written any dystopian fiction series that one would expect an author in the young adult genre to write. Instead, he has written very realistic novels with themes deep routed in the issues teenagers face today. At the age of 36, Green has a long illustrious career to unfold.
That Awkward Moment: A Surprisingly Emotional Comedy By LAUREN KLOSE Staff Writer
After seeing the trailer to That Awkward Moment starring Zac Efron, Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan, you would expect a film filled with tons of hi-jinx and those “awkward moments” many of us have found ourselves in at some point. However, that is not the exact case. The movie follows the lives of three male friends who vow to remain single for as long as they can in order to support their soon-tobe divorced friend, played by Jordan. Apparently, a bet was made, but that portion of the film is very brief and doesn’t really elaborate
on with what will happen to whoever loses. The story has the typical characters: the pretty player boy who always seems to get the girls (Efron), the goofy guy who thinks he is hot stuff (Teller), and the one who has been in a relationship for as long as he can remember (Jordan). Though there are a decent amount of hilariously awkward moments, including Jordan walking in on Efron having sex with a random girl, one of Efron’s love interests (Imogen Poots) being confused for a hooker, and Teller having to do the walk of shame through a Thanksgiving Day dinner party without any pants on, there is a touch of seriousness to
the film. Not only will the audience feel for Jordan being left by his wife for their lawyer, especially as he tries to get her back, they will also feel for Poots, who suffers a significant loss in the movie. There are, of course, the predictable plot lines involving Teller and his talented wing woman, played by Mackenzie Davis, as well as that of Jordan believing he could really fix things with his wife, only to have them fall apart again. All in all, it was a decent movie that will appeal to the 20 something crowd, particularly females. Girls will definitely fawn over Efron’s gorgeous looks and chis-
eled body throughout the movie and tear up at his romantic speech given to Poots in the end. It wasn’t as hilarious as I thought it was going to be, but there is also enough humor that both girls and
guys will find it amusing. It’s the typical romantic comedy, but for young couples looking for something that they will both enjoy on Valentine’s Day, this would be a good choice.
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February 4th, 2014
Volume 82 Issue 20
Arts
Kickin’ It With KJ:
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Why the Grammys Keep Getting It Wrong Edition By KEVIN JACOB Staff Writer Welcome all to another edition of Kickin’ It. I know I didn’t write anything last week and I really wanted to write something this week. I’ll save more reviews for next week, but this week I’m going to be tackling a different bear altogether: the Grammys. Now, the people who vote on the Grammys, to be honest, don’t know anything about real music. That in itself is already a problem. For example, Paul McCartney won some song for Best Rock Song called “Cut Me Some Slack.” Now, let’s break down how this DECENT song won. First off, you’ve a Beatle involved, so you already know that the panels have a hard-on. Add in two of Nirvana’s three members, and they’ve got a diamond on their hands. Then you look at the other songs that were up against them. You had Black Sabbath and The Rolling Stones, who, again, are both pretty old, and then you have Gary Clark ,Jr. and Muse. To be honest, Gary Clark probably had the best song in there. But the way the committee thinks is that, “Well, we’ve got some guys that we rarely see, some metal punks, and the Stones... wait, look at this… oh, there’s a Beatle with a song on there? And Dave Grohl? Winner.” More than likely, that’s how that conversation went. You see, with the Grammys, it’s the name which is the reason that certain artists win, rather than the music. Jay-Z won for “Holy Grail” for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, which he did with Justin Timberlake. I’ll give you that the song is alright, but when you look up at what was facing it, it’s obvious that this one was going to dominate. Basically, all of the other songs in that category were mediocre at best. So there you have Jay-Z who, although he may not have put out the best song ever, wins the award. This is also because the
Grammys love Jay-Z. I mean, the guy’s got so many that he referenced this one as a sippy cup for his newborn. Not that Hov doesn’t deserve Grammy credit, because he does, but when you’re name is associated with as many awards as his or Paul McCartney are, then it doesn’t matter. If your name is nominated for a certain category, then most likely you’re going to win it, no matter what. This leads me to my biggest problem with the Grammys. If you think what I’ve written is hating, or whatever you want to call it, then you’re going to want to stop reading because this next topic I was a bit more salty at. A certain somebody cleaned up at the Grammys. A certain rapper, surprisingly. But that’s not a surprise, as he did dominate quite a bit last year. This man’s name is Macklemore (I’m not including Ryan Lewis). Macklemore won every major rap award during the Grammys and I, for one, think that it’s complete and utter bullsh*t. The only thing that I might remotely get is giving “Thrift Shop” the Best Rap Song award because not only was it catchy, but it was everywhere. I’ll give him that. But to give this man BEST RAP ALBUM OF THE YEAR?!?!?! That’s where I finally saw the Grammys for the hoax that it is. You’re going to tell me that The Heist was better then Yeezus, Nothing Was the Same, Magna Carta Holy Grail, and the one that should have won, Kendrick Lamar’s Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City? Go f**k yourself Grammys. Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City was called “the first classic album since Illmatic,” yet it somehow lost to Macklemore? I don’t understand it. In my eyes, Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City was a great album. It perfectly captured what it’s like growing up in the perils of Compton, California. Macklemore’s album, although it had some good songs with a message that you don’t normally see in rap
