The Chronicle The weekly student newspaper of The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York www.strosechronicle.com - @strosechronicle
September 3rd, 2014
Volume LXXXIII Issue 3
Courtney CArr
Ernesto’s on Madison since 1949
By VANESSA LANGDON Staff Writer
The new pizza shop at 850 Madison Ave. has a long history starting with its namesake, Ernesto Stacchini.
The restaurant opened its doors in Albany for the first time 12 days ago but the original Ernesto’s opened on Madison Avenue, New York, New York in 1949. The Ernesto revival replaced
News & Features
the old “I Love New York” pizzeria. Ernesto Stacchini’s grandchildren, siblings Mario Vredenburg, 45, and Daniella Stacchini, Continued on Page A4
Arts & Opinion
Madison Theater Helps Audiences By ALEX WHEELER Features Editor It has almost been a year since the Madison Theater on Madison Avenue reopened to bring mov-
iegoers in the Capital Region a slice of golden age cinema with classics ranging from Goldeneye to Rosemary’s Baby. Continued on Page A5
Sports
Ernesto’s on Madison since 1949 See pages A4
High Octane People Fuel: DP Dough See page B12
NFL Divisional Preview See page D18
Madison Theater Helps Audiences Catch Up See pages A5
Mario Kart 8: As fun as the others? See page B9
The Legacy and Impact of Derek Jeter 2014 See page D19
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News
The Chronicle
September 3rd, 2014
The Weekend Wrap-Up Your Top 5 Stories from Friday to Sunday
Operations in Iraq cost US $ 7.5 Million a Day
$300 Grand Slam at NYC Denny’s For the Rich
The Pentagon’s Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby said that the average daily cost of involvement in Iraq has grown to 7.5 million since airstrikes in northern Iraq started this month. Kirby also stated that the costs are being covered by Pentagon’s 2014 Overseas Contingency Fund.
Owner Rahul Marwah has opened a Denny’s for the wealthy, servicing a variation on the Grand Slam. The dish now includes a 2003 bottle of Don Perignon champagne. The Denny’s however, has been serving a more normal clientele of people in sweatpants rather than suits.
Ebola Mutates as it Spreads
Scientists are able to track the Ebola outbreak and to sequence the virus’ genome. The virus has only seven genes, compared to a human’s 20,000. The virus has mutated faster than it did when infecting animals. The mutations could make the virus more transferable.
100 Russian Tanks Fighting in the Ukraine
The UK believes that Russian tanks or armored personnel vehicles are being used by Ukrainian separatists with the support of a thousand Russian troops. British Prime Minister David Cameron stated that he urges the European Union to put tougher sanctions on Russia.
Volume 83 Issue 3
Fun Fact: A shrimp’s heart is in its head!
Britain protests Russia as Host of 2018 World Cup As part of the political sanctions on Russia, Prime Minister David Cameron says that the country should not be allowed to host the 2018 World Cup. Along with the World Cup, the European Union would also bar Vladimir Putin from participating in international summits.
Pics of the Week
Sophomore Laura Myers at the Mets game on Sunday.
Maria McNamara on the train home for Labor Day Weekend,
*INFORMATION PROVIDED BY WEATHER.COM
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Hi: 88° Lo: 67°
Hi: 82° Lo: 57°
Hi: 84° Lo: 58°
Hi: 88° Lo: 63°
Hi: 81° Lo: 54°
Scattered Showers
Mostly Sunny
Sunny
Mostly Sunny
Scattered Showers
September 3rd, 2014
Volume 83 Issue 3
In Brief
News
Man Arrested in Connection With Local Robbery
Albany detectives have arrested a 22-year-old Albany man in connection with a robbery that occurred on Central Avenue. Rakeem Lewis a local Albany resident, was arrested following an investigation by members of the Criminal Investigation Unit. On Thursday August 21, 2014 at, Lewis approached two employees at the Dollar Tree. The business is located at 911 Central Avenue. Lewis was armed with what appeared to be a handgun
and demanded money. The victims complied and Lewis fled the scene with their money. An extensive investigation led to Lewis being identified as the perpetrator. He was charged with Robbery 2nd. He was arraigned in the Albany City Criminal Court and remanded to the Albany County Jail
The Chronicle
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Calendar of Events Tuesday, September 2nd 6:00 p.m. Moving Message 5 Volunteer Meeting Carondelet Symposium 7:30 p.m. Spectrum General Board Meeting Standish 8:15 p.m. Golden Knights Dance Practice EAC Room 110 Wednesday, September 3rd 4:30 p.m. Student Association Interest Meeting Standish 5 p.m. Mid-Week Mass Sanctuary 7 p.m. Board Games Club Albertus 103 7:30 p.m. BASIC Meeting and Ice Cream Social Sanctuary 7:30 p.m. CDAEYC Meeting Albertus 301 7:30 p.m. Colleges Against Cancer Meeting Albertus 302 Thursday, September 4th 4:15 p.m. Adventure Club Lima Basement 7:30 p.m. Identity Lima Basement 9:30 p.m. ALANA Steppers Practice Lima Basement
*Source: Albany P.D. Courtesy of Albany P.D.
Latham Resident in Custody for Handgun Possession A 16-year-old Latham resident was taken into custody for handgun possession following an incident that occurred on Lark Street . On August 26, 2014, Officer Jimm Lewis was on patrol when he approached a male in the area of Lark Street and Orange Street. The suspect, Henassy McConico, was found to be in possession of a loaded handgun. The handgun was reported stolen to the City of Atlanta, Georgia Police Department in the spring of 2014. McConico was found in pos-
The Chronicle
session of $870.00 in counterfeit U.S. currency. He was charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2nd, Criminal Possession of Stolen Property 4th, and Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument 1st. McConico was arraigned in the Albany City Criminal Court and remanded to the Albany County Jail.
Monday, September 8th 1 p.m. Food Truck: Slidin’ Dirty Campus Green 3:30 p.m. Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal Massry 8 p.m. Outside the Box Meeting Albertus 206 9:15 p.m. ALANA Steppers Practice EAC Room 110
Courtesy of Albany P.D.
Features Editor Alexander Wheeler ‘16 wheelera982@strose.edu
Business Manager Ashley Sweet ‘15 sweeta984@strose.edu
Managing Editor Rachel Bolton ‘15 boltonr413@strose.edu
Opinion Editor Katie Klimacek‘17 klimacekk546@strose.edu
Advertising Manager Ashley Sweet ‘15 sweeta984@strose.edu
News Editor Lauren Sears ‘15 searsl534@strose.edu
Arts Editor Alexander Pecha ‘17 pechaa188@strose.edu
Web Editor Christopher Lovell ‘14 lovellc083@strose.edu
Layout Editor Jennifer O’Connor ‘16 oconnorj984@strose.edu
Sports Editor Victoria Addison ‘17 addisonv653@strose.edu
Head Photographer Chris Alvarado‘15 alvaradoc822@strose.edu
Assistant Layout Editor Searching For Applicant
Copy Editor Jenessa Matis ‘14 matisj311@strose.edu
Faculty Adviser Cailin Brown
Saturday, September 6th 8:30 a.m. Reach Out St. Rose EAC 3 p.m. Knightz in Motion Dance Practice EAC Room 110 Sunday, September 7th 4 p.m. Golden Knights Dance Practice EAC Room 110 4 p.m Captial District Alumni Reception Massry
*Source: Albany P.D.
Executive Editor Conor Shea ‘15 sheac613@strose.edu
Friday, September 5th 5 p.m. First Friday Gallery Reception Massry 7 p.m. Movie Night: Divergent St Joseph’s Auditorium 7 p.m. Launch of Pine Hills Review Massry 8 p.m. Knightz In Motion Dance Practice EAC Room 110
If you have an upcoming event you would like to see in our weekly Calendar of Events, please e-mail chronicle@strose.edu.
Staff Writers
ANY student can join The Saint Rose Chronicle
Katherine Bakaitis Kaylynn Day Alyssia Haddad Vanessa Langdon Nicholas Negron Matt Woods Courtney Carr Nicole Baker Alex Horton Staff Photographers Adriana Rosales Nina Buonarota
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 accepts Letters to the Editor from any party. We recommend that submissions not exceed 1000 words. Letters, columns, and cartoons published in this newspaper represent the opinion of the author, not necessarily that of The Chronicle.
