The Spectrum Vol 59 Iss 30

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The Spectrum h t t p : / / w w w . u b s p e c t r u m . c o m

Friday, November 13, 2009

Volume 59 Issue 30

An independent student publication of the University at Buffalo

ROBBINS ELECTED VICE PRESIDENT Southern follows with 419 votes

By CAITLIN TREMBLAY News Editor

Gregory Robbins peered into his new office in 350 Student Union Thursday night and said, “Let’s get started.”

Robbins topped five other students – Maaz Memon, Phil Modrzynski, Bryan Ortiz, Juan Pereyra and Kevin Southern – in the Student Association vice presidential elections, held in the Student Union on Wednesday and Thursday.

Robbins won the vice presidency with 552 votes, topping Southern by 133 votes. Memon came in third with 279 votes, followed

by Modrzynski with 201, Pereyra with 60 and Ortiz with 55.

“I’m so overwhelmed right now,” Robbins said. “I want to thank all my supporters for making this possible. We couldn’t have asked for a better turnout.”

SA’s administration is pleased with Thursday’s results.

“The election went very smoothly,” said SA President Ernesto Alvarado. “The students were given a great selection of candidates and, regardless of the winner, the students would have benefitted.”

Alvarado thinks Robbins will be a great asset to SA because he is already familiar with the inner workings of the office.

“He’s familiar with his

Tim Ho / The Spectrum

Greg Robbins thanks his supporters following his victory in the SA vice presidential election Thursday evening.

duties and will continue the work we started,” Alvarado said. “We will continue to work for the students.”

Despite their losses, the other candidates are optimistic about the new SA administration.

“I hope the new vice president will continue to keep the students his main concern,” Modrzynski said.

Southern felt that the clubs should be Robbins’ main concern.

“The vice president should bring unbiased opinion and collaboration between all the student clubs and associations,” he said. “The clubs need help.”

Robbins is excited about his new position and is ready

to roll up his sleeves and get started.

“I’m ready to sit down with [SA Treasurer] Jordan [Fried] and Ernesto [Alvarado] so we can all get on the same page and work for the students,” Robbins said.

Robbins promised to tackle SUNY budget cuts, financial aid and the rule against open bars at SA events during his campaign.

“I will do my best to accomplish all of my campaign promises,” Robbins said. “The students deserve my best and I will give it to them.”

E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com

Students view election differently

By JENNIFER GOOD News Editor

After a semester full of change within the Student Association, the re-election for SA president and vice president are finally over.

Candidates for the SA vice presidency and their supporters challenged themselves in hopes of gathering the majority of votes from the undergraduate community in a two-day election

that ended Thursday night.

Although the SA positions are finally stable for the semester, some UB students expressed unsteadiness toward aspects of SA’s operations.

Paula Cahill, a freshman undecided major, admitted that she didn’t know much about the candidates or the election, but said that she supported candidate and election victor Gregory Robbins after learning of his support for Greek life.

“He’s going to help Greek life, and I’m interested in Greek life,” Cahill said.

But with the election ending with a total of 1,606 votes out of the 19,022 undergraduate students at UB, Cahill senses that

the student population may not be as aware of the process as they should be.

“You only know about [the election] if you’re in the Student Union,” Cahill said. “Not everyone comes through here every day.”

Nikki Gordon, a senior business major, had similar sentiments.

“To be honest, I just voted to vote,” Gordon said. “All I get from people is ‘go vote,’ so I go vote.”

Other students seemed to share this opinion, based on the large amount of students who brushed off the candidates and their supporters as they promoted themselves in the Student Union.

“I know of three [candidates’ platforms]. I don’t think a whole lot of people know about the election, though,” said Jim Blose, a junior undecided major. “I think out of what I know, the election is fair. I believe everyone has an equal shot to promote themselves. It’s up to [the candidates].”

While Blose supported runner-up Kevin Southern in the election, he did have hopes to see Southern try and lift the smoking ban, which was against Southern’s intended platform.

But Blose will now have to turn his energy to SA President Ernesto Alvarado and Robbins if he wants to see any changes in the near future.

Robbins has said that he plans to follow through with the goals of the platform that Alvarado was elected on, as well as work toward establishing a student-run emergency service, improving Greek life relations on campus and running a smaller scale concert series.

E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com

Comedy shows sell out CFA

By BRENDON BOCHACKI Staff Writer

Courtesy of Daniel Tosh

Daniel Tosh and his controversial humor sold out his performance at the CFA on Nov. 16.

Inside: Arts and Life ........... 5 Classifieds .............. 7 Opinion ................... 3 Sports .................... 8

Things are bound to get a little uncomfortable next Thursday in the Center for the Arts when Daniel Tosh comes to perform – he isn’t afraid to cross any lines.

Tosh is a standup comedian and host of Tosh.0, a viral video show on Comedy Central. Tosh provides sarcastic commentary on some of the Internet’s most popular video clips.

The concept of the show is anything but original, but that didn’t stop it from achieving surprising success when it first aired in June. The first season was subsequently extended and

P U F F I N G AWAY Some student have stopped smoking, others have been rebellious.

See Page 5

the show has been picked up for a second season.

The reason for Tosh’s success, both with his new show and in stand-up comedy, is his non-apologetic and dry sense of humor. Tosh delivers his jokes in an overly sarcastic style that leaves the audience wondering where his comedy persona ends and his real opinions begin.

