Vol. 61 NO. 5
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Friday, September 9, 2011
Friends Lost, Not Forgotten REBECCA BRATEK News Editor On the morning of Sept. 11, Michael Hayes turned on the television and saw holes burning in one of the World Trade Center towers as a plane came crashing into the second. He got a call that Deborah Welsh was on one of the flights that crashed that day. That’s when it became real for him; he knew somebody who was there. Hayes, the Catholic campus minister at the UB’s South Campus, was living in New York City at the time of the attacks.
fect on me until it was someone that I knew had perished. I think I kind of really felt removed, as most Americans did, not knowing anybody.”
tendant on United Airlines Flight 93, the flight that crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pa. after being hijacked by four al-Qaida terrorists.
Hayes was working as a minister at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in downtown New York City in 2001. Not only did he have to help ease the pain of his parishioners who had lost family members and friends in the attacks, but he also had to cope with the fact that he had lost one of his choir members and a close friend –Welsh and Thomas Cullen.
The Sunday after the Tuesday attacks, Hayes had to get in front of his parish and celebrate Mass, as usual. Yet, he struggled with how to address the community and address the tragedy that had just affected every church member.
Welsh – more lovingly known as “Debbie” to those close to her – was the first-class flight at-
“I was watching the events of the day at home; I never quite made it into Manhattan. The subways had shut just before I was about to head into work,” Hayes said. “I was sitting in my apartment in Queens and I think I was just angry at the events of the day; it didn’t really have this really profound af-
“I thought this was going to be the hardest thing I would ever have to do,” Hayes said. “I said ‘I really want to welcome all of the people to our parish this morning and I’m really having a hard time doing that because one of us isn’t here today. Her name is Debbie and she was member of our choir. “She was a flight attendant on that flight that crashed in Shanksville.’ I said, ‘If you’ve never sang before, sing today. If you’re someone new here, you just came to pray, and you haven’t been to church in years, Debbie would want us to welcome you. We’re glad you’re here with us and we want you to remember our
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nyeri moulterie /// tHe speCtrum
Writing History
Muslim Students Feel the Stigma of 9/11
Spectrum Alumni Remember 9/11
STEVEN WROBEL News Editor While many students experience different stages of grief, anger, and fear in the aftermath of Sept. 11, The Spectrum published a paper on Sept. 12, 2001. Even 10 years later, the events still remain clear in the mind of the staff. “I was in shock,” said Michael Lucinski, former senior editorial editor. “I had a three-hour class that started at 9 a.m. In an age before ubiquitous smart phones, we were totally isolated and in the dark about what happened. We took a break at 10:30. We didn’t go back to class.” As the staff was preparing to publish the paper, like any other Tuesday, no one could imagine what kind of tragedy was unfolding. As word hit campus, strong emotion and a pressing need for action struck the area, as students and faculty worried about family and loved ones in New York City. Knowing that, the staff knew they had to get into action right away. “I was sitting in a dentist's chair when the first plane struck the World Trade Center. My first thoughts were shock, horror and disbelief. My next thought was that I needed to get back to the newsroom as soon as possible,” said Elizabeth Fox-Solomon, former managing editor. “I knew that we had to scrap everything we had planned for the next day and focus on the tragic events that were unfolding around us.” The Spectrum on Sept. 12 was flooded with articles from every major newspaper across the U.S., each spinning a different view of the at-
tacks. The staff also talked to students, faculty, staff, and local government and religious leaders about how they were affected, how times were going to change, and where people could go to receive help or counseling. “Every TV and computer on campus was tuned to the news as new information, and horrific images streamed in, and we all wanted to watch, absorb, [and] cope,” Fox-Solomon said. “I knew that the attacks represented not only a horrible human tragedy, but that the events of that day would forever change this nation and, to some extent, the world.” In the days that followed, coverage of the continually unfolding news spread through the pages of The Spectrum. As stories developed and more information gathered, students began to hold services and vigils for fallen friends, family and alumni. However, with all the emotions that surrounded the campus, the staff tried its best to report the facts. “I think that emotion worked its way into almost everything I wrote during the days that followed 9/11, but through the voices of those I spoke to, rather than my own voice,” Fox-Solomon said. “I covered vigils, forums, and memorial services where fellow students and other members of the university community voiced the emotions that I, as a ‘neutral’ observer, could not.” Away from campus, each day seemed to run into the next as people waited for updates from the White House and watched as the news kept playing videos and showing pictures of the
When Ayyaz Tufail, the Muslim Student Association (MSA) president, moved to New York City with his family in January 2001, he visited the twin towers. Standing atop one of the world’s tallest buildings was thrilling, he said. When news of the attacks broke, memories of the past visit merged with worries for the future.“[My family and I] were all sad when the towers crashed, and didn't really know or understand what it meant for us, that people who had carried out the attacks had used our religion as an excuse,” Tufail said. Muslim students have come to expect every kind of reaction to their religion.In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, students have experienced acceptance or tolerance from some, and discrimination from others. Tufail and MSA Secretary Sunny Jamil were both elementary students in New York City on the day of the attacks. Tufail recalls he and his family being denied entry into a store the afternoon following the attacks. “Until this day I wonder if that was the first time we were discriminated [against] as Muslims – because of Sept. 11,” Tufail said. Jamil said he never really experienced any serious threats of discrimination. He just took the experiences in stride and used them to better himself, learning more about his past and why he was so different.
“I was just a kid; all I remember is kids teasing me. I didn’t take it as racism or discrimination, I just took it as bullies being bullies.” Jamil said. “I was given an opportunity to fight something that was wrong against my religion. I had to go out and open a book or a website and read about it. I felt refreshed I was actually learning.” Despite his dedication to learning about his religion and culture, Jamil met roadblocks as he grew up. When attempting to have discussions with his peers, many of them harbored anti-Muslim sentiments because of the terrorist attacks. He realized that you can’t eradicate one ignorant side. “I tried to prove people wrong and they tried to prove me wrong and it was a never ending battle. Arguments never end,” Jamil said. When Jamil moved to Buffalo, he was surprised to hear stories of Muslims being stopped in airports multiple times in the past 10 years for security reasons; something he’s never experienced. “There are people who look the other way when they find out I’m an MSA officer, but there are also non-Muslims who email us asking us if they can volunteer,” Jamil said. Ten years later, many in the Muslim community still find that negativity and stigmas surround their religion. Many Muslims are uncomfortable speaking about their experiences and have found that they have had to be more cautious since the attacks.
