UMASS CYCLISTS HAVE TROUBLE
NAVIGATING CONSTRUCTION PAGE B1
COFFEE & BEER Two great tastes that taste great together
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THE MASSACHUSETTS
DAILY COLLEGIAN
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Sports@DailyCollegian.com
IN THIS ISSUE: Meet the newest Minutemen
UMass hockey welcomes nine new players to its roster this season. PAGE A3
Picking up where they left off
UMass’ top forward line looks to establish themselves among the best scoring lines in Hockey East. PAGE A5
Up for the challenge
Junior goaltender Steve Mastalerz is ready to step in as UMass’ No. 1 netminder this season. PAGE A4
PHOTO BY TAYLOR SNOW/COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO
UMass hockey seeks redemption UM returns nine seniors and 16 upperclassmen this season By Nick caNelas
T
Collegian Staff
he way last season ended still sits with the Massachusetts hockey team. The Minutemen finished the 2012-13 season with just two wins in their final 10 games and failed to make the Hockey East Tournament for the first time since 2002. They were inconsistent, blew six third-period leads and had little scoring contributions outside the top forward line of Michael Pereira, Branden Gracel and Conor Sheary. Now UMass comes into this season, which begins Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Boston University, motivated by its failures and focused on redeeming itself after a bitter end to last year. “Being one of the only two teams not to play in March is definitely something that leaves a sour taste in your mouth,” Pereira said. “It was almost embarrassment. Everyone doesn’t want that to happen again and we want to go out on a good note so I think we’re all pushing toward that.” Pereira is one of nine seniors and 16 upperclassmen on the Minutemen’s roster, so many of these players experienced last year’s disappointing finish. And these same players are all unsatisfied and looking forward for a chance to start fresh. “It was a long offseason for us especially since we didn’t make the playoffs last year and I think that makes us even hungrier to be back and on the ice,” said Gracel, who led UMass with 34 points on 14 goals and 20 assists as a junior last season. “It definitely fuels the fire and it’s gotta be in the back of our mind. We can’t really be worried about it, but it’s gotta be there and help us realize that last year we were that close but didn’t make it.” The Minutemen return their top three
leading scorers from last year, its starting goaltender in junior Steve Mastalerz and is an all-around more experienced team under second-year coach John Micheletto. However, expectations aren’t much higher for this year’s squad. UMass was picked to finish 10th out of 11 teams in the Hockey East preseason poll, the second straight year the Minutemen were picked to finish second-to-last in the rankings. While UMass does have the benefit of every team making the playoffs this season due to the addition of Notre Dame to the conference, the Minutemen would like nothing more than to heavily exceed those expectations. “I think it’s something that gets us going and gets us excited,” Gracel said. “We want to prove them wrong. Since I’ve been here with my class we’ve always been picked to be at the lower end of the standings and it’s a chance to prove everybody wrong. We all believe inside the locker room so we gotta change everybody else’s minds.” Much of the criticism is likely due to UMass’ lack of scoring depth and numerous uncertainties throughout the roster. Gracel, Sheary and Pereira registered 35 percent of the Minutemen’s points last season. And with the trio skating together at nearly all times, goals were hard to come by when they weren’t on the ice. Instead, UMass will look to regular second and third line players, including Troy Power, who is returning as a redshirt junior after suffering a season-ending knee injury last November. The Minutemen will also look for promising newcomers such as freshman Steven Iacobellis, who scored a goal and an assist in the team’s Maroon & White scrimmage on Sunday, to pick up the slack and alleviate some pressure off the top line. “Depth in scoring is a key,” Micheletto said. “You can’t be a one-line team, a onetrick pony in this league. Credit to Mike and Conor and Branden last year because they did carry the bulk of it while being targeted by other teams.”
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Conor Sheary sports the new away UMass hockey jersey. The question marks go well beyond the forwards, though. With Conor Allen signing with the New York Rangers in the offseason and Darren Rowe graduating, senior Joel Hanley is the lone consistently reliable option returning on the defensive end. Hanley scored 16 points on five goals and 11 assists and finished the year a plus1. Then, of course, there’s Mastalerz between the pipes. The junior spent the last two years competing with Kevin Boyle for playing time. But with Boyle gone, he appears to be the clear No. 1 with reigning Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League MVP Alex Wakaluk as his backup as a freshman. The goaltender still has to prove he can succeed for an entire season, though. Despite a strong finish last year, Mastalerz still ended the year with a 4-8-1 record to go with his 2.96 goals against average and
.898 save percentage. But Micheletto is confident in his goalie, saying, “He’s got experience on his side, which is always a big help...but the thing I wanted him to work on was appreciating how big he is. He doesn’t have to work as hard actively making saves.” Micheletto also has more familiarity with his players and confidence in his system in Year 2, and expects a winning culture to finally start to develop. “Coaching is sometimes overrated for the X’s and O’s and not enough credit is given to the group dynamic and making sure that you’re tending to that,” Micheletto said. “Having a year under our belts puts us that much closer to putting the pieces together.” Nick Canelas can be reached at ncanelas@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @NickCanelas.
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Thursday, October 10, 2013
THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
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UM opens new season against BU, UM Lowell By Cameron mCDonough Collegian Staff
While this weekend will provide the usual nerves and excitement that accompany the season opener, it will also have an added element for Michael Pereira and the seniors for the Massachusetts hockey team. “Nerves, excitement, bittersweet,” Pereira said. “It’s your last opening weekend.” And this is an important weekend right out of the box for the Minutemen, because rather than ease into Hockey East action with a slew of non-conference games against unranked opponents, they are opening at No. 19 Boston University on Friday before traveling to No. 1 UMass Lowell on Saturday for what will be a non-conference game against a conference opponent. This weekend will also be a barometer for UMass coach John Micheletto on how far his team has come during the offseason. And he says there is still plenty of teaching left to do. “In preseason while you’re doing two hours a week, it’s more about establishing a tempo, having your guys be refreshed as to how hard we practice and what pace we play and it’s also indoctrinating the new guys into that style, into that mindset, so there’s less teaching and more setting that tempo,” he said. “Now we’re getting into special teams and face-offs and
“Nerves, excitement, bittersweet. It’s your last opening weekend.” Michael Pereira, UMass forward
proved to be the final game for longtime coach Jack Parker, paving the way for David Quinn to take over the program. Micheletto is no stranger to the position that Quinn is in, having taken over as coach of the Minutemen just last season. Despite the learning curve that can come with a new head coach, Micheletto is expecting the Terries to be ready come Friday night. “I’m sure David Quinn’s gonna have his guys ready to go,” he said. “It’s a home opener for them and Agganis is gonna be a difficult place to play. I don’t think it makes any difference. I know we were as anxious to win last year as we are this year and hopefully we’re able to get our first one under our belt.” UMass enjoyed limited success against BU last year, winning in a blowout, 5-1, in the two team’s final meeting despite a 1-2 record against the Terriers overall. The same, however, cannot be said for its recent history against UMass Lowell. The Minutemen dropped all three contests against the River Hawks last year, who were on their way to a memorable Frozen Four run. Friday night’s game at BU is scheduled to begin a 7:30 p.m., and Saturday’s road contest against UMass Lowell is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
some of the more strategic things, a little more X’s and O’s and it slows down the pace of practice just a little bit. So there’s a progression that we have, we’ll stick to the plan that we set out and I think we’re in a good spot right now.” Up to this point, the focus has been mostly directed toward the teaching aspect instead of on who the Minutemen’s opponents are this weekend. “Just mostly just focusing on ourselves and getting ourselves ready to play at the highest level we can,” Pereira said. “We feel as if we’re playing at the highest level we can, I think we can disrupt a lot of teams and win a lot of hockey games. So we’re basically just taking care of ourselves here. “I’m sure later on in the week we’ll take a look at the teams we’re playing this weekend, BU and Lowell. But for right now it’s just taking care of us and what we need to do to get ready for this weekend.” The first team that UMass will have to prepare for is an unpredictable Terriers team. BU is coming off of a trip to the Hockey East Tournament Cameron McDonough can be reached finals where they lost to the at cameronm@umass.edu and folRiver Hawks. That game lowed on Twitter @Cam_McDonough.
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THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
the RIGHT fit
Sophomore defenseman Ben Gallacher poised to make big impact for UMass hockey
Thursday, October 10, 2013
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Meet the new Minutemen Marc Hetnik
#4
Class: FR
Position: D
Hometown: Chestnut Hill, Mass. Birthdate: 4/15/1992 Height: 6’2” Weight: 190 Last Team: Vernon (BCHL)
Frank Vatrano Class: RS FR
#14
Position: F
Hometown: East Longmeadow, Mass. Birthdate: 3/14/1994 Height: 5’10” Weight: 215 Last Team: Boston Junior Bruins (EJHL)
Ray Pigozzi
#15
Class: FR Hometown: Evanston, Ill.
CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN
Ben Gallacher enters his first season at UMass after transferring from Ohio State two seasons ago. Gallacher said. “It’s a great By Nick caNelas Collegian Staff program out there and a great coaching staff, but it en Gallacher is your was a personal decision that everyday laid back guy I made.” from Alberta, Canada. While Gallacher wouldn’t He’s a college student talk in depth about the deciwho tries not to take life too sion to leave the Buckeyes, seriously. He enjoys hanging he saw it as a learning expeout with friends and has a rience to be “put in the posisupportive family. tion I was in.” Just two years ago, he Gallacher couldn’t play taught himself how to in college last season due to play the guitar by watchNCAA transfer regulations, ing instructional videos on so he spent the year playing YouTube, and now it’s simply become another relaxing for the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey hobby for him. He likes to League. In 42 games he regispercussively strum the tune tered 19 points on four goals of songs by alternative and indie folk artists such as Ben and 15 assists with a plus-2 rating, all while taking classHarper and Bon Iver. It’s nothing mainstream, but it’s es in order to remain eligible for 2013-14. just the way he likes it. But before he could worry “I’m not playing Avicii on about that, he still needed to my guitar,” Gallacher said. find a new home. “I’m an acoustic guy. It’s really mellow.” Coming to UMass Like many young The Minutemen were Canadians, there’s also going through some changes another important hobby themselves at the time. that Gallacher is more pasUMass was preparing to sionate about than anything begin its first season under else: playing hockey. new coach John Micheletto, Gallacher first laced up and with that came a new a pair of skates and picked philosophy, a new system up a hockey stick at 5 years and a new culture. old. Sixteen years later, he’s Gallacher was a perfect fit a sophomore defenseman on for all of the above. the Massachusetts hockey He met with Micheletto team. and assistant coach Joey But Gallacher isn’t that same laid back guy when he Gasparini and they told him that they wanted to steps onto the ice. There’s “turn the culture around too much at stake. He’s a here” and “become a wincompetitor with big aspiraning program,” according to tions and he’s sure to let it Gallacher. It was something show when the Minutemen he certainly wanted to be a open their 2013-14 season at Boston University on Friday part of. Micheletto was looknight, his first game with ing for the Minutemen to UMass and his first college become a faster, grittier, hockey game since Feb. 24, more aggressive team the 2012. moment he set foot on cam“I’m looking forward pus, and believed Gallacher to it,” Gallacher said. “I’m was just the type of player happy to be back in college for that role. hockey.” “Ben likes to go,” Not the right fit Micheletto said. “His natural instincts are aggressive in Gallacher originally most areas so we like to play signed with Ohio State as a on our toes in a way that highly touted recruit under puts Ben at an advantage longtime Buckeyes coach John Markell. He was select- in terms of understanding how we want to play. He’s ed by the Florida Panthers got very good instincts on in the fourth round of the 2010 NHL Draft and his skills the fly, which helps with his decision-making and as a puck-moving defensehis sorting through his man made him an ideal fit options with the puck on his for just about any system. However, when he arrived stick. He jumps and joins in Columbus in 2011, Markell well from the back end and certainly can defend well was no longer the coach. enough to turn pucks over Gallacher instead played and get us going in transifor Mark Osiecki and led all CCHA freshman defensemen tion. “It makes it easy when in scoring with 12 points on you have that sort of skill set a goal and 11 assists. But by already. It’s just about honthe end of the year it was ing the skills that he already clear to Gallacher that Ohio comes with.” State wasn’t the place for Now that he is officially a him. “It just wasn’t a good fit,” Minuteman, Gallacher will
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finally have a chance to put those skills on display for all of Hockey East to see, including his mother, who he said is making the trip to Agganis Arena to watch him play. It appears he’s already made quite the impression in practice so far, though. He’s been working with senior Joel Hanley, also an offensively-gifted defenseman, on UMass’ top defensive pairing. The two together expect to be a lethal offensive threat both in even strength and on the power play. “That’s the plan,” Hanley said. “I think we’ll go off each other and push each
Position: F
Birthdate: 4/3/1994 ice and try to help the team score goals.”
