march 16

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TELEVISION “Winning” Sheen Inferno takes a closer look into the Charlie Sheen scandal.

ENTER RTAINMENT Pg. 16

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Entertainment Fashion Forward Inferno helps you shed your winter gear and suits you up for spring.

Inferno Pg. 16

Features Checkmate Dr. Frank Brady writes New York Times best-seller on Bobby Fischer’s legacy.

Features Pg. 7

Lacrosse Streak Snapped The lacrosse team scored its first goal in over 80 minutes in a loss to Stony Brook on March 15.

NEWS

Sports Pg. 21

OPINION PG. 11

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The TORCH

16 March 2010

TAYLOR SWIFT

FOR MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS: 718-990-6756 The TORCH is the official student newspaper of St. John’s University. The Torch is written, edited, designed and produced by students of the University. All contents are the sole responsibility of the editors and the editorial board and do not necessarily represent the views of the administration, faculty or students of St. John’s University unless specifically stated.

To contact The TORCH by mail: The TORCH, St. John’s University 8000 Utopia Parkway Queens, NY 11439

The TORCH is typically published on Wednesdays, approximately 20 issues throughout the academic year. Circulation per issue is 3,500 copies distributed free on campus.

This copy of The Torch is worth $ .75.

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Injured D.J. Kennedy was interviewed by the Mac and Tierney show on 1050 ESPN Radio on March 15 in the D’Angelo Center before the Red Storm traveled to Denver, Co. for the NCAA tournament.

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School spirit is up as Red Storm heads to tournament NELL O’CONNOR Managing Editor

St. John’s students, faculty and administrators packed into Carnesecca Arena for a pep rally to send the Red Storm men’s basketball team off to the NCAA tournament.

Enthusiasm radiated from several hundred members of the University community in attendance as they sat waiting to see the team they have supported through good times and bad.

Many of the students present had come to St. John’s with the 14 seniors on the court and have been closely watching the team during their climb back to the top.

Coming off of their first season of 20 plus wins since 2002-03, the players and coaching staff thanked their fans one more time before going off to Denver to play Gonzaga University this Thursday in the first round of March Madness.

Mark Fratto, associate athletic director, announced the players as they walked onto the court to a standing ovation from their fans.

Crowd favorites Kevin Clark, Dele Coker and Malik Boothe elicited loud cheers from the stands, but it was D.J. Kennedy and Dwight Hardy who stole the show.

The injured Kennedy, who will miss playing in the tournament due to a torn ACL, limped onto the court to a chorus of “Do it for D.J.,” the new motto of

TORCH PHOTO/JUSTIN THRIFT

Dwight Hardy walks onto the court during the NCAA Tournament send-off pep rally last Monday in Carnesecca Arena.

STJ fans. Hardy walked out last and was greeted with chants of “M.V.P.” Senior forward Justin Burrell addressed the crowd on behalf of the team, thanking them for all their support and expressing the team’s desire to do their best for the University community.

After a resounding round of “Let’s go, Johnnies,” head coach Steve Lavin spoke, echoing Burrell’s statements

and reflecting on what the team had accomplished.

“This journey with the Johnnies has been an experience we will never forget,” Lavin said, speaking on behalf of his coaching staff. “They’ve written their own chapter in the history of St. John’s basketball that will never be forgotten.”

Around campus, students seemed to be getting excited about the chance

to watch the Red Storm battle it out on a national level. After years of watching their team struggle, many seem ready for the next level.

Christian Coirim, a sophomore, expressed his satisfaction at the mere fact that the men’s basketball team was ranked for the first time in years. He credited Lavin with being the change that St. John’s needed.

“It’s since him coming to the team you’ve seen improvement,” Coirim said.

“I think he brings a lot of energy to the team.”

Richard Itwaru, also a sophomore, believes that the players themselves are more of a contributing factor to the team’s success.

“The fact that they are seniors plays more of a role than him being the coach,” he said. “The fact of him being there just cut the raw diamond.”

Others focus on now, the tournament brings deserved notoriety to the University.

“It brings more attention to the school,” said Stephanie Pereira Lima, a junior. “It will definitely help us get our name out there.”

Most agreed, however, that the most important outcome of the team’s accomplishment was the sense of pride felt by the entire University community.

Vanessa Felix, a junior, said that she felt it was time for the Red Storm to make a comeback.

“We’re going to have a sense of unity,” she said. “I’m proud of them, it’s about time. Now we are St. John’s.”

Men’s Basketball team to face Gonzaga BILL SAN ANTONIO Sports Editor NEWS

The men’s basketball team will face Gonzaga in Denver, Co. on Thursday, March 17.

16 March 2010 The TORCH

made the game-winning layup with seconds remaining in regulation.

Ohio State captured the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament after the Buckeyes won a Big 10 conference that was arguably the toughest in the country outside of the Big East. Ohio State’s East region also includes No. 2 North Carolina, No. 3 Syracuse and No. 4 Kentucky, though the Buckeyes are still National Champion contenders.

Other No. 1 seeds include Kansas in the Southwest region and Duke in the West. Duke may have the

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For the first time in nine years, the St. John’s men’s basketball team is headed to the NCAA tournament.

The Red Storm earned the No. six seed in the Southeast region of the tournament bracket, and will head to Denver, Co. for their first-round game against No. 11 Gonzaga on March 17. It is the Red Storm’s 27th NCAA tournament appearance in program history and the first since 2002, where No. 9 St. John’s team lost to No. 8 Wisconsin in the opening round.

The Red Storm will make their third trip to the west coast this year, where they lost on opening night to a St. Mary’s team that just missed making the tournament and a UCLA team they could see again if they were to each advance to the Sweet 16.

St. John’s beat six teams ranked in the Top 25 and four ranked in the Top 10 throughout the year, taking down four Top 25 teams at Madison Square Garden.

However, St. John’s will have to make this tournament run without senior swingman D.J. Kennedy, who tore his ACL during the Big East tournament. The injury dropped the Red Storm from a projected No. 4 seed to a No. 6, which they earned, and put the Johnnies on early upset alert against a surging Gonzaga team.

If St. John’s were to advance past the Bulldogs, they could face No. 3 BYU and take on senior Jimmer Fredette, who is the nation’s leading scorer. The 6-foot-2 Fredette averaged 28.5 points per game this season and is the odds-on favorite for National Player of the Year honors.

A record 11 Big East teams received berths into this year’s NCAA tournament, with Pittsburgh earning the No. 1 seed in the Southeast, widely regarded as the tournament’s weakest region. St. John’s beat Pitt at MSG back on Feb. 19, 60-59, as senior guard Dwight Hardy

TORCH PHOTO/JUSTIN THRIFT

toughest road to the Final Four, as the defending National Champions could square off against a Texas team that many thought was ranked lower (No. 4) than actually deserved, as the Longhorns earned the nation’s No. 1 ranking in the Top 25 during the regular season.

Connecticut, which won five consecutive games during last week’s Big East tournament, earned the No. 3 seed in the West. The conference tournament’s runnerup, Louisville, will play as a No. 4 seed in the Southwest region against a No. 13 Moorehead State team that could be one of the first round’s most entertaining games.

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Commuters spend some extra time on campus TERENCE CULLEN Assistant News Editor

Commuter students had the chance to kick back this week and enjoy some events they may have normally sacrificed to catch a bus or beat traffic.

Commuter Pride Week is being held this week, between March 14 and 18. A series of events are offered, ranging from laser tag to a comedy show. All events are free with a Storm Card, according to the Student Life Web site.

Students have also been offered a free continental breakfast in the D’Angelo Center every morning of the week.

They were also given commuter pride souvenirs and could voice their opinions and concerns with administrators.

Flyers targeted toward commuter awareness listed some other benefits of attending Commuter Week. They stated that free round-trip Metro Cards would be given out by the Student Programming Board and the Commuter Connection Committee.

The Little Theater also presented several presentations of the film Tron Legacy.

MVP points were awarded to students who attended any of the events. The events list also featured workshops to help students decide on a major or enter the job market.

However, many commuter students found themselves unable to attend.

Tim Bennani, a freshman, said he was unaware that Commuter Week was taking place. Bennani normally attends classes at the Staten Island campus but comes to Queens for a night class once a week. He explained that because of this

NEWS 16 March 2010 The TORCH

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St. Patrick’s Day is this Thursday, March 17 and St. John’s is getting geared up for a day of festivities. In honor of the holiday, St. John’s students will march in the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Campus Activities will have a special “DAC After Dark.”

Brian Browne, the assistant vice president for Government Relations is coordinating the event, which will include students, faculty and staff. According

Crossing Borders: Researching Women and the Drug Trade in North America Elaine Carey, a professor in St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, presents her research on drug and human trafficking over the course of United States history.

The event will be Wednesday, March 16 from 1:30 – 3 p.m. in St. Augustine Hall, room 110.

TORCH PHOTO/KRISTEN FARMER

Commuter week gave off-campus students an opportunity to experience more events on campus. he would not be able to attend any of the events on campus.

Other students found themselves in the same situation. Jack Chen, a sophomore who commutes from Flushing, said his schedule conflicts with going to any of the events. Regardless he agreed with the concept of the week.

“I would say Commuter Week is a good idea,” Chen said.

The week was not limited to only

undergraduate students but commuting graduate students as well. Thomas Martin, who is pursuing a graduate degree in adolescent education, said he received e-mails to notify him about events.

Martin said that he normally comes for classes and believes most events on campus are directed toward resident students.

“If I lived on campus, I’d probably be involved more,” Martin said.

to him, there will be approximately 50 students marching in the parade, as well as more than 100 other members of the St. John’s community.

“My favorite part of the parade is hearing the positive feedback from the parade spectators on the sideline,” said Browne. “Shouts like ‘Go St. John’s’ or ‘I went to St. John’s’ demonstrate just how much New Yorkers connect with St. John’s.”

Started in 1762, this is the 250th anniversary of the parade. Over 150,00 participants will march up 5th Avenue amidst millions of spectators.

Popular writer and novelist Mary

Higgins Clark will be the Grand Marshal of the parade. Clark was born and raised in the Bronx, and traces her Irish heritage to Sligo and Mayo counties in Ireland. Former grand marshals feature names such as Governor Hugh Carey, an alumnus of St. John’s, Cardinal John O’Connor and New York City police commissioner Raymond Kelly.