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News
The Chronicle
September 3rd, 2014
Volume 83 Issue 3
get people getting back to eating good home-cooked food.” They hope to get the home-cooked goodness to people of all types with their varied menu that includes vegan pizza and a case full of daily specials. Stacchini would recommend people try the Italian sausage piandi or Italian flat bread made with olive oil. “It’s to die for. It’s refreshing and tasty.” Two Saint Rose students who have tried Ernesto’s recommend the plain cheese pizza slices. Courtney Guttenburg and Jesse Addington, both 19, were very pleased with their experiences at Ernesto’s. “[It’s] completely different than when it was ‘I Love New York,’” said Guttenburg. “[It’s] more welcoming. It’s well decorated; it has a lot of family pictures up. The menu is a lot more diverse and the pizza’s a lot better. We went in on a whim and we were much happier.” Addington had a similar take on the new restaurant, “They’re not just serv-
ing pizza like everyone else in Albany.” Guttenburg, a self-proclaimed pizza expert said, “It’s one of the best and I’ve had a lot of pizza.” Other Madison Avenue businesses have had good experiences with Ernesto’s as well. Fare Gujjar, 30, an employee of Madison Mart located at 870 Madison Ave. said, “They’re nice people. If they stay open they’ll make money.” Ruby’s employee Gigi Yeung said, “I like that place, it was really good.” While only open 12 days, Ernesto’s has made a lot of fans, from the UPS delivery man who gets a free slice of pizza every time he makes a delivery, to employee Barbie Nunnally’s 2-yearold daughter who “has to have a slice of cheese pizza before I leave every day.” Vredenburg and Stacchini are just happy to be in the neighborhood and Stacchini wants to feed people “homemade goodness [that] you can feel the love.”
Ernesto’s on Madison since 1949
Continued From Page A1
32, opened shop in the Pine Hills neighborhood. The two chose this area “because it’s a real student hotspot, something booming. [We’re] a new alternative, home-cooked goodness with our own secret spices. A mouthful of taste,” said Stacchini. Vredenburg and Stacchini are co-owners of Ernesto’s but Vredenburg does the cooking now with Stacchini taking care of the more aesthetic things like personally painting their trademark “sweet, savoury, sensational” as a border inside the small but homey space. “We were going to keep the ‘I Love’ name but then we wanted to honor Ernesto,” said Vredenberg. “It was meant to be…we found it by accident.” The two are going into business together for the first time but Stacchini said they have been cooking since they were two. “I moved here [from San Marino] a month ago with the intent of starting the business. It all started because I love cooking. We have a big kitchen passion,” said Stacchini. The family has its roots in the Republic of San Marino, where Stacchini had been living for years, and Vredenburg relo-
cated to Troy from New Jersey, where the two were born. The restaurant owners do not shy away from their heritage, proudly displaying both the Italian flag and the little-known flag of San Marino, an enclave in Italy made entirely of hilly terrain, in front of the restaurant. Vredenburg explained that their grandfather, Ernesto, “was the very first person to immigrate to the United States from San Marino the summer of 1937.” There is a bust of the late Ernesto in San Marino.“We’re very proud to come from San Marino because there are only 10,000 citizens,” said Vredenburg. The pair are not worried about any competition, having full faith in Vredenburg and their secret family recipes like that for the marinara sauce, and that they were able to secure Bella Napoli’s head baker of 20 years, Stan VanFonda. “I worked [at Bella Napoli] for 20 years but I worked nights, 9 at night to 7 in the morning and I didn’t want to do that anymore. I became the manager three days after I started work there.” So VanFonda took his secret dough recipe with him to Ernesto’s and no longer has to work the night shift. In addition to their secret reci-
vAnessA lAnGDon
Daniella Stacchini, seen holding a photo of her grandfather the original Ernesto.
pes, Vredenburg and Stacchini have taken great measures to be friendly with their neighbors, as friendly as they can be in the business world-- “We’re not trying to double what they’re making.” To set themselves apart they have unique menu items like fried butter and bloomin’ onions, food typically associated with things like the New York State Fair. They are also trying out quirky ways to get customers in the door. They have a ‘pull over pizza’ that allows customers to come into the restaurant 24 hours after receiving an Albany Police ticket and get two free slices of cheese pizza. They have more than the typical pizza shop and that is not their goal to just “sell slices for a buck,” said Vredenburg. “We restricted our ads to local newspapers because the students are a significant part of our business but we’ll do catering to be more involved in the community.” Stacchini said that people have already asked about getting things catered for Christmas and that is their goal for the catering business. Vredenburg jokes that their future plans for Ernesto’s include “taking over the world” while Staccchini said they “just want to
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September 3rd, 2014
Volume 83 Issue 3
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Madison Theater Helps Audiences Play Catch Up
Continued From Page A1 The Madison is currently undergoing more renovations. The Chronicle was able to sit down with Joseph Alindato, manager of the theater, and Dana Freedenfeld, one of the employees of the theater, and discuss the theater’s new game plan. Alindato had worked with the previous owners of the Madison. “We are tearing down a wall between two screens to create a bigger space that can be used as a live venue,” Alindato says. “We will be able to host live bands, comedies, and open mics.” Regarding whether they had any live event lined up yet, Alindato replied with, “Not yet,” but he reassured us that the theater is extremely optimistic and is keeping an eye out for any talent they can sign up to perform, primarily local talent. The Madison is also in the process of renovating two more screens in order to screen more films. Renovations will be completed on the theater by mid to late fall. Alindato and co. will be injecting some summer blockbuster
action into the Madison’s lineup starting in September with films like: X-Men: Days of Future Past, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Teenage Mutant Turtles, and Guardians of the Galaxy. The lineup of more recent pictures officially starts on September 5, with the theater taking a break from its classics lineup
“[This] gives audiences a chance to catch up on all the summer films they may have missed out on.” Joseph Alindato until renovations are completed. Alindato sums up the decision to switch to newer films by saying, “It gives audiences a chance to catch up on all the summer films they may have missed out on.” The Madison will be giving these pictures a second run as
they start to leave the screens at Crossgates and other theaters. Freedenfeld reassured us that the “classic themes for each week” will be returning once renovations wrap up – allowing the theater to offer audiences a mix of the old and the new in the same venue, making for a one-ofa-kind movie-going experience. Now, there has to be a catch to all of this. A newly – twice – renovated theater offering live content, newer films and classic pictures, there has to be a price hike. Alindato informed The Chronicle that this would not be the case. “Tickets will still be $5,” Alindato says. The Madison plans on this shift in entertainment offering to bring more cliental to the venue, with the newer films pitched primarily at younger audiences. “Business has been great,” says Alindato. “People really enjoy the classic films and we’ve built an audience. We have a lot of regulars.” The Madison plans to tap into the younger audience with these second-run films in order to continue the good business. Alindato and Freedenfeld say that they have been “receiving good feedback”
Chris Alvarado
The counter of The Madison Theater, where “The Dude” keeps watch. from customers and decided to expand on that with their main audience in mind being local college students. Joseph Conway, a graduate student at The College of Saint Rose, was more than excited to hear about the news of the Madison switching to both new and old films. “I think it’s convenient and also having the second chance to see movies in theaters will be a nice option; the more options for a theater, the better,” Conway told The Chronicle. Meghan Mallon, a sophomore at The College of Saint Rose, told The Chronicle that she thinks the Madison’s shift toward more live entertainment is a positive thing.
“[I think] that it will draw in a more diverse crowd and gives community members more options.” The Madison’s shift toward mainstream entertainment while still remaining focused on pleasing its newly established fan-base essentially solidifies its status as one of the go-to venues for any night on the town. With its customer-friendly atmosphere and prices, coupled with both Tierra shops on either side, the Madison Theater offers a little something for everyone in Albany. So, stop on in. If it fits your fancy, the Madison is likely to have it.
Advertise with Us!
Chris Alvarado
The new lineup of films making their way across screens at The Madison Theater.
Is your business looking to corner the college market? Perhaps advertising in The Chronicle would help you do that? Contact Advertising Ashley Sweet at sweeta984@strose. edu for rates and publication schedule.
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News
The Chronicle
September 3rd, 2014
Volume 83 Issue 3
A New Professor for a New Generation
By CONOR SHEA Executive Editor This semester the Saint Rose communications department started off the year with an unfamiliar face wandering the halls. That face belongs to Amanda Damiano, the department’s newest hire. Damiano, who was brought on to teach public relations and advertising courses, is filling a role that the temporary full-time faculty member Rosemary Sheridan previously held. Damiano, 29, studied PR & journalism at Utica College, before going on to complete her master’s in media studies from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Damiano said that she never considered herself particularly studious in high school, and while she did well in courses, she felt like she was just going through the motions. “Then when I went to college it was kind of funny because everything about the campus fascinated me,” said Damiano. That same fascination with higher education would lead her on to teach at Canisius College, SUNY MVCC, and SUNY Buffalo (a school where she would eventually earn her Ph.D.). While earning her master’s, Damiano further got her feet wet in the field through a job at a Utica-based PR agency, Paige Marketing Communications Group.
