2009-10-02

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2009

VOLUME LVIII, NUMBER 16

Where You Read It First Est. 1980

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KATHERINE SAWYER

Daily Editorial Board

Distinguished physicist and mathematician Freeman Dyson yesterday urged openness and cooperation in nuclear disarmament and genetic advancements, calling for scientists to continue in their pursuit of knowledge even though such attempts may cause controversy.

“A more open world is a safer world. Openness rather than secrecy is our best defense,” he told a packed crowd in Cabot Auditorium as he delivered this semester’s Richard E. Snyder Presidential Lecture, which aims to bring figures that hold viewpoints that are contrary to conventional thought to campus.

Dyson, professor emeritus at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, N.J., is noted for his work in solid-state physics, quantum field theory and nuclear engineering. He has more recently attracted attention for his unconventional views on climate change, but his lectured focused instead on

nuclear issues.

In his speech entitled “Nukes and Genomes: Two Genies out of the Bottle,” Dyson argued against nuclear weapons, voicing his belief that the greatest threat to nuclear stability in the present day is not the weapons belonging to “rogue” nations such as Iran, North Korea and Pakistan, but the United States’ own arms stockpile.

“These are more dangerous to the world and to us than the small numbers belonging to Iran or Pakistan,” Dyson said of the roughly 10,000 nuclear weapons the United States now holds.

Dyson urged American leaders to reduce or destroy their nuclear stockpiles.

“The removal of our weapons would make the world a lot safer, even if other countries kept some of theirs,” he said, stating that this would reduce the risk of a nuclear war.

The scientist cited several accounts of nuclear disarmament to support his view that

REBEKAH SOKOL/TUFTS DAILY

see DYSON, page 2

Freeman Dyson spoke in Cabot Auditorium yesterday, calling for nuclear disarmament and continued scientific pursuit in genetic engineering.

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ALEXANDRA BOGUS

Daily Editorial Board

REBEKAH SOKOL/TUFTS DAILY

Full-time employment in journalism is currently at its lowest point since at least 1986.

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BEN KOCHMAN

Contributing Writer

When Tufts alum Jeremy White (LA ’09) graduated from the university in the spring of 2009 after serving as a news editor for the Daily, he hoped to find a job in journalism. But after White sent his résumé out to newspapers around the country and was met with no response time and time again, the harsh reality began to set in: His dream job would have to wait.

White’s predicament is part of a nationwide trend in which a shrinking job pool has increasingly left qualified prospective journalists out of employment. According to a study from the University of Georgia, full-time employment in journalism in 2008 was at its lowest point since at least 1986.

In the face of these daunting statistics, it seems that students would be less likely to pursue a graduate degree in journalism. However,

the Chronicle of Higher Education reported last week that journalism schools across the nation are actually having increased rates of application — a sign that students more and more are looking to graduate school in the depressed job market.

White himself, who admits that he previously had “no plans at all” to attend journalism school — or “J-school” — applied and was accepted into Columbia’s graduate program, which reported a 44 percent increase in applications for this fall’s class.

“I was sort of fruitlessly applying to all of these different newspapers, writing all of these obsequious letters, begging papers with a circulation of 5,000 to hire me,” White said. “But I wasn’t getting anything back, and I figured if I’m serious about trying to be a journalist, this is the type of opportunity that I really can’t turn down.”

White was encouraged to apply to see J-SCHOOL, page 2

Inside this issue

Freshman In-Goo Kwak, notorious for posting a controversial flyer that some consider racially insensitive, is one of three students vying for the open seat on the Committee on Student Life (CSL), a body that often has the final world in major university decisions. Next week’s special election will decide which student serves on the Committee.

Kwak said that he wanted to promote freedom of speech and freedom of the press through the CSL. He said he made the decision to run for the position before the flyer incident occurred.

“Some people assumed that I’m running for CSL because I want attention or something along those lines, which isn’t true,” Kwak said. “The CSL actually has weight in making decisions that ... make a difference on campus. That was what interested me.”

Senior Alex Daniele and sophomore Chris Walczyszyn are also running for the position.

The CSL is made up of approximately 10 members, including student representatives, professors and other Tufts administrators, according to CSL Chair Brandon Sultan, a senior.

Dean of Student Affairs Bruce Reitman and Judicial Affairs Officer Veronica Carter are among the administrators serving on the board.

The group makes final appeals decisions on disciplinary measures passed down to student groups or individuals typically by the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate or TCU Judiciary, Sultan said. The CSL is also charged with approving proposed changes to the TCU Constitution and other university documents.

Sultan said that he thought it ironic that see CSL, page 2

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TESSA GELLERSON

Daily Editorial Board

Renowned scientist Freeman Dyson, who delivered this semester’s Richard E. Snyder Presidential Lecture yesterday, is professor emeritus in the School of Natural Sciences at the Institute for Advanced Study, where he first began teaching in 1953. Dyson has attracted attention recently for his challenges to traditional thought on climate change and global warming. Among a swath of scientific accomplishments in his decadeslong career, the physicist is arguably best known for his work on nuclear reactors and quantum electrodynamics, a field in physics centered on electrically charged particles.

Dyson has authored a number of books, including “Disturbing the Universe” (1979), “Origins of Life” (1986) and “Weapons and Hope” (1984) a study on the implications of nuclear weapons for war and peace.

The Daily sat down with Dyson hours before he spoke yesterday.

Tessa Gellerson: I just wanted to start on a more personal note, if you can tell me a little bit about your life and what it’s taken for you to get where you are today?

Freeman Dyson: I started life in England ...

My basic skill is mathematics; I was a mathsee INTERVIEW, page 4

Today’s Sections

The Daily office reviews the sixth season of Michael Scott and “The Office.”

Middlebury product Steven Hauschka returns to his home state to take on the Patriots.

see ARTS, page 5

see SPORTS, page 11

News | Features Arts & Living

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THE TUFTS DAILY GIOVANNI J.B. RUSSONELLO Editor-in-Chief

EDITORIAL Naomi Bryant Managing Editors David Heck Alexandra Bogus Executive News Editor Nina Ford News Editors Tessa Gellerson Ben Gittleson Christy McCuaig Matt Repka Ellen Kan Assistant News Editors Harrison Jacobs Katherine Sawyer Saumya Vaishampayan

Robin Carol Executive Features Editor Marissa Carberry Features Editors Meredith Hassett Alison Lisnow Emily Maretsky Kerianne Okie Romy Oltuski Christina Pappas Charlotte Steinway Julia Zinberg Sarah Korones Assistant Features Editors Carter Rogers

Jessica Bal Executive Arts Editor Emma Bushnell Arts Editors Mitchell Geller Adam Kulewicz Catherine Scott Josh Zeidel Charissa Ng Assistant Arts Editors Benjamin Phelps

Michelle Hochberg Executive Op-Ed Editor Vittoria Elliott Editorialists Nina Grossman Opinion Editors Andrew Rohrberger Molly Rubin Erin Marshall Editorial Cartoonists Alex Miller

Ethan Landy Executive Sports Editor Sapna Bansil Sports Editors Evan Cooper Philip Dear Jeremy Greenhouse Alex Prewitt Michael Spera Alex Lach Assistant Sports Editors Daniel Rathman

Annie Wermiel Executive Photo Editor James Choca Photo Editors Aalok Kanani Danai Macridi Andrew Morgenthaler Josh Berlinger Assistant Photo Editors Kristen Collins Alex Dennett Emily Eisenberg Rebekah Sokol Tien Tien

Arlin Ladue Executive New Media Editor Jessica Bidgood New Media Editors Kyle Chayka

PRODUCTION Karen Blevins

Production Director

Steven Smith Executive Layout Editor Dana Berube Layout Editors Caryn Horowitz Andrew Petrone Amani Smathers Menglu Wang Adam Gardner Assistant Layout Editors Brian Lim

Grace Lamb-Atkinson Executive Copy Editor Rachel Oldfield Copy Editors Ben Smith Elisha Sum Ricky Zimmerman Sam Connell Assistant Copy Editors Sara Eisemann Katherine Evering-Rowe Ammar Khaku Niki Krieg Luke Morris Lucy Nunn Regina Smedinghoff

Ben Schwalb Executive Online Editor Christine Jang Online Editor

Michael Vastola Executive Technical Manager Muhammad Qadri Technical Manager

BUSINESS Kahran Singh

Executive Business Director

Benjamin Hubbell-Engler Brenna Duncan Dwijo Goswami Ally Gimbel

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Friday, October 2, 2009

67%"'&%1/+%%+%&#"'1)'$+*&)'8$)/7&)'&#"'1+'1)"$%&,/+,% DYSON

continued from page 1 unilateral action was the most effective way to successfully ridding the world of nuclear weapons.

