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No centers of attention

August 31

When the NBA regular season starts on Oct. 31, there will be some seven-foot voids on the court. For the first time in a while, there won't be a dominant center tearing off his warmups for the opening tip in the Eastern Conference. A trade, a retirement and two rare diseases have left the East both centerless and wide open. Patrick Ewing, Rik Smits, Alonzo Mourning, and Dikembe Mutombo will, at least for a while, all be out of the Conference once known for its bruising style of play. Mutombo will only miss two weeks with malaria, which he contracted from a mosquito bite on a trip to the Congo, but the other three are gone for good. Ewing, for years a staple in the middle for the New York Knicks, has been shipped off to Seattle, where he will get to clog up the lane and shoot fadeaway jumpers on the opposite coast. In his place, less intimidating defenders such as Travis Knight and Luc Longley will patrol the center spot for the Knicks. For Smits, it was time for the "Flying Dutchman" to call it quits in Indiana. He had a very productive career, but anyone who watched the center play in recent years knows that he had become a liability on defense, a non-factor on the glass, and ineffective on offense. That means new coach Isiah Thomas will get the illustrious job of choosing between the five centers the Pacers currently have on their roster - Bruno Sundov, Joe Kleine, Jeff Foster, Zan Tabak, or Sam Perkins. Fortunately for the rest of the league, it appears that Perkins, who himself contemplated retirement in the off-season, will get the starting nod. Not many teams have won a championship with a center that shoots more threes than blocks shots. In Miami, Pat Riley had his team primed to make a run at the NBA Championship by signing Eddie Jones to play alongside Mourning. You could see Riley already plotting his run against the Los Angeles Lakers. Mourning could play against Shaquille O'Neal while Jones could guard his former teammate, Kobe Bryant. All those plans have tragically died, for this season at least, as Mourning is suffering from a curious kidney ailment and will miss the season. To spare you the details, Mourning has focal glomerulosclerosis, which leads to kidney failure in half of its victims. His overall status is stable right now, but it is certain that the Heat will be without him all season. So Riley now has to look at a bench whose top two centers include Duane Causwell and Todd Fuller, but he'll probably start a power forward - Anthony Mason or Brian Grant - in the five spot. And in Atlanta, Mutombo's sub on opening day will likely be Lorenzen Wright, the fourth year center out of Memphis. If you throw the Orlando Magic into the mix - a team many consider one of the top five in the East - you get an even less impressive name in the middle. The Magic seemingly signed everyone they could in the off-season, but wound up with John Amaechi as their center. The two-year man from Penn State has averaged 8.5 points and 2.9 rebounds in his career. Not exactly the impressive pedigree of teammates Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady. So what does this roll call of centers mean for the rest of the league? A few things, actually. For starters, it means a big man will not required to win the East. When the opening day lineups include Sam Perkins, Travis Knight, Duane Causwell, Lorenzen Wright, and John Amaechi, you don't exactly need to continually feed it into the low post every time down the court. The Knicks, with Latrell Sprewell, Allen Houston, and Glen Rice will be able run and gun their way to the Eastern Conference Finals. Reggie Miller, Jalen Rose (who will be out a month with a broken wrist), and Austin Croshere can shoot the Pacers far in the playoffs. Hill and McGrady may be able to earn the big bucks Orlando is paying them. Plus, teams that haven't been written about all summer - like the Philadelphia 76ers and the Milwaukee Bucks - will have a better chance showcasing their talented shooting guards (Allen Iverson and Ray Allen) without fear of them getting swatted every trip into the lane. Secondly, and most importantly for basketball purists like myself, the pace of play will pick up considerably in the East. Without big, lumbering centers like Smits and Ewing blocking things up in the middle, guys like Jones, Allen, Iverson, and Sprewell will be able to open it up. I'm not saying the shooting will be better - days of good jump shooting seem to be beyond us - but the games will be better. We will finally get to see teams run it up the court, play pressure defense, and score more than 80 points a night. Although, in the end, the lack of big men in the East will mean only one thing for the NBA - Shaq will have an easier time running all over the rest of the league.

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News

Mixed week for squash

August 31

The Tufts women's squash team had mixed results this past week. After racing out to an impressive undefeated start to the season, the Jumbos went 2-1 last week. On Sunday, the Jumbos traveled to Brown University, which owns the number three national ranking. Tufts was hopeful, considering Brown's exhausting 5-4 loss to number two Penn the day before. The Jumbos, however, did not have the same luck as the Quakers. Tufts couldn't win a single game in a 9-0 defeat at the hands of a strong Brown team. Coach Doug Eng did not bank on winning this match, and he said that matches against top-ranked opponents are growing experiences."It's more about learning how to lose and handle ourselves gracefully." Eng was satisfied with his team's effort despite it not showing on the scoreboard. The Jumbos had better fortune in the Wesleyan Invitational on Friday. They started off with the host team and easily dispensed of it 8-1, with the only loss coming in a five-game heartbreaker for Tufts' number-two seed, junior Anne Montesano. Montesano took the first and fourth games, but let her lead slip away in the deciding fifth game. Tufts also got strong efforts from captain Justine Kurland, sophomore Iffy Saed, sophomore Eileen Connors, senior Danae Filotis, freshman Leigh Checchio and number-one seed, sophomore Winnie So. Each of them did not drop a game in their convincing victories. Next for the Jumbos in the Invitational was Hamilton, who Tufts had already beaten 7-2 two weeks before. This time, the meet was closer, but the Jumbos emerged with a 6-3 victory. Tufts suffered a bit from not having its number two player, graduate student Zaina Al-Awadi, for this match. She was not able to play in the Invitational due to her nine-to-five job with the dental school. Montesano, who moved up to the two spot, again had trouble with her match. "[Montesano] is playing as well as some [nationally ranked] players," said Eng, despite Montesano's close loss. Kurland, who had defeated the same player two weeks earlier, lost her match 3-1. Eng also had nothing but compliments for Kurland's performance so far this season. "Justine's working very hard and has improved a lot this season," he said. "She knows her weaknesses and is working on them." Kurland actually dropped her first game of the season in this 3-1 loss. Tufts' final loss in this meet came as a result of sophomore Eileen Connors forced move up from her usual number eight seed to number seven as a result of Al-Awadi's absence. Connors was certainly not outclassed in this match, in which she won two out of the five games, but she would likely have had a better result in the eight spot. All of the other Jumbo players won their matches, with senior Kate Peterson the only one who needed to go past the first three games. Peterson won a nerve-racking, five-game match on the sudden-death final point of the match. One Jumbo's victory was especially sweet. Sophomore Abi Cushman avenged a defeat of two weeks ago by crushing the same player 3-0. With these important victories, the Jumbos have already realized their highest national ranking in about 10 years this season. The mid-season rankings are not as important to the team as the end of the year results, but the national ranking marks a good start to the season. With this early season success, it is important for the Jumbos to not lose a step over the holiday break. "The whole team has improved so far this season," Kurland said, and also noted that it is important for the team to not "slack off" during its month and a half break from match play. The break should help the team a bit, too. Number one seed Winnie So has been fighting injury throughout this young season and the time off from competition should allow her to recuperate and improve on her already impressive individual national ranking of 26. However, the Jumbos have two more important matches before they can relax during the holiday break. Later today, the Jumbos will travel to Amherst to battle the team that shares their number 12 national ranking. Kurland calls the Amherst match "a big test" for the team. The whole team should be intact for this meet, and Tufts will have its best chance to beat Amherst this time around. Then, on Friday, Tufts takes on Bowdoin, which was ranked seventh at the beginning of the season but is now unranked. This will be a hard meet for the Jumbos, but with the team's depth, it should definitely put up a good fight.

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News

Student sued after June WMFO clash

August 31

A Woburn resident is suing Tufts senior David Dougan for making "harassing phone calls, defamation of character, and infliction of emotional distress" after an incident which occurred at the WMFO radio station this summer, and the University has jumped to Dougan's defense. Joe Viglione, who filed suit for $2,000 in damages, was a community DJ on the station until he was fired on July 1 by Dougan , the WMFO program director, Music Director Levi Novi, and General Manager Michael Dupuy. According to a report filed by the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) last July, the dispute erupted on June 22 while Viglione was preparing music for his show, Joe Vig's Pop Explosion. Both Viglione and June Weintraub, another WMFO community DJ, wished to use the same recording studio, which Viglione claims to have reserved according to procedure. Alleging that the quarrel made her feel "uncomfortable," Weintraub phoned the TUPD and accused Viglione of "verbally assaulting" her. "She said I needed to leave immediately because she needed to use not only my studio, but another studio as well," Viglione said. "Finally, when she realized that I wasn't going to relinquish the room, and that she had not signed into the room, she phoned the Tufts police." According to the police report, Weintraub "did not respond to the officer's suggestion [that she use a different studio], and then left the area without further incident." The TUPD left Viglione in possession of the room. Weintraub was unreachable for comment. Dupuy, Novi, and Dougan, who make up the WMFO executive board, decided to suspend both DJs from their shows for the rest the summer. "The executive board has elected to suspend both of you for the remainder of the summer," Dougan wrote in a July 1 e-mail to Viglione and Weintraub. "When both of you are willing to sit down and talk about this on an unconditional basis, we will determine whether or not you will be able to return to the station." Viglione claims that the board violated the station's constitution in firing him, and has filed suit against Dougan at the Woburn District Court. At a meeting between Viglione, WMFO leaders, and members of Tufts' administration, Dean of Students Bruce Reitman told Viglione that he was entitled to file charges against Dougan within the University's disciplinary policy. While he declined to comment on the specifics of the situation, saying only that "the office is involved in the adjudication of the case," Reitman said that Tufts unequivocally defends students who are charged with non-criminal offenses which relate to their capacities as leaders in campus groups. Viglione is pressuring the University to take its own disciplinary measures against Dougan, and he has threatened to sue Tufts if it denies him that option. "Dean Reitman gave me his word that he would allow me to file charges [within the University] against David Dougan. From his jurisdiction, there are only certain things that he could discipline Dougan on," Viglione said. Viglione has accused the University of "dragging its feet" on the issue, misleading him on his options, and withholding his police report for an unreasonable period of time. The case has attracted the attention of national media outlets, and Viglione has received a letter from the television program Judge Judy, requesting that he and Dougan attempt to mediate the problem on television. The radio station, which is owned by Tufts, integrates both Tufts students and community members, often Tufts graduates or other individuals who have been closely associated with the University. Dupuy, who serves as the station's general manager, values this combination of talents. "They are a huge asset in terms of programming," he said of the oft-talented community members, who are usually older than the students and have worked for WMFO for much longer. These DJs also help to provide continuity and to smooth the rough transitions caused by the rapid turnover of student employees.