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Weather for the Weekend: Friday:Scattered T-storms - H: 74, L: 61 Saturday: Partly Cloudy - H:73 L: 57 Friday: Partly Coudy - H: 73, L: 60
SARA DINATALE Staff Writer
Andrew Trond, a freshman accounting and
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Opinion 3 Life 4 Arts 5 Classifieds / Daily Delights 7 Sports 8
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Friday, September 9, 2011
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Purchase of Unlimited Messaging plan required. Available with select plans. International long distance calls and International roaming calls not included. Calls to directory assistance, voicemail, pay-per-use, call routing, and forwarding numbers not included. Other restrictions and conditions apply. See att.com/anymobile or store for details. Monthly discount: Service discount applies only to the monthly service charge of qualified plans and not to any other charges. Available only to qualified students and employees of colleges/universities with a qualified business agreement. Other service discount qualification requirements may apply. Restrictions, other terms, and conditions apply. See store for details. Limited-time offer. Subject to wireless customer agrmt. Credit approval req’d. Activ. fee $36/line. Coverage & svcs, including mobile broadband, not avail everywhere. Geographic, usage & other conditions & restrictions (that may result in svc termination) apply. See contract, rate plan brochure, and rebate form at stores for details. Taxes & other chrgs apply. Prices & equip. vary by mkt & may not be avail. from ind. retailers. See store or visit att.com for details and coverage map. Early Termination Fee (ETF): None if cancelled during first 30 days, but a $35 restocking fee may apply; after 30 days, ETF up to $325, depending on device (details att.com/equipmentETF). Subject to change. Agents may impose add’l fees. Regulatory Cost Recovery Charge up to $1.25/mo. is chrg’d to help defray costs of complying with gov’t obligations & chrgs on AT&T & is not a tax or gov’t req’d chrg. Offer Details: Motorola Atrix 4G price with 2-year wireless svc agreement on voice & minimum $15/mo. data plan required is $99.99. Sales tax calculated based on price of unactivated equipment. Smartphone Data Plan Requirement: Min. $15/mo. DataPlus (200MB) plan required; $15 automatically chrg’d for each additional 200MB provided if initial 200MB is exceeded. All data, including overages, must be used in the billing period in which it is provided or be forfeited. For more details on data plans, go to att.com/dataplans. Screen images simulated. ©2011 AT&T Intellectual Property. Service provided by AT&T Mobility. All rights reserved. AT&T and the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
Opinion Friday, September 9, 2011
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EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF Matthew Parrino SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR James Twigg EDITORIAL EDITOR James Bowe NEWS EDITORS Madeleine Burns, senior Rebecca Bratek Steven Wrobel John Hugar, asst. ARTS EDITORS Jameson Butler, senior Vanessa Frith Nicolas Pino Edward Benoit, asst. LIFE EDITORS Akari Iburi, senior Hannah Barnes Keren Baruch, asst. Veronica Ritter, asst. SPORTS EDITORS Aaron Mansfield, senior Brian Josephs Scott Resnick, asst. Andreius Coleman, asst. PHOTO EDITORS Meg Kinsley, senior Troi Williams Nyeri Moulterie Alexa Strudler Satsuki Aoi COPY EDITOR Edward Benoit CARTOONIST Patrick Boyle WEB EDITOR Matthew Parrino PROFESSIONAL STAFF OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Helene Polley ADVERTISING MANAGER Andrew Angeles CREATIVE DESIGNERS Nicole Manzo and Aline Kobayashi ADVERTISING DESIGNER Aline Kobayashi The views expressed – both written and graphic – in the Feedback, Opinion, and Peerspectives sections of The Spectrum do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Submit contributions for these pages to The Spectrum office at Suite 132 Student Union or news@ubspectrum.com. The Spectrum reserves the right to edit these pieces for style and length. If a letter is not meant for publication please mark it as such. All submissions must include the author’s name, daytime phone number, and email address. The Spectrum is provided free in part by the Undergraduate Mandatory Activity Fee. September 9, 2011 VOLUME 61 NUMBER 5 CIRCULATION: 7,000 The Spectrum is represented for national advertising by both Alloy Media and Marketing, and MediaMate. For information on adverstising with The Spectrum visit www.ubspectrum. com/ads or call us directly.
A Decade After 9/11 Attacks Remembered American Airlines Flight 11 lifted from Boston’s Logan International Airport at 7:59 a.m. carrying 92 people, tens of thousands of gallons of jet fuel and five hijackers. Less than an hour later, this plane would become the beginning of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. News media blasted us with information in the hours and days afterwards, but at that moment not one of us truly understood what was going on. The world had been turned upside down. All flights in the U.S. were grounded, and they watched with the rest of America in stunned silence. When the dust settled, the number came out. A total of 2,996 people were dead and thousands more were injured. It was the deadliest attack on American soil ever, a day that will live in infamy. Now a decade later, we know what happened, and our world has been thrust into a new era of globalization. The hijackers’ leader, Osama Bin Laden, is dead and a memorial has been built on ground zero, but we still don’t understand why it happened. There were few things any of us could have done to prevent it from happening, but each of us had complete control of how we handled the so-called “post-9/11” world. While most of us moved on with our lives and continued the American dream, the memory of the people who died and the heroes of that day have been marred by politicians using the terrorist attacks as political crutches to force-feed policy on the United States, by bigots who moronically incite hate against Muslims, and by political flip-floppers that tried to deny helping the first responders with their medical costs. Oct. 26, 2001 saw the passage of the USA PATRIOT Act, designed to drastically reduce restrictions on law enforcement agencies by giving them the “tools required to intercept and obstruct terrorism.” Only a month after the attacks, and wielding the word patriot like a bludgeon, the bill passed the Senate with a 98-1 vote.
10 Years and Countless Tears ANDREIUS COLEMAN Asst. Sports Editor “At this time, I would like all teachers to stop teaching.” Then there was a pause.
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Another pause followed.
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That is all I remember verbatim from that day. The principal then told us that everything was OK.