He referred to Richard Nixon’s independent decision in 1969 to ban the use of biological weapons of warfare, which, though not entirely effective in prompting Soviet Russia’s disarmament, did reduce the risk of a biological weapon crisis, he said.

Similarly, he referenced George H. W. Bush’s decision in 1991 to disarm the U.S. Navy surface areas, submarines and aircraft as an example of how nuclear disarmament is better achieved through individual rather than group negotiation. Then-Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev responded with similar steps toward disarmament after Bush’s decision.

Dyson said that information and new technology have the potential to cause harm but ultimately must be explored cautiously in order to make progress. He urged scientists to pursue research openly for the

safety and development of the planet.

“We can never know in advance what dangers new knowledge will bring,” he said.

Dyson highlighted the possibilities that have become available through biotechnology, a field commonly known for its development of genetic engineering.

He spoke on advancement within the biotechnology industry, calling it a “new revolution in human society” and positing that “designing genomes will be a new art form, as creative as painting and sculpting.”

He raised concerns that apply to both nuclear armament and the biotechnology industry, asking whether such advancements, which many consider dangerous, should be stopped.

“What are the limits?” he asked. “How are they decided and enforced?”

Dyson said that scientists cannot stop pursuing scientific knowledge but must be cautious with their findings.

“The magic of genes will be available to those with the will and imagination to use it,” he said, referencing the fact that

biotechnology allows silicon-leaved plants to produce 10 to 15 percent more chemical energy than regular plants and decrease the total area necessary for crop land.

Biotechnology has the ability to “solve immediate social problems and alleviate the human condition,” he said. He illustrated this principle by focusing on the jobs and opportunities green technology could provide for the developing world.

“Rural poverty is one of the great evils of the modern world,” he said. People migrate into cities due to lack of opportunity in the rural communities, he said, and the “world needs technology that attacks poverty by creating industry and jobs in the villages.”

His “dream of resurgent green technology” would allow for more rural industry because, he said, green technology uses land and sunlight as its primary resources.

The speaker pointed out that tropical areas, which receive the most sunlight, are also typically some of the poorest in the world. This technology could bring jobs to the rural poor of these tropical countries.

9:,-;%&/$'&#"$.*&<,/'+/&5"/+&0$=.)#)17&3"/&+.+#1)"' CSL

continued from page 1

Kwak is vying for a role on the CSL, whose role is to serve as an unbiased authority on controversial issues. The administration has not yet put the flyer incident before the CSL, but the body would be charged with hearing the case if it were to come to them.

Sultan praised Kwak for running, but said that given the nature of the flyer episode, the freshman may not be prepared to adequately serve in a student government position.

“I have much respect for someone who was just given so much attention,” he said.

“Instead of shying away, he is willing to go out in the public to show his worth. I just don’t know if now is his time.”

Daniele said that he never met Kwak and was not particularly familiar with the flyer situation that has garnered so much attention over the past several weeks. Still, he questioned Kwak’s run for the CSL slot in light of the situation.

“It seems like he thought it was funny, playing some kind of a joke,” Daniele said.

“His actions go against everything that the CSL kind of stands for. I don’t really agree

with that.”

Walczyszyn similarly said that it was important not to judge the candidate for his previous actions, but added that while Kwak may have intended to be humorous in posting the flyer, he instead reignited the racial issues that rocked the university last semester when a physical altercation ensued between a white student and members of the Korean Students Association.

“Too soon, wrong place, wrong time,” Walczyszyn said. “We’ve had a lot of issues with this recently, and it shows a certain level of insensitivity.”

In an interview with the Daily, Kwak reaffirmed his position, saying that he posted the flyer in an attempt to be funny.

If successful in his run for the CSL, he hopes to promote his views on freedom of expression.

“My sticking point is freedom of speech, freedom to express views free from fear of disciplinary actions,” he said. “I think it’s important that on a committee like this that all points of view are expressed.”

Sultan said that he was aware of no plans by the administration to charge the CSL with hearing a case on the flyer incident,

but Kwak seemed to think otherwise.

Kwak said that in a meeting with Reitman on Tuesday, the dean told him that the CSL would hear the case at some point, but he offered no timeframe.

Sultan said that he did not know how the group would proceed if Kwak won his bid for the CSL and the case came before the body while he served, “To be honest, I hope that doesn’t happen,” Sultan said.

Kwak said that under these circumstances, he would try to find someone who held his views to act in his stead.

For the CSL, arguably one of the least known of the three branches of student government — including the Senate and Judiciary — Kwak’s run has the potential to gain more publicity for the election.

“I think it is going to cause controversy if not more publicity, which I guess could be good for the election,” Daniele said. “I just hope it doesn’t affect the election in a negative way.”

Walczyszyn agreed. “I think it’ll be a very interesting special election,” he said. “I think it will definitely increase voter turnout to a level that hasn’t been seen in a while.”

!"#$%&"'&()*+"&,'*&,$*)"&%-)..%&/+0/+%+'1%&%2)31&)'&4"$/',.)%5 J-SCHOOL

continued from page 1

Columbia by another member of the Tufts Class of 2009, Sarah Butrymowicz, who was a managing editor on the Daily. Unlike her classmate White, Butrymowicz from the start had wanted to go to J-school, especially at a reputable institution like Columbia.

“I think that Columbia has a great network that you get put into the second you come here,” said Butrymowicz, who during her years at Tufts had internships at both USA Today and a local paper in Green Bay, Wis. “I think that, in the long run, hopefully it will make it easier for me to rise up at slightly more prestigious places.”

Part of the reason that students are so enthusiastic about applying to journalism school is because of programs that embrace the digital age of “new media.” In 2007, the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University announced plans to re-vamp its curriculum, an attempt to provide its students with the technological and marketing prowess needed to excel in today’s journalism landscape. Since then, other J-schools have followed suit.

Professor Susan Eisenhauer, assistant director of the Communication and Media Studies (CMS) program at Tufts, received her degree in journalism before this wave of new media took hold and recognizes that the industry has changed drastically.

“Increasingly the jobs that will be available will be multimedia based,” Eisenhauer said. “If students can add photography and video to their reporting and writing skills, it

definitely helps.”

The CMS program provides plenty of opportunities for Tufts students to get experience in the field. CMS runs the largest internship program on campus, placing students in newsrooms around the country and also locally at Somerville and Medford papers. Eisenhauer maintains that with all of these resources, as well as with the multitude of Tufts publications that students can work with on campus, motivated Tufts students can get adequately prepared for a journalism career.

“A number of students choose to do journalism projects here, or minor in Mass Communications,” Eisenhauer said. “Many students get practical experience as well.

We’ve had students work at WBUR in Boston and at the Somerville paper, which will give writers a camera and a notebook and put them in the community.”

But if Jumbo journalists are so well prepared as undergrads, what is the need to spend the nearly $50,000 to go to a J-school like Columbia? For students like White, journalism school is a last resort, a way to springboard a career in journalism when job prospects are dim. For others, like Butrymowicz, going to journalism school is an opportunity to learn new techniques and face new challenging demands of accountability.

“It’s a different type of reporting than I’ve ever done before. A lot more is expected of me. It’s not OK to go back to my professor and say, ‘The credit office didn’t get back to me, I’m sorry, I can’t fill in this part of the story,’” said Butrymowicz, who at the

moment is working on a story about the quality of school lunches in New York City.

Butrymowicz has made numerous calls to school administrations about her story but to no avail. After her interview with the Daily yesterday morning, the budding reporter planned to spend the day sitting outside schools in the Upper West Side with her tape recorder, gathering quotes from students and their parents.

“I feel like there’s a lot more creativity required and a lot less dependence on phones,” Butrymowicz said. “Usually, most of my other stuff has been sitting in an office or in my dorm room calling people, but that’s changed now.”

When they first got to Columbia in August, Butrymowicz and White went through a three-week “Audio and Photography Boot Camp” from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day to learn about photography, audio and video media. Students were taught about the basics of a good photo, like how to work a camera and control shutter speed, and about what makes a good audio piece, including how to edit and create their own audio slideshows.