“I think pro athletes should be forced to use steroids,” Tosh said in one joke. “I think we as fans deserve the best athletes science can create … I could care less if you die at 40. You hate life after sports anyways.”

According to Rachel Flink, a third year medical student, Tosh’s style makes him refresh-

ing and original.

“He’s hilarious,” Flink said.

“He’s not afraid to say things that no one wants to admit they think. He’s over-the-top, but not serious, and it’s fun.”

Tosh has shown time and again that no issue is too sensitive for him to touch.

In a recent episode of Tosh.0, he joked about the death of Heath Ledger, with a punch line ending in, “He knew how that nap was going to end.”

Part of Tosh’s appeal is that his controversial sense of humor applies to everyone.

Tosh makes fun of all races, classes and genders. No one is safe when he has a microphone in his hand.

NEW PERSONA Wyclef Jean’s new album is the answer to hip-hop fans’ prayers.

See Page 5

The crowd at UB is sure to be no exception.

Tosh will be performing on Nov. 19 in the Mainstage Theatre at the CFA. However, tickets have already sold out.

Mai-Linh Notaro, a junior art major, wishes she had been a little quicker to get a ticket.

“I haven’t seen the show,” Notaro said. “But my friends have showed me a bunch of YouTube videos and they were hilarious. I wish it hadn’t sold out so fast.”

Student Association officials announced that comedian Gabriel Iglesias’s show on Nov. 18 has sold out as well.

E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com

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November 13, 2009

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The Spectrum

November 13, 2009

O P I N I ON

Editorial Board Editor in Chief Stephen Marth Executive Editor Keeley Sheehan Managing Editors Ren LaForme, senior David Jarka Jennifer Lombardo News Editors Jennifer Good Caitlin Tremblay Chelsie Hinckley, asst.

Ashley Hirt, asst.

Amanda Woods, asst.

Editorial Editor Jacob Shillman Arts Editors John Ranic, senior Christopher DiMatteo Jameson Butler, asst.

Eric Hilliker, asst.

James Twigg, asst.

Life Editors Adrian Finch Matt Mosher Shane Fallon, asst.

Rachel Lamb, asst.

Sports Editors David Sanchirico, senior Andrew Wiktor Matt Parrino, asst.

Joe Paterno, asst.

Photo Editors Katie Carlett, senior Samantha Hicks Tim Ho Clinton Hodnett, asst.

Copy Editors Meghan Farrell Abbi Meade Graphics Designer Rafael Kobayashi

Professional Staff Business Manager Debbie Smith Administrative Assistant Helene Polley Advertising Manager David Vogt Advertising Designer Christopher Lonzi Web Editors Drew Brigham Andrew Muraco Creative Directors Christopher Caporlingua Katelynn Padowski 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 spectrum-editorial@buffalo.edu.

The Spectrum reserves the right to edit these pieces for style or length. If a letter is not meant for publication, please mark it clearly as such. All submissions must include the author’s name, daytime phone number and e-mail address.

The Spectrum is provided free by the Undergraduate Mandatory Activity Fee

NOVEMBER 13, 2009 VOLUME 59 NUMBER 30 CIRCULATION: 10,000 The Spectrum is represented for national advertising by 360 Youth.

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

Telephone: (716) 645-2468.

Fax: (716) 645-2766.

Copyright 2009 Buffalo, N.Y. The Spectrum is printed by Buffalo Newspress PO Box 648, Buffalo, NY 14240-0648.

3

A call to action

Loafer loaves

Greg Robbins must push for students Congratulations to Gregory Robbins, the new vice president of the Student Association.

The events that caused the changes in SA at the beginning of the semester have left doubt in the conscious mind of the student body. They want real change, and the proof of that is the 1,606 students who cast their ballots during the election.

With all this in mind, Mr. Robbins, the editorial board has come up with an agenda of items that you need to address in the coming months in office.

And maybe you’d like to postpone your days off, because we’ll be checking in to see how you accomplish it all.

Our list: #1: Student safety.

In the last few years, student politicians have called for greater safety on UB campuses.

We think the time for talk is done. We’d like to see you sit down with the University Police Department and increase the number of officers on patrol by the end of next semester.

Students should be able to feel safe on campus during every time of day. When two students are robbed in front of the Student Union, someone needs to take action. Increasing the number of UPD officers on duty is a major first step in combating crime on campus. #2: Increasing student participation in SA. The time for students not becoming integrated into this university’s campus life is over.

Almost every SA candidate promises greater involvement from the student body, but no one ever delivers. The number of students involved with SA clubs should increase by the end of next semester.

Having only one club fair during summer orientation doesn’t provide the adequate information to get students involved. In addition, the way clubs deliver information about meetings and events are flawed because they’re not allowed to post flyers in the residence halls. #3: Expanding club activity.

Many of the concerns that clubs have are about funding for activities. Increasing clubs’ budgets for activities and more community service products should happen by the middle of spring semester.

Increasing the budget for clubs will allow for better events and, in turn, will increase student participation. Larger community service events featuring multiple clubs will allow for a better relationship between the university and surrounding community. #4: Defend student funds during budget crisis.

The economic crisis has left the SUNY system in a very vulnerable state. There is no correct way to handle the budget crisis. The state of New York has decided to cut spending from higher education.