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Michael Lucinski 2001 Senior Editorial Editor Feet First “Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward and freedom will be defended.” – George W. Bush, president of the United States I was in class when it happened. My professor, at the beginning of the class, mentioned that a plane crashed into one of the World Trade Center towers in Manhattan. Like a flippant fool, I envisioned a small Cessna plane smashing into the building, similar to the one that crashed into the White House during President Clinton’s first term. I thought the damage would be minimal, the work of a lone, deranged person determined to end his or her life. Every bone in my body wishes that were the case. Being a three-hour class, we took a break to stretch our legs, utilize the bathroom, clear our heads – mundane, trivial items normal days in one’s life are made up of. It was at that point my class learned of the horror that obliterated all those mundane thoughts from our minds. Many in our generation have lamented – with a foolishness born of youthful ignorance – that we have no “Where were you?” events such as President
Then he told us the second plane hit, but that everything was still OK. Now that 10 years has passed since 9/11, I
Of course law enforcement needs the proper “tools” to fight terrorism, but the PATRIOT Act goes well beyond simply helping. It has served to subvert our constitutional rights through provisions that allow indefinite detention, unwarranted wiretaps and searches of our telephone, email, and financial records. The law has hardly been used to combat terrorism at all. According to New York Magazine, the delayednotice search warrant power that PATRIOT granted was used 1,618 times between 2006 and 2009 for drug related charges and only 15 times in terrorism cases. Assaulting the Constitution is hardly a great legacy to remember about 9/11. The PATRIOT Act, although flawed, was well intended. Nobody would argue against preventing terrorism, just the methods used to combat it. The Sept. 11 attacks did, however, bring a more malicious type out from under the rocks. Bigots across the nation used 9/11 as a launching point for anti-Islamic sentiment. One of the biggest attempts at inciting hate against Muslims was the so-called “9/11 Mosque,” a 13-story cultural center that is to be built a few blocks from Ground Zero. The project was met with widespread protests, and conservative blowhards like Glenn Beck saw a great opportunity to look “patriotic,” and jumped on the issue, calling it a disgrace and a “victory memorial.” In an insulting editorial, the Washington Times said that America needs to stop “pretending that terrorism is not linked to Islam.” This hits to the core of the fallacy that is perpetuating the bigotry and hate. Radical Muslims like the ones in al-Qaeda are no more representative of Islam than the Ku Klux Klan is representative of Christianity. Timothy McVeigh committed the worst act of terrorism in America before 9/11, and no pundits jumped on his radicalized Christian values to claim that Christianity is a violent religion. It is only natural for us to look on people that are different with suspicion and fear. Major news companies focused so heavily on how the hijackers were Muslims that they inadvertently ingrained an image that Islam
sometimes believe I gained those years, in that one day, after he told us that the first tower had collapsed. From my seventh grade classroom in Harlem, I could see the cloud of dust that seemed to hang over all of lower Manhattan. Like most of the kids at school that day, I was happy mainly because we had gotten out early. It didn't really dawn upon me what had just happened to my city, to my country, and to peoples' families. Public transportation was shut down but, 12-year-old me used the money that my cousin gave me to take a taxi home on a slice of pizza, a slushy, and a couple games of Pac-Man at the pizzeria I got it from. It never once crossed my mind that my mother was attending classes at Drake Business School right near the World Trade Center on that day. It didn’t occur
Courtesy of Dov Harrington
is tied to terrorism and helped create this climate of fear. The focus that was missed was an attention to the massive majority of Muslims who did not support terrorism at all, and the American Muslims who suffered just like everyone else. Muslims were even among the first responders to the World Trade Center. One would think that these brave men and women, universally touted as heroes, would be well honored in the years to pass. Unfortunately, politicians decided to use their name to pass bills, get re-elected and defame other candidates. Rudy Giuliani in particular used 9/11 to push his 2008 presidential bid forward, going to far as to request donations of $9.11 at one of his fundraisers. It would seem to follow that when it was discovered that many of the first responders were getting sick from the toxins in the air after the buildings collapsed, that the same politicians who used their name to further their own interests would come to help. Many were getting cancer and other respiratory diseases, and a bill was on the table that would assist them in paying for their medical bills. Those same Republicans tried to block the bill, however, under the guise of cost saving and worries that the bill would be wasteful. So when it served them to support the ongoing victims of 9/11 they talked a big game and puffed their chests out, but when it came time to help keep those victims alive they turned their back on them to improve their fiscal records. The bill eventually passed after massive public outcry and an inspired episode of the Daily Show that criticized Republicans very heavily. Now that it’s been 10 years since 9/11, a new generation is arriving that can barely remember the attacks and does not have the emotion attached to the event. We are going to enter the world as the last people who remember the events, as they happened, not in hindsight, and we need to be the ones to protect the memory properly. Let’s end the bigotry and the politics and honor everyone involved.
to me that she had to walk home across the Brooklyn Bridge, covered in all that stuff that firefighters breathed in are believed to have caught cancer from now. All I saw was a cloud. All I knew was that there wasn't going to be school for the next couple of days. My mother told me how she had given up, found a place to sit, and had made peace with her maker. "Miss, you can’t sit here, move, walk, now," said a firefighter. She told me this, years after that dreadful day. I remember waking up in the middle of the night, while staying with my brother in Manhattan, because I could not get home to my mother's house in Brooklyn. I was 12, I had no cell phone, and my brother wasn't home.
When I woke up he was fast asleep. On the living room floor was a pile of dusty work clothes and a volunteer shirt. On the dresser, a half-destroyed photo of what had to be a couple of coworkers from within the towers sat. I knew exactly where he was. There would be many nights like this, as he helped in the search for survivors until all the debris was cleared. They never gave up. As we commemorate the resilience of our people 10 years later, I just want to say, never give up. Do not dwell on the past, but don't take anything for granted. Remember September 11, 2001. Never give up.
E-mail: sports@ubspectrum.com
September 11, 2001, 8:45 a.m. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963, or the Apollo 11 landing in 1969. Certainly things have come close – the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995 and the Election 2000 debacle spring to mind. How small and insignificant those events seem today. I, and undoubtedly millions of Americans, would trade all we have to make yesterday as unremarkable as Monday. New York City, lower Manhattan, the social and economic capital of the empire of liberty: struck down, paralyzed. Washington, D.C., political capital of the United States since 1800: attacked for the first time since the War of 1812 when the city was burned by the British. In September, 1862, Union and Confederate armies clashed in Antietam, Maryland resulting in 23,000 casualties. A hurricane slammed into Galveston, Texas in September, 1900, flooding the town, killing over 6,000. Considering both the population density of Manhattan, and the 50,000 who work in the World Trade Center it’s an unfortunate and horrific possibility that both numbers will be eclipsed when the dead and wounded are counted – making September 11, 2001 the bloodiest day in American history. Intellectually, I knew what had happened and was outraged, but hadn’t yet felt anything, which worried me.
I should feel something. Thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of people lie dead at the hands of cowards, yet I felt no rage, no sorrow. Then CNN showed the footage of the first of the two towers collapsing, and the tiny figures of people falling out of the building was pointed out to me. Only then did the cold reality of the moment hit me in the pit of my stomach. Imagining the utter terror and helplessness they felt in the last moments of precious life is almost too terrible to contemplate.
He’s right. Generally, Americans are a complacent lot, treating danger like fire fighters as opposed to police officers – reacting to crisis rather than patrolling for danger. But when you attack us, when you threaten, injure, maim, kill our friends and families, when you disrupt our lives in the name of your petty, unthinking hatred, when you dare, you DARE to tear down our cities and violate our borders – well, start measuring your life in minutes ad seconds.
Our souls – as Americans and human beings – scream with righteous fury to know who plotted and schemed this barbarism. The men who actually flew the planes now reside in Hell and will receive their just punishment.
The guilty will be found. There is no doubt about that. In our quest for justice, however, we must remember to punish only the guilty. Our war – and this was an act of war – is with the evil men responsible.
Those left to punish are the ones who masterminded these attacks. At the moment, popular speculation holds that Osama bin Laden, who is reportedly being harbored in Afghanistan, and his followers could be suspects in the attack. The AP has reported that bin Laden followers recently made threats to commit an unprecedented attack against the United States.
