The Spectrum Volume 63 Issue 13

UB ROTC students form SA club Grand Theft Auto V takes franchise to new heights THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO, SINCE 1950

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Freshman soccer phenom leads Bulls into future

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Volume 63 No. 13

Handling hazing, one Deceased UB student identified handprint at a time

Juan D. Pinzon, The Spectrum

On Sunday, the Buffalo Police Department responded to 93 Winspear Ave. (above) at 12:30 p.m. Freshman Nick Arieno was found dead upon arrival of BPD.

Chad Cooper, The Spectrum

Lydia Chai, a sophomore biomedical sciences major and member of alpha Kappa Delta Phi, signs a banner pledging not to haze. In the midst of National Hazing Prevention Week, some fraternities and sororities are taking the opportunity to speak out against hazing.

On-campus Greek Life seeks to stop hazing KEVIN HONG

Staff Writer

More than half of American college students involved in clubs, teams and organizations experience hazing, according to HazingPrevention.org.

This week is pledge week for many fraternities and sororities at UB. And while Greek Life is recruiting, some members are also taking the opportunity to speak out against hazing.

On Monday and Tuesday, the UB Inter Greek Council (IGC) held an event in the Student Union to raise awareness and combat hazing.

Shawn Kobetz, a junior Spanish and communication major and the president of IGC and a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi, wants to improve the perception people have of Greek Life, while touching on important issues like hazing.

“I just hope that people realize that Greeks are more than just a party,” Kobetz said. “We do a lot of community service and philanthropy work.”

Annually, Greek societies raise about $7 million nationally and volunteer for a total of 850,000 hours, according to East Carolina University’s Greek Life Information Guide.

This week, Greek Life students painted or traced their hands onto a piece of paper, pledging against hazing. Their names and fraternity affiliation were included.

IGC is collecting the pledges as part of National Hazing Prevention Week. Kobetz said in two days, they managed to garner over 200 pledges.

“We really want to get the message across that hazing is wrong,” said Roman Kim, a senior mathematics major and vice president of the social fraternity Lambda Phi Epsilon.

New York State law and UB policy prohibit student organizations from “hazing, pre-initiation activities, or other pseu-

do-initiation practices that may cause mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule,” according to the Student Affairs’ Policy and Operational Guidelines for Social Fraternal Organizations.

IGC checks up on its members, recognized social fraternities on campus, while also providing support when needed.

Meetings are often held to discuss the current outlook of the fraternities. IGC makes sure that everyone is following the poli-

Most of the hazing at UB, however, happens off campus in unrecognized fraternities and sororities.

All recognized Greek Life on campus does not participate in any form of hazing, Kobetz and Kim said. Students experiencing any type of hazing are urged to report it to school officials right away.

The papers with the pledges will be shown around campus, with a sheet currently hanging on the railings of the Union and

“We really want to get the message across that hazing is wrong.” -Roman Kim cies of the council and university by holding organizational reviews.

Each fraternity’s e-board goes in front of the judicial board.

They are asked a series of questions regarding policy, and they are required to present proof that they are abiding by all rules.

In March 2012, Rolling Stone published a piece detailing hazing abuses Andrew Lohse, a Dartmouth graduate, witnessed while pledging an on-campus fraternity, including swimming in a children’s pool full of rotten food and vomit.

Fraternity hazing has been going on for decades, and though universities ban the practice, it continues.

“I don’t like hazing,” Kobetz said. “Students should join fraternities as a learning experience.”

another in the showcase across from Putnam’s.

“I think the event has been extremely successful,” said Brian Bischoff, a junior industrial and systems engineering major in Sigma Chi Omega. “We’ve had a ton of pledges.”

IGC also plans to focus on philanthropy this semester, with “Greeks Against Cancer” – an event that will include speakers from different cancer societies who will spread information on various types of cancer. The organization is making this a focus in the spring semester.

Kobetz hopes this week’s event helps establish UB as an anti-hazing campus.

Email: news@ubspectrum.com

The Greece Athena School District released a statement today identifying the UB student who died Sunday afternoon as freshman Nicholas Arieno.

Arieno, a graduate of Greece Athena High School in Rochester, was 18 years old.

The Buffalo Police Department (BPD) responded to a call at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday at 93 Winspear Ave. in the University Heights, where Arieno was found.

BPD Spokesman Mike DeGeorge said Erie County Medical Examiners performed an au-

topsy and ruled the case “investigation pending.” DeGeorge said this means the results of the autopsy were inconclusive.

BPD does not suspect foul play was involved and is waiting for a toxicology report, which DeGeorge says usually takes around two weeks.

UB Spokesman John Della Contrada said this incident is unrelated to the death of sophomore Paul Englert Jr. in Knox Lecture Hall on Thursday.

Email: news@ubspectrum.com

Sophomore dies after medical emergency in Knox Lecture Hall On Thursday, Sept. 19, UB police and emergency medical personnel responded to a student in distress in a lecture in Knox Lecture Hall, according to UB’s official statement. Paul Englert Jr. was immediately rushed to Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, where he died of natural causes. He was 19 years old.

Englert, a sophomore engineering major, experienced a medical emergency – the details of which have not been released – during his 2 p.m. Engineering Computations lecture in Knox 104.

Englert was a 2012 graduate of St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute in Buffalo. UB is in contact with the student’s family and classmates to provide whatever assistance the university can offer, according to its statement.

Donations in Englert’s memorial can be made to St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute. UB Spokesman John Della Contrada said Englert’s family has asked for privacy during this difficult time.

Email: news@ubspectrum.com

On-campus Senate election underway The election for the on-campus positions in the Student Association Senate started Tuesday and will continue through Thursday.

Allen Liu, Laura Grassi, Dan Giles, Trycenna Gordon, Anthony Field and Alana Barricks of the HOUSE (Honoring Our Undergrad Student Expenses) Party and Elad Eliahu, running as an independent, are the seven candidates seeking the six positions available.

The SA constitution states: “The SA Senate is a group of elected representatives who oversee the financial aspect of the Student Association, as well as the recognition/de-recognition of SA clubs. The voting

members of the Senate consist of six on-campus representatives, six off-campus representatives and the six Club Council Coordinators (who have been elected by each club council).”

