Tiger Newspaper Vol. XCVII, No. III

A Homecoming befitting Hogwarts

By Kristin Gunther Copy Editor

Jennifer Kim

Homecoming Court 2010: Princesses pose with Queen Chloe Lloyd: sophomore Phoebe Ou-Yang, senior Sara Charney, junior Sue Helen Ang, senior Jade Roman, and freshman Luciana Ponce de Leon.

High school Bomb scare at Mission Station rivalry flares again

By Ande Withers Staff Writer

By Clair Fuller and Sofi Goode Staff Writers The South Pasadena/ San Marino football game on October 29 was highly anticipated and steeped in the traditional rivalry between the previously combined schools.

South Pasadena emerged victorious from the game with a 42-20 win, but not before much mud slinging from both sides.

In the week before the game, an event was made on Facebook advertising the game itself. However, hateful comments degrading both sides appeared on the wall, and the conversation quickly degenerated into a showcase of strong feelings from both schools.

On the morning of the game, graffiti appeared at SPHS. Found on the sidewalk by the soccer field on campus, it read “SPK” in sloppy white paint. This acronym, which stands for “South Pasadena Killers,” (and its equivalent “SMK”, meaning San Marino Killers) has been used at both schools on many occasions to add fuel to the deeply rooted rivalry.

The graffiti, however, was promptly removed, and the administration took no further action.

There is a common misconception at SPHS that saying or using the slogan “SMK” violates some kind of preexisting and official policy.

See “SP-SM” on Page 2

Last Friday, Metro Gold Line trains stopped service to Mission Station for over four hours, while a bomb squad attempted to investigate what appeared to be unattended suitcases.

According to Metro spokesman Jose Ubaldo, the scare began when someone called from the station at approximately 12:45 pm to report an unattended item.

Police and Fire Department officers were called to examine the suitcase, and trains were ordered to bypass Mission Station. After the

officers determined the bags to be suspicious, the Sheriff’s Department bomb squad unit was called to examine the object.

“The bomb squad rendered the bags safe by blowing them up,” Sgt. Tony Abdalla said.

However, Sgt. Ed Luevano of the LA County Sheriff’s Department reported that no explosives were found. The bomb squad determined that there was nothing in the bags apart from clothing and miscellaneous items.

Mission Station was able to reopen before 3:00 pm.

Though the satchels were determined harm-

less, local police departments have made it clear that leaving a bag unattended is a serious issue.

“There is no way to tell if an item like this is real or fake without physically inspecting the bag and its contents,” said Janet Pope-Givens of the Pasadena Police Department.

The South Pasadena Police Department will continue its investigation in hopes of determining who abandoned the bags and why.

“In this day and age you absolutely cannot leave your baggage unattended in a public transportation center,” said Sgt. Abdalla. “We take this very seriously.”

Sam Gurley

Jewelry heist ends in South Pasadena

By Marcus Kahn Managing Editor Following a jewelry store robbery at Pasadena Jewelry Mart next to the Paseo Colorado Wednesday afternoon, four African-American males allegedly at-

tempted to evade Pasadena Police by entering South Pasadena. The police apprehended the suspects in a search near Orange Grove Avenue around the western border of South Pasadena two hours after the 1:53 PM robbery.

Five surrounding police departments were involved in the search, as well as up to seven canines. Officers continued to search yard to yard and even inside some homes for suspects after the four men were See “Robbery” on Page 2

Last week’s Homecoming celebration was literally magical. The three-day Harry Potterthemed festival culminated on Wednesday, November 9, with the Tiger football team’s 27-17 win over Temple City and a dance that was sadly under-attended.

Attendees of the game witnessed a magic show at half-time, as well as a firework display symbolizing Chloe Lloyd’s elected reign as the 2010 Homecoming Queen.

Due to today’s penultimate film release of the Harry Potter series, last week’s Homecoming display was heavily influenced by the wizarding franchise. A Quidditch match, won by the seniors, was held at lunch on Tuesday of the shortened week. The upperclassmen got their comeuppance, however, when the freshmen and sophomores took the tied first place spot for the most spirit points.

The aforementioned award was announced during the Home-

coming assembly, where Kyle Ehlig and Clarke McRae danced and Pep performed multiple acts.

“The flag thing was really cool,” said freshman Danielle Krieger, of Flags’ glow-in-the-dark performance. The assembly segued into the Homecoming Picnic held on Diamond Street. The Picnic allowed students to mingle, taste delectable treats, and partake in revelry; for many, the event was also a people-watching experience—as Mr. Ring said, “…seeing students in an environment where they can be themselves and have fun [is very enjoyable].”

The much-appreciated festivities ended Wednesday evening with the Homecoming Dance, which was held in the gym. Although “some aspects [of the three-day, Harry Potter themed palooza] weren’t quite as good as last year…overall it was very fun,” said sophomore Evan Davis. The success of the hullabaloo is probably best summarized, though, by junior Lillie Moffett’s eloquent statement: “Boba was the best.”

Sam Gurley

Rehearsal for “Daddy’s Dyin’, Who’s Got the Will?,” which will open Dec. 3rd in the Little Theatre. See Tiger Online for comments from the cast and director Mr. Daniel Enright.

Local increase in bike theft

By Jackson Atwater Assoc. News Editor Is it safe to lock your bicycle on the street near the high school? Recent South Pasadena Police Department crime reports suggest it’s not. Since the first day of school, at least four bicycles have been stolen from the area around the High School. However, the most active theft hotspot is the Gold Line Metro station on Mission and Meridian. Bicycles have also been stolen from SPMS and Marengo Elementary.

Not only South Pasadena is being affected by this increase in crime. Officer Richard Lee of the South Pasadena Police Department notes that sheriffs in Temple City say they, too, have noticed a significant increase in thefts within their city. On a larger scale, the city of Los Angeles experienced a 29% jump in bicycle theft in 2009, with a 57 % jump in theft in and

around the downtown area.

Officer John Salcido, also of the SPPD, confirms these statistics, adding that in South Pasadena, “quite a few, at least two or three [bicycles] are stolen a week.”

Bike thieves may carry a pair of bolt cutters with them, which can cut through even the strongest locks if the thief has enough time to work. Once the bicycle is safely in criminal hands, it will likely be sold to a pawn shop or advertised on Craigslist. The SPPD has a free bicycle licensing program, and it recommends that cyclists keep track of the serial number on the bottom bracket of a bicycle to help recover the bicycle if it is stolen.

Salcido adds that, “bike theft is definitely an easy way to make a quick buck. Not just students are being affected by this; everybody who rides a bike needs to be aware of this problem.”

News 2

Tiger - Friday, November 19, 2010

News

Around Campus

“No Shave November” dates back to the 1920’s, when all male students and faculty were required to go “hirsute” until the end of the varsity football season. In 1931, however, the Coach C. Merrill Green was allowed to shave mid-season after his wife gave him the ultimatum, “shave or starve.” /Mike Hogan

Sean Wang receives recognition for achievement in Siemens competition

By Alex Tranquada Staff Writer Senior Sean Wang advanced to the late stages of the Siemens Competition in Math, Science, and Technology, culminating last Saturday in a ten-minute oral presentation to a panel of judges at the California Institute of Technology and a conversation with the president of the College Board.

Wang began working on his project the summer before his junior year, working in the anatomic pathology department at City of Hope cancer center in Duarte. His goal was to test the antibody glypican-3 for the ability to predict whether cirrhotic livers were at risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma, a type of liver cancer. Through

the process of immunostaining, in which an antibody is used to test for the presence of a certain protein, Wang divided his sample pool of 187 livers into a glypican3-positive group and a glypican3-negative group.

He continued his work last summer, moving into the department of molecular pharmacology, where he performed genetic tests on the two groups to compare the differences in their molecular structure responsible for the differing immunostaining results.

After his tests were complete, he submitted his body of work to the Siemens Competition.

Over two thousand students entered the contest this year, and only 96 entrants from 36 different states were chosen as Regional Finalists. Wang was one of just five individual finalists from Re-

From “SP-SM” on Page 1 However, despite the widespread and openly acknowledged nature of the rivalry, no such school policy exists.

In this particular instance of defacing school property, Mr. TerranceDunn confirmed that the only action taken would be to “remove [the graffiti] and ignore it.” Ms. Janet Anderson stated, “I did not call San Marino this time, but sometimes, we do call back and forth about such vandalism.”

In addition to the appearance of the graffiti, some San Marino students at the game attended wearing t-shirts that read “Tiger Termination” and featured a drawing of a dead tiger. These shirts were allegedly sold on campus by the San Marino equivalent of the student store at SPHS. While the interschool rivalry has existed for many years peaking during the football and basketball seasons, the SPK/SMK slogans flared up about three or four years ago, according to English teacher Mrs. Gill.

While these acronyms can be seen as merely a display of school spirit, Mrs. Anderson says, “they [San Marino] are our neighbors and friends, and something so hateful is really not in the right spirit. After all, if we have nothing else, we can still have our integrity and sportsmanship!”

gion 1, which comprises California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, and Montana.

At the Caltech event, Wang presented his project to ten professors; his presentation was followed by a private, twelve-minute Q&A session.

The winners were announced on Saturday night, and although Wang was not among them, he will still receive a $1000 scholarship from the College Board.

“I felt the experience as a whole was just plain amazing,” said Wang. “I met sophomores and juniors researching crazy stuff. One group even had a patent and a contract with the government to use their creation.

I feel really lucky to have made it as far as I did, even though I didn’t go to Nationals.”

Katie Whitworth

Senior Sean Wang stands next to a banner posted at school in recognition of his achievements in the Siemens competition.

New smoking ordinance affects student life

By Kelsey Hess Staff Writer An ordinance was passed October 22 by the City Council prohibiting tobacco sales within 500 feet of any South Pasadena Public Schools. The ordinance will be enforced starting December 3.