“DAC After Dark” will allow students to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with free rainbow cupcakes and green clover cookies. The event is at 8:00 p.m. in the DAC Living Room and is sponsored by Campus Activities and free for all students.

University community goes bald for a cause TERENCE CULLEN Assistant News Editor

Campus Ministry, along with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation and Locks of Love, hosted the second annual St. Baldrick’s Day event this Wednesday in the D’Angelo Center.

Students showed their support for children suffering from cancer by donating their time – and hair. Volunteers had the option of shaving their head or cutting at least ten inches of hair.

Angela Seegel, campus minister, said she was proud of the event and what it accomplishes. St. John’s has raised nearly $3,000 more than last year, according to their event page on the St. Baldrick’s Web site. All of the money raised will go directly to the charity, which funds children’s cancer research.

BRIEFS COMPILED BY NELL O’CONNOR Managing Editor

St. John’s marches again on St. Patrick’s Day THOMAS CARNEVALE Staff Editor

TORCH

Ten women registered to have their hair cut for Locks of Love, a non-profit organization that makes hair pieces for children who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy.

One of the highest-raising volunteers was David Masur, head coach of the men’s soccer team, who is currently listed as raising $4,855 for the drive. Masur is also one of the 36 people who will shave their head. According to Seegel, Masur’s head was ceremoniously shaved by Johnny Thunderbird while the rest will be shaved by a barber.

Another St. John’s administrator who volunteered to shave his head was Dr. Robert Mangione, dean of the College of Allied Health and Pharmacy.

Though the event was for a serious cause, Seegel highlighted that the University community enjoyed themselves. The event included a bake sale and a raffle for prizes. One of the top

prizes was a basketball autographed by men’s basketball head coach Steve Lavin.

The event was also sponsored by WSJU. Last year St. John’s raised $15,896 to donate to St. Baldrick’s, according to Seegel. Twenty-four people volunteered to have their heads shaved. Eight women cut their hair to donate to Locks of Love.

Seegel said she was satisfied with last year’s drive and what it meant for the community. “The energy at last year’s event makes me so excited to be a part of St. John’s,” she said.

St. Baldrick’s Foundation also has an alumni connection to St. John’s. John R. Bender, who graduated from the Tobin College of Business in 1987, was one of the three co-founders who established the charity in 2000. Last year Bender attended the event but was not able to this year due to business. According to the St. Baldrick’s website, Bender annually shaves his head for the fund.

Watch the Red Storm take on Gonzaga Join other members of the St. John’s community in cheering on the Red Storm during the first round game of the NCAA tournament.

Campus Activities will host a viewing party on Thursday, March 17 at 9:45 p.m. in the D’Angelo Center.

Free food and drinks will be provided.

Those who attend will also receive 3 MVP points.

Women’s History Month In honor of women’s history month, there are several events happening across the St. John’s campuses: Women and Wellness March 17, 2011 12:00 - 12:45 p.m.

St. John’s Hall, Room 304A, Queens Campus Enough is Enough Part 1 March 18, 2011 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

DAC 406, Queens Campus Ms. Black & Gold Pageant March 17, 2011 7:30 - 10:00 p.m.

Little Theatre, Queens Campus Women’s Day March 20, 2011 11:45 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Room 550, Manhattan Campus 2nd Annual Women Appreciation Tea March 22, 2011 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

DAC Ballroom, Queens Campus What’s Your Worth March 22, 2011 7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

St. John’s Hall 306, Queens Campus This Woman’s Work March 22, 2011 8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

D’Angelo Center, Room 206, Queens Campus

Campus Ministry introduces Be a Saint program JUSTIN THIRIFT Editor-In-Chief

MELISSA MCGRATH Additional Reporting

The “Be a Saint” project is a new program initiated by and offered through Campus Ministry encouraging students to grow in their faith through the program’s three components — pray, learn and serve.

In alignment with the University’s Catholic, Vincentian and Metropolitan mission, Campus Ministry wanted to push students to find their niche within the University’s mission to better the world.

Freshman Brenna Beluk, a member of the Be a Saint program, said it’s all about changing how people treat each other around campus.

“Be a Saint is St. John’s way to take the New York attitude out of the New York campus,” said Beluk. “We are trying to take strides towards having campus be a cordial and respectful place.”

According to James Walters, director of Resident Ministry, their mission

with Be a Saint is to help students become leaders who emulate “the Saint in St. John’s.”

“When we look at the saints, we notice two common themes,” said Walters.

“They have a deep relationship with God and because of that, they bring God to others.”

He feels that it is important to learn about these holy men and women because when students know the saints’ lives and missions, “they see a glimpse of God, a glimpse of heaven” and therefore “bring God to others through service and love.”

Walters, along with the rest of Campus Ministry, hopes that through these learning experiences, students can begin to imitate the saints and spread the word of peace and service. Through the different components of the Be a Saint project, Campus Ministry hopes that students will “grow in the University’s Catholic and Vincentian identity and [let it] transform your life and the life of the St. John’s community.”

Beluk added that “Campus Ministry is using this program to really spread the Vincentian love to Queens and beyond.”

The program’s “pray” component focuses on bringing students together in prayer and community. Walters invites students to attend mass throughout the week, but emphasizes the 5:30 p.m. student mass on Sundays, which he calls

“the largest weekly gathering of students on campus.”

Another program that is a part of the pray component is Monday Night Rosary, which takes place at 8 p.m. in St. Thomas More Church. The Be a Saint project also invites students to utilize the prayer rooms in Donovan Hall, Century Hall and Hollis Hall.

“In a busy campus,” said Walters, “it is important to have a place to be quiet and to connect with God.” One program that emphasizes the “learn” component is “Heroes of the Faith,” something that Walters says will expose students to extraordinary examples of courage and generosity in the lives of great Catholics. So far, the Heroes of the Faith program has looked at the lives of Saint Nicholas, Blessed Frederick Ozanam, a college student who changed the world, and St. Bernadette.

“So often we struggle to find credible role models to emulate,” said Walters.

“This lecture series brings to life the stories of people who listened for God’s word in their heart and acted on it.”

In March, the program will be looking at St. Patrick and St. Joseph. In April, St. Francis and his Peace Prayer will be showcased during Peace Week.

Lastly, under the “serve” component, Be a Saint is encouraging students to participate in community service,

emulating the Vincentian mission.

Walters emphasizes incorporating prayer and reflection into the experience.

Kimberly Chirco, a student member of the program, said, “Even the smallest deed such as holding open a door or even just saying ‘hello’ to someone can make someone’s day.”

Walters said that the project is still in its early stage and that they are still collecting ideas on how to develop Be a Saint, hoping to be in full force by September.

“Our goal is that our students will not only receive a wonderful education where they are prepared to be successful in their vocation,” said Walters, “but because of Be a Saint and our Catholic and Vincentian identity, they will be saints in the world. Our world needs people who are making a difference, and our hope and our prayer is that when people meet our students, they will know they are from St. John’s because of the love they show toward others.”

For more information on the program, visit http://www.stjohns.edu/about/ vincentian/ministry/be_a_saint.

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Professor writes New York Times Best Seller Dr. Brady recounts the life of Bobby Fischer, Chess champion in recent book ANTHONY O’REILLY Staff Writer

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHESSBASE NEWS

Dr. Brady visited Iceland to reconnect with Fischer’s past. leged and unusually good situation” when it came to writing the book.

Brady wanted this book to show both sides of Fischer. He wanted to show that he was a very talented person.

“He really educated himself on everything he knew about,” he said.

In the end, Fischer stood champion and shocked not only the chess community, but the entire world.

“Presidents wanted to dine with him.

He was on the cover of the New York Times and Sports Illustrated. For a time he was the most famous man on the face

of the earth,” Brady said.

The amount of research and personal input in this book allows the reader to put themselves inside Fischer’s shoes.

Whether he’s a poor New York boy at home alone, a chess prodigy at 13 years of age, an American hero or recluse, the reader is able to understand what was going on in his head. Professor Brady even admits that in writing this book he found out a lot about Fischer’s life he hadn’t known before. It is the first chess related book to earn recognition on the New York Times Best Seller List.

FEATURES

When a student thinks of the popular icons of the past, they may think of people like Marlon Brando, Muhammad Ali and Malcom X. But in the 1970s a chess player named Bobby Fischer had perhaps the biggest impact on American pop culture and international relations at the time. He’s been described as the Mozart of chess, with his tactics continually discussed by chess enthusiasts. Unfortunately issues with paranoia, anti-Semitism and a strong opposition to income tax eventually made him out to be a despised villain rather than a cultural icon.

The most recent attempt at documenting Bobby Fischer’s rise and downfall is the new book Endgame: Bobby Fischer’s Remarkable Rise and Fall- from America’s Brightest Prodigy to the Edge of Madness written by St. John’s University professor Dr. Frank Brady. Brady spent countless hours researching Fischer’s life, including the retrieval of files from the F.B.I. under the Freedom of Information Act. Dr. Brady was able to input a personal view of Fischer in his book. As an international chess arbiter, Brady was able to officiate many of Fischer’s games.

He spent personal time with him dining in Manhattan and playing several chess games, some of which Brady claims to have won.

One doesn’t need to know about Bobby Fischer or even possess knowledge about chess to enjoy this book.

Brady describes it as the ultimate “rags to riches and fall from grace” story out there. Brady’s first book on the controversial figure came out in 1972, and has since been updated several times. “I had other fish to fry. I was working here at the university, writing other books, so I chose not to do it.”

While working as the President of the Marshal Chess Club, he’d constantly

hear stories of Fischer’s games. After Fischer’s death in 2008, Brady thought that it was finally time to get to work on a new book.

The book chronicles Bobby’s rise and fall in the chess world. He grew up in poverty with an absent father, a working mother and a careless sister. To fill the void he spent his time playing, studying and reading about chess. He was so consumed, he’d have his mom set a table next to the bathtub so he could play for hours. It began to interfere with his school life and made his family worry about his mental stability.

As Fischer’s life progressed, so did his interest in chess. Soon he was playing in inter-state tournaments and going to places like Cuba to represent the United States. At just the age of 14 he was recognized around the world with articles in The New York Times and several prominent chess magazines.

