Vol. 61 NO. 38
ubspectrum.com
Friday, December 2, 2011
Arrest Made in South Campus Robbery
Intervarsity Christian Fellowship Pressured Gay Treasurer to Resign Fellowship’s “basis of faith” signature requirement may be illegal
SARAH AKERS Staff Writer The University Heights area near UB’s South Campus is known for fraternities, partying, and more recently, robberies. At 6 a.m. on Monday, University Police received a phone call from a man who said he was being followed. Shortly after the call was made, the victim was robbed at gunpoint, though the gun was later found to be an imitation pistol. UPD caught the suspect within minutes of the initial call. The suspect has been since identified as Dandre Martin, a 21-year-old Buffalo resident. After the arrest, police determined that Martin was in possession of stolen goods from at least three other robberies in the University Heights area. He has since been charged with second-degree robbery, criminal possession of a stolen weapon, four counts of criminal possession of stolen property, obstructing government administration, and resisting arrest. “Because it was so early in the morning, there wasn’t a lot of activity going on, so there were at least three policemen and a lieutenant at the scene,” said Gerald W. Schoenle Jr., chief of University Police.
LUKE HAMMILL Senior News Editor Sophomore history and French major Steven Jackson resigned last month from his post as treasurer of the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship after feeling pressured to do so because he is gay, he told The Spectrum. The Fellowship may also be breaking the law, as its constitution requires its executive board members to sign a “basis of faith,” a statement affirming certain Christian beliefs. The Intervarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) is a national, student-led, evangelical ministry with a UB chapter, recognized and funded as a club by the Student Association. Jackson is also the speaker of the SA Assembly. IVCF Vice President Leslie Varughese said the club’s executive board members, including Jackson, mutually decided that Jackson’s resignation would be best for both Jackson and the club, not because of Jackson’s homosexuality, but because of his refusal to accept Biblical scripture – specifically, those Bible passages that condemn homosexuality.
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According to the incident’s police report, the victim placed a call at 6:07 a.m. while walking by Main Street. During his call, he claimed that a young man was following him. At some point between 6:07 and 6:09 a.m., before the police got to the scene and made
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According to Steven Jackson was asked to resign from the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship after members found out he was gay.
Meg Kinsley /// The Spectrum
Get Comfy, HPV Leads to Multiple Cancers in Men UB doctor working on new vaccine Ladies
Pant-less and Proud
STEVEN WROBEL Life Editor
REBECCA BRATEK
News Editor
Before I get into this column, I would just like to state that I am a red-blooded heterosexual male. That being said, death be to the public display of leggings.
It’s that time of year again. The trees are bare, the temperature is rapidly declining, and soon the flakes will begin to fly. Girls all over Buffalo are shedding their summer dresses, skirts, and shorts for something more practical and less leg-revealing. And at UB, it’s no secret where many girls turn to cover their bare legs: leggings. I’m not immune to this seemingly pants-less phenomenon. I stand by my conviction that leggings are, indeed, an acceptable form of pants – if done correctly. Girls, don’t let anyone tell you there’s a size requirement for leggings; you’re all beautiful and leggings can work for you, no matter what size or shape you are. My only rule: make sure your butt is covered. Trust me, no one is wondering what color your underwear is (or if you’re wearing underwear at all…). Try for a flowy top or long sweater to balance out the clingy spandex on your bottom. Toss in a pair of cute rain boots or riding boots to downplay your lack of real pants. But, by heavens, I implore you to not wear leggings paired with Uggs and a Northface jacket. I’m not quite sure who designated this as the “uniform” for most college-age girls, but you simply look like a clone of the girl standing next you. That aside, you cannot deny the comfort and simplicity leggings offer. Want to wear sweatpants to school, but know you have a meeting with a professor or some other important person? Throw on a pair of leggings and you’re that much closer to comfort and bliss. You get the comfort of sweatpants or pajamas without looking like you came to school in what you slept in (even though more often than not, I wore the same leggings I wear in public to bed the night before, I’ll admit).
I know guys, I just lost a bunch of you right now as you come up with a slew of names to call me and to bash my opinion. You just love to ogle the girls who pass you by on campus with their buttocks displayed ever-so-clearly behind the tight fabric of spandex leggings. Come on dude, grow up. We all learned in some grade school health class that guys and girls have different bodies and we are naturally attracted to each other, but do we really need to check out every “cute butt” that walks by? Note: leggings do not make the butt cute. If you don’t “got it,” don’t think leggings are going to make up for it. But really. Are leggings, or their “upscale friend” jeggings, really a necessity to be worn in public? Now I know I have our female readers up in arms. Yes ladies, I understand that your leggings may be comfortable when you don’t especially feel the need to dress up. You love how easy it is to go with your outfit and you may even “keep it classy” with your long shirt. I’ve heard about the “half cover” rule, the “full cover” rule, and every other rationalization in the book. Truth of the matter is that if you move one way or another, you know full well that any guy to be walking behind you will be enjoying an eyeful. Girls, draw the comparison with guys. Let’s be honest, for the greater majority of UB, you do not want to be seeing dudes in tight fitting bottoms. Guys and spandex are never a good
Leggings are more flexible and move with you – much unlike that unforgiving pair of skinny jeans sitting on your bedroom floor. You can do yoga, go for a
match. If you want to wear leggings, fine. Just wear them at home when having a movie night with your gal pals. Like pajama pants and bathrobes, leggings have no
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HPV vaccinations can prevent cancer later in life.
LISA KHOURY Asst. News Editor Boys and young men should be vaccinated against human papillomavirus, or HPV, to protect against prevalent anal and throat cancers linked with the virus (which is typically transmitted sexually) in recent years. And UB’s Dr. Thomas Melendy is working on what would be the most comprehensive anti-viral drug to date. Gardasil, the HPV vaccine, was recommended in 2006 for girls and young women to prevent cervical cancer, but studies now show that men need the vaccine, too, and it was officially recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Oct. 25. Danielle Tabbi, a registered nurse at ECMC and graduate student at Daemen College, has noticed in her three months at ECMC a major increase in surgeries that removed mandibles (jawbones) from men who have developed cancers in the back of the throat. Interested in why so many men were enduring these surgeries, she found that the cancers they developed are HPV positive, meaning that at some point in their lives they got HPV that led to cancer. “What I’m concerned about is [that] all the focus has been on women, and women with cervical cancer,” Tabbi said. “But guys don’t have anyone to go to. They don’t have a doctor to talk to them about this, and they don’t have a test for this, and they don’t think this affects them. Most men don’t
Courtesy of UB Reporter
even know what HPV is, because all of the media [is focused] on women.” Within the U.S., 400 men have HPV-associated penile cancer, 1,500 men have HPV-associated anal cancer, and 5,600 men have HPV-associated oral pharyngeal cancer, according to estimates by the Center of Disease Control and Prevention. While there are over 100 strands of HPV that are sexually transmitted, Gardasil decreases one’s chance of acquiring the four most highly cancerous strands. Melendy, an associate professor in UB’s department of microbiology and immunology, and his colleagues are working on developing an anti-viral drug against not only the four most cancerous strands, but all HPV infections. Melendy is the world’s leader in identifying critical interactions between the HPV proteins and human proteins that the virus uses to duplicate its viral DNA. “There’s no evidence right now on the horizon of a vaccine that will prevent all of [the isotypes],” Melendy said. “The vaccines that are available all seem to be specific for a single isotype, and there are over 150 HPV isotypes, and probably a third of them are the sexually transmitted type…so creating a vaccine that’s going to hit all of them is going to be difficult, if not impossible. We think we have a target for the drug that will hit all of them.” Eighty percent of men knew nothing about HPVassociated genital warts, 90 percent knew nothing about HPV-associated oral cancer, and 94 percent
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Weather for the Weekend:
Friday: AM Snow Showers- H: 38, L: 29 Saturday: Partly Cloudy- H: 42, L: 38 Sunday: Few Showers- H: 48, L: 41
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Continued from page 1: Pant-less and Proud run, walk the dog, dance, or even go to brunch in a simple pair of leggings; they’re very versatile – and all without the fuss of zippers or buttons digging into various body parts. And if Pippa Middleton, the epitome of British class and style, decides leggings are suitable to wear in place of pants, then it must be OK. Let’s be frank here: any man who claims to be even the slightest bit heterosexual enjoys a woman in leggings. Any man who tells you that leggings are the creation of the devil is either clearly lying or is jealous that he can’t pull them off as well as you. Men, you know leggings are one step ahead of tights and one step behind yoga pants or jeans – how could you not want the women in your life to wear them? I’ve heard the argument that they’re not “classy,” but how are leggings any different than a pair of skin-hugging skinny jeans? I’ll answer for you: they’re not. As long as fabric is keeping your lady from being exposed, does it matter what form it takes? That layer of spandex is much better than that mini-skirt that barely covers below the butt. While leggings may not be actual pants, they serve the same purpose. Pants are, essentially, “an outer garment covering each leg separately and usually extending from the waist to the ankle,” according to Merriam-Webster’s definition. Last time I checked, my leggings do just that.