If, when the truth is revealed, those responsible are Arab, we must be cautious. Our war is not with the Arab people, or with the Islamic religion. Any true follower of a religion that holds charity as one of its founding tenets finds these attacks as abominable as any Christian or Jew. However, while Arabs as a whole are innocent, I would begrudge any American currently harboring bitter feelings and throwing harsh words at the Palestinians dancing in the streets and celebrating our darkest moment since World War II.
“Make no mistake – the United States will hunt down and punish those responsible for these cowardly acts,” swore President Bush yesterday in Louisiana after ordering a full-scale investigation.
If a small organization is responsible, they must be, they will be, eradi-
cated from this earthly plane. Those guilty of this crime will be found and must be executed as terrorists and enemies of not only the United States of America, but of something higher – freedom, liberty. More than anything else, yesterday’s attack illuminated the depth of the cultural chasm between those responsible and us. They actually believed their attack would succeed. Oh, to be certain, the results were ter ribly spectacular, yet they still failed Undoubtedly, those villains hoped to “strike a moral blow against the Great Satan” or some other such nonsense. With that regard they failed. They believed we are merely buildings and people – wipe them out and you win. Yet we still have our liberty. I can travel from state to state right now without having to run through National Guard roadblocks. You are holding this paper in your hand, meaning freedom speech and the press is still valid. They have taken lives, but not our freedom. As long as we have that, America will never die. They don’t understand that, and judging by their actions they never will. Today the sun rose, as it will tomorrow. We will count the dead; we will mourn. We shall seek and find justice. We will go on. May God bless the victims, their families and the United States of America.
Life
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Jordan Burnham: Breaking the Stigma on Silence JOHAN MATTHEWS Staff Writer
attempting and failing for the third time, he broke down and cursed and ranted at the driving instructor. Shocked by this outburst, Burnham’s father organized a visit from his mom who encouraged him to see a therapist. This led to a diagnosis of depression.
Suicide and depression are not easy topics to discuss for most people, but for Jordan Burnham, a professional public speaker on mental health and suicide prevention, the discussion of According to Burnham, this diagnosis occurs in one of this murky discourse has become his mission. four college students, many of which never attempt to find help due to the stigma attached to conversations Burnham has spoken at universities and schools about mental health issues. all over America while making appearances on CNN, Dr. Phil, Good Morning America, and three “I feel a lot better knowing that other people went documentaries. Through UB’s Active Minds, through it and are coming out and changing lives… an organization that promotes healthy conver- and that there was nothing I could do and that it’s sation about mental health issues, Burnham actually a disorder,” said Rob Golabek, a senior comdelivered his relatable message to stop stigma munication major at UB. and promote awareness. “I think it’s important for me to speak on this subject because I was just like any other kid,” Burnham said. “I was popular, I was on the sports team, I had girlfriends, I was just like any other kid. But no one had any idea that I had depression; that I had suicidal thoughts that would lead up to a suicide attempt. And so it’s important, I think, to kind of put a face to mental health that isn’t this gloomy outlook, that every thing’s dreary every single day.” Having personally suffered from depression and the repercussions of attempted suicide, the former star athlete is now on the road to recovery and intends to pass on his message in hopes to shed light on the dark emptiness that once threatened to claim his life. Burnham’s depression began to develop around the seventh grade after he moved to King of Prussia, Pa from his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pa to live with his dad who had recently taken a job there. During this time his sister, whom he always turned to as a coping device, went off to college and he found himself with no one to talk to. This loss of his best friend and confidant caused Burnham to internalize all of his emotion, coping only through sports and girls. This bred a dark spirit of depression and loneliness within him and led him to feel even more like an outcast than he had been as an African American in a predominantly white school. By the time Burnham got to the ninth grade he was already abusing alcohol – not to get drunk or binge – but in order to cope and express feelings he would otherwise conceal. Things began to worsen as Burnham entered the 10th grade and attempted to get his driver’s license. After
Who doesn’t love a good freebie? A free T-shirt, a free soda, why not? Could things get any better? How about a free movie? As university students, the majority of UB students know how hard it is to have fun on a budget. Thankfully UB Student Affairs has made life just a little bit easier for struggling college students with its fairly new program, Midnight Movie Madness. Starting this past Saturday at midnight, UB Student Affairs teamed up with the Main Street Amherst Theatre to give the first 35 UB students free cinema entry.
As Burnham progressed throughout high school he continued to suffer silently, keeping his condition to himself, his girlfriend and parents, regressing further and further into the umbra of his mind.
All students have to do is flash their UB card, sit back and enjoy the theatrical worlds of Hollywood. Alexa Strudler /// The Spectrum
“[Burnham’s] message was very relatable,” said Cory Knox, senior urban planning major. “My brother just broke up with his girlfriend…and he’s acting On Sept. 28, 2007, the day of Burnham’s attempted like a different person and I’m trying suicide, all seemed normal. He had played in a golf to figure out what I can do to help him competition and had even done pretty well, but upon and how I can talk to him. Some of the returning to his home and being confronted with a things [Burnham] was talking about are duffel bag of alcohol that was found in his trunk, he became intoxicated with guilt. Seeing his parents sad- definitely helpful and are going to help my dened by his alcohol abuse yet again he just could not approach.” handle it. Later that evening he hurled himself out of his window where he fell nine stories; shattering and Burnham’s message, profound and inspiring, has done its job. He inspired many breaking his pelvis, left fibular, jaw, and wrist. UB students to engage this issue with Miraculously, Burnham survived this ordeal and saw their full attentions. a new light that could help him cope and combat the persistent shadow that was his depression. Now he understands that in spreading the word about his disorder and other mental health disorders, he would be able to help others and possibly prevent someone else from enduring the lonely path he once walked. “[Burnham has] an amazing story and [he] definitely changed at least one life today,” Golabek said. Golabek approached Burnham after the speech and shared his experience. Other students also found his message enlightening.
Madness At No Cost SOPHIE TRUTER Staff Writer
Golabek experienced a personal loss of his close friend to suicide. “Now I have a little bit more knowledge about a topic that was really dark to me and I’m able to spread a message of mental health,” Golabek said.
By the time he was a senior, Burnham was having suicidal thoughts daily. With every emotional wound, set back, or disappointment consistent with ordinary teen life, he moved closer to the act of taking his life and leapt off of his ninth story bedroom window.
Friday, September 9, 2011
“I think that the message that I really want to spread is that it’s okay to talk about what you’re going through. Mental health is just stigmatized and I just ask why,” Burnham said. Now, armed with this knowledge, some of the UB community can reveal this dark issue to the light of the public and get people to continue the conversation.
Email: features@ubspectrum.com
The unlucky 36th person through the door shouldn’t fret too much, because any student after the first 35 gets in for only $5, a discounted price from the usual. This is the events third year running and is a part of the Late Night UB series, a university initiative designed to provide alcohol-free social environments for students. Kerry Spicer from Student Affairs believes that the midnight movie screening is only one of many ways the university can assist in creating safe and fun social networking opportunities for local students. “As a Student Affairs initiative, the division is trying to provide as many opportunities for students on the evenings and weekend as we can,” Spicer said. “Student Affairs is working on expanding Late Night programming across both North and South campuses as well as to Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. The movie initiative is a step in that direction and what student doesn't like to go to a free movie?”