Bobby Fischer’s ultimate achievement came in 1972 at the height of the Cold War. Fischer faced defending Chess champion Boris Spassky of Russia in the final round of the World Chess Championship. Prior to this, many Americans faced defeats at the hands of Russian opponents.

“For the Russians they train their chess players the same way we would train some of our sports stars,” said Brady.

With the attention of millions pouring down on Fischer, the spotlight began to highlight his inner problems. They initiated attacks of anti-semitism and forceful language against income tax, putting him in trouble with the government. When he found out he was a wanted man, he became a recluse. He eventually died as a citizen of Iceland at the age of 64.

Professor Brady, both in an interview and in the book, talks about his personal friendship with Bobby outside of chess.

They enjoyed dining, socializing, and playing billiards. Brady knew from the beginning that Fischer’s talents were special and would one day earn him recognition. This relationship put him in a “privi-

“STJ Green Storm” embarks on recycling revolution Staff Writer

The sustainability coordinators have also added more recycling bins in Marillac and St. John’s Hall classrooms.

“We have moved towards single stream recycling where possible— in the lounges of the resident halls and the classrooms,” said Goldsmith. “In making use of one thousand recycling bins that we’ve won in the [recyclemania] video contest, we’ve distributed 700 of these for 2011, and next week we’re putting out another 35 containers for Staten Island classrooms.”

“If students can get one message out of the Recyclemania competition, it should be to ‘use the system.’” We try to make the system easy to use to maximize recycling.” Goldsmith said.

When asked what motto St. John’s could use for Recyclemania, if possible, Chalmers suggested “‘STJ Green Storm,’ to showcase the movement of all the things with Earth Club and recycling.”

When you come across the red recycling bins be sure to use them and always keep in mind to “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle!”

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about waste minimization practices. “[We have set information tables] in Monty’s and DAC during high traffic times to spread word,” said Erin Chalmers, the president of Earth Club. “[Students] pledge to reduce, reuse and recycle—to become a St. John’s recyclemaniac by pledging to follow the three R’s. To remind the students of this, we are doing the weekly raffle, ‘Getting Caught Green Handed,’” said Goldsmith. “At the campaigning tables we are handing out raffle tickets to the students who are making the pledge, then every Wednesday night the Earth Club [will announce] the raffle winners. The prizes are twenty $20 gift cards to the bookstore raffled off for eight weeks.”

“We hope to help maximize peer to peer communication, empowerment and information sharing,” said Chalmers. “We shared with the Earth Club members how recycling works and told them to share it.

What’s good about us is that we penetrate the student body because we have a very diverse membership that can spread the information and be proactive.”

The TORCH

St. John’s is stepping up to the plate when it comes to Going Green. The University is participating in “Recyclemania” for the third year in a row, with the hopes to “[collect] the largest amount of recyclables per capita, the largest amount of total recyclables, the least amount of trash per capita, or have the highest recycling rate.”

Along with 630 other colleges across the nation, St John’s hopes to show the rest of the nation that college students care about the earth by “Reducing, Reusing and Recycling.”

The competition, which spans over a ten week period, is split into two categories, the Competition Division and the Benchmark Division. St. John’s is registered in the Competition Division with over 20,000 students coming together to help reduce the carbon footprint on campus. “[The university’s goal is] to get 35% recycling, including food. We are at 25%

so far with three weeks [of the competition left] to go,” said Tom Goldsmith, facilities services director of Environmental and Energy Conservation. “We hope that the students will help ‘Fight Global Warming by Recycling.’”

St. John’s is participating in various mini-competitions including Grand Champion, Per Capita Classic, Waste Minimization, Gorilla Prize and Targeted Material, including paper, cardboard, bottles, cans and food service organics.

Thus far in the competition for the Per Capita Classic, St. John’s has collected .65 lbs/person compared to the .68 lbs/ person in 2010. They’ve also recorded 2.73 lbs/person compared to 3.21 lbs/person last year for the Waste Minimization competition. For the Gorilla Prize they have reached 13,400 lbs, surpassing the 12,864 lbs from last year.

Both groups of Sustainability Coordinators and the members of the Earth Club are helping fulfill the university’s pledges to reduce and recycle by creating active programs to educate employees and students

16 March 2011

MELISSA MCGRATH

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Spring Break: conquering culinary capitals JOANNA ADDUCI Assistant Features Editor Spring Break is a time for college students to take a break from the books and travel to exotic locations filled with friends and sunshine. My spring break experience was a little different, however, halted by a lack of cash and an overload of parental apprehension. Working for a specialty food market, I’ve always been interested in discovering the culinary gems of the east coast. Therefore, I decided to explore the hidden culinary treasures of the east coast. The challenge? New York to Florida in seven days, on $400.

I began my journey from the hustling streets of Manhattan to the breezy coastline of New Jersey. The Jersey Shore includes a boardwalk, filled with numerous shops dishing out T-Shirts, beautiful sandy beaches; and old-school dining options. Although many places were closed, I managed to visit Hemingway’s Café – an oasis of classic cuisine including juicy burgers and loads of seafood. Priced very reasonably, with piping hot brick oven pizza, topped with huge meatballs and gooey mozzarella cheese for a mere $10. After a few hours filled with seashore walks and making friends over lunch, I was back on the road. After driving through Delaware, I was onto the culinary adventures of Maryland.

Staying close to the coast, I decided to visit Ocean City – land of “the best crab cake.” Coins Pub and Restaurant has been serving their signature dish since 1988, served only with jumbo crab meat. As it was placed on the table, I had no doubt – the crab meat was most certainly incomparable. Ten minutes later, I agreed with the critics, it was the best crab cake I’d ever had, and all for $11. Now that I had conquered the brick oven pizza of the Jersey Shore and the best crab cake in America, I was on to Virginia.

Offering a friendly community and the “best burger” on the east coast, Virginia Beach is pristine. Keagans Irish Pub in Red Mill Commons brought me nothing but laughs and a new group of friends. Having spent around $25, I had to stay on budget if I wanted to make it back to New York. Their burger with layers of meat and cheese was unrivaled. The atmosphere was nothing but welcoming, covered in cherry wood and lined with shamrocks.

Leaving with a new history of Virginia Beach, and only spending seven dollars, I was back on the road.

Venturing into the south, I discovered the most delicious cheese steak on the eastern seaboard. Located in Surf City, N.C. nestled off of the beaten path, is Max’s Pizza. After hearing the locals talk about the perfect

combination of meat, cheese, and spices – I had to check it out. For $7, I received an immense platter lined with pickles, fries, and coleslaw but centered on the sandwich. The owner of the restaurant was the definition of southern hospitality, and wouldn’t let me leave without trying their famous lemon pie.

Southern cuisine usually includes classics such as crispy fried chicken and warm mashed potatoes. At The Fat Hen in downtown Charleston, S.C. they take southern cuisine to a whole new level. Known for their blue cheese bacon coleslaw and grits, I had to explore the southern haven of hospitality. I started my brunch with coffee, freshly squeezed juice, and ordered the crème brulee French toast served with homemade cream and freshly sliced strawberries. Their BBQ Brisket and Macaroni and Cheese sandwich is renowned, costing $8, served on their famous potato caraway bread. Other delicacies include shrimp and grits, duck and apple sausage gratin, and their signature country fried steak. A five-star atmosphere at a price most college students can afford, this is a must-visit.

Crowned the college mecca, Parker’s Market in Savannah, G.A. is known for their sausage egg and cheese sandwiches. The warm crusty croissant sandwiched with layers of egg and sausage is served with a cup of hot coffee and only costs three dollars. After a few days of intense driving, unending roads, and rolls of film, I reached my destination – the sunny state of Florida.

Miami, one of the culinary capitals of America, was packed with students celebrating Spring Break. I stumbled upon a group from St. John’s and a bunch of New Yorkers before finding my destination at Balans Café.

With locations in Europe, New York City, and Miami, only certain dishes are available down south, with items from their menu crowned by various publications. Their lobster club wrap packed with citrus greens and rich lobster meat is delicious. They also offer a jambalaya packed with spicy chorizo sausage, shrimp, clams and calamari.

All of their dishes are around $20, and come with reasonable portions. Known for their chic, modern décor, the ambiance is South Beach combined with SoHo. At night, the college students flocked to enjoy the eccentric culinary options Balans had to offer.

After surviving the interstate, managing to stay within my budget, and conquering a lifetime dream all within a week, I realized that it’s about the journey, not the destination. Most college students look back on a week of sunshine. I will forever remember my spring break as the fulfillment of a lifelong dream, exploring the culinary treasures of the eastern shoreline.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KEAGAN’S

Keagan’s Irish Pub and Restaurant offers an authentic atmosphere complemented by loads of tasty seafood options and award winning wings.

244 Market Street, Virginia Beach, VA

PHOTO COURTESY OF YELP

The Fat Hen is a prime example of southern hospitality, offering classic dishes of the south served up with a modern twist.

3140 Maybank Highway, Charleston, SC

PHOTO COURTESY OF BALANS

Balans Cafe is the ultimate combination of Miami chic and contemporary cuisine, all wrapped within a genuine stylish ambiance.

6789 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, FL

torchonline.com

The TORCH

16 March 2011

FEATURES

A day in the life of a student abroad Frolicking, shopping and exploring the streets of Paris MARY JURADO Staff Writer Rise and shine; mornings for a student studying abroad are more or less the same as mornings for students on the Queens campus. There is the begrudged moment when students shuffle out of bed for early morning classes. Just in case they’ve managed to sleep through the siren like alarms going off in every direction on campus, the “chime” of the church bells next door will make sure you are up and at ‘em.

Once arriving at the cafeteria for breakfast, they are hit with a wave of nostalgia and appreciation for Montgoris. Alas, the European idea of a solid breakfast consists of baguettes, yogurt, fruit and/or cereal. This isn’t a bad breakfast, but most students studying abroad have been quite spoiled with the buffet of eggs, bacon and tater tots available to compensate for waking up before 10 a.m. This breakfast gives students a twinge of bitterness and omelette withdrawal.