Continued from page 1: Get Comfy Ladies
Continued from page 1:Arrest Made in South Campus Robbery
place outside of the house. Break out your comfy sweatpants or, heaven forbid, wear a pair of jeans. I’d much rather see a girl be comfortable and confident without having to turn to the tight, show-it-all article of clothing.
contact with the victim, Martin used an imitation pistol to hold the victim up at gunpoint and steal his cell phone. The entire incident was captured on a security camera.
investigators meet periodically, and in a case like this, we turned over all of our information to them because he was a part of a bigger string of crimes.”
If you want to wear leggings out, wear them for their intended purpose. Add some flair to a skirt or keep your legs warm if you’re having a classy night out in a dress. Feel free to be funky and wear them under a pair of shorts. Throwing a shirt on to “cover up” does not magically act as a substitute for just this side of public nudity.
By 6:15 a.m., Martin was seen at Main and Allenhurst Streets, running back toward the university dorms. He was arrested minutes later on Hayes Street and Goodyear Road. Police then confirmed that Martin possessed items stolen both from the victim and from houses in the University Heights area.
Despite efforts by UPD to keep Buffalo Police informed of problems around the South Campus, some students still feel unsafe.
The only situation that may be worse than leggings being worn as an acceptable substitute for pants would be the ever-popular combination of leggings, shirts, and Ugg boots. The combination not only epitomizes the laziness, but when girls then loudly exclaim, “it’s so cold out,” it takes every fiber of my being not to smack them upside the head and tell them to actually put some clothes on.
“We take crime very seriously. Chances are individuals committing crimes [on or around campus] will be videotaped by the cameras and arrested,” Schoenle said. “There is actually a bigger crime problem on North Campus than South, which not a lot of people know. That being said, there are significant problems off-campus around UB South.”
If you’re going out in public girls, just put on some clothes. There are plenty of ways to go out and still look good without baring it all for the world to see. If you’re enjoying the attention that guys give you, put on a real outfit and see how much attention you get. Sure, the numbers may decrease, but the quality of guys you begin to meet will skyrocket.
Since the University Heights area surrounding South Campus has experienced significant crimes in recent years, UPD works closely with Buffalo Police to try to keep students safe.
Both of these students have lived on dorms on North Campus before renting a house this semester. After the recent string of robberies, the two “doubt they’ll rent in University Heights again.”
“We work with Buffalo Police; we discuss things with them all the time,” Schoenle said. “Our
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Two students, Lisbon Avenue residents who wished to keep their names withheld, claim that there are still serious problems going on in neighborhoods nearby. “I know it’s a fun place to party and the rent’s really cheap, but I don’t think people know how bad it can get,” said one Lisbon resident. His roommate added that she didn’t feel comfortable walking around at night without a large group of people.
Continued from page 1:HPV Leads to Multiple Cancers in Men
I’m a leggings girl, through and through. Who needs pockets, zippers, and stiff denim when I can have soft comfort and flexibility?
knew nothing about HPV-associated anal cancer, according to the Journal of Behavioral Medicine 2010.
Girls (and boys), don’t let societal norms dictate what you want to wear on your bottom.
Although Gardasil has been approved for males since 2009, it has not been pushed by the media or covered by insurance since its approval for recommendation in October.
Long live leggings as pants. Email: rebecca.bratek@ubspectrum.com
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“What is baffling me is right now they’re finding this prevalence, they’re saying, ‘OK, wow, this is connected to cancer, people are getting cancer because of this,’” Tabbi said. “Well, they’re finding this in people who were affected 30 years ago that are now getting older. So, right now, when you have 6.2 million people a year being infected, imagine what the cancer rates are going to be down the line.”
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Continued from page 1: Intervarsity Christian Fellowship Pressured Gay Treasurer to Resign Simply put, the problem was not that Jackson is gay; the problem was that Jackson doesn’t accept Bible verses that condemn gay people. “I don’t see Scripture as reliable as they do,” Jackson said. “They’ll take it as God’s word, and I won’t, because I don’t believe that’s the case.”
Live Music Acoustic sounds of Lance Drake Friday, December 2nd 8:30 - 11:30 PM
But Jackson, who was elected treasurer by his fellow IVCF members, also said that his homosexuality was indeed a sticking point. “[Other IVCF members] said, ‘Well, on one hand, you’re gay, and that’s not a message that we want Intervarsity to show the campus that we think is an OK lifestyle,’” Jackson said. Jackson did not want to reveal the identities of those who told him that he should step down, but he said that they included both IVCF staff and executive board members. When asked whether Varughese’s characterization of the resignation as a mutual agreement was accurate, Jackson said yes and no.