Height: 6’0” Weight: 190 Last Team: Chicago (USHL)
Playing for the future Gallacher may be that easy-going guy, but his hockey career isn’t something to mess with. Growing up he’d watch film on former Detroit Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom and try to pick up any little details and tendencies in order to try to mirror his game after the four-time Stanley Cup champion. Like Lidstrom did for 20 years, Gallacher wants to play in the NHL. He wants to be more than just another kid from Canada whose
Steven Iacobellis Class: FR
Position: F
#16
Hometown: Port Coquitlam, B.C. Birthdate: 8/20/1993 Height: 5’9” Weight: 170 Last Team: Salmon Arm (BCHL)
Brennan Baxandall
#17
Class: FR
Position: D
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta Birthdate: 5/17/1992 Height: 6’2” Weight: 207 Last Team: Drumheller (AJHL)
Brandon Wahlin Class: FR
Position: F
#20
Hometown: White Bear Lake, Minn. other, so I think having a guy like that is good for me and the rest of the D-corps.” With that being said, Gallacher doesn’t want to restrict himself to just being offensive-minded because that can lead to mistakes on the defensive end. “I like to be offensiveminded, I like to jump up in the rush as much as I can, but sometimes it’s a little too much, I get myself into trouble,” Gallacher said. “But, I’m working on my game from the red line back and trying to be solid defensively.” It’s something Gallacher has been working on since he started at Ohio State. He described himself then as a “young, anxious D-man. I wasn’t very good defensively.” But through an entire season of college and a year in juniors last year he can see improvements in his defensive game, which in turn will help create more offensive chances for himself and the team. “I think over the past couple of seasons I’ve gotten better in my own zone,” Gallacher said. “I’m being more defensive-minded and it helps get the puck on my stick so I can play the game that I want to play, which is run and gun, get up the
hockey career started at 5 years old. He’s actually the only person in his family who ever played organized hockey, particularly at the level he’s playing at right now. He’s already been drafted, but he knows that earning a spot in any NHL lineup isn’t a given. He’ll have to earn it. But he feels being a Division I hockey player, at UMass, in Hockey East, is the perfect situation for him and is his best bet at a long playing career. “I want to be a pro hockey player,” Gallacher said. “That’s been my motivation ever since I was 5 years old when I first started playing. This is the stepping stone that I think is gonna help me get there, I think this coaching staff and this team all have the same goal in mind. Everyone wants to develop and become pro hockey players and that starts right where we are.” It’s thoughts and dreams like these that turn that laid back, guitar-playing guy from Canada into the intense, energetic and highly competitive hockey player that he is. Nick Canelas can be reached at ncanelas@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @NickCanelas.
Birthdate: 7/10/1992 Height: 5’9” Weight: 175 Last Team: Austin (NAHL)
Mac Haight
#17
Class: FR
Position: G
Hometown: Sammamish, Wash. Birthdate: 7/16/1992 Height: 6’0” Weight: 190 Last Team: Fresno (NAHL)
Alex Wakaluk Class: FR
Position: G
#20
Hometown: Bellevue, Alberta Birthdate: 8/20/1993 Height: 5’10” Weight: 170 Last Team: Melville (SJHL)
DATA COURTESY UMASS ATHLETICS
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Thursday, October 10, 2013
THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
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‘I haven’t seen it all’
UMass goaltender Steve Mastalerz ready for new challenges in 2013 By Cameron mCDonough
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.898 save percentage in comparison to his freshman year. Although the season ended in disappointment, as the Minutemen didn’t qualify for the Hockey East Tournament, the team did go out with a bang with a 3-0 shutout of Merrimack with none other than Mastalerz in net. “The shutout was definitely a good way to go into the summer,” he said. “It was a letdown overall from the whole team’s standpoint and it’s something to grow off of and hopefully we can do better this year.”
Collegian Staff
t was never a matter of if Steve Mastalerz would attend the University of Massachusetts. Rather, it was a matter of if he would get an offer to play for its hockey team. And once he got the official offer to play for the Massachusetts hockey team, it was a relatively easy decision. The reason why the junior goalie from North Andover was so focused on attending UMass was because it was in his blood. His grandmother raised his father, Jim, 20 minutes away from Amherst and his brother, John, started out the tradition of the Mastalerz family attending UMass when he came to Amherst two years before Steve did. The idea of playing for the Minutemen also had a comfort level attached to it since he knew one of the assistant coaches, Mike Buckley, whose specific job was to work with the goalies. Mastalerz, at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, had worked with Buckley before and he was a “big influence” on why Mastalerz decided to come to UMass as well. So in the end, he said, “it was pretty much a simple choice.” But things have been far from simple ever since Mastalerz got to UMass. Mastalerz has caught the injury bug over his first two seasons in Amherst. He also had to go through a coaching change when the coach who recruited him, Don Cahoon, left, leaving new head coach John Micheletto in charge. And on top of that, he has been in an intense goalie competition during both of his first two seasons with Kevin Boyle. But now Boyle is at UMass Lowell and the floor, or ice, is all Mastalerz’s. But that doesn’t mean that the job will be handed to Mastalerz. He is still focused on going out there and playing well so he can earn that starting job, even if things are a little different than they used to be. “There’s still competition every day,” he said. “If you play well, you’re probably gonna play and if you don’t there’s always someone else to jump in. There’s a good competition going on so far. We’ve been getting to know each other pretty well. It’s obviously different than last year. I’m more of the vet guy now. So I’m helping them out trying to get to know college hockey, like what it takes to be successful here. But at the same time, I’m still learning too. “I’ve been through a lot, but I haven’t seen it all.”
Where it all began The idea of a goalie competition wasn’t a new concept for Mastalerz. In fact, he’s been battling for minutes in goal ever since high school. Mastalerz attended Kimball Union Academy in New Hampshire, where there was another promising young goalie. Martin Ouellette, who now plays for UNH and was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets, also went to Kimball. The two were in a con-
Time for 2013 Without Boyle or Teglia in the picture at UMass, Mastalerz is the only returning goalie with game experience for the Minutemen. In order to prepare for his junior year, Mastalerz spent time with Buckley, NATHALIE SCZUBLEWSKI/COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO his old coach, who is With Kevin Boyle (33) gone, Steve Mastalerz comes into this season as UMass hockey’s clear No. 1 goaltender. now with the Pittsburgh Penguins as the goalie stant, healthy battle for development coach. playing time. Buckley had NHL players “We had a good relationfire pucks at Mastalerz in ship, some good battles,” order to get him ready for Mastalerz said. “I played the Hockey East grind. more my sophomore year, But while that was he played more the junior important to his overall year. He ended up accelgrowth, he was most happy erating to Maine and I got to remain injury free over the opportunity to play the summer after his injuevery game my senior ry issues in the past. year. I had a good season “I trained off the ice and I got the opportunity four times a week with my to come to UMass right trainer at home,” he said. away out of high school.” And he didn’t disappoint “So it was a very producwhen he got the chance tive offseason and the to be the full-time starter biggest thing for me was as a senior. Mastalerz led staying injury free. The his team to a 24-7-4 record last two seasons I started while posting a 1.81 goals out catching up. So this against average and a .931 year I’m gonna try to stay save percentage. healthy as long as I can.” There was also an Micheletto acknowlCADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN added UMass angle during edged that Mastalerz has his time at Kimball. His Steve Mastalerz finished his sophomore season with a 2.96 goals against average. the added benefit of expecoach, Ryan Miller, is now rience heading into this one of the new assistants year, but that doesn’t mean under Micheletto for the he still didn’t have things Minutemen. He was the to improve upon before the coach that brought both new season. Mastalerz and Ouellette “The one thing we in, and now he is reunited talked about with Steve is with Mastalerz once again. he put a little run together ‘Ups and downs’ at the end of last year, but at UMass the thing I wanted him to The highs couldn’t get work on was appreciating much higher for Mastalerz how big he is,” Micheletto than they did in his freshsaid. “He doesn’t have to Steve Mastalerz, UMass man season. work as hard actively makgoalie He got to play in 13 ing saves. The net is so big, games, 10 of which were you’re so big. When you’re starts, and while his numin the right position you bers weren’t flashy – 4-6-1 Providence. a goalie standpoint it was let pucks hit you and conrecord,.889 save percentage “So after the first week pretty smooth and we had “I feel like I’ve grown as a trol the rebound you don’t and a 3.37 goals against or so of rest. … I started player mentally and physi- a pretty easy transition.” need to make spectacular average – he did come building my strength back While the transition cally on the ice,” he said. saves. away with some marquee up,” he said. “And for a may have been easy for “I think it’s going pretty “The nice thing for wins under his belt. goalie it’s probably harder Steve is in scramble situMastalerz, the season One of the Minutemen’s well. There’s a lot to learn to come back due to the didn’t start off that way. still.” ations his athleticism is biggest wins of the seaflexibility we get into. So it He suffered a knee injury There weren’t too many good enough where he son, a 4-0 win over Boston took a bit longer than I had in his first game of the other highlights for the College on Jan. 13, 2011, can handle those saves, hoped, but I came back and season against none other Minutemen that season came with Mastalerz in but I think he calmed his for the Christmas tournathan BC. The opponent as they finished with a net. It came as a surprise game down a lot. I know ment was when I was first that provided the most 13-18-5 record and just at the time with Boyle that’s one thing he worked back on the ice.” snuck into the Hockey East jubilant moment of his getting the majority of The rehab process was a on over the summer and freshman season was also playoffs. Then, during the the playing time and Jeff tough one, but he ultimate- that’s been the most the team that he suffered offseason, Cahoon left the Teglia coming off of a ly worked his way through noticeable difference in an injury against, which program and a new face, win against Vermont at his game. He lets pucks hit it. put him out of commission Micheletto, was hired. Fenway Park. him, controls the rebound, “But I’ve been through for most of the first half of This transition might But Cahoon went with he’s not in a scrambling that before,” he said. “It’s the season. Mastalerz, which produced have been hard on the He tried to play through tough mentally, but you’ve mode all the time like offense and defensive playa very memorable experiyou’d see from him last just gotta stay positive, do the injury for two more ers, but Mastalerz said that ence for the freshman at year.” your rehab and get back games, but it was too much the transition didn’t affect the time. And now that he is the out there as healthy and as to handle. him as a goalie. “I had my ups and quickly as you can. I came only returning goalie with Mastalerz would take a “For a goalie it was pretdowns. Shutting out BC my that experience factor, the back out and I feel like I ty smooth,” he said. “A lot week or so off to just rest freshman year was defihad a good second half and man who is playing at the and put some ice on his of the systems coach has, nitely the highlight of that ended the season well.” injury. He then started school where he always that’s more for the foryear,” he said. And once he got back, a rehab stint, ultimately wanted to be is geared up And as time has gone by wards and defensemen. So he saw an ample amount from a goalie’s standpoint, leading to his return to at UMass, Mastalerz feels and ready to go in 2013. of playing time, finishme and Kevin were coming the bench for the Ledyard as if he is still growing as ing with a 4-8-1 record, back and Jeff Teglia, so we National Bank Classic a player ever since that Cameron McDonough can be reached but with an improved 2.96 and to the ice on Jan. 12, all knew each other, there shutout win and still has at cameronm@umass.edu and folgoals against average and 2013, during a 2-0 loss at lowed on Twitter @Cam_McDonough. was no new faces. So from things to learn.
