The Spectrum Volume 61 Issue 11

Vol. 61 NO. 11

ubspectrum.com

Friday, September 23, 2011

NO H8

Youth suicide raises awareness on bullying AKARI IBURI Senior Life Editor Jamey Rodemeyer was found dead outside of his Buffalo home Sunday morning after taking his own life.

He was 14 years old.

His story is one that too often devastates the lives of families nationwide. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people between the ages of 15 and 24, according to bullyingstatistics.org. In the past 30 years, these deaths have increased more than 50 percent, with over 4,000 teen lives lost annually.

Rodemeyer’s suicide marks the second tragedy to strike Williamsville North High School in less than two years.

As a new freshman in a new school, Rodemeyer had to grapple with the bullying that often comes with the territory of growing up. But his openness about his sexual orientation only added more fuel to his intolerant peers.

Rodemeyer was bisexual. And at age 14, he was brave enough to admit what some adults have trouble admitting themselves.

UB’s LGBTA President Judy Mai, a junior health and human services major, was upset at the level of bullying that encouraged Rodemeyer to take his life.

“I think that it’s such a tragedy because last year we lost a bunch of kids to bullying and you would think that within a year that it would get better but it’s still going on and it’s still prevalent,” Mai said. “Things are getting better for the LGBT community but these things are still happening to teenagers.”

At least 10 percent of youths are bullied regularly, and Rodemeyer was a part of the unfortunate few. New bullying studies in 2010 from the Yale School of Medicine report that there is a strong correlation between bullying, being bullied and suicide.

The Path of Tripathi Satish K. Tripathi –with sons Aasish and Manish – loves to be among the students at UB to help build the future of the institution.

MADELEINE BURNS Senior News Editor Beneath the glitzy school spirit and the deep tradition of Inauguration Week is Satish K. Tripathi, the man who will be sworn in as UB’s 15th president on Friday.

He is a man who has had a lifelong love for education. An enduring authenticity has set him apart from administrators before him and those who now surround him. His hope for UB is unbridled; his passion for progress is intertwined with development plans such as UB2020.

As the university welcomes a new leader, so does the city of Buffalo.

Humble Beginnings Tripathi’s path to the presidency began when he was just 4 years old.

He began attending a small family school in his native India, and walked two miles in each direction – barefoot – to get to his classes.

“I would say that [people] would have to look at some of these recent high profile events that show just how “We had, I would say, means to live and that was serious and devastating that [bullying] can be to kids,” good,” Tripathi said. “Money was not an issue but Continued on Page 6 600

Spectrum Bullying Survey 561

Key Yes No

508

500

Total Number of Answers (Out of 612 Surveys)

there was not plenty to do whatever you wanted.”

598

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123 98

100 36

Have you ever been bullied?

After attending Indian schools throughout his childhood, one of the happiest moments of his life was when he was named the top student in his graduating class at the college he attended in India.

The stage for a successful career in education was set.

Local Impact, Global Reach A brand new ideology inhabits the corner office on the fifth floor of Capen Hall: the man who is known for his intelligence, selflessness, and humility has reached the top tier of the university’s administration.

Tripathi appears intent to ignore the spotlight into which he has been thrust: he is a man who will unassumingly sit in a press conference with his hands clasped in his lap, who will wait in a line behind 15 students at the Starbucks in the Com-

“He appreciates the people around him,” said Beth Del Genio, Tripathi’s chief of staff. “He understands how hard they’re working, how smart they’re working, how important they are to the team – whether it’s the staff working around him or a dean or a vice president.”

Being the president of UB is about students, he said, not about the panache of the title.

“You make decisions for the institution, not for your own career,” Tripathi said. “I don’t think I ever thought about being a president, but the jobs come once you do a good job at a certain level.”

He is quick to assure others that the Inauguration Week celebrations are not for him, but to laude the university’s 165-year history.

His vision for UB – that the university should expand internationally and produce globally mindful students and faculty – is one that is rooted deeply in his own experiences.

Throughout his life, Tripathi has constantly been on the move. He left India to pursue a degree in statistics at the University of Toronto and then studied in Alberta, worked as a professor at the University of Maryland, and taught at the

Continued on Page 2

Robert Gates Speaks in Distinguished Speakers Series MADELEINE BURNS Senior News Editor

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“I think there was not explicit pressure but I would say there was implicit. There was a high expectation that I’d do well and go to a good school,” Tripathi said.

mons, who will not speak of his successes because he does not think it’s his place to evaluate himself.

Discusses U.S. in post-9/11 world, several wars

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One of seven children, Tripathi was raised primar-

ily by his mother and grandmother in a small village that had no electricity or running water. His family was in education; his father was a school principal.

Meg Kinsley /// The Spectrum

Have you ever thought about taking your own life because of bullying?

Do you think bullying is a major problem in the U.S.?

Is enough being done in the U.S. to educate young people on the effects of bullying?

The Spectrum surveyed 612 random students at UB to get their opinions on bullying and its effects. These are the results.

Three Cheers for M-E-N RACHEL KRAMER Staff Writer

Phil Phommala’s parents think he’s on the UB soccer team.

Actually, he’s a cheerleader.

Phommala, a senior geology major, started cheering a year and a half ago when another cheerleader spotted him break dancing in the Student Union. He says he hesitated at first, thinking it was a girls’ sport. But after throwing his first girl in the air, he knew that he had fallen in love with the sport.

All of the men on the team agree that compared to other sports they have played in the past – including basketball, football, track, soccer and wrestling – cheerleading takes the most athleticism. They say it is the most demanding sport of them all.

“With other teams they have an off season so they aren’t always working,” said Michael Sparks, first year graduate student in electrical engineering. “We cheer for football, basketball and when we aren’t cheering we are getting ready for nationals. So for us it’s like a whole year round thing. And even during the summer we go to camp.”

Across the nation, 97 percent of cheerleaders are female, but on the collegiate level, 50 percent are male, according to studies by Joel D. Balthaser. Yet still, the stigma lingers.

“I get a lot of crap from my friends, they always make fun of

Continued on Page 2

Weather for the Weekend: Friday: Showers - H: 68, L: 55 Saturday: Showers - H:66 L: 55 Sunday: Showers - H: 70, L: 57

As the UB Distinguished Speaker Series celebrates its 25th year, Robert Gates is celebrating a similar anniversary. After working more than 27 years at the top tiers of the United States government, Gates is retired and ready to talk.

Gates, the 22nd U.S. Secretary of Defense and former Central Intelligence Agency director, spoke Wednesday night in Alumni Arena. His lecture was the first in the 2011-12 UB Speaker Series, and was an official event of Inauguration Week.

He has served in various positions under eight different presidents and was the first Secretary of Defense to be asked to remain at the position when a newly-elected president took office.