music, was waaaaaay too incon- clean up, mainly because not only erything wrong. From McCartney sistent. For example, you have are they really great and fun for to Macklemore and even having “White Walls,” which is an ode to the industry, but “Get Lucky,” Vampire Weekend winning over Cadillacs. Pretty in-depth about although always on the air, was Tame Impala just proved that the cars, whatever, and then bam, so damn good. The rest of the al- Grammys is now a joke and just you’re hit with “Jimmy Iovine,” bum was pretty good, too. I also an entertaining awards show inwhich is about the music indus- thought it was good to see Lorde stead of meaning something for try, and then “Wings,” which is win because “Royals” is a great music. all about basketball. Are these all song. Point blank. That perforThat’s all for this week’s edigreat songs? mance she did though? Jesus. It tion of Kickin’ It. Hopefully back But going in-depth on one top- wasn’t exactly good. But for the to the grind next week as well. ic, then completely flipping the most part, the Grammys got ev- Peace everybody. script without having other songs to tie in said topic is odd to me. The Heist is more of a collection of songs/singles than a cohesive album. And for the record, I don’t hate Macklemore. In You’re growing up, and you need a bank that fact, I thought will be there for you every step of the way. his The VS. Redux EP that as a part of our student banking program, he dropped Capital bank will help you with your checking a couple of and savings accounts and provide you with years ago was handy tools such as Web banking, Mobile pretty good. But I hated banking, and fee-free atM access. so stop The Heist. on in and begin a relationship with us—it will I also bebe one that your parents will welcome and lieve that one that you will treasure for a lifetime. Macklemore might’ve won because of Certain activity required to avoid a monthly fee. Wireless carrier charges may apply. “Same Love.” Ask us for details. But that’s for another time and another article, because 1375 Washington Avenue 65 Wolf Rd., Suite 107 581 Loudon Road Albany, NY 12206 Albany, NY 12205 Latham, NY 12110 I don’t think a lot of people 1365 New Scotland Road 7 Southside Dr. would appreSlingerlands, NY 12159 Clifton Park, NY 12065 ciate my comments on that one. So in the end, did the Grammys get anything right? Maybe. capitalbank.com It was good to Member FDIC see Daft Punk
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Opinion
The Chronicle
State of the Union Address: Obama Explains His Agenda for 2014
By ALYSSA HADDAD Staff Writer President Obama’s applausefilled State of the Union Address on Tuesday was charged with high hopes for the new year. The president discussed several topics, including the ever-present problem of the economy, along with education, minimum wage, gun laws, health care, and the war in Afghanistan. One of the president’s main focuses was on education reform, by providing “every child access to a world-class education.” In the past year, Obama claimed that in the last year, he has worked to reform student loans and help states raise expectations and performance, and as a result, there are now more students than ever who are in the process of earning a college degree. In order to encourage education in America to continue moving forward, President Obama hopes to offer firstrate education for every fouryear-old preschool student, in order to enact quality education in Americans at an early age. In addition, the president has plans to connect high schools with colleges, as well as employers, in order to provide them with handson training and experience to lead to better jobs and careers where a qualified workforce is in demand. Essentially, in regards to education, President Obama’s plans for
2014, according to his claims in the State of the Union Address, are to make high-quality education more affordable, and to also help Americans who either need to go to college, or are trying to find jobs after they earn their degrees. President Obama also briefly reviewed the inequality between men and women in the workplace. “Today,” he explained, “women make up about half our workforce, but they still make 77 cents for every dollar a man earns. That is wrong, and in 2014, it's an embarrassment. Women deserve equal pay for equal work.” The president stated that women who are paid the same wage as men to do the same job will continue to drive the economy forward. Furthermore, the wages of women are comparative to minimum wage workers, on the grounds that when both are paid adequately, their efforts will help the economy, by giving people more money to spend and advancing businesses. The president hopes to offer $10.10 as the standard minimum wage in the upcoming year. Finally, the president discussed the war in Afghanistan, and his plans to end it within the year. President Obama declared that “Today, all our troops are out of Iraq. More than 60,000 of our troops have already come home from Afghanistan. With Afghan
forces now in the lead for their own security, our troops have moved to a support role. Together with our allies, we will complete our mission there by the end of
February 4th, 2014
Volume 82 Issue 20
this year, and America's longest war will finally be over.” Moreover, he brought up strategies to integrate soldiers comfortably back into a civilian lifestyle by providing them with health care, including mental health care, and training and education for jobs. President Obama’s State of the Union Address demonstrated his
high expectations for this year, and many of his arguments are crucial and would immensely improve the state of America. Hopefully, his continuing battle with Congress will not prevent the actuality of these practices in 2014, and by this time next year, a major improvement is made on America’s current state.