The election for the six offcampus senators was supposed to take place last week. However, Anthony Louis, James Lopez, Sean Kaczermack, Taz Hossain, Alyssa Carbone and Ali Ahmed of the HOUSE Party ran unopposed and were granted the positions without a vote.

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EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF Aaron Mansfield MANAGING EDITORS Lisa Khoury Sara DiNatale EDITORIAL EDITOR Eric Cortellessa

OPINION

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SNAP OUT OF IT Push to cut food stamps is a disgrace

NEWS EDITORS Sam Fernando, Senior Joe Konze Jr. LIFE EDITORS Keren Baruch, Senior Sharon Kahn, Senior Alyssa McClure, Asst.

ARTS EDITORS Max Crinnin, Senior Rachel Kramer, Asst.

Felicia Hunt, Asst.

SPORTS EDITORS Jon Gagnon, Senior Ben Tarhan, Senior Owen O’Brien

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PHOTO EDITORS Aline Kobayashi, Senior Juan David Pinzon, Asst.

Daniele Gershon, Asst.

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CARTOONIST Jeanette Chwan CREATIVE DIRECTORS Brian Keschinger Haider Alidina, Asst.

PROFESSIONAL STAFF OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Helene Polley ADVERTISING MANAGER Emma Callinan Drew Gaczewski, Asst.

Chris Mirandi, Asst.

ADVERTISING DESIGNER Haley Sunkes Haley Chapman, Asst.

Ashlee Foster, Asst.

September 25, 2013 Volume 63 Number 13 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.

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The Spectrum offices are located in 132 Student Union, UB North Campus, Buffalo, NY 14260-2100

Last week, House Republicans passed a bill slashing billions of dollars from the food stamp program, showing a complete disregard for those who need help – especially in times of widespread economic hardship.

Despite opposition from Democrats and a veto threat from President Obama, they moved forward to narrowly push a vote of 217-210. If the bill were to get signed into law, it would throw 3.8 million Americans out of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), according to The New York Times. Of course, the bill won’t pass the Senate and will never even reach the president’s desk, but the gesture is a plain and simple insult to the poor.

As recent data released by the Census Bureau reveals that there are currently 47 million people living in poverty (nearly the highest level in two decades), we find the timing of this effort excep-

tionally perplexing. This most recent bill is a bleak and profound example of misplaced priorities in Washington.

These misplaced priorities come out of a misleading rationale that some Republicans have been arguing for years. The rationale that safety-net programs – such as food stamps – foster beneficiaries to become dependent on them, and thus, hinder social mobility.

We find this line of reasoning deeply troubling. It is preposterous to believe that by making those already on the brink of the economic strata poorer and more desperate, you are somehow helping them help themselves – that you are doing poor people a favor by cutting the few assistance programs they have.

Republicans who contend that inflicting cuts on SNAP is a way to help people living in poverty are operating under an invalid argument.

It is built on the premise that those who receive these benefits choose these safety nets, and in consequence prefer them to choosing to work. As Paul Ryan derisively called the safety net: “a hammock that lulls able-bodied people into lives of dependency and complacency.”

Ryan ignores several statistical realities in his assessment. Nearly two-thirds of SNAP beneficiaries are disabled, elderly or children.

And 85 percent of Medicaid spending goes to the disabled, elderly or children, as well, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

The CBO also projects that economic improvement would coincide with fewer beneficiaries on food stamps. With more jobs available, more people are able to find work. The size of SNAP depends on the size of the economy, and it is virtually understood amongst economists that the increase in beneficiaries over the

last five years has been caused by the recession.

And what cannot be ignored is the number of people safetynet programs have helped during a prolonged period of economic distress. The recent data released from the census shows that safety-net programs helped lift 18 million Americans out of poverty in 2011.

In fact, it also says that 9.4 percent of the nation would have been in deeper poverty without Medicaid and food stamps, and that these assistance programs reduced that rate to 5.2 percent.

So, the argument of those pushing to cut food stamps just doesn’t line up with the facts.

They have no justification for inflicting these steep cuts that ignore those who are most vulnerable.

Email: editorial@ubspectrum.com

For the sake of the person Pope Francis right in setting a new direction for Catholic Church Pope Francis has ignited a much-needed conversation. But a conversation is hardly what is needed. What is needed is change. Change that means embracing inclusivity over exclusivity, change that means acceptance over condemnation, change that means adopting the actual message of Catholic doctrines un-obscured by a set of moralistic imperatives unlikely to stand the test of time.

Some may remain doubtful.

After all, we have heard only words thus far – when we see action is when we should really take notice. But it is important to note that often words are actions. And Pope Francis’ candid and humane words last week have directional inferences – that he is different, open-minded, non-conforming and willing to go against pressure. It is certainly possible that he may become a reformer.

In an interview with La Civilta Cattolica, an Italian Jesuit journal, Pope Francis indicated that he did not believe the church should be so intensely focused on the issues that have dominated its con-

centration for years now.

“We cannot insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraceptive methods. This is not possible,” he said. “I have not spoken much about these things, and I was reprimanded for that. But when we speak about these issues, we have to talk about them in a context. The teaching of the church, for that matter, is clear and I am a son of the church, but it is not necessary to talk about these issues all the time.”

The church’s primary focus, he said, should be “the proclamation of the saving love of God.” His comments have been making the right wing of the church uneasy, according to Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia.

This is understandable; it goes against the direction the Church has long pushed for. But Pope Francis’ aim seems intended for changing the direction more in tone than in belief structure.

And with good reason.

The Catholic Church has been suffering from a shortage of priests steadily over the last 50

years, according to the Center for the Applied Research of the Apostolate. There has also been a sexual abuse crisis and mounting opposition from those who support same-sex marriage and abortion rights.

Well, the pope is not going to change the religious or political traditions of the church. And we don’t think it would be appropriate for him to work to change its stance on these issues. But what he can do is work to transform the Church’s structure so that it is more welcoming of those who have felt alienated in the past.

The Catholic Church needs to recreate its relationship with the public and begin the process of alleviating a global climate of division based on ideological differences.

Both progressive and conservative Catholics have wondered why Francis had been so reticent in the past to discuss his feelings on abortion and gays. It seemed more than adequate he had pronounced social justice and caring for the poor as his top priorities.