Advocate for students’ best interests by holding more rallies throughout the semester to keep funds at the university.

Petition the state government and make them look into measures other than hacking away at the SUNY budget. The students shouldn’t have to bear the brunt of the crisis, which was caused by lack of foresight by the state government.

This list is concise. There are going to be some tough hills to climb to accomplish all of them. But you realize this, Mr. Robbins, or you wouldn’t have run in the first place.

When I was little and my siblings and I would salivate over commercials for the newest, shiniest piece of plastic put out by Fisher-Price, my mother would look at the TV, shake her head and groan a little.

“What will they think of next?” she’d ask.

Bread shoes.

Designers R&E Praspaliauskas have created Bread Shoes, for sale on their Web site at www.dadadastudio.eu. The so-called “shoes” are loaves of bread scooped out to look like slippers. And they can be yours for the low, low price of 70 Euros, Keeley Sheehan including shipping.

Executive Editor

According to the Web site, each pair is “unique,” because apparently – like snowflakes – no two loaves of bread are the same.

The shoes are sold by color, not bread type, and also come in kids’ and mini sizes.

But I hope you don’t have your heart set on the white, classic or kids’ styles – they’re sold out.

Each pair (“not wearable on feet,” by the way) comes with its own special, “handpicked” cardboard box.

I never did get that Barbie dream house for Skipper and friends. Thankfully, I can fulfill my childhood storage dreams with a majestic cardboard box for shoes made out of carbs.

Of the 6.7 billion people on this planet, 1.02 billion are hungry, according to a February 2009 report from Bread for the World, an organization that works to end hunger worldwide.

According to their Web site, almost 16,000 children die each day from hunger-related causes, which works out to one child every five seconds.

People worldwide continue to suffer from malnourishment, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies that can cause stunted growth and weakened immune systems.

“In essence, hunger is the most extreme form of poverty, where individuals or families cannot afford to meet their most basic need for food,” according to the Web site.

Media slant

Sifting through biases in the news

People across the globe can’t afford to put food in their stomachs, much less on their feet.

I’m not a perfect, totally selfless soul that devotes all my time to fighting for the good of others. I watch television shows about teens with fancy wardrobes. I waste money on lattes.

It should be the viewer’s prerogative to sift through the bias and understand the facts.

Viewers can then form their own opinions, rather than being preached at by talking heads.

Is it liberal or conservative to oppose multibillion-dollar payouts for the bankers and insurers that led America into an economic high wire act?

It’s neither, and Americans don’t grasp that the concept of politics is thrown off if Michael Moore and Glenn Beck come to the same conclusions while having very different philosophies.

The best example of this is the departure of Lou Dobbs from CNN, who many claim to have been anything but fair and impartial. They need to read diverging opinions to find the balanced center.

Bias, in fact, was the whole point of media outlets when they were first created. Benjamin Franklin first started his newspaper to influence the electorate. In today’s world, mainstream media has returned to its historic roots.

And yet news outlets portray such debates as liberal or conservative to categorize them. It should be the job of every viewer to see past a story’s slant and make informed choices of his or her own.

But this is increasingly hard to do – the lines between newscast and political commentary are blurring. Viewers must see past Glenn Beck’s libertarian rants and Keith Olberman’s witty liberal stances to be truly informed.

I don’t know what the designers were going for with these. Maybe they think the shoes are art.

Maybe they think rich eccentric types with money to burn deserve baked goods that don’t need an iron or a dryer.

Every television news show and publication has its leanings on certain issues.

For example, when reading stories about President Barack Obama’s pledge to change health care in the United States, reporters usually call his plan “reform.” Webster’s definition of the word reform is “improvement.”

Bias comes with the presentation of facts because journalists have control over how they want to tell the story. No media organization will ever be truly impartial – it has never happened and it never will.

But remember, believing that political commentary is gospel is surrendering the American right to freely debate the issues. Mainstream media provides the information, but it should be up to the viewer to form his or her own opinion.

This is one of the most interesting times in history. Journalists have a wide variety of wild and interesting topics to cover – but don’t expect unbiased reporting.

There isn’t such a thing, and there never will be. Even The Spectrum has biases but tries to be as objective as possible, to provide the readers the best information to form opinions on.

Media bias is unavoidable. It is plainly seen on every network that claims to be the most fair and unbiased. That claim is inaccurate, as every reporter, commentator and political pundit has biases – it is human nature.

Isn’t that biased?

Before presenting any facts, the reporter makes the basic assumption that the new plan will be better than the current state of things.

The Pew Research Center conducted a survey looking into the political ideology of certain networks’ newscasts.

The results showed something interesting – that 48 percent of Fox viewers called its programming “mostly conservative.” The survey showed that high percentages of viewers saw ABC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC and NBC as mostly liberal.

This data suggests that those “fair and balanced” ads on the bottom corners of the broadcast aren’t fooling viewers.

The best way to find the true center is listen and digest the ideas from all sides.

But Bread Shoes take materialism to a whole new level.

“First in fashion… for interesting lifestyle… needs no pressing… dries itself…” the Bread Shoes Web site boasts.

I doubt I’ll ever volunteer in a developing country.

I’ll probably just put more change than I normally do in the Salvation Army’s collection buckets during the holiday season. Like I said, I’m not perfect.

