The Spectrum Volume 62 Issue 67 by The Spectrum Student Periodical

Family-run gas station serves students Students have mixed sentiments about spring concert spending

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO, SINCE 1950

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UB athletes wary after gruesome Kevin Ware injury

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

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Volume 62 No. 67

Legette-Jack triumphs in life through family & love for basketball JON GAGNON

Senior Sports Editor

Felisha Legette-Jack walked the halls of her high school with her head down, fearful of making eye contact and connecting with others. Then she found basketball. Actually, her brothers introduced her to it. They were tired of their nerdy sister sitting around the house and reading books all day. One day, they said to her, “You need to do something.” She wanted to do what they did – not what her sisters were doing, which was gossiping about boys – so she went to the courts, shot by herself and watched. Basketball became her life. It also transformed her. “When I started going to the gym, I found myself looking at people’s eyes, getting my head up and getting a real celebration of myself through the gift of basketball,” said Legette-Jack, who just finished her first season as head coach of the women’s basketball team. “Because of this game of basketball, it gave me such confidence to be right or wrong. And so I owe this game everything.”

Now, she gives back by instilling her love of the game into a new generation of players at UB and trying to revive a program that has struggled in recent years. In person, Legette-Jack is both imposing and motherly. She has a temper like Bobby Knight but she can also wrap her long arms around a needy player and make her feel like she belongs. Both come from the same source: inner passion. She taps into it when she plays basketball, when she coaches and when she’s home with her family or reading the Bible. It defines her and defines what she expects from her players. “[My passion] comes from my family; we all were very passionate,” Legette-Jack said. “Every time we go out to play, the game was always about going out to win. I remember that’s how we competed. In order to win, you have to be passionate.” On the trip to Cleveland just a few a weeks ago for the MidAmerican Conference Tournament, Legette-Jack made her team watch the movie Invictus – a tale about Nelson Mandela bringing South Africa together through rugby.

SEE SPRING FEST, PAGE 10

When the Bulls found themselves tied with Miami Ohio at halftime, she reminded them of the movie and recited a poem from it: “You are the master of your fate, and you are the captain of your soul,” she told them. “I challenged each and every one of them what their captain role and master role would be in connection with each other,” LegetteJack said. “To go out there and perform for UB and when you come in this locker room, be able to look in this mirror, if you left it all out there, win, lose or draw, but if you didn’t, you have to live with that for the rest of the summer.” The Bulls outscored Miami Ohio 52-40 in the second half and received 19 second-half points from freshman guard Mackenzie Loesing, as they advanced to the quarterfinals of the MAC Tournament. “One of the big things that [Legette-Jack] stresses a lot is that to be able to have chemistry on the court, we have to be able to have chemistry off the court first,” Loesing said. “It’s a family atmosphere. It’s not about who the best player is, who’s the most athletic, who has the most talent. It’s about who comes to play, who’s ready to play and who gives their all every single day.”

In Legette-Jack’s playing career at Syracuse University, she earned honors as Big East Freshman of the Year, was all-league three times and left her mark as the school’s all-time leading rebounder and second-leading scorer. When her senior year came around, she expected to be an AllAmerican and play professional basketball afterward. She had given everything she had in the offseason to the game. Legette-Jack wanted to be the absolute best she could be. In the third game of the season, she tore her ACL. She compares the pain to giving birth to a child, but worse. “When I blew my knee out, I just thought that my life was over,” Legette-Jack said. “This game has done so much for me. And that was taken away, so how do I continue and sustain my confidence?” She did it with the help of an unlikely source – a janitor. When most patients are recovering from ACL surgery, they leave the hospital within three days. Legette-Jack needed seven – spending her final few days at the student health center – as she just wasn’t mentally prepared to leave. SEE FELISHA, PAGE 12

Changing face

Drag Queens, Kings take the stage at the CFA LISA EPSTEIN

Asst. Features Editor

Max Levitt never performs the same song and never wears the same costume twice. He spends hours perfecting each routine, song, dance and costume. He makes his own outfits from thrift store finds, spending up to two and a half hours on his makeup, crafting himself and transforming into his character: Martha Murder. For his performance on Thursday, Levitt performed in a dress he made from garbage bags – but by the time he put on the dress, he was already in the mindset of Martha Murder. Levitt, a senior theater design major, participated in last Thurs-

day’s UB-A-Drag Amateur Drag show held in the Center For the Arts Black Box Theatre. The event, part of LGBTA Awareness Week, showcased amateur and professional drag queens and kings from around the Buffalo area. Levitt said the idea of drag has changed in the last four years, gaining popularity from the show RuPaul’s Drag Race, which has made it a mainstay in the gay culture today. He said he loves doing shows for the performance art. For Levitt, though, the transformation into Martha Murder is more than just makeup and an outfit. “For me, it’s about my state of mind,” Levitt said. “It’s where I put myself. I can be Martha in and out of drag. It’s sort of just a swap in

the head space for me. The more in makeup I am, the more I can see myself as Martha. But if I have to think as her to figure out what my song choice is, I’ll do it.” Levitt taught himself how to do his makeup by experimenting and watching RuPaul’s Drag Race. He said playing around with his makeup taught him what works for him. While he is not normally into watching YouTube makeup tutorials, Levitt said he recently watched a video on how to glue his eyebrows down because his usual routine wasn’t working. Thursday marked Levitt’s first performance in the UB-A-Drag show. SEE DRAG QUEENS, PAGE 7

Alexa Strudler, The Spectrum

Senior theater design major Max Levitt (above) applies his makeup before taking the stage in last Thursday’s UB-A-Drag amateur drag show held in the Center For the Arts Black Box Theatre. Levitt spends up to two and a half hours preparing himself to take the stage as "Martha Murder."

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Wednesday, April 3, 2013

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Opinion

Wednesday, April 3, 2013 ubspectrum.com

EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF Aaron Mansfield MANAGING EDITORS Lisa Khoury Sara DiNatale EDITORIAL EDITOR Eric Cortellessa NEWS DESK Rachel Raimondi, Senior Sam Fernando, Senior Tong Meng, Asst. LIFE DESK Joe Konze Jr., Senior Keren Baruch Sharon Kahn, Asst. Alyssa McClure, Asst. ARTS DESK Max Crinnin, Senior Rachel Kramer, Asst. Kiera Medved, Asst. Felicia Hunt, Asst. SPORTS DESK Jon Gagnon, Senior Ben Tarhan, Senior Owen O’Brien PHOTO DESK Aline Kobayashi, Senior Aminata Diallo Nick Fischetti, Asst. Joe Malak, Asst. Juan David Pinzon, Asst. CARTOONIST Jeanette Chwan CREATIVE DIRECTORS Brian Keschinger Haider Alidina, Asst. ADVERTISING DESIGNER Joseph Ramaglia Ryan Christopher, Asst. Haley Sunkes, Asst.