But Francis has presented him-

self as more of a humanist thinker recently, speaking theoretically in public concerning religious doubt and ontological uncertainty.

“If one has the answers to all the questions – that is the proof that God is not with him,” he said.

This coming from a pope who, when asked his feelings on gays, said, “Who am I to judge?”

When asked if those who do not follow the doctrinal teachings of the Church deserve rejection and condemnation, he responded: “Tell me: when God looks at a gay person, does he endorse the existence of this person with love, or reject and condemn this person? We must always consider the person.”

That is the direction in which Pope Francis should take the church – a direction that is empathic and “always considers the person.” Because that would be a good thing.

Email: editorial@ubspectrum.com

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Journalism is journalism wherever it is NY Times Public Editor Margaret Sullivan returns to Buffalo

SARA DINATALE

Managing Editor

There’s a point in some journalists’ lives when abandoning their two-car garages and comfortable homes for an apartment with a square footage under 700 makes complete sense.

For many, it’s just to live in New York City, to feed into the pulse of the Big Apple’s big-media heartbeat. For Margaret Sullivan, it was more than that. It was an opportunity to work as the public editor of what many consider the pinnacle of journalism, The New York Times.

I would do that in a second.

Working at The Times isn’t any easy task; many consider it a lofty goal. So how do you do it?

How do you prepare for it? And what’s it really like inside there?

Sullivan, the former Buffalo News executive editor, made her first public return to the Queen

City on Monday evening for a talk held within the Larkin Filling Station, a downtown restaurant. Buffalonians packed into the small space, eager to hear the tales of Sullivan’s first full year as the The New York Times’ public editor.

I sat as one of many journalists in the crowd; Sullivan’s fans, friends and former colleagues surrounded me. Sullivan started at The News as an intern 31 years ago; she became a reporter, managing editor and the first female executive editor of the paper.

She’s one of the few Buffalobred writers I know of to make it to The Times and, to put it simply, she’s also a fierce lady, skilled reporter and talented writer worth emulating.

Sullivan looked into the audience – one she said was filled with familiar faces – and admitted she felt a little funny speaking at Larkin’s author series. Although she has written hundreds of articles in her professional career, she’s never published a book. But she started one when she began her transition from Buffalo to New York City – from being the head of a staff of about 200 to being part of a staff of about 11,000.

“In my bedroom, high above the Flatiron District, my red, 15-speed vintage racing bike leans against a wall,” Sullivan read from her unfinished memoir. “It’s a scene from a

20-something’s life, not that of a 50-something. Inappropriate?

Could be. In the moment, I just don’t care.”

There are countless lessons that could be gleaned from Sullivan’s career. But on Monday night, some things were clear.

Reinventing yourself is a necessary part of growth, and journalism is fundamentally the same regardless of its source – whether it’s The Buffalo News, The New York Times or, yes, even The Spectrum.

Sullivan’s talk included moments of self-discovery, like when she rode her vintage red bicycle over a 60-block stretch as she fit into her role as a real New Yorker, as well as interesting tidbits about what it’s like to work at America’s journalism epicenter.

She recalled something one of the The Times’ managing editors told her about “imposter syndrome.” It’s the idea that no one at The Times feels like they deserve to work there, so they all work hard to prove they’re worthy of their positions. It creates a competitive environment.

Although I’m not trying to say The Spectrum and the The Times are totally comparable, I remember feeling similarly when I joined this college paper. How can I be better? How can I prove I should be here? I asked myself. I briefly surveyed people I work with,

and many felt the same way.

“I feel privileged to be there,” Sullivan read from her excerpts.

“I think everyone does. But that also creates defensiveness – a culture of, ‘We can do no wrong.’”

Sullivan described herself as “a reporter on [her] beat,” but her beat as the public editor is The Times. She’s there as the paper’s internal watchdog. She works outside of the newspaper’s reporting and editing structures and fields questions from the public about the way news is covered within The Times. She writes columns and blogs as she gives insight into the paper’s coverage.

She said The Times is excellent but not flawless.

No newspaper is perfect, and regardless of staff size or audience, we’re all working to achieve the same things in our mission to inform the public. We work to benefit our readers.

But papers’ benefits to their writers are almost immeasurable.

And in hearing about Sullivan’s adventures in the city, and her adjusting to her new life, I started thinking about my inevitable transition from what have become the comfortable quarters of The Spectrum office to whatever journalism job I get after I graduate. Nothing is going to compare to the time I’ve spent here.

As a junior, I know I still have about half of my college career ahead of me. But I have friends – a lot of great reporters and skilled people – who are going to face the abrupt change soon, who are going to have to reinvent themselves outside this college bubble.

Sullivan felt her transition went well. The reason? “The experience I had here in Buffalo,” she said. Her time working in the City of Good Neighbors at The Buffalo News gave her the skills to write with authority in the Big Apple, she explained.

“The truth is, journalism is journalism wherever it is,” she added.

Journalism is covering the National Security Agency leaks and journalism is covering student government scandals.

And I know Buffalo has provided a great media foundation for my colleagues and fellow UB students. We’re all going to have to reinvent ourselves after we walk across the stage and shake President Satish Tripathi’s hand.

We’re all going to have our equivalent to Sullivan’s 60-block bike ride, and I think we’re all prepared to do it. I have a feeling a lot of us are going to be adjusting to big cities, too.

free kick,” Cicerone said. “When it happened on Friday, I said, ‘It’s mine, I feel it, I can score.’”

Cicerone likes to go to one side, and he knew the goalie staring him down knew that, so he went to the other side and froze the keeper – tying the game.

On Sunday, Cicerone saw the goalie jump early and was able to adjust his shot to go the opposite direction.

It was his split-second decision-making skills that earned Buffalo a 1-0-1 record on the weekend.

Cicerone will continue to be a big part of a Bulls team that he says has been growing all season.

Because of the unprecedented

number of freshmen (12 on a roster of 23 total players) many people have written the Bulls off this season, declaring them as a team that will be good in a few years.

But Cicerone and the Bulls aren’t thinking that far ahead.

“We don’t like to hear that,” Cicerone said. “Everyone wants to win right now.”

The Bulls return home for one game this weekend against Cornell on Friday. First touch is at 5 p.m.