But statistics like that make me think that we all need a reminder sometimes that — while we are individuals and certainly have a right to like what we like and buy what we buy — we have a responsibility to the other people we share this planet with that shouldn’t be ignored in favor of the latest loaf of shoes.

E-mail: keeley.sheehan@ubspectrum.com

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The UB Music Department & The Buffalo Chapter of the American Guild of Organists present

Bruce Neswick, Organ

Program to feature an improvisation on a submitted theme, plus...works of bach, mendelssohn, and others

Friday, November 20th, 2009 7:30pm, Lippes Concert Hall in Slee Hall Tickets and Info: (716)645-2921 or www.slee.buffalo.edu

November 13, 2009

B

The wait is finally over for gamers across the nation.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, the highly anticipated sequel to Infinity Ward’s 2007 Game of the Year, hit shelves on Wednesday.

The fans’ reception could not be any better. With the game selling 4.7 million copies in the first 24 hours after its release, MW2 is shaping up to be the biggest game of 2009. But does it live up to the hype?

Although the original Modern Warfare contained an exciting and engaging single-player campaign, it was the multiplayer that truly made the game stand out. This time around, things are no different.

Crafting a good multiplayer experience for a sequel is tricky for video game developers. They have to improve what was broken and take it to the next level, without changing the core game play that made it so much fun to begin with. Luckily for fans of the series, Infinity Ward was up to the challenge.

Fans will notice immediately that the game plays exactly like the original. The game play mechanics have remained the same, allowing players to instinctively pick up the controller and just play.

That’s not to say, however, that there isn’t a heaping pile of new additions to the latest installment.

One of the most noticeable new features in MW2 is the customizable kill streak. The original Modern Warfare only had three standard kill streak rewards.

But the sequel boasts 15 different rewards, from an ammo drop

Courtesty of Activision

The biggest game of the year, Modern Warfare 2, finally hits shelves and fans are finding that it lives up to the hype.

all the way to a full tactical nuke.

Kill streaks are not the only thing to receive a customizable facelift this time around. The guns in the game have even more upgrades than in the original game.

Memorable favorites, such as the grenade launcher and silencer attachments, are back and just as fun and helpful as ever. But it’s the new additions such as the heartbeat sensor and thermal scope that are going to have gamers playing for hours on end.

Even the equipment is sporting more variety this time around. Of course the frag, stun and flash grenades are back, but they’re not alone.

They’re joined by a semtex grenade, which will stick to any surface and destroy it in a lethal explosion.

As fun as it is to hit an opposing player with a semtex grenade and watch him uselessly panic mere seconds before he explodes, the new throwing knife is even better. The reusable weapon is a quick one-hit kill for anyone good enough to stick an enemy with it.

The campaign exceeds its predecessor while still managing to keep things familiar – especially with all the old faces.

In MW2, players won’t be taking control of “Soap” MacTavish like they did in the original. This time, MacTavish is a captain and the players’ fearless leader. Players switch between Sgt. Gary “Roach” Sander-

son of task force 141 and U.S. Army Ranger Pvt. James Ramirez for the majority of the game.

The campaign for MW2 is a very cinematic experience. The story is in-depth and full of twists, betrayals and a large amount of explosions.

Throughout the entire campaign, the player is never taken out of first person view, which gives the illusion that he or she is in control of everything, even when the situation is completely out of the player’s control.

Further enhancing the cinematic style of game play for the player, the campaign includes multiple vehicle chases that make players feel as though they’re inside an action movie instead of playing a video game.

The most interesting chase by far is the snowmobile sequence early in the game. The player has to drive a snowmobile down a mountain, through a forest and across a frozen lake, all while being chased by enemy troops and fully loaded helicopters.

The game is nothing short of spectacular and fully worth the $60 price tag. The campaign is fun and exhilarating, and the multiplayer is the best around.

This is one game that is sure to be stuck in your console of choice for months to come.

E-mail: arts@ubspectrum.com

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Music From Copland House In a varied chamber music program titled...

“Afternoons in Paris: Boulanger, Copland, and the Americans” Friday, November 13th, 2009 7:30pm, Lippes Concert Hall in Slee Hall presented with support from the robert and carol morris center for 21st century music

Tickets and Info: (716)645-2921 or www.slee.buffalo.edu

The Spectrum

November 13, 2009

5

AR T S & LI F E Wyclef Jean brings back class

By MAX MILLER Staff Writer

The rap industry is all about new faces these days, with Drake, Wale and Kid Cudi taking over as the new voices of hip-hop.

Since Jay-Z released a poor album with The Blueprint 3, and 50 Cent still believes he has a career, Wyclef Jean knew that fans needed a good album from a respectable veteran.

Jean is back, spitting hard beats reminiscent of his flow when he worked with Pras and Lauryn Hill of the Fugees. This is a no-nonsense album – Jean’s gritty lyrics and angry tone make people realize what they have been missing.

The best song on Jean’s From the Hut to the Projects to the Mansion is titled “Warrior

Anthem.” Jean seems confident and comfortable as he tells his new generation of listeners to refer to him as Toussaint St. Jean.

Jean’s new alias, Toussaint, is based on an 18th century Haitian hero who is a big influence on this album. Jean’s desire to have a spiritually powerful album shows who he is, both as an artist and a human being.

Track four, entitled “Slumdog Millionaire,” is an uplifting song in which Jean talks about how far he has made it as a rapper and tells his fans that they can do the same. Although he has had struggles in his life, he followed his dreams and reminds people, “If you’re making money, let it rain.”