“It was definitely a pressured [resignation]…They made it clear that they felt like I should step down and kind of made me uncomfortable enough to the point where I just wanted to leave,” Jackson said. Both Jackson and Varughese said that Jackson’s resignation resulted from his being in a leadership position (treasurer), and that if he had been an ordinary member of the club, nothing likely would have happened. “We told Steve that it would be very difficult for him to lead with integrity in an organization that had contrary beliefs…We didn’t ask him to leave the Fellowship, and we do not want him to leave the Fellowship,” Varughese said. “We love him, and we want him to continue to seek God and grow in his faith.” She added that the IVCF welcomes all people and has had members with different varieties of backgrounds, beliefs, and practices. Jackson’s boyfriend, junior English major Clinton Hodnett – events
coordinator for UB LGBTA and a student assistant with Wellness Education Services’ LGBT Outreach Team – also identifies as both gay and Christian. “I don’t think that being gay intrudes upon my religious beliefs at all,” Hodnett said. “It may change what religious beliefs I choose to agree with or not, but I don’t consider myself any less of a Christian because of my sexual orientation.” SA Senator Katherine Pizzutelli said the SA Senate will discuss the IVCF at its next meeting, to be held Sunday at 3 p.m. “Intervarsity Christian Fellowship was given a budget of $6,000 this year,” Pizzutelli said in an email. “Divide that by 20,000 undergrads. I will not tolerate discrimination. I feel like asking for my 30 cents back. I have talked to several people over the past few weeks and have discovered that some students, my friends, have felt personally targeted by [IVCF]. If someone has felt personally threatened by any entity on this campus, I would encourage them to call the University Police to report
the incident.” Because UB is a public school, the IVCF’s “basis of faith” may be illegal as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Christian Legal Society v. Martinez decision, which established that a student cannot be barred from participating in a club because of his status or beliefs. The SA Senate will consider derecognizing the IVCF if senators find it to have broken the law, according to Pizzutelli. “These meetings are open forums, and we welcome and encourage all students to attend,” Pizzutelli said. Additionally, the IVCF constitution’s “basis of faith” requirement has gotten UB’s attention, according to Varughese. “It was brought to our attention that there was an issue with our constitution, and the university has asked us to address it, so we’re in the process of addressing it right now,” Varughese said. Email: news@ubspectrum.com
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Friday, December 2, 2011 EDITORIAL BOARD
SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR James Twigg
EDITORIAL EDITOR James Bowe NEWS EDITORS Luke Hammill, senior Rebecca Bratek Sara DiNatale, asst. Lisa Khoury, asst. ARTS EDITORS Jameson Butler, senior Vanessa Frith Nicolas Pino LIFE EDITORS Akari Iburi, senior Steven Wrobel Veronica Ritter Keren Baruch, asst. SPORTS EDITORS Aaron Mansfield, senior Brian Josephs Scott Resnick, asst. Andreius Coleman, asst. PHOTO EDITORS Meg Kinsley, senior Alexa Strudler Satsuki Aoi Troi Williams, asst. Nyeri Moulterie, asst. CARTOONIST Patrick Boyle WEB EDITOR Matthew Parrino James Twigg
PROFESSIONAL STAFF OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Helene Polley
Churches looked at as closely as any other organization There are many promoting unity in a community. Some groups hold big block parties with games and food to get everyone together and united. Others hold rallies to build and fix up their neighborhoods. Apparently, at a church in Kentucky, the way to build unity is to ban interracial couples from membership and some worship activities. You know, because the ultimate way to unite a group of people is to exclude others from being around you. That way, you don’t have to endure the sight of two different colored people being in a loving and caring relationship with each other. The total Jim Crow move came about after the daughter of Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church’s secretary and clerk performed a song for the congregation with her fiancé, who is from Zimbabwe. Soon after, a former pastor for the church proposed that it go on record saying that they accept all people, but does not condone interracial marriage. It will probably be hard to convince her soon-to-be husband that the American south is still not rampant with racism.
ADVERTISING MANAGER Andrew Angeles
December 2, 2011 VOLUME 61 NUMBER 38 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. The Spectrum offices are located in 132 Student Union, UB North Campus, Buffalo, NY 14260-2100 Telephone: (716) 645-2468 Fax: (716) 645-2766 Copyright 2011 Buffalo, N.Y. The Spectrum is printed by The Buffalo News 1 News Plaza Buffalo, N.Y. 14240
Churches in no way have to prove that they’re serving the public with the money, however. Rarely are their records ever even reviewed, because the IRS has fears that it might get into an entanglement between church and state, so in essence there is very little oversight of the money given to churches. Even if a complaint is filed about a church, and a request is made to rescind its status as tax exempt, it’s an extremely difficult process. Most of the problem really stems from the fact that although the IRS and other government sections are trying to avoid being entangled in a church vs. state legal argument, giving the church a tax exempt status is similar to, if not better than, giving a direct subsidy. If the U.S. found out that any other organizations were directly discriminating against interracial couples, surely there would be calls to remove subsidies from it. It’s bizarre that religion is treated differently for some reason.
Making a special designation by law for religious institutions is inherently making a law regarding church and state. Churches should be treated just like any other non-profit organization, and placed under the same scrutiny. In that respect, the dilemma of a law that specially regards the establishment of religion is eliminated, while simultaneously ensuring that the money coming from the community is actually being put back into the community. It does not automatically follow that being a church means you are doing a public good. No matter what, though, Churches like the Gulnare Freewill Baptist do not deserve to have tax-exempt status. We’re giving it to them in the good faith that they are actually helping within the community, not pushing a wedge into an already sensitive fissure like the issue of race. Religion does great things, but so do innumerable non-profits. They both deserve the same scrutiny.
Our Constitution can be undone with only a few words
ADVERTISING DESIGNER Aline Kobayashi
The Spectrum is provided free in part by the Undergraduate Mandatory Activity Fee.
This church, like all in the U.S., is given tax-exempt status based on the facts that they are a religious institution, and that the IRS says that they do a significant “public good.”
The Frailty of Our Rights
CREATIVE DESIGNERS Nicole Manzo 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.
Heart on Wheels
Death, Taxes, and Arguments
EDITOR IN CHIEF Matthew Parrino
MANAGING EDITOR Edward Benoit
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Over 125,000 men and women have received a life sentence in the United States. Each and every one of them was subject to due process of the law and was given a fair trial. The fact that we are guaranteed a speedy trial by the Constitution is an integral protection from government targeting individuals without committing a crime. It prevents a Stalinist state where disagreeing politically may get you imprisoned. Under the guise of protecting the nation from terrorism, a bill passed through the Senate recently that effectively sunders this constitutional shield. The measure is part of the cleverly titled National Defense Authorization Act, a leviathan of a bill with a multitude of uses. The issue comes down to vague wording. Part of the act seems to indicate that American citizens are not subject to the law, but another part clearly states that any person who acts in “pursuant to the direction of al-Qaeda” is subject to the law. If it has been determined that you are a significant enough “terrorist,” you can then be detained indefinitely. That means for as long as the government likes, it has the power to hold you until it thinks it has enough
information from you. All you can hope for after that is that the next president doesn’t reinstate waterboarding.
Democrats as well. It’s an election year, and you can be damn well sure that this will pass through the House of Representatives with ease.
Foreign detainees have been subject to this since the PATRIOT act, and now it’s hitting closer and closer to home.
Obama has threatened to veto the bill if it comes before his desk, and he should resist the temptation to look like he’s hard on terrorism and fight that ridiculous rumor that he’s a Muslim.
Few times in history united the nation like 9/11 did. Everyone was dedicated to ensuring attacks didn’t happen again, and in that fervor we all wanted to see real change to protect what we believe in. Our principles, however, must be protected as well. The U.S. is built upon limiting the power of the government. We strive to ensure that no one branch can become strong enough to override the others, and we fight to keep the constitution working for the people. Vague laws that hand over our right to a fair trial are an assault on everything we represent. Elected officials, although they have the best intentions, are paving the road to extreme abuse in the future. For those that think this is yet another Republican attempt to be the political version of Clint Eastwood, know that it has support from 16
After all, nobody wants to be known as the guy who stood up for “terrorists.” We should undoubtedly fight the forces that seek to destroy us. As the old adage goes, however, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. We must do whatever is within our power to ensure that a terrorist attack doesn’t happen again. That does not mean, however, that we have to hand over enough power to authority to effectively nullify one of our most basic constitutional rights. With that being said, it’s also probably a good idea not to get involved in things that make people suspicious that you’re a terrorist.