“I feel like I’ve grown as a player mentally and physically on the ice. I think it’s going pretty well. There’s a lot to learn still.”
FOR UMASS HOCKEY UPDATES ALL SEASON LONG, BE SURE TO FOLLOW OUR BEAT WRITERS ON TWITTER @NICKCANELAS AND @CAM_MCDONOUGH
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THE BIG THREE
Branden Gracel (above) led UMass hockey with a career-high 34 points on 14 goals and 20 assists last season.
NATHALIE SCZUBLEWSKI/COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO
Michael Pereira was UMass’ third-leading scorer last season with 32 points.
TAYLOR C. SNOW/COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO
TAYLOR C. SNOW/COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO
Conor Sheary was second on UMass last year with 27 points.
Trio looks to pick up where it left off By Cameron mCDonough Collegian Staff
The Massachusetts hockey team has its fair share of question marks heading into the season. How will Year 2 of the John Micheletto era go? Who will replace last year’s seniors, especially on the second line? Will Steve Mastalerz step up and be the No. 1 goalie? And who will step up on defense and replace Conor Allen? But there are few questions about who the first line will be. Seniors Branden Gracel, Conor Sheary and Michael Pereira were all moved to the first line during the 2012-13 season by Micheletto and became an instant offensive force in the Hockey East. Pereira said that all three players on the first line play at a fast pace and like to “get after it pretty hard,” but that they each bring their own strengths to the equation. “We all have something that we can bring to the table,” he said. “Sheary has his quick moves and he’s really shifty, I bring a lot of speed and just getting in on the forecheck. Me and Gracel kind of work in tandem to get on loose pucks, and Gracel has a pretty good shot, a knack for the
“We are gonna get our chances if we play our game and if we’re all playing at a high, fast level.” Michael Pereira, UMass forward net. It’s some of the higher end players in this league. To be together on a line is good and as you could see, it was working out pretty well at the end of the year last year.” Statistically, all three players finished last year in the top three for the Minutemen in points, with Gracel in the lead with 14 goals, 20 assists and 34 points. Sheary was right behind him with 27 points and Pereira followed with 26 points. Another reason why the first line has molded into a strength for the Minutemen is due to the chemistry that all three players have with one another. That chemistry and group bond has gotten even deeper over the course of this offseason as well. “I’d say it’s definitely grown over especially over the past three weeks,” Pereira said. “We’ve taken off right where we left off. We all like to play a faster game, which is good. So on that point, I guess we’re taking off right where we left off last year and we definitely know each oth-
Particularly when you’re on the road and you don’t have the last line change and other teams can try to put their defensive line against that unit. They had a lot of obstacles to overcome to achieve what they did last year. We’re hopeful that if we’re able to spread out our offensive productivity it’ll free them up for better productivity.” Pereira believes that the first line will need to focus on its “job” in order to have an encore, and that means they shouldn’t focus on being the first line. If they stick to the gameplan, he is expecting big things from himself, Sheary and Gracel once again. “We are gonna get our chances if we play our game and if we’re all playing at a high, fast level,” he said. “So as long as we’re getting our chances, I’m pretty confident that we’re gonna have a couple of goals a night or a weekend. There’s definitely that confidence level there if we’re all playing our game, we’re definitely gonna get our chances.”
er’s tendencies I guess you can say.” Sheary and Pereira lived together during their freshman year, and the two of them have gotten to know Gracel as well both on and off the ice, which has also helped out with their chemistry. “We all definitely talk to each other after, or off the ice I guess you can say,” Pereira said. “But I guess there’s sort of that respect level where we all know that we’re gonna bring it. Basically that’s all that matters.” And after a strong 201213 season and practices for the new season under their belts, a lot is expected of UMass’ first line. Their coach is hoping they can pick off right where they left off, but is also hoping for some added depth around them to balance out the offense. “We hope they do more than they did last year,” Micheletto said. “The beauty of having depth I think from their perspective and from ours Cameron McDonough can be reached is it’s a little tougher for at cameronm@umass.edu and folteams to neutralize that. lowed on Twitter @Cam_McDonough.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
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Scoring depth is essential for UM W
ith nine seniors, 16 upperclassmen and its three leading scorers from last season on the roster, one would think the Massachusetts hockey team is primed for success in 201314. However, there’s a reason why UMass failed to make the Hockey East Nick Canelas Tournament last season and why it’s yet again picked to finish second-to-last in the conference. Beyond the top forward line of Branden Gracel, Michael Pereira and Conor Sheary, there aren’t a whole lot of reliable scoring options for the Minutemen. There are players who are capable of contributing. But if last season – a season in which the Minutemen went winless in eight of their final 10 games – is any indication, the pressure will once again fall upon the first line to replicate its 2012-13 showing. The trio produced 35 percent of the points for UMass last season and quickly became one of the most exciting and dynamic scoring lines in Hockey East, if not in all of college hockey, once they were regularly placed in the lineup together in the middle of the season. The problem was the wins weren’t coming with it. Steven Guzzo (5 goals, 9 assists, 14 points) underachieved, Troy Power was out with a season-ending injury and there simply wasn’t enough talent to roll out four quality lines. “Depth in scoring is a key,” UMass coach John Micheletto said. “You can’t be a one-line team, a one-trick pony in this league. Credit to Mike and Conor and Branden last year because they did carry the bulk of it while being targeted by other teams.” This trend can’t continue if the Minutemen want better results this year. The burden now falls upon the likes of Guzzo, Power and Shane Walsh among a group of others, and a crop of freshmen to take the pressure off “The Big Three” of Gracel, Pereira and Sheary. “I think in the past we’ve been so heavily one or two line based,” Power said, “and you look at the good teams around the league, they have great goaltending, they have good defense and they have four lines that can put good numbers on the board and that’s what we’re looking to do here.” A team that exemplifies Power’s point is UMass Lowell, which also happens to be the defending Hockey East champions and UMass’ second opponent of the season. The River Hawks certainly didn’t have the best player in the conference on its roster. In fact, it’s likely none of their forwards are in any person’s top five in Hockey East. However, UMass Lowell relied on three 30-point scorers and five 20-point scorers to reach the Frozen Four for the first time in program history. The difference there, of course, is that the Minutemen don’t have the same kind of talent that the River Hawks have, but there’s also no excuse for
Not only will it figuratively take some pressure off “The Big Three,” but it will also force opposing teams to spread out the defensive pairings and potentiually force a mismatch on the ice. having nine role players to go with three goal-scorers up front. Someone else has to emerge. Gracel (14-20-34) was that player last year and he led the team in scoring. It was essential. But it wasn’t enough from a team standpoint. “For some of the year last year (Micheletto) even said that we didn’t have some of the secondary scoring that we needed,” Gracel said. “If we can get a couple other lines scoring it’s gonna be huge and help us compete with the best.” Not only will it figuratively take some pressure off “The Big Three,” but it will also force opposing teams to spread out the defensive pairings and potentially force a mismatch on the ice. Gracel, Pereira and Sheary saw the best defensemen in Hockey East on a nightly basis, but that could change with a few more threats out there. At this point, however, the Minutemen’s greatest hope for more offense comes from their freshmen. Steven Iacobellis has already shown flashes of offensive prowess and he’s yet to play in a game, while the rest of Micheletto’s first recruiting class, which includes names such as Ray Pigozzi, Brandon Wahlin and Brennan Baxandall, are bound to be fast, aggressive players built for the second-year coach’s system UMass may have had its answer in Frank Vatrano, but the redshirt freshman and former Boston College commit is ineligible to play until the Hockey East Tournament due to academic issues dating back to his brief stay in Chestnut Hill last season. He’s never played in a game for the Minutemen, but he will certainly be missed. “He’s made us better since he’s been here in January,” Micheletto said. “The guy hasn’t played a game, but the way he competes, his approach to the game, skill aside, how good a teammate he is, all those things impacted us so positively.” Until Vatrano actually gets a chance to be the impact player he’s expected to be, UMass will have to find other answers. Watching Gracel, Pereira and Sheary skate together is as great of quality of hockey as it gets. But that won’t win the Minutemen games. That responsibility falls upon everyone else. There needs to be a fourth and fifth 20-point scorer. If not, the 2012-13 season could be on repeat this year. That includes the wins and losses. Nick Canelas can be reached at ncanelas@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @NickCanelas.
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Thursday, October 10, 2013
THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
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FOOTBALL
UMass hosts Miami (OH) looking for first win Both teams enter game without a win By Andrew Cyr Collegian Staff
Week after week, Massachusetts football coach Charley Molnar has been impressed with his team’s improvement despite not having it show in the win column. However, this is the week Molnar believes his team can finally bring home its first win of the season. In the annual band day, the Minutemen (0-5, 0-1 MidAmerican Conference) open up their first MAC home game of the season against an opponent going through similar growing pains as themselves, as they welcome Miami (Ohio) to Gillette Stadium on Saturday at 3 p.m. UMass opened up conference play last weekend with a rough 28-7 loss at the hands of Bowling Green. But despite coming up short, the Minutemen may have found a diamond in the rough with redshirt sophomore running back Jamal Wilson. With starting running back Stacey Bedell out, and backup Lorenzo Woodley only seeing one snap due to an ankle injury, UMass was forced to go with Wilson, who did not disappoint. Wilson ran for 119 yards on 20 carries, and with both Bedell and Woodley returning from injury this week,
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The Minutemen will look to finally celebrate their first win of the season on Saturday when they take on winless Miami (Ohio) at Gillette Stadium. Molnar realizes the potential he has in the backfield. When asked about reps at the running back position this week, Molnar was happy with the depth Wilson will bring to the table. “He (Wilson) won’t get more reps than he did last week that’s for sure because he got a load,” he said. “We’ll divide our reps up and Jamal (Wilson) will definitely get a
piece of the pie.” Molnar was also quick to point out there wasn’t going to be another quarterback competition after A.J. Doyle left late in the third quarter of last Saturday’s game. “Right now it’s still A.J.’s job,” Molnar said. “He had two really good days of practice, he’s moving around better and gaining more confidence. We still have two
more workdays left in the week, but he’s in the driver’s seat.” The Redhawks (0-5, 0-1 MAC) come in with a new look this week after firing head coach Don Treadwell and offensive coordinator John Klacik following their 0-5 start. Miami named Mike Bath the interim head coach, who’s been with the team for the last 10 years, including
being the quarterbacks and wide receivers coach for the past three seasons. When asked earlier in the week, Molnar said that he expects two styles of offenses from the Redhawks. He believes they will show mainly a conventional spread type offense, but he is also quick to point out that they have shown the ability to run the ball using options.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Gordon emerging as leader for UM
UM is 0-4 against Flyers since 2010
“They’ve shown both offensive styles all season long so I have no reason to think that they wouldn’t use both heading into our game,” Molnar said. “You can make changes as a new head coach and as a new offensive coordinator but you can’t change your entire offense in 3-4 days. We believe they’ll do what’s most comfortable for them and that means we’ve got to prepare for both styles of play.” Miami is ranked 11th in the MAC in scoring defense, allowing 35.6 per contest, making it the perfect opportunity for a struggling UMass offense to put some points on the board. “We just have to keep being physical and aggressive,” Wilson said. “I have to keep being decisive with my runs. I’ve been studying their film and I need to pick up on guys’ tendencies and how they play. I’m happy to have them (Bedell and Woodley) back. It will definitely take the load off me and we can all do it together.” The Minutemen will also be supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month with special pink helmet decals along with pink shoelaces. Saturday’s game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. kickoff and can be seen on ESPN3. The game can also be heard on the UMass Sports Network, WEEI 105.5. Andrew Cyr can be reached at arcyr@ umass.edu, and followed on Twitter @Andrew_Cyr.