April 3, 2013 Volume 62 Number 67 Circulation 7,000

The views expressed – both written and graphic – in the Feedback, Opinion, and Perspectives sections of The Spectrum do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Submit contributions for these pages to The Spectrum office at Suite 132 Student Union or news@ubspectrum.com. The Spectrum reserves the right to edit these pieces for style and length. If a letter is not meant for publication please mark it as such. All submissions must include the author’s name, daytime phone number, and email address. The Spectrum is provided free in part by the Undergraduate Mandatory Activity Fee. The Spectrum is represented for national advertising by both Alloy Media and Marketing, and MediaMate. For information on adverstising with The Spectrum visit www.ubspectrum.com/ads or call us directly. The Spectrum offices are located in 132 Student Union, UB North Campus, Buffalo, NY 14260-2100

Prescribed anxiety

Skyrocketing ADHD rates mean we must make changes Recent data released from the Center for Disease Control and Protection has revealed that 11 percent of school-age children in the United States have been medically diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Six-point-four million children between the ages of 4 and 17 have been diagnosed, marking a 16 percent increase since 2007. Many are subsequently prescribed stimulants such as Ritalin, Concerta or Adderall. The question pervading the medical community in the wake of these statistics is whether the ADHD diagnosis and its medications are being issued too carelessly, too often. Dr. William Graf, a pediatric neurologist and professor at Yale School of Medicine, told The New York Times: “Mild symptoms are being diagnosed so readily, which goes well beyond the disorder and beyond the zone of ambiguity to pure enhancement of children who are otherwise healthy.” It wasn’t so long ago that many parents feared there was a stigma attached to their child receiving a diagnosis. Some may recall an episode of the popular HBO television series The Sopranos in which Tony and Carmela experience immediate pangs of anxiety and trepidation upon a school administrator informing them their son may suffer from the condition. Those kind feelings have largely receded from the culture. ‘ADD’ and ‘ADHD’ are terms that have now been inserted into modern American idiomatic language – as both nouns and verbs. While changes in attitude have occurred during the last decade, many wonder if the heightened prevalence of the condi-

JEANETTE CHWAN, THE SPECTRUM

tion’s diagnosis reflects too casual a process doctors are taking for identifying it in their patients or if the condition is in fact more common than many initially thought. While it is difficult to determine the veracity of either of these claims with any certainty, it seems plausible to state certain factors in culture have impacted our collective ability to pay attention. The speed at which life operates in post-industrial America, where technology is utterly ubiquitous and the culture is largely media saturated, children growing up today are constantly overloaded with perpetual stimuli. An adolescent who grows

up playing his Game Boy while watching TV and surfing the Internet will no doubt develop a dependency on being interminably entertained. Parents should make it a serious priority to try to avert their children from this kind of formation. Children should have structure that instills in them a sense of nourishment and fulfillment from activities that provide satisfaction later down the road, like the kind that comes from reading a difficult novel or even doing homework. Children should be debunked of any notions that you should obey all your impulses and gratify all your desires. Because the

truth that adults learn down the line is that kind of behavior does not result in happiness. As college students, soon to be the preceding generation, we should inform our output with that intellect. We should think about what kind of impression we incorporate into the culture. As much as these trends in society do not help cultivate a more productive general public, it should not desensitize us to the seriousness of a condition that many struggle with daily. The way in which culture hinders the public’s collective capacity to control one’s attention is unrelated to those whose biology generates symptoms of ADD/ADHD. The focus should be on parents and doctors. Parents should be more active in trying to help their children develop ways to direct their focus and attention, while doctors should maintain a closer observation of their patients. Many children step into a doctor’s office once, for anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour, receive a diagnosis and a prescription and then proceed without the proper amount of extended medical attention. A continued exchange between doctors and child patients can help properly identify whether these rising statistics are a result of overuse. In the meantime, we should pay attention to the way we contribute to the culture if we want to affect the way the next generation participates in it. Email: editorial@ubspectrum.com

We’re watching you

Johns, Spirit will be held accountable for campaign promises In the aftermath of an elated undergraduate student atmosphere during the Student Association election last week, the question that should remain on students’ minds is: How will those who have been elected actually make a difference in their lives? The goal of SA is both very clear and very broad in its constitution: “to provide a better university experience [for] all undergraduate students by representing students.” Now that Nick Johns and the Spirit Party have received an overwhelming embrace of their campaign platform, resulting in an across-theboard victory for next year’s executive board, they will have to shift their focus toward definitive objectives if they want to have any hope of playing a legitimate role in achieving the promise of the association they have been elected to represent. The emphasis now needs to be on politics of the possible. The frustration for many students is a sense of irrelevance; SA really doesn’t make much of a difference in many students’ college expe-

riences. Aside from the many talking points aggregated over the course of the election from both parties, there were a small amount of tangible initiatives articulated and promises made for which The Spectrum will hold the new e-board accountable. Johns’ most substantial promise was to revamp the SA website. In line with his “TIE” plan (transparency, inclusiveness and efficiency), he said the new website will provide a way for anyone to see every expense, displaying the entire allocation of finances. While this may sound simple, it is a highly demanding proposal. Updating the website and maintaining it will require a constancy of attention and large amount of work. Nevertheless, we expect the website to be as improved as Spirit said it would be by Aug. 26, the first day of classes. The incoming treasurer, Siddhant Chhabria, promised to allocate $25,000 of the budget to an emergency line for club expenses that could unpredictably emerge. The rest of his ticket implored they

will take measures to improve South Campus safety, install more available outlets at university libraries and outdoor lighting throughout North Campus. We expect all of this to happen. As the high level of student apathy has remained stagnant this election season, this is an opportunity for the recently elected to work to change the attitude of the student body at large and reinforce the belief that student government matters. The purpose of SA should be to establish the conditions and build the tools to help students make the most of their college experiences. There is roughly $3.7 million of accumulated mandatory student activity fees from every undergraduate student at stake here, and if Johns hopes to achieve his goal of developing a “better connection to students,” the first step is not letting campaign promises dissipate once he steps into office. In addition to us, students should help hold Johns accountable. It reflects poorly on the student body

that the entire Spirit ticket won. Not to malign all the candidates, but the trend responsible for this is that when people have one friend on a ticket, they vote for the entire ticket. Many don’t make an effort to really inform themselves on the candidates. The manner in which canvassing has taken place in the Student Union is, to put it plainly, unprofessional and aggressive. The taste left in most students’ mouths following election is disenchantment and indifference. As important as it is to encourage community engagement and facilitate an atmosphere of inclusion, it should not be the new executive board’s primary focus right now. If Johns seriously hopes to modify the feelings of most students, he will have to start with the tangibles. A real politician can only have so much time for abstractions. Email: editorial@ubspectrum.com