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News

Coming out of the garage

August 31

Some bands will always be small town garage bands. Boston-bred Francine manages to be a little bit more than that on its debut album, Forty on a Fall Day... at least for a while. Formed in 1997 by singer/songwriter/guitarist Clayton Scoble, Francine is made up of veterans of Boston's indie-pop music scene. Scoble used to be front man for the now-defunct band Pavement and has worked with folk-pop singer Aimee Mann. Sean Conolly pulls double duty as the bassist of local band Astroslut, while guitarist Albert Gualtieri and drummer Steve Scully have toured with Tracy Bonham and Jen Trynin, respectively. Putting a finger on where Francine falls in the pop-rock spectrum is tough. Members cite David Bowie, the Kinks, and the Beatles as influences, and that's apparent throughout the album. Several songs are reminiscent of the sluggish, dreamy melodies of later Beatles songs, especially "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "I Am the Walrus." The group likes different kinds of keyboards, another sound inspired by the early '70s British psychedelic rock. Its songwriting roots are in the low-fi movement of the last decade, which lends a kind of geek-chic element to their music. First and foremost, however, Francine is a rock band, and rather than fall into the stereotypes of their genre, the musicians manage to create a catchy indie-rock sound. The album opens with the cut "Set of Dune," about a romance Scoble was involved in while he was a key grip on the movie Dune. The fuzzy guitar melody is almost trance-inducing, and evokes the kind of nostalgic reminiscence that Scoble is singing about. Conolly's bass is subtle - as it is through the whole CD - but still manages to complement the vocals nicely. The song doesn't grab you immediately, making it a less-than-ideal opener, but by the end of it you find yourself wondering what else these guys have down their sleeves. "Trampoline" is it. Easily the best song on the album, it has just the sort of upbeat rhythm and addictive hook that a small band needs in its songs if it hopes to get any airplay. The guitar playing of both Scoble and Gualtieri anchor the song without overshadowing Scoble's lyrics, which manage to get into your head and stay there. The song also introduces the playfulness of Francine's lyrics, and Scoble's tendency to make quasi-pop references - here, they are to Macs and the movie Alien. Note for note it is a pop song, but the band manages to avoid making it sound derivative, thanks in large part to its great tempo shifts. The third song on the album, "Want Ad King," is where Scoble begins to go overboard with his songwriting and starts to sound annoying. First of all, he starts off the song in a monotone (something he does several more times, most notably in "Mean as Hell"). It takes away from the otherwise respectable playing by the other members of the band. "Want Ad King" is also where he begins to drop vague lyrics that try too hard to be metaphorical and profound - "confidentially, I'm doing better in 2D/ a dollar seven five can sing/ say hello to the want ad king." It's as if he's pretending that he's bored and just throwing out random lyrics, but in reality he's trying too much to impart that kind of hip and vague insight that fits the stereotype of indie music. He does it again in "Mean as Hell" ("Custer was the devil's name/ cynical became the goal line at the game") and in "Aw Grace" ("stasis was ok, we had an open bar/ too charming cryogenic host/ rescue executed by the flame on cartoon/ you are the friendliest ghost"). While the lyrics hamper some of the songs, there are times when the musicians shine, namely in two of the three interludes. The first, "Stampy," is a short instrumental jam that rocks more than anything else on the entire CD - which may be disheartening considering that it's only half a minute long. "Robot Maid" starts off with just a guitar and a violin, until the screeching of metal obscures them. However, the song does work. They also use keyboards to their advantage, accenting the guitar riffs without going overboard, namely on "Quasars," "East Hampton," and "Jet to Norway." Scoble said in one interview, "Headphones are essential to appreciate the full depth of the recording. Listening and re-listening is a constant process of discovery." That is certainly the case with Forty on a Fall Day. It just seems to sound better on headphones. All of the sounds the band wants people to hear are more distinct. This gives the whole album a richer sound than it has on speakers. The album definitely does grow on you the more you listen to it. Sadly, it seems Francine succumbed to the garage band curse in the end. All of the best material is on the first half of the album, while they seem to trail off on the last few tracks, leaving us with the forgettable "Failing" and "Reddish Blonde." Nothing on the second half, other than "Pop Warner," is as energetic or appealing as the first seven songs or so. All in all, Forty on a Fall Day is merely a decent album, not exceptional. There is a reason why Francine is still an indie band.

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News

Change to block schedule format unlikely, despite complaints

August 31

Students arriving at Tufts have long been puzzled by a class block schedule that looks more like a crossword puzzle than a calendar. Since last spring, the administration has been debating changes to the maze of overlapping boxes, in order to make coordination of internships and cross registration easier. However, differing opinions among administrators and faculty have hindered progress, and administrators are now admitting that changes are unlikely in the near future. "There is nothing new to report at this time. Nothing is changing for this term. Nothing is changing for the next," said Gabriella Bertucci, Office Systems Administrator in the Registrar's Office. The block schedule was created in order to condense six teaching days into five. Instead of having a traditional Monday/Wednesday/Friday and Tuesday/Thursday schedule like most other colleges, Tufts operates using a system of boxes and numbers. This creates several problems, according to Dean of Colleges Charles Inouye. "There are lots of overlapping blocks. Students lose choice and classrooms go unused," Inouye said. Furthermore, students often have difficulty obtaining internships, since they do not have a consistent daily schedule. For example, a student taking a class in the "67" block meets with their class at 1:30 p.m. on Monday and Thursday, but at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday. This poses a problem for students who want to schedule an internship each morning. The block schedule also causes difficulties for students who wish to take advantage of cross registration at other schools, such as Boston University and Brandeis University, because none of Tufts' consortium schools use a similar schedule. In order to remedy these problems, administrators and faculty have proposed several solutions. The Educational Policy Committee (EPC) decided in the first week of October to discuss reforms that would decrease overlap of blocks, but would not drastically alter the scheduling system. Four days after that meeting, the academic department chairs met and announced their support for a major change to a traditional schedule. Any decision to change the schedule will ultimately be made by Vice President of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering Mel Bernstein. However, dissent within the faculty and administration makes it unlikely that a proposal will grace Bernstein's desk anytime soon. "It is still unclear at this point what will happen," said sophomore Senator Abbey Wilson, a student member of the EPC. She notes that it is difficult for the committee to put its weight behind a decision when a new proposal is advocated each week. While the department chairs are in favor of change, the faculty as a whole prefers the existing system because it gives them more freedom in scheduling their classes. "They can teach four days and then do research on the other," Inouye said. "Departments have raised concerns with lab and seminar scheduling," she said. According to Wilson, the student opinion is split on both sides of the issue. While some students feel that it would be more convenient to have a traditional schedule, others like the flexibility afforded by the current system, which often allows students to have no Monday or Friday classes. "I didn't want classes on Friday, so I planned it that way. I take Economics twice a week for a longer period of time rather than three times a week," Yelena Busovskaya said. "By having a day off I can sleep late and work all Fridays." Before any changes are made to the existing schedule system, Inouye believes that more input and direction is needed. "We'd have to get the department schedulers together and actually test the model," he noted. "We [administrators] haven't had anything stable enough to show students yet." Dean of Students Bruce Reitman echoed Inouye's statements, saying that despite the current discussion, what he describes as a unique system is not likely to change soon. "I don't know who created it, but I haven't seen anything like it anywhere else," he said.