NATALIE LICATA Staff Writer
Having a disabled person in your family is extremely hard. It’s even harder when that disabled person is your big sister. Living with the uncertainty of her future is the most frightening thing. Whenever people stare, you can’t help but feel annoyed at them even though you know they are just curious. Sometimes, you can’t go to a restaurant or a store because they aren’t accessible. When people who don’t need the handicapped parking spots take them, you want to call them out in the middle of the parking lot for being so insensitive. There are approximately 166,000 people in the United States living with the congenital defect spina bifida, according to the Spina Bifida Association. My sister is one of them. From a young age, I realized that she wasn’t the same as everyone else – not because she needed a wheelchair, but because she never complained about her disability. My sister is 26 years old. Throughout her life, she has had countless surgeries and has been in and out of hospitals. I would daydream about us jumproping together or riding bikes with our brother around the neighborhood. I would pray, “Please, God, can you make Jessica walk?” I guess I didn’t really understand the severity of her defect and the health issues that came with it. There are so many sensations that she will never experience, like wiggling her toes in the sand or the aching pain from walking all day in high heels. Some days, I try to rationalize why life couldn’t have been easier for her, but then I realize that in her whole life, she has never asked the question, “Why me?” I think what makes my sister so remarkable is her kindness and infectious cheerful attitude, despite the fact the she has already endured so much and still has more to face, like dialysis and/ or a kidney transplant. Her problems are real. My “problems” seem absurd in comparison. I grumble about schoolwork, my job, or how I missed a day or two at the gym. Jessica, on the other hand, is unable to attend college, can’t have a full-time job, and has never been able to run. It really makes me feel like a jerk for complaining, and it makes me wonder, “What if it was me who had spina bifida?” There is something to be said about a person who can implicitly teach you to put things into perspective. While I wish things were different for her every single day, I’m glad that I have her in my life to ground me. My sister has never been and will never be defined by her wheelchair. Instead, she is defined by her heart.
Email: nataliel@buffalo.edu
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Don’t Frisk Me, Bro JAMES GIBBONS Special to The Spectrum
I have flown home to New Jersey every year for Thanksgiving break. It is normally an hour flight on a turboprop plane and fairly pleasant. As soon as I arrived at Buffalo Niagara International Airport for this Thanksgiving homecoming, I saw that the security measures I was accustomed to going through had changed. In the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the federal government has been able to seize new powers to protect the homeland. This included the passage of the Patriot Act and the establishment of the new Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Instead of airports being responsible for their own security measures, the federal government seized control and made airport screening their job instead. One year ago, Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2010 was
‘National Opt-Out Day’ – a grassroots day of protest in response to the new security measures that the TSA implemented. These security measures included a new way of screening passengers: enhanced pat downs and body scanners. On this day, the TSA chose not to implement these measures in their full capacity due to the possible negative publicity.
citizens’ health and safety.”
All passengers must walk through a “body scanner,” and if one declines, he or she must go through the standard metal detector and undergo an additional pat-down search. The latter was what I had to endure before I boarded my flight to Newark.
As I was doing this, a TSA officer approached me to ask me where I put my wallet. I told her that I placed it in the bin. She then instructed me to place my wallet in my carry-on luggage because it would be safer there. I complied and thought it was a bizarre request. I was then told to move on through the body scanner. I objected and told her I was going through the metal detector. As soon as I told her this, her face changed complexion and she pointed to her left.
Before I describe my pat-down experience, let me briefly explain the controversy surrounding the body scanners. There are several issues. The first issue is the fact that the nude images of passengers are freely available for anyone in the control room to see. Another issue is the radiation exposure. The TSA has neglected to conduct its own independent study of the scanner’s health effects, even after being pressured to by Congress. There is no clear consensus on the health effects. We do know that the European Union has decided to ban all body scanners from being used in European airports. The EU said it wants to take this measure “in order not to risk jeopardizing
Back in Buffalo on the day before Thanksgiving, I approached the security checkpoint. There were three stations set up. Only two of the stations had both a body scanner machine and a normal metal detector. I took off my shoes and belt, and emptied my pockets.
I stepped to the side and passed through the metal detector. A second TSA officer told me to wait. At this point, I had to wait 10 minutes for an available TSA officer to give me a pat down. I was brought to a secondary checkpoint, told to turn around and spread my legs. The officer then proceeded to conduct the pat-down search. The TSA officer began the search by sticking his fingers inside my pants and moving them around my entire waist. It also included brushing my legs from the bottom all the way to the crotch.
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For females, it would have included placing the fingers on one side of the breasts and circumnavigating both in their entireties. All of this is done in plain view, and there were definitely some stares by passengers who were confused at what was going on. Going through this procedure is unpleasant, and most people choose to go through the body scanner. It does not have to be this way. There is no evidence that body scanners and enhanced pat downs make the country safer. Individuals must be cautious whenever a breach of privacy like this is made. Is this the end of privacy intrusions such as these? There was no ‘National Opt-Out- Day’ this year, even when the measures were implemented in their entireties. Next time you fly, opt out. You are exercising your right and are allowing other passengers to see what is going on at the airports. Awareness is key, and political pressure must be placed on the TSA to conduct its own study of the effects of the body scanner and to do away with the enhanced pat downs.
Email: gibbons7@buffalo.edu
Arts & Life
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Nickelback to the Drawing Board VANESSA FRITH Arts Editor
Friday, December 2, 2011
Raising Awareness Through Action
that predominated their earlier works. The opening track, “This is War,” kicks off the album’s monotony with the regular verse-chorusverse layout complete with quick and easy rhyming hooks. The quartet fills in the background with the same elementary drums heard throughout the record, making their call to arms more like a lazy stroll in the suburbs than the angry rant it was intended to be.
Courtesy of RoadRunner Records
Album: Here and Now Artist: Nickelback Label: Roadrunner Release Date: Nov. 21 Grade: D If people are looking for a redundant, poorly written, celebration of clichés set to droning unskilled instrumentals, Here and Now would be flying off record store shelves. Upon releasing their sixth album, Nickelback has shown the world that they have, in fact, run out of ideas. With cliché, recycled lyrics, formulaic writing, and weak instrumentals, these ageing Canadian imports should retire to their native wilderness where only the lone arctic fox must suffer their sad attempt at music. The album plays to every rehashed rock theme imaginable – sex, drugs, anger – and manages to perform them all with the unchanged, dull tune
With halfhearted attempts at metaphors so dreadful a fifth grade teacher would cry, Nickelback fails to class up their crude idolizations of sex and alcohol. A truckstop, beer-swilling mentality rules “Gotta Get Me Some,” which harbors lines like “She’s a scene from a Baywatch rerun / Hotter then the barrel on a squeeze machine gun,” throwing the rockers into the country music realm, only without the overbearing patriotism. The mid section of the CD holds tracks so lackluster the band won’t be walking on a red carpet again for a long time. A quick listen to a trio of mediocre tracks is all that is needed to sum up the album. “When We Stand Together” fills in its sparse anti-war/violence lyrics with tiresome and trite “hey, yeah,” “Lullaby” rips lines from any classic anti-suicide song, while “Midnight Queen” must surely have been written during some sort of testosterone overload. Here and Now seems to be Nickelback’s attempt to keep their inexplicable popularity through generic, mainstream tunes that lack any true meaning or intrinsic value. Listeners need only to own one or two songs of their discography to gain a full understanding of Nickelback’s skills.