“It’s a real pleasure to be here in Buffalo,” Gates said in his opening statements. “But then again, it’s a pleasure to be anywhere but Washington, D.C.” Gates’ lecture focused on serious policy issues, foreign and domestic, including the role of the U.S. in a post-9/11 world, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the threat of nuclear weaponry in Iran, and the economic power of China.

Gates encouraged those in attendance to never forget the lessons of history and to remember that there are no painless solutions. As Secretary of Defense, Gates cut $330 billion in “fatty” defense spending across 33 programs. He hopes that the Obama administration will not cut the muscle.

“The good news is that some balance and sense of propriety seems to be returning to the Homeland Security arena,” Gates said.

Regarding the war Afghanistan, Gates described a three-pronged strategy: to weaken the Taliban, to strengthen Afghan forces so that they are able to take control of their own security, and to keep al-Qaida and other terrorist groups out.

“These past two years, we finally got the strategy right,” Gates said. “We dedicated the necessary resources – civil and military – to achieve our objectives there.”

Gates explained that leaving Afghanistan again before the govern-

ment and the security forces are fully functional would be “unconscionable,” recalling the U.S. “abandonment” of said nation during the Cold War. “This war will always be tainted in the eyes of many, if not most Americans, for how and why it was launched. What we cannot do is let our frustration with the challenges and the costs of Afghanistan turn into a premature rush to the exits,” Gates said. “If the United States had left the country with our tail between our legs in early 2007, leaving chaos and carnage in our wake,

Continued on Page 2

He believes that the U.S. should not diminish its ability, or determination, to handle threats that arise. If threats are not dealt with swiftly, they will arise on our doorstep, according to Gates.

Referencing the attacks on Sept. 11, Gates emphasized that pursuing terrorists is a crucial tenet of American foreign policy. Gates also conceded that it is unrealistic to expect the U.S. government to be able to stop all future terrorist attacks in a nation of more than 300 million people.

“We can no more eliminate terrorism than we can eliminate crime,” Gates said. “It’s not the size and the lethality of the attacks but the psychological, economical, and political impact on us of their efforts.”

Robert Gates spoke at UB as the first Distinguished Speaker of the new school year.

Satsuki Aoi /// The Spectrum

I N S I D E Opinion * 3 Classifieds / Daily Delights * 7 Sports * 8

ubspectrum.com

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Continued from Page 1: Robert Gates Speaks in Distinguished Speakers Series

Continued from Page 1: The Path of Tripathi

it would have been a major win for al-Qaida and the ideology that attacked us on Sept. 11,” Gates said.

an attack on Iran would be, in my opinion, catastrophic.”

Unrest across the Middle East, in Tunisia, and in Egypt remains prevalent. As has been happening over the past nine months, the will and action for political freedom and social change must originate and occur internally, according to Gates.

“Whatever happens across the [Middle East] will play out over time and, frankly, there isn’t much outsiders can do to affect the outcome,” Gates said.

Gates also touched on the events surrounding recent reports by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that China will become the world’s dominant economy by 2016. Whether the U.S. and China will stay on friendly terms, and avoid political paralysis, depends on how leaders play their cards.

“If we treat China as an enemy, it is sure to become one,” Gates said.

Gates is convinced that Iran is developing nuclear capabilities. As the Iranian government becomes increasingly surrounded by nations who are moving forward with nuclear technology, Iran has determined ways to conceal the weapons in locations – such as underground – not yet found by U.S. intelligence.

He referenced that although China is both a partner and competitor, the relationship may be tainted by anti-foreigner campaigns that the Chinese government sponsors.

Before Dr. Gates took the stage in Alumni Arena, The Spectrum and Generation were allowed a brief interview with the former Secretary of State. Although each publication was allowed only five questions, Gates spoke with us frankly and with the calm collection for which he has become so well known.

Still, Gates does not support U.S. involvement in Iran. Although initial attacks could prove successful, as in Iraq, after several years the Iranian populace would turn against occupation and rally behind the government.

Continued from Page 1: Three Cheers for M-E-N me for it,” said Jared Weise, a junior psychology major who has been cheering since freshman year. “One of my friends would always make fun of me. I brought him out here and had him try it, and he couldn’t do it.

I take the criticism and turn it around. I like to prove them wrong and show them all it’s more than a girls’ sport.”

What the men do best is stunting. Stunting is the act of throwing a flyer into the air and then catching her with one or two hands. They believe that this is the part of cheering that shows off their athletic ability and strength.

No matter how much these men try, it’s difficult to persuade friends and family that the sport is, in fact, not only meant for girls. Phommala has yet to tell his parents of his role on the squad, he feels they wont understand why he chooses to cheer. “[My parents] think I’m on the soccer team. I play along with it, but all my siblings know I cheerlead. I guess I’m hesitant [to tell my parents] because they are old fashioned,” Phommala said. “It’s more of a fear because my parents are really old school where they want me in more manly sports than cheerleading.

They don’t really get the manly aspect of it. It’s like when I got my ears pierces or my tattoos, they called me gay and didn’t really talk to me, it’s more like just out of the ordinary [for them].”

Many people dismiss men’s strength as being something useful to cheerleading, or accuse all men who cheer of being gay. These men prove the stereotypes wrong.

“I know very few guy cheerleaders who are actually gay,” said Patrick Eck, a junior pre law major who has been cheering for three years.

It takes a large amount of confidence and masculinity to stand against the whispers of those who doubt them, according to Head Coach Amy Zabawa.

“Be true to who you are,” Zabawa said. “You have to be confident, you have to be willing to take a risk and the strong will survive.”

Zabawa was on the squad as a UB student when the team was composed of 10 females and 10 males, one of which ended up being her current husband.

Ten years ago, the athletics department asked the cheering couple to return to UB as coaches. Their main goal was to revive the coed aspects of the cheer program and get a larger male presence on the team. This year’s team is made up of 14 ladies and five men.

“Our first few years coaching we had 12 guys and eight girls,” Zabawa said.

“In years past, there has always been a stronger male presence. I think, in the past, we had guys who had a lot more friends who were willing to give it a shot. I think in this part of the country, [encouragement for male cheerleading is] not happening in the elementary or high school levels. I think that it’s harder in the northeast to get men to join the cheer team.”

University of California, Riverside before finding his way to UB in 2004 to serve as provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. He and his family have spent time in France and Germany, and his children were bilingual by the age of 8.

“I make a joke to some of my friends and I say, ‘If I didn’t really want to move anywhere, I would have stayed in my village,’” Tripathi said. “You’ve got to see the world and you’ve got to experience it. You’ve got to get out there.”

After more than seven years in the City of Good Neighbors, he and his wife consider Buffalo their home.

“No,” Tripathi said, when his hometown was mentioned. “We are Buffalonians.”

On the Job The only thing that is typical about Tripathi’s day is that he starts very early and ends very late.

Typically, the president will arrive at 8 a.m., endure a fully scheduled day of meetings, interviews, and activities on- and off-campus, before finally going home around 9 p.m.