Butrymowicz’s “Reporting and Writing” class already has plans to create its own Web site, complete with audio and video materials. These students hope that their multimedia skills learned at Columbia will allow them to succeed and adapt to a profession in the midst of a fundamental transition.

“What you learn in August, because your class has a Web site, keeps going all semester,” Butrymowicz said. “I’ve learned a lot about digital stuff already, and I think that I’m only going to learn more.”

Correction In the article “Luers decries Iran sanctions,” published on Sept. 30, the Project on Justice in Times of Transition was said to be a Harvard University-affiliated program. In fact, the Project on Justice in Times of Transition is an independent non-profit organization housed on the Tufts campus in the Institute for Global Leadership.

Friday, October 2, 2009

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Like to draw? Have opinions?

The Daily is looking for talented artists to draw one editorial cartoon each week about current events and issues facing Tufts students.

No former cartooning experience required. Biting sense of humor preferred.

E-mail daily@tuftsdaily.com to learn more!

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NEWS | FEATURES

Friday, October 2, 2009

!"#$%&'()#)*+,-'.#'./0$+1*%12'341'#5)01.,.#/'+)/*.%#',+4,.*6'1$'#,.)%,) INTERVIEW

continued from page 1

ematician. On the other hand, I don’t find it interesting to spend my whole life doing mathematics, and so my tastes always were perpendicular to my skills, so it’s a problem of how you’d handle that. So I tried to find important and interesting problems where mathematics would be useful, so that sort of line, my strategy as far as I had a strategy. So I got involved in all sorts of different ... activities, in physics and engineering, a little bit in biology, and I also started climate, and I was doing climate 30 years ago internationally ... Of course, my main characteristic is that I have a rather short attention span. I get involved in something very intensely for six months and then, when the job is either done or not done, I quit and do something else. It’s been an interesting life. I’ve done nothing very great but a lot of things that were fun.

TG: From the reading I’ve done so far, it seems like you have a reputation within the scientific community for being a skeptic of conventional wisdom, perhaps most prominently for your views on global warming. I’m wondering how that’s shaped your career, or if it’s ever been difficult to face the criticism that that solicited?

FD: Not at all, no. In fact, what amazes me is that so many people agree with me but won’t come out in public, and I think that’s really sad. Almost all my friends sort of agree with me that skepticism is the right attitude and that scientists should be skeptical, that’s why we’re here ... Yet in this climate, it’s become a kind of religion where people are afraid to speak up. I’m lucky I’m retired; I can say what I please ... I have never really encountered any problems. People are always friendly and polite.

TG: Would you say there’s been one experience in your life that’s had the most profound impact on your career?

FD: Oh, well I don’t know. There [are] so many different things. One thing which I’m very proud of is designing a nuclear reactor, which is also politically incorrect in some

REBEKAH SOKOL/TUFTS DAILY

Physicist Freeman Dyson ranks his work in designing a nuclear reactor as one of his proudest accomplishments. circles, but I had a great time actually designing a reactor. Nuclear energy is a still a great thing, and it will be. It’s not the answer to all our prayers, but it still does a lot of a good.

This reactor — we built it in San Diego [in] California. At that time, you could build, you could design a reactor — first of all invent it, then design it, then build it and then license it and sell it — all within two years. And that was wonderful, a great ride for us and also for the company. The company that

built it actually made money ... These reactors, many of them are still running, they’ve never given any trouble. So, I’m proud of that, and I find it very sad that in today’s world you can’t do that. If you imagine doing that in today’s world it would take you 20 years and not two years, because there are so many regulations, obstacles you’d have to jump over. I find that troublesome, that new technologies are so very, very hard to get going just because of this hostility that

society has created. So, I mentioned that because to some extent it’s not only a problem for nuclear power, but it’s a problem for many other technologies, particularly bioengineering, all of which are immensely dangerous and you could easily invent all sorts of disasters, but still it’s much better to make mistakes early and learn from the mistakes than to try not to have mistakes at all.

If you don’t allow people to make mistakes, then you don’t allow anything new.

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tuftsdaily.com

THEATRE REVIEW

REBECCA GOLDBERG | ABROADWAY

The surreal life

T

SPEAKEASYSTAGE.COM

“Really? You want me to sit in your lap?”

!"#$%$&'()*'+&,)-"(",."(),"(&'/-$/%)01+"/23 BY

EMMA BUSHNELL

Daily Editorial Board

The lights may come up on overstuffed, doily-laden furniture in “The Savannah Disputation,” but the dotty

The Savannah Disputation Written by Evan Smith Directed by Paul Daigneault At the Speakeasy Stage Company through Oct. 17 Tickets $30 to $50 with $14 student rush

set is not portentous of what’s to come.

Written by a young Savannah, Ga. native, the play follows a few days in the lives of two elderly, Catholic sisters whose beliefs are rocked when they are visited by a young, beautiful and fervent evangelical missionary. Unwilling to give in to the young woman’s rhetoric, the sisters invite the missionary back to their home along with an unsuspecting Catholic priest, providing the audience with an unorthodox, oftentimes hilarious, sometimes meditative, theological discussion of a sort hitherto unseen on stage.

The irony that playwright Evan

MOVIE REVIEW

’Five’ is not quite heaven

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BY JORDAN

TEICHER

see SAVANNAH, page 6

TV REVIEW

It’s back to work in ‘The Office’

BY SUNETRA

Daily Staff Writer

BANE

Contributing Writer

Do you ever wonder what it would be like to mix a bunch of different foods together in a blender and eat it?

It’s the sixth season of “The Office,” and the workplace is buzzing with craziness as usual. The fresh sea-

Five Minutes in Heaven

The Office

Starring Liam Neeson, James Nesbitt, Anamaria Marinca Directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel Sure, by themselves the ingredients all taste great, but together they just don’t mix.

The same concept applies to Oliver Hirschbiegel’s new Irish film “Five Minutes of Heaven.” As separate entities, the acting, tone, screenplay and directing style all could work, but together they struggle to produce a coherent movie. The film opens with a flashback, revealing 17-year-old Alistair Little who wants praise and acceptance from his Protestant crowd in Northern Ireland. Circa 1975, times are tense, and violence looms around the corner between Protestants and Catholics. Alistair plots to murder a Catholic teen, and although the justification is murky, he decides to go through with the plan. When he gets there, his target’s young brother, Joe, is outside kicking around a soccer ball.

They lock eyes, but Alistair is in too

Smith creates so effectively in his script is beautifully highlighted by director Paul Daigneault through his depiction of opposites. In the beginning, the audience hears loud, lively gospel music before the lights come up on a small, Southern home clearly inhabited by elderly women.

The appearance of a young, female missionary (Carolyn Charpie), who is promptly turned away by the alpha female of the pair of sisters, Mary (Nancy E. Carroll), immediately sets the comedic tone of the show. When the unfazed young woman shouts through the door that “Jesus loves

Starring Steve Carell, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer Airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on NBC

deep to turn back; he puts three bullets into his target and flees.

Fast forward to a few decades after the murder. Joe ( James Nesbitt) and Alistair (Liam Neeson) are in separate cars on their way to meet each other for the first time. The details are a bit

son promises a different perspective than before, as previously supporting characters are finally getting some spotlight while lovebirds Jim Halpert ( John Krasinski) and Pam Beasly ( Jenna Fischer) give viewers a little romance (and normalcy) in the background. With tried-andtrue tricks and some new twists, this season guarantees continued Thursday night laughs and all of the uncomfortably hilarious, awkward moments that make the NBC mockumentary so charming.

The past five years may have lulled viewers into acceptance of the insanity that is “The Office,” but season six shakes things up. The first step: some new characters. Enter the summer interns in the premiere “Gossip.”

see MINUTES, page 6

see OFFICE, page 7

IMDB.COM

Oliver Hirschbiegel’s new Irish film is actioncentric and hinges on actors’ performances.

here are some places on this earth that seem to laugh in the face of natural order. Studio lots are among them.

The size of a small city in their own right, they exist only for the creation of movies and television, housing dozens of fake apartments, half-bars and partial street corners. Besides the modest looking offices, studio lots seem to frown on streets with buildings and rooms with four walls.

On the day I arrived in L.A., sometime between being picked up at the airport and accidentally finding my apartment complex by myself in my new rental car, my family friend Janet thought it would be a good idea to take me to the 20th Century Fox lot, where “How I Met Your Mother” is shot. She thought that it would be nice to show me where I would be going before my first day. Perhaps she also thought that it would keep me from freaking out around other people (and embarrassing her) upon first seeing the set for MacLaren’s Pub, the show’s version of Central Perk.