Email: arts@ubspectrum.com
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The Community Action Corps at UB gives back to the Buffalo community by hosting events such as serving food to families that are Courtesy of Kayla Cornell affected by cancer and raising money to build water wells in India.
LYZI WHITE Staff Writer Whether the event is raising money for cancer research, helping out Somali refugees, or building houses for a family in need, the Community Action Corps (CAC) is willing to help. CAC is a student community service organization that sets up activities and events throughout Buffalo. Its goal is to give back to the community, as well as promote and encourage UB students to do the same. Its events vary from building houses for local families to raising money to provide clean water in a country halfway across the world. Kayla Cornell, president of CAC and a junior anthropology major, and Yasmine El Gohary, vice president of CAC and a junior anthropology major, attended their first club meeting thinking they were going to a meeting for Colleges Against Cancer. They soon realized that they were at a fundraiser for flood victims of Pakistan where the club raised about $90,000.
CAC works with organizations such as the Ronald McDonald House and Habitat for Humanity frequently, creating a network of places where it can help local people in need. The club works together to brainstorm ideas of outreach. If a member is particularly passionate about a community service program, Cornell takes it into consideration. Two years ago, the previous president of CAC was part of a volunteer program that took her to Nicaragua. She saw the conditions of poverty stricken communities and became fueled with passion to help. Her experiences encouraged CAC to become involved in Enlace, a nonprofit organization that educates and assists Latin American communities. On Nov. 29, CAC held an event to fundraise for Enlace. There were performances from the Buffalo Chips, the Latin American Student Association, and UB Zeal, the Indian SA dance group, to raise awareness about giving back.
“It was so moving, I instantaneously became part of the club,” Cornell said. “Just watching how thankful the community was for what we were doing and for the information we were providing. It was great.”
“What we do is community engagement,” said Abigail Avery, member of CAC and a senior accounting major. “We incorporate the needs of the surrounding communities [and further] in our activities.”
Cornell’s favorite event was when CAC raised money to build a clean water well in India. On March 22, World Water Day, she and members of the club walked around the Student Union for over three hours, and were successful in obtaining pages of pledges. They also previewed a movie called One Water that exposed India’s desperate need for clean water.
Avery joined CAC because helping others was important to her. She established a program with young students in Buffalo schools, tutoring them in math, along with other members of the CAC.
Recently, CAC hosted an event at the Ronald McDonald House where it cooked food for families affected by cancer. The Ronald McDonald House seeks to improve the quality of life for children through charities that provide a safe and supportive environment extending over 53 countries across the globe, according to its website. “I think everyone has had [personal experience with cancer] in this day and age,” Cornell said. “My grandparents have both had it, and thankfully they bounced back. I pray that it never gets any closer than that.”
Even when the students became difficult to work with, it was worth the club members’ patience when the children started to understand the material, according to Avery. “People are hurting and if I have something to offer them to show that I care, there is nothing to stop me from giving it,” Avery said. “It’s more than just giving money; it’s about knowing what the problem is and trying as hard as possible to fix it. With so many problems that students are faced with, whether directly or indirectly, the CAC tries to ease that pain.”
Email: features@ubspectrum.com
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Friday, December 2, 2011
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Scorsese Dazzles with New Genre
JAKE KNOTT Staff Writer
Movie: Hugo Release Date: Nov. 23 Studio: Paramount Pictures Grade: A Martin Scorsese is notorious for making the most perilous villains – the kind that show their treachery to the audience first-hand and then smile about it afterwards. Hugo has none of this darkness within its screen time. Anyone who has watched a Scorsese movie can easily distinguish his niche for directing top-notch crime genre films, treading back to 1976 with Taxi Driver, and more recently the Academy Award-winning thriller, The Departed. Hugo is unlike any of Scorsese’s past projects. It is an astonishing tale that demonstrates his true talent: a light, yet enthralling, fable that reaches to the heart of any spectator. Set in a depression-era 1930s Paris, Hugo, based off the book The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick, follows the enchanting trek of 12-year-old orphan Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield, Nanny McPhee Returns). Hugo must unravel the mystery left behind by his father (Jude Law, Contagion) after
his tragic demise. Hugo’s only link to the case is an automaton, a robot operated by spinning gears that are designed for a certain task. According to Hugo’s father, this specific automaton was built to write, but was found broken in a museum and has not scribed a syllable since.
inhabitants build an easy relationship between the audience and characters, making the entire ensemble relevant.
The most interesting character introduced is the nameless station inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen, Brüno). This inspector exemplifies Following the bizarre various personalities disappearance of his alcothat bring a unique holic Uncle Claude (Ray presence to the scene. Winstone, Lost In Italy), the Asa Butterfield plays the child protagonist in Scorsese’s book to movie adaptation, Hugo. Most of the time he Courtesy of Paramount Pictures deprived orphan is left to is shown as a stern his own devices, becomauthority figurehead sley, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time), ing a clock mechanic in a Paris train to the French citizens, earning him who may conceal secrets of his own. station. However, the boy does not respect from the crowd. Other times After choosing to steal gadgets from show signs of regret, and stares out he shows a sudden fierce side towards the toy maker, Hugo is caught in the from the clock tower at the beautiful the orphans that roam unattended. act, and unknowingly moves closer to Paris skyline with admiration. The And although this man can be both solving his father’s hidden message. audience must then decide what it adstern and fierce, Scorsese somehow mires: the same scenery the boy does, develops a compassionate feature What may appear as a generic, happy or the fact that such a young person inside of him that actually gives the child’s tale will dazzle its spectators can take notice of the land before inspector a humane feeling, instead of with authenticity for any audience to him. Scorsese gives the title character being a one-sided antagonist. enjoy. Scorsese uses Paris as a living, great depth early on, and forces his interactive location filled with countviewers to appreciate his adolescent Hugo reminds moviegoers why films less complex characters, as opposed protagonist. matter. In one scene, Hugo takes the to simply placing it as a luxurious toy maker’s goddaughter Isabelle backdrop for eye-appealing scenery. During his stay at the station, the boy (Chloë Grace Moretz, Texas Killing Interactions between the French notices an odd toy maker (Ben KingFields) to see her first motion picture.
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Her face expresses nothing short of astonishment, as her eyes witness for the first time a screen containing moving images. Movies are special creations that require innovative minds to decipher them, and this film is a perfect example of why cinema should be looked upon as a fantastic work of art. With remarkable performances throughout this wondrous masterpiece, it is a must see for anyone in need of the perfect movie theater experience. Moretz has officially proved her worthiness of good roles, which partially started with her believable vampire character she in Let Me In. Butterfield was no disappointment either, making himself the witty kid everyone can’t help but adore. Kingsley again portrays his exquisite skills on the screen, and may find himself a likely candidate at the Academy Awards. That notion goes triple for Scorsese and his producers, who have made one of those rare works of art that is worth even two ticket purchases. Remember this film for Best Picture nominations.