Email: features@ubspectrum.com
Friday, September 9, 2011
Arts ubspectrum.com
Page 5
The Art of Remembrance VANESSA FRITH Arts Editor
New York Remembers exhibits commemorate 9/11 across the state using artifacts from Ground Zero.
Courtesy of neW yorK state museum
A decade later and nearly 400 miles away, the voices of 9/11 still echo through the quiet halls of two Buffalo art galleries.
deployed on hijacked planes, to pieces of the buildings themselves.
Burchfield Penny Art Center and Hallwalls have each become sanctums of remembrance for the time they will house the artifacts and memories of a day that deeply impacted the American people.
“The idea of the exhibit is to have people re-learn the events of 9/11 in a more tangible way,” said Mark Schaming of the New York State Museum.
New York Remembers New York Remembers brings together pieces from the collections of the New York State Museum and the National September 11 Memorial and Museum to be displayed at 30 different locations across the Empire State. Luckily, the Burchfield Penny Art Center is one such place. “Authentic objects are crucial to understanding the story of 9/11, from the profound loss to the extraordinary heroism and depths of compassion,” said Alice M. Greenwald, Director of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in an Aug. 10 press release. “These exhibits will be an important learning opportunity for people of all ages, and a fitting tribute to the many who perished at the World Trade Center on that terrible morning ten years ago.” Artifacts range from police vehicles that arrived on the scene early that clear fall morning, to landing gears that were never
One of the objects on display in Buffalo is a destroyed Port Authority Police SUV. Schaming explains how the Port Authority lost over 30 police officers at the World Trade Center, and displaying this particular artifact gives a different context in which to discuss and reflect upon their contribution. The artifacts of New York Remembers gives people far from Ground Zero a unique chance to examine and remember the events surrounding the World Trade Center tragedy through the materials left behind. The exhibit will be open through Sept. 30, including Sept. 11, and is $5 for students. 9 11cwk Hallwalls hosts Terri Katz Kasimov’s exhibit, 9•11cwk. Consisting of 21 collages, the display catalogs Kasimov’s experience with the terrorist attacks. Located in one of the collages is a flight itinerary dated Tuesday, 11 Sep 01 for an 8:55 flight from Buffalo to JFK airport in New
York City. The passenger is Kasimov, on her way to see her son who worked next to the World Trade Center at 1 Liberty Plaza. Another collage holds the words of an emotional voicemail sent at 8:48 a.m. the same day from her son, Cory William Kasimov. “Mom, it’s me,” part of the message reads. “I don’t think you want to come here. A missile just hit the World Trade Center. Don’t come.” Other pieces show images including the silhouette of the destroyed towers, a high heel left behind in the ash and soot, and a flurry of papers raining down from the implosion. Throughout the exhibit, art, life, and emotion collide as seen through the eyes of Kasimov to create a powerful message of 9/11, the event’s terror and confusion, and feelings and images it left ingrained on the masses in its aftermath. Originally displayed at the UB Anderson gallery on the first anniversary, 9•11cwk was displayed this time in conjunction with a discussion panel, Ten Years Later: Where Are We Looking Now?, that took place Sept. 6 at Talking Leaves. The exhibit will run through the week of Sept. 12 at Hallwalls Cinema.
Email: arts@ubspectrum.com
Apollo 18 attempts to go where no film has gone before.
Courtesy of Dimension films
What’s On The Dark Side of the Moon? JAKE KNOTT Staff Writer Movie: Apollo 18 Studio: Dimension Films Release Date: Sept. 2 Grade: BA supposedly top secret mission – which has been debated about since the ‘70s – finally gets leaked by the government, letting out the “truth.” This is the premise of Apollo 18, a film that attempts to answer the controversial question of the existence of extraterrestrial life. The film consists of what is meant to be actual mission footage documented by astronauts Lieutenant Colonel John Grey (Ryan Robbins, Cold Blooded,), Commander Nate Walker (Lloyd Owen, The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones,) and Captain Ben Anderson (Warren Christie, Three Weeks, Three Kids). After Commander Walker and Captain Anderson land module Liberty, the audience is shown the typical astronaut cinematic activities: gathering lunar rocks, breathing heavily in the space suits, and taking pictures of the protagonists next to the American flag. However, all the while the audience is clued in to images moving behind the characters. This isn’t just any documentary; it is also what happens when the plots of Alien and The Blair Witch Project are fused together. Director Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego (El Rey De La Montaña,), in his first full-length English spoken film, fails to introduce anything new into an overplayed genre. What makes the premise interesting is that the film contains raw footage of an actual space mission, and what “actual” astronauts would have done in a situation of alien contact.
What the film fails to portray are the reactions of Commander Walker and Captain Anderson as everything they know vanishes and they are left alone in the midst of space surrounded by deadly space bugs. One would think that intelligent men, in this case astronauts, would at least bring a challenge to the struggle. It would have been intriguing to view well-educated professionals attempting to find a legitimate solution to an alien attack, yet there was no such convincing material. What this film brought to the table is all of the secrecy surrounding it. Few trailers have been released, and there has been a question of what is real and not real within the film. Moviegoers are already bickering about both sides of the argument, and perhaps, to the delight of the studio, people will attend the show to gather their own opinion on the event that may have happened. Unfortunately, there is nothing memorable about this film. The beginning sequences showing the authentic-looking NASA footage are appealing to an extent, and home footage of the characters enjoying one last barbecue with their family before liftoff are touching. Once the infected alien plot is kicked in, however, the realism is thrown out the window. Hardly any substance is portrayed in the finished film. The only result is another attempt to make the audience jump as much as possible, which admittedly it accomplishes a handful of times. There are decent moments that will make Apollo 18 a mediocre scary movie, but the finished product definitely took a wrong turn, and a lot of promise and potential is left by the wayside.
