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friday, october 5, 2012

VOLUME LXIV, NUMBER 20

Where You Read It First Est. 1980

CMS, Drama and Dance, ILVS discuss film studies major by

Martha Shanahan

Daily Editorial Board

Faculty members across university departments and programs are pushing for a bigger role for film studies in the School of Arts and Sciences curriculum, including tentative plans for a new faculty hire and eventually a new major in the concentration.

The Communications and Media Studies (CMS) Program, the Department of Drama and Dance and the International Letters and Visual Studies (ILVS) Program have been working with administrators such as Dean of Academic Affairs for Arts and Sciences Nancy Bauer to explore the possibility of a new faculty position, specifically an expert in film studies — something that has been missing from the Hill, according to Bauer.

“We are thinking about the possibility of hiring a [tenure track] faculty member who could help a major coalesce,” Bauer said. “We have a huge number of faculty interested in film [but] we have never had faculty trained in film studies or who had film as the main thing they do.”

The three departments that offer the most film courses — CMS, Drama and Dance and ILVS — submitted a joint request for a new faculty position last year. The request was

denied, but the programs’ directors are hopeful that a new request to be submitted to the deans in April will be approved, according to Director of the Drama and Dance Department Downing Cless.

“We were very much encouraged by the deans to resubmit that this coming April,” Cless said. “It is for a person who would be a Ph.D in film studies who would oversee the program and bring that kind of focused background to the program.”

CMS Director Julie Dobrow said the push for a focused approach to film studies stems from student interest.

“I think there’s a lot of interest in film studies around campus,” she said. “There are many different departments around campus where film courses are taught ... and film is certainly a very powerful way of conveying a lot of information.”

CMS currently offers a minor in film studies, but Dobrow said the minor’s role in any future reorganization of the program is unclear.

“We don’t really know where that’s all going to come out,” she said.

“We’re just in the beginning stages of discussion on that.”

“We would have to gauge the interest,” Bauer added. see FILM, page 3

sofia adams for the tufts daily

The Somerville Board of Aldermen is considering a new policy that would regulate food trucks, affecting popular campus vendors such as Moe’s BBQ Trolley and the Greek Festival truck.

Somerville officials look to regulate food trucks by

Daphne Kolios

Daily Editorial Board

The City of Somerville is in the process of formulating a regulatory ordinance in response to the recent food truck phenomenon.

Discussions began approximately

seven months ago, according to Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz. The procedure was initiated partially in response to safety and traffic concerns raised about currently operating food trucks, according to Doug Kress (MA ’15), a see FOOD TRUCK, page 2

Local businesses shying away from steep JumboCash transaction fees by

Amelia Quinn

Daily Editorial Board

Andrew Schneer / The Tufts Daily

The School of Engineering aims to renovate the Science and Technology Center and Halligan Hall over the summer, with plans to utilize these new spaces for research and collaboration between faculty and students.

Engineering School to expand facilities Daniel Gottfried Contributing Writer

This summer, the School of Engineering plans to create a more collaborative work space for students and faculty by renovating the Science and Technology Center (Sci-Tech) and parts of Halligan Hall that were occupied by the Athletics

Department before coaches moved into the Steve Tisch Sports and Fitness Center.

“World class faculty and world class students deserve world class space,” Scott Sahagian, executive associate dean at the School of Engineering, said.

“We are trying to get to that level to satisfy those needs.”

Communications Director

at the School of Engineering Julia Keller said the new space will bring together faculty and students from different disciplines.

“We have the ability to create doctoral students coming out of Tufts in this great interdisciplinary area,” she said.

Inside this issue

see ENGINEERING, page 2

On and off of the Tufts campus, a student ID is multipurpose; one tap gets you into your dorm, one scan gets you into Spring Fling and one swipe gets you a sandwich at Tasty Gourmet. The use of a student ID at a local business, though, comes with a heavy fee.

“New businesses who join the program are assessed eight percent of each transaction, plus a fifteen cents per transaction fee,” Director of Dining and Business Services Patti Klos said.

Klos, who oversees dining on all three campuses as well as the JumboCash Office, added that JumboCash has grown out of Dining Services over the past 25 years, but that the program cannot be fully supported by Dining Services’ budget.

“The JumboCash fees are charged by our program to the vendor as a way to offset the cost of the program,” Klos said. “JumboCash is not another credit card, it is the campus debit card, a way to conduct business around campus with the convenience of paying with your campus ID.” Despite its convenience for Tufts students, some local businesses have opted not to accept JumboCash.

“First of all, our business is great

[without it], and then the second main reason is the percentage that would be taken away from our business ... [it] is a little bit too high,” David Qyrasi, partner and general manager of Helen’s Roast Beef & Pizzeria, said.

Qyrasi also emphasized that although JumboCash is useful for students on campus, the program provides Helen’s with no foreseeable benefit.

“For the students, it’s great, they can use it anywhere they want around on campus or outside the campus, but for us it’s a little different,” he said. “I don’t think we lose any business because we don’t accept JumboCash. If one person likes the food that we have here, they’ll come no matter what.”