“HIMYM” (pronounced “him-yim” by both my friends and the show’s creators) shoots on Stage 22. The building is located somewhere between the giant Julie Andrews poster and the Star Wars mural (when the massive warehouse door slides open, the terrible likeness of Mark Hamill is decapitated). The soundstage itself isn’t quite as grand as I’d been taught to imagine by behind-the-scenes featurettes for big-budget movies (this is a four-camera sitcom, after all), but it’s indeed a large, tall space. And the sets look smaller in person, although I suppose I was expecting that.

The weirdness didn’t really hit me until I almost stumbled onto the set for Ted’s tiny kitchen. Though large sheets cover the furniture pieces for the other rooms on non-shooting days, the kitchen remains intact, down to the tchotchkes on the fridge. This is where Marshall (Jason Segel) and Lily (Alyson Hannigan) consummate their engagement in the pilot, where Ted (Josh Radnor) and Robin (Cobie Smulders) make crêpes in “Slap Bet,” where Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) wimps out of telling Robin he loves her in “Benefits,” where ...

I’m sorry. I just nerded out for a second.

The point is that the phrase “breaking the fourth wall” is more literal than I ever realized. In fact, I’m still uncomfortable walking onto the sets when I cut through the stage. When I step from the concrete aisle way onto the fake wood flooring, I keep expecting someone to tell me to get off or stop soiling it because I don’t belong.

It’s the darndest thing, though — no one ever does. Somehow, I’ve been granted the privilege of stepping through the invisible fourth wall and examining the things about the construction of the show that are both more fake and more real than they look.

(One of the funniest gags on “HIMYM” is the never-ending stream of jokes about Canada at Robin’s expense. On set last week, Cobie Smulders, who’s also Canadian, corrected Jason Segel’s pronunciation of “gouda,” and he rejoined, “What, is that what they call it in Canada?”

She shot back, “No, in Holland, where it’s from, douche.”)

At the end of my second day in the office, I decided to cut through the empty stage to get to the parking garage. And I couldn’t resist: I stopped at the gang’s signature booth at MacLaren’s, which is positioned right in the front, where the fourth wall of the room should be. As I sat, my heart raced. I couldn’t believe where I was.

Then I heard the security guard call, “Is anyone in here?” and, in a panic, I rushed out, back to real life.

Rebecca Goldberg is a junior majoring in American studies. She can be reached at Rebecca.Goldberg@tufts.edu.

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ARTS & LIVING

Friday, October 2, 2009

!,"&0&67'-*8"$'*',/9&)&/$'-/)#'%#'2!,"':*(*##*,';%$1/-*-%&#5 SAVANNAH continued from page 5 you!,” a disgruntled Mary mutters “I know Jesus loves me. It’s you he hates.”

The show strikes a masterful balance between quick, biting comedy and actual soul-searching. Though the overwhelming majority of the show is fast-paced, well-written hilarity, serious themes save it from being a complete fluff piece.

“I know Jesus loves me. It’s you he hates.”

Mary character in ‘Savannah Disputations’ Early in Act I, a woman from the doctor’s office leaves a message stating ominously that Mary’s test results are in and she should schedule an appointment with the doctor. The significance of this message is never explained, but its connotations create a dark, looming background to the show’s light comedic ambiance.

Age and what happens after death are themes constantly alluded to in the actors’ discussions, and this keeps the audience grounded in real-world concerns despite all of the sisters’ humor.

The play’s premise is strongly reminiscent of the 1939 play “Arsenic and Old Lace,” as it centers on two friendless, elderly sisters luring young folks into their home under false pretenses. This has been done before.

But Margaret and Mary differ from the main characters in “Arsenic.” The “Savannah” sisters are aware of problems that they and others face, and are not naïvely attempting to put people out of their misery. Half of the jokes poke harmless fun at religious culture in America, but the other half reflect a very real religious uncertainty that any audience member likely can relate to.

“The Savannah Disputation’s”

SPEAKEASYSTAGE.COM

Now, listen here, lassie! small cast is absolutely brilliant in this production. Boston theater veterans Carroll and Paula Plum are both extremely winning as sisters Mary and Margaret. Charpie is a true highlight as Melissa the missionary; Charpie’s youth and ever-flowing spring of energy create an interesting dynamic on the stage.

Timothy Crowe as Father Murphy, the sisters’ local priest whom they

hoped would serve as their holy attack dog on Melissa, brings another compelling angle to the show. The three other characters are all easy to sympathize with, but all three grow hysterical at different points throughout the play.

They get upset over their religious disagreements, but Crowe spends most of his time seated on the couch, an anchor of calm in the storm of the other characters’ antics.

Audience members at any stage in life can relate to the old ladies of “The Savannah Disputation” because they do what any human of any race, gender, or age does: They question the world around them about truth, about God and religion, and are not satisfied until their discussion reaches a conclusion, or until they conclude that there is no conclusion and that satisfies them once and for all.

!"#$%&#'#"(")')"*+,"$'%-$'./00'1&-"#-%*0'%#'23%("'4%#/-"$5 MINUTES

continued from page 5 vague, but the media has organized a get-together for the two men in an effort to promote reconciliation and forgiveness. With revenge on his mind, Joe attends the meeting with an ulterior motive while Alistair simply wants to express his deep regret.

Even though the script leaves very little to work with, the two headliners squeeze every ounce of juice they can from it.

The acting anchors the film throughout its 90-minute running time. Even though the script leaves very little to work with, the two headliners squeeze every ounce of juice they can from it.

As Joe, Neeson is Mr. Reliable, giving the audience a quietly powerful performance. Alistair, the supposed villain of the film, seems arrogant at first, but beneath his exterior lays a sullen man full of regret for his past actions.

Surprisingly, though, Nesbitt outshines his counterpart. This is partly because the script gives him much more to work with, but it is also attributed to his acting talent. With distinct, blood-shot eyes, Nesbitt brings an obsessive weariness to the role. He’s always so full of anger that he could snap at any moment. In a better film, he would be on the fast track to awards and big-time recognition.

Hirschbiegel is best known for directing the lauded 2004 Hitler film “Downfall,” but here he fails to live up to that standard. His style employs too many stagnant medium shots that would better fit a documentary. The flashback works well and maximizes the stakes, but the rest of the film is not quick enough to keep up. The subject matter requires built-up tension, but the

EYEONFILM.COM

Blowing up cars: always a blast. slow pace works against the slim potential the script offers and never achieves that heart-throbbing sensation.

That being said, Hirschbiegel’s use of sound is fascinating. Portions of the film are dominated by the ticking of a clock or heavy breathing and allow for some tension to seep through. The sound comes across as desolate and bold without being too gimmicky, and it stood out as a major plus.

Then there’s the ending. Screenwriter

Guy Hibbert must have been trying to send some optimistic message, but it definitely falls flat. The first 80 minutes of the film deal with such strong personal issues and would seem to build up to some amazing crescendo, yet it never climaxes the way one might expect. The ending is too neat for a movie that tries to live in reality. Everything gets wrapped up in a bow and loose ends are tied. How do feelings brewing for decades get resolved in mere days? It is

illogical and cheats the viewer.

Hirschbiegel and Hibbert present some very valid questions about reconciliation and revenge. Unfortunately, those questions may best be answered in a documentary dealing with this subject matter instead of through an action flick set in Ireland. Ultimately, “Five Minutes in Heaven” has great ambition but only average execution, leaving the audience wondering what could have been.

Friday, October 2, 2009

THE TUFTS DAILY

7

ARTS & LIVING

!"##$%&'()*+,-%-+&.%/*/..*0123'+.4*/#$&5'),& OFFICE

continued from page 5

Their reactions to the work environment, the job requirements and manager Michael (Steve Carell) mirror the feelings that viewers first experienced back in 2005. Mock sexual harassment, hazing through menial labor and stereotyping through celebrity nicknames make viewers grateful to be participating in “The Office” from the comfort of their homes.

The fact that “Jam,” as they are called by fans, have survived multiple roadblocks is a testament to their love and a beacon of hope to couples everywhere.

For the season premiere, gossip is in the air at Dunder Mifflin, aided and abetted

by Michael. In an attempt to draw attention away from the one true rumor he “accidentally” reveals, Michael invents a bunch of stories and starts spreading them around.