Upperclassmen helping Minutewomen host Dayton new players grasp system in A-10 conference battle By PAtriCk StroheCker
By Joey SAAde
Ever since Massachusetts men’s basketball coach Derek Kellogg arrived in Amherst prior to the 2008-09 season, his goal to reach the NCAA Tournament has remained intact. Slowly, but surely, Kellogg has turned the program around in his first five seasons, but the team still hasn’t made it to the Big Dance. Now entering his sixth season at the helm, he may have all the pieces in place to finally crack the field of 68 and get the program back to the tournament. “The one thing is every year, I think that is the ultimate goal for college coaches and for a team and a program is to shoot for a great season and to try to make the NCAA Tournament,” Kellogg said. “So, that obviously is our goal, I mean, one that we’ve had since I’ve been here, and we’re going to continue to keep that as our ultimate goal.” UMass hasn’t made the tournament since 1998 despite some strong teams under previous coach Travis Ford. This year, expectations are higher than previous seasons for UMass, especially with seven players coming back from last year’s National Invitation Tournament team. “All three years I’ve been here, we’ve been on the bubble,” senior forward Raphiael Putney said. “But this year, I feel like we’re a top-notch above where we should be.” With the heightened expectations, the pressure is also multiplied, especially after just being picked to finish fourth in the Atlantic
After having its seasonhigh three-game winning streak snapped in a tough double-overtime loss on Saturday, the Massachusetts women’s soccer team now shifts its focus to Friday, when it takes on Dayton. Coming off one of its toughest losses of the season – in which the Minutewomen (5-61, 1-1 Atlantic 10) gave up a “self-developed” 106th minute game-winning goal to Virginia Commonwealth – coach Ed Matz’s squad is trying to put that game behind them. “(We’re) moving forward,” Matz said. But what looms ahead for UMass is not much easier. The Flyers come into Amherst riding a fourgame winning streak, having won five of their last six games and are currently first in the A-10 standings. “(Dayton is) just a very talented team, they’re just so explosive,” Matz said. “Since I’ve been at UMass, we’ve done a good job against Dayton for portions of the match, but they’ve been able to break the game right open.” Dating back to the 2010 season, the Flyers have held a considerable advantage over the Minutewomen, winning all four matchups and outscoring UMass by an 18-2 margin. In the most recent battle in the first round of the A-10 Tournament last season, Dayton scored three secondhalf goals to pull away from the Minutewomen for a 4-1 victory, ending UMass’ season. Prior to that game, the Flyers easily took care of the Minutewomen at Rudd Field, 4-0, earlier in the season. Acknowledging that Dayton has his team’s number over the past couple of seasons, Matz understands the difficulty of slowing down
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Senior forward Raphiael Putney is one of the upperclassmen that coach Derek Kellogg is leaning on to help develop the incoming freshmen. 10 at Tuesday’s conference media day. But that’s not something that Putney, or the rest of team, is letting get to them. “Every year since I’ve been here, we haven’t been picked in the Top 5,” Putney said. “We’ve always been the underdog of the A-10. We always surprise everybody each year, so I was hoping to be picked fourth or fifth.” If the Minutemen plan to live up to those expectations, they will need a lot more than just the returners to step up. To match the seven returners are four freshmen who will see time this season, and it is up to the upperclassmen to make sure that they understand the team’s system. “They’ve matured and I think we now have a culture where the older guys are teaching the younger guys how to do business, both on the court, academically and off the floor,” Kellogg said. “And I think that’s when you can say ‘we have a program now.’” Kellogg went on to say that his ultimate goal for the upperclassmen is for them to start running
drills and to take over more in practice. One player that has grasped the leadership role without any playing time from last season is redshirt sophomore Derrick Gordon. Gordon sat out last season due to NCAA transfer rules after spending his freshman year at Western Kentucky, but still practiced with UMass all year. Now entering his second season as a member of the Minutemen, he knows the ropes better and can take some of the burden off the older players. “I took (the leadership) approach this summer,” Gordon said. “Even though I didn’t play (last year), I still have three years in college and a lot of experience. I went to the NCAA Tournament at my other school, so, I mean, I definitely know what it takes to get there. I’m just here to push myself and my teammates and we have a chance to be very special this year.” Patrick Strohecker can be reached at pstrohec@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @MDC_Strohecker.
BRETT REARDON/COLLEGIAN
The Minutewomen look to end a four-match losing streak against the Flyers this weekend. UMass is 0-4 against Dayton since the 2010 season. its
high-powered offense. “They’re a team that you can defend well a majority of the game, but you give their talented kids a second to shoot, and they capitalize on it,” he said. “And (they) do it quickly, getting two or three goals in a couple minutes span.” Ashley Campbell and Juliana Libertin are two of the top contributors for the Flyers’ offense, which ranks No. 1 in the A-10 with 75 points and 26 goals. Campbell comes into Friday’s matchup leading the conference with 11 goals, while Libertin’s nine assists also top conference ranks. Slowing down these two key players is a major part of UMass’ gameplan heading into the match. “They’re tremendously talented players,” Matz said of Campbell and Libertin. “We also know that, whoever we’re asking to cover those players are going to need help with certain parts of the game. “It’s a matter of hoping our 1 v. 1 defending is good, and hope our help defense is there too and hope that, if that fails, Danielle (Kriscenski) is in the right position.” While the Minutewomen’s defense has their work cut out for them, their offensive
performance may be the “X-factor” in determining the outcome of Friday’s game. After being held scoreless on Saturday, offense was the major focus in UMass’ practices this week. “Your offense has to keep the ball away from Dayton,” Matz said. “Our focus every single practice has been do whatever it takes to score a goal. We’re trying to work on getting people in the proper position. “That’s been on our motto thisweek:dowhateverittakes.” Matz’s team will have to slow down a Flyers squad that has played its best soccer of the season as of late. While getting a win versus any conference team is important for the Minutewomen, a win on Friday would mean more than just another “W” in the win column, Matz said. “They know this weekend is going to be pretty tough, our seniors have been around for them,” Matz said. “They are focused on beating Dayton before they leave UMass.” K i c k o f f for Friday’s game is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Rudd Field. Joey Saade can be reached at Jsaade@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @Jsaade1225.
THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
Thursday, October 10, 2013
News@DailyCollegian.com
DJ puts new spin on BDIC
Shifts hobby to academic studies By KriStin LaFratta Collegian Correspondent
Sweat drips from his jetblack hair past his temples as his fingers glide over the controllers to crossfade into the last song of the night. After a night of playing for over 200 people at Diva’s Nightclub, a venue in Northampton, the lights turn on. He wears headphones and a beaming smile as he shouts, “Thank you for having me tonight, I’m Hybrid Vigor, and I hope you guys enjoyed my set.” HYBRID VIGOR/FACEBOOK An aspiring artist, Senior Shannon Masada-Rodriguez, also known as DJ Hybrid Vigor, created his own electronic dance music major. Shannon Masada-Rodriguez needs no more than a rowdy
crowd and electronic music equipment to execute his work. The 22-year-old Hawaii native has created a major at the University of Massachusetts that should help him reach his goal to become a professional electronic dance music disc jockey. While some DJs enjoy mashing up different tracks as a hobby, MasadaRodriguez has taken the music to a new academic platform. He studies electronic music production with the goal of creating an art form that portrays “strong emotions in a way only music can.” Masada-Rodriguez is from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. He said that he came to UMass
because he wanted to get out of his comfort zone. Originally, he wanted to study engineering, and the program at UMass seemed like a perfect fit. Moving across the U.S. was no problem for Masada-Rodriguez, who had been living an independent lifestyle from an early age. When Masada-Rodriguez was young, his parents separated. His mother is Japanese and his father is Spanish. Strong connections with both of his parents inspired him to keep both of their last names. As an only child, MasadaRodriguez often travelled with his mother and grandmother to Japan, where he see
DJ on page B2
Budget decision still unresolved Construction Pelosi, Bohner fail to see eye-to-eye B y Maria L. L a G anGa and d avid S. C Loud Tribune Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — The political standoff that has gummed up the government for nine days showed no sign of ending Wednesday as Democratic leaders dug deeper into their position that they would not negotiate with Republicans leaders in the
House until the government is reopened. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., met with Speaker John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, but the 40-minute confab in Boehner’s office showed no signs of untangling the logjam. Pelosi, in a statement, said Democrats had agreed to lower the budget figure to $986 billion, the Republicans’ baseline spending level, and begin a conference to delve into exactly where government spending would be cut.