However, for other business establishments, passing up the chance to serve Tufts students reliant on JumboCash is not an option in the current economy. Ralph Martin, owner and operator of Tasty Gourmet, said that JumboCash is a prime opportunity to expand his business.

“The demand was from the students to begin with, so [JumboCash] called me and we accepted it shortly after, probably two years ago,” he said. “When the recession came about, there was no reason not to take it — you can’t lose any sales.” see JUMBOCASH, page 2

Today’s sections

Subdued themes aside, Green Day’s latest is the band’s most finessed album yet.

Emo rears its mopey head in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.”

see ARTS, page 5

see ARTS, page 5

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Friday, October 5, 2012

Somerville aldermen to vote on food truck ordinance FOOD TRUCK

continued from page 1

Bush Leadership Fellow who works with the Somerville government.

Gewirtz said that food trucks operating within Somerville are required to have a state license, but the Board of Aldermen has been trying to determine how to monitor food trucks at a local level since there are no consistent regulations in place.

Food trucks, including those on Tufts’ campus, would be required to abide by the safety components of the proposed ordinance, according to Kress. These regulations would ensure that the presence of food trucks does not impede visibility and traffic flow of cars, pedestrians and bicyclists and that food trucks are positioned a safe distance from intersections and curbs.

Local ordinances must also align with state regulations governing health and safety, he added.

“Because they’re mobile kitchens, [there are] implications within the fire department and also with the construction of it ... making sure all those things meet state health codes are critical,” Kress said.

Since the streets on the Tufts campus are privately owned, the university has control over whether or not food trucks are allowed, Kress said.

“The university itself could identify those internal streets [as] places they’d allow food trucks,” he said. “They’re

allowed on private property as long as they’re on a hard surface.”

An initial draft of the ordinance was presented in June but was not approved by the Board of Aldermen at the time, Gewirtz said. Discussions since then have focused on addressing various questions and concerns, she added.

Gewirtz said that there has been conversation over whether to require Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) background checks for vendors, especially those catering to children.

A pilot program was proposed as a way to explore and evaluate the proposed ordinance, according to Gewirtz. However, Kress explained that there were concerns over how the pilot would affect existing food trucks and whether it would extend to only a certain geographic area or cover all of Somerville for a specified period.

“The full Board of Aldermen decided they wanted to make some amendments to [the ordinance], so it came back to the city, and they’re working as a whole so that every member can participate in deliberating and voting,” Gewirtz told the Daily.

A meeting of the Legislative Matters Committee was slated for Oct. 1 for further discussion, but it did not reach a quorum of aldermen and was postponed until Oct. 23.

Given that food trucks are a relatively recent trend, Somerville has had to adapt to the new considerations posed by these

street vendors, according to President and CEO of the Somerville Chamber of Commerce Stephen Mackey.

“Every city has to really renovate their ordinances in this area, really go back and redo things pretty much from scratch,” Mackey told the Daily. “The way new regulations are approached, [this] has to be about public convenience, public order, public health and public safety — not about competition.”

But according to Mackey, the regulations should not serve to hamper competition.

“New regulations are needed here, but new regulations cannot have an anticompetitive undercut,” he said. “You can’t regulate it on that basis. It’s a competitive world, it’s a competitive marketplace.”

Gewirtz noted that there is robust interest in and support of food trucks within the business world.

“There are a lot of local businesses that are 100 percent for it,” she said. “Food trucks bring people and that helps local businesses.”

Kress referenced the Riverfest in Assembly Square last month, which featured food trucks such as Paris Creperie and the Taco Truck.

“The biggest crowd[s] were around the food trucks,” he said. “It does show that there is a group that really [is] interested in having access to a variety of foods.”

JumboCash inconvenient for off-campus merchants JUMBOCASH

Cartoonists Editorialists

News | features

continued from page 1

Martin estimated that accepting JumboCash brings in an average of $3,000 to $4,000 a month. “[That is] simply because the store is well known, [the] students love the food and we love the students,” he said.

Martin recognizes the limitations, though, that arise from Tufts’ fees.

“It’s not our best choice for a card [because] regular cards are three percent,” he said. “It doesn’t help the cash flow, because you’re laying out the money ... the expenses are there, and they take their time paying, plus grab the high percentage.”

Students have played a key role in convincing 25 off-campus locations to accept JumboCash, according to Klos.

“The ability to use JumboCash with offcampus [businesses] is a direct response to students’ requests,” she said. “Since its inception 15 years ago, students have encouraged off-campus merchants to participate in the program to make it easier for them to make purchases at these businesses. Of course, participation is entirely voluntary, so it ultimately is up to the business to join.”

Many Tufts students are unaware, however, of the fees facing off-campus businesses that accept JumboCash.

“I knew there was a number, but I didn’t know how much it was,” senior Moe Barry said. “Eight percent seems awfully high. It

Zhuangchen Zhou / The Tufts Daily

Students appreciate the convenience of using JumboCash at local businesses. makes sense for why a lot of off-campus restaurants haven’t gone onto it.”

Barry, who uses JumboCash off campus two to three times per week, said that he uses it out of convenience.