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February 4th, 2014
Volume 82 Issue 20
In Defense of Rose Rock Letters to the Editor
Like many here at Saint Rose, I enjoy the weekly scan through a new edition of The Chronicle. It allows me to catch up with the happenings on campus, as well as showcase the media talents of those in the communications department. In the recent Jan. 28 edition, I found myself glued to one article in particular: a write -up on this year’s Rose Rock, by opinion editor Zachary Olsavicky. It was a mostly negative piece about the issues concerning Rose Rock 2014, chiefly the headliner finalist list, referred to as “lacking inspiration” and as overall poor choices. I re-read the article several times and found that the scathing review deserves a rebuttal from a person who sees Rose Rock in a much different light. To his defense, Olsavicky presents some fair points. This year’s headliner list certainly did not contain a slam-dunk name that would resonate with a large portion of the student body, and the artists themselves do immediately send one’s memories back to the early 2000s. He is correct when he says that students “have mocked the final list”: seeing artists such as Vanilla Ice, Aaron Carter, and Ying Yang Twins on the list certainly elicited a laugh and a joke from many, myself included. But it is in his last accurate point that demands attention: money. There is no doubt Saint Rose is a small school, which presents two problems. First, funds will always be tight for any sort of student function. Second, and more importantly, lack of funds and lack of name recognition combine to torpedo most attempts to get a big-shot music act. As Olsavicky stated correctly, Zac Brown and Paramore are not going to come to a school that can’t pay their fee. In music, as it is in life, money still rules. The problem is that this hugely important factor is not given the attention it deserves. Complain all you want about the choices,
but when you can only afford BList acts, you have to work creatively and fiscally responsibly. This is likely why local bands are asked to fill up the majority of the time slots. People are not perfect, but I do believe the organizers of the event try their best to put on a show everyone can enjoy. If you are that angry that top artists are never on the ballot for headliner of Rose Rock, blame yourself for coming to Saint Rose, not your peers for doing the best they can. My second issue with the article concerns an overriding theme that centers around the concept that “opinions are not created equal.” It is indeed true to have a more logical opinion, when one can back up his/hers feelings on a subject with factual points, but that does not make it better. Music is inherently subjective, and no one’s tastes are ever quite like another’s (I, for one, like to compliment my Pink Floyd with a little Eiffel 65 and Material Girl by Madonna). If someone doesn’t like the Ying Yang Twins, that is completely fine. Just like it was acceptable not to like Chris Wallace. Or Streetlight Manifesto. The wonderful thing about music is that there isn’t supposed to be a good or bad band; merely a group that speaks to you more than another. As ridiculous as it sounds, there is at least one person out there who believes in his/her heart that Ying Yang Twins truly are the pinnacle of lyrical genius. When we start to tell people who it is and isn’t ok to like and listen to, we begin our descent on a very slippery slope of disrespect, control, and exclusion that borders on fascist. Some, like Olsavicky, seem to believe that some are more qualified to judge music. While
Opinion our brothers-in-arms in Massry are greatly educated in the art of playing and writing music, they are no more qualified to select music choices than any other major. In fact, there is just as good of a chance that a music major would be more biased on what they considered “good music.” This idea that music majors are better at judging music has been perpetuated for far too long at this college and has resulted in much alienation towards others, one that Olsavicky seems to want to continue. Simply put, it is unfair to music listeners, and it is especially unfair to those who play instruments or sing, but chose another career path to pursue. The process of voting is fine and needs no amending. Olsavicky stated that if the headliner is of poor quality, then people will not be excited and that we are all better off without Rose Rock. I am writing to say that he is very wrong. Rose Rock has, and always will be, much more than just who the big act is. People will come because they want to hear the many local, fresh bands that open up the proceedings. People will come because the day tends to be warm, spirits are high, friends are out and about, and the food is plentiful (and also because it probably isn’t water in that Poland Spring bottle). People will come because wherever there is music, no matter what kind it is, they will likely be caught up in the atmosphere of fun. There is no accurate way to describe the feeling of being a part of the crowd during a concert, but it encompasses everyone. That, to me, is what this day is all about: one student body uniting as one to relax and enjoy the day. Truly, the only thing worse than having Rose Rock with an uninspiring headliner, is the thought of not having Rose Rock at all. --Nathaniel Meyers
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR To submit a letter to the Chronicle, contact Opinion Editor Zachary Olsavicky at olsavickyz977@ strose.edu. Letters are subject to editing based on content and space constraints.