She said she had 200 House Democrats who would accept the cuts. But in exchange, Democrats want the Republicans to drop efforts to derail the Affordable Care Act. “We were disappointed the speaker did not take ‘yes’ for an answer,” Pelosi said. The No. 2 ranking House members from both parties, Eric Cantor, R-Va., and Steny H. Hoyer, D-Md., also were at the meeting. The two sides couldn’t even agree on who called the meeting. Pelosi said
Boehner asked her to meet. Boehner’s office said Democrats called the huddle. “We’re willing to meet with any Democratic leader who is willing to talk,” Michael Steel, a spokesman for Boehner, said in a statement. On the other side of the Capitol on Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., continued to blame Boehner for the shutdown. Speaking on the Senate steps with see
BUDGET on page B2
Death benefits halted for military
Families look to private charities
By Maria L. La GanGa and d avid S. C Loud Tribune Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — Not long after the flag-draped coffins of four Americans killed in combat arrived Wednesday at Delaware’s Dover Air Force Base, the Pentagon announced that a private charity would restore death benefits for the families of military members who die while on active duty. But that quick action did little to calm the families’ ire and stop the finger-pointing between the Obama administration and Republicans about a government failure whose effect was deeply symbolic and immediately felt by bereft parents, grieving spouses and children left without mothers and fathers. More than two dozen men and women on active military duty have died since the federal shutdown began Oct. 1. The $100,000 in so-called death gratuities paid to their survivors within 36 hours was one of many key programs placed on hold because of the stalemate in Washington. Retired sheet metal worker Jerry Peters, 71, lost his step-grandson Sunday when an improvised explosive device went off during combat operations, killing Army Special Agent Joseph M. Peters, 24, and three others in Kandahar province, Afghanistan. The elder Peters, a softspoken union member who lives in Republic, Mo., said he is furious about the shutdown and its effect on his family. It’s bad enough to have lost his grandson, “a very gentle and good
man,” he said, but this final indignity is all about politics. “I assume they will get this straightened out in Washington, but I don’t know,” said Peters, who stayed in Missouri while other family members went to Dover to claim the young man’s body. “It’s a hardship, but everything is anymore. ... I blame the Republicans and the (tea party). I blame them for that.” The young military policeman leaves behind his wife, Ashley, and his 20-month-old son, Gabriel. He had just been promoted to sergeant in August. Joseph Peters died two weeks before he was scheduled to return home, according to the Operation Support Ashley and Gabriel Facebook page, which is raising donations and planning an online auction. “We ask that you join us in remembering her husband, a hero and help raise funds to help Ashley and her son Gabriel, just get by day to day whether it be for food, bills ... “ the page said, “anything to help with any financial burden that may arise after such a tragic loss.” In a statement released to NBC News, Ashley Peters said her husband “died for his country and now his family is left to worry.” “My husband always said, if something happened to him, we would be taken care of,” she said. “I’m a stay-at-home mom, which is what my husband wanted. He wanted me to take care of our son.” In a surprise move, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced that the Pentagon had reached an agreement with Fisher House Foundation, a nonprofit charity that assists
“My husband always said, if something happened to him, we would be taken care of. I’m a stay-at-home mom, which is what my husband wanted. He wanted me to take care of our son. ” Ashley Peters, wife of Joseph Peters, who died on duty in Afghanistan military families, to begin paying the survivor benefits until the government can resume them. The foundation will be repaid after the stalemate ends. Hagel’s announcement came slightly more than an hour after the House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill, 4250, to restore the benefits and sent it to the Senate. It appeared, however, that the Democratic-controlled Senate might not act on the bill after the Pentagon moved to pay the benefits through the private foundation. If the Senate fails to act, Republicans would have a harder time claiming credit for restoring the aid to military families. The flurry of action came after the death of Peters and three other soldiers had focused growing attention on the halt in next-of-kin benefits. The delay was becoming a major embarrassment for both parties. A senior administration official said 26 service members have died since the shutdown began Oct. 1, six in Afghanistan and the rest in the United States. P re s i d e n t B a r a ck Obama was “not pleased” to learn that death benefits were not being paid and that grieving families were waiting for their stipends to cover the cost of burials, White House press secretary Jay Carney said. “The president expects this to be
fixed today.” The president and Democratic congressional leaders have been reluctant to pass Band-Aid bills to fix specific shortfalls, but neither wanted to be seen as denying grieving military families their benefits. “I am offended, outraged and embarrassed that the government shutdown had prevented the Department of Defense from fulfilling this most sacred responsibility in a timely manner,” Hagel said after traveling to Dover for the somber arrival ceremony of the four soldiers. House Re publicans blamed the Obama administration for the lapse, arguing it had the power to keep paying the death benefits. “This is a disgrace. An intentional policy of pain,” said Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., a veteran. William A. Thien, head of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, called the benefits lapse “disgusting and shameful,” adding that the VFW’s foundation also would provide financial assistance to families of deceased service members until the shutdown ends. “It is absolutely appalling and nothing short of a travesty that elected officials continue to receive paychecks and benefits while not providing for those who deserve it most,” Thien said.
obstructs bikers’ rides on campus By JaSon KotoCh Collegian Correspondent
Union. The day-rental bike service is a popular one, according to Bernard. “We’re actually on a waiting list,” he said. Despite the construction related traffic, some still choose to bike and actually enjoy it. Graduate student Casey Clapp, an arboriculture and forestry major, rides everywhere because he enjoys it. But he acknowledged that it could get dangerous. He recalled getting hit by a car on North Pleasant Street during his undergraduate years when a woman hit him with her car after cutting him off. The impact sent him flying onto the hood of her car and then to the hospital. The UMass Bike Co-Op is a full service bike shop in the Student Union that can fix a flat or order a special part. The co-op, a workerowned bike shop, operates on a very small budget. Repairs are reasonably priced and the employees work more for the love of bikes than a big paycheck. Andrew McNulty, an undergraduate environmental design major works in the shop almost every day of the week. He said that the dust and crushed stones that litter the construction area surrounding the library wreak havoc on the moving parts of a bicycle. “Any sort of dust or crushed stone is terrible for bearing surfaces,” he said. So with campus construction in full swing, bike commuters may need to hit the brakes for a little while longer.
Construction on the University of Massachusetts campus has made traveling to class challenging for bikers and pedestrians alike. One of the areas of construction is near the library. Victoria Johnson, an undergraduate animal science major rides her bike to and from class every day but has to demount and walk through the dirt and gravel patch near the library. “My fear is of hitting a pedestrian,” she said. Johnson went on to say that appropriated bike lanes around campus might resolve the safety issue. Other bike commuters on campus echoed the same idea. Nina Hazelton, a junior majoring in social thought and political economy, rides a mile and a half to and from campus everyday as she commutes from downtown. She suggested that clearly marked bike lanes might reduce congestion, especially around the library. Hazelton recalled how during her freshmen year, the bike lanes that ran between Herter Hall and the library actually helped organize traffic. Others on campus, fearing accidents, avoid the construction altogether. Such is the case with sophomore biology major, Olivia Bernard. Bernard, who helps with the UMass Bike Share Program, walks a longer route to and from class just to avoid the heavy traffic. The program helps anyone with a UCard get on a bike. Qualified UMass students, faculty and staff can sign up for a free bike rental Jason Kotoch can be reached at in room 420 of the Student jkotoch@umass.edu.
RACHEL MAYNARD/COLLEGIAN
Students leave bikes outside of Franklin Dining Commons.
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THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
Thursday, October 10, 2013
THE RU N D OW N ON THIS DAY... In 2006, the Daily Collegian reported that UMass had been rewarded its largest grant ever of $17 million from the National Science Foundation to aid in the construction of a new engineering research center.
AROUND THE WORLD
UN may need ceasefires to reach chemical weapons BEIRUT — Inspectors working under a tight deadline to destroy Syria’s extensive chemical arsenal are off to an encouraging start but may need limited cease-fires to complete their task in the midst of a raging civil war, the head of the international agency overseeing the effort said Wednesday. The United Nations’ stated goal of eliminating Syria’s chemical weapons by the middle of next year is challenging but “not unrealistic,” Ahmet Uzumcu, director general of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, told a televised news conference held in the Hague, where the international agency is based. The inspectors must visit about 20 sites across the country, including some where access may be dangerous, officials of the group told reporters. Syrian officials are reported to have concentrated their chemical stockpiles in areas under government control. Los Angeles Times
Russia: drugs on Greenpeace ship MOSCOW — Russian investigators said Wednesday that they found drugs and equipment that could be used for spying on board a Greenpeace ship used in a foiled protest against offshore oil and gas drilling in the Arctic. Additional charges are expected to be filed against 30 people accused of piracy for their roles in last month’s protest, according to a statement posted on the website of Russia’s Investigative Committee. Vladimir Chuprov, head of Greenpeace Arctic Program, called the Russian accusations absurd. Los Angeles Times
Morsi to stand trial next month
CAIRO — Deposed Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi will be put on trial next month, the state news agency reported Wednesday. Morsi, who has been detained since the military forced him from office on July 3, will face charges of inciting the killing of opponents, an accusation that his supporters in the Muslim Brotherhood have called trumped-up. The trial is set to begin Nov. 4 in the Cairo Appeals Court, according to the official MENA news agency. Los Angeles Times Distributed by MCT Information Services
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learned Japanese. Despite a perhaps risky career choice, his parents love and support him, as long as he makes “enough to get by.” The DJ, who goes by the stage name Hybrid Vigor, first found his passion for electronic dance music when he attended the Hawaii Preparatory Academy, an international boarding school. There, he heard new kinds of music from countries all over the world, including electronic dance music. When he graduated from boarding school, Masada-Rodriguez travelled to Europe where he was exposed to a lot of EDM at different clubs. EDM DJing began as a hobby at the start of his college career before it became his main focus. Masada-Rodriguez likes to incorporate a variety of EDM genres into his shows, including electro house, trap, moombahton and a little dubstep. His musical inspirations include EDM artists Dada Life and Dillon Francis. “I love Dada Life. They are amazing artists and their tracks have so much energy,” he said. He added that Producer and DJ Dillon Francis is “one of the funniest out there” as well as a pioneer of moombahton. The controversy over EDM’s relation to drug
use is an issue MasadaRodriguez addresses on his official “Hybrid Vigor” Facebook page. In a post after the recent cancelation of three UMass EDM concerts, Masada-Rodriguez writes to fans, asking them to “DO SOMETHING! Write emails, call your department heads, do a stand out, call the local news.” He goes on to write that complaining on Facebook statuses will not help change the recent stigma of EDM. Masada-Rodriguez said there is a complicated relationship between drugs and EDM, though the same connection exists in many music genres. The drug Molly, a purer form of ecstasy, is often associated with EDM. Masada-Rodriguez said it’s mainstream music that draws attention to the drug, making it seem “cool.” He said he found it ironic that UMass would sign rapper Trinidad James to perform at the Mullins Center, whose famous lyrics include a reference to Molly. “People hear this and there is a reaction. Young kids want to imitate it when they don’t understand the risks or consequences,” he said. “Adults hear this and want to ban EDM.” Masada-Rodriguez is upset over the shows’ can-
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37 Democratic senators behind him, Reid said that Boehner has reneged on his promise to pass the Senate spending bill. “We want the House to pass the bill that the speaker told me he would help us pass. He didn’t say he would help us pass it, he said he would pass it,” Reid said. Reid did not budge from the party’s position that the government start up again before he is willing to give any concessions to Republicans. “Democrats stand before you united, united to have the Republicans reopen the government, pay our bills, then we’ll negotiate,” he said. As a Democratic senator from Virginia, Tim Kaine, described how businesses in his state are taking a financial hit while hundreds of thousands of federal workers are furloughed, his voice was drowned out by protesters across the street chanting “Free D.C.!” They want the Senate to unlock the Washington, D.C., budget, which is subject to congressional approval. Reid, shaking hands with Washington Mayor Vincent Gray and House Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, who crashed the
podium, told a reporter to ask Senate Republicans why the Senate opposes authorizing D.C. officials to spend the city’s $1-billion annual tax revenue without a vote from Congress. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will meet with House Democrats at the White House on Wednesday evening to talk about the shutdown debate. Some Democrats hope the president will allay concerns that the White House may open up negotiations with Republicans that could include modifying the Affordable Care Act or giving in to Republican demands for Medicare and other entitlement cuts. Republican House leaders will meet with Obama at the White House on Thursday. Obama invited the entire House Republican caucus, but the Republicans decided that their leaders would represent them. Obama has said that Republicans are holding the country hostage for political gain and warned there would be economic aftershocks if Congress didn’t raise the debt ceiling.
cellations because he finds it unjust to dismiss a form of musical expression due to misunderstanding and stereotyping. Changing the misconception of EDM will be an uphill battle, MasadaRodriguez says, though, it will not stop him from academically pursuing what he loves. Masada-Rodriguez is part of the Bachelor’s Degree with an Individual Concentration at UMass. In the BDIC program, advisors help students create their own majors by handpicking classes that fit the interconnecting areas of study. Masada-Rodriguez’s major is in “electronic music production.” Masada-Rodriguez takes classes that focus on performance, marketing and production. These include business classes such as marketing and management, online music courses specific to music production and BDIC classes that teach networking and leadership. In these classes, he learns the different business skills that he hopes will help him reach his ultimate goal of producing large shows and creating a record label. Masada-Rodriguez found many benefits in constructing his own major, but there were also difficulties. “The challenge of a BDIC
major is creating your own path. While other majors have a clear roadmap of requirements and classes, a BDIC forces the students to develop their own plan,” he said. “You have to think about how it will apply to life outside of school, but the great part is that I enjoy all the classes I chose.” On campus, MasadaRodriguez stays involved by participating in MASS EDMC, a grassroots electronic dance music community that works to promote EDM and unite fans around the Northeast. He is also a member of the Oxford Group, an event promotion group, and used to work as the house DJ for the University Programming Council. Already MasadaRodriguez has performed for numerous house and beach parties, clubs, events on campus and a few UMass clubs. Events on the beach are most challenging to set up for, he said. MasadaRodriguez added that one of his favorite DJing memories occurred when he played at a warehouse party. At the end of his set, he shot silly string and unleashed tons of balloons on the partygoers, as his booth overlooked the venue. “It was amazing,” he said. Masada-Rodriguez draws
a lot of support from his friends. “I think it is really unique and cool what he is doing,” said his friend Vivian Nguyen, a sophomore. Masada-Rodriguez enjoys listening to dubstep, reggae, rock and hip-hop. Country music is the only genre he does not like. In addition to music, Masada-Rodriguez enjoys cooking and baking. His specialties include cooking chicken parmesan and breakfast foods, as well as baking cookies, brownies and cakes. The combination of booming EDM popularity and a tough music industry sets up a challenge for MasadaRodriguez, but he is confident. He knows he can always improve on his skills and remains hopeful. “I think if I work hard, always keep learning and stay flexible, I know I can make it to the top,” he said. M a s a d a - Ro d r i g u e z ’ s music can be found on his Hybrid Vigor webpage, www. djhybridvigor.com as well as his SoundCloud profile. Kristin LaFratta can be reached at klafratt@umass.edu.