“It’s just easier,” Barry said. “If you’re coming back from the gym and all you have is your ID, it’s easier. Plus when it’s micro-transactions, it just sucks to constantly use your credit card, and I know

most people at Tufts don’t [carry] cash.”

Barry added that he wished that more establishments would accept JumboCash.

“There are so many places, like the Dunkin’ Donuts on Boston Ave, [that] would make a killing if they had something [so] students could use ... their Tufts ID,” he said.

“But if [Dining Services] does insist on [charging] so much money, then it doesn’t seem feasible.”

New spaces to facilitate student, faculty research ENGINEERING

continued from page 1

The new spaces could produce results comparable to the renovations to Tufts Gordon Institute (TGI) buildings, which has allowed for the collaboration of engineers and biologists since the space was created eight years ago, Keller said.

“The nature of our buildings is such that, as sciences change, we have to change our facilities to meet the requirements of the faculty,” Sahagian said. “A lot of this is reclaiming space that will be converted to meet the demands of faculty and the students.”

In addition to creating new work spaces, construction teams will also improve the exteriors of both Halligan and the Sci-Tech building, Director of Facilities Services Bob Burns said.

“We will try [to] do all of our work

during the summer. However, some of the projects take longer than 10 to 12 weeks,” Burns said.

Still in its design phase, the Halligan renovation plan will mostly affect the building’s second floor. Construction on Sci-Tech and Halligan will cost around $6 million each, Burns said.

“We will try [to] minimize disruption in Halligan, but if you are on the first floor, and we are doing renovations on the second floor, there could be some noisy vibrations,” Burns said. “While we do our best to minimize it, we can’t prevent it all the time.”

The new spaces will meet the demands of innovative faculty members who are studying a variety of academic fields, according to Sahagian.

“The best example I have is two professors from different fields, Fio Omenetto

and David Kaplan, who by chance walking down the hall began a discussion that mushroomed into all the good press we are receiving on the silk portfolio,” he said.

The “silk portfolio” uses silk to create optical technology to detect bacteria as well as new solar cells.

Although renovations will not be completed in time for current students to utilize the space, Keller believes that former construction projects to the buildings have served students well.

“Students are already benefiting from the plans that Dean Sahagian and Dean [Linda] Abriola instituted years ago,” Keller said. “The senior design labs in Sci-Tech also came online while I’ve been here. Within a few years, potentially within a student’s time at Tufts, I’ve seen four or five really unique, forwardthinking teaching spaces come online.”

Correction

In the Oct. 4 News article “Fraternities hold open recruitment this fall,” ATO was incorrectly referred to as Alpha Tau Omega. In fact, the chapter’s official name is ATO of Massachusetts.

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Courtesy oliver porter

Faculty members are working to revamp the university’s approach to film studies, including discussions of a film studies major.

Arts and Sciences looks to hire film studies expert FILM

continued from page 1

Jennifer Burton, professor of the practice in film under the Drama and Dance Department, sees an opportunity for faculty growth and the eventual possibility of a major. “I am so struck with how students are engaged with the production of film and really all aspects,� she said. “There’s a new film community being developed.

Students are already independently making these projects ... the current structure is supporting these students within classes that already exist, and

the idea is having that go further and having it become an actual major.�

Bauer, who has served as a Drama and Dance faculty member teaching classes in film, said the discussion of a more pointed approach to the study of film falls in line with Tufts’ attempt to stay up to date with interest in the field both on and off the Hill.

Bauer’s daughter, she said, chose another school over Tufts for its more extensive film studies opportunities. “It’s an issue that’s near and dear to my heart,� she said. “It’s just a part of where the world is going.�

Deadlines: October 15th, 2012 November 19th, 2012 February 18th, 2013 April 1st, 2013 Visit http://uss.tufts.edu/studentaffairs/slf.asp for more details!

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Comics

Friday, October 5, 2012

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Non Sequitur

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SUDOKU Level: Discovering India

Late Night at the Daily

Thursday’s Solution

Falcon: “I just want it to be tomorrow so I can go for my run, do my laundry and hang out with my mom.”

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Album Review

Skill, infectious energy characterize Green Day’s latest

by Josh

Weiner

Daily Editorial Board

“I’ve got no motivation! Where is my motivation?” bawled a wasted Billie Joe Armstrong on 1994’s “Long View,” one of

¡Uno! Green Day Reprise Records Green Day’s earliest mainstream singles. If Green Day’s fans bought into these lyrics 18 years ago, they’re forgiven for doubting that this trio of Californian stoner kids — lead singer Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt and drummer Tre Cool — would ever make much of an impact in the world outside of their mothers’ living rooms.

But what a difference time can make.

Green Day has since gone on to be one of the most productive and accomplished rock groups of the past generation, and has now capped off its already-impressive catalog with a trilogy of LPs to be released consecutively over the next four months: “¡Uno!,” “¡Dos!” and “¡Tré!”