Inevitable mayhem results, as Andy (Ed Helms) doubts his sexuality and the staff ulti-

mately learns that Pam is pregnant.

The second episode of the season, titled “The Meeting,” develops stronger and longerlasting plotlines. Probably in response to impending fatherhood, Jim is angling for a promotion. He meets with a corporate representative in private. This, of course, makes Michael feel abandoned, and a stealthy recon mission involving Michael hiding under a cheese-cart ensues. In typical fashion, Michael sabotages a promotion for himself and makes matters worse trying to fix things.

Previously supporting characters seem to be getting more screen time this season — and they really shine. Dwight (Rainn Wilson) and Toby (Paul Lieberstein) go on a detective hunt to verify Darryl’s (Craig Robinson) injury claim.

Meredith says she’ll have whatever is the most expensive meal option at Pam’s wedding, unless there are ribs on the menu. Oscar (Oscar Nuñez) is understandably peeved at people consulting him for gayrelated matters, be it Andy asking him for dating advice or Michael wanting to know the protocol for a colonoscopy.

The strongest sign that the show will focus on other characters this season lies in its

attention to Stanley (Leslie David Barker). He vents his anger about his secret being revealed in “Gossip” by beating Michael’s car with a lead pipe — a bold move considering this guy is known for crossword puzzles and monosyllabic responses.

In addition to promised character developments, season six will also have more of Jim and Pam in store, as the couple that viewers have rooted for since the very beginning of “The Office” will soon tie the knot. What has kept this relationship fresh over the course of the show is how real and relatable their story is. The fact that “Jam,” as they are called by fans, have survived multiple roadblocks is a testament to their love and a beacon of hope to couples everywhere, cheesy as that may sound. In previous seasons, their timing has been off, but this season the pair seems solid so far.

Regular viewers of “The Office” will be satisfied with season six and new viewers may be tempted to eat up all five previous seasons in one sitting after witnessing the show’s sharp cubicle comedy.

Without a doubt, “The Office” will continue to entertain — and make viewers grateful (or jealous) that their workplace isn’t Dunder Mifflin.

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THE TUFTS DAILY

8 CROSSWORD

COMICS

Friday, October 2, 2009

DOONESBURY

BY

GARRY TRUDEAU

NON SEQUITUR

BY

SOLUTIONS TO THURSDAY’S PUZZLE

MARRIED TO THE SEA

www.marriedtothesea.com

SUDOKU Level: Staying in the room while your roommate is having sex

LATE NIGHT AT THE DAILY

Dan: “Ducksnort!”

Steve: “Humpback!”

Dan: “Ducksnort!”

Steve: “Humpback!”

Dan: “Ducksnort!”

Steve: “Humpback!”

Please recycle this Daily

Solution to Thursday's puzzle

WILEY

Friday, October 2, 2009

THE TUFTS DAILY

9

SPORTS

!"#$%&'()*'+%&,($&-.*$/('&'*01&*2('& .*.3)*.#('(.)(&#*(&4.+5)*$$ FIELD HOCKEY

continued from page 12

141-28 this season, four of their first five games had been decided by two goals or less. Yesterday, however, Tufts’ offense — the most prolific in the NESCAC last year — erupted en route to the team’s largest victory of its 2009 campaign.

“It’s been there all along with the number of shots we’ve put up,” Brown said. “We’ve gotten better with every single game, and that’s what counts.

Things are just really starting to click now.”

Brown led the charge with, statistically, the greatest performance of her remarkable career. Already the secondleading scorer in program history, the Annandale, Va. native had a hand in all five of the Jumbos’ tallies, notching two goals and three assists before being replaced with 12 minutes to play and the victory in hand.

“Last year, she was a really good scorer, and this year, her goal is to be a really good all-around player, so she’s focusing more on that,” coach Tina McDavitt said. “I just think her game has more dimensions to it. She’s just able to focus on different things rather than just score, score, score. She’s doing a lot more for us this year.”

The game opened with 28:31 of scoreless play before senior co-captain Amanda Russo broke the stalemate, cleaning up a great feed in the circle from Brown and then adding another tally 4:10 later, sending Tufts into halftime with a 2-0 lead.

With a six-minute flurry early in the second half, in which Brown and senior forward Michelle Kelly combined for three goals, the rout was on, and McDavitt subsequently emptied her bench.

The Jumbos were paced offensively by yet another strong performance from their forwards, who have accounted for all 12 goals in the team’s

last three games.

“We’ve been working on a lot of stuff with the forwards in practice, and I think that showed today,” McDavitt said. “I feel like they’re definitely starting to get in sync with each other and get back into the rhythm that they were in at the end of last year.”

“We’re just doing our role in the circle, and the defense is doing a good job getting it to the midfield and the midfield getting it to the forwards,” Brown added. “Everyone’s just doing their job.”

Yesterday’s game marked the fourth straight year that Tufts and Endicott had played to a lopsided outcome.

Since the teams began playing a regular season series in 2006, the Jumbos have gone 4-0 against the Gulls, outscoring their non-conference rivals by a whopping 22-1 margin.

“Endicott’s home field is grass, and it was definitely going to be an adjustment for them [to play on turf,] and we wanted to take advantage of that,” Brown said. “Also, I think just that playing in the NESCAC just in and of itself prepares us well for all our outof-conference games.”

Yesterday’s game began a stretch of three games in six days for Tufts, which continues tomorrow with a matchup against NESCAC foe Bates. At 1-5 on the year, the Bobcats are winless in conference this season — continuing a tradition that has seen them fail to post a NESCAC record over .500 since 2002.

That contest will be followed by a meeting with Wellesley, which has won three consecutive games against Tufts until the Jumbos broke through with a runaway 6-1 victory a year ago.

“Bates and Wellesley are both going to be hard games, especially since we’re away,” Brown said. “It’s definitely awesome to be 6-0 at this point in the season, and [yesterday] was a confidence booster, but we need to take it one game at a time.”

IN DECIDING WHICH LAW SCHOOL TO ATTEND,

CONSIDER THIS:

Quinnipiac University School of Law ranks among the top 100 law schools in such categories as bar passage rates for first time takers (95%); student LSAT scores; student/faculty ratio (9.5 to 1); and average expenditures per student. Not to mention, we offer merit scholarships ranging from $3,000 to full tuition. Before you decide which school to attend, make sure you review the facts. To learn more, visit law.quinnipiac.edu, email ladm@quinnipiac.edu or call 1-800-462-1944.

LAW.QUINNIPIAC.EDU | HAMDEN, CONNECTICUT

TUFTS POLICE CRIME PREVENTION REMINDER PREVENTING CAR BREAKS GPS DEVICES ARE THE MOST FREQUENTLY STOLEN ITEMS. •Remove the GPS from your vehicle.

•Remove any telltale signs of the GPS such as mounts or suction cups.

•Wipe the area clean of any residue (circles) made by the suction cups.

DO NOT LEAVE purses, wallets, IPods, money (including spare change) in your vehicle.

THE TUFTS DAILY

10

SPORTS

Friday, October 2, 2009

!"#$%&#'(&)#*+)%",#*-#)$.#/.(01#2*'(&3*#)*&&.&#*".#*-#)$.#&.(&*"4&#5.&)#,(6.& INSIDE MLB

continued from page 12

other National League team since the All-Star break and needed a win to stay alive in the Wild Card race.

Nolasco had every pitch in his arsenal — fastball, slider, curveball, splitter — working on Wednesday night, and his command was as good as ever. He struck out Nate McLouth to open the game and didn’t look back from there.

By the time Nolasco departed with the score favoring the Marlins 5-2 in the eighth inning, he had sent 16 Atlanta batters back to the dugout shaking their heads, the highest single-game strikeout total for any pitcher this season, topping the 15-punchout efforts of Tim Lincecum and Zack Greinke.

Starting with Adam LaRoche to lead off the third and continuing until Chipper Jones finished the fifth, Nolasco went through the Braves lineup and told every player to grab some pine, becoming just the third pitcher in the modern era — and the first since Jake Peavy in 2007 — to strike out nine consecutive hitters. Nolasco’s streak was just one shy of Hall of Famer Tom Seaver’s record 10 straight K’s, set on April 22, 1970.

All told, Nolasco allowed two runs (none earned) on four hits and two walks, lowering his season ERA to 5.06 and picking up his 13th win of the season. His effort was the epitome of finishing strong.