This ordinance is beneficial and necessary for the air quality within the city; however, not all of the schools are within a 500-foot radius of tobacco retailers. “Three of the schools don’t have commercial zoning within 500 feet of them [South Pasadena Public Schools],” said Paul Garnett to the Pasadena Star News.

Paul Garnett is the South Pasadena City associate planner who is heavily involved in this last push to limit smoking

and reduce the number of students affected by second hand smoke.

Most adults are in support of this new ordinance, but not all students understand its reasoning. Said a junior at SPHS, “If they really want tobacco, they’ll find it anyway. They [South Pasadena City Council] are just trying to make a statement that they disapprove of tobacco. It’s pointless, and students can probably get tobacco outside of 500 feet.”

The administration does not see smoking at South Pasadena High School as a common problem. Mrs. Phillips, the school nurse, has not noticed much of a smoking issue at the high school, but comments, “Hopefully, this new ordinance will positively influence the school.”

There have been other ordinances in South Pasadena to try to limit smoking. This past September, the city limited smoking in apartments, townhouses, and condos, and in 2013, this will expand to all apartments and multi-tenant homes.

There is a minimum fine of $250 for voilating this ordinance. Some occupants believe that this ordinance could be seen as a punishment for people who do not live in a single-family home, but this was only enacted to limit the amount of second hand smoke from getting to children and families.

All of South Pasadena’s ordinances relating to reducing smoking have proven effective, and we will continue to be the green and prosperous city we are known to be.

Patterson attends Florida golf conference

Club. The First Tee is a World Golf Foundation initiative that provides inner-city kids Over the past weekend, with the opportunity to play sophomore Daniel Patterson golf and build character. The went to Walt Disney World in organization’s main purpose Orlando, Florida as a repre- is to spread the game of golf sentative of the First Tee Golf and the lessons it provides.

In Florida, Patterson learned about career sets, PGA Tour tournament management, Disney management, and more menial activities such as how to cut the greens and take care of the golf grass.

The sophomore sent in an essay to the Florida-based association for a chance to be selected as one of fifty to qualify for a spot in the conference. He was the first to be chosen from his First Tee club, Sam Gurley Graffiti found on campus: SPK commonly stands for “South Pasadena Killers.” located in Pasadena.

By Christian Miyamae Assoc. Sports Editor

“It’s cool since I am the first from First Tee in Pasadena to go. It’s an honor,” said Patterson.

He has been associated with First Tee since it opened in 2004. However it is not just his dedication that qualified him, his leadership qualities also played a large role. “I like leading, not following. I take initiative,” Patterson remarked.

Along with learning about career sets in golf and in Disney management, Patterson also learned how to apply these lessons to his future.

“Learning about career sets gives me a better chance of succeeding in my career, not just in golf. As a leader, I learned that leaders should take charge but not over control or else it becomes more of a dictatorship,” said Patterson.

From “Robbery” on Page 1 apprehended to ensure that all alleged burglars in the area had been put in custody.

According to Officer Crane of the Los Angeles Police Department, a frantic call from a female homeowner alerted the police to four suspects running through her backyard. Officers barricaded the Mission Gold Line station to ensure the remaining suspect did not escape custody via train.

The assailants also attempted to assault a female employee of the jewelry store. According to the Pasadena Star-News, Pasadena Jewelry Mart manager Richard Ghoogasian threw a phone at the assailants and missed. He later said the damage to the store was greater than the loss of the stolen goods. The Star News also reported that an ambulance was called to assist a female employee who was injured during the robbery.

Local police are looking into possible connections with a Glendale robbery that occurred on Tuesday.

Friday, November 19, 2010 - Tiger

Midterm Elections

Senior voters: What’s your stance?

18 year old SPHS-ers voice their opinions for Tiger and at the polls

“I believe that people would not have voted the same way then years ago as they did this year. These issures were very current, and related to our generation.”

“Ten years ago, issues like these may have had the same support conservatively, but [social] issues like Prop 19 would have had less support because information was less readily available.”

M

42.2% Yes 57.8% No

s

wh

State

Prop. 20

ck res

ult

ults es

61.2% Yes 38.9% No

Redistricting of Congressional Districts. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.

M

k res

40.1% Yes 59.9% No

s

38.9% Yes 61.1% No

oc

ult

ults es

State

Prop. 23 wide r

Joey Goode

Suspends Air Pollution Control Laws Requiring Major Polluters to Report and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions That Cause Global Warming Until Unemployment Drops Below Specified Level for Full Year. Initiative Statute.

o

52.6%

v

10.8%

o te d ?

Highlighted Props o

“California tends to swing liberal.

[Ten years ago,] these propositions, with a few exceptions, w o u l d h a v e swung liberal.”

Matt West

Nora DeVita

wide r

Party Affiliation: Democratic

Party Affiliation: Libertarian

Party Affiliation:

Democratic

Students

of all SPHS students in mock election

of registered CA voters in mid-term election

23.9%

Governor Election

49.4%

Statewide

In both the SPHS mock and the statewide election, Jerry Brown was victorious in the Gubernatorial race against his opponent, Meg Whitman.

53.6%

41.2%

3

4 Tiger - Friday November 19, 2010

Role Swapping

p u t i s e h c t i w S Tiger T

iger noticed that people, especially teenagers, are sick of being “labeled.” So we made a valiant effort to abolish or at least change these labels. And thus the “Role Swap” page was born. This spread features three excellently ridiculous label changes. Mr. Jeff Chi was cool enough to play along and become the student, sophomore varsity basketball player Khalil Kariem was daring enough to jump in with the girls water polo team, and ASB-member Eileen Suh was humble enough to do some dirty work.

Mr. Jeff Chi Bombs a History Test

22/170

Picking up trash to posters There is often contention about whether or not modern bureaucrats can do practical work But Senior Class President Eileen Suh proved her worth by switching with beloved Plant Supervisor Bruce Underwood.

With a hilarious change of pace, Eileen manned the coveted cart usually driven around by SPHS personnel and loaded trashcans.

Though that’s not to say she didn’t chill out a little.

On the lunch benches she and Bruce discussed the hips and haps of the NBA. Afterwards Bruce utilized the resources of the SPHS ASB and created a rather aesthetically pleasing poster.

“Tigers 4 Life.”

A weak attempt from a half-asleep teenager, and the most a South Pasadena math teacher can give.

Mr. Chi, renowned for his dastardly tricky math tests, and terse manner of speaking, stepped confidently into Mr. Martin’s room ready to get an A on one of U.S. History Honors’ most important tests. With a confiscated cell phone, a little cheating, and a whole lot of banter, Mr. Chi turned in his test expectantly. Alas, the red pen of historical justice triumphed over his aloof demeanor with a painful 13%. Let it be noted that Mr. Chi did indeed do it in the best humor, and played along like a champ.

B-ball dips in

“Wait, I don’t know how to swim.” Not exactly inspiring words coming from sophomore Khalil Kariem as he was about to get in the pool.

Regardless, he waded into one of the lanes and began paddling laps at a valiant, albeit slow rate. Water polo is reputed to be one of the most physically demanding sports, and even the best athletes flounder quickly if unconditioned. After a few jibes from Coach Blumkin, and a reassuring pat on the shoulder, Kariem toweled off and went off to basketball practice beat.

Page by Marcus Kahn

Photos by Sam Gurley and Tai Carter

Opinion

Friday, November 19, 2010 - Tiger

5

Opinion B B

The nature of genius

to Mia, the “drug dog.” She’s so cute, we kind of want to be sniffed.

ravo

to continuing to think that students know the words to the Alma Mater.

Wouldn’t we all prefer another serenade from McKay Hatch? oo

By Coleman Westfall Rainey Editor-in-Chief

B

ravo to Mr. Groves for being awesome.

What’s your secret for getting your students to cough up so much money?

B B

oo to the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops. There goes my 4.0.

ravo to Mr. Chi for getting pied in the face and dunked during the Homecoming Picnic. You’re a good sport.

B

oo to the Rio Hondo League for having one of the worst tiebreaking methods ever. Who knew coins were so good at winning championships?

B

ravo to

George Wang for bringing spaghetti to lunch every day for two years.

We wish we had that kind of dedication.

B

oo to the last hour of the homecoming picnic. It felt like a prison that was surprisingly hard to escape.

The Tiger Established 1913

CSPA Gold Medalist 2001 CSPA Gold Medalist 2005 CSPA Gold Medalist 2006 CSPA Gold Medalist 2009 Editor-in-Chief Coleman Westfall Rainey Managing Editor Marcus Kahn News Libby Rainey, Editor Jackson Atwater, Associate Opinion Devin Mitchell, Editor Luka Douridas, Associate Feature Lana Ho, Editor Jessica Moog, Associate Sports Carlton Lew, Editor Christian Miyamae, Associate Copy Editors Christine Chen and Kristin Gunther Photography Sam Gurley, Editor Edmund Mandin-Lee, Associate Photographers Tai Carter, Jennifer Kim, Kathryn Whitworth Staff Writers Michael Abelev, Wyatt Bukowski, Jake Folsom, Clair Fuller, Sofi Goode, Kristin Gunther, Kelsey Hess, Amber Laird, Chloe Lloyd, Brendan Perry, Meghan Roche, Joshua Roquemore, Alex Tranquada, Max White, Ande Withers Harry Yadav Staff Illustrators Samuel Shin, Daniel Willardson Managers Kennedy Diaz, Ads Angela Jang, Business Webmaster Makenna Sidle Faculty Advisor Mike Hogan

Tiger is produced by the advanced journalism newspaper class at South Pasadena High School, 1401 Fremont Ave, South Pasadena, CA 91030. Layout and photo imaging are completed on-site. Printed

by American/Foothill Publishing Co., Inc., Tujunga, CA. Signed articles appearing in Tiger represent the writer’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff, student body, faculty or administration of SPHS. Contact the publications office at (626) 441-5820 ext. 2615 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. for advertising rates and subscriptions. Tiger welcomes articles, letters or rebuttals. All letters must be signed and verifiable, but names will be witheld upon request.