Email: arts@spectrum.com
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Friday, December 2, 2011
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Friday, December 2, 2011
Return of the Frog
Kermit & Company are back wowing audiences in The
Muppets.
JAMESON BUTLER Senior Arts Editor Movie: The Muppets Release Date: November 23 Studio: Walt Disney Pictures Grade: A Everybody’s favorite frog has made his triumphant return to the silver screen. Kermit, Miss Piggy, the Great Gonzo, and the rest of the Muppets have reunited to put on one more show in The Muppets. It has been 12 years since the Muppets graced the silver screen, and The Muppets proves that you are never too old to enjoy a puppet show. After the Muppets dwindled into irrelevance, oil tycoon Tex Richman (Chris Cooper, The Tempest) buys the Muppet Theater under the false pretense of making it into a Muppets museum when he just wants the oil underneath. Richman’s diabolic scheme would go off without a hitch if it weren’t for the Muppets biggest fan, Walter, who is hiding in Kermit’s office when Richman reveals his plan. Walter begs his brother Gary (Jason Segel, Bad Teacher) and Gary’s girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams, The Fighter) to help track down the amphibian leader of the Muppets and beg for him to intervene. After holding out for a moment, Kermit decides to get his old troupe back together for a show to save their old home. After a humorous montage catching the audience up with the lives of the other Muppets, the gang can finally get to work. Segel not only starred in the film, but he was also the writer and the producer of it. His infatuation with the felt puppets was apparent, as The Muppets is the best film in the series to date. The songs written for the movie were both infectiously catchy and overtly sentimental. While the audience taps its feet along with the song, it finds itself connecting with the songs on an emotional level.
Where to Go During the Finals Fiasco
As the semester winds down, students hit the books in preparation for finals. While some prefer background noise and others like the silence of solitude, The Spectrum checked out some people’s favorite spots to study at UB.
Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures
Abdulwahab Alayel, sophomore in the English language program Study location: Baldy Walkway “When I see some students study here, it gives me a good feeling to study like them. I don’t like to study alone and I like seeing people walk back and forth. And there’s a nice view and I can share happiness with people.”
Benjamin Hahn, graduate student in the school of education Study location: Center for the Arts Basement Lounge “It’s convenient cause I can go swimming in an hour and it’s not too far from the Commons. It’s a place where you can talk as well.”
The musical numbers in The Muppets were the highlight of the movie. Every song instills a meaningful message while also adding Segel’s patented sense of humor. Anyone that is familiar with Segel’s musical work in Forgetting Sarah Marshall or How I Met Your Mother will be pleased as The Muppets soundtrack is in the same vein as Segel’s other musical ventures. The Muppets contains humor for any age group. Both adults and kids alike will be slapping their knees, even if it is for a different reason. While the children might not get all the jokes, the adults sure will.
Maegan Petkash, first year graduate student in music performance Study location: Baird Music Library “I practice here a lot in the practice rooms upstairs, sometimes it’s easier to concentrate [here] than at home. [I’m a music student] so I don’t go to any other building.”
Kyle Mentkowski, freshman biomedical engineering major Study location: Second Floor SU outside of the SU Theater “Me and my friends call this [place] ‘the comfy chairs.’ We can set the chairs together and plug in our laptops. You can still hear [the noise from the SU] but you can still talk to your friends in here and not have to yell like you do out there.”
Chetara Walker, freshman architecture major Study location: Third Flood Capen outside of SRC “It’s close to my first class and to me, when I study I like a little noise and there’s not a lot of noise here.”
Brielle Sansone, sophomore exercise science major Study location: Corner Café in NSC “We study here every Tuesday and Thursday before class. The study lounges in Ellicott are nice [too]. I don’t study here all the time but I’m a strong supporter of [the location].”
One thing The Muppets has an abundance of is celebrity cameos. From Dave Grohl to James Carville, the cameos seem to be never ending. Segel put The Muppets in the right hands with director James Bobin. He directed the cult series Flight of the Conchords, and the humor he injected into Conchords is evident in The Muppets. While the bar was set high for the new Muppets movie, Bobin shined under the pressure. In his feature length debut, Bobin not only delivered the best Muppets movie of all time, but also one of the best films of the year. The Muppets might supply a healthy dose of humor, but it also tugs on the heartstrings of the audience. Twenty minutes in, and one finds him- or herself fighting back the tears. It is impossible to see The Muppets and not get misty eyed. If you are able to sit through the whole movie without getting choked up, there is a chance that you might be a heartless robot. Segel and Bobin created a Muppets movie that is both true to the Muppets of old while also updating the story for a new generation. The Muppets has the most entertaining cinematic experience of the year.
Email: arts@ubspectrum.com
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Crossword of the Day STEVEN WROBEL Life Editor
It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s a…weather balloon. While many students spend their weekends partying, studying, and hanging out with their friends, one club at UB spent its weekend studying the outer realms of Earth’s atmosphere. UB Students for the Exploration and Development Space (UB-SEDS) is a club that sets its ambitions skyward to generate interest and activism in the community for any and all space-related topics, according to Sean Lyons, a senior aerospace engineering major.
FRIDay,DECEMBER 2 FROM UNIVERSAL UCLICK
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- It's important for you to put things in the right order today before you set out to get them done. Priorities come from the heart.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- You may feel as though even those closest to you -- including your soul mate -- do not really understand what you're after at this time.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Why wait when you can make an early start and begin having an impact before others have even entered the game? Strike while the iron is hot.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- You may want to shake things up a bit and provide that which is not expected from you today. You can have fun surprising the masses.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- A collaborative effort can only pay off today if you are willing to let another take the reins when it is his or her turn.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- It may be hard for you to do something in an old, familiar way when all you want to do is explore new options.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- It's been quite a while since you touched base with someone who was a central figure in your life a while back. Today's the day.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- You feel as though you are getting further and further away from that which means the most to you in your daily life. You can halt this trend.
CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- You'll enjoy much today that you consider routine -- but at this time, even the smallest things take on greater significance.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- You won't have to wait very long before a decision is made by another that dictates in what direction you will be moving by day's end.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Seek a stronger position from which to announce yourself today; you don't want your opening gambit to go unnoticed, do you? PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) -- You may have to relive something unpleasant today in order to get past the obstacles that you have put in front of yourself.