Let Lady Luck keep her purse, Ricky, and you’ll do just fine.

MCT

Ricky Nolasco nearly set a Major League Baseball record by striking out nine straight Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night.

STATISTICS | STANDINGS Field Hockey

Women's Soccer

(5-0, 3-0 NESCAC) NESCAC

W 3 Trinity 3 Tufts 3 Williams Conn. Coll. 2 2 Amherst 1 Bowdoin 1 Colby Middlebury 1 Wesleyan 0 0 Bates

T. Brown A. Russo M. Burke T. Guttadauro J. Perkins M. Kelly L. Griffith K. Eaton M. Scholtes

L W 0 6 0 5 0 3 1 3 2 5 2 4 2 4 2 3 3 2 4 1 G 5 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 0

Goalkeeping GA M. Zak 3 K. Hyder 0

(3-3-0, 1-2-0 NESCAC)

A 1 2 3 0 1 0 0 0 1

T 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Pts 11 6 5 4 3 2 2 2 1

S S% 12 .800 1 1.00

NESCAC

NESCAC OVERALL

OVERALL

L 0 0 3 3 2 2 2 2 3 5

Men's Soccer

W 3 Amherst Middlebury 3 3 Williams 1 Trinity 1 Bates 1 Bowdoin 1 Tufts Wesleyan 1 0 Colby Conn. Coll. 0

A. Maxwell C. Cadigan S. Nolet A. Michael W. Hardy J. Love-Nichols F. Gamal B. Morgan O. Rowse

L 0 0 0 1 2 2 2 2 2 3

T 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0

G 2 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0

W 5 5 7 2 2 3 3 4 2 3

L 1 0 0 1 3 3 3 2 3 4

T 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 0

W Trinity 2 Wesleyan 2 Williams 2 Bowdoin 3 Amherst 2 Conn. Coll. 2 Middlebury 1 Bates 0 Tufts 0 Colby 0

L 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 3 3 4

A 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0

Pts 4 3 3 2 2 1 0 0 0

R. Coleman D. Schoening Blumenthal A. Lach S. Saropoulos M. Fitzgerald B. Green P. Tonelli N. Muakkassa

G 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0

Goalkeeping GA S S% K. Minnehan 3 26 .867

T 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

A 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0

L 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 4 4 5

NESCAC OVERALL

T 1 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1

Pts 3 3 2 2 2 1 1 1 0

Goalkeeping GA S S% P. Tonelli 12 19 .613

W 2 2 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

L W L 0 8 2 0 6 3 0 12 1 0 9 4 1 7 5 1 10 3 0 8 2 1 3 15 2 8 2 2 4 9 2 4 8

Offensive C. Updike Joyce-Mendive B. Helgeson E. Lokken L. Nicholas K. Ellefsen B. Neff

Kills SA 144 46 125 38 117 43 53 37 52 36 29 11 21 21

Amherst Trinity Tufts Williams Bowdoin Conn. Coll.

Middlebury Hamilton Bates Colby Wesleyan

Defensive A. Kuan D. Feiger C. Updike B. Helgeson N. Shrodes K. Engelking

B 0 5 1 2 1 0

NCAA Div. III Field Hockey

(0-1, 0-1 NESCAC)

(11-1, 2-0 NESCAC)

OVERALL

W 5 4 5 5 4 4 4 2 1 1

Football

Volleyball

(1-4-1, 0-3-0 NESCAC)

Digs 200 90 88 87 79 62

Amherst Bowdoin Trinity Wesleyan Williams Bates Colby Hamilton Middlebury Tufts

W 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

L 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1

PF 21 50 35 7 23 14 19 12 35 3

(Sept. 29, 2009)

PA 12 35 14 3 19 35 23 21 50 7

Rushing Att. Yds. Avg. D. Ferguson 14 47 3.4 P. Bailey 10 29 2.9 G. Stewart 2 15 7.5

TD 0 0 0

Passing Pct. Yds TD INT McManama 39.0 133 0 0 Receiving P. Bailey O. Gray

No. Yds Avg. TD 6 52 52 0 1 17 17 0

Defense M. Murray T. Tassinari D. Simmons

Tack INT Sack 0 10.0 0 0 9.0 0 0 7.0 0

Points (First-place votes) 1. Messiah, 1085 (44) 2. Salisbury, 1025 (2) 3. Tufts, 975 (6) 4. Ursinus, 906 5. SUNY Cortland, 848 6. Trinity College, 761 7. Lebanon Valley, 708 8. TCNJ, 606 9. Johns Hopkins, 604 10. Skidmore, 527

N.E. Div. III Women's Soccer

(Sept. 29, 2009) 1. Messiah 2. Puget Sound 3. Williams 4. Wheaton 5. William Smith 6. Illinois Wesleyan 7. Ithaca 8. Trinity (Texas) 9. Wartburg 10. Johns Hopkins

Editors' Challenge | Week 4 The reign is over.

After five straight weeks atop the Eds’ Challenge list, including a first-place finish at the end of last fall, Phil “Bleep Button” Dear’s stranglehold on the top spot came to an end at the hands of Steve “Late Night” Smith. Though Dear went a respectable 12-4 last week, Smith edged him out thanks to a 13-3 run, moving ahead in the overall standings by one game.

The editors returned to their Week One prowess following a relatively disappointing second round, as every sports guru correctly nailed at least 11 games. Tied with Dear is Sapna “Five-Eight-Forty” Bansil, who also clocked in at 13-3. Evan “Coop” Cooper had the highest correct percentage last week, finishing at 14-2 and moving up three spots into sole possession of fourth place.

OVERALL RECORD LAST WEEK

Steve 37-11 13-3

Detroit at Chicago Cincinnati at Cleveland Seattle at Indianapolis NY Giants at Kansas City Baltimore at New England Tampa Bay at Washington Tennessee at Jacksonville Oakland at Houston NY Jets at New Orleans Buffalo at Miami St. Louis at San Francisco Dallas at Denver San Diego at Pittsburgh Green Bay at Minnesota

Chicago Cincinnati Indianapolis NY Giants Baltimore Washington Tennessee Houston New Orleans Miami San Francisco Dallas Pittsburgh Minnesota

Phil 36-12 12-4

Sapna 36-12 13-3

Chicago Chicago Cincinnati Cincinnati Indianapolis Indianapolis NY Giants NY Giants New England Baltimore Washington Washington Tennessee Tennessee Houston Houston New Orleans New Orleans Buffalo Buffalo San Francisco San Francisco Dallas Dallas Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Minnesota Minnesota

Further down the standings are Jeremy “Wild Card” Greenhouse, who also had a 13-3 week, and Dave “Do Work” Heck, both of whom stand at 34-14 overall. Alex “Tape Delay from Mudville” Prewitt, who went 12-4 this week, is just one game behind the pair, finishing at 33-15.

Again proving that an inverse relationship between sports section power and picking ability exists, Ethan “Sing Us a Song, I’m the Flannel Man” Landy went 11-5 last week, the worst out of all editors, and is just one game ahead of Mike “Baba Ganoush (The Big Guy)” Spera, who also rang in at 11-5.

Returning to the Daily sports pages to share her love of shoes and possibly selecting expertise from the Windy City is Carly “Marry Me Carlos Quentin” Helfand, the last remaining sports editor from the Class of 2009 to guest pick.

Evan 35-13 14-2

Dave 34-14 11-5

Jeremy 34-14 13-3

Alex 33-15 12-4

Chicago Cincinnati Indianapolis NY Giants New England Washington Jacksonville Houston NY Jets Miami San Francisco Dallas San Diego Minnesota

Chicago Cincinnati Indianapolis NY Giants Baltimore Washington Tennessee Houston New Orleans Buffalo San Francisco Dallas Pittsburgh Minnesota

Chicago Cincinnati Indianapolis NY Giants Baltimore Washington Jacksonville Houston New Orleans Buffalo San Francisco Denver Pittsburgh Green Bay

Chicago Cincinnati Indianapolis NY Giants New England Washington Tennessee Houston New Orleans Miami San Francisco Dallas San Diego Minnesota

Ethan 32-16 11-5

MIke 31-17 11-5

Chicago Chicago Cincinnati Cincinnati Indianapolis Indianapolis NY Giants NY Giants New England Baltimore Washington Washington Tennessee Tennessee Houston Houston New Orleans New Orleans Buffalo Buffalo San Francisco San Francisco Dallas Dallas San Diego San Diego Minnesota Minnesota

GUEST Carly Helfand Chicago Cincinnati Indianapolis NY Giants Baltimore Washington Tennessee Houston NY Jets Miami San Francisco Dallas Pittsburgh Minnesota

Friday, October 2, 2009

THE TUFTS DAILY

11

SPORTS

INSIDE THE NFL

ETHAN FRIGON | THE BEARD ABIDES

!"#$%&&'()*+,-.%/.(+-01*2/3.1-/45(2-6474")4+4-8%63-91:(;2 BY

ETHAN LANDY

Daily Editorial Board

Arguably the best kicker in conference history is returning to NESCAC country on Sunday.