The Chronicle
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Confessions Page Degrades Saint Rose Image By ZACAHRY OLSAVICKY Opinion Editor With Valentine’s Day a week away and Christmas not too far in the rear-view mirror, we’re at a point in the calendar year attuned to sending good vibes. The Saint Rose community had its own boost of kindness with Saint Rose Compliments, the Facebook page devoted to anonymous cheer, but its recent closure left students without a positive outlet for that brand of kindness. In its wake, a number of copycat pages opened up on Facebook, not all with kind-hearted intentions. The most popular alternative was Saint Rose Confessions, which shared more inappropriate and absurd secrets with its followers. The page was almost shut down, and it petered out towards the end of April. But the past week saw a version of Saint Rose Confessions re-appear on Twitter, allowing people to drop anonymous comments on an ask.fm page for sharing with the community at large. I’ll spare all a sampling of the comments; needless to say, many deal in innuendo and only a few seem genuine. The guidelines for moderation aren’t apparent—a few brief tweets exist regarding inappropriate matter but, based on the content already on the page, I shudder to think about what is considered inappropriate. It’s also hard to get a sense of the motivation behind the page’s operator—are they trying to have a good time, or are they trying to get dirt on students who go here? At a school whose most famous alumnus is Jimmy Fallon, it’s understandable that some students would look at themselves as great comedians. But the confessions aren’t funny in the slightest—they only make the school look bad and bring out the worst in students. A little over 550 people follow the account, which is surprising after the success and praise of
the positivity seen in the Compliments page. It’s a far call from last March, when the Compliments page drew rave reviews from students for its power in being positive. Instead of rejecting the crassness and negativity, many of the same students who embraced the Compliments page have embraced the dark-natured Confessions. Our young minds can be inconsistent, but even this seems like a clear-cut case of what’s wrong and what’s right. What might be most disappointing is looking at the page’s list of followers and seeing school staff following the account. There aren’t many staff members following the page— the ones I recognize I can count on one hand—but seeing a Saint Rose employee follow the page is a tacit endorsement of its content. It’s understandable that younger people would be drawn to commentary like this, but staff and administrators who follow the page ought to know better. Hopefully, those who do know better will make efforts to close the account. Social media presence is crucial for an institution like Saint Rose, and the account, with a profile picture that looks school-owned, could easily be confused with school-sponsored content. The page lacks the openness seen in the Compliments page, and its humor is senseless. Though the College probably has bigger fish to fry, it would be a good use of resources to try and close the page. Additionally, it would be wonderful if the original Saint Rose Compliments page could re-open on Facebook. The original manager had good reason to close the page, but it would be nice if a new student (or even a school employee) could give it a fresh start. Maybe if people were reminded of the good that kindness creates, they would be less inclined to confess their lesser thoughts.
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The Chronicle
Opinion
February 4th, 2014
Volume 82 Issue 20
2014 Grammy Awards: Entertainment at a Crossroads
By KAYLYNN DAY Staff Writer This year’s 56th annual Grammy Awards gave a chance for some of the industry’s biggest names to come out and claim their place in the spotlight. Industry heavy weights like Beyoncé, Katy Perry and Taylor Swift graced the stage and put on a show for fans and industry peers alike. This year’s show was full of big fashion and even bigger performances, leaving fans glued to their televisions and refusing to miss a single moment. 17 year old New Zealand singer/songwriter Lorde had social media buzzing with the performance of her hit single “Royals”. Although most of the attention during Lorde’s performance focused on her questionable and at times frightening dance moves, the talent that she holds is remarkable. Lorde performed a melodic rendition of “Royals”, leaving everyone in the audience and at home stunned that such a voice could come from that young of a woman. Although her vocals became weak at some points (which is normal for first time Grammy performers), her performance still deserves recognition. Not only did she put on a good performance, Lorde also took home the first two Grammy’s of her career
for “Song of the Year” as well as “Best Pop Solo Performance”. How many of us can say that we accomplished that much before even becoming legal? Overall, Lorde’s performance was one of my favorites of the night, leaving me questioning why I wasn’t blessed with such effortless talent at her age and confirming my belief that she will go far with her music. One of Hip-Hop’s most talked about rappers to date Kendrick Lamar made it known to the world that his “plan B is to win y'all hearts before I win a Grammy”, and it’s safe to say he did just that. Kendrick along with some help from rock group Imagine Dragons set the stage ablaze with a mash up of their hits “MAAD City” and “Radioactive”. This performance showed why Kendrick is at the top of the game and gave life to the term “King” he’s recently added in front of his name. The gritty flow of the song hyped up by the live percussion from Imagine Dragons made this performance in my eyes, hands down the best of the night. Another example of undeniable talent, King Kendrick’s performance came after he had been short changed not only once, but twice of Grammy’s that to me no one deserved more than him. Making viewers question why ex-
The Grammy Awards were entertaining, but more Rap and R&B artists deserve honors from voters.
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Singer-songwriter Lorde won Song of the Year for her hit single Royals. actly he was not given the awards around the globe. What made the in the first place. Although Kend- performance one of the greatest rick walked away from the show of the night was the marriage cerempty handed award wise, he can emonies that took place during it. check having the best Grammy 33 lucky couples from all different performance of the year off his races, sexes, and religions were bucket list. We K-Dot fans can chosen to tie the knot in front of only hope that Kendrick keeps the world. This performance was bringing the heat to the Hip Hop one that left me in tears to say the world that only he can and pray least. It was a beautiful thing to that he will rightfully earn the see so many different types of awards he deserves next year. couples have the opportunity to Now four time Grammy win- share the love they have for each ners, Macklemore and Ryan other with others, free from judgLewis left not one dry eye in the ment and criticism. Macklemore audience after their touching per- and Ryan Lewis deserve to be apformance of their single “Same plauded for their compassion and Love”. With a little help from creativity, adding them to the list Mary Lambert, Queen Latifah, of best performances of the night. and Madonna, Macklemore and This year’s Grammy’s not only Ryan Lewis spread their positive offered great music, but great message of having the freedom fashion as well. The crown for to love whoever you want to love Best Dressed of the night undoubtedly goes to the Queen Bey herself. The beautiful Beyoncé rocked a stunning all-white, see through, lace Michael Costello couture gown that hugged her figure in all the right places. In true Beyoncé fashion, she floated around the awards looking like the heaven sent goddess that she is. Producer Pharrell Williams on the other hand deserves the title for Worst Dressed based off of accessories alone. Williams walked
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the red carpet sporting a red leather sports jacket with a ten gallon hat to match. The infamous hat easily became the conversation piece of the night, even sparking a reaction from the official twitter account of fast food chain Arby’s. The restaurant tweeted, “Hey @Pharrell, can we have our hat back? #GRAMMYs,” referring to the resemblance between Pharrell’s hat and the one seen in their logo. The hat was extremely tacky and just a good look for anyone. Pharrell has always been known for his unique sense of fashion, especially when it comes to head wear; but this hat was one that should have been left on whatever shelf he picked it off of. This year’s Grammys was very entertaining to say the least. It was great overall, but next year I would love to see the Rap and R&B genre to be shown more love and appreciation. The show seemed to center around mostly pop music and artist that owned the radio waves in 2013. If the lineup was more diverse, the show would be nothing short of perfect. With that said, the 2014 Grammy Awards did not fail to disappoint and easily lived up to its title of “music’s biggest night”.