It is this same real-world experience that Damiano valued so much in her instructors over the years. “You can read from a textbook and say, ‘This is the definition of publics,’ but you need that realworld applicability, and to be able to give students the tools that they need to write a press release or develop a campaign.” She further said that during the summer months she hopes to take on some freelance and consulting work in PR, so that she might bring her experiences back to her students. “When I was taking classes it really helped to have adjuncts with professional background in the field. I always try to do that with my classes- to bring in some of my experiences,” she said. Damiano was extended an offer in March, and accepted in February. She then made the move out to Colonie just four weeks before the start of the semester. Professor Paul Conti, who was involved in the hiring process, said the faculty was pleased Damiano accepted their offer to join the department. On whether she was nervous to take over for Professor Sheridan, Damiano said she knew that the students were fond of her. She also said that she was slightly worried there might be animosity toward her. “With me coming in, I knew
Conor shea
Damiano seen here in her office in the Hearst Center.
people were asking where Professor Sheridan was going to end up.” “I certainly appreciate all that she did to make you all who you are, and I certainly don’t want to copy everything that she’s done,” she continued. Professor Sheridan offered to send Damiano resources for the course to help her form the lectures. Damiano opted to decline the offer because she wanted to design the course and make it her own. Professor Sheridan did offer Damiano some advice for her future at Saint Rose, saying, “Don’t be nervous; be your own person and you’ll develop your own rapport with the students.” Damiano is already taking strides to make the courses her own. The first day of class she gathered her students in the front of the classroom to take a group picture. This tradition is one that started with Damiano’s first teaching job, and one that she plans to continue. She keeps the picture on file, and doesn’t reveal it to the students until the end of the semester. She has also instituted a “text if you have a question” policy for her students, offering out her cellphone number as a means of contact for school-related issues. “It’s a way to communicate. As communications professionals there may be certain ways we don’t like to communicate, but if it’s become part of our culture we need to adopt it,” said Damiano on her texting policy. “For students, if they don’t feel comfortable speaking up in class, this gives them another avenue so they’re having their questions answered,” she continued. “Don’t use it to call me up when you’re leaving the bar, and I won’t call you on a Saturday morning while I’m doing laundry,” she added, laughing. Damiano further believes that her teaching style is different than some of her peers. “I try to make my classes as interactive as possible- I don’t believe in
Courtesy of Amanda damiano
Damiano in 2012, at a Daughtry VIP session- the first time she met her favorite singer, Chris Daughtry. lectures. I know to some degree students need to have some type of visual element to help when they’re studying, but I’m not one to stand up there and lecture.” To keep things fresh in the classroom Damiano practices methods like breakout sessions, group work, and class discussions. In fact, she has been known to sit down with groups and work together, all while she plays Pandora radio in the background for the class. “I think it certainly creates a good vibe in the classroom, where it’s not just awkward silence. It’s not meant to be boring, or like we’re punishing you and locking you in a room,” said Damiano on her music policy. “This is one way to get people working together, and to get people meeting each other, too. You may have people in your class that you don’t know, and you sit there and take notes while the professor is lecturing.” David Turley, a former student of Damiano’s from Canisius college, said he feels that her methods in the classroom were ultimately beneficial. “As the semester progressed and I got to know her better, I realized that everything she did was to enhance the learning process in our class. From texting questions, to playing music in class,
it opened up a new kind of atmosphere that was never offered before,” said Turley. “The thing about Amanda is that she not only cares about the grades you get but about you as a student and that makes her an awesome professor,” he continued. This theme of caring for students was reiterated by Damiano herself: “It’s important for us to continue to work with you even after you’ve graduated to help you finish up this stage and help the next stage of your life.” “We don’t work 9 to 5, we’re here when you need us, whether that be an email, or text, or office hours,” she went on. Damiano, a diehard fan of the New York Rangers and the rock band Daughtry, brought up her passions and what they meant to her. It was these passions that motivated her advice to the young minds of Saint Rose. “That’s really what it’s all about. Whatever you’re passionate about; be it your academics, or your internship, or career, just give 110 percent of yourself.” Damiano said the Saint Rose staff and students have been overwhelmingly welcoming and helpful, so much so that she already feels at home. “I’m here for the next 80 years,” she said, smiling.
September 3rd, 2014
Volume 83 Issue 3
Arts
The Chronicle
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Top of the Week For Aug. 25th - 30th Movies at the Box Office
T.V. Shows
1. Guardians of the Galaxy (17.2M) 2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (16.7M) 3. If I Stay (15.7M) 4. Let’s Be Cops (10.8M) 5. When The Game Stands Tall (8.4M) 6. The Expendables 3 (6.5M) 7. The Giver (6.4M) 8. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (6.3M) 9. The Hundred Foot Journey (5.3M) 10. Into The Storm (3.8M)
1. NCIS 2. Americas Got Talent (Tuesday) 3. Americas Got Talent (Wednesday) 4. 60 Minutes 5. The Big Bang Theory 6. NCIS: Los Angeles 7. Under The Dome 8. NFL Pre-Season 9. Big Brother 10. Unforgettable
*Source: RottenTomatoes.com
*Source: Nielsen.com
Books
Music
Fiction: 1. Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki... (Haruki Murakami 2. Adultery (Paulo Coelho) 3. Big Little Lies (Liane Moriarty) 4. The Goldfinch (Donna Tartt) 5. Mean Streak (Sandra Brown)
Albums: 1. Blacc Hollywood - Wiz Khalifa 2. GOTG: Awesome Mix Vol 1 - Various 3. Ignite The Night - Chase Rice 4. Nashville Outlaws... - Various 5. In the Lonely Hour - Sam Smith
Non-Fiction: 1. One Nation (Ben Carson) 2. The Organized Mind (Daniel J. Levitin) 3. America (Dinesh D’Souza) 4. In the Kingdom of Ice (Hampton Sides) 5. The Way Forward (Paul Ryan)
Songs: 1. Shake It Off - Taylor Swift 2. Anaconda - Nicki Minaj 3. All About That Bass - Meghan Trainor 4. Stay With Me - Sam Smith 5. Rude - Magic!
*Source: New York Times Best Sellers
*Source: Billboard.com
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Arts
The Chronicle
Spider-Woman’s Impossible Body
By RACHEL BOLTON Managing Editor
I read comic books. One of my favorites is Alan Moore’s Watchmen. I enjoy seeing how a story can be told through art. But one would hope that the art is good. Sure, comics and cartoons can play with the human form. That is not the case with the recent cover of Spider-Woman #1 by Milo Manara. Over the past few years there have been a few controversies over the content of comics and the portrayal of female characters within them, including a redrawn cover of Catwoman after people complained over her cleavage. Such is the case with SpiderWoman. Manara’s cover has the super-heroine climbing over the wall, her head twisted up at the reader, her shapely butt in the air, and her legs spread inhumanly wide. I spent a few minutes lying on my floor in front of my mirror attempting to mimic SpiderWoman’s pose. It is impossible for me to do so without snapping my spine in half-- so much for my childhood flexibility. Some may say we have to let artists stretch reality a bit; they have been doing so since the dawn of time. But there is a line that can’t be crossed, where acceptable breaks from the real world, turning into laughable stupidity. Why would a super-heroine, someone whom you would assume has a dan-
gerous job, goofily climb up a building? Why would she want to show her derriere to her city? Several trained gymnasts have posted a video of them trying to be Manara’s Spider-Woman with a fake wall. None of them were able to do it. Which is a good thing, because they would have needed a detachable head to do it perfectly.
“It is possible to have a superheroine appear a bit sexy, without going over the top.” Besides the wacky pose, another issue with the Spider-Woman cover is that Milo Manara is an erotic artist. Not that there is anything inherently wrong with that, but you would think that Manara would draw in a different style for a different genre. But geek news website, The Mary Sue, found that Manara repeated the pose from his earlier work in an Italian comic book called Click!, making this a mild case of self-plagiarism. On a worse note, the pose was originally given to a prostitute, whom I can’t really describe here due to its non-printable content. To add salt to the wound, the prostitute is more realistically
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Marvel Comics, who hired Milo Manara to draw the cover for Spider-Woman.
positioned and proportioned than Spider-Woman. It is possible to have a superheroine appear a bit sexy, without going over the top. Look at The Dark Knight Rises’ Catwoman costume. Selina’s suit was sleek and practical. It was able to be erotic without being overtly sexual, nor did her boobs fall out of her shirt. The film was able to justify her wearing heels, because they were really razors that she used on criminals. Nor did The Dark Knight Rises focus on her body too much with male gaze. In response to the criticism, Milo Manara said that he was trying to do his best with the cover art, and that people should remember that there are more important things to worry about. While that is true, the issues of portraying women in media are something that we should be able to talk about without getting non-answers from the creators. Manara also says that women are meant to look this way due to evolution. Really? I wonder why evolution did not give me SpiderWoman’s bendy spine. If there is a good thing that comes from poor artistic representation of women, it is the tumblr page The Hawkeye Initiative. Fan artists redraw comic panels that feature women in ridiculous poses with the male super-hero Hawkeye in her place. The tumblr page is a good way to bring awareness to this, while poking fun at it. I look forward to finding Manara’s Spider-Woman redrawn. If Marvel and other comic publishing companies want more women, and women to continue reading comics, they need to draw women as they look in real life. Draw tall women, short women, fat women, and women of color. People can accept super powers, but not unintentional anatomical impossibilities. As the phrase goes, “Yet another unrealistic expectation for women.”