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News

Keeping up with the club scene

August 31

Tanai Kamat and Mauro Ferman both seem like regular sophomores. They are pre-med (Ferman majors in biochemistry, Kamat in biopsychology) and they enjoy clubbing in Boston. However, unlike your typical sophomores, they are not just friends, but business partners as well. Before the end of their freshman year, Kamat and Ferman decided that to take the initiative to improve their social lives. "We were tired of paying full price at clubs and wanted to go VIP style," they said. Together they formed M&T Associates, a business partnership that was to be the driving force behind their new website, Boston Night Live. Kamat and Ferman's vision, "to unite all the major nightlife experiences together in one interactive environment," took its first step towards realization with the launch of their website on Oct. 23. The site - www.bnight.com - combines Kamat and Ferman's love for clubbing and having a good time with some entrepreneurial skills. Through their site, the Boston nightlife crowd can access information about 11 local clubs, including such popular venues as Avalon and Roxy, as well as post their names to guest lists for the clubs. Being on a guest list allows the user to pay a discounted entry fee, and in some cases makes it easier to get into a club (of course, being on a guest list is not always guaranteed entrance, especially if you're underage). Kamat and Ferman receive the lists from a secure database and deliver them to club owners on the night specified on the guest list. Their site currently makes guest lists available Tuesday through Thursday. The former club promoters worked diligently at the beginning of this semester, teaming up with junior Douglas Jardine to create the site and start the business. "[We wanted to] do a little VIP work and pick up some pocket change," Kamat said. Database work was done over the summer by Jardine, the site's webmaster. Kamat and Ferman estimate that they now spend 20 to 25 hours a week working on the site, advertising, collecting names, and physically bringing guest lists to club managers. The site's target audience is students from the Boston area. To help get the word out, Kamat and Ferman have enlisted the aid of promoters, some of them friends and others actual paid employees, at other nearby colleges such as Northeastern, Emerson, Boston University, MIT, Harvard, Wellesley, and Suffolk. At Tufts, Kamat and Ferman also have friends and promoters putting the company's name out and taking names for guest lists. "We want to give kids an opportunity to be social and have fun in different ways," Ferman said. "It works well for us, [because] the Tufts social scene isn't what it used to be and we're benefiting from it," added Kamat. Since the site's inception, it has received about 600 hits, and Kamat and Ferman continue to expand the business and meet with advertisers. In the future, they hope to add more venues, including bars and restaurants, as well as to expand the available guest list days. Eventually, they want people to be able to make restaurant reservations on the site as well. They plan on working with other entertainment websites, such as www.maximonline.com as well as cultural groups on campus. The groups can coordinate their events with Boston Night Live by organizing dances at clubs and having their own guest lists hosted through the company. Kamat and Ferman's work should slow down a little as they continue to establish a network for themselves. Because of the site's construction, it will be able to function practically on its own. Starting out, though, Kamat and Ferman experienced difficulties. "Getting established and getting respect from club owners was difficult at first, considering our age," said Kamat. They also had a lot of competitors due to the many club promoters in the area. Kamat and Ferman like to differentiate themselves from promoters and the sleazy image that sometimes goes along with them. They also consider themselves to be something more than typical promoters, citing the number of clubs and the convenience of their site. Despite the difficulties, Kamat and Ferman are content with their business thus far and both remain optimistic about the growth of their company. Kamat and Ferman hope to continue to expand their business for as long as they can. "As long as we are in the Boston area we will be doing this," Kamat promised.

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News

Music sounds better when it has no cost

August 31

Walking through the hallways of any dorm, you're bound to hear the soundtrack of college life pounding away. However, peek in to some of these rooms, and you may not even spot a stereo. Nowadays, computers and the MP3 sound file are providing the tunes. The MP3 craze that has swept college campuses across the country has undoubtedly landed at Tufts. Barely a dorm room remains on campus where one cannot find a computer complete with freshly downloaded MP3s or playlists derived from Napster. Such avid enthusiasm for downloadable music, combined with the new trend of CD burners, may mean bad news for record companies, artists, and record stores, whose salaries depend on record sales. Despite the increased prevalence of CD burners among the Tufts population, many students remain confident that this recent trend will not greatly effect CD sales, since they have not thus far. "I personally feel like people aren't going to stop buying CDs," sophomore Christina Coronios said. "Most people are probably just going to use Napster and CD burners to make mixes." Many other CD burner users, such as sophomore Lisa Dobey, express similar sentiments on the issue. "I still go out and buy normal CDs," Dobey said. "To me, there's something to be said for a CD cover and the accompanying song lyrics." For some students, being able to download one track often leads them to buy that artist's album. Coronios, for example, downloaded four songs from the new Red Hot Chili Peppers album at her friend's suggestion. "Had I not had the chance to download the songs and see if I enjoyed them," Coronios stressed, "I probably never would have had the motivation to buy the album." Local record stores express growing concern over a decrease in their business, however, due to easy access to MP3s. Robert Hall, the owner of Davis Square's Disc Diggers, harbors doubts that services such as Napster cause listeners to get excited about music and then go out and buy more CDs. "There is no doubt in my mind that Napster is hurting our business," Hall stated. "Contrary to their claims, Napster definitely diminishes record sales - especially in areas surrounding colleges, where students have fast and easy Internet access." However, Hall is less concerned about the threat of CD burners. "CD burners bother me a lot less," Hall said. "They haven't made much of a bigger difference in sales than recording tapes did." The prospect of CD burners seems vastly less threatening, without adding the element of Napster's ability to distribute music to thousands of people simultaneously. "The fact that one can now burn CDs in their own home is not so bothersome. The record stores' and companies' real hang-up is that Napster has the ability to distribute songs to so many people at the same time," Hall said. Although many students deny that their MP3 downloads and CD burners will substantially decrease record sales, some disagree with this optimistic outlook. "Why buy normal CDs when you can make your own?" sophomore Aric Chan asked. Other students bought CD burners to avoid having to pay for CDs at the record store. People frequently download songs, as well as borrow their friends' albums to burn, and find no need to spend money on CDs. The use of Napster and CD burners has prompted students such as freshman Kevin Keating to agree that "[the record companies and stores] definitely have something to worry about in terms of album sales." Despite such negative evaluations of Napster's effects on record sales, some local bands and groups continue their support of the MP3 provider. Sophomore Ed Boyer, a member of the Beelzebubs, is "all for pirating files and sharing them." When it comes to his group's music, he remains in support of Napster. The group usually has several songs available on the MP3 provider, a prospect to which Boyer is not opposed. "Sure we want to sell CDs," Boyer said, "but our main goal is just to have people listen to our music."

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News

Subway ride getting interesting

August 31

While our generation has never witnessed a Subway Series, what seems so rare today was nearly commonplace in the mid-century days when New York had three powerhouse teams. From 1947 through 1956, the Big Apple witnessed seven such World Series, each one involving the Yankees and either the Dodgers or Giants. But the Mets had never participated in a World Series with any other New York team. Thus, 44 years later, the intra-city battle has everybody on the edge of their seats. Here are a few key storylines that have emerged in the series so far: - Tuesday night, the Mets win over Orlando Hernandez handed the Yankees their first World Series loss since Game Two in 1996 against Atlanta. Since then the Yankees had won 14 straight World Series games and three world Championships (1996, 1998, 1999). Despite the loss, "El Duque", Orlando Hernandez recorded 12 strikeouts, a Yankees World Series record. - After a slow September, Mets first baseman Todd Zeile has been one of the team's hottest playoff hitters. After batting .268 in the regular season and struggling throughout September, Zeile entered Wednesday night's game batting .304 in October with a stunning .462 in the World Series. - Both times Rick Reed has pitched for the Mets this postseason, Benny Agbayani has provided the team with clutch game-winning base hits. The first one came in Game Three against the Giants in the Division Series while the other occurred Tuesday night against "El Duque," driving in the game winning run. - In the Yankees side of the dugout, outfielder Paul O'Neill has become unstoppable, hitting .583 against Mets pitching. Teammates Derek Jeter and Tino Martinez have not left O'Neill as the only hot bat in the lineup with .462 and .429 batting averages. The three have combined for seven of the team's total twelve runs in the series. - While Zeile and others, such as Agbayani, have been providing the Mets' offense, shortstop Mike Bordick has continued to disappoint. Batting only .129 in the playoffs, Bordick has yet to get a hit this series, and had a key bases-loaded strikeout in Game Three. - While O'Neill, Jeter and Martinez have impressed, Bernie Williams has been unable to contribute anything to the offense so far. After a hot-hitting ALCS in which he batted .435, Williams has remained hitless in World Series. - The most interesting underlying issue in the series is the unfolding of the Roger Clemens-Mike Piazza personal rivalry. Game Two of the Series at Yankee Stadium resulted in a bench-clearing incident in Piazza's first at bat against the Rocket. Piazza hit a bat-breaking foul ball, shattering the top of his bat, which consequently went towards Clemens on the mound. As Piazza ran towards first, Clemens hurled the top of the bat in Piazza's direction. As Piazza approached the mound, both teams ran onto the field, but no punches were thrown. Clemens maintains that he was simply throwing the bat towards the dugout.