Later on the album, Jean uses a heavily produced sound for “You Don’t Wanna Go Out-

By RACHEL LAMB Asst. Life Editor

Despite UB’s smoke-free policy, UBreathe Free, which began in August, some smokers continue to light up outside buildings. But others have taken the university policy to heart.

Angelica Soto, a senior health and human services and psychology major, had her first cigarette when she was 11 years old and has been smoking on and off for the 10 years since.

“I’ve tried to quit several times, but when UBreathe Free was imposed, I had to walk out of my way to go to the parking lots to smoke,” Soto said. “It de-normalized smoking for me because I didn’t see everyone smoking outside and going all the way to the parking lot made it less worthwhile.”

Soto is an intern for Wellness Education Services and believes that they also helped her quit smoking.

“I’ve tried to quit numerous times, so my friends and family were [somewhat skeptical] when I told them that I was quitting again,” Soto said. “[Wellness Education Services] encouraged me and were very happy when I decided to quit.”

The university offers UBreathe Free workshops designed to help students, faculty and staff quit smoking, according to Sharlynn Daun-Barnett, WES’s alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention specialist.

“It’s helpful to have people of different ages and experiences working together [in the workshops],” Daun-Barnett said. “There are people who are quitting because of health reasons and those who just started and do not want to make it a life long habit. It’s good to hear stories and perspectives from others that are in different positions.”

The workshops focus on reasons why it’s hard to quit, such as social pressure, stress, time of day and habits.

“Once we target why certain people smoke, it’s easier to find the answer to quitting,” Daun-Barnett said.

Approximately 300 universities are employing smoke-

Senior Arts Editor

The Blind Side

B

Treading on dangerous territory, Disney did football and made the unforgettable Remember The Titans.

Prejudice, diversity, Denzel – it was all quite riveting.

That movie’s success led to Radio, one of the most embarrassing, handicapped attempts at an inspirational family football flick this side of Air Bud: Golden Receiver.

Leave the inspiration to the masters of family fare.

Painting a family portrait of a sport paved on power, blood and broken bones is easier said than done. Most of the classics, including The Longest Yard, North Dallas Forty and All The Right Moves, stipple unforgettable sketches of the sport by diving face-first into the vices that make and break careers and looking past the pupils of these gridiron gladiators.

So if you’re going to make a football movie without any of that, it better have one hell of an inspirational story. Fortunately, The Blind Side does.

Wyclef Jean

B

E-mail: arts@ubspectrum.com

Breathin’ free at UB

R.E.D. Distribution Nov. 10

Courtesy of Wyclef Jean

free policies, and some have sought advice from UB on implementing their programs, Daun-Barnett said.

Sherrene Yeong, a junior psychology major, smoked for nine years and had her last cigarette in the middle of October.

“I tried quitting cold turkey and nicotine patches, but the patches were way too expensive,” Yeong said.

Yeong assists Daun-Barnett with the WES presentations.

“The workshops were very helpful, especially the tips that they give,” Yeong said.

According to Yeong, the most common tips include exercising, drinking water, changing brands of cigarettes and simply waiting for the urges to pass.

Like Soto, Yeong believes that UBreathe Free and WES helped her kick the habit.

“I’ve tried quitting before, but when the policy came out I promised myself that I would respect it,” Yeong said.

“Trying to abide by UBreathe Free helped cut down my cigarette intake.”

UBreathe Free is trying to enforce the policy by sending volunteers out to make polite conversation with people that are smoking on-campus, Daun-Barnett said.

These volunteers encourage smokers to move into the parking lot or put out their cigarettes.

“[The volunteers] educate the smokers on the environmental impact of smoking, health risks and how the college population is highly targeted by tobacco companies,” Daun-Barnett said.

Soto recommends that students trying to quit stay away from friends that smoke for the first few days and avoid social situations where cigarettes were prevalent, like happy hour.

“I woke up one day and was just sick of it,” Soto said.

“I couldn’t be around constant triggers and those that would encourage me to smoke.”

Samantha Hicks / The Spectrum

Although some students have resisted UB’s smoking ban, others have kicked the habit.

Football family fare

By JOHN RANIC

side,” where he lets the gangster come out.

Jean collaborates with Eve on the song “Suicide Love,” a track that is for “every girl holdin’ her man down, and every man holdin’ his girl down” – it’s about lovers and their undying passion for each From the Hut, To The Projects other.

To The Mansion Jean has a lot to be proud of on From the Hut to the Projects to the Mansion. Jean, who plans to release another album in 2010, shows that he still has what it takes to be a major player in the rap game.

The Blind Side is the book-toscreen interpretation of the true story of professional football player Michael Oher. It’s all about the Memphis, Tenn. native’s journey through homelessness, solitude, acceptance and, ultimately, autonomy.

Oher was separated from his drug-addicted mother as a child and forced to grow up on his own, with nothing to follow other than his protective instincts. A quiet, gentle giant, he spent the majority of his childhood moving from home to home without purpose, leaving nothing behind other than his “Big Mike”-sized footprints.

Oher fulfilled his mother’s wish and was admitted to Briarcrest Christian School based on the “Christian intent” and football fieldsized potential that Coach Cotton saw in him.

Oher caught the eye of the Tuohy family on a fateful walk home to the school gymnasium, and so the story unfolds.