From 8:00 a.m to 12:15 p.m., most study abroad students find themselves in classes. This works out perfectly because a majority of the stores and museums don’t open until 11. Having a semester of classes crammed into a five week period seems daunting at first, but it’s a surprisingly easy adjustment. While the classes are longer and run four days a week, the courses only last five weeks. Imagine, only five weeks of metaphysics…then viola, fin!

Dejeuner: Left to our own devices for lunch, the Paris students prowl and hunt the streets of Paris for a cheap meal. On occasion, this means sitting in a quaint little

café, sipping on espresso or café au lait. But more often than not, lunchtime means hitting the Carrefour Supermarche or the Djerba halal restaurant, offering amazing fries and giant kebab gyros for under five euros.

Now that the weather isn’t frigid and gloomy, students have lunch picnics and study in the local Jardin de Luxembourg. Soaking up the sunlight, maybe strolling around or reading makes up the perfect lazy afternoon activity.

On rainier days, students go to the Musee d’Orsay, which is set up in an old train station, to sit among impressionist paintings and do their homework, read or just enjoy the art. The best part is that museums are free for students in Paris.

When their budget is feeling more flexible than usual, shopping in the Bastille, Rue de Four or Hotel de Ville is always a welcome escape from studying or museum overload. Shopping in Paris feels the same as shopping in SoHo where H&M, Zara, Oysho, Pimkie and Gap rule the storefronts.

Dinner on campus is always a bit of a culture shock.

The food is always pretty good, but the choices are limited. Veal has appeared on the menu at least one occasion, as well as whole – roasted chicken thighs usually sided with green beans. Once getting past the intimidating nature of the staff, who only speak French, it becomes a much less nerve wracking experience.

Whether it’s shopping or going to museums, students studying abroad have multiple outlets for discovering the region. While the eclectic types of food can be daunting at first, by assimilating to the culture, students can definitely have an amazing time in Europe.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DR. SHAWN MORRISON

SIMPLE FRENCH PHRASES How are you?

Comment allez-vous?

Can you help me?

Est-ce que vous pouvez m’aider?

Do you speak English?

Est-ce que vous parlez anglais?

I like it. Ça me plaît

9

Editorial Board LXXXVIII

Illustrator’s Corner

JUSTIN THRIFT Editor-in-Chief NELL O’CONNOR Managing Editor SARA CAHILL MARRON News Editor MARK MCDONALD General Manager

FLAMES OF THE TORCH

A tribute to the Red Storm to the sheer craziness of Charlie Sheen, at least one thing feels right. Political and social differences may separate students, faculty, or community members, When the Red Storm take the court in March, we’ll all be cheering together.

No matter what differences reside amongst fans, the love of the game and the love of the team bring us together.

The University has been touting the slogan “We Are St. John’s,” for the past few years, but now that attitude has been reverberated by the students.

Plenty of people have criticized the school and the team, often with good reason, but that doesn’t mean they won’t cheer as hard as everyone else.

The rebirth of the basketball program has resulted in a rebirth of attitude for the St. John’s community.

Basketball doesn’t solve all of the world’s problems, and it won’t change any of the bad things that have happened recently. But basketball can offer people a way to blow off steam, and can give them a cause to rally behind. The world cannot always be seen through rose-colored glasses, but every bit of positive news helps.

St. John’s may not win a championship this year. In fact, they might even be out after the first round of the tournament. With March Madness, anything is possible. However, the success of this team is not measured just by wins and losses, but by what they’ve meant to everyone here at St. John’s. A championship would be ideal, but the thrill of being relevant is just as real. Red Storm basketball is back, and the entire University is rallying behind it.

TORCH ILLUSTRATION BY JAMES KERRIGAN

STUDENTSPARKS: Red Storm How has the Men’s basketball team changed your St. John’s experience?

OPINION

For the first time since most of us have attended St. John’s, Red Storm basketball is relevant again, and it feels good.

While students in their first or second year may not notice much of a difference, for many of us upperclassmen, this March is a very cathartic experience. For so long, we’ve heard tales of Lou Carnesecca and Chris Mullin, but we’ve never experienced the taste of the postseason.

This season, everything changed.

With a new coach and a new attitude, St. John’s was born again. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes the Red Storm have become a national sensation. While all that publicity is nice, the true story lies with the fans that have waited for so long to cheer for the Red Storm in March.

As much as this season was one for the team, it was also a season for the fans, the University, and the legions of students who have been bleeding red for years, even during the lean years.

While we’ve all been proud to attend St. John’s, a winning basketball team was always the one jewel missing from the crown. Now that the team is successful and the hype for a run through the tournament is growing, being at St. John’s feels like a step back in time. While Bob Dylan once wrote “The times, they are a-changing,” it would seem that for the Red Storm we’ve resumed our rightful place where we should have been all along.

While the rest of the world may seem out of control, from the devastating earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan

It really hasn’t changed my experience because I only watch the women play.

Daniel Rice Freshman

Charles Onyeani Junior

There’s way more school spirit. I’m prouder to go to St. John’s.

They were nobodies at first, now they’re a likely final 4 team. They really positively influenced the student body.

EDITORIAL POLICY ions expressed in editorials, columns, letters or cartoons are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty or administrations of St. John’s University.

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All letters are subject to the approval of the Editorial Board of The TORCH.

Ann-Marie Roach Sophomore

Evan Shoemaker Sophomore COMPILED BY THOMAS CARNEVALE

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Editorials are the opinions of the Editorial Board of The TORCH. Columns are the opinions of the author(s) and are not necessarily those of The TORCH. Opin-

16 March 2010

It’s provided a great social opportunity to go out with friends and to see St. John’s on SportsCenter.

10

TORCH Opinion

online at torchonline.com/opinion

Thinking over the Big East tournament’s ticket availability

As I watched the Red Storm men’s basketball team play in the Big East tournament last week during spring break, a few things crossed my mind as a St. John’s student.

First, it felt great to be excited about my school.

In my fourth and final year at this place, I’m thankful that I got the chance to experience a great St. John’s team, and the excitement that goes along with it. Students have visibly been more excited around campus and for the first time since I’ve been here, games are routinely selling out.

Take senior night, for example, when Carnesecca Arena was roaring and filled to capacity. It was a perfect scene to convey just how popular the team has gotten around campus. Students came out in force for a send-off pep rally on Monday afternoon and Tuesday when ESPN’s Brandon Tierney hosted his show live from the D’Angelo Center to discuss the Red Storm’s chances in the NCAA tournament.

But all of this energy and school pride that’s been building and was on full display at the pep rally didn’t really carry into Madison Square Garden last week when the team tried to make a deep run in the conference tournament. Instead, the Johnnies played an admirable, hard-fought Quarterfinal game in front of an MSG crowd that showed overwhelming sup-

port for the opposing Syracuse team. It was an army of orange filling the seats of MSG, not the local red as it had been all season long.

In past years, this wouldn’t be surprising at all—it would even have been expected. Teams like Syracuse and UConn have taken MSG as their official home away from home as the St. John’s teams of late have given fans little to be excited about.

But this year was different. This was the year of Steve Lavin and his roster of determined seniors, who beat six top 25 teams and finished in a three-way tie for third place in the toughest conference in the nation. And St. John’s students responded.

The student Red Zone events thrived this season more than I’ve seen in the past three years. In addition to selling out games on campus, MSG games have become more heavily attended by students, and the “Lavinwood” letters are now a signature sign of the St. John’s student section, even when the team traveled to New Jersey to take on Seton Hall. Considering this, it felt strange to see MSG dominated by Syracuse fans in that Quarterfinal game.

If you’re like me, you were probably watching the game on television, wondering why it was so hard to get tickets for the Big East tournament. After all, we are St. John’s students, and St. John’s students are used to being solicited to attend sporting events.

Never before had I actively sought out tickets to a basketball game and come up short.

Asking around, I was told by everyone else who had looked for student tickets that they had found the same dead end. No one could understand why student tickets weren’t advertised on St. John’s Central or around campus bulletins.

Eventually I discovered that there were only a select amount of student tickets available, and those tickets were distributed through a lottery of

torchonline.com

The TORCH

16 March 2011

OPINION

The new TV static

As I write this, a plethora of Internet enabled televisions and Internet devices for televisions are flooding the market.

From Vizio’s televisions with applications built right in to Google TV enabled televisions and set-top boxes, the TV is quickly becoming more and more connected. As a consumer, it can be tough figuring out which option really is the best.

Truthfully, none of them are. While all of them demonstrate interesting concepts and ideas, the breakthrough Internet TV platform is still yet to be found.

Like many ideas, this one is not ripe for the picking just yet.

Possibly the most glaring flaw in these televisions and set-top boxes are that their own features are already done by devices like the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, which also play games and provide high-definition access to local media. In trying to offer a new product or service, being outdone by products that are not direct competitors is pretty shameful.

However, the biggest flaw of these devices is a bit harder to see. Almost all of them are made for streaming services and data collection, with a heavy focus on “cloud-computing,” a buzzword that seems to be all over the place these days. This all sounds great, but in reality can be a major pain.

While we all like to stream media and access the Internet, the speeds and consistency are not reliable enough to be considered a main source of pro-

gramming just yet. The amount of time it takes to load a simple Youtube video in prime traffic hours alone raises the question of whether or not Internet TV’s are simply a gimmick.

Gimmick may be a strong word, but it’s not too far off. Right now, Internetenabled TV services are, at best, part of a hobbyist market. Other than fellow techies and nerds, few people are going to invest money into these products until they are perfected. In other words, all bets are off.

Right now, no one can be declared the leader of this ill-defined market. Even the almighty Apple has struggled to get people to buy their Apple TV. Google TV is interesting, but still has very little market penetration. This market is wideopen for any competitor to come in and dominate. This is the glimmer of hope for everyone who wants the Internet TV dream to come to fruition.

The PC market was once a hobbyist market, but has now turned into an enormous industry that generates billions of dollars. People who were imaginative, innovative, and determined pushed the PC market forward. People like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Steve Wozniak helped make Apple and Microsoft into household names, and helped to put Silicon Valley on the map.

The idea of the Internet adding to our television experience is a great one, but it needs the right people developing and nurturing the movement. So far, none of the current guard ha been able to get the job done. Sure, there are a few sleeping giants out there (I’m looking at you Microsoft), but nothing we’ve seen has been the product everyone is searching for.