Five promises: My return as The Spectrum’s sex columnist

KEREN BARUCH

Features Editor

What makes next semester at The Spectrum different from this past one? I’m back and better than ever! (Sorry – I’m still kind of stuck in that Passover mindset.) Because this week is trial week at The Spectrum, this column is my introduction to the wild, wacky and

resourceful columns next semester will bestow. I’ll be taking on the difficult yet enjoyable task of writing about (almost) every college student’s favorite things: food, sex and “how-to” be, well, a human being in this crazy world. Before we begin, I need to set a few guidelines for myself just so you all know what’s coming. 1. No metaphors related to or including “hot dog in a bun,” “custard inside of a cannoli,” “hot pocket in a microwave,” etc., will be included. I will take the more mature and formal approach when relaying sexual information to all of you. A few puns never killed anyone, though, right? So cut me some slack and let a few of the jokes slide. 2. Each week’s piece will involve an anonymous account from a UB student – if you are ever interested in sharing a story or experience, please email me!

3. Expert advice will be incorporated into the columns. I do not have a sex therapy degree, cooking degree or any degree for that matter. So to ensure the information I provide you with is credible, I will consult UB officials and use reliable online sources. 4. I am not into fast food. I think it’s quite nauseating, actually. My food and cooking columns will consist of healthy ways to eat and will promote a healthy lifestyle. If I do happen to write about a chocolate cake, or you happen to walk past me shoving my face with some unhealthy food, don’t call me a hypocrite. Just remember everyone’s got to cheat sometimes. 5. This weekly column of mine will be conversational. I want to hear your opinions, your stories, your questions, comments and concerns. I will check my email daily and will respond to any questions you have,

to the best of my ability, in a future column. Let’s have fun with this, people! After taking a semester off to do other fun, cool and professional things, I am fully energized to be back at work at The Spectrum. Next semester should be a fun ride, but my weekly columns will be nothing without you! (Picture me wearing an Uncle Sam hat and pointing directly at your face – don’t I look good?) So, let the games begin. Email me questions about food, nutrition, fitness, sex, nightlife, drugs, study stresses, beverages (because I do have my bartending license) – whatever you’d like to see featured – and your response will be seen in next semester’s paper. Stay safe, stay smart, stay healthy and nutritious and if you please, stay sexual. Email: keren.baruch@ubspectrum.com

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Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Wednesday, April 3, 2013 ubspectrum.com

The shop around the corner

News

Family-run gas station serves students with snacks, gas and family values ERIC CORTELLESSA EDITORIAL EDITOR

On Thanksgiving Day 1975, Gabriel Atallah immigrated to the United States with his six brothers and four sisters amidst violence and volatility in Lebanon. It was the beginning of what would become a multifaceted civil war lasting 15 years, resulting in over 120,000 deaths. Atallah, now the owner of University Convenience, was 20 years old. Twenty-two years later, after losing his job in 1997, Atallah and his cousin were enticed by the idea of a family-run operation including both a gas station and convenience store. When they found a location up for lease near UB, they jumped on it. It was on the corner of an Amherst neighborhood adjacent to North Campus. It was a Mobil gas station and has remained so ever since. As Atallah continued to manage the store, he couldn’t help but notice a growing trend of UB students frequently patronizing the establishment. He quickly realized this was going to be an even more popular destination for local college students than he originally envisioned and decided upon its name: University Convenience. It has developed into an unlikely pillar of the UB community. After escaping brutality and obscurity in Lebanon, Atallah knows what it takes to surmount difficult obstacles. He believes in oldfashioned notions of what leads to achievement: hard work, meticulous attention to small detail, passion for the cause.

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He makes it a point to impart what he has learned from his experience to the students with whom he interacts. “I always tell them: ‘Keep a fire in the belly,’” he said. “That’s what I enjoy most about this store – getting to interact with young people all the time. I tell them my story.” The business is a part of the quotidian routine of many UB students. Nick Sarles, a sophomore business major and member of the tennis team, has been going to University Convenience since his freshman year and takes comfort in the family atmosphere. He considers himself a regular. “It’s close, convenient and the people working the counter are always kind,” Sarles said. “The store portion is always clean, and the garbage cans right by the pumps are always empty. The guy who works there the most, the owner, is super cool and always cheerful, no matter what time of day or night it is.” Atallah, his wife Doris and three of their four children run the business with both care and caution. They form a gregarious staff that treats its patrons as friends and neighbors. Inside the fluorescent-lit building, located at the intersection of Millersport Highway and Sheridan Road, are stacks of candy, chips, hygiene products, cigarettes, cigars, incense, household cleaning utensils and gum. There are refrigerators filled with milk, juice, Gatorade and beer. The store is open 24 hours a day and participates in the New York State lottery. SEE GAS STATION, PAGE 11

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Gabriel Atallah (right), pictured with his wife Doris, owns a family-run Mobil gas station and convenience store right off North Campus. For the students who frequent his establishment, Atallah continues to remind them people often have extraordinary reasons for doing ordinary work.

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Life

Girls’ night UB Girl Effect, Royal Pitches team up for a night to empower young women BETHANY WALTON Staff Writer

Addis, an 18-year-old girl from Ethiopia, thought she was just going to church with her father. Instead, she was forced to marry a man and give up her pursuit of learning. Her new husband refused to take her to school, and she had to quit to take care of her husband and son. Addis was one of many girls pinpointed during an event held by UB Girl Effect and The Royal Pitches last Friday. The Girl Effect, a national organization, advocates for the potential of adolescent girls to end poverty for their families, communities and countries around the world. UB’s chapter teamed up with The Pitches, UB’s female a cappella group, to present “A Night of Girl Power.” The night was dedicated to raising awareness about underprivileged girls in impoverished countries. The audience enjoyed a one-hour show of videos from The Girl Effect website, showcasing the stories of underprivileged girls, paired with six girl-themed selections from The Pitches. Samah Asfour, a sophomore gender studies and political science major and president of UB Girl Effect, said it was an “unexpected surprise” when The Pitches contacted them about collaborating for the event. “We are very fortunate to have them notice us and do this for us,” Asfour said. “We were planning on having other fundraising events, but this is just so different from what we would have ever done.” According to The Pitches’ treasurer, Emily Pumm, her group was looking to collaborate with a club for a donation-based concert. Pumm, a sophomore English and media studies major, met with Meghan Young, a senior political science major and secretary of UB

Jihyun Moon, The Spectrum

Deanna Gallicchio (above) and The Royal Pitches teamed up with UB Girl Effect last Friday night to help raise awareness about underprivileged girls in impoverished countries. The event included a one-hour show of videos from The Girl Effect website and six girl-themed songs performed by The Pitches. Girl Effect, to plan the event. Students were asked to provide a donation before entering the event. Guests were given a raffle ticket for each dollar they donated for a prize that was announced at the end of the show. A Cappella Productions, an independent production company in Buffalo, provided sounds and lighting for the event. The Pitches gathered in a half circle and captured the audience’s attention with their harmonious voices and powerful lyrics. Popular songs of the night included a new Pitches mashup of “Independent Women” by Destiny’s Child, “Scrubs” by TLC, “Soar” by Christina Aguilera and “Safe and Sound” by The Civil Wars and Taylor Swift.