Green Day has grown tremendously more aspirational in the last two decades, as evidenced by the world-in-my-palm mentality of “¡Uno!’s” first track and album highlight, “Nuclear Family” — “Gonna ride the world like a merry-go-round/ Like a Ferris Wheel like it’s breaking down!” Yet its newest album is decidedly smaller in scope and ambition from the apocalyptic rock opera format of its previous two efforts, “American Idiot” (2004) and “21st Century Breakdown” (2009). “¡Uno!” is substantially shorter than either record, at a scant 41 minutes long, and in contrast to the somber storylines upon which those two albums were structured, the band’s latest record marks a return to the youthful, care-free outbursts of energy that characterized its earliest work, most notably its breakout album, “Dookie” (1994).

Throughout much of “¡Uno!,” Armstrong is found comically harping over his love

Wikimedia Commons

The first album in Green Day’s planned trilogy showcases the band’s years of experience. interests in much the same style of “Dookie” cuts like “She.” On the tender “Sweet 16,” he describes some of his gruesome hardships — “I sleep on the floor on cardboard/ Stab out my heart like a dart board” — all to earn the love of the woman whom he claims “will always be my sweet 16.”

This is far from the only point on the album at which shocking subject matters get an infectious punk rock treatment.

“Kill the DJ” details an “I Shot the Sheriff”type desire to gun down a New York City disk jockey — perhaps a metaphor for the ongoing brainwashing of youth culture, a topic which Green Day has touched upon previously. On “Loss of Control,” lyrics such as, “Well we’re so crazy, you’ve all gone insane/ Loss of control, loss of control,” recall the famous paranoiac rants of the group’s classic single, “Basket Case.” In

short, “¡Uno!” finds Green Day living the good life, and inviting its masses of fans to join in on the fun.

Sonically speaking, “¡Uno!” is as professional as anything the band has ever done.

Songs like “Troublemaker,” “Angel Blue” and the lead single “Oh Love” feature some of the band’s most impressive guitar work in recent see UNO, page 6

Movie Review

Trite ‘Perks of Being a Wallflower’ wilts in theaters

by Veronica

Little

Contributing Writer

Not another teen movie.

Please God, not another teen movie.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower Starring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller Directed by Stephen Chbosky An adaptation of the bestselling ’90s book of the same title, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” is the coming-ofage tale of Charlie, a misfit high school freshman. Played by Logan Lerman, Charlie quietly navigates his first days at a new school by keeping to himself and reading a book at lunch.

Like the typical movie misfit, Charlie is a quiet and troubled talent who is sensitive and paralyzed by social anxiety. After his brief stint as an outcast, Charlie meets two enigmatic and charismatic half-sibling seniors, Patrick and Sam, played by Ezra Miller and Emma Watson, respectively. They instantly become Charlie’s best friends and welcome him into their

John Bramley / Summit Entertainment

In a film adaptation of the well-known ’90s novel, Watson and Lerman fail to live up to expectations group of friends that is composed of more misfits.

As the film proceeds, Patrick, Sam and the rest of their faithful troupe prove to be as imperfect and damaged as Charlie himself. The film focuses not just on Charlie’s trials and tribula-

tions, but also on those of his close friends. In fact, the most compelling storyline is that of Patrick, a gay teenager who is having a secret affair with the captain of the football team.

Ezra Miller’s performance as Patrick is the sole redemption of

this film as it supplies en masse the texture and legitimacy that the plot lacks.

Emma Watson, a big draw, struggles to portray Sam as a believable suburban kid, let alone a distressed nonconformist. Watson strives for realism,

but her performance comes off as lackluster and artificial.

Aside from occasional comedic situations and clever quips, this film is a trite and tired expression of teen angst.

The plot trudges along, revealing dramatic and contrived twists meant to illicit a sense of sympathy. These revelations are indelicate and cringe-worthy, and instead of engendering sympathy they come off as melodramatic and forced. When characters reveal their secrets — which include the loss of a friend to suicide, a character being taken advantage of by an older man and the death of a doting aunt — they awkwardly erupt in a fit of disingenuous human interaction.

As the film progresses, these admissions are quickly forgotten. The small nuggets of drama are never delved into or explained and remain only to add to the idea of damaged teenagers struggling to find their places in the world. The characters’ interactions leave something to be desired, as well. The script contains outrageously senseless one-liners such as, “Welcome to the island of misfit toys.”

“Perks” presents a stale, tired storyline. Worse, the film romanticizes adolescent feelings of isolation and genuine pain, sugsee PERKS, page 6

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‘Perks of Being a Wallflower’ uprooted by insensitivity PERKS

continued from page 5

gesting to its audience — largely teens themselves — that experiences of this nature are necessarily authentic. Even if that is true, “Perks” doesn’t do its viewers any favors by suggesting it’s cool to be broken, lonely and depressed.

Written and directed by Stephen Chbosky, the author of the novel, “Perks” is best compared to a gritty “Glee,” but without all the singing. The author also cannot claim that his book was botched

by Hollywood, having botched his story all by himself. However, Chbosky is a crafty con artist. He understands exactly how to pander to his audience, and pander he does. He creates a story that teens and college students think they can relate to.

Riding around in cars with the music turned up, hanging around diners with your friends and doing drugs recreationally all speak to the glories of an idealized American youth. Moviegoers relate immediately to these nostalgic portrayals of high school and willingly suspend their disbelief in order to re-experience adolescence, but with prettier people and more satisfying conclusions.