With no inherently football related material in the film for the first 50 minutes, The Blind Side is, most importantly, a study of the pictureperfect family that everyone in the church directory wants to be, but that lacks the love at home that even

the most ramshackle household thrives upon.

The pants, Prada bag and voice of the affluent white family comes from Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock, All About Steve). She proves to be instrumental in turning Oher’s life around, taking him everywhere from the big and tall store to Borders (which may or may not include a timely shoutout to a certain wild children’s book), all while trying to get him to open up.

Bullock’s portrayal of Tuohy resembles that of Kim Zolciak on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, which makes sense, since the real Leigh Anne Tuohy is a Southern housewife. The character differs from Zolciak in the heart department – hers is vast and wants nothing more than to change the life of the young black boy that changed hers in the first place.

Bullock does an apt job of bringing the real Leigh Anne to the big screen and delivers most of her dialogue with confidence and ease.

Her performance isn’t on par with that of Crash, but it’ll be sure to earn some cheers from female viewers.

Southerner Tim McGraw (Four Christmases) plays Sean Tuohy, the father of the family and the charming, albeit laidback, provider. McGraw’s performance is genuine, but nothing special, as he lets Bullock handle most of the parental acting.

Little spitfire Jae Head is easily

E-mail: features@ubspectrum.com

Courtesy of Alcon Entertainment

The Blind Side tells the inspiring true story of football player Michael Oher.

the standout character in the film, playing S.J. Tuohy with fervor and energy not even remotely seen within anyone else. He brings more of the cute, childish hilarity he did in Hancock, but is given much more time to shine. His interactions with Oher are priceless, even on a visual level alone.

Ah yes, and on to Quinton Aaron (Mr. Brooklyn), the man behind Michael Oher. Aaron fits the mold of Oher perfectly, with a huge, friendly exterior.

It’s tricky business playing this protagonist, as he says very little and more or less acts through his actions and, more often, silence.

Aaron gives a cute, likable performance, but sadly isn’t as memorable

as the story he’s recreating.

The Blind Side is a remarkable story and smoothly paints a picture of a family that comes together after taking in a huge-hearted boy poised to tear them apart. They reveal their own flaws while trying to fix those of Oher and ultimately come together by caring for someone so different.

The movie is Hallmark family fare under the guise of football.

Oddly enough, this is why it works.

Oher’s story is incredible, and the impact he had on the Tuohy family is the stuff we only see in movies.

Go figure that this one’s actually grounded in reality.

E-mail: arts@ubspectrum.com

The Spectrum

6

November 13, 2009

Witherspoon expects cohesion PREVIEW from page 8 guys, we came in together, so we were living together, we’ve been together for the last three and a half years so the chemistry has been there.”

The experienced teammates are all about finishing the goal, but the team will need to find a replacement at point guard to get to that next level.

Gone from the team is Greg Gamble, who was an All-MAC Honorable Mention last year after averaging 8.9 points, five rebounds and 3.8 assists. He was also the vocal leader that lifted the overachieving team to the top of the MAC standings.

Stepping in is a trio of floor generals that hope to collaborate and fill the void left by the graduated leader.

Senior guard John Boyer is the

Pierce returns

projected starter and has taken some of the leadership responsibilities.

Though not a stat-sheet filler, Boyer is an efficient manager of the game that distributes the ball effectively.

Senior guard Byron Mulkey also hopes to contribute. Though he only appeared in nine games last year, Mulkey started 12 games as a sophomore and averaged 6.8 points and 2.3 assists a game.

Witherspoon is expecting the senior point guards, and freshman guard Tony Watson II, to be cohesive with the rest of their teammates.

“I think they need to understand the need of their teammates, and if they understand the needs of their teammates, then they’re going to provide some leadership,” Witherspoon said. “That’s one of the biggest parts of that [point guard] position, to recognize the needs of your teammates … it will be a collective effort [to do that].

Buffalo’s season begins Sunday with a home contest against the Vermont Catamounts (23-7 in 2008-2009). Tip-off is 5:30 p.m. at Alumni Arena.

E-mail: sports@ubspectrum.com

SENIORS from page 8 senior … I think they learned from [him]. They know the road we’re traveling. I think it’s their role to affirm that and just understand the importance of the little things.”

Pierce returns after a breakout junior season. He set single game career-highs in nearly every offensive category and became just the second player in school history to be named All-MAC First Team.

Buffalo’s leading scorer has become a multi-dimensional asset for Witherspoon. After playing point guard during his first two seasons, the 6-foot-2-inch Pierce was converted to shooting guard. Last year’s transition led to a team-high 14.3 points per game and 473 total points, including eight games of 20-plus points.

For Betts, the start of the season is a chance to regain his form after a disappointing end to last year.

After being named the MAC Sixth Man of the Year by MAC Report Online in 2007-08, Betts was cemented into the starting lineup at the beginning of last season. The 6-foot-4-inch forward led the Bulls

in rebounding and blocked shots.

He ranked second on the team with 9.1 points per game and finished fourth in the MAC in three-point shooting percentage.

Betts scored double-digits in nine games of the Bulls first 14 games.

But after suffering an injury against Ohio, Betts scored double-digits in just five games as the team lost five of the last seven contests.

“When that time hit, I was going through a lot of stuff personally,” Betts said. “I was just thinking too much mentally instead of just playing basketball. But after I put everything aside, my teammates told me, ‘Calvin, don’t worry about it.