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Corey Rosen, a sophomore communication and film studies major, enjoyed the combination of informational videos and songs. Rosen found the event to be a “unique and inspirational” fundraiser. “This was the first event I have attended by The Royal Pitches and would definitely like to attend more of their performances; they are all talented women,” Rosen said. “If I was born in any other time period, I would have had to face similar issues other women and girls are currently facing in countries around the world today. I believe all women should support other women, especially when it comes to each other’s safety, education and potential for a better and brighter future.”

Girl Effect is still fairly new to the UB community, according to Pumm. The Royal Pitches saw the concert as an opportunity for them to give back to the community and help Girl Effect become more popular on campus. Jonathan Yepez, a sophomore music theater major, said he learned more about what the club stands for and would definitely support it again in the future. “I really enjoyed the videos Girl Effect showed, and the videos were very informative and opened my eyes to an organization I had not known about,” Yepez said. “I fully support Girl Effect’s efforts to educate young women around the world.”

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Yepez would like to see Girl Effect and The Pitches team up again in a bigger venue with a more publicized event. Both groups are looking forward to working together again. Pumm said the group may not have time for another big fundraising project this semester due to its spring concert on April 27, but students should keep their eyes open for future collaborations. Girl Effect is looking to make “A Night of Girl Power” an annual event with The Pitches in the future. Email: features@ubspectrum.com

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Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Continued from page 1: Drag Queens “I sort of enjoy being part of the subversive community – actually, I entirely enjoy it,” Levitt said. “There’s a danger in what we do. There’s nothing safe about saying: ‘I want to put on a ton of makeup and lipstick today and go walk out in heels.’ I’ve walked into liquor stores in full drag before, and [people have] tried to subversively take pictures of me and I’m like: ‘No, no, no – keep [taking pictures].’” Paris Canty, a sophomore psychology major and the treasurer for UB’s LGBTA, performs at UB whenever there is a show. Canty likes that he can transform his entire body into something that wasn’t there originally. When he first started out, Canty said it took him 30 to 40 minutes, but today it takes him almost two hours to transform into his character, Diamond. “Basically [when I started out], I put on foundation, eye shadow, and that was it,” Canty said. “I didn’t contour. When you first start out, it’s really immature. It’s like foundation, and then lipstick and you think: ‘Oh, it’s done’… This is not something you can just say: ‘Oh, I’m just going to do drag today.’” Junior global gender studies major Chrys Patterson is a member of the LGBTA. She performed in the show as her character, Aurore Saint Laurent, and said each performer does drag differently. Patterson, who is transgendered, continues to perform as a female character. She said drag is a performance in which someone who is a “cisgender” male becomes a drag queen, or females usually become drag kings. Patterson said it’s slightly complicated now that she is not a cisgender male. “My stage name as it stands is Aurore Saint Laurent,” Patterson said. “I feel like that’s going to change and I’m going to kill her off. There’s really no real need for me to do drag under that kind of name because since I am trans, it’s a little weird now that I do drag, because it’s not like I am guy dressing up in drag because I’m on hormones. So it’s a little bit different, but I still enjoy it and that’s how I usually look at getting myself done.” One of the show’s professional drag queens was Veronica Lace, a man who performs as a woman, who said she loves the competition of pageants and shows, in which people can be creative with their designs. She loves that someone can create a whole other person with their makeup. Lace said people, especially those in the gay community, don’t understand why she enjoys doing drag shows and pageants. “There’s a lot of straight people [who] ask me if I want to become a woman and that’s not true,” Lace said. “I look at makeup and my face as a blank canvas. There’s a big difference between drag and trans. Trans people do drag, too, but there’s still a big difference. A lot of people misconstrue that.”

Lace said she travels around the country for different shows, performing as characters such as Ke$ha, Pink and Cyndi Lauper, but she tries to learn new things for her shows. “I think drag is an evolution,” Lace said. “You can do something different every single time between the makeup, songs, costume design, jewelry. Drag puts together so many forms of art like cosmetology and fashion design – there’s so much involved in it.” Lace said doing drag is a hobby, and people need to keep an open mind about others performing in drag. She said drag is different all around the country and she has seen the atmospheres changing when at different drag shows. She loves doing drag and doesn’t plan on quitting any time soon. But Lace said the hardest part about being a drag queen is the dating world. “Most people don’t want their boyfriend to dress up in drag, because that’s the most emasculating thing,” Lace said. “But my family’s been OK with it. They’ve been really supportive. They love it – it’s a form of me expressing my creativity. I have older brothers who can draw and paint. I can’t do any of that, but I can do makeup. My friends, they love it. Some of them think it can be a little much and it’s an expensive hobby, but they support it.” Megan Ptak, a sophomore psychology major, performed for the first time on Thursday as Dustin Beaver. Ptak wasn’t sure if she would continue to perform, but she wanted to try it at least once. Ptak said it takes much less time to transform into a drag king than a drag queen. “While some kings do put on makeup, it’s definitely not as much as queens,” Ptak said. “I feel like once you get it down, for a lot of kings, it’s really easy. Whereas queens are usually always evolving, always changing what they’re doing, always trying to improve. And then when they aren’t and when they’re doing their normal makeup, it takes like two hours. It’s ridiculous. It took me 20-30 minutes.” Ptak said that, as a member of the LGBTA community, it’s her job to educate people on what the organization is all about. She said there are always students on campus who oppose what the group stands for, but all of her friends are completely supportive of her decision to do drag. Lace is excited to see the next generation of drag. She said she enjoys how drag can be anything you want it to be. “You don’t always have to wear tits and be glamorous,” Lace said. “It’s all about what you want it to be. Drag is fun – make it your own. Sometimes your makeup might not be the best, but at least it’s your idea of what you want to be. I love it.” Alexa Strudler, The Spectrum