Steve Hauschka, a Needham, Mass. native and former All-NESCAC kicker and punter at Middlebury, will be at Gillette Stadium on Sunday afternoon when his Baltimore Ravens play the New England Patriots. Baltimore is undefeated so far at 3-0, with Hauschka doing his part to help the effort on special teams.

Hauschka’s whirlwind ascent to the role of NFL place kicker began when he was still an undergrad at Middlebury. There, Hauschka started off as a member of both the soccer and lacrosse teams as a freshman.

But in his sophomore year, Hauschka decided to take his strong leg to the football field, even though he had never played the sport. He beat out five others to earn the starting job — a smart move by the Panthers’ coaches, as he became the best kicker in the history of the school.

In 2006 Hauschka tied former Tufts kicker Marcellus Rolle’s NESCAC mark for field goals in a season with 10, a year in which he was named to First Team All-NESCAC as both a kicker and a punter. By the end of his career, he set a Middlebury record with 20 career field goals.

Though he graduated with a degree in neuroscience and considered going to dental school, Hauschka was not ready to give up on his football career.

He followed Boston College coach Tom O’Brien to North Carolina (NC) State and beat out two others for the kicking job.

In his only year with the Wolfpack, he was a perfect 25-of-25 in extra points and also 16 of 18 in field goal attempts, including 8-for-8 from beyond 40 yards and also a game winning field goal against Miami. That was enough to lead the Atlantic Coast Conference in field goal percentage and earn him a spot on the semifinalist list for the Lou Groza Award as the best kicker in the nation.

After his year as a graduate student at NC State, Hauschka signed as an undrafted free agent with the Minnesota Vikings before winding up on the Ravens roster last season, where he served as the team’s kickoff specialist.

With the release of incumbent kicker Matt Stover in March, the door was open for Hauschka to fight for a starting position. But filling the shoes of one of

T

MCT

Former Middlebury Panther Steve Hauschka has taken over from Matt Stover as the Baltimore Ravens’ kicker. The Ravens will bring their perfect record to Gillette Stadium to take on the New England Patriots this weekend. the most accurate kickers in the history of the NFL is a tall task, and Hauschka had to fight to earn the role.

Hauschka was locked in a preseason battle with 2008 Lou Groza Award winner and Florida State alum Graham Gano. But Hauschka’s preseason performance was strong enough to hold off his more heralded challenger and get the starting nod for a Ravens team that has serious championship aspirations.

Now that he is the full-time kicker in Baltimore, Hauschka is taking advantage of his latest opportunity. He is 5-for-7 on field goals through the team’s first three games, including a 54-yarder, and he is a

perfect 13-for-13 on extra points.

In a few months, Hauschka could end up kicking in the postseason for the first time in his football career, as the NESCAC does not allow its participants to play in NCAA events and NC State did not make a bowl game in 2008.

Doing so would be the culmination of an already remarkable run for Hauschka that has seen him win two collegiate kicking jobs as a walk-on and stick on an NFL team as an undrafted free agent. And come this weekend, he just might add one more item to his résumé: beating the team he grew up rooting for.

<(=(;2(-'44.%;>-64-51.(-)%>-?'1,2-:(+2*2-@4)/162 FOOTBALL

continued from page 12

passes against the Cardinals, he spread the wealth around to eight different receivers, including junior Pat Bailey, who hauled in six passes for 52 yards.

Versus a depleted Bates passing defense, which allowed 208 yards and two passing touchdowns in a 35-14 loss to Trinity, McManama could have a field day. Much of this, though, will hinge on the offense’s ability to sustain productive drives. Last year, the Jumbos punted eight times against Bates and converted on just 33 percent of third downs.

“I’m hoping to have the completion rating over 70 this week, just working on getting that up,” McManama said. “We need to make sure that everyone’s in the right spot on each play down to the very yard, especially if we’re doing anything to alter the play.”

But Tufts is confident its offense can return to its 2008 prowess, when the Jumbos ranked fifth in the conference in scoring.

“We only put up three points last week and we kind of took that personally,” McManama said. “We definitely want to come out Saturday flying around and put the ball in the end zone four or five times. We’ve taken a hard look at what happened and we’ve been trying to be aggressive and

Fresh Stripes

real focused in regards to getting first downs and trying to get the ball in the end zone.”

The Jumbos were able to take away positives from their defense, which stifled Wesleyan on Saturday and will have to do the same this weekend at Bates to avoid a 0-2 start.

Tufts held Wesleyan to 218 total yards, including 55 passing, the fewest out of all NESCAC schools that week. The Jumbos totaled five tackles for a loss and three sacks, but ceded 163 yards on the ground. Against a Bates team that netted only 30 total rushing yards in its first contest, the Jumbos’ defense looks to set the tone early.

“Defensively, we need to make big plays because that was what lacked from the game on Saturday,” Perry said.

“We’ve got to force a couple big turnovers, bring it to them early and set the tone. We think we can come out and still do some damage.”

“In most football games, the game is won or lost with the turnover margin,” senior quad-captain Tom Tassinari added. “Our defense didn’t cause any turnovers, and I think that’s a huge key to winning. This whole week we’ve been preaching stripping the ball and getting interceptions.”

But despite Tufts’ history of domination against the Bobcats, the Jumbos empha-

size that Saturday’s showdown will be a new game against a completely different Bates team, and the past cannot indicate what will happen in the future.

“I think they’re a lot better from last year, with a spread offense and a new quarterback,” Perry said. “You don’t look at the history; every year is a new year.

In this conference, every team is pretty much even and anything can happen each week. You have to prepare the same way because no team is going to be a cake walk.”

With one game already in the books, McManama is quick to note the importance of experience for a young Tufts squad.

“We moved the ball fairly well [against Wesleyan], but we had penalties in crucial situations and mental mistakes in crucial situations,” he said. “We’re real confident this week, we only had four prior starters on Saturday and this week guys are feeling a lot more comfortable in their roles.”

But the importance of getting back on the right path with a road win is at the forefront of the Jumbos’ minds.

“I know how I feel after a loss, and after I win [I] feel so much better; the pain doesn’t hurt as much and you don’t lose sleep,” Tassinari said. “As a team ... we [need to] get this win and get the momentum going and get back on track, because winning is contagious.”

here are no constants in sports, but Tiger Woods is as close to one as anything else I have seen in my lifetime. He entered the limelight in earnest with his record-breaking third consecutive U.S. Amateur Championship in 1996, back when I was seven years old. I can’t remember golf without Tiger, and it still feels weird every time he and his red shirt don’t come through with a victory on Sunday at a major.

Even more consistent than Tiger’s performance throughout the years has been his eternally even-keeled demeanor. His show of emotion on the course has been limited to an enthusiastic fist pump or two after sinking a big shot.

He is clearly a top-flight competitor who is confident in his ability to win, regardless of his opponent.

This confidence, however, never crosses the line into cockiness or arrogance. And for a guy who has made hundreds of millions of dollars in endorsements, Tiger has always been pretty uncharismatic off the links as well.

And, in all honesty, who can blame him? His responsibility is his marketability. His lack of charisma is made up for by the fact that he has never made a foolish mistake or had a misguided outburst.

Recently, though, the world has seen a new side of Tiger Woods. It’s a slightly goofier, more human side, one that makes perhaps the most beloved athlete of our time even more likable. It also seems to have caught many people off-guard.

The first sign of the change came at this August’s Buick Open, when Tiger and his caddy Steve Williams were shown by CBS cameras laughing after a member of the gallery cracked a sonorous fart. Or was it actually Tiger doing the farting? Tiger was even asked about the incident at his post-tournament press conference, and it became an Internet sensation. How straight-laced do we have to think an athlete is for us to make an issue of him and a buddy laughing at some flatulence?