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News

Surfing along into the new millennium

August 31

Less than ten years into the Internet explosion, any business or organization without a sleek, navigable website risks losing customers, and often just looks out of touch. In an effort to measure up with other premiere websites, Tufts' home page has undergone an intense review and revamping. The original site had not been redesigned in nearly six years, and Tufts' Information Technology Council, a group which oversees information technology matters for the entire University, recognized the need for a change. "We wanted a fresh look for the new semester, and the former page was no longer representing the University well enough, and needed immediate replacement," said Dan Weir, Director of Information Technology Support. The site's changes are largely cosmetic, the most noticeable improvement being the rotating pictures on the front page. The picture from the 1990 website was antiquated and required a longer loading time. Now, because of a new graphics program, the loading time has decreased. "We wanted to do something quickly to get the ball rolling," June Aprille said. "We made quick changes to improve the appearance and functionality of the web site." With the groundwork in place, technology groups will continue to improve the site. A new group called Web Central, made up of Website Developer Teresa Loftin and Web Consultant Mike Lupi, will continue to update the site. Web Central will also appoint an overseer who will manage the University's future in Web development. The project didn't happen overnight, however. Last February, the University formed Web SWAT, a cross-University group, which studied the short-term updating of the page. Members of the group evaluated the website and surveyed students and faculty members at all the Tufts campuses. "We did a review of what we had in comparison to what other universities have, and an assessment of the functionality of the website," said Aprille, biology professor and member of the Web SWAT team. This assessment continued well through the spring as Tufts hired an outside web consultant to aid in the assessment of the pages. Several potential new designs for the website were generated and the members of Web SWAT presented each successive design to their departments and user communities. Consultation stemmed from students and faculty at Tufts and various high schools. "It wasn't a scientific study or a focus group, but we had broad University input on the current pages," said Weir, also chair of Web SWAT. "We put up all the designs on the Web, and started off with three designs that were fine tuned and narrowed down to the design that included most of the [features] that people seemed to like." Since many felt the old website did not represent the University well, Web SWAT was asked to recommend architectural changes. The committee created a new group called Web Work, also chaired by Weir, which oversaw the aesthetic alterations to the web site. The timetable for the project was intense leaving Web Work only two months to meet the Aug. 15 deadline. Loftin and Lupi worked together to design the new pages. Immediate goals for the future of Tufts' home page include the adoption of templates and standards across all university groups. Weir hopes to include xml, database access, and portals on the Web pages in the future. Xml is the next generation of html, and provides more control and flexibility to design Web pages. With xml, Web designers "can sense who might be coming in, what they might be looking for, and can design a page around what a particular person will want to see," Weir said. Portal is a navigation method that allows Web surfers to be sent in different directions based on what door they wish to enter - for example alumni, students, or parents. The members of the Web groups are excited about what the future holds for the Tufts web site. More usability studies are in the works to obtain feedback from all areas of the University. "The next design will incorporate a lot of that information," Loftin said.

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Women's soccer falls to Middlebury in NESCAC finals

August 31

The Tufts women's soccer team suffered its third loss of the season yesterday, dropping the final game of the NESCAC Tournament 2-0 to the number-one seed Middlebury Panthers. The Jumbos, who began the tournament ranked 21st in the country, advanced to the finals by defeating Bowdoin 3-1 in the semi-final round. The split left Tufts with a 14-3 record, extending the team's record-setting mark for wins in a season. Despite the loss, Tufts remained in the hunt for an NCAA Tournament bid. The 45-team tournament features 32 conference chamions, seven independent schools, and six at-large teams. The Jumbos got the call from the NCAA late last night, and learned that they earned an invitation to the tournament, which will begin Tuesday. Tufts will host the University of New England, it's first-round opponent, Wednesday afternoon at 1p.m. Bowdoin also received a bid, and will play Wheaton in the first round. "I'm completely psyched. I was a little shocked, but I'm really excited," coach Martha Whiting said. "I'm happy for the seniors, too, because I know how much they wanted it." Sunday, the two teams opened up the game trading scoring opportunities in the windy, blizzard-like Vermont weather. "The conditions were terrible for both teams [on Sunday]," senior tri-captain Carmen Mikacenic said. "We were basically playing in the middle of a snowstorm, and people on both sides were sliding all over the place." "You can't blame the weather, but it kind of evened things out," Whiting said. "There was at least an inch on the field, and it felt like six. When you play in weather like that, it slows down the pace of the game. That happened [yesterday], and we couldn't use our speed to our advantage." The Jumbos nearly took an early lead six minutes in when junior Lynn Cooper fired a shot from inside the box. Ali Connolly, the Middlebury keeper, made a diving stop to keep the game scoreless. The Panthers had an equally promising scoring chance soon after, as junior midfielder Haley Holmer intercepted a pass and banged a near-miss off the crossbar in the 19th minute. Middlebury finally did capitalize in the 30th minute, when senior midfielder Molly Holmberg knocked in the rebound of a shot by sophomore forward Leah Cumsky-Whitlock. Sophomore striker Meg Bonney extended the Panther lead to two less than five minutes later, firing a shot off a post, catching the rebound, and then slipping the ball into the net. "[Middlebury] scored two terrible goals," Mikacenic said. "They were both on melees in front of the net - they weren't on good chances at all." "It was really slippery, which made it hard for the defenders to stay on their feet and hold onto the ball," Whiting said. "But we have to give Middlebury credit. They're a good team, and they played really hard." The Middlebury defense, which has not allowed a goal since Oct. 3, held the Tufts attack at bay during the second half, securing the 2-0 victory. With the win, the Panthers clinched a spot in the NCAA Tournament. A day earlier, Tufts was able to avenge one of its two regular season losses with a 3-1 win over Bowdoin in Saturday's semi-final round of the tournament. Bowdoin had dealt Tufts its second loss of the season, defeating the Jumbos 4-1 in Maine on Oct. 7. "Bowdoin was probably one of the best games we've played," Whiting said. "They may have underestimated us a little bit. Usually, we have had trouble playing hard at the beginning, and it takes us a while to get revved up, but Saturday we played hard from the beginning." The Polar Bears, who entered the game ranked third in the country, took the lead early on with a goal in the 13th minute. Molly Perencevich finished off a push with a corner pass to Alison Lavoie, who sent the ball to the bottom right corner of the net to put Bowdoin up, 1-0. "When they scored, it really fired us up," Whiting said, "and we came out and scored two in the first half. I still felt pretty calm after their goal. I saw the way we were playing, and I thought we're going to be fine; we're going to win the game." The Jumbos evened the score midway through the period. Mikacenic headed a ball into the box off a corner kick, where sophomore Cara Glassanos finished it off to even the score at one. The goal was the second of the year for Glassanos, while the assist was Mikacenic's first. The Brown and Blue took the lead less than two minutes later, as junior Lynn Cooper drove through the penalty area and blasted in her sixth goal of the season. "I've been telling the forwards to shoot the ball when you have the opportunity," Whiting said. "That's what she did. It was an amazing goal." Cooper added a second tally at 62:17, taking a cross from freshman Jess Trombly and heading it once straight up, and then once again into the net. The goal gives her 18 points on the season, second only to senior tri-captain Sara Yeatman, who has 23 on ten goals and three assists. "We played probably the best game we've played all season against Bowdoin," Mikacenic said. "We worked together as a team. We played with speed, and our goals were absolutely quality." With the win over Bowdoin, the Jumbos made a strong argument for one of the six at-large bids for the NCAA Tournament, and the victory paid off, earning Tufts both an invitation to the tournament and the right to host its first-round game. "I'm really glad we're playing at home because this weekend was really long with all the traveling," Whiting said. "It'll be good for our players to be at home this week." Should the Jumbos defeat the University of New England, they will travel to Middlebury once again this weekend to battle it out for the NCAA Regional Championship. The winner will play again the following weekend for a spot in the Tournament's Final Four, which will take place Nov. 18-19.

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Tufts student-athletes: 'dumb jocks' or smarter than the rest?