Mark McDonald is a junior business major.

He can be reached at: torchads@gmail.com

season ticket holders.

Leave it to St. John’s to let students down when they want to see their team play the most.

So from a friend’s house, I watched the Red Storm take on the ’Cuse, their annoying fans dramatically outnumbering the local Johnnie supporters who had either been lucky enough to win the ticket lottery, or shelled out a hefty sum on StubHub.com. I couldn’t help but wonder why St. John’s students had been afforded no opportunity to see their school play in their own city, while Syracuse fans—traveling five hours from the remote fields of no man’s land—clearly had a ton of seats available to them.

I soon realized that it was entirely possible that Syracuse University had been sold the same amount of student tickets by the Big East as St. John’s, and that the reason they so heavily outnumbered us was simply because they were more dedicated. Maybe the orange supporters were more willing to buy pricey tickets on StubHub than St. John’s fans were. Maybe, as a fan base, St. John’s still had a ways to go before they reached the level of a school like Syracuse.

What really happened to keep the St. John’s supporters away from the Big East Tournament is hard to say for sure. I like to think that Syracuse fans simply traveled well (as they usually do) and St. John’s fans resorted to their old ways. If the University is at fault for the small amount of student tickets available last week, shame on them for letting students down in such a huge way.

Either way, I’ll be watching on St. Patty’s day, hoping the Johnnies can extend their magical season another game.

Justin Thrift is a senior English major from Rhode Island.

He can be reached at: torcheic@gmail.com

TORCH Opinion

online at torchonline.com/opinion

Taylor Swift, the golden example Oh, Taylor Swift. How I love you. Tall. Blonde.

Beautiful. Honest. My mother is not a fan of yours, thus cementing our fairy-tale, forbidden romance. It’s all too perfect. Aside from the fact that we will never meet and if I ramble on any longer people will think you need to take a restraining order against me. But I assure you, I’m not creepy…damn it. That sounded creepy. How about, I’m creepy, but pretend I’m laughing so I don’t sound creepy. Ugh. Now I just sound crazy.

All I’m trying to say is that she’s perfect and we’ll be married someday and…um…this is sounding even crazier. Let’s just move on.

An honest female singer-songwriter – they’re hard to find nowadays. I was rocking out to Jewel and Indigo Girls the other day and couldn’t help but think: What happened to all the good, honest female singer-songwriters? Why isn’t there anybody out there like Tracy Chapman anymore? There’s Colbie Caillat, but I’m not talking about women who make music that would be played in a dentist office that would also put the dentist to sleep.

You may be asking yourself: “But Jeffrey, why do you care? Aren’t you a hard-rockin’, beer-drinkin’, country music and rock lovin’ hairy-chested American male?” Well, first, thank you for your question. Second, it’s true. I don’t shave my chest. Be impressed. And third, it’s true – you’ll more than likely find me blasting some Clash or Hank Williams or Living Colour or Foo Fighters, but also find me listening to Heart or Tracy Chapman or Joan Jett.

Being able to count on one hand the popular, strong female artists in this country is a hard task. I want to

hear some honesty out of women. I want to see women rock. Instead, it seems women just sing about what men either want or expect them to sing about. Katy Perry and Ke$ha sing about being drunk, wild and overtly sexual – all things men want to hear and see. Why is it that Rihanna gets physically abused by a man and responds by getting a tiny tattoo of a gun and then making the most sexual videos she has ever made? That doesn’t scream women’s independence. It just seems like men want to control and dominate women and then have them respond by being eye candy. That reflects as poorly on men as it does on women.

Forty years ago, Aretha Franklin turned “Respect” into a powerhouse women’s anthem. Then women went out and earned it - now there are more females in college than males. Soon they’ll be dollar-for-dollar even with males. In popular culture, there was a short time – mid 80s to mid 90s – that women earned respect with their music. There was the excessive (the whole Spice Girls “girl power” thing), and there was the honest, smart songwriting that matched and exceeded the songwriting of contemplative male artists. Women had moved from having songs written for them and being told how to act to writing and performing their own music.

Now female artists think equality is trying to be more drunk and sleazy than any male. If that’s the equality that they want, they’re getting it. It’s popular. But quite frankly, I’m sick of it. There is zero challenge intellectually or emotionally to female artists today. There are a few strong females like Sara Bareilles, Taylor Swift and maybe even Pink. But there are no more great female singer-songwriters. And there are certainly no women out there getting famous through rock and roll.

Come on, female artists. It’s great to show your femininity and sensuality. I enjoy it. I, like every male, am guilty of objectifying women. I won’t act like some feminist or some stand-up guy who fights for women’s rights. I don’t. Sometimes I can sound downright chauvinistic. I know you can get drunk and look at pictures of yourself on Facebook that you don’t remember. But now a lot of you are turning into sleazy drunkards like Snooki and it’s truly disgusting and unattractive.

TORCH ILLUSTRATION BY REBECCA TUCCILLO

And when you do pick up a guitar and start making good music and you encounter Taylor Swift at a party, tell her I said I love her. No, don’t. That still sounds creepy.

Jeffrey Gilbert is a senior. He can be reached at: jeffreygilberttorch@gmail.com

15

Hip-Hop Resurrected Lupe Fiasco beams in his third studio album Pg. 17

ENTERTAINMENT 16 March 2011 The TORCH

torchonline.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF LUPEFIASCO.COM

16

Sheen’s “Winning” Controversy INFERNO

BRINGS YOU

UP TO

SPEED

ON ALL THINGS

SHEEN AND

CHARLES ONYEWUCHI Staff Writer

S

torchonline.com

The TORCH

16 March 2011

ENTERTAINMENT

ince his arrival into mainstream Hollywood over 20 years ago, Charlie Sheen has been plagued with one scandal after the other. From the accidental shooting of his then-fiancé Kelly Preston to excessive drug-fueled parties with porn stars in hotels, a felony menacing charge in 2005 and then most recently, his falling out with soon-to-be ex-wife Brooke Muller, Sheen is making headlines.

He has managed to keep his career afloat, standing as the exception to the “scandals ruin your career in Hollywood” rule not adhered to by the likes of Mel Gibson and Lindsay Lohan. He triumphed after each scandal, appearing in mediocre but good box office draws such as the Scary Movie franchise and CBS’ hit sitcom Two and a Half Men. He earned roughly two million dollars per episode, which made him not only one of the highest paid actors in Hollywood but also the highest paid TV actor.

Last month, production on the show was halted after Sheen unleashed a series of rants against the show’s co-creator and producer Chuck Lorre. With a media storm fast approaching, Sheen cut his vacation short in the Bahamas and flew back to set the record straight about his drug use and mental state, which Warner Brothers Studios claimed was the one of the reasons for halting production on the show.

In his interview with ABC News on Good Morning America, Sheen addressed rumors of him having bipolar disorder with a quote that has become extremely popular: “I’m bi-winning. I win here and I win there.”

He also boasted and defended his party animal lifestyle, saying “I was banging seven gram rocks and PHOTO COURTESY OF CBS.COM finishing them because I’m me, I’m different. I have Charlie Sheen served Warner Bros. and CBS tiger blood.” with a $100 million lawsuit after being fired from Sheen’s mannerisms throughout the interview seemed his role on the hit sitcom Two and a Half Men. erratic and borderline nihilistic although he was so-

HIS “TIGER

BLOOD”

ber and had been for 72 hours, as proven by a blood test that was administered during the show with the results shown afterwards on air.

Soon after, Sheen created a Twitter account. The Guinness Book of World Records even listed Sheen as the fastest user to gain a million followers in only 25 hours. The phrases “winning” and “tiger blood” stayed at the top of trend lists daily, accompanied by spoofs on Sheen on Saturday Night Live, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and countless musical renditions of his interview on YouTube. Shirts, mugs and posters with the phrases “Bi-Winning,” “Winning” and “Tiger blood” have quickly become the hottest commodities on custom-made sites such as Zazzle and PosterRevolution. Sheen himself even scored a one million dollar Twitter endorsement deal with Ad.ly, a Los Angeles-based company. Everyone seems to be cashing in on the controversy.

But with every win comes a loss. Sheen was officially fired from Two and a Half Men by Warner Bros. The studio cited Sheen’s self-destructive behavior and illicit drug use as the basis for firing him, arguing that he had broken the moral turpitude clause in his contract. Sheen took the setback in stride and in return, launched his “torpedo” at Warner Brothers and CBS by serving them with a $100 million lawsuit.

It is safe to say that Sheen is coping with his drug addiction, has a soft spot for porn stars and always lived a self-destructive lifestyle. Regardless, Sheen has managed to triumph through every scandal he has faced—this one might be no different. Sheen recently announced that he will be going on a mini-tour next month called “Charlie Sheen LIVE: My Violent Torpedo of Truth,” which will premiere in April. Tickets to the shows, with the first two scheduled in the Midwest, sold out in 18 minutes.

Though out of a job, Sheen’s still raking in millions through endorsements, merchandise and soon, a hefty payday from Warner Bros., making him undoubtedly the world’s greatest “unemployed winner.” According to internship.com, 74,000 people applied for the coveted position to work with the troubled star and help field the media attention Sheen has been receiving. We should all take notes.

Fashion Forward: Spring Style Savvy INFERNO HELPS YOU REVAMP YOUR WINTER WARDROBE JUST IN TIME FOR SPRING SHANTOEL McLEOD Contributing Writer

S

ay goodbye to winter woes and say hello to spring bliss. It’s time to shed those winter layers and welcome the over-the-top spring season. Bold colors, stripes, patterns and wash-stoned denims are about to make their way into your wardrobe.

Pump up your wardrobe with crazy bright neons like electric lime greens, pinks and lavenders. You can layer these colors with neutral tones like khaki or with solid prints for an illuminating look. To make an even bolder statement, color block by pairing bright tones on top of the other.

From tribal to animal to floral, prints are one of the biggest spring trends, especially on Fashion Week’s Spring 2011 runways. A tip from Glamour.com is to mix and match patterns but try to stick to a maximum of two to three prints. Stripes continue to be one of the biggest patterns of the spring season, bringing out the nautical flavor in any outfit.