Email: news@ubspectrum.com

“Iraq has a democracy and we can only hope that after all our, and their, sacrifices that they can keep it,” Gates said. “If you think [the Iraq war] was hard,

Friday, September 23, 2011

“It doesn’t seem to bother him if he doesn’t have even a minute or two to himself,” said Tracey H. Murphy, executive assistant to the president. “He is aware of everything that’s going on and he doesn’t get too frazzled about anything.”

Each day, the president receives more than 30 calls and hundreds of emails. Most often, he will respond personally to messages.

When he goes to outside events, Tripathi often prefers to drive himself to the location rather than make use of university drivers. He wants to “get in, get out, get done,” according to Murphy, so that he can get back to campus and back to work.

UB’s male cheerleaders are breaking barriers within their sport.

Spectrum File Photo

Besides Sparks, the other four males did not have cheerleading experience in high school. They were persuaded by fellow teammates to tryout and join the team.

Most recently, Weise recruited exercise science major Sam Greenblatt by bringing him to a cheer function knowing that the participation of more male cheerleaders is desired. The girls on the team did “an excellent job of talking him into joining,” according to Weise The men are proud at what they do and aren’t ashamed to continue cheering.

“I’m not afraid to tell people I’m a male cheerleader,” Eck said. “If people don’t think it’s funny, they think it’s really cool. You tell a girl and some girls think it’s hot. I think it’s something that most guys never really thought of putting themselves out there to do. Because I’m one of those guys who actually did it, people are always intrigued by what I do.”

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The president can often be found around the campus meeting with students and advisors, provosts, and deans that will help streamline communication between the president’s office and the student body.

“Unless you talk to students, you don’t get accurate feedback,” Tripathi said. “And that’s really an important part of the university.”

Often, Tripathi can be found in the Student Union grabbing lunch.

“He has a favorite sandwich at Tim Hortons,” said Tracey Murphy, executive assistant to the president.

“I don’t know what they call it but he calls it the ‘Beth Sandwich’ because that’s what Beth [Del Genio] usually gets.”

Around the office, the president is known as a learner: he has an insatiable thirst for knowledge and information. He surrounds himself with interesting people, timely research, and new information constantly.

“It’s always interesting to work with someone who is incredibly thoughtful and incredibly engaged,” Del Genio said. “When you work with someone who has those particular qualities, what happens is that your game has to be elevated, as well. What I find is that he brings out the best in people around him.”

Beyond the Presidency Tripathi has been married to his wife, Kamlesh, for 41 years and the pair has two adult sons, Manish and Aashish.

He met Kamlesh on the day of the wedding – theirs was an arranged marriage.

Although his family had been introduced to his bride prior to the union, Tripathi was left alone in his anxiety; the flurry of excitement he felt in the hours before he met Kamlesh are feelings that “are hard to write down in language.”

“I think we grew up together and that was really the best part,” Tripathi said. “She was 17 and I was 19 and you don’t have preconceived notions of things – you just sort of learn it together.”

Although Tripathi will no longer admit to rooting for any team other than the Bulls, his sons recall going to Redskins, University of Maryland, and Orioles games in their youth.

“I used to ask him, “Did you play cricket when you were growing up in India?” and he’d say yes but when you probe him on it, he actually was the guy who was like the umpire,” said Manish, laughing. “He follows sports but he’s not a very good athlete himself – he tries. I think we’ve kind of taught him how to throw a football and he kind of can shoot a basketball.”

Despite his background in computer science and engineering, and his penchant for sports, Tripathi has a soft spot for the arts and Buffalo culture. He and his wife hold season tickets to Shea’s Performing Arts Center and hope to attend every performance this year.

“At the university I went to, there was a very strong classical music program, as well,” Tripathi said.

“My wife loves to listen. Manish has learned Indian drums. So, we had music in the house all the time. It completes you, it relaxes you.”

While Tripathi recalls pressure from his parents to succeed academically, he has not pushed his sons in any direction except for forward.

“I sort of felt like I could explore whatever major and do what I liked as opposed to having any pressure [from my dad] to be a scientist or be a doctor or be a lawyer or anything,” said Aasish, 32. “I think at that point you kind of start making the decisions you want. I’m happy now and I think that is a result of that independence.”

Email: news@ubspectrum.com

Opinion

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Friday, September 23, 2011

EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF Matthew Parrino SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR James Twigg EDITORIAL EDITOR James Bowe

Born This Way

Teen Commits Suicide After Homophobic Bullying On May 4, 2011, Jamey Rodemeyer posted a video on YouTube as part of the “It gets better” project. He spoke of the acceptance from his friends, and the hope that he felt from strangers supporting him over the Internet.

NEWS EDITORS Madeleine Burns, senior Rebecca Bratek Steven Wrobel ARTS EDITORS Jameson Butler, senior Vanessa Frith Nicolas Pino Edward Benoit, asst.

In hindsight, it seems like he was trying to convince himself.

LIFE EDITORS Akari Iburi, senior Hannah Barnes Keren Baruch, asst.

Veronica Ritter, asst.

Rodemeyer was a victim of venomous bullying from his classmates after he came out of the closet. An anonymous post on his Formspring account, which allows anonymous posting, read “JAMIE IS STUPID, GAY, FAT ANND [sic] UGLY. HE MUST DIE!" Another comment reads, “I wouldn’t care if you died.”

SPORTS EDITORS Aaron Mansfield, senior Brian Josephs Scott Resnick, asst.

Andreius Coleman, asst.

Rodemeyer received support from friends and family, but his school didn’t support him in the same way. His parents said they had gone to the school in the past, and Jamey himself sought out counseling.

PHOTO EDITORS Meg Kinsley, senior Troi Williams Nyeri Moulterie Alexa Strudler Satsuki Aoi

Middle school began to get better for him as his fellow students became more accepting of him, but moving up to Williamsville North High School brought a whole new set of peers. Guidance counselors from the middle schools meet at the beginning of the new school year to identify at-risk students, but they do not regularly check online posts of troubled students.

COPY EDITOR Edward Benoit CARTOONIST Patrick Boyle

PROFESSIONAL STAFF OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Helene Polley ADVERTISING MANAGER Andrew Angeles CREATIVE DESIGNERS Nicole Manzo Aline Kobayashi ADVERTISING DESIGNER Aline Kobayashi The views expressed – both written and graphic – in the Feedback, Opinion, and Perspectives sections of The Spectrum do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Submit contributions for these pages to The Spectrum office at Suite 132 Student Union or news@ubspectrum.com. The Spectrum reserves the right to edit these pieces for style and length. If a letter is not meant for publication please mark it as such. All submissions must include the author’s name, daytime phone number, and email address.

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On Saturday he posted the lyrics “Don’t forget me when I come crying to heaven’s door” on his Facebook page. Early Sunday morning he posted on his Tumblr blog that he wanted to visit his deceased greatgrandmother, and a thank you to his idol Lady Gaga.