February 4th, 2014
Volume 82 Issue 20
The Marijuana Debate Spreads to the NFL By TORI ADDISON Staff Writer In case you missed the joke of week, the two teams who represent states that have legalized marijuana were playing in a “Super Bowl”, good one right? While Colorado and Washington may be among the few states to support the benefits of medicinal, as well as recreational marijuana, the rest of the country is yet to take action on legalizing the substance. With the use of marijuana as a healing agent becoming increasingly popular in the medical world, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell recently decided to voice his opinion on the matter. Surprisingly enough, Goodell actually supports the use of medicinal marijuana, but only under certain circumstances. If proven successful, the NFL would con-
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sider allowing players to use the drug to treat concussions, as well as other head injuries. Goodell is not the only one advocating for medicinal marijuana use within the NFL, as Seahawks’ head coach Pete Carroll voiced his support for the substance soon after the suggestion emerged. Carroll sees no shame in the idea and implied that the NFL should be focused on keeping up with the constant evolution of medicine. Both Goodell and Carroll also took the time to point out that as of right now medical experts are not pointing towards marijuana as an effective tool in aiding head injuries, but if any developments are found, the NFL will reconsider their decision on banning player’s use of the drug. One of the hardest aspects of removing marijuana from the NFL’s banned substance list would be working around state
laws that are against its. Even though states such as Colorado have legalized both medicinal and recreational use, other states such as New York have not. The balance between punishments for players who live in states that have legalized the drug compared to those that have not could start to produce major controversy as more states work towards legalization. As of right now, the NFL’s already strict policy of random drug testing has its drawbacks for players who test positive. It is not uncommon for players to face harsh suspensions for drug use, such as Denver’s Von Miller and Seattle’s Walter Thurmond who lost serious playing time during the regular season due to failed drug tests. As the commissioner, how do you handle players who chose to consume marijuana while residing in states that have legalized its use? Technically, NFL players are subjected to drug testing as part of the contract of their employment and by breaking protocol they are aware that they will be punished. But, what about those
players that opt to use marijuana as a pain reliever as opposed to the addictive pain killers that are given to them from team doctors? Former running back Ricky Williams is a prime example as he stated that he would rather aid his social anxiety with marijuana as opposed to the prescriptive meds given to him by his doctor. His preference to cannabis would eventually lead him to retire from the league due to repeated failed drug tests and lengthy suspensions. In some aspects, it is unfair to punish players who look for a medical solution that will not only help them, but also produce calmer side effects than prescriptive pain killers. If the NFL decides to allow medicinal marijuana to be used to treat head injuries, they are going to face even more issues with players who argue its use effective in aiding other injuries and personal disorders. I mean, it is not like marijuana is a performance-enhancing drug that gives players an edge over competitors. Players who chose to self-medicate with marijuana should not be punished if they are doing so in the privacy of their
own home. Fans pour serious money into supporting their team and it is completely unfair that they have to miss out on watching players because of failed drug tests. I understand that the players are supposed to be role models, but the NFL does not exactly do a great job of creating a childfriendly environment for viewers. Last time I checked, more players have humiliated themselves publically while under the influence of alcohol than any other drug. Not to mention, you cannot watch ten minutes of a football game without seeing a commercial promoting alcohol consumption, which is not the best message to be sending to underage viewers. With the growing legalization of marijuana as a medicinal and recreational substance, it is going to become harder for the NFL to pursue their control over player’s drug use. The NFL needs to seriously consider the effects of marijuana as a healing agent as it has begun to open new doors in the medical world and could potentially create a breakthrough in the treatment of concussions and other head injuries.