August 31

Question: Who has the higher grade point average, your typical Tufts student, or your typical Tufts student-athlete? Answer: probably neither. While a study that the Athletic Department conducted on last year's student-athletes revealed that student athletes may have an average GPA .05 higher than the average Tufts student, statistically, there is virtually no difference. And that's just the way the Athletic Department wants it. "At an institution like Tufts, or any Div. III school, there should be no difference between student athletes and the general student body," Athletic Director Bill Gehling said. "Athletes are treated no differently academically than students. There is no special academic help that you would find at the Div. I level." Gehling, who started the study of student-athlete GPA's when he took over as Athletic Director two years ago, has only one year's worth of numbers to compare, but he feels that this year's results are going to be roughly the same. On the surface, everything in the land of student-athletics seems just rosy. But when you dig a little deeper, this great equality starts to erode just a bit and slight disparities emerge. That's not to say that Tufts doesn't have a great tradition of academic achievement from its athletes. In fact, even more impressive is that the majority of athletes recognized academically are stars on their team. Last winter, Paul Smith and Fred Pedroletti were honored on the All-NESCAC Academic team, and both started on the men's basketball team that won the ECAC Tournament. Drew Carleton and Scott Sullivan received the same honor and were the two leading scorers on the hockey team. Jack Levner, Nic Anderson, Lisa Bologna, Lisa Vernoy, Omar Malik, Zaina Al-Awadi, and Anne Montesamo gained similar recognition, and all were either captains or major contributors to the men's and women's swimming and squash teams. Shira Fishman and Molly Baker, basketball team captains each of the last two years, were also awarded All-NESCAC academic honors, but they were not alone on the women's basketball team. Last year's squad was ranked 24th in the nation amongst Div. III teams in GPA, and first in the NESCAC. The list goes on, with names like Zach Brown (ace pitcher on the baseball team), Randee McArdle (catcher and goalie for the softball and soccer teams respectively), and Cindy Manning (All-American runner) receiving College Academic All-District honors. So what is it about athletes that make them excel academically? More to the point, why do some of the best players excel the most in the classroom? "Most of the student-athletes here are goal-oriented," Gehling said. "They are used to balancing things. If you were successful in high school and still managed to excel athletically, you need time management skills." So it appears that the roughly 15-25 hours per week that athletes spend practicing and training for their sport actually work as a positive motivational tool to excel in the classroom, rather than a hindrance on their studies. "The anecdotal evidence that I've collected over the years is that my soccer players did better during the soccer season than during the spring," said Gehling, who coached the women's soccer team before becoming Athletic Director. Not only are the athletes managing their time better when they get to campus, but the coaches are forced to recruit more academically astute students than most schools. "One of the first things I look for is somebody I know will get into the school," said women's basketball coach Janice Savitz. "I don't want someone who will be a reach. I hope for my players to have academic prowess as well as athletic talent." One look at the women's basketball team, though, makes you start wondering about one of the disparities that may exist in the GPA study that the Athletic Department is conducting. Do women's sports carry the overall GPA of the entire study? According to Gehling, not really. There is a marginal difference, less than .05, between the GPA of male and female athletes. Further, the overall average is for females to have a higher GPA, so proportionally, male and female athletes are the same distance above average for their gender. But there is evidence to the contrary. The women's basketball team was ranked 24th in the nation academically last season, while two years ago the women's soccer team was ranked 7th. Their male counterparts went unranked. Further evidence, though slight, comes from Jim Watson, who coaches both the men and women's tennis teams. "Any academic problems that my players have had (three in 20 years - a very small number) have come with men," Watson said, though he is quick to point out that there is not a huge discrepancy. "Both men and women are equally involved in academics. They are all high achievers." A look at the tennis team leads to another question concerning the validity of the GPA study. Do some teams that are stereotypically strong academically, like tennis, carry the weight for teams that are less highly regarded as academic? The answer is tough to come by, as Gehling did not feel comfortable disclosing the GPA's of each individual team, claiming it does not give a good, statistical representation."A snapshot of 15 people could be misleading," Gehling explained. He also said that since the study is only one year into its progression, it is tough to tell which teams would be at the bottom and which at the top. However, when pressed, he said that as the study progresses ten to 15 years down the road, some clear trends could arise."You could say that some teams will end up being higher on the list," Gehling said, though he was hesitant to say which ones."There is a correlation between the sport and the academic achievement," Watson said. "The kids that do play tennis here come from high achieving families. It is not cheap to play tennis. By a socio-economic standpoint, it requires one of the wealthiest groups of people. These players are used to excelling, and being pushed to succeed."There is no hard evidence yet, but as the study is continued through the years, we may start finding greater discrepancy between the athletic teams, between the genders, and between the student body as a whole.

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Students find it's not easy eating green

August 31

Walking through the dining halls, it's common to see students carrying plates loaded with beef fajitas or grilled turkey steaks. But take a look at a vegetarian's tray, and you're sure to find something quite different. Though many different forms of vegetarianism exist, a limited number of staple foods constitute the diet, such as fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat dairy and egg products as well, while vegans abstain from eating any form of animal product. Though it may sound like a health freak's regiment, vegetarian diets are not always ideal. "Just because you follow a vegetarian diet doesn't necessarily mean it's healthy. Vegetarian diets tend to be more healthful if they're well planned," Dining Services dietician Julie Lampie explained. According to Lampie, some of the associated benefits of vegetarianism include lower blood-cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, lower risks of developing cancer and cardiovascular disease, and difficulty in gaining excess weight. However, vegetarian diets tend to lack certain nutrients. Many vegetarians are deficient in vitamin B12, which is usually provided by animal products. To stay healthy, vegetarians must obtain vitamin B12 from other sources, such as soymilk or fortified cereals. Since vegans don't eat any dairy foods, they are further challenged to find acceptable sources of calcium, iron, and riboflavin in foods. The potential hassles that come with vegetarianism are justified by vegetarians' largely varying motives for choosing their lifestyle. Some have certain ethical beliefs or religious reasons, while others might simply want to try out something new. Sophomore Keren Prize said that she was a vegetarian for eight years because she was influenced by her mother's vegetarianism. But then one day, she felt like eating chicken nuggets again. Sophomore Sarah Chase adds that she, too, was a vegetarian until she grew tired of it and decided to eat chicken again. A visit to the Environmental Consciousness Outreach (ECO) club left the impression that there were more serious reasons behind members' choices to stay away from meat. Sophomore Roger Winn has been a vegetarian for five years and a vegan for one. "I find the abuse of animals to be morally unsound, and I feel like the best way to combat it is to not use any animal products," he said. Sophomore Rebecca Batchelder said, "The meat industry in this country is really awful... the way they treat the animals. They need to cut down rain forests to make space to raise the animals." Some students want their dietary habits to be environmentally sound. "The key for me is to live a life that does as little harm and damage to the environment and to other human beings... as possible. I've found that a good way to be the least destructive is to not support the meat, dairy, or poultry industries," sophomore Adam Carlis said. Other members of the club have somewhat different beliefs that control their diets. Junior Doug Hansen claims that the mass production industry uses large quantities of wheat and grains to fatten their livestock, neglecting humans in need of food. "It's disgusting, anyway. I look at my arm and I say, 'that's what I'm eating,'" he said. On the opposite end of the spectrum, freshman Bethany Arrand said that she eats meat because she loves animals. She objects to processed meat because she doesn't know where it comes from, but at home her family raises chickens, turkeys, and ducks to eat. "I think it's a compliment to the animals. I want to incorporate it into myself - eating meat is a spiritual thing for me," she said. Certain religions place restrictions on food as well. Freshman Muzammil Mustafa explains that in the Islamic culture, Muslims can only eat kosher food. "I don't get much [kosher] meat here, so I follow an almost vegetarian diet," he said. Surveys taken by Tufts students report that approximately 17 percent of the student body follows a vegetarian or semi-vegetarian diet. It is only an estimate because the semi-vegetarians eat poultry. An estimated three percent of the student body is vegan. "It's very challenging because there are vegans who just don't eat animal foods, but then there are vegans who also don't eat sugar or honey," Lampie said. Vegans might choose not to eat sugar because the process that whitens sugar uses animal bones and they will not eat honey because bees produce it. Overall, vegetarians seem content with the quantity of food they can eat at the dining halls. "I think it's a good place to be a vegetarian because there are a lot of vegetarian options," Chase said. On Oct. 17, Dining Services will hold a vegetarian fair in Dewick between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., serving vegetarian food that is not currently on the menu. Lampie encourages vegetarians to sample the food and provide feedback as to what else should be on the menu.

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Big victories give volleyball team winning record

August 31

The Tufts volleyball team finally broke .500 this week, a mark which hasn't been reached since the latter half of September. Now with a 14-13 record, the team is looking towards the postseason. "It feels good to be over .500," coach Kris Talon said, "but we are more focused firstly, on winning games in our conference; secondly, winning games period; and thirdly, preparing for the conference playoffs. Our goal is to be in the top three in the conference."On Wednesday, the Brown and Blue played a single match at Clark University. This past weekend, the squad played in another NESCAC Weekend, this time traveling to Middlebury. Finally, the squad faced Brandeis in its final home match of the season last night. The Brandeis match marked the final game that the seniors - Kyre Austin, Karen "Bear" Sillers, and Nancy Phear - would play on home territory for the Brown and Blue. Unfortunately, the Jumbos lost the match in four games (11-15, 15-10, 10-15, 6-15). "Passing was the problem tonight," Talon said. "They took advantage of our mistakes. We got down on ourselves because we were not passing, and things snowballed from there. We play them again on Friday and expect to win." "It was a very disappointing match," Austin said. "We went in excited to play as it was our last home game of the season, but the enthusiasm dropped off as soon as we got on the court. Our passing was off, and we had trouble with our offense, which are two aspects that we've had great consistency and success with lately, so it was all the more frustrating. We play Brandeis again this weekend, and we're looking forward to proving ourselves the better team." On Saturday, as part of the NESCAC Weekend, Tufts faced Middlebury, Hamilton, and Williams. Against Middlebury, which is ranked number one in the conference, the squad suffered a hard loss, winning only one of the four games (8-15, 15-8, 12-15, 10-15). "Passing was not as good as it needed to be," Talon said. "We needed a side-out offense. We are not a great team first thing in the morning. We had opportunities, but we just didn't get it done." Though Talon was slightly disappointed, she added, "It was a good match. We should have won game three. [We] couldn't get tough enough. [We] fought in game four but just didn't get it done." Throughout the match the team posted its typical stats. The "killer S's" of "Bear" Sillers and Stewart were unstoppable during the match. The two combined for a total of 30 kills and 16 digs, while Austin led the defense with 16 digs. "Kyre is a great defensive player and was able to play up their attacks," tri-captain Phear said. "Who makes digs really depends on where the other team is hitting the ball to. A smart team will attack the right side, trying to take the setter out with the first ball so that she can't set the offense with the second ball." In the afternoon, Phear and her squad faced Hamilton. The Jumbos dominated the match, only allowing the Continentials to win one game (15-9, 15-13, 8-15, 15-13). During the match, three players had attacking averages over .300, which is a great achievement. Amy Cronin had 19 kills and only two attacking errors, which gave her an average of .586. "That high of an average is unheard of," Talon said. Megan Pitcavage led the defense with an incredible 29 digs. "We were able to play around with the line-ups, resting people, and using other players," Phear said. "Whenever you're playing such a team-oriented sport with a mixed line-up it makes it difficult. But we are able to do that and come out on top of Hamilton because we are the stronger team." Sillers sat out the Hamilton match in order to rest her sore back. "'Bear' is our most experienced and consistent player," Talon said. "When she doesn't play, it is a testament to the depth of our team. Sarah [Leistikow] and Paulette [Pacheco] played in Bear's spot and did very well." To end the event, the Jumbos squared off against Williams. The two "fairly evenly matched teams" went five games and Tufts pulled out the win (13-15, 12-15, 15-10, 15-11, 15-9). The duo of Sillers and Stewart topped the stat box with 22 and 20 kills, respectively, and 15 digs each. The real leader of the defense was Pacheco with 19 digs. Austin shined with three service aces. Once again, as in the match against Hamilton, three Jumbos had attacking percentages over .300 - Sillers (.340), Pitcavage (.375), and Cronin (.308). "We played harder and better in the games that we won than they did in the games they won," Talon said. "We wanted it more. We knew we were going to win because we have more weapons. It was a huge win for us because it proved to ourselves that we can get what we want." "Williams is a talented team," Phear said. "We stepped up and played the game we've wanted to play all season. We played strongly, as a team, united. We pulled all aspects of our own game together to overcome Williams." Before the weekend; however, the Brown and Blue played one match against Clark University. Talon's squad, after having a dismal start, fought back to take the Cougars in five games (6-15, 6-15, 15-9, 15-13, 15-4). Stewart was top on the day with 24 kills, 16 digs, and four blocks. Austin commanded the defense with 17 kills. Phear led service aces with three. "This game was a big turning point for us," Talon said. "Clark played very well in games one and two. We were the superior team in the match. We played as bad as we could have played, while the coach for Clark told me that they had played the best they could have played. I am proud of the effort that we showed to come back. We came out slow and got it back." "We always knew that we would win, there was no doubt of that," Phear said. "But we let that affect our game in the first two games. We turned our game around and showed that our true fighting spirit in the last three games. Plus, we love to rally." Next, the Jumbos will play in the Hall of Fame Tournament on Friday, Oct. 20th.