Email: features@ubspectrum.com

Professional drag queen, Veronica Lace (above), performed her routine last Thursday night at the CFA. Lace travels around the country for different shows, performing as many different characters.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013 ubspectrum.com

Arts & Entertainment SWANS OVER LAKE LASALLE

Russian National Ballet Theatre performs Swan Lake at UB’s Center For the Arts MAX CRINNIN

SENIOR Arts Editor

Light as a feather and strong as sinew, they cast a spell. Last Tuesday night, the Russian National Ballet Theatre performed Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s legendary Swan Lake ballet at UB’s Center For the Arts. The story revolved around Prince Siegfried as he comes of age and finds his true love in an unexpected place – Swan Lake. Siegfried is pressured by the demands of royalty which require him to find a wife and fulfill a sense of duty, but in discovering the Swan Queen Odette, he abandons his life for love. Odette is a princess who takes the form of a swan by day under the curse of the evil sorcerer Von Rothbart. Siegfried is captivated as he witnesses Odette’s transformation into human form by night, and he instantly falls in love. The spell can only be broken by true love, but before Siegfried can save Odette, Von Rothbart deceives him. Von Rothbart forces Odile, the black swan who appears as Odette’s twin, to seduce Siegfried. When Siegfried mistakenly falls for Odile, Von Rothbart’s curse is permanently fixed on Odette and the other swans. Only by killing themselves do Siegfried and Odette break Von Rothbart’s curse and ascend to Heaven together. Traditionally, the roles of Odette and Odile are played by the same dancer, and for this show, Maria Sokolnikova gave a breathtaking performance as both the white and black swan. Aidos Zakan performed the role of Prince Siegfried and proved his worthiness for the male lead with a jaw dropping display of grace and athleticism. Only the Jester matched Zakan’s ability with solo routines that drew wild applause and animated reactions from the audience throughout the show.

Courtesy of Russian National Ballet Theatre

Physique and artistry coalesced for a stunning rendition of Swan Lake on Tuesday night at UB’s Center For the Arts.

The male dancers’ muscles bulged through tight leggings, threatening to tear them with each leap and spin, yet the flexibility and artistic finesse displayed in their movements on stage were most impressive – ballet dancers double as highly conditioned athletes and artists at the same time. The female dancers carried a different kind of beauty. Their strength was hidden underneath seemingly frail skeletons of bone and slimmed and trimmed muscle. At times the swans appeared so fragile that the anticipation of a snapped ankle or fainting on stage seemed inevitable with the physical exertion that the routines demanded. However, the entire cast of swans executed with an enduring strength that left the audience standing for an ovation at the end of the show. Donald Martin of Niagara Falls is an usher for 12 theatres across

the Buffalo area, including the Center For the Arts. At 77, he has seen some memorable performances throughout the years. “Tonight gave me goosebumps,” Martin said. “Of all the forms of art I like dance the best, and of all the forms of dance I think ballet is the most beautiful. It’s artistic. It gives me chills to be a part of it.” Under the direction of Elena Radchenko, a legendary Bolshoi dancer, the entire Corps de Ballet seemed flawless. Swan Lake set the scene for most of the story. A stunning glow of misty blue light bathed the dancers in both fully lit daytime scenes and in the moonlight of some of the more intimate nighttime moments, particularly with the swans. The set was minimalistic, with drapes and painted backdrops used for depicting scenes within the castle or outdoors in wooded areas.

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Other effects, aside from a laughably pathetic fog machine, were non-existent. It didn’t matter. The dancers did all the work by putting the “motion” in emotion. And with no words to tell the story, their bodies did the talking. In contemporary culture, there seems to be an expectation, especially from younger audiences, for big effects and digital “wow” factors that provide quick, fast and easy edge-of-seat entertainment. Swan Lake serves as a reminder of how the human body itself can deliver all the necessary “flashes” and “bangs” that audiences get from the big screen along with the subtleties that move an audience in ways that technology cannot. Digital mediums lack this certain kind of magic. Many are familiar with Swan Lake through its depiction in the 2010

Academy Award winning film Black Swan. Mary Pappagallo, 16, of Amherst is a 12-year student of ballet who attends the Lisa Taylor Academy of Ballet and Dance Arts in Buffalo. She swears she has not seen the film, and Tuesday night was her first time experiencing the “real” Swan Lake. “I really enjoyed it,” Pappagallo said. “We’ve done variations in class, which was fun. Being able to see professionals perform them on stage was a great experience.” Swan Lake slowly churned its legs, and by the end, it was hard to not be fully engulfed in the action with the acute attention to every detail and overwhelming emotional involvement in Siegfried and Odette’s story. Much can be said about the dancing as the music that accompanies the ballet – one is simply not as satisfying without the other. Certainly one of Tchaikovsky’s master works, the music for Swan Lake is mesmerizing. Outside the Center For the Arts, the show went on as ecstatic audience members whistled or hummed the memorable bits of the music on their way out the door. Director of International Student and Scholar Services at UB, Ellen Dussourd, attended with her 96-year-old mother, Eugenia, and she remembers seeing the Bolshoi Ballet perform Swan Lake live in Kiev, complete with a full orchestra. “I thought [tonight] was beautiful,” Dussourd said. “Exquisite.” While a live performance of the music by a full orchestra may have been more impressive, this particular performance allowed for a focus on the action. The Mainstage Theatre at the Center For the Arts was intimate enough for a closeness that made the live performance feel personal and big enough to draw a large crowd that roared out into the night with cheers of bravo. Email: arts@ubspectrum.com

ubspectrum.com

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

And the Joes keep on going… G.I. Joe: Retaliation movie review JAKE KNOTT

Staff Writer

Film: G. I. Joe: Retaliation Release Date: March 28 Studio: Paramount Pictures Grade: BG.I. Joe: Retaliation, the sequel to the dreadful G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra from 2009, finally gets in on the joke. Oh, it’s unceasingly preposterous all right, as most action extravaganzas should be. Viewers almost expect Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to wink at the camera in jest while performing his bruise-inducing fighting sequences. However, this sequel embraces its preposterousness unlike the brainless seriousness of the first installment. Against insurmountable doubt, G.I. Joe: Retaliation is a minimally engaging action retread. That isn’t saying much, but this film should accept any compliment it can get. The difference stems from the writing. Screenwriting team Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (The Joe Schmo Show) possess trained ears for cornball dialogue, having also collaborated

on the screenplay of the hilarious Zombieland. While the first G.I. Joe was a noisy, dizzying explosion festival, Reese and Wernick cropped out some of the needless action and gave their characters personalities and voices. Captain Duke Hauser (Channing Tatum, Side Effects) still serves as a swashbuckling leader of the G.I. Joes – another one of those highly equipped special tasks forces in movies that survive impossible odds time and time again. Hauser’s deputy is nicknamed Roadblock (Johnson, Snitch), the best character name for the former wrestling star yet. After sabotaging an unexplained secret hideout, Hauser’s team is assigned by the President (Jonathan Pryce, Dark Blood) to recover a missile launch pad, an action movie plot device that’s as old as the hills. Push the generics aside, and what’s left is a group of likeable characters killing bad guys, which is adequate enough for the genre. After an ambush in the desert, the Joes lose the pad and most of their troops. Stranded and presumed dead, the remaining Joes aim to discover who killed their comrades. Read the rest at the new ubspectrum.com