“Perks” is not a refreshing take on adolescence or an accurate portrayal of the high school experience, but a sad attempt to showcase juvenile anxiety and fear. While some performances are noteworthy, this film is everything that a teen movie shouldn’t be but frequently is: predictable, incendiary and just plain bad.

Green Day returns with scaled-down album UNO

continued from page 5

John Bramley / Summit Entertainment

Ezra Miller barely redeems “Perks” through his performance as Patrick.

!

memory and Armstrong demonstrates consistent prowess as the lead vocalist.

In terms of songwriting, though, the record is less of a step forward for the band. While the record features plenty of variety in subject matter, rarely does the group ever go out on a limb to make the bold statements that it did in past songs like “21 Guns,” “American Idiot” and “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” on which Armstrong denounced the horrors and purposelessness of the Iraq War and criticized his home country as being subverted and manipulated by the national media. From this standpoint, “¡Uno!” is either a less brave Green Day record, or a breath of fresh air after the seriousness of the other LPs from the second half of the band’s career. It remains to be seen how the November and January releases of “¡Dos!” and “¡Tré!” will build thematically upon this first installation in the series.

In this first chapter of Green Day’s upcoming album trilogy, no songs are as towering or narratively profound as the standout tracks from their last two records. Nonetheless, more than 20 years after these three pot-smoking punks first gathered with their guitars in their East Bay garage, they continue to provide some of the freshest, most involving music in the mainstream rock scene.

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Friday, October 5, 2012

Orioles, A’s look to cap magical seasons with postseason runs AL Preview

continued from back

also in the top ten in OBP. The biggest concern the Tigers will have is their bullpen. Last year, the team was bolstered by closer Jose Valverde, who didn’t blow a single save. But Valverde has struggled this year, and the team has a higher blown save percentage than any other American League playoff team. They’ve also allowed 31 percent of inherited runners to score, seventh worst in the Majors. But if Verlander and rotation-mate Max Scherzer can stay around deep into games, the offense will carry them deep into October.

2. New York Yankees After a frustrating year of injuries, questionable decisions, underperformance and a complete lack of clutch hitting, the Yankees still find themselves with the best record in the American League. They did it on the back of a resurgent season from Derek Jeter, who finished the year hitting .316 with 15 home runs, and a surging finish from Robinson Cano, who is 24-for-39 with three home runs and seven doubles in his last nine games.

They also have arguably the greatest postseason pitcher of all time in Andy Pettitte. Despite missing a decent chunk of the year because of an injury, Pettitte is 2-1 with a 1.62 ERA since returning to the mound. With C.C. Sabathia finally looking like his old self in his last three starts, the Yankees are as tough at the top of their rotation as anyone.

But if New York wants to go far, they have to avoid the gaping holes in their lineup that seem to appear whenever they need offense most. Alex Rodriguez hit just .250 in September, while Mark Texiera is 1-for-12 in his three games back from injury. The return of Brett Gardner and the reemergence of Ichiro Suzuki might mitigate these issues, but they could be enough to torpedo the Yankees’ hopes.

3. Texas Rangers Yes, Texas has to come through the Wild Card game.

And yes, they have lost five of their last six. But no team is as well-rounded as the Rangers, and can’t you see them beating the Orioles at home, taking the first two from the Yankees in front of a roaring home crowd, eking out one of the three in the Bronx and then outhitting the Tigers in the ALCS just like they did in 2011?

Any conversation about Texas has to start with the bats. The Rangers led the league in runs and hit .273 as a team. Adrian Beltre led the team with a .321 batting average and 36 homeruns, but it’s the depth of the lineup that makes it so potent. They have seven players with 15 or more home runs, including Josh Hamilton with 43, and six players hitting .275 or better. There are no easy outs in the lineup, making life tough for opposing pitches.

But if the Rangers are to fall, it will be due to a rotation that has underperformed all season long. Yu Darvish, after an impressive start, finished with just a 3.90 ERA,

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NL East, Central dominate playoff landscape NL PREVIEW

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MCT

Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers became the first player since 1967 to hit for the Triple Crown, and he will be looking to carry his team as the playoffs heat up. and the Rangers will likely have to give starts to Derek Holland, who has a 4.67 ERA. Even Matt Harrison, the team’s “ace,” has only been slightly above average. For Texas to succeed, they are going to have to toughen up on the mound.

4. Oakland A’s The league’s biggest surprise, Oakland defied expectations again and pushed their way to the AL West crown. They did it despite a lineup with just three players with Wins Above Replacement higher than 1.5 and just one higher than 2.3. The exception to the rule is rookie Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes, who hit .292 while smashing 23 home runs. But it’s going to take a lot more over performing to move on in the playoffs.

Of course, the A’s make up for their lineup with their pitching. Their three rookie starters, Tommy Millone, Jarrod Parker and A.J. Griffin have combined for 33 wins and a 3.51 ERA, and their bullpen has the league’s fourth-best ERA in the Majors. Pitching can carry you in October, and that will be the A’s hope this year.