USDA tries to stop salmonella By Curtis tate McClatchy Washington Bureau WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture gave a California poultry producer until Thursday to correct problems that led to a salmonella outbreak in 18 states, or be forced to shut down three processing plants. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service sent the letter Monday to Foster Farms, based in Livingston, Calif. At least 278 cases of salmonella have been reported, most of them in California. The agency gave the company 72 hours to take corrective action at its California facilities, or it would withdraw its inspectors. Poultry plants aren’t permitted to operate without USDA inspectors, who are considered essential government employees and have continued to work during the partial government shutdown. Dozens of inspectors work at the Foster Farms plant in Livingston, Calif., one of the largest in the country. A salmonella outbreak earlier this year was traced to a Foster Farms poultry plant in Washington state. About 134 cases were reported in 13 states. Tony Corbo, who lobbies for Food & Water Watch, a food-safety advocacy group in Washington, said that should have been a warning sign.
“The fact that you have Foster Farms in two outbreaks should have put everyone on notice that something was up,” said Corbo, who was on a conference call this week with the USDA in which it described the outbreak. The company hasn’t recalled any of its products, nor has it stopped processing chicken at the plants, Corbo said. A spokesman for the USDA could not be reached for comment. When a salmonella outbreak last year was traced to several brands of prewashed, prepackaged spinach, the affected companies voluntarily recalled the spinach. But chicken products are rarely subject to recalls. The USDA allows 7.5 percent of chicken carcasses to be contaminated with salmonella, Corbo said. In contrast, he agency will not allow any company to sell products contaminated with E. coli bacteria that can cause food poisoning. Companies selling beef and spinach have been forced to recall products because of E. coli contamination. “It’s absolute zero tolerance,” Corbo said. In a statement on its website, Foster Farms said it’s working with the Food Safety Inspection Service and the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention to reduce the incidence of salmonella at its California plants. “Foster Farms has instituted a number of additional food safety practices, processes and technology throughout company facilities that have already proven effective in controlling salmonella in its Pacific Northwest operations earlier this year,” the company said. Foster Farms employs about 11,000 people in chicken and turkey plants in California, the Pacific Northwest and the South. About 3,000 work at the plant in Livingston. Livingston Mayor Pro Tem Gurpal Samra said Foster Farms is the largest employer in the city and Merced County, and supports even more workers at nearby chicken farms and feed operations. “It’s not just the people in Livingston who work there, but in other communities as well,” he said. The company’s impact on the local economy has a large ripple effect, said Mark Hendrickson, director of the Merced County Department of Commerce, Aviation and Economic Development. “Foster Farms and its employees have long represented a very significant part of our local economy, not only with the jobs it has on site, but all the ancillary spending in the community,” he said.
THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
DailyCollegian.com
4 dead in plane crash Fliers were on a drug-bust mission By Carol rosenBerg The Miami Herald
MIAMI — A 39-year-old South Florida man who attained the rank of master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force was among four people killed in Saturday’s apparently accidental crash of a drug-hunting plane in Colombia, the U.S. Southern Command said Wednesday. Southcom identified the sole U.S. service member on the Dash-8 as Air Force Master Sgt Martin Laureano Gonzales who was affiliated with the Air National Guard. His widow Melissa said in a statement released by Southcom that he was survived by two children, Nathan 7 and Kaitlyn, 4, and that “he passed away very tragically while proudly serving for the U.S. Air Force.” Gonzales, who lived in Miramar, was functioning as a U.S. military liaison aboard the contractor plane that was searching for drugtraffickers over the western Caribbean on Saturday when it mysteriously crashed inside Colombia near the city of Capurgana. Two other Americans, not yet identified, and Panamanian National Guard Lt. Elroy Nunez were also killed. Another two American contractors survived the crash, with serious injuries and were hospitalized in Bogota, Southcom said. Southcom said there was no evidence that the crash, still under investigation, was the result of a shootdown. “It is a terrible tragedy, but we remain committed
“It is a terrible tragedy, but we remain committed to finding out what happened and hopefully bring some sort of peace to the families. ” Marine Gen. John Kelly, commander of Southcom
By Paul egan Detroit Free Press LANSING, Mich. — Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder’s historic deposition in the Detroit bankruptcy case wrapped up shortly after noon Wednesday, following more than three hours of questioning by attorneys for unionized city employees and retirees. Sharon Levine, a New York attorney representing the employee union AFSCME, said Snyder appeared to try to be very forthcoming in response to some questions, but “at other times he couldn’t recall, didn’t recall, or was claiming attorney-client privilege.” Still, “we appreciate the fact that he appeared for a deposition,” Levine told reporters outside the Romney Building in Lansing. “It’s highly unusual.” Snyder was deposed in the bankruptcy case in what experts say is likely a first. “I agreed to participate in today’s proceedings and answer questions regarding the decisions that led to the municipal Chapter 9 filing for the city of Detroit,” Snyder said in a statement issued after the deposition. “Doing so helps ensure this case is resolved fairly and as quickly as possible and that we’re acting in the best interests of Detroiters and Michiganders.” He said authorizing the bankruptcy was “a difficult but necessary decision” and “one that clearly was the last and only viable option to resolve the city’s fiscal crisis and restore the greatness of this proud city.”
B3
Father speaks out about his young boy who ran away
Son took a plane out of Minneapolis By Molly Hennessy-Fiske Los Angeles Times
to finding out what happened and hopefully bring some sort of peace to the families,” said Marine Gen. John Kelly, the commander of Southcom. His Pentagon outpost has oversight of the Joint Interagency Task Force-South, the Key West anti-trafficking operation that used the plane’s intelligence. The aircraft was over the Caribbean Saturday morning and the crew had notified headquarters that “they had located a suspect vessel,” said JIATF spokeswoman Jody Draves. Team members were contacting the Colombians to conduct either “an interdiction or a disruption,” Draves said, “when communications were lost.” The Colombians scrambled some helicopters and found the crashed plane with two survivors, both American contractors and both suffering “shock, head injuries and burns.” While piloted by a contractor, the flight routinely carried a member of the U.S. military on board to provide military coordination, Draves said. “He loved his job and was willing to risk his own life for others,” Gonzales’ widow said in her Southcom statement. “I still can’t believe the plane my husband was in crashed and took his life. All I have left are memories of him. It’s difficult to know that I will never see or hear
his voice again. To me, he is an American hero!” The military was unable to provide details on Gonzales’ funeral. His remains were expected to next be brought to the U.S. Air Force Mortuary in Dover, Del., and returned to his widow in a flag-draped coffin. At the Pentagon, Army Maj. Jon Craig said that Gonzales joined the Air Force on Dec. 29, 1992 and was promoted to master sergeant in 2010. The airman’s role on the flight was as an interpreter, he said, with the duty title “Host National Rider Escort.” Craig was unable to say what other jobs Gonzales held in the military but that his latest assignment was with the Air National Guard Readiness Field Operating Agency National Guard Bureau Domestic Operations, the counter drug division. Southcom said the plane was contracted to provide detection and monitoring of drug trafficking routes in the coastal region of Central America as part of Operation Martillo. Fourteen countries participate: Belize, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Honduras, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States. Chile has also contributed to the operation.
Bankruptcy case wraps up Governor done with deposition
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Bankruptcy experts say they know of no other case in which a state governor has testified in a Chapter 9 bankruptcy and it’s not even the norm for city mayors to be deposed. But the state’s role in the lead-up to the bankruptcy set up under Michigan law including the state’s appointment of Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr and the governor’s required sign-off on the bankruptcy filing - is unique. Attorneys for city employee unions and retirees wanted to question Snyder to advance their argument that Detroit was ineligible to file for bankruptcy because the city made no good faith effort ahead of the filing to negotiate with creditors. “The governor testified there were proper negotiations,” Levine said after the session. However, “we’re still very concerned that they did not negotiate in good faith.” The unions and retirees have argued in court filings that the hiring of Orr and the bankruptcy filing were planned out well in advance by Snyder and others as the only way to make massive cuts to city retirement obligations as part of a financial restructuring. Michigan’s constitution prohibits actions that reduce the accrued pension benefits of city employees, but Orr has said that federal bankruptcy law can trump the state constitution. Snyder was accompanied at the deposition with his chief counsel Michael Gadola and lawyers from the Attorney General’s Office, was “very calmly looking forward to answering questions and explaining the process,” spokeswoman Sara Wurfel said Tuesday. Michael Sweet, a bankruptcy attorney in San
Francisco, said union and retiree attorneys will argue “this was all pre-planned,” and “there really wasn’t good faith negotiations” with creditors, which is required by law before a Chapter 9 bankruptcy filing. Attorney Douglas Bernstein, a bankruptcy expert with Plunkett Cooney in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., said such arguments fall into “a gray area,” because there is no clear definition of what constitutes good faith bargaining. Another issue is whether Snyder could lawfully give the green light for a Detroit bankruptcy without first requiring that city retiree pensions be protected. Attorneys focused their question on those areas - and what discussions were held with Snyder and the officials who surround him - in an earlier deposition with Orr. “Since becoming emergency manager on the 25th (of March) I’ve had regular conversations with the governor,” Orr testified on Sept. 16. “Typically weekly... I will say that (bankruptcy) wasn’t within our initial conversations.” The city filed for bankruptcy July 18 after making a June 14 proposal to creditors. A fallback position for the unions and retirees is to question whether Detroit was truly insolvent if assets such as artworks held by the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Detroit Water and Sewer Department, and real estate were converted into cash. Given the city’s massive and well-documented fiscal crisis, “that could be a tough argument,” Bernstein said. Treasurer Andy Dillon and Richard Baird, a Snyder aide who helped recruit Orr, are to be deposed Thursday.