The second sign came from comments Tiger made a couple of weeks ago about Ernie Els. Tiger, while always a competitor, has never been one to make any remotely negative or inflammatory comments toward his opponents.

However, in talking about Els, who a few years back was arguably Woods’ closest competitor, Tiger said, “Ernie is not a big worker physically, and that’s one of the things you have to do with an ACL injury … I feel pretty good with what I’ve done, and I think Ernie could have worked a little bit harder.”

For Tiger to call out one of his adversaries is unprecedented. It does, however, make some sense. Tiger had the exact same surgery as Els just over a year ago and has clearly recovered from it much better than Els has.

Also, Els spoke a few years back of a “three-year plan” to revamp his game to challenge Tiger. So maybe this was the competitor inside Tiger tweaking Els for his clear failure to challenge the master.

Or, possibly, this newfound sense of outward emotion and humor is a sign of increased maturity of sorts and a changed personality. Within the past two years, Tiger has lost his father, the main influence on his career, and he and his wife have had two kids.

So maybe the new Tiger is the byproduct of changed priorities and a life re-examined. A competitor realizing that there’s more to living than the game he’s devoted his whole life to. That sometimes it’s alright to crack a smile about a fart on the course, or to tweak an opponent off the course.

Either way, we could all take a hint from the new Tiger, and I, for one, hope that he’s here to stay.

Ethan Frigon is a junior majoring in economics and International Relations. He can be reached at Ethan.Frigon@tufts.edu.

Sports

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tuftsdaily.com

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

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Football Breakdown week 2

ALEX PREWITT

Daily Editorial Board

In its opening contest last weekend at Wesleyan, Tufts’ retooled offense sputtered, managing only a field goal in the 7-3 loss and compiling just 234 yards of total offense. For the Jumbos, who have not won an away game since Sept. 29, 2007, there is no team they would rather see on the road than Bates, a squad that Tufts has beaten every year since 1986.

The Jumbos get their shot at the Bobcats this Saturday in Lewiston, Maine. The Tufts team hopes to get its offense on the right path so that it can head into two crucial NESCAC games in the following weeks on a high note.

“We’re all fired up and ready to go,” senior quad-captain Alex Perry said. “Everyone’s biting at the bit for Saturday to roll around. We need this to get back on the winning track to get the spirits up.”

Though Tufts outdistanced the Cardinals in yardage last Saturday, the Jumbos’ net gain was still over 100 yards short of their 2008 average. Additionally, Tufts was unable to score a touchdown, reaching the Wesleyan red zone just three times.

Such offensive struggles might seem natural for a squad without its senior quarterback Anthony Fucillo, who went down with an ankle injury in a scrimmage against Bowdoin. Last year’s leading rusher Will Forde (LA ’09) and

at BATES

TUFTS

at HAMILTON

WESLEYAN

at MIDDLEBURY

COLBY

at BOWDOIN

AMHERST

JAMES CHOCA/TUFTS DAILY

Senior running back Darren Ferguson, seen here in the Jumbos’ 2008 season-opener against Wesleyan, will try to crack through the Bobcats’ defense as Tufts searches for its first win of the season. leading receiver David Halas (LA ’09) are also missing from this year’s lineup.

With Fucillo’s status uncertain and Forde and Halas long gone, new faces will have to pull their weight in order for Tufts to have a shot at continuing its

23-game winning streak against the Bobcats.

Success could come through the air via senior quarterback Tom McManama. Though the senior completed just 39.4 percent of his

at WILLIAMS

TRINITY

see FOOTBALL, page 11

INSIDE MLB

Both teams are 0-1 and will be looking for their first win of the season. The Bobcats will try to get their ground game in gear after rushing for just 30 yards versus Trinity, while the Jumbos will look to exploit a Bates defense that gave up 190 yards on the ground.

This is a matchup of last year’s NESCAC cellar dwellers, though each appears headed in opposite directions. The Cardinals beat Tufts last week and would already double last year’s win total with a victory over the Continentals, who fell to Amherst in their first game.

Colby’s upset bid last week versus Williams fell just short, but it could make some noise in the conference by beating the Panthers. Middlebury will be hoping to solve its defensive issues after giving up a staggering 50 points in its opening loss to Bowdoin.

Are the Polar Bears for real? Saturday’s visit to Amherst will go a long way to answering that question.

Bowdoin exploded for 19 fourthquarter points last week in its 50-35 win over Middlebury and will need to duplicate its offensive output to beat the Lord Jeffs on the road.

The top two teams from the NESCAC in 2008 will duke it out in Hartford, Conn. this weekend. The Bantams’ title defense got off to a good start with a win over Bates, while Williams needed a last-minute score to upend Colby. The Ephs were the last team to beat Trinity at home, way back in 2001.

— by Ethan Landy

FIELD HOCKEY

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DANIEL RATHMAN

Daily Editorial Board

When the Florida Marlins’ Ricky Nolasco took the mound in Atlanta on Wednesday night, he did so hoping to finish off an arduous season on a high note.

Six months earlier, Nolasco had entered his 2009 campaign looking to build on a phenomenal breakout effort that saw him post a solid 3.52 ERA and 1.10 WHIP the previous year. Wedged between his 2009 debut on April 6 and his season finale two nights ago were a slew of trying times and terrible luck.

Nolasco’s emergence as an elite starting pitcher during the 2008 season was surprising to many, but his peripheral statistics suggested that it was not a fluke. Sure, he allowed 28 home runs and took on a load of 212.1 innings, scores above his previous career high.

But the 26-year-old also logged a terrific 186-to-42 (4.43) strikeout-to-walk ratio that ranked seventh among all starters in the majors and foretold even brighter things to come.

Five of the six names above Nolasco on the aforementioned list were stars: Roy Halladay, Dan Haren, Josh Beckett, Cliff Lee and Mike Mussina. The young Marlin had clearly made his bid to join their class. His task this year was to replicate it.

And so, manager Fredi Gonzalez gave Nolasco the ball on Opening Day against the Washington Nationals.

He responded with six innings, during which he struck out six batters while walking none to earn a victory.

Unfortunately, Nolasco also allowed five runs on seven hits in that game.

Things continued in the same vein for most of April and May. Nolasco was keeping his walks down and his

strikeouts up, yet the hits kept on coming, no matter whom he was facing. In mid-May, Nolasco’s batting average on balls in play (BABIP) against was over .400, 100 points above the league average. Every groundball seemed destined to find a hole and every ducksnort liner managed to drop, to the point where one had to wonder if Nolasco had stolen Lady Luck’s purse and spit in her face.

Hoping to turn his fortunes around, the Marlins sent their former ace to Class-AAA New Orleans, where he promptly turned in a pair of excellent performances to earn a trip back to Florida. And from June 7 on, Nolasco — with the exception of three starts — has been one of the most dominant starting pitchers in baseball.

Excluding rough outings on Aug. 12, Aug. 23 and Sept. 14, Nolasco went 11-3 with a 2.73 ERA over 128.2 innings since returning from the minors. He walked just 26 batters over that span while fanning a whopping 149. That’s an outstanding 5.73 strikeout-to-walk ratio, which would put him third on the major league leaderboard, behind only Halladay and Haren.

But Nolasco’s rotten luck during the first two months of the season marred his total numbers to the point where, even after that streak of brilliance, he still came into Wednesday night’s start against the Atlanta Braves with a record of just 12-9 and an ERA of 5.28.

Yet that mattered little to the reemerging ace. All he wanted was to end the year the right way.

So, Ricky Nolasco took the mound at Turner Field, facing a Braves lineup that had scored more runs than any see INSIDE MLB, page 10

VIRGINIA BLEDSOE/TUFTS DAILY

Junior Tamara Brown’s seven-point day helped nationally ranked No. 3 Tufts get an easy non-conference win over Endicott yesterday.

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BY SAPNA

BANSIL

Daily Editorial Board

With the way the field hockey team has been controlling the game against its opponents this season, it was perFIELD HOCKEY (6-0, 3-0 NESCAC) at Bello Field, Thursday Endicott Tufts

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haps a bit overdue for a blowout victory. Enter Endicott.

Behind a career-high seven points from junior forward Tamara Brown, the nationally ranked No. 3 Jumbos cruised past the Gulls 5-0 yesterday afternoon at Bello Field. The victory kept Tufts perfect on the season, upping its record to 6-0.

Though the Jumbos entered the game having outshot their opponents see FIELD HOCKEY, page 9