Later that day, he was found dead outside his home after apparently committing suicide. His bullies had their twisted wish granted.

His death has brought the issue of school bullying back to the front of the nation’s mind, especially for gay and lesbian youth.

It’s time that bullying on this scale be treated as a crime. The government defines hate speech as “Speech that advocates or encourages violent acts or crimes of hate.” Clearly this definition applies to a group of people encouraging someone to kill themselves because they’re gay.

Police are considering pressing charges for aggravated harassment, but in this light they should consider this a hate crime.

Blame should not be solely placed on Rodemeyer’s tormentors. While their actions were completely unjustified, the school either did not or could not take proper mea-

To a modern teenager, however, this is not a great solution. While an adult might be able to ignore social media, teenagers feel a sense of connection to their peers through social media. Suicidal people already feel isolated, and not having a Facebook page would only increase that sense of isolation. Especially when you consider that kids are now growing up completely immersed in social media.

Parents need to become savvier about the Internet as well. While it may be embarrassing, parents need to monitor their child’s activity on the Internet. People often put on their bravest face to family and friends right before committing suicide, and parents can use the warning signs and cries for help on social media that they wouldn’t see normally to help get the next level of help.

Students who knew him needed to report his behavior to someone as well. This goes back to education. If students know the warning signs and know who to call, they can become the front line in preventing this from happening again.

If Williamsville North can’t handle the number of students they have, they should consider hiring more staff. A more personal approach may have helped Rodemeyer.

Many, including Rodemeyer’s idol Lady Gaga, are calling for legislation to combat bullying. Putting a law in place to make bullying illegal would be nearly impossible to enforce. First, one would have to define exactly what bullying is, and trying to define this vague term may cause difficulties. The potential law would also not take into account that the people who are doing the bullying are disturbed people themselves and may be getting bullied by others.

Any law that comes out of this tragedy should be focused on school programs to prevent bullying, helping students who are being bullied, and should be properly funded to ensure that the program gets implemented properly.

We have a simple choice in this nation. We can take the easy way out and just chalk this up to simple schoolyard bullying, or we can take action. We should not stand by while our children suffer in silence and die in anguish and terror.

If you or anyone you know is considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.

Can’t Understand Why MATTHEW PARRINO Editor in Chief

It’s been a while since something really affected me emotionally. Working in journalism sort of numbs you to the horrible things that can happen in the world.

When I first read about the death of Jamey Rodemeyer, I struggled to hold back tears. To think that a 14-year-old boy felt he had no other way out or a way from bullies other than taking his life truly pained my heart.

I literally can’t stomach that we live in a culture where people torment others to the point of suicide. That peer pressure and close-minded attitudes rule in the hallways of high schools across the country.

I went to Williamsville North High School for a portion of my high school years, and I didn’t last very long. I couldn’t deal with any more after only three short month, and looked elsewhere to finish my education.

While enrolled at North, I did meet many nice people – my wife actually went to school there even though we didn’t meet until many years after we had both left. I still have friends to this day that went to school there and enjoyed their time there. But I wasn’t in the least bit surprised when I found out Jamey went to North.

The school – at least when I attended – seemed very segregated, and if you didn’t fit into a section of the accepted groups, I could only imagine the kind of treatment kids received. I didn’t stick around long enough to find out just how bad things could get.

I am a heterosexual male and I have absolutely no idea what it would be like to battle through the coming out process, but I can imagine how much harder it would be

with a group of my peers making me hate myself for it.

The teenagers that drove Jamey to suicide have his blood on their hands, and that’s something that can never be undone.

If this horrible tragedy doesn’t prove beyond a reasonable doubt that being gay or bisexual is not a choice, I really can’t fathom what would. A child killing himself to get away from a “choice” doesn’t make a bit of sense.

To borrow a quote from Jamey’s inspiration and hero while on this earth, Lady GaGa, “You Were Born This Way.” If everyone in America could learn to accept people for who they are, this sort of behavior would cease to exist.

The courage that this boy showed throughout his life is a testament to him, his friends, and a family that must be reeling and overwhelmed with sadness.

We can’t keep allowing this to happen to the youth of this country. We can’t continue to let kids believe that treating others with hate is acceptable. Parents have to be better, schools have to be better, and society has to be better.

We can’t afford to lose any more Jamey Rodemeyers. He had too much to give and too much life left to live.

Email: matthew.parrino@ubspectrum.com

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The Tragedy of Troy BRIAN JOSEPHS Sports Editor

sures to care for Rodemeyer. The school claims it couldn’t monitor all its troubled students’ social media sites, so it simply tell students to not have them at all.

Maybe they should have.

WEB EDITOR Matthew Parrino

Page 3

First of all, I have to say that I hate playing the race card. But I was thinking the same thing millions of AfricanAmericans were thinking at 11:08 p.m. on Wednesday night.

Another black man has just become a victim of the law.

For the longest time, African-Americans and the judicial system were at odds.

Sean Bell’s 2007 shooting, Amadou Diallo’s 1999 shooting, and the 1991 Rodney King beating in Los Angeles were all examples. In all three cases, the victims’ families got the short end of the stick as the policemen involved got off nearly scot free.

The prosecutors did not have the reliable evidence needed to sentence Troy Davis to death. Seven of the nine witnesses recanted their testimonies.

One of the witness was illiterate, which means that there is no way he could have been able to understand the police statements he signed at the time of the murder.

Perhaps what draws even more attention to the perceived racism is the Casey Anthony trial last summer. Americans pointed their fingers at Anthony for the death of her daughter. But reasonably enough, the 22-year-old was found not guilty because of the lack of evidence.

So once again, members of the black community found another reason to be outraged. Davis is supposedly another entry in the growing list of injustices America committed against the impoverished minority.

But, did the nation really take notice of Davis’ execution? Will his wrongful death inspire change?

No, and I can’t say we (and by “we” I mean African-Americans) care enough to incite change.

I rarely hear any of my friends, coworkers, extended Facebook family, or any one I’m associated with talk about racial injustices. We are all well aware of them, but we accept these flaws as a norm in society.

Hell, we even joke about them frequently.

Yet, the second a tragedy like this happens everyone gets up in arms and nothing is done.

Instead, we get on Facebook, post some Martin Luther King, Jr. quote or complaint for our status updates and then carry on with our college careers.

Within a few days, our next conversation would be about how hard life is because of that quiz next week.

It is this sort of apathy that continues to allow social injustice to continue to occur. We’re too content with the schism between African-Americans and the law, the racial stereotypes, and imminent threat of poverty.

And then we get shocked when the next tragedy happens.

It’s a cycle.

A friend of mine gave some advice in response to the backlash from the execution.

He said that if we want things to change, we must break something.

Take a break from your usual business and take action. If we’re really angry we should be petitioning or even protesting in the streets, as it is our legal right to do so. The luxury of social networking should not be confused with literally taking action.