bill was intended to “suspend the investment credit and the allowance of accelerated depreciation in the case of certain real property” so it’s a little strange that toward the end of the bill they mention football. Congress justifies this exemption by classifying the NFL under section 501 (c)(6) of the tax code as a non-profit ‘Trade Association’ A ‘Trade Association’ is defined by wisegeek.com “organizations that create a means for businesses involved in a given industry to interact to the mutual benefit of all concerned.” In the case of the NFL, this means the league office in New York. So under the tax code the NFL League office is the only thing exempt from taxes. What does this have to do with the nine billion dollars? The nine billion
doesn’t go to the league office, it goes to the teams so that money is subject to tax. End of story, right? WRONG. A Trade Association is technically a non-profit. So when teams have to pay ‘dues’ to the NFL that money isn’t taxed. So yes, the IRS is getting some of the money the NFL generates, but they aren’t getting as much as they could. The problem isn’t with the league office, it’s with the teams. The league office acts as a tax shelter. The teams dump some of their profits into the office and in turn less of their money is taxed. When you take into account the fact that league ‘dues’ have only gone up since the merger, and you start to see the con the NFL is running. As profits increase, ‘dues’ increase allowing teams to get around the brunt of the taxes
they’re supposed to be paying. All this is happening while teams like the Vikings are bartering to get a new stadium built with your tax dollars. The insanity doesn’t stop here. Section 501(c)(6) creates a tax exemption for businesses whose “activities are directed to the improvement of business conditions of one or more lines of business, rather than the performance of particular services for individual persons.” The NFL doesn’t do that. It operates for the benefit of itself and itself only. Think about the previous football leagues that tried to coexist with the NFL, (WFL,USFL, and the AFL) none of them exist now. The NFL improves football, as it improves there business, they care nothing for other leagues. When it comes to actual player safety the
NFL only takes action when it improves their business. Concussions have always been bad but when does the NFL start acting on it, when it starts to turn people away from the sport. It’s one thing for the NFL to be given this exemption and to abuse it, but the bigger problem might be whether the NFL actually deserves this privilege in the first place. This tax exemption has been shady from the start, it was slid into a bill without the public knowing about it, and has done nothing but create an avenue for the NFL to not pay their fair share. In a country that preaches the values of hard work, and spits in the face of those who do it, this tax exemption just piles it on. There’s no question that the NFL should be stripped of its tax exempt status.
The NFL’s Tax-Exempt Status By TARIQ KENDALL Staff Writer
This year’s Super Bowl is projected to make the NFL nearly half a billion dollars. With this massive windfall, looming questions have been raised about the NFL’s tax-exempt status. Should an entity that pulls in $9.5 billion this past season really be excluded from paying taxes? The NFL’s tax exemption dates back to the NFL-AFL merger. Leading up to the merger NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle spent time lobbying Congress. For reasons unknown, Rozelle wanted this new NFL to be exempt from taxes, and on November 8th, 1966, exactly five months after the announcement of the merger a bill was passed that quietly exempt “football leagues” from taxes. Keep in mind this
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means that all journalism students should remain level-headed about their outcome. While watching live games is a plus to being a sports journalists, it’s not all fun in games. When speaking about professional friendships, Iorizzo noted that it is important to remember what a sports journalists job is, and it is not to make people happy. He recalled many times in his career when he had to write stories that did not shed a positive light on the friends he had made on his beat. However, as Iorizzo said about the uncomfortable situation, “Anyone that has feelings is going to feel bad about it, [but] it is your job to call it as it is.” Iorizzo gave one of his most important pieces of information to the college students on how to approach job opportunities in the mass media industry, “Today there are more outlets available to people then there have ever been before, even compared to when I first started out in the industry you had to work for a newspaper,” said Iorizzo. The editor then offered up more advice by saying, “Write as much as you can for anyone you can. “In the end all that matters is that people can see you write well and can preform in a real-world work environment.” Iorizzo touched on the importance of building professional relationships, “Network. You never know how relationships will work in the time to come.”. Iorizzo says sometimes when he is trying to figure out what to lead with in a story he breaks it down and makes it simple. If after the game someone were to come up to you and ask how it went, whatever you would say should be your starting point. “He really gave some great tips. I’ve been reading his articles for a few years and until he visited our class I didn’t realize how he went about writing his articles. As a journalism major, his visit will really stick with me,” said Matthew Woods, a junior at Saint Rose. Iorizzo also admitted that sometimes his stories could get
a bit to “wordy” or complicated. Iorizzo recalled a time where he was told to just get to the point and say what he wanted to say, “Every sentence in every story should count.” One Saint Rose student that could relate to Iorizzo’s writing style was Amal Tlaige. “I like that I could relate to Iorizzio. He talked about how as a journalist he often overwrites, which is a problem that I sometimes have, too,” says Tlaige. “He made a valuable point when he said that no one wants to hear a bunch of ‘mumbo jumbo’. If you have something to say, then say it. You don’t want to bore your audience.” Another person who sat in to listen to Iorizzo was Saint Rose Assistant Athletics Director for Communications Dave Alexander, who commented about what he thought about the visit and Iorizzo as a writer, “I would say that Pete is a consummate professional,” says Alexander. “The fact that he is the sports editor at such a young age speaks volumes about him.” Both Iorizzo and Alexander share similar beliefs in the importance of writing as much as possible to become a better overall writer. Perhaps considering himself a fan of Iorizzo, Alexander reads his articles quite often, “I read his work regularly and think it is outstanding.” Iorizzo is not only well respected by his readers, but his competition, too. WNYT Sports Anchor Rodger Wyland went as far as to say, “Pete is the best columnist I have seen in my near 30 years in Albany.”