Sam Shin

An outdated policy due for reevaluation Staff Editorial The technological leaps made in the 21st century are undeniable. An influx of cell phones, the inextricable presence of the Internet, and habits of constant connection have been integrated into everyday life—so why hasn’t South Pasadena High School caught on?

School policy states that cell phone use is prohibited on campus during the instructional day, from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. This restriction includes passing periods, brunch, and lunch—recess times during which many students have had their phones confiscated. Student Services clerk Mrs. Katherine Barela reports she receives “an average of three cell phones a day,” a figure that includes the phones used by students outside the classroom.

Prohibition of cell phone use during breaks in instruction simply does not fit with the continually advancing world of communication. Students have been raised in a society that fully involves technology and the benefits it provides, and in order to properly address current world outlook, the administration must recognize the background from which they come.

The use of cell phones in the classroom setting is a clear distraction from instruction, and policy reflects this knowledge in order to maximize class time efficiency. However, cell phone use outside of the class has no ramifications for learning students, and this archaic sentiment of restriction instead hampers a normal and realistically indispensable part of every day life.

High school administration has recognized the inconsistency in policy when compared with modern viewpoints, however Pr inc ipal Janet And er so n emphasizes that the cell phone rule remains for philosophical reasons. “Connected,

connected, connected,” she laments when examining the contemporary lifestyle, and stresses that the school environment should support face-to-face contact and distraction-free interaction.

The loss of personal contact due to cell phones and other current advances is one that many students would agree to, but to be resistant to a force that is otherwise unlimited is a burden to the student body and faculty alike.

Other local schools districts have already begun integrating cell phones into campus life. Policies at La Cañada and San Marino public high schools have adjusted their rules to allow cell phone usage outside the classroom. Alfred Hwang, sophomore at San Marino High School, says of the more relaxed regulation, “It gives us a way to talk to friends and parents outside of school.” Appreciation for a more accepting policy goes beyond the ability to communicate with others for pleasure, it is actually a necessity for students who have come to rely on digital connection for other means.

A change in school policy allowing cell phone use outside of the classroom would benefit more than just technologydependant students. It would also allow an opportunity to tighten in-class policy regarding phone use. English and A.P. Language teacher Kim Kadletz collects phones at the beginning of class to eliminate the possibility of cell phone related distraction. By relaxing rules against phone use at brunch and lunch, students would be more willing to comply with these Kadletz-like restrictions.

Policy has far from remained static as SPHS has evolved with the modern world, and the time has come to make room in the school disciplinary code for conventional forms of communication.

The human brain is wired for novelty.

When they experience something new, the brain releases dopamine metabolite, a drug exploited by many narcotics that activates amygdalan pleasure sensors. Mankind is fascinated, both spiritually and chemically, by anything foreign.

The fact that humans share that common instinctual inclination in no way implies, however, that all minds work in the same way.

Studies have shown that different groups perform fundamentally different mental operations: men and women, introverts and extroverts, and many more. It is no question that the mind of a genius works in a unique and unparalleled way. It is the combination of these two cerebral tendencies that gives rise to an important, albeit obvious cultural phenomenon: the cult of genius.

“Genius” is a word that connotes much more than, say, an IQ over 150. It entails a fascination, a following, and an inherent reverence. To be called a genius makes one untouchable and apart from the menial troubles of the average mind. We reason that the world’s most brilliant minds must not only produce the most brilliant ideas, but also develop the most novel cognitive process. In fact, their ideas don’t have to be unique to be considered “genius.” It is how those ideas appear to develop that matters.

And so, when we are introduced to the mind of a genius, we become fascinated with something fantastically distinct and unrecognizable from ourselves. We simply cannot understand how the mind of a genius works—a consciousness can only be as intelligent as the system in which it operates. In other words, we are limited by the framework of our own minds.

Geniuses are not a part of our framework, or of our system. They are a machine unto themselves, an operating system completely incompatible with our own.

It is this inability of understanding that gives the genius his power, however unwilling or unknowing he is of his affliction. The common mind struggles, endlessly, to justify the presence of peerless existence. It is that distinction, that novelty that our minds are wired to appreciate, that we are drawn to and cannot help but admire.

Think of the “geniuses” throughout history: Aristotle, Leonardo da Vinci, Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein. Of course, these men produced ingenious theories in their time, and revolutionized scientific and political theory— and all of them were said to be quasi-insane.

Aristotle was known to have fits of aggressive rage, and Newton was paranoid for years that others were stealing his theories. Brilliant minds, yes, but alienated by that brilliance.

If this is true, then “genius” is an extremely subjective term—for it has as much to do with how men are perceived as how intelligent they actually are. We often use the term liberally, exclaiming, “You’re a genius!” when a friend fixes our computer or remembers a phone number. However, this excessive labeling can go further: What a “genius” produces may have no real significance at all, but people are still drawn to it because they believe it comes from a unique mind.

Regardless, when a society labels someone as a genius, much more is said of society than of the man himself.

6

Opinion

Tiger - Friday, November 19, 2010

Celebrate school spirit

By Chloe Lloyd Staff Writer As a senior, I would like to think that I have learned a thing or two about high school. One of the most important lessons I have come to understand is that school spirit can make or break your high school experience. But what exactly is school spirit?

Although the image of overweight men slathered in body paint and screaming at a football game may come to mind, there is a lot more to school spirit than athletics.

School spirit is defined as the emotional support for one’s educational institution, but in reality it is the emotional support for that institution’s success. Believing in your school reflects a belief in a system that molds and shapes who you will be in the future.

The educational system has supported teaching students with the hopes that one day they will have a bright and successful future. There is nothing wrong with supporting a system that has supported students throughout their lives. Additionally, school spirit involves not just watching but participating as well.

The groans during an assembly, along the lines of “This sucks” or “I’d rather be watching Jersey Shore,” just illustrates the apathy of a large portion of the student body. I am a firm believer that if you do not like something, rather than complain, you should take initiative to implement a change.

High school is a period of time in which individuals find their strengths, weaknesses, and figure out the kind of

person they want to be. With such a tentative time period, the opportunity to try new things is now. Rather than complain at school events, get involved. It is so easy to do it at this school.

Getting involved doesn’t even necessarily mean joining Pep or ASB—and can be as simple as wearing orange on Color Day. It can be the performance of Color Guard at the first home Football game, the collective pride in Sam Pons’s maintained success, or any situation in which your work is displayed and appreciated.

As students, the potential to be great is everywhere, and when one excels in a certain field, sharing it with others makes it better.

Who better to share it Sam Shin with than the entire school?

School spirit is not only supporting your school, but other friends, classmates, and futures. So after reading this, instead of continuing to sit alphabetically in your study hall, find out what drives you, go to a school event, and embrace your inner Tiger.

Counter-productive fandom

By Meghan Roche Staff Writer When your favorite band finally begins to gain popularity or the recognition they deserve, it should be something to celebrate, right? To many, though, this isn’t the case. Fandom is beginning to give way to snobbery and elitism, and it’s ridiculous.

The phenomenon occurs in two steps. First, someone discovers that they like what they consider to be a widely unknown band. Next, when it draws commercial success, they complain about the onslaught of new fans, often going so far as to decide that the band is no longer good.

To these naysayers, a wide fan base does not mean that the band in question is good enough to appeal to a lot of people, but instead that it has “gone too mainstream” or has “sold out.”

If the quality of the work were to suffer as a result of the artist’s popularity, such a stance would be much more understandable. However, that’s rarely the actual issue.

The fact is, when the artist or band in question is unknown or a cult favorite,

Seating dynamics and the ills they breed

By Marcus Kahn Managing Editor

Article Key Terms Seating dynamics: the mode of group social interaction, as determined by the arrangement of seating.

Butt-hurt seats: the grooved metal seating

at some football stadiums that really hurts one’s butt.

Convo-crust: location outside the radius of a conversation.

Attention grabbers: people who grab a conversation by the horns and shift the attention towards themselves.

Convo-core: location inside the radius of a conversation.

Attention payers: people who listen to conversation and pipe up, but don’t drive conversation.

Daniel Willardson

YouTube’s gradual yet regrettable sell-out

By Amber Laird Staff Writer Everyone’s favorite video site has been bombarded by advertising recently. Ads have been sneaking into videos in more ways than they ever have before, and while many YouTubers are dissatisfied, they are forced to cope.

The site has had ads for a while, but they’ve always been off to the side or in popups at the bottom of the video. Now, before certain videos, viewers must endure a fifteen to thirty second-long, unrelated advertisement.

People will, of course, eventually adjust.

Viewers have been dealing with commercial breaks interrupting their television experience since long before YouTube was created. But, the experience of watching video after video,

being a fan feels like being in an exclusive little club. Once membership opens up to the unwashed masses, the veteran fans feel a lot less special.

Some like to claim that artists should work and create their art just for the sake of making it. Are they forgetting that these bands need to make money for themselves, too? Obviously, for these “fans”, creating “just for the sake of the art” might as well be creating “just for the sake of my ego”.

Ironically enough, the fandom of these little-known bands almost always expands by word of mouth. The very reason it became popular is because people kept talking about how great it was, enjoying being the ones “in the know” about something before anyone else.

In any case, this elitist tendency turns the simple act of enjoying music into a childish display of a superiority complex. Liking or disliking an artist no longer is based upon the actual quality of the music, but on the others who also enjoy it.

It’s time for the musical egotism and snobbery when it comes to music to end. All it does is make people look pretentious and ignorant.

end to end without ad breaks made YouTube unique. Having to sit through ads every few videos is irritating at best.

The ads do serve a purpose, however, by funding the YouTubers who upload the same videos they plague. It provides financial support, making pumping out multiple videos a week easier. Do they need it, though? YouTubers have gotten by without the extra cash up until now.