Everything’s going to be alright and you’ve got to move forward.’”

Despite the expectations to carry the program to its first MAC Championship, the pressure will not alter the pair’s main concern.

“We’re just going to go out and play basketball,” Betts said. “[We’re going to] do what we know [how] to do, and that’s play basketball.”

E-mail: sports@ubspectrum.com

The pressure is on SANCHRICO from page 8 love. Even as one of the nice guys, Witherspoon’s mediocre results are no longer soothing a campus and support group that suddenly hunger for winning after witnessing Turner Gill’s football squad succeed in ’08.

It didn’t help that the team set itself up in a position to impress fans, only to let them down.

At one point last season, Buffalo

stood at a shocking 17-5, and an even more surprising 9-1 in the MAC. It was the clear favorite to capture the MAC Regular Season Championship, and was expected to breeze through the tournament in Cleveland. Once again, the basketball team was a buzz that got fans thinking: “What if?”

This was before a monstrous late season falter. A 4-7 slide left the Bulls once again watching the NCAA Tour-

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nament on CBS in frigid Amherst.

So the pressure is on. Fans will nitpick when Witherspoon’s motion offense seems stagnant. They’ll yell for his head when an opponent’s 10-0 run goes without the interruption of a Buffalo timeout.

How the coaches handle these criticisms will dictate how the season goes.

E-mail: david.sanchirico@ubspectrum.com

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The Spectrum

8

November 13, 2009

SP O R T S Men’s Basketball Pr eview 2009

BASKETBALL BREAKDOWN Projected Starting Lineup: PG John Boyer (Senior): 2.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists SG Rodney Pierce (Senior): 14.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists SF Calvin Betts (Senior): 9.1 points, 6.3 rebounds PF Titus Robinson (Sophomore): 4.0 points, 1.9 rebounds C Mitchell Watt (Sophomore): 3.6 points, 2.3 rebounds

David Sanchirico Senior Sports Editor

Removing past demons Akron 65, Buffalo 53.

Though the score is now a motivating tool, it remains a painful reminder of what was a most disappointing end to the 2008-09 season.

White towels hid the dejection on the men’s basketball players’ faces from the rest of the world at the end of last year’s MAC Championship.

While the Akron Zips rushed the Quicken Loans Arena center court with exuberance, the Bulls stumbled toward their bench with tears flowing and hearts broken.

They were 12 points short. A half-dozen baskets away from permanently healing a nagging pain that no Tylenol, close loss to UConn or CBI Tournament invite has been able to soothe since Buffalo lost its first MAC Championship.

For last year’s seniors, Greg Gamble, Andy Robinson and Vadim Fedotov, the loss was especially painful. They joined the team as freshmen, with Buffalo a season removed from its first MAC Championship appearance – an 80-79 overtime loss to Ohio in 2005 – and intended to finally put the school on top.

But Buffalo’s second appearance in the MAC basketball granddaddy didn’t finish with any confetti or trophy. The Bulls seniors saw the goal within reach, but the Zips grabbed it away.

Gamble wept in a towel and Robinson buried his head in his jersey. It continued a painful streak: one without a MAC Championship, one sans a campus-wide celebration on Selection Sunday.

The seniors and rest of the team received a parting gift in the form of a trip to Kansas for an 84-73 loss to Wichita State in the CBI Tournament.

Thanks for participating.

Now it’s on seven seniors’ shoulders to lift the Bulls, and head coach Reggie Witherspoon, to that seemingly unreachable summit.

Expectations are high for the first time in three seasons, and prognosticators in 132 Student Union and across the nation agree that this seniorladen team should contend, and possibly win, the MAC. But it’s the results that bosses and paying fans want and expect.

Buffalo’s basketball fan base is aching. It is tired of teams that tease it into believing “this year is different.” The expectations are a reminder of what the team is capable of, but Buffalo’s donors and diehards won’t be pleased until they are making get-away plans to see the Bulls play in an NCAA Tournament First Round game.

And it’s starting to turn on Witherspoon, a personable coach whose personality coaches, fans and players see SANCHIRICO page 6

Key Reserves: PF Max Boudreau (Senior): 6.1 points, 3.3 rebounds SG Zach Filzen (Sophomore): 6.6 points, 41.4 percent 3-point percentage (at Northern Arizona)

Tim Ho / The Spectrum

Seniors Rodney Pierce (left) and Calvin Betts (right) lead the 2009-2010 Bulls after an unfulfilling 21-win campaign last season.

Moving forward

By DAVID SANCHIRICO Senior Sports Editor

Motivated from being picked to finish sixth in the Mid-American Conference East Division before last season, the men’s basketball team shocked naysayers and Mid-American Conference fans during its 17-5 run to start the season. But a dissatisfying end to the season resulted in a MAC Championship Game loss to Akron and left the Bulls pondering what could have been.

It was a good season, but that special, programchanging season continued to elude the Buffalo basketball program.

But a close-knit group, consisting of seven seniors that experienced valleys and peaks the last three years, comes into this season looking forward, but not forgetting how it felt to be 12 points short of an NCAA Tournament bid.

Witherspoon’s squad, which finished 21-12 with a spot in the College Basketball Invitational Tournament, is raring to start its season off and finally erase a 4-7 ending to last season.