Another thing that must be broken is our educational expectations. Don’t become reliant on others for education.

Educate yourselves. If you’re going to pretend to be passionate about something, at least be knowledgeable about it. Davis’ fate was beyond President Obama’s control, so why place the blame on him?

I’m not saying to be some sort of violent radical. But don’t cry for change if you’re not inciting it. The men in power aren’t going to change society, so that shift must come from us.

Email: brian.josephs @ubspectrum.com

ubspectrum.com

Page 4

Friday, September 23, 2011

UB Rolls in the Dough

Continued from Page 8: A Chance for Revenge Quinn said this week presents the ideal chance for his team to bounce back and prove they’re different this year, as the squad takes on a powerful Big East opponent that has had Buffalo’s number the past few years.

One thing that’s different this year is Buffalo’s play under center. Senior quarterback Chazz Anderson threw for 149 yards and a touchdown on 13-23 passing last week. He also ran for 59 yards and a touchdown.

Anderson and Oliver have combined to give the Bulls a newfound balance on offense.

“With Chazz, the line has more confidence, the receivers have more confidence, the running backs have more confidence,” Neutz said. “With our more balanced offense, it allows us to expand our playbook. With [Oliver] being able to run downhill and get outside, he’s a two-way player. And he can catch the ball out of the backfield, so he’s really a triple threat. That opens up our passing game with the play action plays, and it allows us to expand the field a lot better.”

It’s no secret that the Bulls will need to improve their run defense if they plan on defeating the Huskies. UConn’s primary star is running back Lyle McCombs, who has gone off for 327 yards and four touchdowns so far this year.

Opponents have rushed for an average of 194.7 yards per game on the Bulls this season.

The $40 Million donation will go toward getting the best teachers for the medical school.

REBECCA BRATEK News Editor On Wednesday, Sept. 21, UB announced the largest donation by a single person in the 165-year history of the university: $40 million from a mystery donor that will benefit the medical school.

Mon-Thurs (11am-9:45pm) Fri & Sat (til 10:45) Call In Dine In Take Out Catering Lunch Specials Patties

The donor, who wished to remain anonymous, received his medical degree from UB’s medical school during the Second World War. Now deceased, the donor spent his entire career investing in hopes that one day he could give back to the school he adored.

According to friends of the donor, he knew from a very early age that he wanted to become a physician because of the impression that a country doctor had made while treating him for a childhood illness.

When it came time for medical school, he only applied to UB. “The day I received the letter of acceptance to the UB medical school was the happiest day of my life,” he told friends. “Becoming a doctor was my life-long dream.”

UB President Satish K. Tripathi said that the accomplishment of attracting a gift of such large proportions is not only a testament to the excellence and accomplishments the medical school has achieved, but also a strong component in building the foundation to continue such excellence in

Courtesy of Douglas Levere education, research, and clinical care.

“Generosity and devotion to UB have a truly transformational impact,” Tripathi said. “Not only on our university and our students for generations to come, but also in terms of a stronger, healthier community we are able to build as a result, here in Western New York and around the world.”

As UB announced last spring, plans have been made to move the medical school from the South Campus to the Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus in downtown Buffalo within the next five years.

But, the donation will not be used for construction costs.

Rather, the gift will be used to continue the school’s excellence and bring in “top-notch” scientists and physicians to ensure students have access to a world-class medical education.

The donor arranged for his gift to be left as a bequest to be used for the priorities of UB’s medical school dean. According to Michael E. Cain, the current dean of the medical school and vice president for health sciences, hiring new faculty would support the growth of the school’s medical programs and research.

“Rarely will a university, its supporters, and the community have the opportunity to build a new medical school. But the plan is about so much more than bricks

and mortar,” Cain said. “While the arrival of bulldozers will symbolize construction of the new school, it will be the arrival of new chairs, faculty, and renowned experts that will signal academic progress.

After the walls are secured, the lecture halls equipped, and the ribbon cut, it will be these faculty members and their students who will ensure the school continues to achieve excellence in everything it does.”

UB hopes to bring in 100 new faculty members by the time the medical school opens its doors.

These faculty members, acquired from all corners of the globe, will attract the brightest students to Buffalo who will, in turn, learn to provide the best health care to Western New York and beyond, according to Cain.

The $40 million gift will continue the visions the donor, among many others, has for the university: recognizing UB’s promise as a premier, world-class university and a prime component in making the Buffalo and world communities stronger.

“This gift arrives at a time of great momentum,” Tripathi said. “As we prepare to move forward with plans of moving the medical school to the Buffalo-Niagara medical campus, the donor’s generosity will serve to fill the heart and soul of that school.”

Quinn said the team needs to be more disciplined, and the players need to tackle better when they do wind up in the right position.

“We need to stop people from running the ball,” Quinn said. “I know [we’re] not pleased with our run defense right now.”

Quinn said the Bulls tried to mimic UConn’s playing style this offseason, as Buffalo tried to bulk up and get stronger. He said the Huskies are a typical oversized, powerful Big East team.

The Bulls will find out this weekend if they truly are a different team this year.

“I think it’s going to be a good test for us to see where we stand as a program, to see if we’re ready to take the next step,” Neutz said.

The Bulls hung tough with UConn last year, as the teams were evenly matched in yardage; the Bulls put up 368 yards to Connecticut’s 399. The primary difference was the turnover battle, as the Bulls coughed up the ball four times, while UConn only tossed one interception.

Quinn stressed that the Bulls are better this year specifically in the turnover category.

With the team’s differences in 2011, Quinn expects better effort and ultimately a win this weekend.

“I don’t want a football team that doesn’t play inspired football,” Quinn said.

“It’s too great of a game and we work too doggone hard. We know we can do it. We just need to do it from play one to the last play.”

Email: sports@ubspectrum.com

Email: news@ubspectrum.com

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Page 6

Friday, September 23, 2011

Continued from Page 1: No H8: Youth suicide Raises Awareness on Bullying said Amanda Nickerson, the director of the Jean M. Alberti Center for the Prevention of Bullying Abuse and School Violence.

“Certainly not all kids or even most kids that are bullied are going to go on and take their own lives. But it’s highly likely that someone who’s bullied, especially repeatedly over time, is going to be more likely to be depressed, lonely, anxious. They’re going to want to avoid school and social situations; those are very common occurrences for kids who are bullied,” Nickerson said.

Have you ever been bullied?

No 48.7%

Out of 612 UB students that The Spectrum surveyed on Thursday, 51.3 percent said they have experienced bullying.

“I heard about the Jamey situation on the radio through a couple of stations,” said Clay Reeb, a junior communication major. “I think it’s pretty terrible what happened, kids shouldn’t be doing that, it’s pretty bad…[Jamey] probably got bullied a lot and [was] pushed too far. Other kids didn’t understand how much it hurt him.”