Lyons was the project manager of the club’s High-Altitude Weather Balloon Project (HAWB). The project’s goal was to send aEdited weather by balloon Timothyinto E. Parker December 2, 2011 the sky to measureTHE temperature andBy Donald Stubin SPICE GIRLS atmospheric ACROSS pressure. In addition, the team wantedfor to acapture 47 Cakewalk 48 Earthly pigment 11 Billions of years 1 Prepare boxingpictures match and video footage result to document the trip and 50 Like some acids 49 One often found playing a round 12 Shipping weight allowance 5 Delivery measure thefor atmospheric boundary 51 Fragrant compound 53 Prepare apples, in a way 13 "Simon ___" 10 Places props layers. 52 Limerick characteristic 56 Meditation syllable for 18 Short skirt 14 "Major" animal an electrician? 53 "___-daisy!" (cry to a baby) 19 Two-toned cookie 15 Bomber Gay “This project the most heroine chal- 54 Ultramodernists 57 Pompeii fallout 24 Mature, as cheese 16 "The Lastisofone theof Mohicans" lenging yetgirl rewarding feats of my 55 Pfc's superiors 58 Spice Gal called "Sir'' by Marcie 25 Established water route 17 Spice that sang undergraduate Lyons said. 56 Fairy tale starter 62 Bottom of the foot 26 Making an effort "Come On-Acareer,” My House''? “The lessonsAcres" I have star learned and [the] 59 Bygone Russian space station 63 From then on 28 Alluring beauty (Var.) 20 "Green Gabor success of thisin project havedrinks given me 64 Pipe part 60 "Medic" ending 29 "E'' in QED 21 It's found rinks and an22inspiration no course offered at this 65 Made a tax valuation (Abbr.) 61 Venomous snake 30 Puerto ___ Estate lawyer's specialties university could ever provide.” 66 Cornered in branches 31 Observed 23 Cheese made from ewe's milk 67 Funeral fire 32 Military training program 25 Use a rudder The of the balloon last 33 Jai ___ (fast court game) 27 launching Spice girl that danced with Saturday, Oct. 22, was the culmina DOWN 34 Tighten up type Fred Astaire? tion many need hours of planning. The 1 More likely 41 Got nosy 32 of Autumn group hadas toanot only raise the funds 2 Brigham Young University's home 42 Massachusetts college 35 Kills, beast to36 take project, but it also had 3 Indian state 43 See 31-Down Partonofthis HOMES to37 develop by which 4 "Norma ___" (1979 movie) 44 Right-angled building addition Music the to ameans matador's ears to perform desirable 5 Guidance signals 46 Land measure 38 Heroall inthe Zaire, 1974 functions. UB-SEDS procured $1,100 in funding 6 Concerning, in memos 39 Well-placed serve from sponsorships from local compa- 7 Orbison who sang "Oh, Pretty Woman" 40 Cigarette substances nies and ___ from Sub ...'' Board I Inc. 42 "It's world (male chauvinist's claim) 8 Pampering, for short 9 Bare-back blouses 44 Kind of collar “The ideaYoung for this cameabout aboutain either 10 Source of widespread devastation 45 Neil classic spice girl? October or November of last year, when we saw a video of a father-andson team that sent an iPhone aboard a balloon and recovered it, becoming a temporary media sensation on many newscasts and newspapers,” said Andrew Dianetti, president of UB-SEDS and a junior aerospace
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What’s Wrong with College Football? BEN TARHAN Staff Writer
Here we go again. We’re watching the start of winter, the college football bowl season sits only weeks away and we still have absolutely no idea who is going to be playing for the national title in New Orleans on Jan. 9. Some fans can’t wait for the championship game, but others have had enough. The BCS, which has been choosing the teams that play for the National Championship and the other four BCS games for the past 14 years, has drawn criticism for just as long, but it seems the hate is even greater this year. For years the system has taken flak for not crowning a “true” champion. Just last year the system was criticized for placing an undefeated TCU team in the Rose Bowl instead of the National Championship game. There have been years when teams with one or two losses have gotten a chance at the title when undefeated teams have gone to less important bowls. This year is the tipping point. In the most recent version of the rankings, the top two teams in the country (LSU and Alabama) are not only from the same conference, but the same division in the same conference. The two teams played each other in October in a game branded as the game of the century. LSU beat Alabama 9-6 in overtime in a game that featured no touchdowns and generally proved that both teams have very good defenses and not nearly as good offenses. So why should these teams get to play each other again? I cannot give you a good answer, and a lot of fans feel the same way. The two teams played late enough in the season that the game’s BCS implications were clear: the winner got a clear shot at the national title game while the other would most likely have to settle on a berth in the Sugar Bowl. However, in recent weeks, the other national title contenders have lost games they were favored to win. Oregon reemerged after beating Stanford but quickly lost to USC, Stanford lost to Oregon, and Oklahoma State lost to Iowa State. LSU and Alabama are clearly the two best teams in the country, but two teams from the same conference should not be allowed to play each other in the national title game under the current format. We have already watched the LSU and Alabama defenses beat each other’s offenses to a pulp. Why not give Oklahoma State’s high-powered offense a shot at LSU’s defense, or let Houston put its undefeated record on the line against the nation’s best? The BCS can make college football as interesting or uninteresting as it wants. An Alabama-LSU national championship game may pit the two best teams in the country against each other, but fans will complain either way. If Alabama beats LSU, then the masses will wonder how important the regular season is, and if LSU beats Alabama then they will wonder why we even watched that game to begin with if it only confirmed something we already knew. A team that hasn’t won its conference has never played in the BCS title game, and why should that change? If you aren’t even the best in your conference, why should you get a shot at being the best in the country?
Filzen Leads Three-Point Barrage Against Dayton
MATTHEW PARRINO Editor in Chief
Senior guard Zach Filzen is the most feared three-point shooter in the MidAmerican Conference. Opposing teams are usually in big trouble when he starts to heat up. After a slow start to the season, the long-range assassin seems to have found a rhythm. Filzen torched Dayton (5-2) on Wednesday night to help the Bulls (4-1) earn their first road win of the season, beating the Flyers 84-55. It’s the first time the Bulls have started a season 4-1 since 2005-06. The victory is also the largest modern-day Division-1 road-winning margin by the Bulls. The basket must have seemed as big as a hula-hoop for Filzen, who hit 6-of-11 from behind the three-point arc. He finished with a game-high 24 points and connected from all areas of the court. The six 3-pointers tied a career singlegame high for Filzen and moved him into sole possession of third place on the Bulls’ all-time three-point list. The Bulls ran their offense to perfection, and lulled the Flyers to sleep with crisp passing and good movement. On the defensive end, the Bulls’ 2-3 zone frustrated Dayton for the entire 40 minutes. Dayton shot a dismal 28 percent for the game – 18 percent lower than its season average – and head coach Reggie Witherspoon was happy with the defensive
effort.
“I thought the zone was our best opportunity tonight to limit their dribble penetration and to contest their threepoint shooting,” Witherspoon said. “I thought we had enough length to contest their shots and we limited the penetration.”
with 16 points and 11 rebounds, and gave Dayton fits in the post in the second half. Watt also led the Bulls with a career-high seven assists. The Bulls dominated the battle on the boards and almost doubled up the Flyers, 51-30. Witherspoon was concerned going into the game that the Bulls would struggle rebounding while playing a zone defense. The team didn’t let that impact its work on the glass.
In the early minutes of the game, the two teams traded baskets before the Bulls went on an 18-0 run that created “Fifteen offensive the separation rebounds was obvithey needed ously big because to pull away. it kept [Dayton] Zach Filzen was unconscious as he led the Bulls with 24 points in Dayton missed out of transition,” Wednesday's trampling of the Dayton Flyers in Ohio. 16 straight shots Meg Kinsley /// The Spectrum Witherspoon said. and the Bulls “I thought being minimized mistakes the rest of the way. able to rebound out of the zone was big for us because it’s always a challenge to Sophomore forward Javon McCrea rebound in a zone defense.” and senior forward Mitchell Watt both recorded double-doubles in the game. The Bulls lost the turnover battle (1510), which made the lopsided victory McCrea was dominant in the first half, even more impressive. The Flyers were scoring 13 of his 17 points and grabbing coming off of three games in four days in eight of his 11 rebounds. Watt finished Orlando, Fla. Witherspoon felt that con-
Bulls Look to Stay Hot Against Big Four Rival SCOTT RESNICK Asst. Sports Editor If Wednesday night’s 29-point road thrashing of Atlantic 10 power Dayton proved anything, it’s that this year’s men’s basketball team is a force to be reckoned with. But if St. Bonaventure’s senior forward Andrew Nicholson has shown anything in his four years with the Bonnies, it’s that he’s an unstoppable scoring machine.