Email: sara.dinatale@ubspectrum.com

Continued from page 10: Cicerone “I had a very good scholarship to come here and I couldn’t pass it up,” Cicerone said. “I love both sports the same amount and it was very, very hard and it was a very sad day in the Cicerone household when I had to give [hockey] up.”

Cicerone is a strong student – Riddle called him a 4.0 student – which played into Riddle’s decision to make him one of the team’s four co-captains. Cicerone is the only freshman captain on the team.

Because there are so many freshmen on the team, Riddle assigned him “captain of the freshmen,” according to Cicerone.

“He’s one of these guys that leads quietly,” Riddle said. “He leads with his performance and his behavior and the way that he is in the classroom. I think he’s going to be a massive part of our future here with the program.”

Cicerone believes playing many different sports has helped him become a better soccer player.

Riddle agrees, citing his strong balance, ability to shield the ball and competitive attitude.

“I think he’s got the attributes of the hockey side that makes him a very hard competitor and then he’s got the silky skill of the soccer player,” Riddle said. “So

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Cicerone also thinks playing hockey has helped him with his confidence in pressure situations. He credits the fast pace of hockey games with helping his decision-making process when he doesn’t have a lot of time.

So when the Bulls – who were trailing by a goal – had an opportunity to tie the game last Friday against Detroit, it was Cicerone who stepped up. He was playing at his mother’s alma mater in front of his family and opposing a goal keeper he had played with on a summer team.

“Stu tells us whoever is feeling it, you can step up and take the

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LIFE, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT UB ROTC STUDENTS FORM SA CLUB Cadets want to extend their Army experience to students GISELLE LAM

Staff Writer

They wake up by daybreak – sometimes as early as 3 or 4 a.m.

– arrive on site before the average college student wakes up, train physically and mentally for hours and still make it to their first classes.

UB ROTC (Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) cadets dedicate time, strength and discipline into their committed roles.

And now with their on-campus representative, Army ROTC Club, cadets strive to share their experience and opportunity with the university.

Cadets started the now-temporary club in the spring 2013 semester. Its aim is to assert ROTC’s presence on campus and to educate and recruit students, according to Luis Insausti, a senior international relations major and the club’s secretary.

“Our club wants to make it known to UB students that we do exist,” said Andrew Kim, a junior legal studies major and president of the club, in an email.

“We are student soldiers (cadets) that want to serve our country as officers (leaders) in the United States Army while also maintaining a regular civilian lifestyle.”

ROTC is “the college elective for undergraduate and graduate students that provides unrivaled leadership training for success in any career field,” according to www.goarmy.com.

Chad Cooper, The Spectrum

From left to right: Luis Insausti, junior international relations major; Nate Beerman, junior political science major; Matt Schultes, junior civil engineering major; Jacob Appelbaum, sophomore aerospace major; Joshua Palces, freshman mechanical engineering major; Campbell Lindsay, freshman biomedical engineering major; Joe Wojnowski, junior history major; Jiwoo Ryu, senior psychology major.

The ROTC club and program serve as two separate organizations. The program is run through the Army at Canisius College in conjunction with UB. The club represents the program’s existence on UB’s campus.

The club meets twice a month to discuss upcoming events, what members have accomplished and general information related to the ROTC program.

Students also have the chance to learn about what cadets do in ROTC, such as training, commands and leadership building.

The ROTC soldiers play double agent, living as college students by day and orderly cadets just a few hours before that.

Before the bustling of students at UB rushing to pick up a cup of coffee for their 9 a.m. classes, these young men and women have already done their physical training, military science courses and homework for their upcoming classes.

John Cooke, a biological sciences major, second-year cadet and treasurer of the club, wakes up at 5 a.m. each morning and heads to Canisius College, where UB’s ROTC program is located.

Cooke then has physical training from “0550 to 0715” or, 5:507:15 a.m.

“The training is constant and physically challenging for all cadets, no matter their experience level,” Cooke said.

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The daily routine consists of stretching and calisthenics, running and body weight exercises, according to Insausti.

The physically demanding practice is designed to assure cadets are physically ready to meet the battalion standards and prepare new cadets. In addition, cadets work in small groups or individually at least once more each day to further “increase their strength and improve their capabilities,” according to Cooke.

Club members are not required to complete physical challenges like cadets do, but club officers are looking to include remedial physical training for motivation and exercise.

After the workouts come the lectures, which teach the young soldiers leadership skills and tactics used in the Army after they graduate as Second Lieutenants.

At the completion of the ROTC program – after the fourth year – cadets get commission, signifying their positions in the Army and as Second Lieutenants.

Kim hopes the club becomes official by the end of this semester to increase the Army’s representation on campus.

Currently, the club participates in fundraisers, runs and other volunteer opportunities. On

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Sept. 14, members participated in the 2013 Buffalo Zombie Mud Run, in which they volunteered to cheer on and assist runners.

Kim said the majority of club members have a passion to take on a position in the U.S. Army.

He plans on becoming a U.S. Army military officer after graduate school. He believes ROTC was the best way to achieve his goal.

Kim said ROTC increased his confidence, physical strength and leadership and social skills.

“It makes you a better person,” Insausti said. “You work as a team. It’s not, ‘It’s only for me, I’m going to do this and I don’t care about the rest of the people.’ [You] just have that quality team building [and] strong moral character.”

Insausti is in the process of setting up the club’s official UBLinked page.

The young soldiers see the outcome of their sweat and hard work, and they want fellow students to know they can reap the same benefits.

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PUSHING THE MEDIUM Platform: Xbox 360, PS3 Release Date: Sept. 17 Developer: Rockstar Games

BRIAN KESCHINGER

Creative Director

What does a billion dollars look like? Just ask the people at Rockstar Games, because Grand Theft Auto V surpassed $1 billion in sales just three days after its launch.

Grand Theft Auto V sold $800 million worth of copies in the first 24 hours after its release, shattering Call of Duty: Black Ops 2’s record of $500 million for the biggest entertainment launch in history. It took 15 days for CoD: Black Ops 2 to pass $1 billion in sales.

The controversial, urban, open-world game is back, and this time it brought friends. Grand Theft Auto V tells the interwoven tale of three protagonists and is the most fluid and wellpaced story Rockstar Games has ever created.