September 3rd, 2014
Volume 83 Issue 3
Lima Hall Problems: The Absentee Elevator By Emma Gudrian
Arts B9 Mario Kart 8: As fun as the others?
September 3rd, 2014
By RYAN GEEVER Contributing Writer
Mario Kart 8 is the newest in Nintendo’s highly acclaimed party-racer series; as such there are high expectations for this new title. Mario Kart is a series that thrives off of its item-based gameplay. For the uninitiated, Mario Kart features several items that players used to secure first place or just plain anger everyone else you’re playing with, like the mighty blue shell. These items come around based on opportunity, adding some luck with the skill needed to keep first place. In past Mario Kart titles, it was always seen that the previously mentioned blue shell, an item that hones in on whomever is in first place and strikes them harshly (alongside anybody in the blast radius), was too unbalanced. This has been adjusted in the new title, as the item balance is said to be fixed, and the blue shell of everyone’s disdain appears much less often. This won’t stop you from getting a single banana peel (road hazard) or a lone green shell (basic projectile) in next to last place right when you needed a mushroom (speed boost), but it is a step in the right direction. Mario Kart 8 introduces a new
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Volume 83 Issue 3
gameplay mechanic: anti-gravity. In certain sections of specific race courses there are certain marked pads which will allow you to drive alongside walls, up steep slopes, and in one course in particular, up and down the face of a waterfall. This whole mechanic also gives way for a new mechanic: spin boosting. Unlike normal racing where you try to avoid the other racers as to not lose speed, hitting them and ramming into them gives you a speed boost while in anti-gravity sections. Visually, the camera remains somewhat consistent, so you don’t get too disoriented during gameplay, but it shows the true angles of the race in the replay mode. The online mode in Mario Kart 8 functions just as you would expect it to, allowing you to race with up to 11 friends at once, or even just complete strangers across the globe. You can also create your own tournaments for friends and complete strangers to join! The game runs perfectly fine with very little to no slowdown issues; the only problem is you get very minimal frame skips when you’re going for four-player split-screen action. The soundtrack in Mario Kart 8 is absolutely amazing. From the second you load up the title you
get a big band of brass blasting a theme that won’t leave your head anytime soon. Each of the tracks in the game are recorded live, even some of the more electronic tracks; definitely the most appealing soundtrack to come from a Mario Kart title thus far.
“From the second you load up the title you get a big band of brass blasting a theme that won’t leave your head anytime soon.” The amount of detail placed into the visuals of this game is almost jaw-dropping, whether it be the signs you see on the side of the racetrack advertising other race courses throughout the game, or even in-world businesses like Shy Guy Mining and Bowser Oil. Each of the references are cleverly placed and will always give you a little smile as you encounter it for the first time. The game also looks astounding, with the first HD Mario Kart and
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The most popular Mario Kart came out on the N64 in 1997. it isn’t afraid to show it off. The art direction is consistently amazing, and paves way for future Wii U titles to come. Of course, this isn’t a game without flaws. The title has 30 playable characters to choose from, seven of them are the Koopalings, Bowser’s children from Super Mario Bros 3 and the New Super Mario Bros Series. This can be seen as having the same exact character seven times over with minimal changes, and quite a bit of diversity is lost. Alongside these seven characters there are five characters that are just baby versions of other characters on the roster (Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, and newly Rosalina). There are also two characters that are just the same character except with just a metal coating (Metal Mario and Pink Gold Peach). Altogether, that is 14 characters that are nearly identical to someone else on the roster, and it makes a 30-character cast more like a 16-character cast. Good news for buyers in the coming times, though: Two DLC
packs for late 2014 and early 2015 have you being able to play as Link from the Legend of Zelda series, Villager and Isabelle from the Animal Crossing series, Dry Bowser, Cat Peach, and Tanuki Mario. So, while we do get crossovers from other series, we also get another Mario and Peach. Also a disappointment, fans of battle mode will be saddened to know that the mode has been stripped of nearly everything that made it fun. No longer are there courses made specifically for battle mode, but instead you battle on 10 courses from the course list, and they’re usually the biggest courses, so it gets really tedious trying to find everyone to duke it out. All in all, Mario Kart 8 is a fantastic experience that is slightly hindered by a few awkward design choices (battle mode) and character selection (three versions of Mario; four once the DLC drops), but those interested in the core racing will certainly enjoy themselves a great deal. This game receives an 8/10.
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Week ofWelcome Photos by
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Nina Buonarota
Students were allowed to bring in musical instruments of their own for the year’s first “openmic night.”
Conor Groki opted to sing to for the audience.
Students gathered on the campus quad to watch Neighbors.
Snacks were available for students to take while they watched the film.
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B11 Lizard Squad: Yes it’s Another Hacker Group
September 3rd, 2014
By ALEXANDER PECHA Arts Editor Back in 2011 a bunch of internet pranksters going under the name “Lulzsec” launched several cyber-attacks against large corporations such as Nintendo and Fox as well as a few government websites including the official CIA website. The group became especially famous for blatantly taking credit for these attacks and taunting the parties involved. It even took public suggestions on where to attack next. It was eventually hunted down by various law agencies with a large amount of members being arrested and put up on various charges. Whichever members weren’t caught haven’t been heard from since late 2011. Why do I bring up something that happened nearly 4 years ago? Well on the weekend of Aug. 16 and 17, a group of internet pranksters attacked several well-known gaming corporations including Sony (The Playstation Network) and Blizzard (World of Warcraft). They also gained special notoriety for their brazen decision to take credit for their attacks on social media, especially Twitter. The U.S. government has already taken down the pranksters’ website and the FBI is investigating the group as a whole. As the old saying goes, those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it. These events started on Aug. 16 when users reported trouble logging on to PSN (Playstation’s
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online network) and Battle.net (Blizzard’s gaming servers for World of Warcraft and Starcraft). Things quickly escalated as shortly after Blizzard’s and Sony’s went down the servers for League of Legends and Path of Exile (both popular games) also came down. After the servers for these companies and games were taken down the group known as “Lizard Squad” claimed responsibility while making several jokes at the expense of these companies. However this was not the end of Lizard Squad’s hijinks. John Smedley, the president of Sony
“It’s hard not to look at “Lizard Squad” and see the spitting image of Lulzsec reborn.” WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Online Entertainment (Planetside 2, DC Universe Online), was on a plane back home when it was diverted to Phoenix for “national security reasons.” It turns out that “Lizard Squad “ tweeted in a bomb threat to the plane that the president was flying on, causing the emergency diversion to Phoenix. John Smedley has taken to Twitter to confirm that the FBI is now getting involved and to say that, “Justice will find these guys.” The diversion involved the scrambling of Air Force fighter craft and caught mainstream me-
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Blizzard’s Battle.net service was taken down twice in the attacks.
The President of SOE had his plane diverted due to Lizard Squads bomb threat.
dia attention. Soon after the bomb threat, “Lizard Squad” also attacked Xbox Live (Microsoft’s gaming service) and re-attacked Battle. net, taking both down for a short time. By Sunday afternoon all of the services and servers were back up and running. Since last weekend, “Lizard Squad” has been basking in the popularity that its actions has given it online, including a Reddit AMA where it admits it expects SWAT to “open the door with a tear gas welcome gift” as well as a Twitter campaign asking people to appease “The Lizard God” and write “Lizard Squad” on their heads in sharpie. During the groups AMA (Ask Me Anything) on the website Reddit, “Lizard Squad” claimed it considered attacking Facebook as well but concluded that Facebook’s cyber-security too strong to be attacked. On if they would attack Comcast, the cable company with extraordinarily poor customer satisfaction, the group
responded that, “A bunch of Jews already did and stole the fun.” It’s hard not to look at “Lizard Squad” and see the spitting image of Lulzsec reborn. While “Lizard Squad” has yet to attack govern-
“The members of Lizard Squad, like Lulzsec before it, will face the United States’ justice system.” ment websites like its predecessors, it decided to actually one-up Lulzsec by getting an entire plane diverted with a bomb threat. What’s worse is that “Lizard Squad” doesn’t seem to have a goal in mind besides random strikes on the gaming industry. While Lulzsec at least seemed to have a bone to pick with several of its targets, “Lizard Squad”
seems to be doing things for no discernible reason. If one were to make guesses as to the group’s motivations, you might assume it was striking out at these gaming companies out of anger for the somewhat sorry state of the gaming industry. If that’s the reason, its attacks actually hurt the group’s own cause. The public can’t ask the gaming industry to change for the better and then attack them with sophomoric hack attacks; this just leads to tighter restrictions and worse consumer-company relations. In the end it seems that Lizard Squad’s days are numbered no matter how you break it down. It’ll get a few more attacks in on select targets and either get bored or, better yet, history will repeat itself in wonderful fashion and the members of Lizard Squad, like Lulzsec before it, will face the United States’ justice system.