In fact, a taste of the potential funds advertising can bring in has led some YouTubers to compromise even the quality of their videos’ content. Paid product placements, for example, are disguised as substantial videos but are really nothing more than three-minutelong advertisements.

Viewers don’t want to know about the

Carl’s Jr. Portobello Mushroom Six Dollar Burger, regardless of whether the video is entertaining or not.

Abusing one’s YouTube popularity by “selling out,” as they say, is a sale of not only video services, but also of one’s decency.

The essence of what makes YouTube videos genuine and enjoyable is lost, leaving a fake, transparent video whose only purpose is to produce revenue.

YouTube and its partners need to become less profit-focused and stay true to their original purposes: content. A service that was once completely free is now indirectly being paid for by its users. How much farther will the advertisement industry have to intrude on YouTube before the site—and its users— realize the bomabardment has gone too far?

I hate football games. A lot contributes to this hatred. The cold, the butt-hurt-seats, the fact that I can never see what is going on, but mostly I dislike the seating dynamics. In my all too long three and a quarter years of high school, the concept of seating dynamics has played an overly important role in my life.

The next time you arrive at a football game, try and notice where the center of the conversation lies. A healthy conversation will have the attention grabber in the convo-core, surrounded by attention payers. This way everyone is included in the discussion. But more often than not, your attention grabber will be off to one side or the other, leaving the attention payers on the convo-crust.

But seating dynamics are not limited to football games. A class can be entirely ruined because you are sitting on the convo-crust. The classroom experience is partly determined by your teacher, but realistically more by the social interactions that result from seating dynamics. A perfect example can be found in my AP Government class: three of my best friends are situated across the room, basking in the warmth of the convo-core. Unfortunately, I am shivering in the symbolic glow of a Great Depression-era trashcan fire on the other side of the room.

We live in a relatively clear-cut world of introverts and extroverts, and people should put more forethought into the arrangement of seating, especially when such a seemingly trivial matter has such far-reaching implications. So, the next time you go to a basketball game, sit next to people under a new seating chart or plunk down during an assembly, think first. Examine yourself with clarity and figure out where you sit in this dynamic. Think for the greater good, and determine what role you will play in the seating arrangements of the future.

Friday, November 19, 2010 - Tiger

Opinion

7

The uneducated masses Journalism’s cautious steps forward

By Sofi Goode Staff Writer

By Joshua Roquemore Staff Writer

In a democracy, the individual matters. Every single vote is counted, and if enough individuals vote a certain way, they determine the result. This system is theoretically effective because it ensures that the people have a voice in the way our government operates. However, uneducated and indifferent voters can skew the numbers, often leading to drastic and undesirable conclusions.

People often may vote for a candidate without having any knowledge of what that candidate supports. Before a major election, we hear our peers arguing politics all around us—but if you stop to listen to one of those conversations, you may find out that the person you’re listening to actually has no idea what they’re talking about.

It is no different in the adult world, with people who will actually be voting. They might support their candidate because of their party, background, or social standing, and may know nothing about their actual views. These ignorant voters stumble into the polls in swarms and cast votes for people that they know absolutely nothing about.

In addition to casting votes for positions, these pretenders also vote on propositions or initiatives—such as the ones in California—often without having any idea what they’re voting for.

Of course, the way the polls are set up doesn’t exactly help them.

Next to each proposition, there is a brief description. However, many times the voters might not understand the summaries, or worse, just decide to ignore them.

The truth is that some people vote blindly—casting votes for whatever appears to be more favorable at the moment.

This problem may seem abstract, but it has an effect on everyone. Remember Proposition 8, the initiative that tried to make

The beauty of journalism is that it responds to the needs of the people in a world where so many care only for themselves. News is information that changes with culture—the method of presentation is constantly changing.

To the traditional journalist, hardcopy news is slowly becoming taboo and outdated.

While it is true that many jobs will be lost as a result of this transition, it will also bring with it countless opportunities for improvement and efficiency. The ways to communicate and research are so broadened by the Internet that it seems foolish not to tap into them.

The North Country Gazette, an online news franchise, has stated that it will sue any person that might download and view more than one article on their website without a subscription. While the Gazette is taking their marketing in an extreme and unappealing direction, the situation brings up issues never dealt with before.

Sam Shin

same-sex marriage illegal? The proposition passed by a narrow margin, yet now almost every field survey shows that more than 50% of California residents support same-sex marriage. The ballot description from Proposition 8 was: “[This proposition] changes the California Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry in California.”

If someone chose to quickly skim the description, like many lazy voters do, they might think that Proposition 8 was in favor of same-sex marriage. Did the lazy and misinformed skew the results yet again?

Indifferent and ill-informed voters are a woefully large and powerful group in our country.

They influence every election that is held in America, but what can be done about it? It’s as simple as this: when you go to vote, make sure you understand what you’re voting for.

Naturally, if a person has the option to access free reliable news as opposed to paying for information, the former will draw the majority of viewers. This situation raises questions as to how web journalists should be paid. If all news websites began charging viewers, the result could be a mass gravitation of readers towards unofficial journalistic sources, such as blogs.

There are many unanswered questions about online journalism. Among these: payment of online journalists, number of jobs lost to technology, or whether newspaper etiquette should be taken as seriously online. These issues will be dealt with as online news media grows; however, sorting Daniel Willardson them out sooner rather than later will make things easier for everyone.

There is an unfamiliar and melancholy feeling that arises in journalists as print news slowly loses traction in popular media. However, the Internet has also opened new information channels and connections previously unavailable. As inefficient traditions fade, progress replaces them at the forefront of society— and journalists should welcome this progress with open arms.

Cynical politcal behavior

By Devin Mitchell Opinion Editor The Republican Party made historic gains on November 2 in the mid-term elections, taking back the House of Representatives, picking up the most seats in one election since 1948, and cutting into what had been a large Democratic majority in the Senate. However, this result is simply the culmination of a two-year shift away from President Barack Obama and the Democrats, and toward voters’ only viable alternative. Instead of working to solve the nation’s numerous problems, many which they helped to create, the Republicans have put their efforts toward opposing every significant initiative that the President and his party in Congress

propose. They have worked tirelessly, spending millions of dollars and countless hours smearing, picking apart, and discrediting anything and everything that the Democrats have done in order to win the election.

From the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Republicans have tried to obstruct all Democratic legislation, even moderate elements that have been supported by their own party in the past. The Recovery Act had $275 billion in tax cuts that Republicans, who have decried the act as “wasteful government spending,” often talk about as their preferred method for helping the economy. The Affordable Care Act that eventually

Zones, homes, and those weary bones

By Luka Douridas Assoc. Opinion Editor Scattered throughout our world are various “Blue Zones”—that is, places with unusual amounts of centenarians, or people over the age of 100. For decades, scientists have been studying these Blue Zones, trying to figure out exactly what causes these increases in life expectancies. Is it the water? The air? Many correlations have been proposed, but only a few hold consistent. However, one observation is clear: all of these zones house societies that value and respect the elderly. And one of the biggest ways in which most of us fail to do that is by sending our old, dependent relatives to retirement homes, instead of taking care of them ourselves.

A few months ago, while passing through Glendale, I came across a senior citizen, Leonard, attempting to cross a freeway entrance.

He was stuck at the curb, and was not able to lift his walker onto the sidewalk. He looked around helplessly as cars zoomed past him—it was quite possibly the most pathetic thing I had ever seen. After my ride and I pulled over

to help him onto the sidewalk, we offered to take him to his destination. We soon learned that the house to which he led us was no longer his, and that his current residence lay five miles in the opposite direction—at Emeritus Senior Living, Casa Glendale.

Sam Shin

It was heartbreaking enough to learn that he had tried to escape his retirement home— he managed to do so without being seen—but what really gets me is that he had no other place to go besides the house that he grew up in, even though he knew that it had new owners.

Leonard is no unique case. In the United States especially, we have the tendency to dump the elderly into retirement homes once they are unable to take care of themselves. The reasons are clear: having your parents move in can be somewhat of a burden, and you may not have the time, resources, or even space to take care of them. A retirement home is often the more favorable and convenient solution.

Yet in other parts of the world—Blue Zones especially—this isn’t as much the case.

While in the United States we tend to view the elderly as annoying and senile, other cultures view them as honorable and wise. One country that is famous for how much it respects the elderly is Japan—and it is no wonder that it also has the highest life expectancy out of any other country on Earth.

Of course, there are exceptions. I’m sure that there are many people who genuinely enjoy living in retirement homes, and that there are plenty of adults who have perfectly good reasons for not wanting to live with their parents.

Just remember that choosing how to deal with older relatives should require a lot of thought— and that they have their opinions, too.

became law in March was modeled after the Massachusetts health care reform that was signed into law by Governor Mitt Romney, a prominent fiscal conservative. Yet these are the two main policies that Republicans use to paint Obama as a radical socialist.

In addition to universal opposition on the legislative front, the Republicans have relentlessly attacked vulnerable Democrats, running numerous negative advertisements forcing incumbents into retirement, or damaging them so badly that they were unelectable.

The GOP was able to do this with the help of independent groups that contributed millions of dollars to Republican candidates across the country: Karl Rove, a former advisor to President George W. Bush, raised over $70 million through his American Crossroads organization, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce claims to have contributed $75 million for the purpose of defeating Democratic candidates, and FreedomWorks, a conservative non-profit organization, has donated over $10 million to various Tea Party candidates. Those groups and others carefully coordinated their spending, and while they weren’t the reason that Republicans had a good year, their help made it a great one for the GOP. This is not to proclaim the Democratic Party as heroic and unfairly wronged by deceived voters—the failure to clearly articulate their core principles during legislative battles and unite to deliver a clear message to the American people on the campaign trail could have been easily prevented, and makes their losses hardly tragic.

However, for voters to so decisively rule in favor of a party that was so deliberately deceptive in its tactics was wrong—and unfortunately, the success of these tactics ensures that they may be employed again in the future.