Editor’s note: This article is a satire piece. It is not to be taken literally. ‘Carson’ is a pen name. Dear Carson,

Dear Sad and Lonely,

Chicks hate me. I guess I’m an average-looking dude, but I don’t really do anything interesting that attracts attention from girls. I go out occasionally, but I mostly keep to myself. I’m not trying to “slay the dragon” with every girl I meet, but I’d really love to find a pretty girlfriend. The one thing I am really good at it is playing guitar, but I’ve always been too shy to try to play in front of anyone besides my really close friends. I think I might start getting noticed by the ladies if I play some open mics and get myself out there. I want to show people that I have a talent and a cool one at that. Because I get really nervous to perform and I’ve never done this before, I figured a good place to start would be the open mic on Wednesday nights at Perks in the Ellicott Food Court – low key, low crowd expectations and tons of girls coming in and out. I play all kinds of music, but I think it’s best to play some stuff people will know: Mumford & Sons, Oasis (can’t go wrong with “Wonderwall”) and John Mayer. I’m interested to know what you think about this plan as a way to finally start getting noticed by girls. Also, what’s a good way to take the edge off my stage fright? Any tips? Help!

I hate you, too. Just kidding, but seriously … I understand you’re totes lame like most people, but why are you going to make this painfully known to the world by nervously slam-banging mainstream filth on your acoustic guitar? The three artists you mentioned are straight garbage. These are the same three mainstream fools that every other Joe Blow with any strumming ability turns to with exactly the same goal as you. I’ll fill you in on a little secret: you’re not going to get any girl’s attention unless you stand out from the crowd. I recommend you either come off as a psychotic, drug-infused punk rocker by giving your best shot at something by Iggy Pop, or you could try to pull off the introverted tortured artist with something by Elliott Smith. I’m getting Elliott Smith vibes from you; check out his songs “No Name #3” and “Between the Bars” for starters. As for Perks as your starting place, think again. The atmosphere is all wrong. You want dim lights, attentive ears and snaps – not claps. Perks, with its hospital waiting-room atmosphere coupled with dreadful coffee selections, is not right for you. Go out and find a real open mic in Buffalo. Finally, nothing can completely take the edge off your stage fright, so man up and drink some PBR. Godspeed.

Sincerely, At My Window, Sad and Lonely

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Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Students have mixed sentiments about spring concert spending Dylan, Spring Fest total 14 percent of SA’s budget rACHEL RAIMONDI and SAM FERNANDO

Senior News Editors

Student Association President Travis Nemmer is pleased with this semester’s entertainment. It only cost SA a little above $500,000, he said. This month, UB is hosting not only Spring Fest, featuring Kendrick Lamar and Steve Aoki, but also a Bob Dylan concert. SA funded the events with the $94.75 mandatory student activity fee that each student pays in the beginning of the semester. Nemmer said he has been getting nothing but positive responses since the lineup announcement. Spring Fest includes two headliners and four openers, making the event twice as big as Fall Fest 2012. SA spent approximately $280,000 on Spring Fest, according to its general ledger. It was one of the least expensive fests in recent years, allowing Nemmer to book Dylan for a separate concert, he said. However, some students are still dissatisfied with SA’s selections. Some believe $500,000 is too much to be spending. Others think SA will focus on making the money spent on Dylan’s concert back and there won’t be enough student tickets. “Do I spend $45 on an advanced sale ticket or do I hope that I get there earlier than the rest of the students that are as pumped about seeing an American icon as I am?” said senior civil engineering major George Kalkowsky in an email. “It puts students in a difficult situation. If you’re connected in SA, though, you don’t have to worry about anything – a staffer could get you a guaranteed ticket.” Nemmer said SA staffers are not receiving any preferential treatment with tickets. SA had set aside 2,000 tickets for the public – which sold out in two to three weeks – and 4,500 for students on a first-come-firstserve basis. The sale generated about $100,000, according to Nemmer. The organization spent approximately $235,000 on Dylan’s concert, according to SA’s general ledger. The students’ preferences for entertainers did not impact SA’s decisions. After students expressed dissatisfaction with booking The Fray for Fall Fest 2011, SA stopped considering outside opinions, angering students. “I would like to see my money go toward something I have a choice in!” said senior psychology major Kaylee Cirrito in an email. “Why can’t undergrads vote on who they want?”

Courtesy of Flickr User The White House

Courtesy of Flickr User daMusic.be

This year, Kendrick Lamar is headlining SA’s Spring Fest concert – an event that cost $280,000 to put on. SA President Travis Nemmer said the event, which is “cheaper” than fests in the past, allowed SA to host another concert featuring Bob Dylan – which costs an additional $235,000.

Drake was the students’ first choice in a survey SA conducted in Fall 2011. The Fray was number eight on a list of 19 acts. Due to the artists’ availability and SA’s budget, the organization had to settle. Students believed their representatives had done a poor job planning the event, as previously reported by The Spectrum. SA Treasurer Justin Neuwirt claims the survey method sets the organization up to fail. “The students are going to always want the greats – Jay-Z, Drake, Eminem, Billy Joel, etc.,” Neuwirt said in an email. “Well, if that is who came up on our survey, we would inevitably disappoint the masses.” He would love to book Billy Joel but feels big-name performers are unrealistic on a college campus. Even with a “limited” budget, SA was able to please some students with the variety the two concerts bring to UB this semester.

Maurice Carpenter, a junior health and human services and psychology major, is excited for the Spring Fest lineup, which he considers a huge step up for SA’s choices in terms of “genre, artist and popularity.”