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The best of the worst in the Western Conference

August 31

There are three teams sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference barrel right now. In the Pacific Division, the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers share space in the cellar, both with 5-13 records. In the Midwest, the Vancouver Grizzlies are already seven games out of first at 6-11. But it's more than another bad start for all three clubs. Losing has become a tradition for these teams, none of which have had a winning season in several years. In the early 90's, both the Warriors and Clippers were in the playoffs, and both had a chance of building, but management mistakes ultimately led to losing ways. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies haven't been around long enough to win (or have they?). The Warriors once had the promise of an era of dominance. Dubbed 'Run TMC' (referring to guards Tim Hardaway and Mitch Richmond and forward Chris Mullin), the Warriors were contenders who epitomized the Western Conference's brand of fast-break basketball. But the front office, then under the guidance of Coach/General Manager Don Nelson, began prospecting, and wound up with fool's gold. The Warriors traded one-time rookie of the year Richmond to Sacramento after the '90-'91 season for Syracuse star and future NBA journeyman Billy Owens. Shortly after, a rash of injuries struck the team, and Hardaway and Mullin eventually departed. The Warriors have not known a winning season since. Long after Nelson's departure, the Warriors would make further management mistakes, trading burgeoning superstar Chris Webber away for the erratic and underachieving Donyell Marshall in 1994. The front office woes continued for the Warriors in a simple swap during the 1998 draft, when they picked Vince Carter, and sent him to Toronto for Antawn Jamison. While the book isn't closed on Jamison, who exploded for a NBA season high 51 points Sunday night in a loss to Seattle, right now it's just another piece of tragic Warriors history. The Clippers were losers throughout the '80's until a coach with a winning swagger, Larry Brown, took over. Brown brought the Clips to the playoffs in '92 and '93, and it seemed as though they would soon emerge from the Lakers' shadow, even bringing out celebrity faces like Billy Crystal to fill their front row in the often empty L.A. Sports Arena. But one reason why the Clippers have been perennial losers is penny-pinching owner Donald Sterling. Sterling initiated Brown's departure for Indiana, and the Clippers immediately returned to their losing ways. Sterling has repeatedly refused to spend the money to keep talent around, most recently letting legitimate talents Lamond Murray, Derek Anderson and Maurice Taylor depart for greener pastures. Rumor has it that Sterling has maintained ownership of the Clippers as a tax write-off, so until Sterling dumps the franchise, the Clippers will always have one foot in the hole. As for the Grizzlies, well, they've never had a winning season in their short franchise history. But as time goes on, failure is becoming less acceptable. Their Canadian expansion counterparts, the Toronto Raptors, accomplished a winning season and a brief playoff appearance last season. So despite the slow accumulation of talent, the Grizzlies fans have reason to be impatient. So how do they get out of these decade-long funks? The Golden State Warriors opened this season with promise, beating the first place Phoenix Suns in the final seconds of the game. The Warriors went on to lose five straight (though two were back to back overtime losses to the Kings and Magic). The Warriors have young talent. The aforementioned Jamison can score, and when healthy, has shown signs of productivity. In the off-season, the Warriors brought in power forward Danny Fortson, who was averaging 16.7 points and 16.3 rebounds per game before going down to a foot injury. In addition, flashy young guard Larry Hughes has star-quality abilities if he can overcome streaky shooting and numerous turnovers (he's averaging 3.3 per game). But it ends there. The Warriors lack depth, play terrible defense, and have a rotten field goal percentage. Saturday, the Warriors shot 33 percent from the floor, and looked awful in every phase of the game. In Sunday night's loss to the Supersonics, in spite of Jamison's 23 for 36 shooting performance, the Warrior bench mustered a pathetic 7 points on 2 for 12 shooting, and gave up 116 points to the Sonics on the other end of the floor. For the season, the Warriors rank 29th in the league in field goal percentage, shooting 40.8%, and 26th in the league in points allowed with 98.2. The Warriors need more time and more talent, and though showing flashes of good play, seem to be the worst of these basement teams. In this off-season's draft, the Clippers improved as much as any other team, adding high school phenom Darius Miles, along with guards Quentin Richardson and Keyon Dooling, while acquiring Cory Maggette and Derek Strong from the Magic. Building on last year's draft of Lamar Odom, and former number one overall pick Michael Olowakandi, the Clippers have a young and athletic roster. But the offense, though talented, has been dismal thus far. Only two players are averaging double figures on offense, and as a team, the Clippers shoot a poor percentage. Sunday, the Clippers were held below 38 percent shooting against Boston, a team that has struggled on the defensive end of the court. Beyond all this, the Clippers average 18.4 turnovers per game: third worst in the league. One reason the Clips have faltered is they haven't gone with a consistent rotation. Lamar Odom and Jeff McInnis are the only players that command a majority of the minutes at their positions on a nightly basis. As for draft picks Miles, Richardson and Dooling have all been bounced around in the line up, starting some nights, and barely getting off the bench on others. What is impressive about this club is the team defense. While the Clippers rank 21st in the league shooting the ball at 42.4 percent, the Clippers are holding opponents to the same percentage, ranking eighth in the league. Similarly, while ranking 25th in scoring, just over 88 points per game, the Clips are a respectable 13th in points allowed. Although north of the border, the Grizzlies remain south in the standings for many of the same reasons as the Clippers. Young talent has produced an inconsistent offense, offsetting an improving defense. Four of the five Grizzlies' starters have been legitimate players. Small forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim has shown flashes of stardom. A backcourt of Mike Bibby and (currently injured) Michael Dickerson is athletic and capable of filling the nets. Also, power forward Othella Harrington has played solid basketball, though he is sometimes overmatched against the likes of Webber, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace. After those four, the level of talent drops off significantly. Offensively, Vancouver is a below-average 22nd in points scored with 89.9 points, shooting 42% from the field. But the Grizzlies' defense has frustrated many quality teams. The Grizzlies rank 11th in points allowed at 91.9 per game. First round pick Stromile Swift (number two overall), has been a disappointment thus far. According to coach Sidney Lowe, Swift is just not ready, and he's certainly seemed that way in limited action. Management wants him on the court, feeling the exposure will allow him to develop faster. If Swift pans out, he could add even more of a defensive presence, which could slowly improve the Grizzlies.Of the Warriors, Clippers and Grizzlies, the Griz appear to be in the best position to climb up the standings. While having talented floor leadership, they've also played together for a while now, giving them the best chemistry of the three clubs. This is a major component to becoming a playoff caliber team. But even with this said, they're still a long ways away. The Grizzlies will play for win number seven against Detroit tonight.