8

Tiger - Friday, November 19, 2010

Homecoming

Senior Aria Dean ties bags for Model United Nations.

Seniors Madeline Godwin and Mallory Downing sell Pink Lemonade for the Pink Club.

Friday, November 19, 2010 - Tiger

Homecoming (Below) Some children of SPHS teachers were lucky enough to attend the high school picnic.

(Below) Senior McKay Hatch sings “Just the Way You Are” for all the Homecoming princess.

(Above) Senior Kris Bonk, or DJ 1MOR, mixes for picnic goers along Diamond Aveue. Bonk has DJ’d several school events and paid gigs.

(Below) Junior Telanto Harvey and sophomore Hannah Rips get hitched.

(Above) Senior Homecoming Queen Chloe Lloyd is escorted

by Kevin Figueroa down the auditorium.

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Feature

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Feature

Tiger - Friday, November 19, 2010

Culture Music Art Books Movies Fashion People

Kanye West: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

By Coleman Westfall Rainey Editor-in-Chief Resurrection never occurred in such a hellish place. Kanye West has tried, yet again, to revamp his image—and has gone too far.

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, West’s fifth studio album, is both an exhalation and a deterioration.

West’s constant struggle between his crushing ego and his orchestral perfectionism drives his intense creative prowess and creates a tension and an explosive soundscape that completely overwhelms—then underwhelms—the listener. And like everything West does, these two extremes are not nuanced.

They are announced in a flare of trumpets, then hidden in a three minute auto-tune solo. Every song is too loud, every collaboration too crowded, every track overproduced—and then quite suddenly left to crumble in distortion. Not a single song is under five minutes long, some reaching seven, even nine minutes. “Blame Game” features a fantastic melody by John Legend, but West refuses to leave that vulnerable lyric exposed. He distorts and perverses Aphex Twin’s “Avril 14th”, then spirals downward into a bizzare (and rather vulgar) monlogue by Chris Rock.

All of the elements of a fantastic rap album are present, and West gets tantalizingly close to something brilliant. “Devil In A New Dress” is a highlight: a throwback to College Dropout with the forshadowing lyrics, “We love Jesus, but you’dve learned a lot from Satan.”

“All of the Lights” heaps layer upon layer of horns, strings and chorus, and features Elton John, Rihanna, John Legend, Alicia Keys, and Kid Cudi.

“Lost In The World” brilliantly samples Bon Iver’s auto-tuned “Woods”. Yet somehow, the two extremes of West’s character destroy the simplicity and the brashness of these collaborations—because he tries to include them both.

In his short film that accompanies the album, West is visited by a phoenix who falls to Earth in a ball of fire.

This physical incarnate of West’s inner turmoil—devastatingly beautiful, yet demonic—ends up leaving at the close of the film, to return to her “world”. In My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, West has come to us in a ball of fire.

But he isn’t reborn—not in any sense that we can see. He is languishing in his own rebranding.

teaser-trailer.com

A Road Trip Gone Wrong: Peter Highman (Robert Downey Jr.) and Ethan Tremblay (Zach Galifianakis) spend a night at a rest stop after exhausting their supply of money earlier that day.

Buddy-road-trip veers off course 2.5/5

By Max White and Alex Tranquada Staff Writers We wish we could tell you that Due Date transcends the jaded two-guys-in-acar-on-a-road-trip-movie stereotype. We wish we could tell you that it’s not just another movie about two characters with contrasting personalities resolving their differences after they’re forced to spend large amounts of time together. Unfortunately, we can tell you neither of these things, because that’s exactly what Due Date is. Even the talent of Due Date’s director, Todd Phillips, who directed The Hangover, couldn’t salvage it from the depths of mediocrity.

Peter Highman (Robert Downey Jr.) is a nononsense architect visiting Atlanta on

business. As he boards a flight back to Los Angeles, where his wife will soon be giving birth to their first child, a chance acquaintance, named Ethan Tremblay (Zach Galifianakis), manages to land them both on the no-fly list. Ethan, a comically incompetent actor whose father has just died, is driving cross-country in order to make it big in Hollywood; Peter, wallet-less and without transportation after being kicked off his flight, is forced to accept when Ethan offers to take him along for the ride.

Due Date is not a particularly intellectual film, and as such, most of its humor is purely physical: think car crashes, hairy stomachs being shoved in people’s faces, and disabled army veterans brutally assaulting the main characters.

Although lesser men may find this particular brand of

comedy entertaining, it failed to strike a chord with us, as did Ethan’s contrived emotional issues. He suppresses his grief over his father’s death throughout most of the movie, only expressing his feelings a few times over the course of 95 minutes. This subplot would have benefited from a bit more screen time; as it is, it feels like an afterthought that was only included to provide a modicum of distraction from the consistent drug use and profanity.

That is not to say that the movie lacked moments of hilarity. How can you not laugh at someone puking in an unintentionally-inflicted gunshot wound? Or the accidental consumption of three cups of cremated remains in place of coffee? The problem is that there are too many scenes in Due Date that you can very easily not laugh at.

The movie bombards the audience with unrealistic and unnecessary attempts to draw a reaction, most of which are unsuccessful.

thewallpapers.org

Are you a Mac or a PC? A Mac or a PC? This age-old conflict has led to hundreds of arguments, fights between friends, and online hatred. But the truth is, Macs and PCs appeal to different audiences. Which one is for you?

By Amber Laird Staff Writer It’s not that all Mac users are technologically illiterate, they just like Macs exactly as they come. They’re the complete package.

Coming equipped with iLife, Apple computers appeal to creative types. Editing videos is a cinch, as is organizing photos. Recording, buying, and listening to music are all made easy with Apple programs. Although Apple’s word-processing program is not ideal, installing Microsoft Office on a Mac is no problem.

In terms of Internet navigation, many Mac users are satisfied with Safari. If not, Firefox and Chrome can easily be downloaded. Macs are user-friendly and generally cooperative. They’re very straightforward, never providing encrypted, confusing messages.

A Mac computer is an efficient workspace. One can run multiple programs at once, switching between them with ease and minimal problems. Users construct their own workspace, using sticky notes, exposé, or sim-

ply dragging windows across the screen. Mac designers focus on intuitive, highly visual designs.

Apple programs are constantly offering automatic updates to keep software improving as time progresses, without the user having to seek it out. The hardware is also more compact and easier to carry-Mac laptops are half as clunky as PC laptops. Even for desktop computers, all parts of the computer are contained in one sleek frame. Designers at Apple, Inc. are constantly finding ways to minimize volume while maximizing screen space.

Viruses on Macs are minimal, a result of the combination of better virus protection and the fact that there just aren’t as many Mac viruses out there as PC viruses.

Macs are ideal for people who want efficiency, multitasking abilities, and class.

With user-friendly software and setup and an attractive exterior, Mac laptops are perfect for sitting in Starbucks, sipping some coffee and casually editing a film or reading a manuscript.

By Sofi Goode Staff Writer PCs, or personal computers, appeal to a tech-savvy audience, allowing the user to set up their own computer, run video games and easily access all of their files.

On Microsoft computers, the software is more malleable. Users have the option of buying individual parts and putting their computer together themselves. If they choose to purchase a whole computer, they can easily set up users and firewalls. The software is simple to change and updates can be easily found on the Internet.

To those who understand computers, PCs are easier to use. You can choose the software you like and essentially – or literally if you’d like – put your computer together yourself.

A huge asset to Microsoft is the gaming industry. Microsoft computers have ample gigabytes of memory and RAM (random access memory, which allows for faster com-

puter use) to download and play large games.

Typically, computer games come out for PCs months prior to the Mac release – if there’s a Mac release at all. Since PCs are designed to hold larger files and run much larger and more complicated programs than Macs, there is no doubt that PCs are superior when it comes to gaming.

Malleable software and gaming are great, but they’re nothing compared to Microsoft’s open-source operating system. Mac computers run only Apple software, but PCs are much more flexible. Want to create your own program or download a game that your friend created? No can do on your Mac, but it’s a cinch on a PC. If you understand technology and like to arrange things your own way, PCs are for you. Although it may occasionally give you the Error Message, your PC will never hide your files or deny access to the software necessary to update your programs or fix a problem. Do these functions appeal to you? Then there’s no question; you’re a PC person!

Feature

Friday, November 19, 2010 - Tiger

11

Illustrated by Sam Shin

A proper Finite Incantatem

By Clair Fuller Staff Writer If you’re like me, you don’t mess around when it comes to the Harry Potter series. If seeing the magic of the books recreated on screen almost constitutes a religious experience for you, you’re not alone. And if staring into the non-green eyes of Daniel Radcliffe breaks your heart a little … well, you’re not alone there either.

The films have been a resounding success, and I love them as much as the next person. But, as in all bookto-movie adaptations, some things get lost. Characters, plot points, and chronological details are cut or altered in the interest of creating something suitable for a movie theater. Hollywood is to blame for the inexplicable burning of the Burrow, the notable absence of Dobby, and the utter lack of exposition for numerous subplots in the previous Potter movies, and Deathly Hallows is a culmination of all the subtle hints and details sprinkled throughout the previous installments. Which is why splitting Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows into two movies was a brilliant idea. Without the time to properly develop the intricate storyline that makes Deathly Hallows so excellent, all that could be expected from a one-part release is a movie full of cut corners.

The release of Part One this month marks a significant, if saddening, milestone. After this, there will be one more Potter movie. Just one. I’ll gladly buy a ticket to each of the two films if it means Harry and friends are given the send-off they deserve.

The split (which will come right after Voldemort acquires the Elder Wand, before the trio breaks into Gringotts) will allow for things like proper relationship development in the first movie and a truly epic battle in the second.

This isn’t a commercial gimmick at all—the two-part format allows for a more true-to-the-book approach and will do the seventh installment the justice it deserves. After waiting a year and a half, fans are expecting no less.