Of the students surveyed, 83.8 percent of UB students think that bullying is a major problem amongst young people in the U.S. Being bullied was a daily routine for Rodemeyer. He was constantly harassed in school and confronted by his peers for being different. He used the Internet as a method of escape to voice his pain and frustrations through blogs and social networks. But it served as a convenient outlet for the bullies to follow him to his computer screen and taunt him in his own home.

After coming out and being honest about his bisexuality in December 2010, Rodemeyer made a Formspring account, a website allowing people to anonymously post questions and answers to his site. Social networks such as this and Facebook gave bullies the opportunity to attack Rodemeyer from all angles. About half of young people have experienced some form of cyber bullying, and 10 to 20 percent experience it regularly according to statistics from the Cyberbullying Research Center.

“Parents are truly clueless to the extent of cyber bullying,” said Victoria Palmisano, clinical assistant professor in the department of Counseling, School, and Do you think bullying is a major Educational Psyproblem in the U.S.? chology at UB.

No 16.2%

Yes 83.8%

“The average teenager sends out more than 2,000 texts per month. Unlike bullying at school, bullying online can happen at any time of day and can follow kids into previously safe spaces, like their homes or bedrooms,” Palmisano said.

Yes 51.3%

Anonymous posts like, “JAMIE [sic] IS STUPID, GAY, FAT ANND [sic] UGLY. HE MUST DIE!” piled on his page while friends and supporters tried contrasting the hateful comments with words of encouragement.

“I definitely think that the effects of bullying are just so detrimental to our society and bullying is taking a new face,” said Active Minds CoPresident Rachel Gaydosh, a junior psychology major. “It used to just be face to face, it used to be personal. Now, with technology, things are getting more complicated. It’s important to take a more proactive stance on bullying.”

Over 25 percent of adolescents and teens have been repeatedly bullied through their cell phones or the Internet, according to statistics from the i-SAFE foundation.

Gaydosh explained that her 14-year-old sister said that it’s sometimes difficult to decipher the difference between bullying and what is simply a joke. Mai said that there are different dynamics to bullying as well.

“People just think bullying is just picking on someone, torturing them face to face but there are so many types of bullying,

“If you do not confront prejudice you condone it,” said Peter Williams former treasurer of Active Minds. “Consider reaching out and just talking to someone that you don’t know, this is your life this is their life, I think it’s sometimes too easy these days to rely on the social network to be social.”

sometimes people don’t know they’re a bully until you confront them,” Mai said.

Peter Williams, a first year graduate student in mental health counseling and former treasurer of Active Minds, would agree with Gaydosh’s sister. He explained the casual use of the word ‘gay,’ and how its misuse should be identified.

“If you do not confront prejudice you condone it,” Williams said.

“Consider reaching out and just talking to someone that you don’t know, this is your life this is their life, I think it’s sometimes too easy these days to rely on the social network to be social.”

Rodemeyer’s death has made national news, drawing attention from the likes of Anderson Cooper, ABC News, and even Lady Gaga.

The sensational pop icon was a tremendous influence in Rodemeyer’s life. In a video he posted in May for the It Gets Better Project, a program dedicated to supporting the young LGBT community, Rodemeyer quoted Gaga stating proudly that he was “born this way.”

On her twitter account, Gaga stated, “Jamey Rodemeyer, 14 yrs old, took his life because of bullying... Bullying must become be [sic] illegal. It is a hate crime.”

Of the UB students surveyed, 79.4 percent believe that the U.S. as a whole is not doing enough to educate about bullying.

Have you ever thought about taking your life because of bullying?

Yes 6%

No 94%

“I think there needs to be a lot more education, bullying needs to be tackled in some way, I think the school system needs to be more proactive at what they’re doing… it’s such a shame that such a beautiful young boy is dead now because [of bullying],” Gaydosh said.

Kylie Coogan, a freshman undecided major, believes that more could have been done to prevent Rodemeyer’s tragedy.

“I think it’s horrible, it’s so sad. I don’t get how people didn’t see an issue or a problem and didn’t try to help,” Coogan said.

“It definitely could have been prevented. By the way he was talking, I think if anyone stepped in they could have helped him.”

Gaga is not alone in advocating the illegalization of bullying.

However, steps have already been taken to enforce the end of bullying, according to Nickerson.

“I think a lot of people don’t know that we have a law, the Dignity for All Students Act, that has been passed and goes into effect July 1, 2012, and that prohibits intimidation and harassment,” Nickerson said. “[The law] relates to public schools on the basis of all sorts of different characteristics; race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, [and] weight.”

Palmisano is also educating those about bullying from her clinical office located across the street from Williamsville North High School. As a passionate educator, she is proactively serving the community.

“Being an educator, I need to teach my students how to meet the immediate needs of their students and clients. As a clinician, I need to find ways to empower my bullied clients and help them discover their self Is enough being done in the U.S. to educate worth,” Palmisano young people on the effects of bullying? said. “As a neighbor in the community I need to be aware and not ignore the pain No and suffering around 79.4% me.”

Email: features@ ubspectrum.com

Yes 20.6%

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ubspectrum.com

Friday, September 23, 2011

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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

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 FROM UNIVERSAL UCLICK

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- You may be unusually optimistic, but that doesn't mean that you aren't prepared for negative developments.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Don't let yourself become too reactive when things happen that are not a part of your overall game plan.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Don't take things personally when. The things that are said have nothing whatsoever to do with you -- directly.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Don't be tempted to walk away from your work before you have made headway in all areas -- which is possible, if you prioritize.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Opinions must be expressed or you'll find that no one is willing to put his or her ideas on the line.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- Do you feel as though you are not on solid ground? It may be that you have overreached, putting a current project at CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- You risk. may be going through a difficult time either at home or at the workplace, but TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- You can get your work done and still enjoy your patience and understanding can the social opportunities afforded you -win the day. but don't misinterpret certain signs.

46 Fish with an elongated body 50 Thrilled no end 52 Slap the cuffs on 54 Three-time heavyweight boxing champ 55 Old Ford 56 Dancer at the chess match?

60Chaney with a thousand faces 61 Buffalo-to-Rochester dir.

62 Hangman turn 63 Rat Pack member at the chess match?

68 Johnson of "Laugh-In" fame 69 Wilderness photographer Adams 70 Range bordering Asia 71 Wiener schnitzel ingredient 72 Rough and grating 73 Continental capital?

74 Causes an unearned run

DOWN 1 Acknowledge reluctantly 2 Baltimore team 3 Shelves over fireplaces 4 One in a buffet stack 5 300, to Tiberius 6 "Pay" or "Motor" ending 7 Island off Greece 8 Sun-dried brick 9 Opponent 10 Home planet of a Robin Williams character 11 Invention of new words 12 Bugged 13 Lumberjacks 19 Told whoppers 21 Display at the Getty 25 Prison exercise area 26 Earthshaking event 27 Versifier Ogden 32 Volleyball court dividers

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- An issue that caused you problems in the past may rear its ugly head unexpectedly, causing you to revisit a difficult time.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- You are wellequipped to handle the unexpected. You may find that you can even handle more authority with grace and efficiency.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- You're nearing the finish line, and you have plenty of energy left to challenge the front-runner. You could possibly score a victory.