“I’m glad I have another year left here,” Carpenter posted on the event’s Facebook page. The lineup has revitalized his faith in SA’s event-planning abilities, he said. However, he still wants the survey brought back next year and is displeased with the amount spent on the two events. He believes the organization could have done better in regard to Dylan’s performance. Binghamton University’s Spring Fling costs approximately $250,000 on average, according to Eric Larson, the vice president of finance for the university’s SA. That cost covers the entire event, including a carnival with a Ferris wheel, food and the concert. Binghamton booked Yellowcard this year. SUNY Geneseo’s SA had a $130,000 concert budget on which it booked MGMT, according to its concert coordinator, Jenny Keller. Carpenter would have preferred Geneseo’s event to Dylan’s concert because he believes MGMT is currently more popular and relevant, especially for the price. He sees Dylan’s performance as geared toward an older audience. Others see versatility in this month’s concerts that they haven’t seen in recent years. “Bob Dylan is also a legend and the greatest songwriter of all time,” said senior media study major Andrew Pawluk in an email. “I think everyone can get something out of these two concerts, whether you like rock, hip hop or dance music.” Dylan is performing at Alumni Arena on Friday. Spring Fest is scheduled at the same venue on Sunday, April 14. Email: news@ubspectrum.com

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Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Continued Continued from page 5: Gas Station from page 14: The family atmosphere of the I never said anything because it was Doris, whom he brought back with store extends itself within the staff nice to know that these kids cared him to the United States. to the other employees who are not and were thinking of me,” Eid said. Upon settling in Rochester and Kevin Ware Atallah’s family. “Even if they showed no respect starting a family, he began workAlthough many would think anybody who had such a traumatic oncourt injury would never want to touch or even look at a ball again, Mulkey sees the situation differently. “If something like that happens it is kind of like: ‘That’s not the way I want to go out,’” Mulkey said. “You put it in your mind that if everything goes well with the surgery and things that are out of your control go well, like rehab, [and you can] work your way back to full health and step on the court again, it kind of redeems yourself. I think most athletes would feel the same, as well. Few would shy away from the court.” Ware is expected to make a full recovery, while his teammates will take on Wichita State Saturday night with a trip to the National Championship on the line. Email: sports@ubspectrum.com

Tareq Eid, a cashier for University Convenience and an immigrant from Jordan, said he knows most of the student customers by name. The familiar faces make it “exciting to come to work,” he said. “I ask the students how they’re doing; they tell me about how school is going; they ask me how my son is,” Eid said. “It’s very nice to know the customers as not just some random people. Back during the football season, I always worked on Sundays and would always give the kids that were Bills fans a hard time. I could always count on that.” Eid could also depend on reciprocity of pestering when it came to football. As a Cowboys fan, he often felt vexation over having to work on Sundays and missing the games. But customers would come in and provide him updates of the scores and, many times, a few gibes about America’s favorite team. “I always got the scores on my phone so it didn’t really matter, but

IT’S A CLASS THING.

for Tony Romo.” University Convenience occasionally sells oddball merchandise such as beanie caps and stress-relieving squeezable balls. Around Valentine’s Day, Atallah sells glowin-the-dark artificial roses and, around Easter, they give out Rosary beads. They make it a point to remain privy to the external world inside the internal world of their own environment. Atallah, a resident of East Amherst, a hamlet of Amherst – the third-safest city in America in 2013, according to American Live Wire – didn’t always have the luxury of feeling safe in his own home. Atallah’s father decided to move his family to America for safety in 1975 amongst war in his native Lebanon. When the family reached America, they settled in Rochester. However, in 1982, Atallah took a gamble and decided to go back and visit Lebanon for a month. During that time, he met his future-wife,

ing for General Motors. He started with an entry-level job at an operational facility manufacturing Delco Products for General Motors automobiles. He continued to work for the company in a variety of different positions until the plant shut down the division in 1997. Atallah and his cousin’s jobs were outsourced to Mexico. That’s when they started looking for the gas station. University Convenience has been around for 16 years and has since been in the practice of remaining up-to-date on UB students’ needs. Recently, when Atallah learned about campus cash from one of his children, he decided it would be a good idea to get installed in his store. “We have students come in here every day,” he said. “So why not?” However, Atallah has called the university on several occasions over the last few years and has not received a response, he said.

He believes because the store is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, it would be “incredibly useful” for students to have access to a convenience store where they can use that form of payment. Sarles agrees with Atallah and would like to see it happen. “I think campus cash would be very good idea,” Sarles said. “Since a lot of students, including myself, go there a lot, why not? It helps the students. A lot of college [kids] go there.” Since arriving in Western New York on Thanksgiving, Atallah remains thankful he has been able to run a business he enjoys, with people he likes and for customers he admires. “I like having a lot of young, ambitious college students in here,” he said. “Sometimes they remind me of myself.” For the students who frequent University Convenience, Atallah continues to remind them that people often have extraordinary reasons for doing ordinary work. Email: news@ubspectrum.com

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Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Continued from page 1: Felisha She was at her lowest, sensing her life was over and that she had no future in basketball, but every night the same janitor came in and told her, “You go when you’re ready.” “One day he came in and said, ‘I just think it’s time,’” Legette-Jack said. “I said to myself: ‘You know what, it is time.’ This guy isn’t invested in anything [unlike coaches, teammates and family members] but for some reason that guy was the one that made me feel like I was ready to come back.” Of course, her family was there all along as well. To this day, she keeps in mind the three most important things in life that her mother taught her years ago: God, family and then yourself. Everything else was just extra. For Legette-Jack, family took precedence – specifically her mother, Thalia Legette. “She always had a smile on her face but always was so driven to become a significant part of our lives,” Legette-Jack said. “No matter what we became, we knew that her work ethic would be the reason why greatness would come to our family. That’s why I struggle when I hear coaches or athletes are role models because I didn’t look at athletes as role models; I looked at my family as those people.” When Legette-Jack was 8 years old, her father left the family, leaving Thalia to raise five children as a single mother. She already worked full-time as a cook at the Veterans Hospital in Syracuse and picked up a part-time job as a janitor. “We never had time to feel sorry for ourselves,” Legette-Jack said. “Who cares if your dad is not there for you? We just didn’t look at excuses. This was all we had and all we had was enough, and we just found a way.” Whether it meant getting up at 5 a.m. to go to their aunt’s house because their mother had work or finding their own transportation to school, the kids did not make excuses. They didn’t want to let Thalia down because they knew she was doing the best she could. “If I could be half as tough, half as driven, half as humble as she is, then I’m a real cool chick, but I’ve still got a lot of work to do,” Legette-Jack said. “I’m a work in progress. Every day that she says she is proud of me, I think I’m taking a little step closer. But I still have a long way to go because she is such a