Latest HP installment charms yet again

By Devin Mitchell Opinion Editor

4.5/5

“I thought you would have had a plan!” exclaims Ron Weasley as he leaves Harry and Hermione mid-way through the first part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in their search for the seven Horcruxes. But while Ron may have thought the search was moving slowly, Deathly Hallows Part 1 is a fantastic examination of the three main characters’ journey through a wizarding war zone that has more than a few objectively actionpacked moments.

Including the mid-air battle with the Death Eaters in the first ten minutes and the duel with disguised serpent Nagini towards the middle of the film, there are several heartpounding scenes throughout the course of Deathly Hallows. There were so many sudden, sharp volume increases that it was almost too much for viewers to handle. Between that and the increased use of hand-held cameras, it is a relief that the planned 3-D format was scrapped.

While it is unlikely to win any Oscars, this installment of the series in particular is heavy on symbolism. There is a distinct atmosphere that aptly fits the on-the-run characters in a war-torn country. Ron is often seen listening to a transistor radio that continually lists the names of those murdered by Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters, Ministry of Magic security agents look conspicuously like the Gestapo of Nazi Germany, and wanted posters of Harry are practically omnipresent. The Harry Potter series has often been described as somewhat of an allegory for Europe in the 1930s and 1940s, and these subtle elements make that message even more overt in this film.

My only real complaint was the slight distortion of the Harry-Hermione friendship.

It is clear early on in the books that those two are purely platonic, as Ron was destined to be with Hermione. Yet at several moments, the two come awkwardly close to redefining their relationship. While some of these scenes were shown through Ron’s fearfully jealous eyes, it was regrettable that the filmmakers chose to take the Hollywood path of playing up the romantic relationship between the two characters.

The bottom line is that whatever shortcomings it had, the film adaptation doesn’t diverge significantly from the best-selling book that expertly bookends an excellent series.

The plan to split Deathly Hallows into two films proves to be a great way to present more of what was in the book. For fans of Harry Potter, it is sure to be a memorable two hours.

Why are the books better?

By Brendan Perry Staff Writer The opening of the seventh Harry Potter movie has reawakened fans’ love for the magical series, and many are expected to line up at midnight for its debut and flood the theaters in weeks to come. But if the previous Potter productions have taught fans anything, it’s that the movies will leave you slightly disappointed.

Fans enter the theater hoping to see their imagination manifested on the big screen, yet every Potter film has failed to recreate the magical world that author J.K. Rowling creates in the minds of her readers. The problem is not that the movies are bad, but simply that the books are better. This leads to the question: What makes the books superior to the movies?

Perhaps because the movies fail to men-

An ode to Potter

By Kelsey Hess Staff Writer

Since the early days of elementary school, students have been given the life-changing opportunity to escape into a magical bliss of broomsticks and butterbeer. We’ve grown up learning spells and fighting Voldemort (tehe, I said his name!) with the world’s three favorite wizards. The books and movies have quickly become bittersweet as we realize that, eventually, all good things have to come to an end.

Since Harry Potter’s literary conception in 1999 by the great J.K. Rowling, we have had a constant dose of Potter to indulge our every magical fancy. Since then, Harry Potter’s bildungsroman has proposed countless discussions and has been the basis for connecting friendships. For kids growing up in the past decade, Harry Potter books and movie releases have been the recurring events that define our generation, and will always remain amoung our fondest memory of the 21st century.

The Harry Potter films themselves have something to offer everyone, from the timelessly classic special effects, various sparks of romance, and the highly anticipated battles between Harry and Voldemort. Each installment in the Potter movie series has been getting better and better, leaving viewers unhealthily anxious. We have laughed, cried, mouthed spells, and screamed in terror along with Hogwarts’ best.

Our future with Harry Potter is limited with one book left, so we must appreciate and honor these last two movies. As if the publishing of the seventh book wasn’t depressing enough, the last movie is sure to be devastating. The epic phenomenon has allowed us to realize how much this series means to true fanantics like us. We have prioritized our lives surrounding these fictional characters, and surely there are those that live their lives in between Harry Potter movie and book release dates. Who will we look to once there is nothing else to wait for? So I urge you to buy your cracked Harry Potter glasses, don your Gryffindor scarf with pride and soak in the last of Harry Potter – before it’s too late.

tion, and even change, parts of the original plot, such as the exclusion of S.P.E.W (Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare), and reduction of Quidditch scenes in the productions.

But to be fair, some things had to be cut in order to keep the films a reasonable length, and the portions of the books they chose to overlook seem logical.

But the real reason the films fail in comparison to Rowling’s books is that the movies jump from event to event without any of the “filler” scenes that give the Potter novels their true character. The scenes in the book where Harry, Ron, and Hermione are simply conversing and cracking jokes create an emotional attachment to the characters. Due to time restrictions, the movies focus more on the plot’s key events, and neglect the essential character devel-

opment found in the books.

Many fans also blame their dissatisfaction on the films’ portrayal of key characters, claiming that Hermione is too good-looking, Dumbledore is too emotional, and Ginny is too dull.

That being said, it is simply impossible for the movies to live up to the books. There is not enough time to develop characters or a way to guarantee that fans will accept every actors’ portrayal. Potter filmmakers do their best to overcome the daunting challenge of creating an accurate representation of the books, but with

C h a r a c t e r s Y o u S h o u l d K n o w B u t ( M a yb e ) F o r g o t 1. Father of Luna Lovegood and editor of the bizarre wizarding magazine The Quibbler, Xenophilius Lovegood is just as eccentric as his daughter.

3. Diagon Alley’s renowned and strange wand maker, it was Mr. Ollivander who sold the peculiar twin core wands, one to Harry and one to Voldemort.

2. Rufus Scrimgeour is the Minister of Magic who attempts to lead with a tough shrewdness, and believes that Harry holds the hopes of the entire wizarding world upon his shoulders.

4. Dobby is a lovable, brave house-elf who idolizes Harry Potter and feels indebted to him after Harry freed him.

Text by Meghan Roche and Clair Fuller

5. Harry’s faithful snowy owl Hedwig was an 11th birthday gift from Ha-

grid, and has proved a loyal messenger and friend.

6. Bellatrix Lestrange is one of Voldemort’s inner circle of Death Eaters.

She is the cousin and murderer of Harry Potter’s godfather Sirius Black, as well as the sister-in-law of Death Eater Lucius Malfoy.

7. A Death Eater and particularly vicious werewolf, Fenrir Greyback is feared because of his special taste for biting and turning children into werewolves.

12 Tiger - Friday, November 19, 2010

Feature

Personality Profile

Sam Gurley

Economics and US History teacher Melissa Muntz cheerfully stands in front of a projected map of Central Europe.

By Jake Folsom Senior Staff Writer Most people only go to one college to get their degree; Ms Melissa Muntz, however, attended seven. Before coming to South Pasadena, she received her bachelor’s degree from Santa Clara College.

She also enrolled at Loyola College in Rome, West Valley College, Cal State LA, and San Jose State University.

These supplemental colleges were not attended for a degree but to further her understanding of the subject that she loves best: history.

In her four years at South Pasadena High School,

Ms Muntz has taught several different social studies classes, including U.S. and world history. However, she is now the sole economics teacher.

Despite not teaching her beloved subject, history, she is “beginning to like [economics].” Although she spends her time teaching economics, it is her dream to teach an AP European History class that would be taken in freshman or sophomore year. She wants to do this because there is no ninth grade history class and because she has unpleasant memories of not having a history class during her freshman year.

Ms Muntz is not only

Ms Muntz well educated, but also well traveled. Her most memorable vacation was to the Villa Julia, a tiny island off the coast of Naples. She said it is one of the most beautiful places in the world; its current population is about 500 people, most of whom make their living by fishing.

Many students who have taken her classes have noticed the unbelievable number of shoes that she has. “I have no idea [how many shoes],” she laughed, “maybe 100 in Los Angeles and another 100 in San Jose.” She went on to talk about the new “really awesome” custom ski boots that she just bought. This spending may make students question her economic authority, but she informed me that she has a strict 20-dollar a week budget for shoes and clothes, although she does often save up for a couple weeks to buy something really nice.

Ms Muntz is a unique individual with many life experiences; she is a devoted educator and truly loves the subject she teaches. She has traveled the world and dedicated her life to better understanding the world around her. It is a treat to have a teacher who is so passionate about what she does.

Edmond Mandin-Lee

Cudi Explores Darker Side of Hip-Hop

By Harry Yadav Staff Writer Since the release of Man on the Moon: End of Day last November, Cleveland born rapper Kid Cudi has become a brand name in the world of hip-hop.

Guest appearances on tracks by legends like Jay-Z and Kanye West have only increased anticipation for his recently released follow up album Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager.

But while End of Day exposed Cudi as a wandering loner, Man on the Moon II reveals the rapper as deeply troubled. Consequently, the effort is very dark, resulting in a concept album so sure of its concept, that at times it seems excessive. This does not, however, limit Cudi’s ability to deliver an innovative set of tracks.

Without question, the album’s

standout track is “Marijuana.” Cudi delivers flawless lyrics over an orchestra background with layers of piano, guitar and drums. The complexity of “Marijuana” exemplifies Kid Cudi’s unique ability to transcend the typical constraints of rap by adding a truly musical quality to his flow, and produce a song, not just a beat.

Unfortunately, the album does have its share of low points. The dull and meaningless verses of “Scott Mescudi vs. The World” do not do justice to the song’s innovative hook, and the discord of various strings and piano in “Ghost” combines with an ill chosen beat to form the low point of the album.

Although there are various songs that are truly poor, the majority of Cudi’s effort signals that he has attained a level of maturity average rappers never do.