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BY ZACHARY WILLIAMS Staff Writer I understand, reader, that by the headline a great deal of you may view this as something of a copout. By this point I'm sure you've all come to expect reviews of more places like Crisan or Mingle, places of some class and repute, with a corresponding price hike. You don’t expect DP Dough, near the corner of Western and Quail, a tiny restaurant crammed between a row of brownstones and Professor M. Barley’s, directly next door to a building which has been both a nightclub and a hair salon at many points in its (admittedly checkered) past. Indeed, it seems outrageous at this point, but I feel almost compelled to review this restaurant. Yes, I know, it’s two things
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handed. And the menu is also accessible financially in addition to its massive and diverse list of options. The most expensive calzone – the Vegan Zone – rings in at $8.75. Other calzones are priced within a set range - $6.75 for most of the options, with only four rising above that, the aforementioned Vegan Zone ($8.75), and the three Steak Calzones ($7.50 for all). I won’t put up the pretenses of knowing too much else about the restaurant. It’s not a divine experience like Crisan was. As a franchise restaurant, it stands unparalleled; as a place that's accessible to college students on this campus, it's within walking distance (two blocks, so you can burn the calories you'll make back
eating the calzone getting there and back again), and the food is absolutely brilliant. Should you attend, know this place has my blessing. In Brief:
High Octane People Fuel: DP Dough I swore I would never cover in this column: one, a restaurant both popular and well-established among Saint Rose students and Albany residents; and two, a franchise. But at the same time, it feels odd to not have covered this place. When it first opened, you would have thought that someone had just opened the Gates of Paradise – the restaurant’s inaugural night last year packed hundreds of people into the tiny space within the span of a few hours. I’d never seen that many people so excited for the opening of a restaurant before, and couldn’t fathom why, of all places, it was for a restaurant that almost exclusively serves calzones. Because yes, DP Dough’s menu is almost exclusively calzones. But what a menu it is, reader. One could easily believe that
the man (or woman, or tentacled squid beast) behind this menu is either a visionary or a psychotic, and in reality is likely equal measures of both. The menu ranges from the simple (cheese and pepperoni, ham and pineapple) to the extravagant (The “Italian Zone” - salami, ham, pepperoni, mozzarella, parmesan and ricotta) to the downright weird (entries like the Cheeseburg Zone – hamburger, bacon, mozzarella and cheddar – or the Falling Rock Zone – tater tots, bacon, cheddar, mozzarella and sour cream). However, part of the point of DP Dough, I believe, is the oddity of it all. At this restaurant, there is, quite literally, a flavor for everyone. The massive amounts of variety on the menu means that it is incredibly difficult for someone to leave the restaurant empty
D.P. Dough, another Zach Williams-approved restaurant.
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Pros: Cheap, close to campus, all-encompassing menu, friendly staff Cons: Waiting time can stretch a little bit every now and then Rating: 3.5/5 (It’s a good place to go if you’re in dire need of filling a hole, curing a hangover, or just somewhere to hang out, but it’s not an upper-class restaurant by any means.) Recommended: Yes Next time: Sovrana Pizza and Deli.
Opinion
C13 MTV’s Video Music Awards: Snubs and Shocks
September 3rd, 2014
By Nicholas Negron Staff writer The MTV Video Music Awards have been around for 31 years. Starting as an alternative to the Grammys, the VMAs have been known to be the perfect balance of video artistry and youth in the music industry. An artist can win a VMA today if he or she gets enough online votes or texts for certain categories. Best Art Direction, Choreography and other professional categories are not open to the public. The 2014 VMAs saw a balance of fantastic performances and gracious acceptance speeches. The largest performance to stick out to me was Sam Smith’s “Stay with Me.” He is reminiscent of Adele, yet has his own individual style. His well-written songs go along with his distinctive vocals. I would not be surprised to see Sam Smith winning many more awards in the coming year, especially at the Grammys. It is almost surprising that one of the world’s biggest pop stars, Katy Perry, was not nominated for more awards this year. Her music video for “Roar” was completely shut out of the ceremony. After hearing of the nominations in July, Perry took to Twitter, stating, “I’m good with 569,000,000
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Katy Perry’s hit Roar was not nomminated despite its success.
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plus views on ‘Roar’”. As someone who has seen Katy Perry in concert before, I can confirm her visual creativity both in her videos and on stage. Seeming as how Perry was only nominated for two main awards that night, and one technical, it seems only fitting that she won the Best Female Video award for “Dark Horse” featuring Juicy J. The popularity of “Dark Horse” has faded out over the summer and was largely a springtime hit. Before the ceremony aired, I would have almost confirmed that either Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” or Ariana Grande’s “Problem” would have swiped the Moonman trophy. One cannot forget that Perry’s fans, the Katycats are vast and extremely loyal. When compared to Azalea and Grande, who are relatively new to the music world, Perry is much more popular with over 56.1 million followers on Twitter. Other shockers of the night included Fifth Harmony winning the Artist to Watch award. British recording artist’s Charli XCX and Sam Smith became immensely popular over the summer with their hit songs “Boom Clap” and “Stay With Me,” respectively. The band 5 Seconds of Summer is currently on tour with One Direction. Both bands share dedicated fans willing to spend hours on end voting. Fifth Harmony winning the Artist to Watch award for their video of the song “Miss Movin On” is surprising because the song itself was not a massive selling record like Sam Smith’s “Stay with Me.” The girls themselves were shocked and humbled as they walked to the podium to receive the award. While Beyonce’s personal life has been a topic of worldly discussion for years in the media, it seems to have hit its peak in 2014. The escalator altercation footage involving Beyonce’s husband Jay Z and sister, Solange Knowles, had gone viral. Her parents’ divorce and rumors of her own divorce have been swirling the nation’s tabloids. Even simple and unnecessary commentary on
her daughter’s hair has caused internet outrage. The one thing that cannot be taken away from Beyonce is her talent. The singer performed a medley of 12 songs off of her fifth studio album, Beyonce, that was surprisingly released on December 13, 2013. Her performance was uniquely choreographed and showed off her vocal versatility. While singing “Blue,” a song dedicated to her daughter, she became emotional. Her set ended with my favorite song off her new album, XO. Beyonce fully deserved the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award that was then given to her. With her daughter and husband by her side while accepting this award she was both gracious and glowing. Miley Cyrus’s acceptance speech for Video of the Year was delivered by Jesse Helt, a homeless 22-year-old man living in Los Angeles. The trophy was accepted “on behalf of the 1.6 million runaways and homeless youths in the United States who are starving, lost and scared for their lives right now.” This statistic is striking. Cyrus watched from aside on the verge of tears as Helt finished the speech. Controversy has stemmed from this action, because there has been an active warrant for his arrest since 2011. He was originally arrested in 2010 for attempted burglary and criminal mischief in the third degree. Despite this controversy I fully believe Cyrus’s intentions were genuine through this gesture. Homelessness is one of America’s most underrated problems and deserves to be recognized. The VMAs pulled in total over 13 million viewers last weekend through multiple channels and repeat airings of the ceremony. This allows the award show to be the most watched cable-telecast event of the summer. The VMAs’ unpredictability along with A-list performances proves to be a perfect formula for MTV, one that will not change anytime soon.
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Rockie artist Charli XCX was nomminated in four categories at this year’s VMAs
Interested in writing for Opinion? Here are some questions that may spark some interest. Send them in to chronicle@strose.edu!