The ’70s are back and in full effect. From the high waist denims to peasant tops and flowing maxi halters, the hippy glamour is bringing a retro feel to spring fashion. Crochet in shades of blue and pink sands is a great way to add the ’70s vibe to any outfit. The trend is versatile, affordable and easily accessible. Check out thrift stores for secondhand pieces.

The neo-punk look will still be filling the streets this spring. Spice up your wardrobe by adding a studded biker jacket like the Burberry Prorsum spiked one

worn by various celebrities such as Kate Bosworth and Sarah Jessica Parker paired with slashed tops and cut-up shorts. Lace will also span in the spring season. It’s not only very feminine but also formable. Lace remains chic with delicate, quality fabrics in a variety of colors.

Menswear for the ladies is another favorite spring trend.

Pair a white or black tuxedo blazer with stone-washed denims and oxfords for a casual day look.

Whoever says intimates are only for use under clothes are unaware of this season’s prime trends.

Lingerie tops, whether sheer, laced or even floral are no longer cover ups but are making their debut on the outside. In the March 2011 issue of Elle on newsstands now, Style Director Joe Zee shows the stars of MTV’s Skins how to add this modern trend to any outfit.

Bright colors aren’t the only ones making a splash, white has become the new “black.” It can help transform any outfit and is a brilliant way to make a powerful fashion statement.

The flirty wear of the ’60s is also making a comeback. From the hip-hugging silhouettes to the baby doll dresses, the ’60s glam is giving spring fashion an extra burst of energy. The era that popularized British supermodel Twiggy is returning with full circle skirts and A-line dresses.

Ladies can’t be the only ones looking hot this spring.

The spring trends for the men are just as bold and colorful. Gentlemen, try a double-breasted jacket for an elegant tailored feel or hit the streets in vivid citrus and pink shades to bring a splash of color to your outfit.

Don’t forget to get a little edgy with a biker jacket or skull patterns.

No matter the season, remember to bring a bright personality to match. Style does not just come from the clothes being worn, but from the person who wears it.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HM.COM

Neon colors and outlandish print patterns are staples in any fashionista’s wardrobe this spring.

Hit or Miss: All-Star Albums

17

LASERS CAUSES A FIASCO, R.E.M. COLLAPSES AND RAEKWON CHANNELS MARTIAL ARTS ADELLE PLATON Entertainment Editor

LUPE FIASCO Lasers (Hip-Hop/Rap)

OUT OF 4 STARS

I

f there was any reason to doubt that Lupe Fiasco would release his third album, the rapper has proven the disbelievers wrong with his latest project Lasers.

Bouncing back from a creative dispute with his music label, Atlantic Records, Fiasco told his fans at the album release party at Webster Hall in New York City on March 12 that “without Atlantic, Lasers would not have been possible,” even with overwhelming chants of “F**k Atlantic” from the crowd.

According to complexmag.com, the rapper planned a series of “Fiasco Fridays” in Oct. 2010 so that fans could protest outside of the Atlantic Records offices and demand his album (long completed before the end of last year) to be sold. The label gave in.

Fiasco proved his value as an artist before the album was officially released on Tues., March 13. He pocketed a million dollars in pre-sales by selling 30,000 units. The content of the album makes it worth the wait and every cent.

At first listen, Lasers is a hip-hop satire of the media and the government on the surface. Songs like “All Black Everything” and “Words I Never Said” showcase Fiasco’s verbal punches to the news industry and politics for seemingly distributing convoluted messages to the public. Fiasco brings up figures like President Barack Obama and Glenn Beck, along with issues such as the war on terrorism. But after several playbacks, it’s clear that Fiasco is calling on his listeners to act on their beliefs: “Just listening to ‘Pac ain’t gon’ make it stop/ A rebel in your thoughts ain’t gon’ make it halt/ If you don’t become an actor, you’ll

Staff Writer

R.E.M. Collapse Into Now (Rock)

RALPH BRISTOUT Staff Writer RAEKWON Shaolin vs.

Wu-Tang (Rap)

OUT OF 4 STARS

R

aekwon is arguably one of the most consistent emcees within his infamous hip-hop crew, Wu-Tang Clan.

After the group’s positively received reunion album 8 Diagrams was released in 2007, the Wu General was able to release his 2009 masterpiece Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…

II, the sequel to his 1995 magnum opus.

Garnering enormous appraise from music critics, the brilliantly orchestrated follow-up became ranked as one of the best albums of the year. Fast-forward to 2011 where the Chef looks for a repeat as he gears to serve up his latest potent offering Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang.

The album’s title Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang originates from the 1981 martial arts film of the same name – the very film that led to the inspiration behind the group’s

name. Channeling the history into his fifth studio album, Rae dishes up a cohesive project from start to finish.

The pulsating album opener features several sound clips from the film. The intro provides a clear message, preparing the listener for what is to come within the 17-track LP: a cinematic experience filled with vivid imagery, gutwrenching lyricism, and hard-hitting beats.

What’s ironic about Shaolin vs.

Wu-Tang is that despite the absence of Wu’s beatsmith, RZA, contributing producers such as Scram Jones, DJ Khalil, The Alchemist, Sean C & LV among others, fill the void. The latter handles production duties on the album’s highly anticipated track “Rich & Black” which features none other than Queen’s finest, Nas. Together, they deliver a lyrical soufflé as they go head-to-head on this long-awaited follow-up to their 1995 gem, “Verbal Intercourse.” Among the list of collaborators, this by far is the album’s ultimate highlight.

Despite RZA’s absence, Rae cooks up an appeasing album, leaving fans craving for more.

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group’s last few albums. There was a harder edge made present this time around compared to the band’s earlier work. The isolation of Stipe’s voice on numerous tracks, specifically “Everyday Is Yours to Win” and “Uberlin,” take the listener back to R.E.M. gems like “Nightswimming” and “Everybody Hurts.”

While 2008’s Accelerate seemed to be R.E.M.’s return to alternative rock, Collapse Into Now cements the band’s place as legends. The bleak yet elegant “Uberlin” and the bombastic “Discoverer” make up this diverse and loud record: a perfect musical description of this group.

One of the popular favorites on the album is the goofy and guitar arpeggio-driven “Mine Smell Like Honey.” This track should be categorized as essentially Peter Buck and an example of classic R.E.M. It sounds like a more distorted and fuller version of “Radio Free Europe,” the band’s first single.

The song also captures the significant contribution of Mike Mills on bass. Mill’s rich background vocals are what drives R.E.M.’s melodic machine that complement Stipe’s pipes beautifully.

In a sense, this album brings new material from the band that is somewhat nostalgic. The members seemed to draw on every song that they recorded in their illustrious 15-album, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame career and put it into one. Collapse Into Now is a treat for those who appreciate vintage R.E.M.

delivered through a perspective that can be shared by all.

Those in attendance for Fiasco’s show could appreciate the diversity of his audience and his ability to transform his music into a movement.

One can argue that Lasers is a disappointment for old fans who expected Fiasco to continue making the music he was initially recognized for, but it would be unfair to discredit him as an evolving artist. Fiasco never sacrifices his lyrical genius on the album; he merely paints it onto beats that his listeners have not heard from him before.

And if critics still signify Lasers as the beginning of Fiasco’s downfall, then a mistake never sounded this good.

The TORCH

R

.E.M. first came out of the American indie underground scene in the late 1980s based in Athens, Ga. They released their classic debut album Murmur in 1981, blending punk and melody into one condensed, ground-breaking album, thus inventing modern indie rock.

Fifteen years later they bring Collapse Into Now, a beautiful tapestry of all of the tricks and inspirations that the band has picked up over the years. Piano ballads, mandolin, Mike Stipe’s soulful whine, Peter Buck’s legendary right hand and guest appearances from friends Patti Smith and Eddie Vedder, are what shape the album. They are also what separate this album from R.E.M.’s other mediocre releases.

Stipe’s vocals rarely stood out on the

never be a factor,” he raps on “Words I Never Said.”

The theme of positivity ultimately beams throughout the album. In a business where rap music seems to encourage inter-artist dispute, Fiasco rarely calls out anybody in his album other than himself. “The Show Goes On” and “Beautiful Lasers” have already become anthems for the underdogs he relates to.

Fiasco also flexes his potential to be mainstream with catchy songs like “Out of My Head” featuring Trey Songz and “Never Forget You” with John Legend. At the release party, Legend made a surprise appearance, even tweeting, “One of the best hip-hop shows I’ve seen in a while. Great energy, musicianship, execution.”

At its core, Lasers is Fiasco’s personal journey

16 March 2011

OUT OF 4 STARS

Lupe Fiasco performed to a sold-out crowd at Webster Hall the night before Lasers was released. He forgot his verse in “Superstar” mid-song but laughed, saying it was because of the positive energy.

ENTERTAINMENT

PETER LONG

PHOTO COURTEST OF LUPEFIASCO.COM

TORCHCOMICS

The Adventures of Rufus James Kerigan

1-800 ARMSTRACO Jonathan Roman

Pam’s World Michelle Alerte

The Adventures of Rufus James Kerigan

16 March 2011

20

Thrown to the Bulldogs

SPORTS

Without D.J., getting past Gonzaga may be tougher than you think

It is impossible to predict just how well the St. John’s men’s basketball team will bounce back from the loss of D.J. Kennedy.

Sure, the team played a resilient 35 minutes sans-D.J. against Syracuse in the Big East tournament despite coming up just short at the end, and by every indication the players and coaches are doing and saying the right things— publicly, at least—to ensure that the Red Storm can be just as contentious without Kennedy as they would be with him.

But you can’t just put ice on a torn ACL and take a few days off. D.J. Kennedy, as unfortunate as it sounds, has played his last game as a member of the St. John’s Red Storm, and as determined and confident as the team sounds to move on, the reality of Kennedy on the sideline in sweats won’t sink in until just before the ball is tipped against Gonzaga.

While the ‘Do It For D.J.’ campaign has been a great tool to further unite the team and school during a very improbable season, nobody mentioned it in breaking down St. John’s and Gonzaga in the selection shows. No Gonzaga player, coach, or fan probably cares about the Red Storm’s rallying cry.