Sudoku

Edited by Timothy E. Parker September 23, 2011 CHESS STARS By Ellsworth Parks ACROSS 1 Give at no charge, as a hotel room 5 ___-Cola 9 The "f" in f-stop 14 Kind of thermometer 15 Dummkopf 16 College town on the Penobscot River 17 Ship of Columbus 18 Singer at the chess match?

20 Word after "terra" 22 They enforce anti-piracy laws 23 It has egg on the side?

24 Writer at the chess match?

28 Sailor's "yes" 29 Ruby of "Do the Right Thing" 30 Crossed Greek letter 31 Fight-or-flight response generator 33 Latin 101 verb 35 Surprise bust 38 Bird feeder bits 39 Actor at the chess match?

42 Storybook elephant 45 Wax-coated appetizer

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- You have only a limited amount of time to get things done in your own way. A great deal depends on originality. Use the time wisely.

34 Coup d'___ (rebellion) 36 Hoosier State (Abbr.)

37 Keaton of "The First Wives' Club" 40 "... __ saw Elba" 41 Auto financing co.

42 Sylvia Plath novel (with "The") 43 Pennsylvania railroad center 44 Naughtiness 47 One at a wedding reception 48 Outstanding athlete 49 Some locomotives 51 Three, in Munich 53 Use paper or plastic?

57 Follow as a consequence 58 India's first prime minister 59 Urbane 64 Nope's opposite 65 Nellie who circled the world 66 Rowboat propeller 67 Arafat's org.

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Sports Page 8

Friday, September 23, 2011

ubspectrum.com

Scouting UConn

Bullying in Sports – an Athlete’s Apology AARON MANSFIELD Senior Sports Editor

Early Monday morning, 14-year-old Jamey Rodemeyer of Williamsville was found dead in his front yard. He committed suicide after being constantly bullied because he was struggling with his sexuality.

The typical “athletes bully outcasts” stereotype has existed seemingly forever thanks to Hollywood. I played varsity basketball all four years of high school, and thus, I hung out with the athletes throughout high school.

When I was Jamey’s age, I was unquestionably the joke of the team. I was the shortest kid on the squad and I had a baby face. The team called me “cuddle bear” and I was clearly the “little kid” on the team.

Still, my teammates protected me like I was their little brother. They would go after anyone who messed with me.

I didn’t have to worry about anything because I had my teammates.

The same can’t be said for “the outcasts” – the kids who don’t fit in with the “normal” crowd because someone has deemed that they’re “different” in some aspect. Anyone who’s considered too fat, skinny, gay, awkward, or ugly – anything that stands out from the norm.

Naturally, the athletes picked on the kids who didn’t really fit in. As the baby of the team, I wasn’t going to stand up and tell the veterans to leave someone alone.

But as time went on, I became one of the leaders of the team. I was a captain my senior year. Still, I sat back and didn’t say anything.

A Chance for Revenge

Bulls take on Huskies in homecoming game

The Bulls look to avenge their previous two losses to UConn this Saturday at homecoming.

AARON MANSFIELD Senior Sports Editor Much was made last week of Ball State’s continued disdain for Buffalo since the 2008 Bulls defeated the Cardinals in the Mid-American Conference championship.

Ball State got its revenge with an emotional 28-25 victory on Saturday. This week, on homecoming weekend, the Bulls look to enact revenge against their own rival: Connecticut.

Only five players remain from the 2008 Bulls team that lost in the International Bowl, but the school’s dislike for UConn remains to this day. It’s been nearly three years; the memory of that 38-20 loss still sits in Buffalo’s stomach.

A year ago, the Bulls faced the Huskies in a week three showdown of two 1-2 teams. The Bulls dropped that contest 45-21.

This year, the records are the same, but the Bulls claim they’re different.

My high school really tried to stop us.

“If you look at all the things from a year ago at this time, we’re a Our star center was suspended from school better football team,” said head for picking on a kid who was socially awkward. Our power forward was suspended for sexually harassing a girl in his class.

Our defensive specialist was kicked out of school for getting in trouble with the law.

coach Jeff Quinn. “We know we have the capability of [winning], and now what we need to do is keep our mindset locked in for four quarters and play with superior effort to our opposition.”

The Bulls did not play four quarters of football last week. Buffalo jumped out to a 7-0 lead against Ball State, but the Bulls didn’t achieve a first down on their next seven possessions. Buffalo went into the locker room at halftime trailing 21-7.

That’s when the Bulls showed their resiliency. Sophomore running back Branden Oliver, who finished with 118 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries, led the Bulls to three straight touchdowns.

Last year against UConn, Oliver carried the ball 20 times for just 29 yards.

Quinn said the team had a firedup discussion at half time and the Bulls responded. He added that he didn’t think the team would’ve been able to mount the comeback a year ago – pulling off 18 points and taking the lead on the road.

Alexa Strudler /// The Spectrum “As you saw, once we got started there was no looking back,” said sophomore wide receiver Alex Neutz. “After we got in the locker room at half time and coach Quinn fired us up, we realized that we are a different team.

We’re better than this. We need to play better than this. When we play [like we did in the second half], no team in the country can stop us.”

Unfortunately for Buffalo, the defense couldn’t seal the victory.

Ball State pulled off a prolific six-minute drive – which included two backbreaking fourth-down conversions – capped by a fouryard touchdown pass.

“Our kids did not make excuses,” Quinn said. “They know that we let one slip through our fingers.

I tell them all the time, ‘I don’t want a bunch of thin-skinned people around me.’”

We won our conference championship and the state championship. We were getting the school publicity. Television stations and newspapers learned about my school. We could do whatever we wanted.

So we carried on with our stunts and pranks and endless teasing. We even got in trouble for messing with our assistant coach. He was a fantastic coach and he had experience, but when he ran practice by himself, we literally formed a bully circle and pushed him around. Granted, we were joking. But that’s all it ever was.

Jokes.

We didn’t think we were really hurting anyone. I’m sure the kids who bullied Jamey didn’t think they were seriously ruining his life.

Thankfully, my team never drove someone to the point of suicide, but the squad certainly wasn’t a grouping of the most caring kids in the world. We had each other’s backs – and that’s it. Anyone else was off limits. If you didn’t fit in, we might have messed with you.

So here it is, the point of this column. To people who are bullied everywhere:

Background There seems to never be a dull moment when Rampage is involved in a main event. What started as two elite light heavyweights with a shared hatred for “Suga” Rashad Evans has turned into a heated showdown with more than enough drama to make UFC 135 a must-see pay-per-view.