Tiger Thanksgiving

Friday, November 19, 2010 - Tiger

13

Text by Kelsey Hess and Sam Gurley Photos by Sam Gurley, Jennifer Kim, and Theo Mandin-Lee

all met up, the entourage had amassed Kentucky Fried Chicken, boxed mash potatoes, microwaveable macaroni and cheese, McDonalds single serving apple pies, and 99¢ Store brand corn mufhanksgiving is known to be a time when fins. Glow sticks, gum, and birthday party hats family and friends are gathered to be thankful for were among the less desirable offerings brought to their health and overall happiness. The adults the festivities. After examining closely the hodgepodge of goods that were strewn together, plus make the dinner, they invite the guests, some additional cups and silverware and they control Thanksgiving. Our stolen from our parent’s pantry, our “We were parents’ original concept of Thanksgiving is too dated for our generation. slowly proving fiesta was starting to take shape.

We were slowly proving to ourTiger staffers set out to establish our to ourselves selves that we were better than tradiindependence by proving our parents tion. We didn’t need awkward family we were better wrong and having a Thanksgiving not packed with cliché food and Kodak than tradition.” relatives and football games to define Thanksgiving. This moments. We wanted three simple is Angstgiving, and we rules to dictate the dinner: no parents write our own rules. The table were necessary, the meal would be kept cheap was littered with ironic $86.15 to be precise, and we would all recollect on the things that we hated about everything. A cloth sundries and a typical teenager’s idyllic holiday, right? Our par- sardonic cen-

T

ents have been controlling our lives and every holiday since our birth, and we found it obligatory to redefine the meaning of holiday spirit. We set out, all fourteen of us, wreaking havoc in the streets.

With no more than the money in our pockets, each of us brought an equally ironic entrée. By the time we

Sitting around the

trashed table, holding hands, our friends’ optimistic faces illuminated by the candle lit scene - something felt strange. Where was the angst? Where was the depression?

Could it be, that simultaneously we all felt thankful? Thankful for our friends, thankful for our health, even thankful for our 99¢ apple pies and party hats. By surrounding ourselves with good food and good company, we found ourselves not dissimilar from previous years’ Thanksgiving.

We’re not better than tradition – we are the tradition.

It was then that we realized that no matter how apathetic, unenthusiastic, or unspirited you are, it is utterly impossible to not be swept into

terpiece - a pyramid of 99¢ apple pies. We all joined hands to take part in atheist prayer, which in any Thanksgiving dinner would be about our health and the ones we cared for.

Instead, our own insignificance in the grand scheme of things was all that we were able to be thankful for. Sitting there, holding hands, angst ridden and cynical, everyone hated everything.

the holiday spirit of Thanksgiving. Even if Angstgiving is all about being the frustrated, angry teenagers we usually are, Thanksgiving means the same, regardless of the circumstances.

The fact that we had attempted to make the first anti-Thanksgiving and failed, or rather succeeded at finding the meaning of Thanksgiving, simply left us in shock to learn that nothing can take away the holiday cheer. As long as you are with people that you care about and vice versa, powdered lemonade and KFC don’t define the true essence of togetherness.

As tacky as we made the dinner, being surrounded by people you really like is what Thanksgiving is all about. Most teenagers do not have the budget to create the elaborate and beautiful Thanksgiving dinner that adults can often provide. Thanksgiving on a budget, without parents, is possible. This is Thanksgiving, no matter how much angst we have.

For Thanksgiving recipes, tips and a detailed price breakdown of what we spent, visit Tiger Newspaper Online for web exclusive content.

14 Tiger - Friday, November 19, 2010 Andrea Ramirez

Sports

Golf has strong CIF performance

By Carlton Lew Sports Editor At first glance, Andrea “AJ” Ramirez instantly fits the description of an athlete.

Sporty, slim, and energetic, Ramirez has blossomed into one of South Pasadena’s finest. As a multi-sport athlete who plays soccer and runs track and cross-country, she is constantly redefining the term studentathlete.

The senior has been on varsity crosscountry and track for three years and varsity soccer for two years. She started running track during her freshman year because she was determined to follow in her mother’s footsteps by becoming a successful track runner. Luckily, as an avid soccer player, Ramirez had already developed into an elite runner and had an easy transition into cross-country.

Despite being a stellar starting left mid-field on the soccer field, she concentrates primarily on her running. Ramirez has dedicated herself to practicing anywhere from three to four hours every day except Sundays. Spending so many hours with her teammates has allowed her to form many priceless relationships. “We run about 50 miles a week,” she says. “I get to spend so much time with my teammates and we develop so many close relationships. It is exactly like a family,” she said.

Ramirez’s success can be traced to her extreme devotion to her sports, teammates, and countless hours of practice. “You get such a good feeling after a hard practice or race because you know all those hard hours of work was well worth it,” she said.

When asked to describe herself in three words, the senior responded ‘determined, committed, and humble’ with her trademark smile.

Katie Whitworth

Senior Andrea “AJ” Ramirez runs an average of 50 miles per week on XC.

Sam Pons Cross-Country

Conor Bednarski

By Michael Abelev Staff Writer Even after three years of being the starting quarterback for South Pasadena High School’s varsity football team, senior Conor Bednarski hasn’t let it all go to his head. Standing at 6’3” and 200 pounds, Bednarski is exactly what every Division I school is looking for: fast, strong, smart, and focused. In his final season as a Tiger, Bednarski threw for 1445 yards, completed 112 of 191 passes, and collected 16 touchdowns to match his jersey number.

Over Bednarski’s entire career, he has thrown for 3962 yards and 37 touchdowns.

Bednarski was exposed to football early in his life by his parents. His father, a die-hard Raiders fan, would always sit with his two sons, watch games, and play catch in the front yard. Bednarski first began to play organized football around the age of five for YMCA’s Brotherhood Crusade Flag Foot-

ball team. He didn’t always play quarterback though; he played wide receiver, running back, and center. Raised in a Raider Nation household, Bednarski tends to root for a particular player rather than a team. He compares his style of play to Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck.

Bednarski wasn’t always the star that he is today. During his freshmen year, he was the back-up quarterback on the junior varsity team. When promoted to varsity, he had to compete for the starting job alongside SPHS alum Howard Serrian. His work ethic paid off when he was named “QB 1” for the first game of the 2008 season.

Throughout his four years of playing football at SPHS, there have been many memorable moments for Bednarski, including setting the school record for receptions in 2008 and completing a pass to his younger brother. “I’ll never forget that. We may never

By Harry Yadav Staff Writer

Jennifer Kim

Senior QB Conor Bednarski reflects on his astounding season.

be on the field together again, but that memory is something we’re always going to cherish,” he said.

Despite all the demands on Bednarski on the road to becoming a star quarterback, he still places a lot of importance on academics. He maintains a 3.9 GPA and plans on possibly majoring in mathematics or science. He wants to attend a school with both a rigorous academic curriculum and an impressive athletics program. He is currently talking to UCLA, Cal, TCU, and University of Washington.

Girls volleyball looks to next year

By Jake Folsom Senior Staff Writer arlton

This season, the South Pasadena’s girls varsity volleyball team created its best record in three years, reaching CIF-level games for the first time since 2007.

Although the Tigers lost in the first round of CIF, reaching such a level was an accomplishment in itself. The team is losing many of its starting players, however, including seniors Lana Ho, Mercedes Binns, Chloe Lloyd, and Lisa Monarrez. Despite its losses, the team is looking strong for next year. Key players for next year include freshmen Claire Kieffer-Wright and Samantha Figueroa, as well as juniors Libby Rainey and Victoria Pallares.

The team is also hoping to pro-

Edmund Mandin-Lee

Senior Mercedes Binns seals a block against Temple City.

mote some of their JV players to varsity next year.

“Since some of the varsity and a good handful of the JV players are playing club over

• 2010 CIF State 3,200 meter champion • 2009/2010 CIF Div III Southern Section Champion in the 1,600 and 3,200 • Junior Class record for the State course (Clovis) - 14:53 “There is a unique individual aspect of cross-country that allows someone to push themselves to their hardest. Sharing this aspect with six other teammates makes the experience that much more fulfilling.”

the off season, I think we will be okay for next season, but we will definitely miss those seniors!” said Keiffer-Wright. “I think there will be some juniors and sophomores who will step up next year and help us to overcome our biggest flaw, which was not playing to our full potential. We let other teams walk over us too much; we could have been great but we didn’t play our best most of the time.”

The team’s goal for next year is simple: go further in CIF than this past year. Although the team is primarily composed of young players, it is ready to take the challenge, and the players are ready to push themselves to play the best volleyball possible. Their goal is a lofty one, but with some potent team spirit and a new coach who has high expectations, anything is possible.

2010 was a pretty good year for South Pasadena High School’s girls golf team. Among the Tigers’ accomplishments are a 6-0 record culminating in their first ever Mountain View league championship, a third consecutive appearance in the CIF team playoffs, and a particularly ground-breaking performance by junior Melody Sue in the CIF individual playoffs.

But Tigers’ Coach Richard Goto is most impressed with the Tigers’ maturity and sportsmanship, not their success. “I am so proud of all these young ladies. Good score or bad, win or lose, they handled everything with so much class and dignity. All of South Pasadena High School and indeed all of South Pasadena must be proud of these girls,” Goto said.

Sue, the Tigers’ undisputed number one player, reached the third round of CIF and was one step short of qualifying for state championships. Her path began when she won the league individuals at Marshall Canyon Golf Course, making her eligible for the CIF Final qualifications at Las Posas Country Club in Camarillo.

In Camarillo, Sue fought hard to make the cut by one stroke.

CIF Finals were held at La Purisima Golf Club in Lompoc, and the horrendous conditions (rain and cold) were too tough to overcome. “The rain wasn’t fun, but I’ll do better next year,” reflected Sue. Sadly, the Tigers will lose senior Jackie Sedano to graduation this year. But the heart of their team, juniors Katie Whitworth, Victoria Carlos, Samantha Ramos and Laurel Kitada, give reason to have high expectations. “We will still have the core of our team, and two new freshman are supposed to be good, so we are pretty confident,” says Whitworth.