The father of a 9-yearold Minneapolis boy who last week sneaked onto a Las Vegas-bound flight said Wednesday that he had struggled unsuccessfully to discipline his son before the incident. The man appeared before reporters Wednesday but asked not to be identified, obscuring his face with a dark cap and a hooded sweatshirt from the antiviolence group MAD DADs (Men Against Destruction, Defending Against Drugs and Social Disorder). Beside him was the president of the group’s Minneapolis chapter, V.J. Smith, who also read a statement from the boy’s mother, who did not attend: “I love my son. I miss my son. I want my son home.” The father said he had not spoken with his son since he flew to Las Vegas. The boy was expected back in Minneapolis on Friday, Smith said. The father said he could not understand how the boy made it through security and onto the Delta flight Thursday at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. “He’s not a terrorist - he’s a 9 year-old child,” the man said in a halting voice. He said his son was supposedly going to take the trash out but instead hopped a light-rail train to the airport while the father was home and his fiancee, the boy’s mother, was at a doctor’s appointment. “He made the decision on
MCT
The boy’s father, left, speaks about his son with MAD DAD President V.J. Smith.
“I love my son. I miss my son. I want my son home.” Mother of 9-year-old boy his own,” the man said, adding that at first “we assumed he was at a friend’s house.” It was the boy’s first plane trip. It was not the first time the boy had defied his parents and the law. He recently was caught joyriding, said the father, who complained that when he asked the officer who brought the boy home to accompany them into the house while he punished him, “The officer said, ‘If I see you hit your son, I’m going to have to lock you up.’“ The man said he did as the officer directed. “I gave the officer my word - I didn’t punish him, I didn’t hit him,” he said, “What can I do? ... If I let him keep doing what he is doing, I get into trouble. Someone please, please help me.” The man acknowledged that his son needs help.
“I’m tired of people saying he’s a minor, there’s nothing we can do. There’s something someone can do. I don’t want him hurt. I miss my son. I want my son home,” he said. Smith said local social services officials have offered to assist the family and that they were receptive. But he also said the boy’s family had been unable to get assistance from government agencies in the past because their son wasn’t troubled enough. “They had reached out for help with a few organizations,” Smith said, adding that the family was told that the boy had not done “enough wrong yet and that he was just a bad kid but in order for us to take any more action he has to do something a little more serious, and I think that has happened at this time.”
Opinion Editorial THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
“We’re waiting for Godot.” - Samuel Beckett
Thursday, October 10, 2013
High school English stifles creativity Over the summer, I made school sometimes place very myself a list of goals. One of little importance on origithose goals that I valued the nal ideas, and students are conditioned to stop having Elise Martorano them, knowing that they will be considered irrelemost was that I would write vant or off topic. a poem every single day. Students are then Throughout my life, I’ve required to write essays been interested in poetry. on the book they’ve read, I’ve dabbled in it for years, focusing only on the cenwithout committing myself tral theme of the novel, of to a solid effort. This sum- course, and regurgitating mer, I decided that I should only the ideas of the teacher get down to business and try that have been impressed to become a ‘serious writer.’ upon them in class. Besides I did write a poem every day. forcing students to become Through thick and thin, I formulaic and uncritical wrote roughly 120 of them. writers, this model of eduI was thrilled with some, cation focuses solely on unimpressed by others. It acquisition. Teachers want was a grueling process of to make sure that their stuself-discipline. But I still dents have comprehended hesitated – I never felt as their philosophies and can though I was working ‘hard restate them. The essay is enough’ and I was disap- graded for content (content pointed. commanded by the teacher) I asked myself why this and completion. The latter was. I’d written a poem is perhaps even more imporevery single day – what did tant than the former. I have to be ashamed of ? In my experience, stuSooner or later, after much dents lose far more points speculation, I realized that on the rubric for turning in I have high school to blame a late paper than turning for my feelings of inadequa- in a paper with misguided cy. Throughout our lives, we ideas. This emphasis on accumulate literacy: from completion is stifling to stuwhen our parents read to dents. It teaches students us in bed, to story time in that only complete work can kindergarten, to the first be deemed acceptable. The story we write, to the teach- joke here is that writing is ers we have to every single never complete. There is other context in which we always something that can experience words. These be improved, expanded or contexts shape us –they clarified. Of course, the fact teach us how to read, write that the content is purely and interact with words. a restating of the teacher’s And many of these contexts usually shallow literary impress ideologies onto us interpretations would nip that are incredibly (and sub- any further drafting in the consciously) much stronger bud. than others. The American public school system is one such context. I think it’s fair to say that the American public school system is fairly oppressive, In “A warning to college especially in high school English. In high school, stu- profs from a high school dents are handed a novel, teacher,” Washington Post usually one that is seeming- writer Valerie Strauss ly outdated and extremely describes the writing that boring. Teachers instruct is expected of high school on Advanced their students to take notes students on character, plot, vocab- Placement exams. That is, ulary and surface-level their writing is not considthemes. The teacher prede- ered at all – the response is termines these themes. Are graded according to wheththe deaths of Romeo and er the student wrote the corJuliet the product of fate or rect answer. She says that, flaw? How does George and as a teacher, she struggled Lennie’s friendship affect between teaching her stuthe two men? How does Jean dents how to succeed on the Valjean symbolize a Christ exam and teaching them to be competent writers and figure? Students are never taught thinkers. She says, “I would like to read beyond themes such as these, and furthermore, to believe that I prepared they are never taught to them to think more critiformulate their own inter- cally and to present cogent pretations. Public high arguments, but I could not
simultaneously prepare them to do well on that portion of the test and teach them to write in a fashion that would properly serve them at higher levels of education.” She continues, “Further, the AP course required that a huge amount of content be covered, meaning that too much effort is spent on learning information and perhaps insufficient time on wrestling with the material at a deeper level.” Teachers are needed for structure and guidance, but this should never translate into the policing of ideas. Students should be allowed to explore their writing. Even before exploring their writing, students should explore their own thoughts. Let students choose their own topics of conversation, push them to delve deeper into the themes they recognize, value their input and nurture their personal writing style. The emphasis should never be on a ‘final product,’ written according to strict and unbudging guidelines, stapled, turned in on time and evaluated accordingly. This summer, my poetry did not meet these expectations. It had no purpose, no point, no due date, no criteria by which to be graded. How could my work then be evaluated, and thereby validated as something with integrity? I found myself questioning the legitimacy of my own efforts, terrified of the concept of uncompleted work that did not fit into a greater whole. I had no means of judging my work, because it did not conform to the standards that had been impressed upon me by public school for nearly a decade. The way that high school English is being taught in the United States is stifling students’ creativity. It makes them self-conscious about having ideas, makes them unsure how to communicate them, makes them uncritical and uncommitted and, in general, makes them hate English. There needs to be major reconsideration of the way that public schools teach this subject. If students come to understand that success means regurgitating teachers’ ideas and scoring well on a rubric, are these students truly learning?
Let students choose their own topics of conversation, push them to delve deeper into the themes they recognize, value their input, nurture their personal writing style.
Editorial@DailyCollegiancom
Mistaking degradation for empowerment in feminism she swings around naked on a wrecking ball and licks a sledgehammer. Maral Margossian I am not saying that these performances were acts of Adams wrote to John Adams feminism, or that Cyrus in a letter on March 31, 1776. is in any way a symbol of Even before the conception feminism. However, her of America, Abigail under- performances reveal that stood that the role of women women who sexualize themin society needed to change. selves do not serve empowNearly 150 years later, the ering purposes. After the 19th Amendment passed, VMAs, people focused not guaranteeing women the on her talent as a performer right to vote. (whether or not you believe In the past, the goals of she has talent), but on her feminists were more appar- body. Her body even eclipsed ent because of the blatant the raunchy content of “Remember the ladies.” This is what Abigail
If the purpose of sexual empowerment is women’s declaration of ownership of their bodies and their control over their actions, then overtly sexualizing one’s body is not the answer. prejudices against women in society. Today, the definition of feminism is more ambiguous, meaning different things to different women. This ambiguity has led to increased contradictions within the feminist argument. One of the more controversial contradictions is the sexualization of women’s bodies as a means to empower other women. Feminists strongly oppose the objectification of women, yet many, though certainly not all, argue that by willingly choosing to portray their bodies in a sexualized manner, they are acting as strong, empowered women. While women should embrace their sexuality rather than regard it with shame, the hypersexualization of women, by women, acts not as a force of empowerment, but poses a risk for greater acceptance of sexual violence by perpetuating the objectification that feminists work so hard to fight. As I’m sure you all know by now, a little over a month ago, Miley Cyrus made waves with her provocative performance during the Video Music Awards (VMAs). Her performance involved racially derogatory actions, a barely-there flesh colored costume, lots of ‘twerking’ and a giant suggestive foam finger. Soon after, Cyrus released her new album “Bangerz,” and the music video of the song “Wrecking Ball,” in which
use it as a means to make more money. If the purpose of sexual empowerment is women’s declaration of ownership of their bodies and their control over their actions, then overtly sexualizing one’s body is not the answer. It’s not the answer for Miley Cyrus, and it’s not the answer for Vanessa Omoregie. Vanessa Omoregie, former student of London College of Fashion, created a blog on Tumblr called “Camgirlsproject,” where she attempts to reinvent the image of camgirls: women who perform sexual acts on the internet. Using photographs voluntarily submitted by camgirls, Omoregie fuses the photographs of the camgirls’ bodies onto historically famous nude paintings, such as Botticelli’s “Venus.” Although Omoregie’s motive to change society’s perception of camgirls is a noble one, her project elevates the act to a form of art, whereas in reality, the women are subjugated into pleasing the desires of men. In the BBC article, “Number of Webcam Models ‘On the Rise,’” Anna van Heeswijk, a member of Objects, an organization that fights against the sexual exploitation of women, explains, “It is the man who decides which women he wants to choose, depending on what she looks like and how she’s willing to behave sexually. This puts enormous pressure on women within the industry to perform more and more extreme versions of pornography in order to attract men, in order to make a living.” While it may sound counterintuitive, women can be sexually empowered without sexualizing themselves. The strongest form of empowerment comes from confidence. If a woman feels comfortable in her own skin, than she has already won the game. Against the forces of advertising constantly trying to convince women of their inadequacy, feeling self-assured proves the power of women.
Robin Thicke’s explicit song “Blurred Lines.” She sends a message to young girls aspiring to be artists that they can achieve their goals by using their bodies. Moreover, upon the release of the music video “Wrecking Ball,” Cyrus stated in an interview with Rolling Stone that she was inspired by artist Sinead O’Connor’s song “Nothing Compares 2 U.” After O’Connor learned of this interview, she published a letter to Cyrus on her Web site urging her to stop prostrating herself and begin respecting herself. In the letter, she writes, “…you will obscure your talent by allowing yourself to be pimped, whether it’s the music business or yourself doing the pimping. Nothing but harm will come in the long run, from allowing yourself to be exploited, and it is absolutely NOT in ANY way an empowerment of yourself or any other young women, for you to send across the message that you are to be valued (even by you) more for your sexual appeal than your obvious talent.” Granted, Cyrus’s actions are likely PR stunts, and whether or not you agree with her actions, they are gaining publicity. However, PR stunt or not, it proves that the consequence of sexualizing women leads to their objectification. Music Maral Margossian is a Collegian agencies and advertising columnist. She can be reached at companies know this and mmargossian@umass.edu
Elise Martorano is a Collegian columnist and can be reached at emartora@ umass.edu.
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The Massachusetts Daily Collegian is published Monday through Thursday during the University of Massachusetts calendar semester. The Collegian is independently funded, operating on advertising revenue. Founded in 1890, the paper began as Aggie Life, became the College Signal in 1901, the Weekly Collegian in 1914 and the Tri–Weekly Collegian in 1956. Published daily from 1967 to 2013, The Collegian has been broadsheet since January 1994. For advertising rates and information, call 413-545-3500.