5. Baltimore Orioles If Oakland was the season’s biggest shock, then the Orioles were the Cinderella story. Long the cellar dwellers of the AL East, the O’s seemed to be putting it together at the end of last year before exploding into the franchise’s first winning season since 1997. And much like the A’s, they did with a squad of typical underperformers who managed to do just enough to get them over the hump.

But the magic that held together Baltimore’s run may not be sustainable, as the team only posted a +7 run differential, by far the worst of any playoff team. The Orioles have also had a tumultuous and mediocre rotation, to say the least, with 12 pitchers making at least two starts for them this season. Although their bullpen has been one of the best in the league, it’s unlikely that the O’s have enough firepower to go far in October — but who knows? People were saying the same thing about the St. Louis Cardinals last year, and they ended up as World Series Champions.

the league for using performance enhancing drugs and will not appear in the postseason.

Besides Cabrera and standout catcher — and batting title-winner — Buster Posey, the Giants are an incredibly weak offensive team for a playoff qualifier, finishing dead last in the NL in home runs by a wide margin. For the team by the bay, it’ll come down to whether the offense can provide enough production to back the pitching staff. If that happens, watch out for the Giants to be World Series contenders.

3. Cincinnati Reds The Reds are an interesting case. They’ve racked up 97 wins this season, second in the Major Leagues, while using two everyday players (shortstop Zack Cozart and center fielder Drew Stubbs) that both compiled on-base percentages of .288 or less. Essentially, the strong production of the other hitters on the team allowed the Reds to win in spite of Cozart and Stubbs, as well as manager Dusty Baker, who refused to bench the underperformers.

Regardless, the Reds have a balanced team that should prove tough to beat in October. They blasted the third-most home runs in the National League and recorded the third-lowest ERA, leaving no weaknesses to be exploited.

But while the Reds can give any team in the playoffs a good fight over a long series, they just don’t have the firepower or the stellar pitching to outgun some of the better teams in October.

4. Atlanta Braves The first of the Wild Card teams will feel fortunate to get to the playoffs this season, as last year’s epic collapse by the Braves ranked among the worst in the history of baseball. Unlike the Red Sox, though, the Braves

Team focuses on mental toughness, team-building in off-week WOMEN’S SOCCER continued from back

With the victory, Tufts improved to 2-5-2 overall on the year. The Jumbos will return to action on Saturday when they travel to Connecticut College, still seeking their first win against a NESCAC

opponent this year.

“Obviously the goal of any game is to play well and come out on top, but at this point in the season, our remaining NESCAC games are huge,” Aronchick said. “We have to come through with wins in our game against Conn and in

the NESCAC games following so that we can secure our spot in the NESCAC tournament at the end of the season.”

Saturday’s affair presents quite a few fascinating storylines. Both teams have had their fair share of struggles this year, and will be

looking for their first conference win on Saturday. Both are coming off a victory, and will be looking to win two straight for the first time all year. For one team, this game may provide much-needed momentum heading into the season’s final stretch. But for the

rebounded from the meltdown with a strong season, and in third baseman and team legend Chipper Jones’ last year, the Braves will try to play the role of the dark horse in the playoffs.

Although the Braves have a strong pitching staff, their lack of overall offensive production may ultimately be their downfall. Atlanta ranks outside the top 5 in the NL in nearly all major offensive categories, including average and on-base percentage.

Their production from the middle-infield positions has been among the worst in the majors.

The team’s got talent and depth on the mound, especially in closer and Cy Young candidate Craig Kimbrel and starter Kris Medlen, but in the end, they probably won’t be able to keep up with the strong teams in a long series.

5. St. Louis Cardinals The playoff team with the worst record in the regular season also happens to be the defending champions, the St. Louis Cardinals. In their typical underdog style, the Cardinals have slogged through a difficult regular season without their old star Albert Pujols, but still have a shot to repeat their title, while Pujols and his Angels stay home.

But just like last year, it’s hard to see how the current team could make a run for a title, especially since they aren’t entering the playoffs with the type of momentum they had last season. Much of the core from last year remains, including standout catcher Yadier Molina and third baseman and World Series hero David Freese, but the team is rough on the edges, not possessing much pitching depth or a reliable bullpen. Of course, the Cardinals could shock everyone again and go on another extended run this year, but based on the rosters, it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen.

other, this game may serve as a bitter reminder of just how mediocre this season has been.

“I think we’ll approach Saturday’s game like the other NESCAC teams we’ve played,” Brady said. “We need to play hard for 90 minutes. If we do that, the result will be positive.”

MLB Playoffs Edition E Road game provides chance for first win EDITORS’ CHALLENGE: 2012 FOOTBALL

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Jumbos have almost entirely shirked the running game in an effort to stretch the field. Tufts ranks second in the NESCAC in passing yardage per game but dead last in rushing yards, and will look to even those numbers out against Bowdoin.

“Balance is always the theme,” Civetti said. “Fundamentally we want to be able to run the ball more.”

In their first two games against Middlebury and Amherst — perhaps the two best teams in the NESCAC — the Polar Bears’ defense has been torched for 399 yards per game. But the Jumbos aren’t taking that as any sign that the going will be easy for their offense.

Meanwhile, on the defensive side, Tufts will look to shut down Bowdoin entirely, much in the way it did three weeks ago.