After all, Gonzaga went 24-9 and won its conference, earning its 13th-straight bid to the NCAA tournament. Though an 11 seed, the Bulldogs have experience on

TORCH PHOTO/JUSTIN THRIFT

Replacing D.J. Kennedy will be no easy task come St. Patrick’s Day. their side. It may not be the experience of nine seniors who have played with each other for four years, or a coach with sixstraight NCAA tournament appearances already under his belt, but it is experience that no aspect of this Red Storm team, from top to bottom, has—NCAA tournament experience.

The players haven’t been there and this coaching staff has not been there, and not only does St. John’s have to replace the X’s and O’s of the 10.4 points and 5.6 rebounds that Kennedy averaged

per game this season, it has to do so while playing at a level it has never experienced and cannot replicate in preparation of it.

Here’s the thing: They can’t do that by simply putting Malik Boothe back into the starting lineup and moving Hardy back to the wing. They can’t do that by splitting minutes between Boothe and sophomore point guard Malik Stith, as they did during the remainder of the Syracuse game.

Neither Boothe nor Stith make a tremendous enough dent in the box score

to replace Kennedy’s production without a drop off, and it would be unfair to expect them to match Kennedy’s stat lines.

But increased minutes for Boothe and Stith would take away an even greater weapon for the defensive end. Each possesses a talent for disruption on the defensive end, the unique athletic ability to knock a ball away or grab a loose ball that their competitors cannot reach, providing the club with short bursts of energy throughout the game.

What makes this talent so special to the Red Storm as a whole is that, with Kennedy also on the floor, head coach Steve Lavin can put either point guard on the floor as a means of intensifying an already staunch St. John’s defense, which forced 16.1 turnovers (+3.1 margin) per game this season.

Because the Red Storm don’t have the offensive firepower to score 80 points per game even with Kennedy, creating extra possessions and converting points off turnovers has become imperative for the team’s success. If Boothe and Stith can’t be strategically inserted for key defensive purposes, chances are it would disrupt the intensity of the Red Storm’s smothering press and cut down on the forced turnovers.

The other problem that this creates lies within that transition offense, after the turnover is forced. Though Boothe and Stith can lead a fast break, neither can finish as consistently or effectively as Kennedy could, either by scoring or getting to the free throw line.

And while it is entirely possible for the two point guards to step in and fill the void Kennedy leaves behind, expect to see a different St. John’s team—even if the change is slight—when the team takes the floor against Gonzaga.

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The TORCH

16 March 2011

Softball team goes to Florida for Spring Break STEVE SIDOTI Staff Writer

The St. John’s softball team spent Spring Break this past week competing in both the Stevens Industries FGCU tournament and the USF-Under Armour Showcase in Florida.

The first tournament took place from March 11-13 in Fort Myers, where the Red Storm split the four-game tourney against the likes of St. Francis (PA), Colgate, TennesseeMartin, and Florida Gulf Coast.

Following the 2-2 showing, St. John’s tested their talents against an international opponent, as they fell to the Dutch National Team by a score of 12-5 in the exhibition.

Two days following their matchup against the Dutch, the

Softball team began play in the USF-Under Armour Showcase in Clearwater, Fla. There, the Red Storm found their winning ways, winning 4-1 in the threeday tournament.

In Fort Myers, the two St. John’s victories were led by excellent pitching performances from freshman right-hander Aleshia Link and by a fine power display at the plate.

Link opened the trip with a six-inning complete game shutout in a rain-shortened 11-3 victory against St. Francis (PA).

The next day, the freshman earned her second career victory in a 9-7 win over the University of Tennessee-Martin, allowing three earned runs in five innings.

Six of the nine St. John’s starters drove in at least one run in the first game. Sophomore Chrissy Montez and freshmen Jackie Reed and Myriah Rodgers each led the way adding

one home run apiece.

Montez, who was named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll this week, finished the game going 2-for-2, including the home run, to go along with three RBI, two runs scored, and two walks.

In the second victory of the Stevens Industries FGCU tournament, four players finished with multi-hit performances.

Two of those players homered as Rodgers and sophomore Amber Curry each added round-trippers and drove in three runs.

The Red Storm defeated St. Joseph’s 3-0 to kick off their stay in Clearwater, as Linzee Sumrall tossed eight shutout innings. The Louisiana native allowed just three hits and struck out five.

The Red Storm broke the game’s scoreless drought in the top of the eighth inning when Montez’s two-out RBI single gave the team a 1-0 lead.

A few batters later, a Reed single would add two more runs to the board before Sumrall secured the 3-0 win by retiring the final three batters she faced as Saint Joseph’s stranded two on the bases.

The second game of the day brought similar success in similar fashion. Link picked up her third victory of the week, pitching a complete game in a seven-inning game over Quinnipiac. Link allowed just two earned runs and struck out eight in the 4-3 win.

At the plate, senior Chelsea Durning went 2-for-3 and scored a run, while Curry and juniors Fachon Jones and Kristi Cady added an RBI apiece.

The next morning, St. John’s won by a score of 11-5 against Toledo, before losing its only game of the tourney in a one-run game against Maryland.

First baseman Myriah Rodgers went 3-for-3 with three

RBI and two runs scored.

Montez collected three hits in five at-bats, with two RBIs and two runs scored. Jones scored two runs and reached base in all three at-bats. Outfielder Cady went 2-for-3, with three RBI, a walk, and two runs scored.

On Sunday, the Red Storm closed their Spring Break road trip with an 8-4 win over Massachusetts. Sumrall pitched seven innings of three-run ball, earning her second complete game victory of the week. Montez and Curry each homered and Cady collected three RBI and a run scored while going 2-for-3 at the plate.

The next stop for the Red Storm will be in Harrisonburg, Va., for the JMU Dukes Invitational that is set to take place from March 18-20. The threeday Invitational will include matchups against Binghamton, James Madison and Lehigh.

21

Baseball team walks off with win Baltz’s RBI single in extras lifts Baseball team over Fairfield in home opener MIKE ROSILLO Contributing Writer

The St. John’s baseball team won its relocated game against Fairfield on March 15 as sophomore Jeremy Baltz’s single in the 10th inning gave the Red Storm a 2-1 win at Jack Kaiser Stadium.

ST. JOHN’S

2

FAIRFIELD

1

With the Red Storm and Stags deadlocked at one apiece, Baltz broke through to help the Red Storm win their ninth-consecutive home opener.

“Today it is just difficult to hit,” said St John’s skipper Ed Blankmeyer on the team’s early troubles at the plate. “Some of our balls were hit real well.

When you play on a windier or cold day and the ball is not traveling with the new bats, you can’t put the ball in air.”

With a 1-0 lead, Fairfield junior and opening day starter Scott Warwick took a nohitter into the sixth until Joe Witowski got the Johnnies on the basepaths.

Sophomore Jimmy Brennan then hit a fielder’s choice that sent Witowski to second, who tagged and went to third

on a fly ball. He scored on a passed ball.

The run eliminated the possibility of junior starter Brendan Lobban of getting the loss, who hit the showers having pitched five innings in his third start of the season, allowing one earned run, walking two and striking out four in throwing 86 pitches.

Baltz and junior second baseman Matt Wessinger had two hits apiece. Sophomore Sean O’Hare walked three times.

Sophomore Sean Hagan made his fifth appearance of the year to retire 14 of the 16 batters he faced. He struck out one and walked one, halting Fairfield’s bats.

Despite the Red Storm’s offensive struggles, Blankmeyer stayed positive about the team breaking a four-game losing streak.

“Were definitely trying to still build confidence. Last year it took us a little bit to come together as a team. I’m not saying I want that to happen again this year. Hopefully this one will put us in the right direction.”

The Red Storm (5-6) return to Kaiser Stadium on March 16 to take on Albany.

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Sophomore Jeremy Baltz finished 2-for-4 and hit the game-winning RBI single in the 10th inning as the baseball team won its ninth-straight home opener.

Lacrosse team falls to Stony Brook in matinee matchup

STONY BROOK

9

ST. JOHN’S

4

TORCH PHOTO/JUSTIN THRIFT

Goalkeeper Jeff Lowman made 14 saves, but that was not enough to stop a six-goal run

by Stony Brook in the first quarter on March 15.

The Johnnies finally ended their scoreless streak, one that had extended for 80-plus minutes, in the fourth quarter, with a Brandon Ayers goal.

Their late 4-0 run came quickly and helped get them back into striking distance but they weren’t able to do much else.

After the game Coach Jason Miller was impressed with the

effort the team gave coming off of a couple of losses.

“If we get this kind of effort every week, we’re a good lacrosse team,” said Miller. “I like the fact that we fight.”

Goalie Jeff Lowman was solid again making 14 saves but was outdueled by Rob Camposa, who had 14 saves on 15 shots.

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the game on an 8-0 run.

St. John’s extended that streak against Stony Brook, allowing three goals to McBride, Bonanno and Kyle Belton in the first. The Red Storm kept the score at 3-0 through the first eight minutes when Stony Brook went off on another 3-0 run in a matter of two minutes to go up 6-0.

The TORCH

Red Storm freshman Kevin Cernuto added two late goals, his 10th and 11th of the season, in a losing effort to No. 5/5 Stony Brook 9-4 on March 15 at DaSilva Memorial Field. Stony Brook was lead by Russ Bonanno and Jordan McBride, who had two goals apiece for the Seawolves.

St. John’s came into the game with a scoreless streak stemming from their 10-4 loss at Siena on March 10. After going up 4-2, St. John’s failed to score in the second half of the game and let Siena finish

16 March 2011

St. John’s played tough, but not tough enough to defeat one of the best teams in the country.

St. John’s played the same Stony Brook team last season and was beaten 21-6, Miller is happy with the progress his team has been making, even in losses. “We had signs of life, that’s the most encouraging thing to me. There are no moral victories here, we wanted to win today. We don’t play these guys to stay close, we play to win.”

The Seawolves had goals from Kevin Crowley, Robbie Campbell, Tom Compitello and Graham Adams. St. John’s Junior Charlie Holenstein added a goal for the Red Storm.

St. John’s was one for seven on man up opportunities and missed a couple of chances to score early in the game due to some great saves by Camposa. St. John’s committed 21 turnovers to Stony Brook’s 17, while Adam Rand helped Stony Brook win 12 of 17 face-offs going 7-8 early on.

The road doesn’t get any easier for the 1-4 Red Storm as they head out on a two game road trip. They head to Vermont on March 19 before they play at No. 4/4 Hofstra on March 22.