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Continued from Page 1: Campus Minister Remembers 9/11 friend, but most of all remember whoever it is you lost that you’re here to pray for today.’” Welsh was a native of Darby, Pa. and moved to New York City to seek a job with an airline company. Hayes remembers Welsh both as a member of the choir and a close friend. He remarked that church members knew it was time for Mass when they could see her towering in the choir, beaming and ready to sing. She was very involved in her church life and was one person who was completely selfless, according to Hayes. When the United Airlines flights had leftover meals, Welsh would bring the extras to distribute to the homeless. She was adored by her husband, along with all those around her, and lived a life of happiness that impacted everyone. But, she still had fears because of her risk-filled career. “She always had this fear that she was going to die in the air somewhere, that she was going to die in a plane crash,” Hayes said. “And she would kind of openly talk about it. Then when it happened, we couldn’t believe [it].” Hayes also remembers the story of a college friend lost in the Sept. 11 tragedies. Cullen was Hayes’ college classmate and one of his close friends. After graduating from Fordham University, Cullen went on to become a firefighter as a part of New York City Fire Department, squad 41. Law school was only the “back-up” plan for Cullen, as firefighting was his dream since a young age, according to Hayes. On the morning of the tragedies, he was called to service in the North Tower. Excited to serve and do his due obligation, he went into the wreckage with his squad. “All these guys walked up the stairs [of the towers] knowing they were not going to get out and just trying to evacuate as many people as they can. When the first tower fell, then they really knew they weren’t going to
Friday, September 9, 2011
Continued from Page 1: Writing History: Spectrum Alumni Remember 9/11
get out,” Hayes said. “I think the only comfort burning buildings as they collapsed. his wife took in the events of that day is that “Even 10 years later, I can watch clips and feel that cold horror as it happens. Tom died doing what that he loved – being a I know the first few times I heard the phrase ‘Homeland Security,’ I couldn’t firefighter and doing his best to save people shake the anachronistic sound of it. That sounded like a term Churchill used who were in trouble.” during the Blitz,” Lucinski said. “Suddenly, it was very relevant. They stopped ubspectrum.com Friday, September 9, 2011 a Rangers-Flyers pre-season [hockey] game nine days later so everybody in the Beyond his love for firefighting and serving arena could watch [President Bush’s] address to Congress on the Jumbotron.” his community, Cullen loved his family more than anything. A self-proclaimed “rail nut,” As time has passed, the images have faded from the daily news and no longer he would spend many nights building train cover the pages of the newspapers. But for the 2001 staff of The Spectrum the sets for his young son, instead of sleeping, events of Sept. 11 hold special meaning and will never be forgotten. because collecting sets was such a passion. Hayes was one of the luckier ones – even though he had lost two people very close to him, it didn’t compare to the numbers some of his friends began to tally. One friend had lost 42 people in the attacks. But, still, every life lost started to put a personal face on the tragedy. “We lost two really important people that I had come to know and admired, but more importantly, those two people probably represented at least a thousand other people who had similar stories,” Hayes said. As the 10th anniversary of what many consider to be “the greatest tragedy in American history” approaches, Hayes stressed that people need to remember those who have died and why they gave their lives, some unwillingly and some voluntarily, but all tragically.
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Continued from Page 1: Muslim Students Feel the Stigma of 9/11 sociology major said he can sympathize with Muslim students who are concerned that others harbor resentment. “They’re getting more stereotypes against them, and now when they’re on a plane people are worried they’re going to bomb us,” Trond said. The subject of Sept. 11 evokes different emotions in all Americans. However, Tufail, as with many Muslims, is often confronted with questions from his non-Muslim friends. He always takes the good with the bad and is quick to remind everyone that not everyone is equal. “The religion Islam, which literally means peace, teaches us to be peaceful and be kind to all mankind, not just Muslims,” Tufail said. “Just like there were bad people in the community of over a billion Muslims world wide, there are a few bad people who discriminate against Muslims and hold each and every innocent Muslim responsible for what happened on Sept. 11.”
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“The disregard that people have for human life, I think that calls into a deeper place and we have to ask ourselves what it is that is going on in the world? Why do these people hate us so much?” Hayes said. “It’s really hard for us to say that you could forgive someone who has done something like this. But I think that’s how the terrorists want us to be.”
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Happy Birthday Michael A. Tyson!! From Al and Jo Nell September 8th The UB Music Department and The Robert and Carol Morris Center for 21st Century Music Present...
The Slee Sinfonietta Tour Kickoff concert James Baker, Conductor
Works of Erb , Felder, Mathew Rosenblum and Andrew Rindfleisch
Tuesday, September 13, 2011 7:30pm Lippes Concert Hall in Slee Hall Tickets and info: (716) 645-2921 or www.slee.buffalo.edu
Classifieds Friday, September 9, 2011
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HELP WANTED LASERTRON INTERACTIVE Entertainment Center has immediate part-time openings. Candidates should love people of all ages, enjoy a fast paced work environment and the reward of a job well done. Starting at approximately $10.50/ hr., must be available nights and weekends. Stop in and complete an application at LASERTRON, 5101 North Bailey Avenue, Amherst, NY. STAMPEDE PRESENTATION PRODUCTS is looking for part-time shipping/receiving associates. 20-35 hours per week. Flexible hours. Located 5 minutes from North Campus. on Metro Bus Route. Contact Craig Derynski @ 800-398-5652 x235. MENTORS. Reliable, consistent, nonjudgmental adults needed to befriend youth near your home/ work/ school for 1-2 hrs/wk for 1yr. Background check & car required. Stipend (up to $500) for those who qualify. Men encour
aged to apply: Compeer (716)883-332 or www. wnymentors.com. TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY. Just patented – In Buffalo – cellular product. Commissioned sales reps needed for UB, other schools, USA & foreign countries. American & foreign students encouraged to call to sell new product across USA & worldwide. 549-4900 X111. APARTMENT FOR RENT AMHERST 2-BDRM new appliances, flooring, off-street parking, laundry, May 1st, 873-3756/ 863-5781. 2 BED/ 2BATH. A few spots remain at Collegiate Village Student Apartments. 716-8333700.www.CVwny.com. AMHERST DUPLEX. 3-BDRM & 1 ½ Bath. Finished basement & garage. $900 & $975+716316-4652.
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HOUSE FOR RENT 1 BDRM AVAILABLE IN A 4 BDRM HOUSE. Absolutely gorgeous, w/w carpeting, 1 ½ baths, new windows, furnace, security system, stainless steel stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, washer/ dryer, off-street parking 4-cars. Must see! $335 person + utilities, Gino 830-1413. ROOM FOR RENT LISBON @ MAIN FULLY FURNISHED. Master Bdrms 2-full baths utilities & appliances included. Free washer & dryer. Call 570-6062. ROOMMATE WANTED AMHERST – SOUTH CAMPUS/ safe side of Main. Quiet Architect students looking for serious male roommate. Excellent condition, private bedroom, big closet, laundry, parking & dishwasher. Available now. 5 minute walk to Crosby Hall. $300.00+ share of utilities. 716400-9663. ONE QUIET ROOMY BEDROOM: On GCH Amherst/appliances/completely renovated. $350. Please call Evelyn 716-200-8812.
ROOM-MATE(S) WANTED FOR REMODELED APPARTMENTS located at UB at Main Street Campus – off Englewood Avenue. $275-$333 plus utilities per tenant. Washing machine and dryers in basement. Off street parking. Contact Shawn (Property Manager) atsengel1@roadrunner.com or 716-9847813. HOUSE FOR SALE EXCEPTIONAL 2/2 DOUBLE near Main St. Campus – www.84WellingtonAve.com for more details. SERVICES CITYA1drivingschool.com. Beginners & brush-up driving lessons. 5 hr class, $30.00, 716-875-4662. FALL BELLYDANCE 6 week course. Buy one $60.00 and bring a friend half-off. Call (716)218-9297 or visit www.habibiofthenile. com for more information.