“That was another high–energy scrimmage for the defense,” said sophomore linebacker Tommy Meade, the team leader in tackles through two weeks.

“We didn’t come out dead; we came out ready to play. That’s what we really need to bring into this next week.”

In their first two games, the Jumbos

have already allowed 66 points and nearly 384 yards per game. Most of those come from early, sloppy mistakes, and Civetti feels this problem is easily remedied with improvements to the tenacity with which the team plays.

“I expect the defense to tackle the football better, to play physical football and to get off the field on third down,” he said.

After two missed opportunities in their first two weeks, the Jumbos need to put on a convincing performance this week with the cream of the NESCAC crop looming just around the corner.

In their second go around with Bowdoin, the clocks in the fourth quarter will hit double-zeroes and the result will count in the standings. And as Tufts rides the bus back for the first time this season, they hope to be staring down their next set of difficult opponents with a win in hand — a midterm exam passed with flying colors.

“The expectation first and foremost is to win the game,” Civetti said. “To win the game, [we have to] play physical football and be more physical than Bowdoin. [We have to] play fundamentally sound football, [and we have to] play smart football.”

CHAMPION RUNNER UP GAMES

MVP

Aaron L.

6

Brandon Phillips

Alex B.

6

Nick Swisher

Andy W.

7

Nick Swisher

David M.

7

Robinson Cano

Ethan S.

6

Joey Votto

Jake I.

5

Drew Stubbs

Kate K.

6

Adam Jones

Marcus B.

6

Gio Gonzalez

Zachey K.

6

Chipper Jones

Sports

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tuftsdaily.com

Women’s Soccer

Football

Football prepared for test at Bowdoin by

Marcus Budline

Daily Editorial Board

It’s midterm exam time on campus, and not only in the classroom. On the football field, where the Jumbos prepare to take on Bowdoin this Saturday, it’s also their chance to show just how much progress they’ve made since the beginning of the season.

With 31 practices down and just 27 to go for Head Coach Jay Civetti’s team, this quasi-midseason test will be especially important, as the squad enters a daunting second half of the season after this week’s game in Brunswick, Maine. They follow up their tussle with the Polar Bears with three games against opponents that are a combined 5-1, so if Tufts intends to break a losing streak that now stretches over more than two years, now is the time.

And having already played and defeated the Polar Bears in a preseason scrimmage on Sept. 14, the Jumbos have plenty to analyze and improve on.

That Friday night, Tufts secured a shutout victory, 7-0, in a game that showcased the young team’s promise.

But much has changed over the past three weeks for the Jumbos, and the team feels even more prepared heading into their first game on the road.

“When we went into the scrimmage we were still learning the offense,” senior quarterback John Dodds said.

“I think three weeks later we’re getting a lot better at running our offense and we’re definitely more confident coming out into this game.”

The key for the Jumbos, if they hope to display their progress, will be to come out of the gates strong and not fall into an early hole. In their first two games, Tufts fell behind by three and two touchdowns, respectively, in the first quarters, prompting Civetti to make changes to practice in an effort to get his team ready for the first whistle.

“As a group, we felt like giving the kids an opportunity to start fast and get into a period where they have to compete right away,” Civetti said.

“Practice is designed like a game and we’re just trying to simulate [transition] to the best of our ability and give the guys a chance to come out and compete right away.”

The early deficits have forced the offense into an extremely pass-heavy attack. Dodds has thrown the ball 115 times — falling one short of the school’s single game record of 71 against Bates — over his first two outings, and the see FOOTBALL, page 7

Oliver Porter / The Tufts Daily

Tufts is looking to come out more physical against Bowdoin this weekend, as both teams look for their first win of the season.

AL Playoff Preview: Detroit rides three stars as Yankees, Rangers lurk by

Ethan Sturm

Down the stretch, the American League divisional races were fights between the princes and the paupers. In the East, the New York Yankees, the league’s most expensive team, held off two teams in the bottom half of the league in salaries, the Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays, by the skin of their teeth.

In the Central, the Detroit Tigers, after giving Prince Fielder a nineyear, $214 million dollar contract over the winter, rallied to overtake the Chicago White Sox. But it was the financially challenged Oakland A’s, composed of replacement-level position players and a young pitching staff, that emerged as the biggest victors in the West, winning six straight to end the season and coming from four games back to surpass the Texas Rangers, baseball’s sixth most expensive team.

Now, the battle rages into October.

Baltimore and Texas will play a single game to determine who takes on New York as the AL Wild Card, while

by

Zachey Kliger

Daily Editorial Board

After going exactly three weeks without a victory, the women’s soccer team finally WOMEN’S SOCCER (2-5-2 Overall, 0-5-1 NESCAC) at Kraft Field, Wednesday Suffolk Tufts

0 2

0 — 0 2 — 4

earned its second win of the year, trouncing Suffolk University 4-0, at Kraft Field.

The Jumbos scored early and often Wednesday, putting the pressure on the Rams from the opening whistle. It took only 47 seconds for the Jumbos to find their first tally, as junior striker Anya Kaufmann took a pass from freshman striker Allie Weiller in the box and drilled a shot towards the lower-left corner. The ball skimmed off the outstretched fingertips of Rams sophomore goalkeeper Melissa Brouillette and into the back of the net.