After a five-year hiatus since Grand Theft Auto IV, GTA V sets you in a cityscape modeled after modern-day Los Angeles, called Los Santos. Los Santos is a living, breathing, fierce world where everyone you meet is either “a celebrity, trying to be a celebrity, or used to be a celebrity,” according to the game’s manual.

The three main characters in GTA V are amongst the most authentic and engaging characters in recent gaming history.

Michael, the rich, former bank robber who took an unofficial witness protection plea, leads an unhappy life with his two spoiled kids and a wife who is banging everyone but him.

Trevor, Michael’s former bank-robbing partner, who has believed Michael is dead since he entered the protection program, is a psychotic, unstable redneck who operates a small meth business and bullies his trailertrash associates.

Franklin, who has no history with the former two, is an up-and-coming gangbanger looking to make a name for himself. After Michael takes Franklin under his wing as an apprentice, the story becomes a beautifully crafted narrative of three men attempting to take over Los Santos through a series of heists.

And you’re just along for the ride.

Heists are where most major plot points will play out, requiring planning, research and set-up missions. Just about every heist comes down to a binary decision: going in guns blazing or being a shadow stalker. This decision offers a customizable involvement in which both options are worth experiencing. Stealth, something that is new to the GTA franchise, requires more meticulous gameplay, but is much more satisfying than sticking to the normal run-and-gun tactics of the series.

The three main characters often interact in smaller missions outside of the heists, but the triple narrative really thrives when it comes to pulling off a big score.

In one mission, Trevor will have to position the helicopter close enough to a building; you then switch to Michael, who jumps out of the chopper to rappel down a skyscraper; all the while Franklin is providing sniper coverage from a separate building to make sure Michael gets out of there safely. A simple click of the d-pad and you jump from one character to the next – seamlessly.

This new game mechanic provides multiple perspectives and cuts out all of the mundane gameplay in between. Instead of just dropping someone off while you’re driving the chopper and waiting for them to get back like a typical getaway mission, you drive the chopper, do the extraction, provide covering fire and lose the police helicopters during the getaway.

The voice acting is top-notch, giving each character distinct personality. Every voice actor is bursting with authenticity and is cast to fit his or her character perfectly. Even though

REVIEW the trinity of criminals can be unpredictable, I feel as though I know them personally and can infer what they would do in a situation.

I say, “Yeah, that sounds about right,” when I hear of something that a particular character did.

Ambient characters throughout the game are voiced by actual former gang members to add to the game’s validity.

“You don’t want a goofy LA actor who went to a fancy school trying to be a hard gang member. There’s nothing worse than that,” said Rockstar Games writer and producer “Lazlow” Jones in an interview with Chicago radio station WGN. “So just go find the real, terrifying people and say, ‘Can you come in here please?’ And they look at the lines and they say, ‘I wouldn’t say that. If I was upset at another gang, I wouldn’t say that.’ So, well, then say what you would say. Authenticity, you know?”

A multi-character storyline isn’t a new video game mechanic, but Rockstar’s execution puts GTA V in an entirely different league.

When outside of missions, you can switch between the three at will. After barging in on the selected character’s life, you’ll get a glimpse of what he is doing outside of his criminal activities. It gives the illusion that this character continues to live his life while you’re controlling a different character. You may jump in on the end of a phone call Franklin is having, or Trevor might be waking up on the edge of a bridge, wearing only his stained tighty-whities.

GTA V is most compelling with its true sense of realism and immersion. When you’re playing, you feel as if you are controlling real people set in a real world. The events in which you play as these characters are extreme, but feel pragmatic.

Grand Theft Auto V is a visually gripping game. The outskirts of Los Santos are filled with rigorous mountains, flowing rivers and overall gorgeous landscapes.

photos COURTESY OF ROCKSTAR GAMES

Los Santos, an imitation of Los Angeles, is a dense city filled with gangs, corrupt CEOs, strippers, movie producers and your Average Joes – all of whom are just trying to make it.

At one point, you’re pressured by a crooked agent from the “FIB,” the game’s version of the FBI, to torture a suspect of Middle Eastern descent in order to obtain the information detrimental to your characters’ success. The scene is disturbing and left me feeling very uneasy as I wiggled the controller’s thumb sticks to rip the suspect’s teeth out one by one with pliers. It felt painfully real as the controller rumbled in my grip while the on-screen character writhed in pain. This example is just one of many racist and sexist ploys. Fortunately for gamers, the pros vastly outweigh the shallow, thoughtless derogatory facets.

Even when you’re not torturing suspects for the FIB or speeding through drainage tunnels on your dirt bike to escape the cops, Los Santos provides an immense amount of depth for gameplay. Trading stocks, customizing cars, playing golf, racing quads, watching TV, flying jets and sitting in a theater to watch a 20-minute movie are just some activities that make Los Santos the realistic, dense world that it is.

If you’ve completed the 100 percent checklist, don’t worry, you’re not done yet. Rockstar has slated Grand Theft Auto Online to release for free on Oct. 1 to anyone who purchased GTA V. “Grand Theft Auto Online is a dynamic and persistent online world for 16 players that begins by sharing gameplay features, geography and mechanics with Grand Theft Auto V, but will continue to expand and evolve after its launch with new content created by Rockstar Games and the Grand Theft Auto community,” according to the Rockstar website.

With GTA V’s fleshed-out digital world comes Rockstar’s criticism of anything and everything in relation to its real-world counterpart.

From politics to media coverage to gamers themselves, GTA V is the ultimate social commentary. Certain characters play to strongly founded stereotypes, and casual conversation will provide blatantly sarcastic remarks. The renowned talk-radio stations return in this game with hilarity, although they never seem to take away from the game’s serious tone.

Money is something that is always to be desired, but more than ever in Los Santos. Not every mission in the game finishes with a cash reward, forcing you to spend your money more wisely. In past games, you always ended up with more money than you knew what to do with – this is not the case in GTA V. The well-balanced pay throughout the game ignites the yearning for more. Outside of missions, you can take your gamble in the stock market or do smaller missions for other characters to earn small sums of dough. All of this ends up playing into Americans’ drive for capitalism. When you do become rich after a big heist, buying properties or customizing cars is much more satisfying because you’ve worked hard and earned that money.