Dayton leading scorer Kevin Dillard was held in check by the Bulls’ zone defense. He finished with only 11 points on 4-of10 shooting. Forward Chris Johnson led the Flyers with 12 points, as he hit four of the Flyers’ six triples. Junior guard Tony Watson continued his solid play for the Bulls off the bench. He finished with 10 points and four assists in 23 minutes, but Witherspoon explained that the impact Watson has on the game can’t just be seen on the stat sheet. “He was exactly what the doctor ordered in terms of going into the game off the bench and knowing exactly what was needed,” Witherspoon said. “He knew what it took to be a leader out there and I thought he had a great floor game tonight – he got us into our offense and ran it very well when we needed it.” The Bulls will next face St. Bonaventure (2-2) on Saturday at Alumni Arena. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. Email: sports@ubspectrum.com
Scouting St. Bonaventure Current Record: 2-2 2010-11 Record: 16-15 (8-8 Atlantic 10) All-Time Record: St. Bonaventure leads, 4-2 Last Meeting: 76-74 St. Bonaventure (Dec. 4, 2011 @ Reilly Center)
At 6-foot-9, Nicholson is by far the most intimidating threat the Bulls have faced in the post this season. The Naismith Preseason Watch List candidate currently leads his team with 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, and he’s added 11 blocks. Nicholson’s statistical performance has been steadily decreasing the last couple of games, as he totaled just nine points in the Bonnies’ last game against Virginia Tech. But Buffalo already has learned Nicholson can do damage. The forward scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in St. Bonaventure’s last meeting with Buffalo. F Demitrius Conger
Buffalo faces Big Four opponent St. Bonaventure and its leading scorer Andrew Nicholson in Alumni Arena on Saturday evening. Courtesy of SBU Athletics
Witherspoon believes his team will have to deploy a more cohesive defensive strategy if the Bulls expect to contain Nicholson.
arc this season, while recording 13.8 points per game. The Brooklyn native is coming off a 23-point performance against a talented Virginia Tech (5-2) squad.
“[Stopping Nicholson] has got to be a collective effort,” Witherspoon said. “It’ll have to be something that we all concentrate on – we’ll have to do it as a team.”
One storyline to keep an eye on for Saturday night is the ongoing position battle between sophomore point guard Jarod Oldham and his junior counterpart, Tony Watson.
On the offensive side of the ball, sophomore forward Javon McCrea and senior forward Mitchell Watt have morphed into a twoheaded monster in their first season starting alongside one another. McCrea, a finalist for the U-19 men’s national team and the 2010 Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year, leads the Bulls in scoring at a 16.8 points per game clip. Watt, a four-year starter, has continued his dominance in the paint with 14.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.
“I think our offense was in rhythm and it had good balance tonight with inside and outside production and that always helps the shooters,” Witherspoon said. “Our movement was better, our screens were better.”
F Andrew Nicholson
After a season in which he was named to the all-Atlantic 10 first team, Nicholson has continued his torrid pace, averaging 16.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game in the season’s early going. “[Nicholson] is a tremendous player,” said head coach Reggie Witherspoon. “He’s certainly as good if not better than anyone we’ve faced this year.”
tributed to the large margin of victory, but he was also very pleased with the offensive performance of the Bulls.
Two Bonnies to Watch:
The Bulls (4-1) will have their hands full on Saturday night as they welcome Nicholson and cross-town rival St. Bonaventure (2-2) to Alumni Arena, where the Bulls will look to post their second consecutive victory over an Atlantic 10 opponent.
In addition to McCrea and Watt, senior guard Zach Filzen has kept pace in the scoring column, adding 15.2 PPG. Filzen believes opposing defenses are forced to “pick their poison” when it comes to doubling the tandem of Give another team a shot to beat LSU. A McCrea and Watt in the post or defending his BCS championship game between LSU sharp-shooting prowess on the perimeter. and Alabama will hurt College Football and the legacy of this LSU football The Bonnies, too, boast scoring depth in the team. The Tigers deserve to play as low post. many teams as they can to prove that they are the best, not ones they have The 6-foot-6-inch junior forward Demitrius already beaten. Conger has the ability to stretch the floor, as he’s shot a lofty 40 percent from beyond the
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Friday, December 2, 2011
The Bulls’ potential trouble in the post doesn’t stop with Nicholson. Conger is currently averaging 13.8 points and six rebounds per game. The junior forward is coming off a 23-point game against Virginia Tech and he will be looking to stay hot against Buffalo’s talented post players. He’s also shown the ability to burn opponents from long range. Conger made 36 of his 89 three-point attempts last year, and this season he’s shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc. The Bulls win if… senior guard Zach Filzen takes command. Senior forward Mitchell Watt and sophomore forward Javon McCrea will have their hand full against Conger and Nicholson. Filzen needs to shoot lights-out in order to draw the Bonnies’ attention, which would give the two forwards more breathing room. If Filzen keeps hitting jump shots with the added pressure, that’ll only be an added bonus.
The Bonnies win if… Conger and Nicholson take the upper hand against Watt and McCrea. This game is going to be decided by post Oldham, who held the starting position enter- play, and if the Bonnies’ forwards overwhelm two of Buffalo’s best ing the season, has struggled of late, bottomplayers, this will be a long night for the Bulls. ing out in a zero-point, two-assist performance in 20 minutes of playing time against Brian Josephs Dayton. Those struggles led Witherspoon to Sports Editor call on Watson, who promptly answered the bell with 10 points, four assists, and three St. Bonaventure seems like best of Western New York’s Big Four. rebounds in 23 minutes off the bench. The squad has convincing wins against Cornell and conference rival Siena, and it has played tight in its losses against Virginia Regardless of who commands the floor at the Tech and Cleveland State. But the fact of the matter is that Buffalo point guard position, the Bulls have proven is playing at Alumni Arena. You can’t go wrong with a 16-3 record they are loaded with talent up and down at home in the past two years. their roster. Coming off an unprecedented road win over a consistent NCAA TournaBuffalo-76 ment contender, Witherspoon anticipates his Bonnies-65 team to carry that momentum into Saturday night’s “Big Four” matchup. Aaron Mansfield Senior Sports Editor “When you go into a hostile environment like [Dayton], you come out of it with a better The Bulls proved me wrong last game against Dayton. They finally sense of togetherness and unity,” Withergot that elusive win on the road and looked dominant in doing so. spoon said. “Hopefully we can bring that Filzen is really picking his game up and the squad has followed home with us.” suit. I think McCrea is going to match Nicholson and prove he’s the best player in the Big Four. This will be another momentous notch on the résumé of a solid Buffalo squad.
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Buffalo-72 Bonnies-69