Rampage has accused Jones’ camp of planting a spy within Jackson’s camp. Jones claims that this is just Jackson playing mind games and that those childish tactics won’t work. Rampage has vowed to “destroy” Jones and hand him his first legit defeat in the octagon.

R.I.P. Jamey.

Paws up forever.

Email: aaron.mansfield @ubspectrum.com

The legendary Hughes was all set to take on Ultimate Fighter Season 1 winner Diego Sanchez at this event, but The Dream was forced to pull out due to injury. Enter Koscheck, who is making his first appearance since losing to the Welterweight Champion George St. Pierre. GSP dominated the former Buffalo Bulls wrestling coach and did so much damage with his lethal jab that Koscheck left the octagon with a broken orbital bone.

Hughes is coming off a quick knockout loss to B.J. Penn after winning his previous three fights. The end of the line has to be coming soon for Hughes, but he’d like to take out Koscheck before it does.

Coming off the most impressive win of his career, Jones is one of the most dangerous and talented fighters in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts.

His versatility and quickness was on full display when he took Mauricio “Shogun” Rua’s title in March.

Matt Hughes’ standup has never been his strong suit, but in recent fights he has started to look somewhat proficient on the feet. The problem facing Hughes in this fight is that Koscheck is better both in the standup and even grappling at this stage of both fighters’ careers.

If Hughes can get Koscheck down, nobody can dispute how deadly the former champion is on top.

Hughes’ still has the heart to beat most, but the question remains if father time has passed him by.

Koscheck Argument

Jackson Argument

On behalf of athletes everywhere, I’m sorry. I may never have taunted you, but I never stopped my friends. You deserve to be treated as well as anyone on any sports team anywhere.

Just know that no matter who you are, no matter what you look like, no matter what choices you make, you are incredible; and no one has the right to tell you otherwise.

Background

Hughes Argument

I’m sorry.

We are no better than you and I never thought we were. No one apologized soon enough to save Jamey.

Co-Main Event – Welterweight Division Matt Hughes vs Josh Koscheck

Jones Argument

Jones is a matchup problem for every fighter he faces because of his unorthodox style and elite takedown ability. When you’re on your back against Jones, it usually isn’t long before you’re either knocked out or the referee is dragging the champ off you. In fact, Jones ranks third in the UFC with a takedown success rate of 72 percent.

heavyweight champion.

Rampage is one of the most successful light heavyweights in the history of the sport. Since entering the UFC in 2007, he has only lost twice – both by decision (Evans and Forrest Griffin) – and he is the former light

Jackson has top level standup and he is going to need it if he is going to knock out Jones like he claims he will. In most fights, Jackson would have the wrestling advantage, but not against the champion. Rampage will look to keep the fight standing up and try to knock Jones out.

Prediction Although Rampage seems to be motivated for this fight, I think Jones is at the top of his game and just entering the prime of his career. Jones TKO in round two.

Last Meeting: September 25, 2010 UConn 45, Buffalo 21

haired welterweight.

All-Time Series: UConn leads Buffalo, 14-4

Three Huskies to watch: RB Lyle McCombs: The Huskies were propelled by a powerful run game last season and this year looks to be more of the same. McCombs has rushed for 327 yards so far with an average of 4.4 yards per rush. He also leads the team with four touchdowns. McCombs posted a poor 50-yard performance in last week’s game against Iowa, but Buffalo would be wise to take his first two games into consideration.

LB Sio Moore: Moore will provide the Bulls’ pass protection

Continued on Page 4 with its biggest test this season. Moore’s 3.5 sacks this season

MATTHEW PARRINO Editor in Chief

Main Event – Light Heavyweight Championship Jon “Bones” Jones (c) defending against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson

2010 Record: 8-5 (5-2 Big East Conference)

Buffalo had a 25-21 advantage.

The Bulls would win if the defense could step up and make a big stop.

UFC 135 Preview

The school couldn’t stop us. In our minds, we were a unit, we were the athletes, and we were untouchable. And unfortunately for the school, we were right.

Current Record: 1-2

Nothing is more disheartening in the sport of MMA for a fighter than getting the long-awaited title shot, only to turn in a dud performance. Koscheck got manhandled against St. Pierre and that came after a lot of trash talk by the blond-

have him tied for fifth in the nation. The redshirt junior also has 4.5 tackles for a combined loss of 22 yards. The offensive line needs to be on its game if it wants to stop this threat.

LB Jory Johnson: Johnson is on the road to a breakout season. He’s snagged one interception in each of the last two games and leads the team with 29 tackles. His coverage ability, combined with Moore’s intimidating presence, will be sure to test Buffalo’s offensive cohesion.

The Bulls win if… They force mistakes and limit their own.

Buffalo dropped two winnable games because of crucial mistakes like dropped passes and missed extra point opportunities.

At the same time, Buffalo ended up forcing three turnovers in its win against Stony Brook and none in its loss to Ball State.

UConn’s passing game leaves a lot to be desired, and if Buffalo takes advantage of the Huskies’ inadequacies with a solid pass rush, the Bulls can get their season back on track.

UConn wins if… McCombs takes command. Buffalo has already shown how susceptible it is to the run game. It gave up 201 yards and three touchdowns against the talented Ray Graham the 35-16 loss to Pittsburgh. The Bulls also gave up 112 yards and two touchdowns against the average Jahwan Edwards in their 28-25 loss against Ball State. McCombs is going to be on the attack and the Bulls need to slow him down if they want a shot at winning.

Predictions: Brian Josephs Sports Editor I would expect these two teams to carry some sort of desperation going into this game since both teams are 1-2.

However, the pressure is on the Bulls. Buffalo will face stiff competition in the coming weeks. The team is well aware of how crucial this game is and the Bulls will be aggressive. The Bulls have already made mistakes in pressure situations this season, and I expect their errors to multiply on Saturday.

UConn – 35 Buffalo – 21 Aaron Mansfield Senior Sports Editor Don’t be surprised if the Bulls hang tough through the first half. Last year, the teams were tied 14-14 at the half before UConn pulled away. However, I expect UConn to pull out a grueling, hard fought contest in the final minutes.

Prediction

I’m predicting a big game from Chazz Anderson. Branden Oliver struggled against UConn’s giant defensive line last year and I expect more of the same. The Connecticut corners like to play press coverage and jam receivers at the line. The Bulls have a major height advantage in the passing game with Marcus Rivers and Alex Neutz. I anticipate quite a few deep passes.

Matt Hughes doesn’t have enough left in the tank to beat a talent like Koscheck. Look for Josh to win by TKO in the third round.

If the Huskies get a lead, expect them to milk the clock with McCombs running ragged over a susceptible Buffalo run defense.

Email: sports@ubspectrum.com

UConn – 27 Buffalo – 20

Koscheck has a deadly right hand that is just itching to connect with the face of Hughes in this fight. Look for him to test Hughes in the standup and avoid the ground all together because of Hughes’ proven ability to tap opponents out.

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