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C14 Opinion Corporate America is Weird The Chronicle
By CONOR SHEA Executive Editor This summer I was fortunate enough to participate in an internship program at one of the larger health insurance companies in the U.S. Going into this internship I had a lot of assumptions. Here are some of the most interesting pieces of knowledge I walked away with; many of them quite contrary to what I (and perhaps you) would expect. Not everyone made it on merit When I arrived for my first day I looked around at the people around me, feeling proud. I felt like I was in the big leagues. I was surrounded by your typical ‘type A’ personalities, and some of the most intelligent students I’ve spoken with. I took that (coupled with the size of the company) to mean that these individuals had fought to earn themselves their jobs. I imagined all of these peers as being top of their class, and true standouts. However it would seem that it is always and forever “who you know,” not “what you know.” Quite a few of the interns had found themselves working at the company through a networking opportunity or connection. Not just any sort of connection though, as most had a family member that worked there. It was so commonplace that I was asked on more than one occasion what department my parents worked in based on the assumption that interns were most often hired through family connections. Who needs professionalism? You watch enough movies and TV and you start to assume certain things about the world after college. I always guessed there were two relatively polar career choices. 1. I could work at a small business where there’s more fun to be had, but risk the lack of career advancement opportunities. 2. I could work for a big corporation and sacrifice the fun and inter-office shenanigans for
a bigger paycheck and the prospects of promotion. While I have yet to fully experience working for a small business, I can tell you that there is definitely fun to be had in the large cube farms. My manager, was a practical joker, an easy going person, and has been known to curse profusely when her computer disagrees with her. It wasn’t just her however, as I soon learned that people weren’t all that straight laced behind the walls of their cubicles. Don’t get me wrong, once on the phones with external clients it was all business. However, when the phone was back on its dock I heard wilder stories and funnier jokes than in all my years at college. I suppose it could depend largely on the company and their culture- but at mine it wasn’t all boring. So much wasted time If you’re an intern at a large company, chances are you’re being compensated more than fairly for your time in the cubes. Because of this fact, paid internship programs are less likely to send you out for coffee, or to pick up the boss’s dry cleaning. While you certainly won’t be taking lunch orders for eight hours, you might just be incredibly bored. Internship programs are largely talent pools, and are in some ways set up as an introductory training session to be an employee. You learn the ropes, start of slow, and work as an assistant to anything your manager needs. Meetings… all of the meetings During my internship I was bounced between two departments for various reasons. The most interesting thing that I learned from this exposure, was just how little of an employee’s day can be available to do work. Corporate America seems to love excessive meetings, and just won’t kick that terrible habit. Now, gathering for collaborative efforts can always be a boon to those working together. What isn’t particularly helpful is when you are hopping on a conference
call, to discuss the fact that you won’t be able to make a conference call later that week (that really happens). Emails; What’s in it for me? I wish I had the statistics for email response rates in corporate settings, because boy were they low for me. I think that this was at least partially due to the fact that I was the low man on the totem pole, and thus a low priority to everyone else. However, when I have to leave two voicemails, an initial email, and three follow up emails just to find out the type of software you used, that’s a problem. That’s not a hypothetical situation either; I spent two weeks trying to get one employee to tell me what software he would recommend for a project. Make sure people like you I was lucky enough to compete in a cross-disciplinary capstone project while at my internship. We were placed into teams, given a problem the company faces, and told to attack it like a millennial would. The project went well, and at the end of it we completed a survey on how our teammates worked together. One person in our group (let’s call her Jeanne) had a set of skills relatively unsuited to our task, and thus had difficulty contributing. A second individual on our team (let’s call him Robert) had a similar lack of skills for our project and also did little to contribute. When all was said and done, Jeanne earned much higher marks than Bob on the peer evaluation survey. Why? Because Jeanne was personable, friendly put in an effort when we would brainstorm. Bob on the other hand took his lack of suitable skills to mean he had a free ride. He skipped meetings, texted throughout those he attended, and gave off an attitude of apathy. Both were unable to really help us, but the one who genuinely cared and tried won in the end. Conclusions? Corporate America is pretty weird; but I still loved it. I find myself wanting to go back, even now!
September 3rd, 2014
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Boy Meets World Word Search
Alen Amy Angela Cory Dana Pruit Dean Bolander Eli Eric Frankie George Harley Jack Janitor Bud Jedediah
Joey Jonathon Joshua Kat Lauren LennardSpinelli Libby Morgan Rachel Shawn Stuart Topanga Trini Uncle Mike
September 3rd, 2014
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Opinion
The Chronicle
Taylor Swift’s New MusicVideo: Appropriate or Appropriation
By Courteney Kerin Contributing Writer Anyone who’s seen the viral video of Taylor Swift dancing to Florida Georgia Line’s “Cruise” at the 2013 Country Music Televison Awards knows the 24-yearold singer-songwriter is miserably awkward at best when it comes to busting a move, but according to her newest single, she just shakes the criticism off. “Shake It Off” is the first single from Swift’s upcoming album 1989, which is set for release Oct. 27, 2014. The song’s music video shows Swift attempting; keyword attempting, a wide variety of dance
styles including everything from ballet to full-on twerking. You name it, she probably does it. It really is a fun visual accompaniment to her danceable and almost irritatingly catchy tune. Except it’s not. The video has stirred up quite a bit of controversy, as enraged individuals make accusations of cultural appropriation and flatout racism.Some without even watching the video. Odd Future rapper, Earl Sweatshirt took to Twitter on Aug.18, the same day the video was released, claiming the singersongwriter is “perpetuating black stereotypes to the same demographic of white girls who hide
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Taylor Swift has come under fire for her new music video “Shake it Off.”
their prejudice by proclaiming their love of the culture” and that the video for her new single is “inherently offensive and ultimately harmful.” That’s quite an accusation coming from someone who has also admitted that he hasn’t actually seen the music video. That might be an important thing to do before publicly accusing someone of racism and appropriating black culture. So… Is the video actually racist? No. Perhaps if Earl Sweatshirt had bothered to take the time to actually, I don’t know, watch the fourminute and two-second video, he would’ve seen that it features a variety of men and women from a wide range of races participating in each style of dance. It isn’t just white women doing ballet and black women doing hip-hop like the cutting accusations of racial discrimination would have one believe. As for the claims of cultural appropriation, it would be one thing if Swift had paraded around in the big hoop earrings, gold chains, and booty shorts while trying to emulate black stereotypes throughout the entire video, but that isn’t the case. She’s seen wearing all of the costumes from each type of dance, each one equivalent to the attire of her dancers. People who brand the music video as racist have either been looking way too closely or not close enough. Let’s face it, the concept of the “Shake It Off” video isn’t exactly the most complex. The only thing she is guilty of is creating a visual presentation that is as simple and fun as it is entertaining. Given that this is all happening around the same time that recent headlines dealing with race relations in Ferguson, Missouri have been arising, though, it’s easy to
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Rapper Earl Sweatshirt who criticized Swift via twitter. see why people would jump to such conclusions. Tensions concerning discrimination based on race are already high as it is. Will people continue to be offended by the video anyways? Of course, but that could be said concerning just about anything. It’s nearly impossible to do anything without potentially offending at least one person. Was any racial offense actually intended? Doubtfully. It’s easy to tell by watching Swift make fun of her notoriously terrible dancing in the video, that the entire point of the selected styles of dance as well as the costumes used was to show the world that you should never stop having
fun and being yourself despite negativity and criticism. When asked by Rolling Stone about the music video’s concept, Swift said, “It takes a long time to figure out who you are and where you fit in in the world. I’m putting myself in all these awkward situations where the dancers are incredible, and I'm having fun with it, but not fitting in. They’re doing the most beautiful things, and I’m being embarrassingly bad at it. It shows you to keep doing you, keep being you, keep trying to figure out where you fit in in the world, and eventually you will.” Even so, haters gonna hate, as Swift proclaims in the song. Let’s hope she can shake this one off.
ATTENTION CLUB MEMBERS!
Would you like to have your club’s voice heard in The Chronicle? Contact Opinion Editor Katie Klimacek at klimacekk546@strose.edu
D16
Sports ESPN Reporter Creates More Than Just Another Shower Scene The Chronicle
By JOSH HELLER Contributing Writer If big media networks keep reporting on Michael Sam like ESPN has, Sam will never be just another football player in this league. Ever since the announcement of his sexual orientation made prior to the NFL draft, Michael Sam has been filling the headlines. But a recent ESPN report is an example of a story that didn't need to make any splashes. Last week, ESPN reporter Josina Anderson had the opportunity of doing a live report from the St. Louis Rams training camp. The main storyline followed Michael Sam and how he was fitting in with his teammates. Nobody would have had a problem with the report, if it wasn't for what Anderson had said later on. As taken from the report by Anderson on ESPN, "Another Rams defensive player told me that 'Sam is respecting our space' and that, from his perspective, he seems to think that Michael Sam is waiting to kind of take a shower, as not to make his teammates feel uncomfortable." If that wasn't the end of the nightmare, Anderson then went on to speak about how she had spoken with 2 more of Sam's teammates about his showering schedule, to which his teammates said they hadn't paid it any atten-
tion. Michael Sam's situation, in being the first openly gay player to be drafted, was a giant step in the right direction for professional sports as athletes from other sports outright supported Sam and his way of life. Big sports reporters' main point when covering Michael Sam is often how the young man is “fitting in” with the rest of his teammates. However, when was the last time that ESPN or Yahoo! Sports reported on an NFL player's showering schedule? Correct answer? Never. Now, all players are unique and different in their own way, but this is just ridiculous. This preseason for Sam was highly covered by the media. When NFL teams start the preseason, they are allowed to have a 75-man roster. However, by the beginning of the regular season, teams are required to trim their roster down to 53 men. Sam, throughout all of the preseason, was the main talk of who was being cut. Looking back at his preseason stats, Sam was stellar for the Rams, who have been unlucky with some injuries thus far. Sam finished second on the team for total tackles and led the team in sacks. Sam has one notable competitor for the defensive end position, and it's a little surprising. Leading the team in total tackles and second on the team in sacks for the Rams this preseason was an
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undrafted free agent by the name of Ethan Westbrook. Many sports reporters have come to the realization that the final spot on the roster will come down to Sam and Westbrook. Unfortunately for Sam, he was cut from the team due to Westbrook's impressive efforts. Ram's head coach Jeff Fisher said the decision was "purely a football decision" in news conference following the news. Anderson's report on Sam's showering received an extreme amount of backlash from various media outlets. Sport websites such as Deadspin and Bleacher Report have made fun of this situation with headlines such as Deadspin's, “Now we've got the inside scoop on how things are going for Michael Sam and his teammates in the shower. Thanks, SportsCenter." After receiving all of this backlash, ESPN issued an apology, "ESPN regrets the manner in which we presented our report. Clearly yesterday we collectively failed to meet the standards we have set in reporting on LGBTrelated topics in sports." The apology has caused many additional reports to be published about how silly and unnecessary Anderson's report actually was. However, one of the best reactions came from fellow St. Louis Rams defensive end, Chris Long, who tweeted his thoughts regarding the situation, "Dear ESPN,
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ESPN came under fire for one of their reporter’s comments of Michael Sam.