Sara Charney • 2009/2010 tennis team MVP • Tennis team captain • 4 year varsity “Tennis has been one of the most memorable experiences in high school. I’m extremely satisfied with where I’ve ended up. I will keep these memories with me.”

• 2009 CIF semi-finalist • 2010 Rio Hondo League semi-finalist • 2008/2009 CIF quarter-finalist

Tennis

Sports

Boys soccer aims for CIF After receiving a CIF berth last year for the first time in 11 years, the boys look to recapture the magic this 2010-2011 season.

Katie Whitworth

Junior Mathewos Ghebrekristos traps the ball during a scrimmage.

By Christian Miyamae Asoc. Sports Editor After a comeback season from several years of CIF-less seasons, boys soccer hopes to drive off of last year’s success. Using this momentum, captains Matt Nelson and Ben Charney look to upset La Cañada and take league in 2010-2011. However, they will have

a long road ahead of them. La Cañada had a perfect ’09-’10 season with a 10-0 league record, and Monrovia is not far behind, with a 5-4-1 record in league.

Building off the success of last year’s star players—such as Nick Colt and Steven Blackwell—the Tigers took a second place finish and a CIF spot, with an overall record of 8-7-5. With high hearts and determination, South Pas looked to advance far into CIF, but ended up empty handed in the first round after a tough 7-6 loss in penalty kicks. This year, the Tigers hope to achieve a CIF spot and to take first or second in the Rio Hondo League.

Coach Juan Zurita is preaching team effort and positivity every day in order to take the team to the next level. “I try to keep a positive attitude and let [the team] know to do better every game,” said Coach Zurita. The coach also explained that although the team has strong advantages on the field against the rest of the league, their strongest aspect is their team chemistry. “[The team] has been practicing a lot this year and it has allowed us to integrate as a whole team. We know where all the players are on the field and we can trust [the other players] with the ball,” said junior Fedor Kossakovski.

With Nelson and Charney to lead the way, the only thing left to do is wait and see what the Tigers can bring to the table.

Friday, November 19, 2010 - Tiger

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G. water polo ready to go Despite qualifying for the CIF Semi-finals last year, the girls look poised and ready for yet another successful campaign this season.

By Joshua Roquemore Staff Writer Varsity girls water polo is back in the water and warming up for their upcoming season. Although the team has lost five seniors, there are five returning players to keep the team afloat this year. Soon, all of their grueling practice and hard work will be put to the test, as the 2010 season begins.

“The season looks good,” said Coach Robert Echeverria. “The team is a lot stronger than last year, but [also] a lot younger.

Hopefully, the more mature girls will lead the way for the incoming freshmen.”

Senior Captain Tyler Brown stands optimistic as the season draws near. Last year, the girls made it to the CIF semi-finals, but fell short in a close match. They feel this year will be different.

“Our team is stacked this season,” said Brown. “We’re looking for another League Championship and CIF championship so our seniors can go out with a bang.”

Also joining the group are several promising new freshmen. The amount of talent in the group of newcomers has been raising eyebrows among the veterans of the team. This new group of players (including “freshman phenom” Devin Grab) already displays talent and energy.

“I look forward to playing with the freshmen; they’re really entertaining,” said

senior goalie Kristin Gunther. “They fit in well with the team; almost as if we’re all the same age,” she said. “Best of all, they really seem to know the game.”

Captains and newcomers alike remain confident in the new team. Especially excited for the upcoming season is senior Captain Anna-Lena Hathaway.

“This year, we have a small, dedicated team that is defending our league title and are looking to advance further in CIF,” said Hathaway. “After our trip to Hungary and our months of hard work, we are excited and ready for the season.”

Tai Carter

Senior Tyler Brown raises her arm ready to fire a shot into the goal.

16 Tiger - Friday, November 19, 2010

Sports

Sports 2010 Rio Hondo League Standings

Football

Monrovia So. Pasadena La Cañada Temple City San Marino Blair

Wins

5 3 3 3 1 0

Losses B.Water Polo

0 2 2 2 4 5

La Cañada So. Pasadena Temple City San Marino Monrovia Blair

Wins

8 6 4 2 0 N/A

Losses

0 2 4 6 8 N/A

[inside] Check out the upcoming w i n t e r season.

page 15 Katie Whitworth

Read up on two stellar studentathletes.

Jennifer Kim

Jennifer Kim

Senior Patrick Martin stiff-arms a tackler on his way to the end zone. The Tigers triumphed over the Rams 27-17.

Football season ends in controversy After an impressive league performance, a stroke of bad luck causes the season to end prematurely.

By Brendan Perry Staff Writer Despite a strong finish, the Tigers were denied a playoff spot due to an unfortunate coin flip. After defeating Temple City in the final league game, the South Pasadena High School football team finished league with a record of 3-2, putting them in a three-way tie for second place with La Cañada and Temple City.

The top two teams in the Rio Hondo League are guaranteed a CIF playoff berth. In the case of a tie such as this, there would be a coin toss that would eliminate one team and the two remaining teams would play a tiebreaker game. The coaches of

the Rio Hondo League decided on this rule in an off-season May meeting with a majority vote.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, they were the team eliminated by the coin flip.

However, South Pasadena still had a shot at playoffs if a board for the “at large bid” selected them. The selection board, however, chose to give La Cañada the final Rio Hondo League spot in CIF, officially ending the Tigers’ season.

“I don’t think the coin flip was a legitimate way to decide who goes to CIF; it doesn’t test our skills. I would have rather have had all the teams play tiebreakers,” said senior Andrew Hall.

Even though South Pasa-

dena failed to make playoffs for the seventh straight year, this Tigers team gave students something to cheer for as the season came to a close.

Going into the Temple City game, South Pasadena knew that they had to win to keep their hopes alive. The Tigers played their best football of the season against a strong Rams team, exciting the Homecoming crowd with long pass plays from Conor Bednarski to Matt Nelson.

The senior duo hooked up a season-high 11 times, going for

10/28 SPHS v. San Marino 42-20 W

182 yards, and two touchdowns.

The running game was equally as explosive. Senior Patrick Martin rushed for an impressive 138 yards and reached the end zone twice.

The defense held the formidable Rams offense to a mere three points in the second half, allowing South Pasadena to win 27-17. Though the Tigers did not make the playoffs, this year was not a failure. All three football teams — varsity, junior varsity, and freshman — finished league with a winning record.

11/4 SPHS v. Monrovia 7-48 L

11/10 SPHS v.

Temple City 27-17

Water polo falls short of expectations

By Max White Staff Writer The post-season hopes of the boys varsity water polo team were extinguished November 10 after a heartbreaking loss to Capistrano Valley High School in the first round of CIF. The Tigers, who finished second in league behind the La Cañada Spartans, fell 9-10 to the Cougars in the most hard-fought and emotional match of their season.

With a tied score at the end of the fourth quarter, the game was forced into two three-minute overtime periods to decide the winner. The odds were stacked against South Pas when, in the second period of overtime, senior captain Sean Grab was ejected from the game and Capistrano Valley gained a one goal lead, but the Tigers refused to give up.

A Tiger goal tied the game before the overtime clock ran out, sending the game into sudden death. However, Capistrano Valley ultimately snatched victory from South Pas with a questionably legitimate goal. Had the Tigers won, they would have played Palos Verdes in the next round.

“It was the best game we’d ever played as a team,” said Grab. “The rest of the team really stepped it up— I was really proud.”

South Pas played its last league game versus San Marino on November 4. The Tigers’ 19-6 win brought their record to a respectable 6-2 and secured their second place spot in league. The Titans were defenseless against a Tiger squad thirsty for redemption after the 9-14 loss to La Cañada the Thursday before. This match against the Spartans was a pivotal game for both South Pas and La Cañada. A Tiger victory would have put the team’s record even with the Spartans with just one game left in league. Unfortunately for South Pas, the Tigers fell to the Spartans and were knocked out of the running for the league title.

The October 26 match against Monrovia was more of a slaughter than a game, ending with a crushing 18-5 Wildcat defeat.

The Tigers proved why the Wildcats were the overwhelming underdogs going into the match and easily earned their fifth league win.

Tai Carter

Senior Jack Sinclair looks for an open teammate against San Marino on Nov 4.

10/28 SPHS v. La Cañada 8-14 L

11/4 SPHS v. San Marino 19-6 W

11/10 SPHS v.

Capistrano Valley 9-10 L

page 14

Speaking of

Sports Carlton Lew

Sam Gurley

What about a playoff ?

College football needs a playoff. Period.

There is no other way of saying it without being so blunt. We have suffered far too long from the chaos caused by the Bowl Championship Series, and now is the perfect time to solve this persistent problem.

Currently, there are six teams that are all capable of winning the national championship, but due to the absurd way the BCS works, only two teams will qualify to play for the college football title. In this system, Boise State and Texas Christian University are the odd men out.

Both schools come from the “non-automatic qualifying” conferences and, as history shows, the BCS is not too welcoming to non-AQ schools. The BCS restricts programs from showing their true capabilities on the national stage because of its ridiculous selection process.

The “March Madness” tournament in college basketball is a perfect example of how a playoff system allows talented but otherwise unknown schools to showcase their ability to compete among the best. Last year, schools such as Butler, Cornell, Saint Mary’s, and Northern Iowa proved to the world that they were on the same level as the traditional powerhouses. These schools are not usually known for athletics, but the playoff system allowed them to display their talents.

In college football, the situation is different. Unlike we fans, the BCS does not root for the underdogs. They tend to overlook the small schools and reward the teams that have been successful in the past. Is it fair to the teams and fans for a supposedly “perfect” system to be so flawed? No. To make it fair for everyone who loves college football, the NCAA must implement a playoff. Year after year, schools such as TCU and Boise State are shut out of the national championship because of a stupid computer ranking system. Yes, I realize a playoff will have its flaws, but it will clear some of the frustration caused by the BCS. This arrangement has caused enough aggravation in the world of college football, and it is about time for a fresh start.