The seamless triple narrative of GTA V pushes the standard of interactive fiction and certainly raises the bar. The fun gameplay, authentic characters, ambient sound design, beautiful visuals and immaculate story execution prove that Grand Theft Auto V has something for everyone. The all-around depth that Rockstar has put into this game provides the player with a true sense of immersion.

You don’t play Grand Theft Auto V; you experience it.

Grade:

Email: brian.keschinger@ubspectrum.com­

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Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Not the average EDM sound Avicii album review Billboard’s Hot 100 list.

The rest of the album continues in a similar style, featuring various artists in each of the songs. The first three songs on the album, “Wake Me Up,” “You Make Me” and “Hey Brother,” have a country/folk sound with vocal contributions from Swedish artist Salem Al Fakir and bluegrass singer Dan Tyminski. But other tracks, such as “Shame on Me” and “Long Road to Hell,” have a fast-paced southern jazz feel.

“Heart on my Sleeve” starts off sounding like something the Backstreet Boys may have sung in the ’90s until the beat drops and it resembles “Carol of the Bells” mixed with the drums behind a hardcore song. The two styles repeat throughout one of the only songs on the album without lyrics, and somehow it all works to create what is sure to be a hit single.

The wide variety of background beats mixed with different vocal sounds gives something to almost every type of music lover. While Avicii does include techno electronic sounds in each song, staying true to the EDM style, he mixes them with a drumbeat, saxophone or piano – depending on the song.

The album concludes with the longest track on the album, “Edom,” which sounds more like what EDM fans expect – a strong build up of a simple, repetitive beat followed by the drop that causes the listener’s heart to race

Courtesy of Avicii

RACHEL KRAMER

Asst. Arts Editor

Album: True Artist: Avicii Label: PRMD Music / Universal Island Release: Sept. 13 Grade: A The Swedish D.J. Avicii released his first studio album on Sept.

13 and it sounds nothing like his first global hit, “Levels,” released in 2011. While the Electronic Dance Music (EDM) sound has been flooding the radio waves for the past two years, Avicii’s newest tracks stand in a genre of their own – comprised of folk, jazz, country and dance music.

Avicii released the first track on the album, “Wake Me Up,” as a single on June 17, and it was an instant summer hit. The single, featuring soul singer Aloe Blacc, made its way to the top spot on

with no lyrics to distract from the sounds of the keyboard, violin and other instruments.

This mixture of sounds ensures the hardcore EDM crowd won’t be the only ones listening to True.

Although the range of influences may appear discontinuous on paper – some wouldn’t believe a jazz-inspired song would belong next to a bluegrass-inspired one – the album moves through the 12 tracks effortlessly.

The 60 minutes of Avicii not only give listeners something to dance to, but something to sing to. The simple, repetitive and relatable lyrics are similar to EDM duo Krewella’s hit song “Alive,” in the way they are easy to remember and can be screamed at a concert or sung through a karaoke machine.

While the songs have the same theme as other pop-music hits – falling in love, finding oneself, being young and living in the moment – Avicii gives them to his fans in a creative and unexpected way.

This album is something that the young music lover can listen to in the car with his or her parents that won’t cause members of the older generation to cringe at harsh electronic sounds and yell for them to “turn down that racket.”

Email: arts@ubspectrum.com

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Editor’s note: This article is satirical and is not meant to be taken literally. ‘Carson’ is a pen name.

Dear Carson, I am curious to know what you think about beer. Which brands are cool? Which ones are lame? Is there a beer that fits my personality type? I partied a lot in high school with older kids and we guzzled down massive amounts of the cheapest beer we could possibly afford with respect to our budgets and the limits of our livers.

Now I’ve cooled off a bit with raging and consider myself more of a “few drinks at the bar” kind of guy.

Switching to something as fancy as Scotch and cutting out beer altogether doesn’t really suit me because I like to slam a few on Sunday during the game; but I still want my beer to appear classy and interesting in my firm grip when I approach a potential mate at the local watering hole. Find the beer for me!

Sincerely, I don’t always drink beer, but…

Dear Beer, An interesting young man like you prefers Stella Artois. Here you have a delightful Belgian lager that shouldn’t be hard to get used to liking. The Stella can typically be bought at any grocery story in six or 12 packs of finely decorated bottles. For the special occasion you’re anticipating, the company has crafted chalices that make pouring Stella from the tap a super classy way to get bombed out of your tree; the chalice is scientifically engineered to ensure a good pour, but all you need to know is

that it will look damn good in your hand. Now, I want to shed some light on beer in general, not only for your ventures into mindful intoxication, but for the readers who may have been misguided in their quest for the ultimate brew: If I hear one more person suggest that Pabst Blue Ribbon is so “hipster,” I will funnel, or perhaps even “shotgun,” a pint of their blood on sight.

As a real hipster, let me be clear in saying that Pabst Blue Ribbon has become the most mainstream beer in America. If you must get a “30 rack,” as most heathens refer to a package of 30 beers, of something cheap, go with Rolling Rock or, even better, locally brewed Genesee. You won’t find much taste difference when dealing with any of these s****y beers, but it’s all about staying obscure and edgy in this trendy world of hipster ideals. “From the glass-lined tanks of Old Latrobe,” Rolling Rock comes in a signature green bottle and gets you drunk – we’ll take it. Genesee, or more commonly referred to as “Gene-sewer” by locals, is best enjoyed as a six pack of “pounders” that will get townies stoked on your presence at their block party and confirm for any women there that you’re down for a night of cheap thrills and pounding. Classic. My personal favorite is “super dry,” Japanese Asahi draft beer – “the beer for all seasons.” You’re damn right it is. These mothers come in one-liter cans that beg to be smashed over your head as soon as you’ve Instagramed a photo that illustrates how cool you are for drinking something no one has heard of. Be safe, and stay thirsty, my friend.

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Crossword of the Day

HOROSCOPES Wednesday, September 25, 2013 FROM UNIVERSAL UCLICK

ACROSS ACROSS 1 Cartographer’s goods 5 Eastern U.S. fruit tree 10 Imitates 14 Assist a crook 15 Licorice flavoring 16 Legendary chanteuse Simone 17 Gambling game 18 Like the lowest sale prices 20 It’s on a cupcake 22 Likable prez?