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Michael Sam, seen here at the final home game of his college football career. Everyone but you is over it." One of the angriest reactions came from Jeff Fisher. In regards to the report, Fisher said in an article published by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “I'm extremely disappointed in her piece. I think it's unethical. I think it's very, very unprofessional. Not only the piece itself, the content. The manner in which [Josina Anderson] did it”. Many people agreed with Fisher on this issue. ESPN just
needs to realize that they need to be true with their goal. The media's goal and Sam's goal was to become “just another football player.” I'm sure people are fine with outlets covering Sam's football career as he is changing the game for the good, but Anderson's report has just ruined that, and hopefully other sports outlets will not make the same mistake that ESPN did.
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Supporters of Michael Sam came to his defense after initial criticisims when he was drafted.
Sports D17 How to Sport When You Don’t Sport
September 3rd, 2014
By COURTNEY CARR Staff Writer Adventuring is just something that you need to learn to roll with especially when that adventuring comes your way as part of your job. That was what I told myself when I was informed I was going to The New York Jets training camp with my coworkers from ESPN 104.5 The Team. The Team is one of the five radio stations that I work for and I admit the one that I struggle to understand the most. Regardless about how little I know about touchdowns, penalties, or what Michael Vick did besides dog fighting I found myself eagerly traveling to Cortland, NY. Arriving at training camp was a surreal experience as we didn’t first find ourselves at the media check-in point but rather the athlete’s tent which our golf cart driver mistook for our destination. Before we could ask to be
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brought to our proper location the driver drove away and we were left to wander through the tent past dozens of New York Jets players in hot tubs. As we walked through the tent my coworkers and I tried to avoid eye contact with the athletes that were questioning who we were and what exactly we were doing. Eventually we made our way to the proper check in location and I was handed a credential that had my name misspelled. At this point in my career I saw it as just part of the adventure and rolled with it. After we got everything set up at our tent we made it up to the press box and as a journalism concentration it was everything that my dreams are made of. I was star struck to find myself surrounded by place cards marking the spots for some of the nation’s greatest papers and could put faces to the bylines that I have read. Before I had time to faint it was time to head down to observe a practice. It was not until I
stepped on the field after flashing my ID card that I realized I had absolutely no idea what happens in football. As I followed my coworkers onto the field I knew it was time to fake it until I made it. As they went opposite directions of one another I sought out the
other photographers and began to do as they did. I took note of what seemed to be of importance and relied heavily on the cheat sheet that was handed off to me earlier in the day. The cheat sheet was a team roster marked with stars and dashes of people that were truly important on such a large team. Despite the cheat sheet and following the other’s lead I still ended up getting scolded by a member of the Jets team for taking pictures of actual plays. That was in itself a learning experience for it never occurred to me that people would spend large portions of their time trying to decode a still image to reveal plays made by sports teams. With that being said after attending training camp I can say that although I still do not understand yardage or anything technical related to one of America’s most popular sports I can say that I understand just how dedicated the players, coaches, and especially the fans are to their specific teams. It was clear that the fans in the seats
watching practice plays were just as invested in those plays as the players carrying them out. Going to Jets training camp allowed me to see something, albeit on a much larger scale, something that I never got to experience going to both a high school and college without a football team. The community that surrounds these sports is astonishing and truly evident when surrounded by hundreds of people wearing green and white. It was then that I realized the only real thing needed to “sport” is, as cheesy as it sounds, heart. Not many sports fans can tell you every rule in a handbook, the code names of plays, or maybe even the whole team roster but they can tell you who they root for and who they hate. Sports doesn’t have to be technical it just has to be fun and if you truly want people to think you know what you are doing stick to your guns, say what you know, and enthusiastically cheer on your team.
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Courtney Carr, seen here at the entrence to the Jets training camp.
COURTNEY CARR
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Sports
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September 3rd, 2014
Volume 83 Issue 3
2014 NFL Divisional Preview
By VICTORIA ADDISON Sports Editor The wait is finally over football fans, as the NFL regular season is just days away from kicking off. Between the frenzy that was created on draft day and the wild speculations that have been formulated during the preseason, we will soon be able to sit back and watch as all the pieces come together to form what will be the best, and the worst, teams in the NFL. It should be no surprise that the Seahawks are favored to win the NFC West again this season, but doing so may not be as easy as they hope. The San Francisco 49ers could serve as a serious threat to the Seahawk's reign of terror over the division if 49ers' quarterback Colin Kaepernick can pull off a decent season, and most importantly get the ball to Michael Crabtree as opposed to Richard Sherman next time we see the division rivals meet. Unfortunately for the Arizona Cardinals and St. Louis Rams, their fate is questionable as they are both dealing with pressing issues in the quarterback department that could make or break their seasons. The NFC East on the other hand hardly needs reviewing. It should be no surprise that the Philadelphia Eagles are the clear-cut favorites to win the division. Mean-
while, the Dallas Cowboys have no defense and will be lucky to go their usual 8-8, the New York Giants will continue to struggle under their "elite" quarterback Eli Manning, and the Washington Redskins are not going to do any better if they continue to place all their trust in quarterback Robert Griffin III instead of playing their backup Kirk Cousins. In short, the NFC East has quickly turned into little more than a laughing stock heading into the start of the regular season. Of all the divisions in the NFC, the North will be one to watch for. Let's just start off by clarifying that the Green Bay Packers are going to be an offensive powerhouse with a healthy Aaron Rogers at the helm. The Detroit Lions will also be tough contenders as they continued to add to quarterback Matthew Stafford's list of offensive targets this offseason. In part by drafting tight end Eric Ebron out of The University of North Carolina, which will hopefully allow Stafford to throw to more than just Calvin Johnson. Not to mention, the Lions have arguably one of the best defensive lines in game with veteran defensive tackles Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairly leading the pack. That other duo in Chicago is no joke either as the Bears have what is becoming known as the best pair of wide receivers in the
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league with Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery. With all the talent the NFC North holds, it is easy to overlook the Minnesota Vikings who are going to need more than Adrian Peterson's insane running abilities to compete for a top spot in the division. Lastly, the NFC South. It should come as no surprise to NFL fans that the New Orleans Saints are primed to make another Super Bowl run this season. With a superstar quarterback like Drew Brees throwing to a superstar tight end like Jimmy Graham in combination with a superstar defense, the rest of the football world is in trouble. The Saints did not mess around this offseason, especially in drafting Brandin Cooks, the wide receiver phenom out of Oregon State University. Although the Carolina Panthers may give the Saints a run for their money with their top tier defense, their success on offensive will be questionable if the offensive line cannot protect their already injury-prone quarterback Cam Newton. Speaking of injury, we cannot overlook the Atlanta Falcons, especially not when wide receiver Julio Jones is healthy and ready to score touchdowns. Hopefully the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can start to turn things around under the direction of newly hired head coach Lovie Smith, but to be honest you have a better chance of winning the lottery than the Buccaneers have at winning the division. Moving onto the AFC, home of the infamous Johnny Manziel in the North. To the dismay of many Cleveland Browns fans, Manziel will not be starting week one, but that is probably for the best. The team is already in trouble after losing starting wide receiver Josh Gordon for the season due to suspension and the last thing the Browns need is an overconfident rookie quarterback threatening their chances of keeping up with the rest of the division. With
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that being said, the mediocrity of the AFC North will make it easy for the Baltimore Ravens to sneak into first place while the Cincinnati Bengals continue to rally behind their less than average quarterback Andy Dalton and the Pittsburg Steelers defense continues to grow old and become less and less productive. Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts should once again have the AFC South locked down, especially with the rest of the teams in the division rebuilding. The Jacksonville Jaguars may have a shot at a decent record as a result of drafting quarterback Blake Bortles as well as wide receivers Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson, both who should help Bortles put points on the board. Luckily for the Houston Texans, their chances of improving their record from last season automatically increased the moment they drafted linebacker Jadeveon Clowney who should have no problem bringing an added edge to a team in need of an "it factor". As for the Tennessee Titans, they should feel slightly better after dumping their former running back Chris Johnson off at the New York Jet's doorstep, but the Titans forgot to include quarterback Jack Locker when they took out the trash. As for the AFC East, things should stay the same as they always do. The New England Patriots will continue to dominate as
long as Tom Brady is playing and the New York Jets will continue to flop as long as head coach Rex Ryan is around. If the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills can look past their quarterback and defensive troubles, the two will have an interesting battle for second place behind the Patriots. Finally is the AFC West, or the division owned by Peyton Manning. The Denver Broncos were smart enough to pick up veteran defensive end DeMarcus Ware after taking a whole Super Bowl to realize that defense wins championships and should be poised to make another championship run despite the many offseason changes made to their roster. As for the Kansas City Chiefs, they are highly unlikely to repeat their success from last year as Alex Smith already pushed his luck enough last season and let's be real, no player is that lucky. It is hard to tell who will be the biggest threat to the Broncos out of this division, but if one thing is for sure it is that the San Diego Chargers may have something to look forward to between Philip Rivers and his trio of not so bad wide receivers. Last, but not least as always, the Oakland Raiders need to find rookie quarterback Derek Carr more offensive targets if they want to avoid keeping their title as one of the worst teams in not only the AFC West, but also in the NFL.