SPORTS

ANTHONY RAMOS Staff Writer

22

NCAA TOURNAMENT

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The TORCH

16 March 2011

SPORTS

STJ hoops feeling WBB makes NCAA

Men’s opponent Gonzaga makes 13th-straight NCAA tournament

MIKE GURNIS Staff Writer

BILL SAN ANTONIO

For the second consecutive year and the sixth time in program history, the St. John’s women’s basketball team has earned a spot in the NCAA tournament.

The Red Storm earned the No. 9 seed in the Spokane region of the tournament, and will take on the No. 8 seed Texas Tech at the Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif., on Saturday at 4:20 p.m. ET. “We’re really excited to have the opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament,” said head coach Kim Barnes Arico. “It’s the greatest tournament in America and we feel privileged to be one of the top teams in the country and to be still playing.”

Texas Tech is making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2005, the 19th in program history. The Red Raiders finished 22-10 and reached the semifinals of the Big 12 tournament before losing to Oklahoma.

“Texas Tech is going to be an incredibly difficult matchup,” said Barnes Arico. “They’re a Big 12 program that really had a tremendous year this year. That’s going to be a tough game and if we have the opportunity to be fortunate enough to move on then we’ll look further ahead to Stanford.”

Texas Tech’s “signature” win of the season came on Feb. 19, when the Red Raiders knocked off Baylor, which holds the No. 1 Seed in the Dallas region.

Texas Tech finished 8-8 in the Big 12, which was good enough for a sixth-place finish in the conference.

The Red Raiders are led down low with a pair of 6-foot-3 forwards in Kierra Mallard and Teena Wickett. Mallard averaged 12.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Wickett was an All-Big 12 honorable mention, and had 9.8 points per game and six rebounds per game.

Other key players for Texas Tech include sophomore guards Casey Morris, who was All-Big 12 Honorable Mention with 9.8 points per game, and Monique Smalls, who was named to the All-Big 12 Defensive team.

Saturday’s matchup between the Red Storm and the Red Raiders will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools, and the winner will get to take on the winner of the game between No. 1 Stanford and No. 16 UC-Davis on March 21.

The game between Stanford and UC-Davis will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Gonzaga is not your older brother’s No. 11 seed.

The Bulldogs, making their 13th-consecutive NCAA tournament, finished the regular season 24-9, winners of the West Coast Conference tournament as well as their last nine games.

The meeting will be the fourth between the teams in program college basketball history, as well as the second in NCAA play. Gonzaga has won the last two games, most recently during the 2001 Great Alaskan Shootout. The teams previously met in the 2000 NCAA tournament’s second round, where the No. 10 Bulldogs upset the No. 2 Red Storm.

Gonzaga is led by head coach Mark Few, now in his 22nd season with the team, who has been part of each of the program’s NCAA tournament runs. St. John’s head coach Steve Lavin and Few have known each other since Lavin coached at UCLA. Despite coming from what has been regarded as a “midmajor” conference, the Bulldogs faced seven teams in their non-conference schedule that reached the NCAA tournament and had a combined record of 168-61.

Though they went just 2-5 in those games, which included matches with Marquette and Notre Dame, the Bulldogs were well-equipped for the NCAA tournament with experience against whoever the selection committee matched them up against.

But not only are the Bulldogs seasoned against tournament teams, they are also experienced in the tournament itself. Five Gonzaga players have previously played in the NCAA tournament, in comparison to no St. John’s player having ever reached the Big Dance.

Chief among Gonzaga’s players is Steven Gray, who has started three NCAA games and played in six. The senior guard has averaged 11 points and 31.7 minutes per game in NCAA tournament play, and put up 21 points against Stephon Curry’s Davidson club during the 2008 tournament’s

Sports Editor

TORCH PHOTO/JUSTIN THRIFT

The men’s basketball team will square off against a Gonzaga team making its 13thstraight NCAA tournament appearance and won its last nine games. first round.

The Red Storm may also have their hands full with senior Robert Sacre. The 7-foot, 260-pound center has averaged 10.7 points and 5.7 rebounds in the NCAA tournament. Last week, Syracuse’s Fab Melo, who also comes in

at over seven feet tall, scored a career-high 22 points against St. John’s in the Big East tournament quarterfinal.

Gonzaga went on two ninegame winning streaks this season, with non-conference wins over Baylor, Xavier, Oklahoma State and Wake Forest dur-

ing the first, and four wins over St. Mary’s and San Francisco during the second. St. Mary’s, considered by many to be on the bubble, did not reach the NCAA tournament, while San Francisco accepted a bid to the CollegeInsider.com Postseason tournament.

Hardy named finalist for Wooden award On Monday, the Los Angeles Athletic Club announced that St. John’s senior guard Dwight Hardy was among the 20 finalists for the 2011 Wooden Award.

Hardy ranked fourth in the Big East averaging 18 points and was named Big East Player of the Week three times, the most of any player in the conference.

In addition, he earned separate weekly awards from the league five times during the 2010-11 campaign.

“Dwight Hardy is completely deserving of the media’s votes for the Wooden Award,” head coach Steve Lavin said.

“His leadership and outstanding performance on the court sets him apart

as one of the best college basketball players in the country and has served as the catalyst for our team’s run to the NCAA tournament.”

Hardy helped lead St. John’s to a 4-1 record against teams ranked in the top 10 and a 6-6 record against teams in the top 25. In those six wins, he averaged 23.3 points per game.

Voting for the Wooden Award is carried out by almost 1,000 college basketball writers around the country.

The Wooden Award Men’s All America teams are to be announced the week of the Elite Eight round of the NCAA tournament.

23

TORCH SPORTS

the madness

STORM

CAST

Leavin’ their Mark

Four fencers win NCAA northeast regional titles Four members of the St. John’s fencing team won NCAA Northeast Regional Championships while 10 of their teammates posted top 10 finishes.

In the epee event, the men’s team placed Nicholas Vomero in first and defending national champion Marat Israelian in second. Women Alina Ferdman and Zsofia Fath placed second and third as well.

In the saber, Red Storm fencers Daryl Homer and Dagmara Wozniak claimed the men and women’s titles.

Homer went 22-1 on the day, carrying an undefeated performance all the way to the final round.

On March 24, the fencing team springs back to action at the NCAA Championships held at Ohio State University. Coming off a second place finish last season, St. John’s looks to take the top spot this year.

Their lone national championship was in 2001. The Red Storm have placed sixth or better every year since 1993. They finished second in 1995, 2000, 2002, 2007 and 2010.

Masur shaves head for cancer research

The St. John’s community rallied around D.J. Kennedy after word broke that the senior guard had torn his ACL after colliding with a Syracuse player during last week’s Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden.

Kennedy to miss NCAA tournament hours before the team was set to travel to Colorado for its first round game against Gonzaga.

Kennedy averaged 10.4 points and 5.6 rebounds for the Red Storm this year. Last year, he was the team’s leading scorer.

“Our basketball family is determined to bring an inspired effort to pay tribute to D.J. Kennedy for his outstanding contributions to our program,” head coach Steve Lavin said. “Our players recognize we would not be participating in the NCAA tournament without D.J.’s efforts. He will continue to add value as we continue our postseason journey.”

Blowin’ in the Wind

“

It’s not many times where you see D.J. and you don’t see me, or you see me and don’t see D.J., so it’s going to be hurtful.

-Sean Evans on his off-court friendship with D.J. Kennedy

Red Storm home games

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Baseball: Mar. 16 Albany

3:00 p.m.

Women’s Soccer: Mar. 19 Japanese College 3:00 p.m. team

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”

Headin’ this Way

The TORCH

The St. John’s men’s basketball team will make its first NCAA tournament run since 2002 without a key contributor.

Senior guard D.J. Kennedy will miss the tournament after suffering a torn ACL in his right knee during the opening minutes of the Red Storm’s Big East quarterfinal loss to Syracuse last week.

The swingman injured his knee upon driving to the basket and colliding with Syracuse’s Fab Melo, awkwardly twisting his knee as he went to the floor. He was helped off the floor at Madison Square Garden by teammates and did not return.

“I’ve wanted to play in the NCAA tournament since I picked up a basketball in grade school, and this is a real blow,” Kennedy said. “I am disappointed on a personal level, but I am happy that I will be with my teammates on the road during the tournament, supporting them the way they always support me.”

The senior-laden Red Storm now have

to replace much more than a stat line in a box score as they prepare to face Gonzaga in the tournament’s opening round, but a locker room leader and good friend.

“D.J. is a big part of this team, this hurts me because we’re close on and off the court,” senior Sean Evans said. “It’s not many times where you see D.J. and you don’t see me, or you see me and don’t see D.J., so it’s going to be hurtful. But I think it’s going to be fuel to the fire and we’re going to have to step up.”

When news of the severity of Kennedy’s injury broke last week, St. John’s students and fans rallied behind the “Do It For D.J.” slogan, which suggests the Red Storm make a lengthy NCAA tournament run in honor of their fallen teammate.

The slogan reached the various social networking sites, as the Twitter hashtag #DoItForDJ became a trending topic in New York City upon hours of hitting the web and was a hot topic among local sports news sites.

Kennedy was also the darling of the Mac and Tierney ESPN radio show, which broadcasted live from the D’Angelo Center on March 16, just

16 March 2011

BILL SAN ANTONIO Sports Editor

SPORTS

TORCH PHOTO/JUSTIN THRIFT

St. John’s men’s head soccer coach Dave Masur teamed up with the St. Baldricks Foundation to heighten awareness of and raise money for cancer research by shaving his head at the D’Angelo Center while taking part in the second annual St. Baldricks Foundation Locks of Love Event.

“I am joining the St. Baldrick’s Foundation to help raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer research,” said Masur. “Everyone has been affected by cancer in some way and I will be shaving my head for this great cause.”

SPORTS 16 MARCH 2011 | VOLUME 88, ISSUE 16 | TORCHONLINE.COM

TORCH PHOTO/ JUSTIN THRIFT

TORCHSPORTS.WORDPRESS.COM

The baseball team beat Fairfield to win its ninthstraight home opener.

The softball team played in two tournaments over Spring Break.

Pg. 21

Pg. 20