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RU486 harms women more than helps them

August 31

Another blow to the sanctity of human life was delivered Thursday, Sept. 28 by the FDA when it approved the use of RU486 as a method of abortion. Abortion advocates heralded the announcement as a victory for women. The Catholic Church and the CCT realize that nothing could be farther from the truth. Economically, the FDA's approval of RU486 is a victory for the male dominated abortion industry. Surveys have shown that the number of abortionists will increase with next month's release of mifeprex, the commercial name for RU486, and with it the number of abortions a year will grow above the already staggering 1.3 million mark. Consequently, big abortion will have more money in its bank roll. Physically and psychologically, RU486 is a defeat to women's health. Any mother who uses mifeprex to achieve an abortion will not only lose her unborn child, but will face a myriad of complications as well. Making use of RU486 is a multi-step process that involves 3 trips to the abortion facility and 3 pills. RU486, a synthetic steroid hormone that inhibits the action of progesterone, thereby starving the unborn baby of the nutrient rich womb, is given on the first visit. On the second visit to the clinic most women are given misoprostol, an anti-ulcer prostaglandin (PG) not meant for pregnant women. Misoprostol induces violent contractions that expel the dead baby from its mother's womb. As many as 96 percent of women complained of intense pain from the use of RU486/PG combination and 5 percent of women in a French study were administered narcotics. In the same French study, 45 percent of women reported nausea and 25 percent vomiting. Another distressing side effect of the RU486/PG procedure is the bleeding that takes place. Women should expect nine to 16 days of bleeding according to the FDA. On average, women lose 70 mL of blood in a chemical abortion, 10 mL shy of what doctors consider an abnormal menstruation. During the US trials, four of 230 women in the Des Moines portion of the study experienced "excessive bleeding"; one of the 4 nearly bled to death. At her third visit to the abortion facility, a woman may find that she has had an incomplete abortion or no abortion at all. In this case she will need a surgical abortion or a D&C to scrape out the remains of her child. If at any time before this point a mother decides to carry her baby to term, she faces the potential to have a deformed child. Psychologically, women have to live with the decision to have a chemical abortion in an acute way in the days between when she takes RU486 and when she passes her child. When that takes place, she may actually see her partially grown baby. There is also the possibility that she will develop post abortion syndrome (PAS), a condition marked by depression and obsession over an aborted child, further complicated by the fact that she, in essence, performed the abortion on herself. Long range physical health consequences from the use of RU486/PG have never been investigated. However, it is known that RU486 crosses the blood follicle barrier and can get into maturing eggs. Whether or not this will complicate future pregnancies is not known. It may seem that, after the FDA's approval of RU486, the Culture of Death cannot be stopped. Through the approval of RU486 a human pesticide has been released to the American public under the guise of increased freedom. Pregnancy has been reduced to the level of a headache that can be eliminated simply by popping a pillThose who support life and women cannot give up hope. The Catholic Church will continue to defend life in all its stages, and offer women in crisis pregnancies an alternative to abortion that allows them and their children to maintain their health, dignity, and happiness.Jared R. Burdin, Spiritual Director for the Catholic Community at Tufts. He is a senior majoring in computer engineering.

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News

Rugby team completes perfect club season, 2-0 in postseason

August 31

The Tufts men's rugby team proved its status as one of the top Division III squads in the nation with a successful postseason run in November that capped off an undefeated season. After winning all six of its regular season games, the team went 2-0 in both postseason tournaments in which it competed, the New England Rugby Championships and the Northeastern Regional Nationals held in New York. In Albany, New York on Nov. 11-12, the team faced Mont Claire (NJ) and Wentworth, and had no trouble disposing of both teams, winning 29-0 and 22-7, respectively. With the victory, the men claimed the title of best Division III team in the Northeast. "This was a huge tournament," senior captain Brent Van Haren said. Many Division I and Division II schools, such as Army, Yale and Dartmouth, were present, although Tufts was only eligible to play Division III opponents. "We have some of the most skilled backs and would have had no problem competing with Yale," Van Haren added. Player-coach senior Mike Abanto, a former professional in Europe prior to playing for Tufts, was named the Most Valuable Player, while graduate student Sean Dibartolo was named Most Valuable Forward. Prior to the Northeast Regionals, the team played in the New England Championships at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston on Nov. 4. After defeating Wentworth, the men met their match with rival UMass-Lowell, an opponent that has proved to be troublesome in the past. While Tufts did not trail at any point in its other postseason games, UMass-Lowell went ahead early on, before losing 19-7. "Lowell was huge and they beat up upon us but we were able to come through with the win," Van Haren said. Several experienced players helped lead the team to one of its most successful seasons to date. Co-captains senior Rich Nightingale and Van Haren, along with Abanto, were among the team's top players. Superior play was also contributed by senior Ryo Jepson and junior Justin Reid, while senior Olann Kerrison, the scrumhalf, was impressive in his role as the playmaker. New additions Mike Rodopolous and Aubrey Duffey, along with other freshmen, brought strong support to the already solid team. This season's competition for the experienced group was mediocre and, due to lack of funding for a full-time coach and equipment expenses, Tufts remains in Division III despite being asked to move up. "[Other Division III teams] were alright, but we just shouldn't be in Division III," Van Haren said. "We could've beat anyone [at Northeast Regionals] but the larger, more organized Army team." The confident Van Haren also insists that the men's rugby team is "the best looking team on campus." The team's budget is about six times larger than what Tufts provides. "We wish we could get more money for a full-time coach," said Van Haren. "As it is, now our budget is $12,000, but we only receive $2,000 from the University. It's bothersome because the lack of money prevents us from moving up." Another provision of club sports status stipulates that the team is only allowed to formally compete during one season. In the offseason, however, the team continues to train. "We play rugby seven's which is a smaller, quicker, higher scoring version of the game," says Van Haren. "It is like what indoor soccer is to outdoor soccer." As it is now, the team, like most club sports, remains underfunded. But its status has not been a damper to success, just another obstacle to surpass.

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News

New 'Seussical' serving up more than just green eggs and ham

August 31

Oh, the places you'll go if you happen to see the pre-Broadway production of Seussical at the Colonial Theater. The buzz has already started, and this new book musical promises to be one of the more exciting events of the Boston Theater season. Seussical, loosely based on the stories of children's author Dr. Seuss, is sure to thrill both children and adults alike.

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News

Getting the lowdown on the Senate

August 31

Every Monday in Dewick, students hawk candy in exchange for ideas. These are the same students who managed to convince Dean of Students Bruce Reitman to defend the ailing social scene and poke fun at the average college kid to a bumpin' beat. These students are the proud members of the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate - but what exactly do they do? Well, some won't even try to guess. "I don't know what the Senate does," one sophomore said. According to junior Eric Greenberg, vice president of the Senate, the Senate's responsibilities are two-fold. The Senate manages the student activity fund, which is distributed among Tufts' 100-plus organizations. It is also responsible for representing student opinion to the administration and addressing student concerns on campus. The Senate determines the concerns of students in a number of ways. The senators keep a suggestion box in the campus center's information booth, as well as providing an open forum during the body's weekly meetings, in which students can speak their minds. Finally, every Monday, senators welcome students to come by and talk to them while they table in Dewick and Carmichael. Occasionally, they use the power of persuasion to encourage students to voice their opinions. "At the beginning of the semester, we were handing out M&Ms just so people would come and talk to us," freshman senator Nick Abraham said. So, what big things have they done this semester? "We've done a lot of work on the social scene this semester," Greenberg said. "A lot of students, especially returning students, couldn't find the social scene they were used to when they got back this year." The Senate's work included an open forum for students to voice their concerns directly to Reitman and representatives of the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD). "We've also been working on the wave of hate crimes this semester," Greenberg added. The Senate attempted to promote awareness of these crimes through posters and has been working toward the prevention of such crimes in the future. The creation of the Cultural Coordinating Committee, although predating the current rash of hate crimes, is now available to shoulder the responsibility of hate crime education, as well as work on retaining minority faculty, and racial and cultural issues on campus. The Senate's duties have also been confused due to the recent Tufts Christian Fellowship (TCF) ruling. "People often think we had something to do with the TCF issue earlier this semester, but that went through the [Judiciary]. It was not under Senate jurisdiction," Greenberg said. However, the Senate did have to contend with the overwhelming outpouring of student opinion and discontent regarding the decision. According to one TSAD (formerly Tufts Students Against Discrimination) member, although the Senate did meet with administrators over student discontent, TSAD members were the ones to actually get something done. "I think TSAD is great. They are fighting for student issues. If the campus shows that it cares, it helps the Senate in their official actions with the administrators," Greenberg said. "The Senate is very supportive of TSAD," said sophomore Adam Carlis, a TSAD member and trustee representative in the Senate. "They even stopped by our sit-in." Some students point to different facets of the Senate to criticize or praise. "It is the best Senate since I've been here," sophomore Sam Dangremond said. Although acknowledging that this is only the second Senate he has witnessed, Dangremond was nonetheless enthusiastic. "They are productive. They avoid the power games and bickering that plagued last year's Senate," he said. "They are also not media-hungry." He had special compliments for Senate President Dave Moon, who is currently working on a lecture series intended to spark campus debate on controversial issues. As an editor for the Primary Source, such an undertaking is near and dear to Dangremond's heart. Freshman Philipp Tsipman has an entirely different view. "They have done nothing for hate crimes. They didn't help the party scene and it took TSAD to get an explanatory statement from the administration about the nondiscrimination policy," he said. Tsipman also feels that the Senate does not fairly represent the student body. "They are the only democratic representation for students on campus. I think they don't know the opinion of the students they are representing so they represent their own opinion," he said. Tsipman added that the electoral process needs to be amended before the Senate can be expected to represent student opinion. In the meantime, he said that TSAD is filling in well. "TSAD made some people feel safer on campus. They made it clear that some people were dissatisfied and did it without endangering freedom," he said.