Sports D19 The Legacy and Impact of Derek Jeter
September 3rd, 2014
By Matthew Woods Staff Writer One of baseball’s all-time greats, as well documented, is calling it a career following the end of this season. Derek Jeter, perhaps the face of baseball for the past decade or so, will be hanging up the spikes and locking himself into the 2019 Hall of Fame class at year’s end. From clutch hits, to his patented jump throw, to diving into the stands against the rival Red Sox, Jeter has piled up a number of memorable moments throughout his career; none more important than his five titles with the Yankees. But what Derek Jeter has done for the sport of baseball is far greater than statistics and memorable moments alone. Jeter took a game on the decline after a lockout in 1994 and made it America’s pastime once again. He single handedly picked the game of baseball up from the trenches and made it to what it is today by attracting new and young fans back to the game. When “big name” players retire from a sport, analysts and experts alike always throw out the word “legacy”. In Jeter’s case, it is a great one. As far as accolades go, the man has nearly everything, from 14 All-Star appearances, to five World Series rings, five Silver Slugger awards, five Gold Gloves, and holding the
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Jeter has had 14 All-Star appearances, and five Silver Slugger awards.
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coveted title of Yankee captain. However, his legacy has other aspects to it as well. First, the moments of glory. The impact Jeter has had on the field will undoubtedly stand the test of time. “The Flip Play”, where Jeter tracked down an off-target cutoff throw and flipped it to catcher Jorge Posada to nab Jeremy Giambi at home plate. “Mr. November”, where as the clock turned over past midnight and into November, Jeter hit a Byung-Hyun Kim fastball over the right field wall to win game 4 of the 2001 World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Perhaps Jeter will be remembered most for “The Dive”, where he ran from his shortstop position to make an over-the-shoulder catch on a foul ball hit by Red Sox right fielder Trot Nixon, and subsequently dived into the stands along the left field line. The lasting image from that play may have been after it, as a bloodied Jeter came out of the stands with the ball in his glove and once again solidified the fact that he would do anything to help his team win. These plays, along with many others, will undoubtedly stand the test of time and be some of the lasting images of Jeter’s historic career. Although he may certainly be one of the greatest players of this era, we need to sit back and really analyze Jeter’s place among the greats. As great of a career as Jeter may have had, we simply cannot put him in the same class as the past legends who have played the game. As much as this may hurt fellow Yankee fans, we need to understand that Jeter is not one of the greatest players of all-time. In fact he’s not even the best shortstop of all-time; that clearly belongs to Honus Wagner, although Jeter certainly is in the conversation for that second spot alongside hall of famers Cal Ripken Jr, Joe Cronin, Ozzie Smith, Robin Yount, and Luke Appling. In fact, on my list, I would place Jeter in second behind only Wagner and with Ripken Jr a close
third. He may not be one of the greatest players of all-time, but he is certainly one of the greatest of his generation, hands down. It’s also important to take note of the way Jeter has handled himself over his entire career. Perhaps the most respected player in baseball over the past decade, he has handled every issue thrown his way with an enormous amount of class and dignity, never once crossing the line. Jeter also played the majority of his career in the MLB’s Steroid Era, and he’s been playing the game clean, unlike his teammate Alex Rodriguez. But maybe the most important aspect of Jeter’s legacy is what he did for the game of baseball. Every year during ESPN’s coverage of the Little League World Series, we are introduced to perhaps the future of the game, and for the past decade when the little leaguers introduce themselves and tell us who their favorite player is, most of the time it is Derek Jeter. His impact on the younger generation of baseball players, fans, and the game in general is the part of his legacy he should be most proud of. It makes it hard to imagine growing up a Yankee fan without Derek Jeter at shortstop; it’s the only thing young fans really know and it will most certainly be tough when come next year there is no number 2 jogging onto the field on opening day. After this season ends, most likely the next time we will see Derek Jeter is when he is inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown as part of the 2019 class. Many Hall of Famers believe Jeter should be the first unanimous vote getter to be inducted into the hall. In fact, Tom Seaver, who received the highest number of votes in history (98.84%), said that Jeter should be the first inductee to receive 100% of the vote, “I’ve thought about it; Jeter should be the one,” Seaver said in a great article published on MLB.com. But the fact of the matter is, it’s just not going to happen because
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Derek Jeter has made a significant impact on the future of baseball, and its fans. of the writers who vote. Many of the writers believe that since Babe Ruth wasn’t a Unanimous selection, no other player can be; and other writers won’t vote for Jeter for publicity reasons to gain attention and notoriety.
Either way, we have witnessed a marvelous career unlike any other. Derek Jeter has left a lasting image on the sport of baseball and watching him play has been nothing but a treat.
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Sports Josh Gordon’s Suspension Upheld The Chronicle
By Alex Horton Staff Writer The word suspension has been thrown around more than anything this offseason. This season’s list will see players like Ray Rice, Dwayne Bowe, Matt Prater, and Justin Blackmon all who will miss games due to suspensions. Josh Gordon’s suspension is more what we can call “news worthy” because his is a full season and it is also not his first offense for which he has tested positive for illegal substances. Gordon was also suspended last year for two games for violating the substance abuse policy the NFL has in place. What’s also not helping Gordon’s case is that after he appealed his year long suspension he was arrested and charged with an DWI, and then was pulled over for speeding in which one of the passengers in his car was charged with possession of an illegal substance (marijuana). So, here is my take on this. Josh Gordon is an idiot. First, it has been documented that Josh Gordon knew (and I emphasize knew) he would need to pass all his drug tests over the summer to even step foot on the field. He couldn’t even do that. Then, he gets pulled over for drunk driving, which is a pet peeve of mine. How do you as a professional ath-
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lete who literally makes millions of dollars, not get a cab or someone to drive you home? How is driving drunk even a possibility for these players? It just adds on top of the already multiple illegal things that Gordon has done. Although, the getting caught speeding and his passenger getting charged with an UPM (Unlawful Possession of Marijuana) doesn’t bother me, everybody speeds and the weed wasn’t even his. We as a public say that we hold these athletes to a higher standard, but they are only suspended for a season or just a few games instead of being put into prison, whereas if a regular citizen did something along the same lines prison is where they would end up. Josh Gordon isn’t the only NFL player who has had multiple substance abuse penalties, but he is the highest profile player who has been caught. Roger Goodell needs to start to set an example, especially after he completely botched the whole Ray Rice coldcocking his fiancé in that elevator and only getting a 2 game suspension. Now, let me do a little justice to Gordon after all I’ve done is criticize him. Do I really think he deserves to be suspended for the full season? No, he absolutely does not. All the man did was smoke a little pot, but the law is a
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Josh Gordon, at the Browns’ training camp.
law and it’s illegal to smoke marijuana. I think it's a crazy injustice that he’s being suspended for 16 games. Not only is it not fair to him, but it's really not fair to the Brown’s as Gordon was originally only suspended for 2 games. How Roger Goodell goes from 2 to 16 games is pretty ridiculous and I don’t agree. Maybe 8 games would have been a better suspension, but that wouldn’t satisfy Goodell, who out of all the sports commissioners, I despise with a fiery passion. Hate is a strong word and that’s the word I would use. Now don’t get me wrong, what Josh Gordon did was wrong and incredibly idiotic considering the knowledge he had about his tests and he deserved a suspension, but 16 games is way too much. Cleveland Browns' head coach Mike Pettine said the following on Gordon’s suspension, “We will continue to support Josh and we understand that there is accountability for one's actions, our job and that of the team is to focus on what we can control. Our philosophy in building this team and the mentality we're establishing is that we're going to have to overcome challenges and situations throughout the course of a season. We'll continue to be relentless in our approach, in how we work and focus on our goal of returning winning football to Cleveland." It seems to me that Cleveland is committed to their young super star and that’s a good sign seeing that a team is behind a young player who is having trouble with suddenly having a ton of money, like most young players do. But, unfortunately for both the Browns and Josh Gordon, he won't be seeing any playing time for a while. The NFL has an obvious problem controlling its players and this is Goodell’s way of trying to fix that. I think the wrong person was targeted for this campaign, but we’ll see what effect it has on other players in the league.
Volume 83 Issue 3
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Josh Gordon, pictured here at training camp.
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