23 Tenant’s contract 24 Plane wing component 26 Big bankroll 28 Cause of waste?

30 Discharges from the RAF 35 Topaz month 38 Lacking the resources 39 Actor Alda 40 Built-out window 42 Drubbing 43 Man behind the counter?

45 Climbs awkwardly 47 Like many a ceremony 48 Excellent Monopoly purchase 49 Aunt of 1960s TV

51 The Ravens, to the Steelers 55 Babe Ruth’s number 59 Trucker’s tractor-trailer 61 Base eight system 62 Former name of a Colorado River barrier 65 Best Picture of 2013 66 Many Muslim men 67 Very, to Verdi 68 Seaweed variety 69 Mathematician Descartes 70 Hypnotist’s command 71 Some ladies of the field

DOWN 1 “The Godfather” group 2 Adders with beads 3 Jeopardy 4 Prehistoric monument in England 5 Links number 6 Consecration performer 7 Elect 8 Not straight 9 Baseball mitt part 10 Penny in a pot, sometimes 11 Pocket full of food?

12 Role on “The Dukes of Hazzard” 13 “___ to you, fella!”

19 Of a bygone time 21 Fat measure 25 “Look Back in Anger” playwright John 27 Flatter excessively 29 “Love Story” novelist Segal

Edited by Timothy E. Parker September 25, 2013 SOLID SOLVING By Tim Burr 31 Dessert option 32 Woodwind instrument 33 Vision imprecision 34 Groups 35 Badgers or bugs 36 Toast-topper, sometimes 37 Popular ski resort 41 Stretch out or lengthen 44 Fix deep and tight 46 Office reminder 50 Flynn of “Robin Hood” 52 Scatter 53 Bald bird 54 Feeds, as pigs 55 Alternative to a carpet lift 56 Excavation result 57 Totally destroy 58 “What ___ could go wrong?”

60 This isn’t working?

63 Bad ___, German spa 64 Bucket go-with

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 22) -- You must get cracking if you expect to accomplish everything that you have laid out for yourself. You may have to edit your todo list.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23Nov. 21) -- You are likely to be reminded of what another is trying to do, and this will enable you to adjust your own efforts accordingly.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -You may not know the importance of all the messages coming your way, but you understand that you are into something rather big.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- You can present yourself in a favorable light. As a result, an offer is likely to come to you that satisfies a certain ambition.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Don't hold back when it comes to your participation in a group effort. What you have to offer can make it a huge success.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) -You're looking very carefully for that bad apple. It's important that you find it before it ruins the entire barrel!

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- It's important that you keep your mind squarely on the task at hand. Stray, and you're likely to sacrifice something you dearly want.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- You mustn't let the quality of your own work suffer because someone else isn't able to keep up. You may have to go it alone.

FALL SPACES ARE WHERE YOU SHOULD

BE LIVING! GOING FAST RESERVE YOUR SPACE TODAY BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- You know best what is really needed, yet there are those who think you are merely guessing. You can prove you're in the right.

CANCER (June 21July 22) -- The opportunity to spread your wings and fly higher than ever before may be irresistible, but know that there are dangers involved.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- You may receive a warning just before something untoward happens. It's not your fault; you may not have enough time to avoid what's coming.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22) -- Guesswork will certainly be a big part of your day, but you can base your conjecture on instinctive knowledge of the way things work.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013 ubspectrum.com

10

SPORTS

One-two punch

Bulls’ dual backfield could bring a different look JON GAGNON

Senior Sports Editor

For the last two seasons, the Bulls’ running game has been the foundation of the offense behind senior running back Branden Oliver. A new back might be on the horizon for the Bulls.

We know Oliver’s story: firstteam All-Mid-American Conference as a sophomore, named to several national preseason watch lists this year and on pace to become UB’s all-time leading rusher.

We don’t know the story of sophomore Anthone Taylor, who exploded onto the scene last week against Stony Brook for 125 total yards (including 118 rushing yards on 24 carries, an average of 4.9 yards per carry) and two touchdowns while Oliver sat out with a knee injury.

“Before the season started, I told you we had other guys that could do the job just as well,” Oliver said.

Perhaps the most notable thing about Taylor’s performance was his abrupt insertion into the starting lineup. Head

coach Jeff Quinn was told just moments before the game that Oliver wouldn’t play.

Quinn preaches to his players to be prepared because they never know when it will be their time. That preparation paid off for Taylor. “[Taylor] answered the call,” Quinn said. “I tell the players all the time: you put yourself in the mindset that every week, you got an opportunity to play if you’re the next guy in. Before the game, when I heard [Oliver wouldn’t play], not even a word came out of my mouth and [Taylor] said, ‘Next Bull In, coach. I’m ready.’”

Oliver returns from injury this week and will play against Connecticut on Saturday, while Taylor’s role – as the second part of a potential two-man backfield – seems unclear at the moment.

During Tuesday’s press conference, Quinn wouldn’t talk specifics on using both backs.

“We’ll get him in there,” Quinn said of Taylor, after noting Oliver will be the starter and is deserving of such a role.

It’s clear Oliver is the starting tailback for the Bulls, but

how much will Quinn divide the touches between the two?

Taylor said he hopes the offense will have a two-man rotation so Oliver can get the breaks he needs in order for the running game to get an extra boost.

Oliver has been injury prone for the past two seasons, but he said Tuesday, “The knee feels great.”

Taylor is unsure of how big his role will be on Saturday, but his preparation remains the same.

“I see myself coming in to get [Oliver] a spell and to be sure that when I come in, it’s like he never left,” Taylor said.

The Bulls are averaging 96.3 rushing yards per game this season. In comparison, they averaged 190.1 last season.

They will need a productive run game to beat UConn on Saturday, no matter which back ends up getting the bulk of the carries.

Spectrum File Photo

Senior running back Branden Oliver led the Bulls in rushing in 2012 with 821 yards despite missing five complete games and much of four others.

Nick Fischetti, The Spectrum

Sophomore Anthone Taylor stepped in for injured senior Branden Oliver last game against Stony Brook and finished with 118 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Email: sports@ubspectrum.com

Freshman soccer phenom leads Bulls into future

Walk the line

Your resource for picking the NFL’s games this week JON GAGNON

BEN TARHAN

Senior Sports Editor

When Russell Cicerone was a little kid, he played a game with his older sister Anina. To see who had the hardest shot, his dad, David, would play goalie in the net in their backyard and both Cicerone and Anina would kick the ball as hard as they could at their father. Whoever hurt their father’s arm more won.