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PAID RESEARCH STUDY The UB Research Institute is seeking volunteers age 18 to 25 for a study of energy drinks/alcohol use and health risks.
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Education experience preferred Part-time, as needed
For more information, call (716) 887-2285 or e-mail aedstudy@ria.buffalo.edu
$30/hour Send resumes to ESL@upgradeacademics.org
Daily Delights
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Registered family daycare Caring, Knowledge, Experience and a Loving Atmosphere Openings for 2-8 year olds Located off of Millersport Hwy. Minutes from UB North Campus
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Visit ubspectrum.com/games for our online game of the week Also see the crossword and Sudoku answers from last issue
Crossword of the Day
ENDING IN VIOLENCE By Kevin Carr Edited by Timothy E. Parker September 9, 2011
Sudoku
ACROSS 1 Indian title of respect 4 “Mayday!” 7 Old PC component 10 It’s bottled in Cannes? 13 Deadeye’s forte 14 Three sheets to the wind 15 Brave deeds 17 Native American child 19 Helped someone cover up? 20 Rum cocktail 22 Raison d’___ 23 Mushroom producer, for short 24 Smog watchdogs (Abbr.) 27 Morse E 28 “Be-Bop-___” (Gene Vincent hit) 30 Syllables that often precede la’s 31 Famous landing spot 34 From the East 36 For ___ pittance 37 Classic toy 41 On the house 42 Fictional uncle 43 The first “T” of TNT 46 This guy’s a real doll 47 Puppeteer Lewis 49 Elvis’ middle name 50 Expensive fashion accessory 54 Bar activity, perhaps 56 Hot water 57 Took hold of 58 Bleating female 59 Mystery novelist Deighton 60 Life story, in brief 61 Ending for “hatch” or “cook” 62 ___ Moines 63 Byrnes of “77 Sunset Strip”
DOWN 1 Exhausted, as one’s strength 2 Vintage theater name 3 Bestow 4 Place on the schedule 5 Chantilly’s department 6 Ribs holder 7 Hat, to Henri 8 Puzzle in pictures 9 Council of ___ (1545-1563) 10 “Take your pick” 11 Star hurler 12 Currency exchange board abbr. 16 Non-Rx 18 Early afternoon 21 Normandy invasion town 25 Treasure map measurement 26 “Shoot!” 28 Jai ___ (fast-paced court game) 29 Nashville’s Loretta 30 Natural history museum display 31 He reached his peak in 1806 32 Perfume brand by Dana 33 Managed care grps. 34 River to the Rhine 35 Screenwriter’s creation 37 NYC departure place 38 “Hamlet” genre 39 Mother of Ares 40 Sent out, as rays
43 One of the clefs 44 Went after a lucky seven 45 Have in mind 47 Ski resort feature 48 Appalachian Trail venturer 49 “Aladdin” monkey 51 Napkin’s place 52 “Say as he says, ___ shall never go” 53 Certain deer 54 CIA’s Soviet counterpart 55 “Exodus” hero
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Sports ubspectrum.com
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Friday, September 9, 2011
Bulls Take on Upset-Hungry Sea Wolves in Home Opener AARON MANSFIELD Senior Sports Editor It’s easy to overlook a team from the Big South when you’ve just taken a Big East powerhouse to the wire, but the Stony Brook Sea Wolves are no ordinary Big South team. Following a devastating 35-16 loss to Pittsburgh in Buffalo’s opening matchup, the Bulls are looking to bounce back this weekend against Stony Brook. The game is Buffalo’s home opener.
Scouting Stony Brook 2010 Record: 6-5 (5-1 Big South) Last Week: 31-24 (OT) Loss to UTEP
Stony Brook has something in common with Buffalo – both football teams nearly pulled off colossal upsets last weekend. The Sea Wolves took on a daunting opponent in Conference-USA force UTEP, but it was Stony Brook that looked like the power for the majority of the game. At one point, Stony Brook led 24-10. The Miners eventually rallied and overtook the Sea Wolves, 31-24 in overtime, but Stony Brook turned some heads with its valiant effort. One person in particular took notice – Bulls head coach Jeff Quinn. “You look at what Stony Brook did at UTEP this past weekend; they have our full attention,” Quinn said. “They’re well-coached. We certainly look forward to the challenge they present.” Stony Brook’s strength lies in its running game, while arguably Buffalo’s biggest weakness is stopping the run. Running backs Miguel Maysonet and Brock Jackolski combined for 199 rushing yards against UTEP. The Sea Wolves amassed an impressive 232 yards on the ground. Maysonet and Jackolski present a paramount challenge for Buffalo. The Bulls struggled mightily with Pittsburgh running back Ray Graham, who totaled 209 yards and three touchdowns.
Three Seawolves to Watch CB Donald Porter: It is apparent that Porter is a ball hawk after last week’s matchup, where he snatched two interceptions against UTEP. He also showed the ability to turn those turnovers into points when he returned one of those picks for a touchdown. Look for the senior cornerback to be a major threat to the Bulls aerial attack. Spirits are high as Buffalo prepares for its home opener against Stony Brook. Stony Brook quarterback Michael Coulter was selected to the preseason All-Big South team, but he only managed a meager 168 yards at UTEP. On the other hand, Buffalo’s quarterback play was astounding in its first game. Senior quarterback Chazz Anderson lit up Pittsburgh for 276 yards and 32 completions. Anderson provides newfound leadership under center. Quinn has the utmost faith in his experienced quarterback. “No one man can do it alone, but [Anderson] knows what [winning] looks like,” Quinn said. “He knows what it feels like; he knows how it tastes.” Nothing is more enthralling to Buffalo’s athletes than the thought of playing in front of their home fans. All summer, Quinn preached that he plans on increasing his team’s interaction with fans. He wants an untamed student section; he foresees a day when fan support is as high as it’s ever been.
Spectrum File Photo
“We’re excited about bringing UB football back to our home stadium,” Quinn said. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had an opportunity to play in front of our home fans. Fans will watch the action get underway at 6 p.m. Quinn has said on multiple occasions that his team isn’t afraid of anyone, and the Bulls proved it with their effort against the Panthers. They aren’t afraid of Stony Brook and they’re eager to get in the win column, but the Bulls are preparing for the Sea Wolves with the same fervor and meticulousness they utilized in preparation for Pittsburgh. “In my mind, every single week is important, so this game is the most important game,” Quinn said.