Pete Iorizzo Pays Saint Rose a Visit By SPORTS JOURNALISM
Everyone has to start somewhere when charging head-on into a career. The same goes for the current Sports Editor of the Times Union, Pete Iorizzo, who started his career as a sports journalist covering rodeo fresh out of college, a true story of starting from the bottom. Iorizzo spoke with the Sports Journalism class at The College of Saint Rose and talked about packing all his belongings, leaving his nest in New Jersey, and beginning his career cross-country in Idaho, to now being the Sports Editor of one of the Capital Region’s most prominent media outlets. A graduate of Syracuse University, Iorizzo first started his career in Idaho, a long way from his home state of New Jersey. As a sports journalist for a local paper, Iorizzo covered rodeos, something he knew nothing about. After calling Idaho home for several years, Iorizzo got a call from a connection he had back on the east coast, and was offered a job as a sports reporter at the Times Union in Albany. Over the years,
Iorizzo has worked his way up the food chain, going from a sports reporter, to working a crime beat, to now his current position as sports editor. Having worked his way up the chain in the journalism industry, Iorizzo provided the students with valuable information to be applied to their futures in the journalism field. His humorous stories, along with great insight and extraordinary level of experience are bound to leave lasting images on the students. Iorizzo’s experience and passion for journalism is easily expressed in his writing, “Every sentence in every story should count,” says Iorizzo Being a sports editor doesn’t necessarily mean sitting down at a desk, proofreading every story that’s going to be published, at least, that’s not how it is for Iorizzo, whose typical day consists of back-to-back meetings. “Ten percent of the job is actually editing,” he says adding that the editing process is usually the final part of the day. “It doesn’t take me too long to do,” he says adding that usually the more important aspects of his position is to figure out what articles were to be used
Sports Editor Pete Iorizzo stopped by Saint Rose last week.
and their placement in the paper the following morning. Iorizzo always tries keeping keep fresh eyes for his own writing, “Sometimes I change fonts, sometimes I email myself the article just so I can read it on my phone.” Iorizzo said he does this so it helps him read it more like how his readers will read it the following morning. “Sometimes its hard to not have your eyes glaze over as you read and when that happens you can miss some vital errors.” Iorizzo broke it down for the Saint Rose journalism student by assessing the three most essential fundamentals to being successful in the sports journalism field. “Write as much as you can, for anybody you can,” he said. This meaning he encouraged students to keep writing, however, whenever, and about whatever, it makes a good writer and shows potential. “Network, it’s important,” he mentioned. Although Iorizzo said “This may sound a bit cliche, it’s really very true.” Networking is essential to making the professional relationships needed to be a writer. “Be realistic and flexible about expectations,” he finally mentioned. This
COURTNEY CARR
Contributing Writers: Anthony Auspelmyer, Blaise Bryant, Nick Buonanno, Courtney Carr, E.J. Carella, Greg Crawford, Brendan Gallagher, Jordan Guerra, Eddie Kadhim, Lauren Klose, Joshua Natoli, Vinny Rullo, Amal Tlaige, and Matthew Woods. To learn more about Pete Iorizzo, please visit The Chronicle YouTube page or tune into Saint Rose Radio.
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Skyhawks Fly Past Golden Knights With Late Surge bling in and out of screens set by her teammates, Dixon peeked up at the clock then pulled up from beyond the arc. As the ball was in flight, the buzzer sounded. The lasting image after the shot splashed through the hoop to tie it up at 74 was a fist pump from Dixon as her teammates ran to her to briefly celebrate. Stonehill fed off of that shot and carried the momentum into overtime, where Saint Rose still seemed shocked by the previous events. The Skyhawks outscored the Golden Knights 18 to seven in the extra period. Throughout the game, Saint Rose seemed to play with more intensity; Polce had three steals to go along with her 15 points, while teammate Jess DeNicola, who had a quiet first half, scored
all 12 of her points in the second. “She is a force no one can reckon with,” Polce said, “She provides a lot of the inside game for us and it was great to see her step up today when we needed her.” Saint Rose also received quite a bit of scoring from their bench; Staci Barrett totaled 12 points with a couple swooping layups, while sharpshooter Nicole Bini provided eight. For the Skyhawks, Junior guard Amy Pelletier scored a game high 23 points, while shooting 50 percent from the field. Junior forward Tori Faieta racked up 20 points of her own to go along with Dixon’s 17 to outlast the Golden Knights. “We played an entire 40 minutes, but just didn’t make a free throw when we needed,” said Haag.