beautiful spirit.” Legette-Jack’s family history became a microcosm of her style of play on the court. Her brothers, Eugene and Ronnie (who was drafted into the NBA by the Golden State Warriors in 1987), focused on defense. She wasn’t going to let anyone outrun her or score on her – the mantra her brothers passed along. “The way I was raised and the way I think you should play, you’re never going to take something I don’t think you should have,” LegetteJack said. “I will grab your eyes out of your face. I’ll get that foul. You’re not coming this way. It’s not happening.” Through this intensity on the court, she led Nottingham High School to back-to-back state titles and had over 300 schools salivating over the possibility of signing her to a National Letter of Intent. She could have picked almost any school in the country but to her, the choice was easy. She never considered leaving her mother or Syracuse. “I just didn’t want to leave my mother,” Legette-Jack said. “You could have had University X, and if she was there, that was where I wanted to be. You don’t know one women’s basketball player that came through [Syracuse] and I wanted to bring notoriety to a program and it was right in my backyard, 10 minutes away from my mother. It was meant to be.” The chemistry and family atmosphere she is working to create at UB stems from her days at Syracuse. Before the injury, she had spent her time developing relationships she has maintained the rest of her life. “We went after each other [in practice]; we were best friends,” Legette-Jack said of her teammates. “If I love you as much as I tell you I love you, as my teammate and sister, then I have to challenge you with everything that I have – to make you cry, throw up, to make you something different than you were before those two hours of practice. We made a commitment of that to each other.” The athletes spent their winters sharing the floor of the legendary Manley Field House at Syracuse and their summers cruising around the city calling ‘next’ at any park they could find. To this day, they get together every year and talk about “the old times.”

Her teammates became her second family, but that wasn’t the most important bond she made in college. The volleyball coaches at Syracuse approached Legette-Jack about showing a new student around campus, David Jack. David was born in Jamaica, where he played on the national volleyball team. He moved to the United States in 1989. “They said: ‘You would look like a great couple with this guy named David Jack,’” Legette-Jack said. “So I was like: ‘First of all, I’m single, but you know, I’m pretty cool. I can find a guy if I want to, but I choose not to.’” Legette-Jack refused and made herself as unavailable as possible. After three weeks of avoiding the situation, she gave in. The pair met in the gym at Syracuse on a blind date. She knew after the first date that he would be the one she would marry. “Sometimes in life, you know when you meet that special person,” David said. “I knew she was special; when I got to know her more, she was that much more special.” On Aug. 10, 1996, the two got married. On Nov. 30, 1998, they had their son, Maceo Jack, who starts on the varsity team as a 6-foot-2 freshman at Williamsville North High School. Legette-Jack has somewhat of a ‘hands-off ’ approach when it comes to coaching Maceo – she lets his coach take the lead. She saves her intensity for her players. Instead, she has helped him learn the game the way her mother and brothers taught her: through character and passion. “There’s no reason for you to be less than the best on the basketball court,” Legette-Jack said, as if she was talking directly to Maceo. “No one’s heart should be bigger than yours and don’t you dare let someone out-heart you. It’s not because [Maceo] is better than the kids that are sitting on the bench, but no one is going to keep running like Maceo. No one can pull that out of him more than his mother and father.” After the ACL injury, Legette-Jack returned as a fifth-year senior, but it wasn’t the same. Her class had graduated and it was a whole new team. The Orange went 15-13 that season, according to Legette-Jack, an unbearable and unacceptable record for someone with her ferocity for the game.

The change in her game is what she noticed the most. She was no longer out on the floor as a scorer, rebounder, leader or star player. She was a coach. “You ask why initially, why [did this injury] happen to me?” LegetteJack said. “I realized why it happened. I never saw the game from a coach’s perspective and I got intrigued by it.” She spent her whole injured season on the bench, watching and learning the game from an angle she had never seen before. It was tough watching her family out there on the floor without her, but she was gaining life-changing experience. Immediately after graduation, a local high school in Syracuse hired her, where she coached for the next two years. “I wanted to be a college coach,” Legette-Jack said. “I got a call from the Boston College head coach that said they had to hire an AfricanAmerican coach and she remembered me as a student-athlete and remembered after every game I shook her hand and thanked her for a good game. She said she loved my personality.” The coach at Boston College, Margo Plotzke, made her a deal: If she helped her sign the first two black players to ever play at Boston College, then she had a job. She signed the two kids and her career blossomed from there. She spent the next 11 years of her life as an assistant coach in Division I basketball, with stints at Syracuse and Michigan State as well. In 2002, she accepted an offer to be the head coach at Hofstra, a private college in downstate New York. In 2006, Indiana University called and Legette-Jack ascended to the Big Ten. After four years at Indiana, the team started to decline and a new front office was put in place – a different regime from the people who had hired her. “I was offered to be the assistant coach at Duke before the bottom fell out [at Indiana],” Legette-Jack said. “I chose to stay on because I believed that you go down with your troops if you’re going to go down.” For the first time in her life, her morals and strength became a detriment. She tried to turn the program around, but it was too late. Two years later, she was fired from Indiana. In her last two seasons, LegetteJack had a combined record of 1544 – a mark intolerable for a person

who was once irate after going 15-13 in her senior season at Syracuse. She considered herself un-hirable and hit rock bottom. Danny White, UB’s athletic director, looked past her latter years at Indiana and knew his program would need someone with her passion. “She was very retrospective and had a good understanding of why things didn’t go as well as she wanted [at Indiana], and I really felt like she learned a lot from that experience,” White said. “Pretty quickly [after the interview], I knew that she was the right fit. Her personality, her energy – for us to be as successful as we want to be, it is going to take an incredible amount of passion and energy. There’s probably no one that embodies that more than coach Jack. She brings it every single day.” Legette-Jack had to bring that passion to a team that had gone 75-137 in the previous seven years under former head coach Linda Hill-MacDonald. With a team comprised of players and recruits who had committed to Hill-MacDonald, Legette-Jack’s Bulls started the season with a dismal 2-11 record. When outsiders had lost all hope for the season, the Bulls started MAC play a perfect 3-0. The family mentality that has been such an integral part of LegetteJack’s success over the years is finally reaching the Bulls. Legette-Jack said that it isn’t there yet, but they are on their way and are coming close – the Bulls narrowly lost in the quarterfinals of the MAC Tournament this season. After everything she has accomplished, Legette-Jack remains humble and doesn’t take any credit. “I’ve got nothing,” Legette-Jack said. “All glory goes to God, who’s the head of my life who saw that my shell needed to transform itself … I’m humbled, I’m grateful and I know that it is just [God] that is allowing me to move along this world the way I’m moving, so that I can be a blessing to other people.” The Bulls will continue to count their blessings, as a former timid, insecure Legette-Jack attempts to transform them the way she once transformed herself. Email: sports@ubspectrum.com

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