Cicerone wanted to prove he was better than his sister. Sometimes their competitions got physical.

“We would be playing one v. one in the backyard,” said Cicerone, a freshman midfielder on the men’s soccer team. “She steals it from me and I get mad and slide her from behind and like push her over and then she slapped me across the face one time really hard. It was bad.”

It’s been Cicerone’s competitiveness that has driven him to work harder and play better his entire life. This weekend, his work paid off. He scored his team-leading second and third goals of the season on two penalty kicks, earning the Bulls one tie and one win, their first under head coach Stu Riddle.

Cicerone also earned MidAmerican Conference Player of the Week honors.

“We expect more from him as well,” Riddle said. “He’s a terrific player and we don’t want anyone, certainly not Russell, to start feeling comfortable and think that because he’s been MAC Player of the Week, that’s the end of it. It’s just the start of it for him and the challenge for him really now is if he can push on and try and get that award every week.”

Cicerone was one of the recruits who followed Riddle from Western Michigan when he came to Buffalo in January. Riddle had become familiar with Cicerone and his family during his time at

We’re four days from most of this week’s NFL games and an early version of this week’s picks match the theme: Place your bets early in the week.

The lines are slim when they open. Vegas knows what the deal is, but it wants to get a feel for the games and then it will adjust accordingly. The point of a spread is to get an even split in the bettors’ action. If one team is receiving more action, Vegas will bump the line in an attempt to get more bets for the other team.

For example: Last week, the Detroit Lions at Washington Redskins game opened up at Redskins (-3). By kickoff on Sunday, the line moved all the way to Lions (-1) because Vegas realized the majority of bets were going to Detroit. If you realized early in the week that the Redskins – and their poor excuse for a defense – were the clear underdog, and you bet on Detroit, you got a sizeable advantage on the line and would have won handily (the Lions were victorious, 2720).

The same goes for this week.

There are a few lines that will undoubtedly go up as the week progresses.

Here’s some advice on which games to bet and how to beat Vegas to the punch.

Six-point teaser bet: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” I nailed all three of these games last week (Atlanta +8, Denver -10, Chargers +9) given the six extra points, so let’s go for it again.

Indianapolis Colts (-9.5) at Jacksonville Jaguars: The Colts’ doubters were plentiful after they lost to Miami in Week Two. But a Week Three drubbing of one of the league’s top teams (San Francisco) earns back their promise.

On the other side, the Jags are the worst team in football, and it’s not even close. Pick Colts -3.5 New York Jets (+4.5) at Tennessee Titans: The Titans aren’t great, but they’re legit, specifical-

Senior Sports Editor

Jeff Scott, The Spectrum

Freshman midfielder Russell Cicerone, one of the men’s soccer team’s captains, leads his squad with three goals, six points and 20 shots this season.

Western Michigan partially because Anina played for the women’s soccer team.

Riddle described Cicerone’s style of play as “unique” and “tenacious.” Riddle also praised his unpredictability in one-on-one situations, which the coach said is rare in young players.

Cicerone played a plethora of sports while growing up. Both his parents grew up playing a lot of sports and wanted their children to have the same experience.

His mother, Mary, is a member of the Detroit Titans Hall of Fame. She played basketball there from 1978-82 and holds the career record for assists with 486. She now coaches high school basketball at Birmingham Marian High School in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., just outside Detroit.

Cicerone credits much of his desire to be the best to her.

“All we did was watch college basketball and she’d be writing down plays that Duke or Michigan State or somebody did,” Cicerone said. “She was constantly watching film or taking time out of her day to have open

gym with the players to get them more time to shoot and stuff.”

David, his father, grew up in a bad neighborhood in downtown Detroit and spent much of his youth working for Cicerone’s grandfather. He was offered a baseball scholarship after high school but was forced to decline it so he could continue to work.

Cicerone draws inspiration from his father’s tireless work ethic – he says David used to work seven days a week, and although he has Sundays off now, he sometimes works anyway. Cicerone described his father as a “work horse.”

Cicerone swam and played baseball, soccer, hockey and basketball growing up. But hockey and soccer were his passions.

He played both soccer and hockey through high school and he could’ve been drafted into the United States Hockey League (USHL) but he was offered a soccer scholarship from UB – an offer he couldn’t refuse. The USHL is a junior league in which most colleges have their players compete for two years before enrolling.

SEE CICERONE, PAGE 5

Saturday

ly because of their stout defense.

But I’m not sold on their offense, and we know for sure the Jets have one of the league’s top defenses.

Cheering for Geno Smith will be nerve-racking, but much like last week against San Diego, the Titans’ offense isn’t good enough to outscore their opposition by double digits. Pick: Jets +10.5 Over/under pick of the week: San Francisco 49ers at St. Louis Rams (43): This game marks the less-than-anticipated Thursday night game – a perfect time to unleash the ‘stat of the week’: From 2002-11 (2,668 games), NFL games averaged a combined score of 43.06 points per game.

In 2012, NFL teams scored an average of 22.8 points per game, the highest total since 1965. Yet on Thursday night games, the combined score of games was just 37.85 points.

The takeaway: Teams stink on Thursday nights. The offenses aren’t given enough time to prepare, and it’s obvious both teams are struggling on just three days of rest.

Onto the game, the 49ers have scored just 10 points in their last two games combined, and the Rams scored seven points against the Cowboys last week. On a short week, I’m confident in the pick here. Pick: Under.

Line of the week: Seattle Seahawks (-3) at Houston Texans: It’s no secret the Seahawks are immune to defeat when playing at home. But are they really only three points better than the Texans on the road – a Texans team that was destroyed by Baltimore last week and nearly lost to Tennessee and San Diego in the two weeks prior? Houston’s offense isn’t what it used to be, and Seattle can exploit this more than anyone. The Seahawks will take a step forward in this game and prove they’re the best team in the NFL, whether they’re playing in Seattle or not. Pick: Seahawks.

Email: jon.gagnon@ubspectrum.com

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