ANTHONY CHAPIN
Saint Rose fell to Stonehill this past Saturday. By MATTHEW WOODS Contributing Writer With some late-game heroics by Stonehill, and poor free throw shooting from The College of Saint Rose, the Skyhawks avoided an upset by a score of 92-81 in a sensational overtime thriller. Stonehill trailed the entire second half, however, when it came down to crunch time, the Saint Rose women failed to capitalize at the charity stripe missing six of their last 10, giving Stonehill’s senior guard Mary Louise Dixon the opportunity at a last second three to tie the game, which she drained from about 24 feet away to send the game into overtime. In the extra period, the woes continued for Saint Rose as they
committed eight personal fouls which allowed Stonehill to make 12 of 15 from the line. The lategame comeback by Stonehill overshadowed the gritty performance from the Golden Knights with leading scorer, junior Jamie Hutcheson totaling a season high 16 points, 4-7 from three point range, while ripping down eight boards. “We were starting to see each other better and she was getting open a lot and shot it well,” says junior guard Gabie Polce about Hutcheson’s big performance. Collegiate games today are normally won and lost at the free throw line, which couldn’t be more of a fact with the way this game unfolded. After shooting 85 percent from the line in the
first half, Saint Rose shot an uncharacteristic 55 percent from the line in the second half, which proved to be the difference in the game, according to Saint Rose head coach Karen Haag. “If we make one, one of those six, the game is over and that regulation three doesn’t mean anything,” said Haag. These missed free throws occurred all within the last 1:28 of the game, as Saint Rose watched its nine-point lead evaporate in the blink of an eye. That regulation buzzer-beating three seemed to have given all of the momentum to Stonehill heading into overtime. Dixon, given the opportunity off of a missed free throw, took the outlet pass from a teammate and never gave it up. After a few seconds of drib-
ANTHONY CHAPIN
A last-second three sent the game into overtime.
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Rollin’ Through Nolan No More By JOSHUA NATOLI Sports Editor With Head Coach Brian Beaury not in attendance due to illness, the Golden Knights of The College of Saint Rose took the floor this past Saturday afternoon to take on the Stonehill Skyhawks with Assistant Coach Mike Perno at the helm. It was the first matchup between the two Northeast-10 Conference rivals this season. The game came down to the wire as the Skyhawks were sent to the line ahead two points and blew the first free throw of a oneand-one opportunity. The Golden Knights grabbed the board and called timeout to set up an out of bounds play. After getting the ball at halfcourt, sophomore forward Tyler Sayre dribbled left and heaved a prayer three-pointer that would not drop. The final score would end at 75-73 with the Golden Knights falling to Stone-
hill. The miss would top Sayre’s night off at 27 points and ten rebounds while playing all 40 minutes. Center Dominykas Milka earned yet another double-double with 13 points and ten rebounds. Senior guard Kareem Thomas also contributed in a big way with 21 points while shooting five of six from behind the arc. The Golden Knights jumped out to a quick double-digit lead just ten minutes into the first half lead by Thomas and Milka. Saint Rose was able to jump out on the fastbreak on nearly every defensive possession, capitalizing on ball movement miscues and missed shots by Stonehill. Stonehill seemed winded from the pace and switched to a 2-3 zone defense mid-way through the first half, which seemed to be working as they cut the deficit down to five with seven minutes remaining in the half
JOSHUA NATOLI
Dominykas Milka finished with another double-double.
“We were down 13 at one point and called a timeout,” said Stonehill head coach Chris Kraus. “We needed to mix it up with Tyler and Kareem really getting it going in the first half.” The teams began to trade threepoint buckets for nearly an entire minute, netting two each in the span. With three minutes left in the half Stonehill switched back up to man-defense as both teams moved into the bonus. Both teams struggled to find the hole late in the first half, heading back to the locker room with the Golden Knights leading 35-32 at halftime. Perno preached to his team, “We can score offensively; we just needed to get after it defensively.” Thomas kept his hand hot from downtown, opening up the second half with a deep three, with Sayre adding another on the next possession. Guard Dan Mundweiler made a quick exit to the bench three minutes into the half after picking up his fourth personal foul as the Skyhawks went up 44-41. Saint Rose could not stop Stonehill from putting the ball in the basket as they went up 58-49. Perno had seen enough as he checked Mundweiler back in, risking his fifth and final foul. The high-risk, high-reward move seemed to be paying off as the Golden Knights inched back into the game, down by six. With the clock winding down, the Golden Knights missed numerous opportunities to net highpercentage buckets to try and get back on top. The lead was trimmed to just three as Mundweiler nailed a three from the corner with five minutes to play. Shortly after, Sayre flew to the rack, got the bucket, and the foul. After the made free throw, the Skyhawk lead remained only at one. The two teams remained separated by two with 35 seconds left on the clock, and the Golden Knights surging downcourt. The
JOSHUA NATOLI
Kareem Thomas caught fire from three in the first half. ball found its way into the hands of Milka in stride to the hoop, which could not fall as the Skyhawks grabbed the board and called timeout. The Golden Knights needed a foul, and they got it. Sending the Skyhawks to the line again, the Golden Knights capitalized on the first missed free throw, grabbed the rebound, and immediately called timeout to set up an out of bounds play. After getting the ball at halfcourt with just seconds left, Sayre dribbled left and heaved a prayer three-pointer that would not drop. “I caught the ball too early,”
says Sayre. “I was only thinking about three points instead of the two or a foul.” Pierce Cumpstone and Adam Bramati paced the Skyhawks offensively with 18 and 16 points each respectively. “For the first 10 minutes and the last 10 minutes we competed,” says Perno. “They’re very long. We had a hard time matching up.” Both teams are on the road for their next matchups. The Skyhawks will take on Merrimack Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. and the Golden Knights will be at American International at 7:30 p.m.