PRODUCTION CREW on staff for this issue NIGHT EDITORS - Stephen Hewitt | Malea Ritz COPY EDITOR - Cameron McDonough WEB PRODUCTION MANAGER - Zac Bears NEWS DESK EDITOR - Mary Reines O p /E d DESK EDITOR - Maral Margossian ARTS DESK EDITOR - Emily Brightman SPORTS DESK EDITOR - Collegian Sports Staff COMICS DESK EDITOR - Tracy Krug GRAPHICS EDITORS - Gabe Scarbrough | James Desjardin
Arts Living THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
“If you believe in telekenesis, raise my hand.” - Kurt Vonnegut
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Arts@DailyCollegian.com
H E A LT H & F I T N E S S
Dorm fitness: stay in shape without leaving your room Work out without trekking to the gym
consists of exercise moves that loosen and heat up the body, such as arm circles, front and side leg swings, neck rotations and reachBy Hae young yoo ing for the toes. Once you’ve Collegian Correspondent done some stretching and Working out consistently have prepared your body for is a commitment, but for a workout, you can get on students it can be hard to with the action however you find the time to hit the gym please. between classes, work and Cardio everything else that college Cardio is an important life entails. It can be hard sometimes to even find the part of your workout roumotivation to get out the tine because it gets your door to go to the gym, and heart pumping and your finding that motivation is adrenalin going. Combining going to get even more dif- a few different moves into ficult once it starts to get your cardio-focused routine keeps your exercises fresh colder. Thankfully there are easy and effective. You can’t exercise moves and work- go wrong with moves like outs that can be done in the jumping jacks, jogging or comfort of a dorm room, jumping rope in place and perfect for busy students speed skating, which are but especially perfect for all relatively easy to do in those days with unfavorable small spaces. For jumping jacks, stand with your arms weather conditions. This example workout relaxed at your sides, jump includes a warm-up, cardio, quickly and spread your strength and abs segments, legs apart while raising with a cool down at the end. your arms over your head. The cardio, strength and abs Return to the starting posiexercises can be repeated up tion and repeat for 30 secto three times for a high onds. To jump rope in place, you can either invest in an intensity workout. actual jump rope or pretend Warm up that you are holding a jump This is the most important rope and jump a few inches part of any workout, and the off the ground for up to a part that many people often minute. Jogging in place is forget to do. A quick warm- as simple as quickly hopup routine helps pump oxy- ping from one foot to the gen-rich blood through the other while moving your body to leave muscles more arms as you would if you flexible and ready for exer- were actually running. For cise. It also reduces the risk speed skating, stand with of pulling muscles and other your feet shoulder width injuries. A good warm-up apart. Hop to the right and
the ground, shoulder width apart and lower yourself until your elbows are bent at a 90 degree angle. Push yourself back up into the starting position and repeat up to 25 times. To keep your workout fresh, try your skills at a move called the “mountain Strength climber.” Start with your Strength exercises help arms in push-up position increase your muscle capac- with one foot forward so that ity and greatly contribute your knee is close to your to your overall health. For chest while your other foot the strength portion of your is extended behind you, and in-room workout, try com- quickly reverse the posibining moves like lunges, tions of your feet. squats and push-ups to Abs keep your blood pumping and your muscles working Working on your abs can at optimal level. Start with be the most intense part of 10 lunges for each leg, plac- your workout, but keeping a ing one foot forward and the wide range of abs exercises other foot back and lower- on hand can help intensify ing your body until both your workout and increase knees are bent at a 90 degree your results. Crunches are angle. For squats, stand with a classic component of abs your feet shoulder width workout, as are scissor kicks apart, keeping your arms and planks, and combining stretched out in front of you, these moves with others of and bend your knees as if the same caliber makes for a you are sitting back into a satisfying workout routine. chair. For variety, you can For crunches, lie on your also try some triceps dips: back with hands behind start with your knees bent, your head and feet flat on the feet flat on the floor and floor, and curl up to slightly your butt a few inches off lift your shoulders off the the ground. Put your hands ground. Bicycle crunches behind you, placing them are slightly different but just shoulder width apart, bend as effective: lie on your back your elbows and lower your with hands behind your body until your elbows are head, lift your legs up so bent at a 90 degree angle, your knees are at a 90 degree then push yourself back up angle and bring your right into the starting position. elbow to your left knee and Push-ups are a quintes- left elbow to your right knee. sential exercise move, but Switch up your crunches highly effective nonethe- routine with some scissor less. Start with hands on kicks and side planks, about
land on your right foot and keep your left leg lifted off the ground behind the right leg. Incorporate arm movements by swinging your left arm across your body and your right arm back. Do the same for the left side, and repeat for up to two minutes.
WALKERSISTER/FLICKR
Dorm rooms can be the perfect spot for a workout when free time is scarce. 25 of each. For scissor kicks, start with your back, legs and arms on the ground, lift your legs up a few inches off the ground, contract your abs and cross your legs in the air. To do planks, lie on your stomach with forearms on the ground, push off the ground and rest on your forearms and toes while keeping your back straight. Finish these off with V’s, in which you start flat on your back with arms over your head, squeeze your abs, lift your feet up at the same time you lift your shoulders off the ground and reach for your toes.
Cool down A workout is not finished until after the cool down. Disregarding this last step
can sometimes cause dizziness and blood pooling after a strenuous workout ends abruptly. Stretching out muscles will gradually bring the body’s breathing back to normal and reduce soreness the next day. Any move that stretches out the major muscle groups, arms, legs and back in particular, is beneficial. Staying in shape in college is possible with the right food and exercise, and now a busy schedule or inclement weather is no excuse to not work out. Hae Young Yoo can be reached at haeyoungyoo@umass.edu.
FOOD & DRINK
Java Head Stout: a happy marriage of coffee and beer Troegs Brewing Co. blends best of both By emily a. BrigHtman Collegian Staff
As a college student, coffee is an essential part of my diet. Despite how much it might make my mother cringe, I would even venture to say that I consider coffee an essential food group, and by that token a food group that provides more for me than mere good health. The only other beverage I hold in as high a regard is beer. Having developed over the years a serious love for all things brew-related (in case the presence of this column wasn’t enough of an indication of my interests), I’ve found that a diet heavy in both good coffee and good beer makes for one happy, or at least well hydrated, college experience. With that in mind, you can easily imagine how my heart sang when I stumbled across the Java Head stout from the Trӧegs Brewing Company – a beer brewed with coffee beans. My two favorite beverages combined into one? Sold. Even if the flavor combination ended up being a futile exercise in pandering to easily persuaded caffeine freaks like me, at least I could say I achieved that clichéd paradigm of killing two birds with one stone. Or, more appropriately in this case, indulging two obsessions with one beer. Truth be told, I am a big fan of the Troegs Brewing Company, which may have partially influenced my decision to buy this beer. Their Perpetual IPA and HopBack Amber
Ale are frequently seen in my fridge alongside the remainder of my steadily growing craft beer collection, and I have many fond memories of enjoying a pint of their Dead Reckoning Porter during the cold winter months. Java Head, however, is new territory for me in the Troegs catalog, so I let my natural curiosity and proclivity for unique brewing companies take hold and bought myself a six-pack of Java Head for purposes of experiment. Given my affinity for the rest of their selection, it seemed like the natural progression. Java Head pours out a thick, dark shade of amber that takes on a ruby hue when held up to the light. The bubbly mocha-colored head dissipates quickly leaving minimal amounts of lacing atop this delicious little stout. Surprisingly enough, coffee is not the most prominent aroma emanating from this brew. The most noticeable smell is heady malt highlighted by an under layer reminiscent of chocolate. The aroma also has a somewhat creamy component peppered with hints of oak and grassy notes, rounded out by the distinct smell of strong coffee. Taste-wise, the coffee flavor is somewhat overpowered by the malt composition of this brew, but in the aftertaste, the coffee elements make themselves known. After a hearty swig of this elixir, the tongue is left feeling thick, much in the same way it is after that first cup of coffee in the morning, but without that familiar caffeinated buzz that typically accompanies a good cup of java. Not surprisingly, there is no caffeine content in this beer, but at 7.5 percent alcohol, there doesn’t seem
to be a need to add in any more bang for the buyer’s buck. In terms of taste, Java Head is unique among coffee-themed stouts because it doesn’t sacrifice the style of stout brewing to cater to the delicate combination of alcohol and coffee. The danger of brewing flavorfully adventurous stouts is the risk of letting one flavor component completely overpower another, but Java Head manages to retain all the delicious characteristics of a stout beer while seamlessly fraternizing with the complex flavor characteristics of coffee. In my experiences as a humble beer geek, I have come across a small handful of coffee-inspired beers, but none that create such a happy marriage between flavor and style as Java Head. While I normally recommend a food pairing with the subjects of my beer reviews, it seems almost blasphemous to suggest a meal to combine with Java Head because this beer is much like a meal on its own. The intricacy of its flavor configuration does not make itself readily available for pairing with any simple meal, so my suggestion to you fellow beer enthusiasts is to enjoy a hearty pint of Java Head at the end of a busy day, when your brain is clamoring for another cup of coffee to trudge through the next three hours of homework, but your body is reminding you that coffee and sleep are not synonymous and one element takes priority over the other. Though Java Head does employ the delicious taste of strong coffee, this is not to suggest that it should replace your routine morning cup of Folgers. Save the Java Head for a night when
JUSTIN SURGENT/COLLEGIAN
Java Head seamlessly combines stout beer and coffee for a bold flavor and unique composition. you have no need for caffeine, and you’ll find that coffee flavor is useful for more than just a quick jolt of energy before your morning class. If you find yourself hungering for a thicker beer that satisfies your affinity for coffee, reach for a Java Head and indulge yourself in the medium-bodied glory of a uniquely blended stout. Though it may not give you the caffeine buzz you’re looking for, it will certainly remind you of the versatility of the coffee bean as more than an object of wor-
ship for the average college student. Though in terms of beverage worship for college students, I think it’s safe to say that both coffee and beer take high precedent over just about anything else. And if you’re a fan of both, then Java Head is the stout for you. Just don’t drink it in the morning, or you may find yourself less productive than you were before. Emily A. Brightman can be reached at ebrightman@umass.edu.
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THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
Thursday, October 10, 2013
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HOROSCOPES Jan. 20 - Feb. 18
Any mug can be a travel mug with 100% access and all the third-degree hand burns.
leo
Jul. 23 - aug. 22
Show everyone how real you are by going to the gym barefooted today.
pisces
Feb. 19 - Mar. 20
aries
Mar. 21 - apr. 19
taurus
apr. 20 - May. 20
gemini
May. 21 - Jun. 21
Think of how useful a burrito in a push pop would be.
The eco–friendly water dispenser sprays you when you are done using it so you know how much water you wasted.
cancer
Jun. 22 - Jul. 22
When the answer to all of life’s questions is a cookie, you have reached enlightenment.
Melted candy corn is an excellent substitute for buttery on popcorn with so much festivity.
virgo
aug. 23 - Sept. 22
libra
Sept. 23 - Oct. 22
scorpio
Oct. 23 - nOv. 21
sagittarius
nOv. 22 - Dec. 21
capricorn
Dec. 22 - Jan. 19
I know it’s only the first three day weekend, but take this opportunity to leave campus for the first time since move in. An empty bottle of sriracha makes the best gym water bottle possible.
Your horoscope in three weeks could really be You actually fell into a time vortex and that’s of use to you right now. why you have no idea how you ended up on the fourth floor of your building.
The most inspiring experience of your life takes place repetitively running 20 times around a track to make two miles.
Sometimes all it takes is a large plate of spaghetti topped with chocolate ice cream to make everything all better.