In a season that has been plagued by slow starts, the Jumbos turned the table on Wednesday, and continued to press offensively following the opening goal. Tufts capitalized on a scoring opportunity again in the 21st minute, when junior defender Bizzy Lincoln lofted a corner kick into the middle of the box. Kaufmann managed to get her head on the end of it, directing the ball into the back of the net for her second goal of the game.

“Obviously it’s much easier to get good chances on goal when we have possession,” senior tri-captain midfielder Rachel Aronchick said. “We also had a lot of

Oliver Porter / The Tufts Daily

Although goals have been hard to come by this year for the women’s soccer team, the squad exploded for four goals against Suffolk on Wednesday. different people step up today all over the field. We had two goals off of headers, a goal from a defender, and significant impact from some freshmen. Work ethic is contagious. Once someone on the team steps up their work rate, the rest of the team steps up to match it.”

The Jumbos put the game away in the 67th minute, when junior midfielder Blair Brady found herself in the right place at the right time.

Brouillette turned away a shot from sophomore midfielder Nikki Blank, but directed it to the foot of Brady. She calmly placed it in the back of the net for her first career goal, extending the lead to an insurmountable 3-0.

Weiller added the fourth goal late in a game, heading in a cross from Brady.

For a team that had won

only one game prior to playing Suffolk — a 1-0 overtime affair against MIT on Sept. 12 — Wednesday’s performance was an important one. Tufts dominated the contest in every single statistical category, controlling the time of possession while topping Suffolk in shots, 26-4, and corner kick attempts, 10-1.

Suffolk may have been a non-conference foe with a subpar 3-6 record, but for a team that had gone so long without the taste of victory, the win meant a lot for the young Jumbos squad.

“I think this win will definitely give us confidence going forward,” Brady said.

“Scoring four goals definitely shows us that we have the ability to put the ball in the back of the net.” see WOMEN’S SOCCER, page 7

Inside the MLB

Inside the MLB

Daily Editorial Board

Jumbos defeat Suffolk University in rout, 4-0

Detroit tussles with Oakland in the other Divisional Series. Who has the best chance at the pennant? The Daily takes you around the league in the AL edition of our playoff preview.

1. Detroit Tigers It’s hard to pick against Detroit’s personnel. They have the defending MVP and CY Young award winner in Justin Verlander, who is the favorite to take home the award for best pitcher for a second straight year after putting up stats — 2.64 ERA, 9.0 K/9 — that declined only slightly from those of his historic 2011 season.

They also have Miguel Cabrera, who wrapped up the first Major League Triple Crown in nearly 50 years by hitting .330 with 44 home runs. He’s complimented by Fielder, who has the league’s second highest on-base percentage (OBP) at .412 and the fourth-best on-base plus slugging (OPS), and Austin Jackson, who hit .300 and is see AL PREVIEW, page 7

NL Playoff Preview: Nationals look to continue success by

David McIntyre

Daily Editorial Board

In the National League, pitching rules the day. All five contestants from the senior circuit are in the top eight in the Majors in ERA, and many of the game’s top pitchers — Gio Gonzalez, Matt Cain, Craig Kimbrel — will be on display.

But beyond the pitching, each team has its own style. The Nationals have youth, the Giants have experience, the Reds have hitting, the Braves have motivation and the Cardinals have history. No matter which way the series break, they are bound to be exciting and close. Which teams will have the best shot at making it to the Fall Classic? Let’s find out.

1. Washington Nationals The team that cruised its way to an NL East title also has the best chance to win it all this October.

The Nats’ success this year wasn’t necessarily a surprise — they had the pieces in place to potentially

have a strong team — but the leadership of experienced manager Davey Johnson and exceptional performances by members of the team’s pitching staff have put the team in the pole position in the National League.

Much of the team’s success in the regular season was due to starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg, who posted a 3.16 ERA and 197 strikeouts in 159.1 innings. However, in a much-publicized and controversial decision, the team decided to shut down the right-hander due to concerns about him potentially reinjuring his pitching elbow, which underwent Tommy John surgery last year.

But the hype surrounding the Strasburg saga has obscured the fact that the Nationals are the deepest team in the NL. Starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez went 21-8 this year and is a strong candidate for the Cy Young; meanwhile, first baseman Adam LaRoche had a 33 home run and 100 RBI campaign and center fielder Bryce Harper

continues to justify his phenom status with a strong rookie campaign. In short, the team with the best record in the Majors should have no problem staying at the top when the playoffs end.

2. San Francisco Giants Though the Giants will enter the playoffs as the third seed, they certainly have the weapons to compete in October and go all the way. Their recipe for success begins on the mound. While former team ace Tim Lincecum has had an off year, Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner and Ryan Vogelsong have become the best trio of pitchers in the league.

But for the 2010 World Series winners, the offense will determine how far the team goes in the playoffs. The Giants’ best offensive player this season was outfielder Melky Cabrera, who posted a .346 average. But the former Yankee was suspended for 50 games by see NL PREVIEW, page 7