Though his players are using last year’s experience as more motivation, Witherspoon’s mindset is looking forward rather than backwards.

“We’re not afforded the opportunity to be looking behind us, because of the quality of teams we have in front of us,” Witherspoon said. “As coaches, we got that pretty well out of our system.”

Witherspoon acknowledges this team as the most

well knit unit since the 200405 Bulls, which clinched Buffalo’s first-ever MAC Championship appearance. That team built up a 57-38 second-half lead over Ohio and looked to be minutes away from an NCAA Tournament bid.

But a 22-3 Ohio run ended that dream, and the Bobcats eventually won 80-79 on a Leon Williams buzzer-beating tip-in in overtime.

Like that experienced squad, which had 23 wins, this team has experienced low points. Before the 20042005 team, the Bulls totaled 23 wins in the two years prior. Last year’s team experienced the same futility, totaling 22 wins in the 20062007 and 2007-2008 seasons combined.

Those rough patches matured the team.

“It galvanizes you a little bit to go through some pain and come through it,” Witherspoon said. “These guys went through some pain their first two years: a lot of close losses, a lot of growth having to play as freshman and sophomores … we got to the point when they were juniors and I think they had matured enough to say ‘OK, lets go after it.’”

Senior forward Calvin Betts, who averaged 9.1 points and 6.3 rebounds last year, believes team cohesiveness is higher than ever, especially among the seniors.

“I think the chemistry is much better with this year’s team, with seven seniors, than what it has been,” Betts said. “With me, Rodney, Byron, John and all those see PREVIEW page 6

Seniors lead the Bulls’ charge

By JOE PATERNO Asst. Sports Editor

Just three years ago, men’s basketball forward Calvin Betts took Alumni Arena by storm as a freshman reserve from Rush-Henrietta High School. Appearing in 29 games off the bench, Betts displayed signs of dominance down the road.

In the meantime, Bulls guard Rodney Pierce was in a transition year. After appearing in 24 games as a freshman at Rider, the Queen City native opted to transfer to Buffalo, but was forced to sit out his sophomore season due to the NCAA transfer rule.

Now, with the start of the 2009-10 season approaching, Betts and Pierce enter their senior year as the unprecedented leaders on an experienced Buffalo squad.

As two of Buffalo’s seven returning seniors, Betts and Pierce hope to polish off their careers by doing something that has not been accomplished in the history of the program – win a Mid-American Conference Championship and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

To get to that point, the senior duo will have to lead a Bulls squad that saw its dream shattered at the conclusion of last season.

After finishing the regular season 19-10, Buffalo earned a spot in the MAC Championship game against Akron.

The Bulls’ dreams of dancing in March were dashed in a 65-53 loss 40 minutes later.

“Obviously, it leaves a bad

taste in your mouth,” Pierce said. “We aren’t really paying attention to Akron. We’re just worried about Buffalo. But it’s in the back of our minds.

It’s definitely a motivation for the whole team. I know the guys are thinking about it every day. We haven’t put it aside. We definitely think about it to inspire us.”

Nine months later, Betts and Pierce are returning to the hardwood as motivated as ever. With the loss to Akron resonating in the backs of their minds, the senior duo has anticipated the thought of a fresh start after a long summer.

“It was a hurtful feeling for us last year,” Betts said.

“It made for a very long summer. But we’ve all been out working really hard to get back to where we were, so we really can’t wait. We’ve had some scrimmages thus far, so we really want to get that nervousness, anticipation and jitters out before the first game.”

Having been staples in the five-man rotation for much of the past two seasons, the pressure is on Betts and Pierce to perform on and off the court. As leaders in the locker room and impact players on the floor, head coach Reggie Witherspoon’s expectations are high for the pair.

“I think they now know what to be vocal about, more than they did a couple of years ago, and even more than they did last year,” Witherspoon said. “And they’ve had some help. Last year, Greg Gamble filled that void for us as the see SENIORS page 6

Key Games: 1) vs. Akron, Jan. 17: Buffalo’s first chance to avenge last year’s MAC Championship defeat.

2) vs. Vermont, Sunday: Bulls start campaign against a 23-game winner. Game will tell us a lot about the team.

3) at Niagara, Dec. 9: Big Four rival is destined for a big season. Game matches up two possible NCAA Tournament teams.

4) at Purdue, Dec. 5: The Boilermakers will be a Top Five team this year. Game will tell whether Buffalo is ready for big-time.

5) at Kent State, Jan. 20: Buffalo plays third MAC game away against another MAC East power.

Prediction: “Experience means a lot on the college basketball landscape, and the Bulls have plenty of that. Seven seniors highlight a core of 11 returnees that finally have their chance to show that last season’s early success wasn’t a fluke.

“Buffalo will have a tough time replacing floor leader Greg Gamble, but the team doesn’t need the three point guards remaining on the roster to dominate. As long as John Boyer, Byron Mulkey and Tony Watson II limit their turnovers, the team will do fine.

“Overall, the defense is stellar, but the offense needs a scorer to emerge. If Zach Filzen, Titus Robinson or Mitchell Watt can become a consistent double-digit scorer, there is no doubt in my mind that Buffalo will reach the NCAA Tournament.

“But that’s a big if. Overall, I think the team is due for another 20-plus win season and a postseason bid.”

-David Sanchirico, Senior Sports Editor

SG Zach Filzen