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The Glorious Revival of Derek Jeter
RB Miguel Maysonet: The preseason All-Big South running back rushed for 103 yards on 18 carries against a stout UTEP defense. The Bulls’ defense gave up 201 yards and three touchdowns to the Pittsburgh ground game, and it will need to improve if it wants to contain Maysonet. DB Dominic Reyes: The standout junior recovered a fumble and led the team in tackles against UTEP. His performance wasn’t just a flash in a bottle. Reyes led defensive backs in the Big South in tackles last season, and he seems to be improving. PREDICTION Stony Brook doesn’t look like an impressive team on paper, but its near-victory over UTEP suggests otherwise. Senior quarterback Chazz Anderson impressed last weekend with his 32-for-49, 276yard performance. If he can get the Bulls’ offense going early and minimize mistakes, Buffalo will find itself in the win column. Bulls-31 Stony Brook-14
JOHN HUGAR Asst. News Editor When Derek Jeter was slowly marching towards his 3,000th hit this past June, the situation was rather depressing. Instead of watching one of the greatest hitters of all-time reach an essential milestone, it felt more like watching a player who was well past his prime slog into the twilight of his career.
NFL Kickoff Predictions
Even worse, after years of Jeter being invulnerable to criticism, people in the sports world were taking shots at him left and right. You couldn’t have a discussion about the Yankees without hearing about how far in the order Jeter should be moved down, or if he should even be starting. As bad as this all sounds, with his batting average in the .260s, it was all fairly justified.
ANDREIUS COLEMAN Asst. Sports Editor Whether you are a Bills fan, an avid supporter of America’s sport, or just seriously into drama, there will be all the football a person can handle this weekend.
Then something funny happened. The old Jeter showed up. When he cracked a towering home run for hit number 3,000, it felt like the good old days. The fact that he went 5-for-5 that day – he even had the game-winning hit – only made things better. The Yankees’ greatest modern day hero had returned. However, people feared that this may be a onetime only performance, and that Jeter was still mired in mediocrity. Luckily, this has been far from true. In the time since then, Jeter’s play has been ridiculous. He’s cranking out hits left and right and generally looking more confident than he’s been at any point since 2009. As a lifelong Yankees fan – and a diehard Jeter fan – it’s been nothing less than magnificent to watch. I thought I had lost him forever. Maybe all the trash talking about him from opposing fans – mostly in Boston – was finally getting to me, but I had begun to wonder if he was truly washed up. Now, as the Yankees prepare to make a run for the World Series, I’m no longer worried about it. If he continues on such a tear, Jeter will find his career put in a whole new perspective. The biggest argument against Jeter is that he’s just very good, but not great, and that the good fortune of playing for the Yankees has led to him being overrated. If he plays at a quality level for 20 seasons and finishes in the top 10 all-time in hits, those arguments would fall by the wayside, and Jeter’s enduring excellence would be undeniable. Admittedly, there’s no guarantee that this will happen. He might not be able to keep up this strong hitting in 2012. Heck, he might not even be able to keep it up through the rest of the season. Still, for the time being, I’m just going to enjoy the ride. Jeter’s average has been creeping near .300 lately, and I’d love to see him hit the mark at the end of the year. Not because I think a .300 average means what it used to (Sabermetrics killed that for good), but because of what it would symbolize – that one of the greatest hitters of the past 20 years is still pretty darn good.
Email: john.hugar@ubspectrum.com
Buffalo defeated the Highlanders, 1-0, in its home opener at UB Stadium.
Alexa Strudler /// The Spectrum
Nomadic Bulls Stay Unbeaten in Home Opener BRYAN FEILER Staff Writer
The men’s soccer team brought its undefeated streak home, where it was welcomed by a cold, wet night and 15 mph winds. Despite the weather, the Bulls (3-0-1) seemed happy to be home. Buffalo was able to shutout The New Jersey Institute of Technology (1-3), 1-0 for its second straight shutout. The game started off as a defensive stalemate, with both teams feeling each other out during their first ever meeting. The Highlanders boxed in the Bulls’ ball carriers early on. Buffalo responded with quick, short give-and-go passes to spread out the Highlanders’ defense. Interim head coach David Hesch implemented this strategy because of the weather. “The weather definitely had something to do with it,” Hesch said. “Playing on the turf is real slick, with balls and traps being misplayed, it was definitely affective.” The two teams started to open up offensively toward the end of the first half. Sophomore midfielder Richard Craven had an opportunity to put the Bulls on the board, but missed his shot wide right on a breakaway. Buffalo later missed another chance when a header off of one of its six total corner kicks hit the crossbar. The Highlanders were the first to find the net, but a late offside call cancelled the goal and kept the game scoreless. The Bulls came out of halftime with a more aggressive game plan. Buffalo utilized longer passes, advancing the ball up to the forwards quicker to put pressure on the Highlanders’ defensemen. “We wanted to make the passes from the defend-
ers to forwards and then combine from there,” Hesch said. “And I think it was successful, and we just got to find our scoring touch somewhere.” After 80-plus minutes of silence, junior midfielder Risto Latti sent a long through ball to senior forward Andy Tiedt, who settled the pass, ran past a Highlander defenseman and chipped it in for the game’s only goal.
Buffalo hopes its late goal will bring some momentum as the team goes back on the road. “It’s great that Andy finally got a goal because he’s our leading shot [taker] right now,” Hesch said. “Finding the goal today before we go on the road is big for Andy.” The Bulls gave up some turnovers because of their new, aggressive game plan, but they quickly recovered with strong, physical play. Hesch gave all the credit for the win to his players.He was thoroughly impressed with sophomore defenseman Jesse Andoh and freshman defenseman Lukas Fedler. Hesch believes they’ve kept the Bulls in every single game. The fans that stayed and cheered, despite the rain, were rewarded when the Bulls went into the stands to celebrate. “[The three road games were] three totally different environments,” Hesch said. “It was definitely tough. I give these guys a lot of credit for doing what we are doing right now.” Junior goalkeeper Jonathan Viscosi made two saves for his third shutout this season. The Bulls now go on the road for four games. They’ll get right back after it on Friday at Siena. The game is scheduled to start at 4 p.m.
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Though the season kicked off yesterday with an exciting matchup between the Saints and Packers, this Sunday's lineup is sure to garner the interest of fans nationwide.This weekend’s must-watch game is the AFC North battle between rivals Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Expect these teams, boasting two of the best defenses in the league, to come out hitting – making it obvious just how personal the rivalry is. The quarterback matchup between Ben Roethlisberger and Joe Flacco gives the Steelers the advantage in the contest. For those local and loyal aficionados, the Bills test their wits this weekend against the AFC's most improved team from 2010 – the Kansas City Chiefs. In the last four meetings between the teams, Buffalo has won three. The Bills were the worst team in the league last season against the run, so finding a way to contain the league’s best rushing tandem – Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones – might be a problem. Shawne Merriman is looking to re-enact his glory days and make some crucial stops Sunday afternoon. The Monday Night game to watch is the Patriots against the Dolphins. When Miami goes head-to-head with New England in a matchup that the Patriots are favored to win, expect an aerial showcase from Tom Brady and company. The rushing abilities of Patriot running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis should be on full display. This should be a great game.
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