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News

Cooling the planet

August 31

The science is clear; the earth's climate is warming and human activities are responsible for much of it. That was the message driven home at a seminar at the Fletcher School on Tuesday entitled "Stop Global Waffling: The Importance of Action at the Upcoming Climate Change Negotiations. " During the program, a number of experts discussed the roadblocks standing in the way of multilateral action to reduce global warming. With the politically tumultuous US presidential elections as a backdrop, the international community will meet in the Netherlands next month to try to shore up the Kyoto Protocol - an global agreement to curb global warming - and discuss the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Many countries signed the protocol, including the US, but it has not gone into effect because few countries ratified it. The issue is especially important at Tufts, where a program called Tufts Climate Initiative is engaged in efforts to demonstrate the feasibility of the Kyoto Protocol. The University is complying with its self-proclaimed mandates by cutting Tufts' emissions and increasing energy efficiency on all of its campuses. Additionally, student interest in the environmental issues is high, and several students will travel to The Hague for the November conference. It will take more than just Tufts, however, to solve the world's climate problems. The Hague meeting will be tasked with hammering out the most difficult issues amidst a turbulent political environment, and the experts who spoke at Tufts on Wednesday expressed concern about the prospects of the negotiations. Kelly Sims, a doctoral candidate at Fletcher and formerly the science policy director of Ozone Action in Washington, DC, said that she is amazed at the progress made by scientists in understanding the complicated climate cycles. But, she is concerned that the political process will not be fruitful. Sims said that the US has not taken steps to comply with the modest seven percent emissions cuts required by the Protocol, and that other nations are asking themselves if the US is "just trying to weasel out of its commitments." "I am really worried that we are still in an exceedingly political stage... too political to put together a coherent, rational international regime," she said. According to Sims, the US presidential election poses a further challenge to The Hague negotiations. The world community will meet at The Hague right after the elections, and the winner may well determine the fate of the Protocol. Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush opposes the Kyoto agreement and has said that he does not believe there is conclusive evidence that humans are to blame for global warming. Al Gore supports the treaty but has not yet taken a leadership role on the issue. The rhetoric of the presidential campaign, combined with a Congress that has been staunchly reluctant to ratify the Protocol, means that it will be very difficult for the US to lead the world on combating global warming. "US domestic politics has hijacked the process," Sims said. Despite her skepticism, Sims is hopeful that some action will be taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide and methane. She said she is encouraged by the fact that 200 student activists, including some from Tufts, are going to attend the negotiations at the Hague. A consistent theme throughout the discussion was the lack of public interest and knowledge about global warming. The panelists said that public ignorance and apathy is due in large part to the concerted efforts by industrial interests to distort scientific findings and make people believe that not enough is known to warrant any actions. One scientist who has been on the front lines of the global warming "debate" and has seen firsthand how his work is sometimes distorted for political purposes is Harvard Biological Oceanography Professor James McCarthy. McCarthy is the co-chair of Working Group Two of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the most extensive and authoritative source on climate change. McCarthy said there is no scientific doubt that the climate is changing, nor is there doubt over why it is changing. The remaining scientific debate is over how much it will change and exactly how that change will be manifested. The perception that the science is still uncertain bothers McCarthy. "I am always surprised at how effective a handful of people are in convincing the public that there are serious doubts that the climate is changing," he said. According to McCarthy, the small number of skeptics are "a bunch of pointy heads with an agenda... they are not in the mainstream of science." Although the science of global warming paints a bleak picture, and the political climate is stagnated, there is hope that something can be done to alleviate the problem. Adam Markham, formerly the director of the World Wildlife Foundation's international climate campaign and now the executive director of a new charity called Clean Air-Cool Planet, encouraged those in the audience to work for change. Markham, a zoologist by training, touched on issues raised by McCarthy raised and said that scientists are actually at a disadvantage in the media because of the way their research is criticized. "We have to defend everything we say (based on) peer-reviewed literature, while the critics can say anything they want." The message of the scientists has yet to seep into the minds of the public, Markham said, and the political actors have not moved on the issue. Markham has taken his personal message to New England where he works to spread the ominous gospel of global warming. Like the Tufts Climate Initiative, he is determined to prove that there are things that can be done to help stop global warming and demonstrate to Washington that the necessary measures will not endanger the economy. The efforts of Markham's group are concentrated on getting businesses and residents of the Northeastern states to be more energy efficient and more active in demanding that the government take action. "We have to find ways to engage people in the climate change issue," he said. "Getting ordinary people interested in this issue is the biggest challenge."

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News

Misunderstood by the Daily

August 31

In response to yesterday's feature article on Africans and African Americans, which in my opinion pigmented erroneous anti-African-American feelings, I would like to rightfully delineate my stand on issues faced by Africans integrating into American society as a whole. Immigrant Africans do find it difficult to fully immerse themselves into African-American culture. In much the same way, immigrants confront this problem when trying to assimilate and simultaneously retain their identity in the United States. The term "melting pot" no longer applies. We refer to the US as a salad bowl; rightly so, in that the majority of immigrants who come to this country find a place of their own where they can retain their culture and secure their identity. Coming to college does not entail being presented with ethnic options from which one chooses from; thus, it would be incorrect to state that given the opportunity to "insulate [my]self within an African-American community...," I outwardly opted not to do so. I do not feel ostracized by the African-American community. A person's race, ethnicity, and community are designated by choice. I had the opportunity to live with a white suburban upper-middle class, Jewish family; however, because I am familiar with that culture and way of life, I do not call myself a Jew. A quote included in the article implied to some that I have no African-American friends. I am happy to say that my relations with African-American students on the Tufts campus have not only been beneficial in settling in at Tufts, but have also been educational to me in understanding African-American culture. I was also quoted in saying that I will not sit with "...a pack of African-Americans...." In the same way, I would find it difficult to sit down with a group of Brazilians at the dinner table. In my opinion the tone set by the Daily about disassociating myself from the African-American community is misrepresentative of my feelings. Obviously, just because I do not fully understand African-American culture, does not mean that I should not associate with African-Americans. I taught in Roxbury this past summer (which was incorrectly stated as an internship by the Daily), through a community-based program at the Phillips Brooks House Association at Harvard University. That summer, most of the teachers had never been exposed to a predominantly African-American and Hispanic population that was representative of the Mission Hill and Alice Taylor housing developments. My ignorance of African-American culture did not stop me from forming great emotional attachments to the children I worked with, nor did it inhibit me from becoming a part of their daily family life. Yet, it appeared that the Daily focused on the conviction that, because I am African and know little about African-American culture, because I do not participate in the PAA, and because I feel discomfort in forcing myself into that culture, that I must be anti-African-American, a "...perspective...that borders on offensive." The tone set by the Daily conveyed that I viewed my older sister, Nina, in a condescending manner. This is not the case. Since Nina is my older sister, I give her the respect that she deserves. Nina has comfortably assimilated herself in African-American culture, which adds positively to her identity. Nonetheless, when she and I are in our parents' home, we still bestow the same amount of respect and traditional customs that we followed in Nigeria. My parents' cultural way of life, and daily interactions define who they are - Nina and I respect this. Furthermore, out of respect, we do not exhibit African-American or suburban mannerisms over pounded yam and egusi soup (a traditional Nigerian dish). It is not an issue with my parents to whom their children relate, or what culture their children choose to immerse themselves in for the purpose of creating a stable and secure personal identity. Nina accepts that the way I live my life resembles that of a Jewish, suburban kid. And I fully accept any decisions she makes. If anything, she has only reminded me of the danger of losing our Nigerian culture. I was also quoted by the Daily in saying that "I have never dated an African-American man." Is a reader supposed to gather from this that I am anti-black? Does this mean that I don't find Tyson Beckford or Michael Jordan drop dead gorgeous? Of course not. Did the Daily inquire as to if I have dated African men? It did not. To reiterate, during the four years that I have resided in this country, I have not dated an individual of Indian, Chinese, Egyptian, or Guyanese descent. That is not to say that I am thereby prejudiced against them. Dating is not a concept that is readily accepted in my Nigerian, Islamic home; however, it must also be noted that the Daily failed to inquire about my family's cultural perception of this matter. The Daily clearly pointed out a few of the racial issues I have faced living in white, suburbia. For example, dealing with inter-racial relationships. Such issues are not new to me or to my family. My parents concern for Nina's choosing to date African-American men stems from their experience with racial divisions and arguments that they have faced and overcome as a result of their marriage. It is only natural that they share their concern for my sister's and my dating and marrying men with whom we share no cultural synergy. I do not deny the existence of racism and prejudice in our community. On a whole, African Americans make up about 13 percent of the total US population (the US Census Bureau provides such statistics). It makes sense then that any discrimination African-Americans face on a day to day basis should be brought to light. The Daily quoted me in saying that, "Blacks should bring themselves up instead of continuously focusing on how they're discriminated against... [c]oming from an African country that has achieved a lot - it's doable." Yes, it was doable in a country that is made of a 100 percent black population. Moreover, the Daily failed to quote me on saying that, even though the Nigerians gained independence from the British, they still have not figured out ways of getting over ethnic divisions and human rights violations; thus, social mobility on a whole is a lengthy, political, and slow process. It is true that for the most part I lead a multi-cultural existence giving precedence to all the ethnicities that I have encountered and have been able to identify with one way or another. For the most part, I consider myself an inconspicuous part of the Tufts community. However, in the hopes of creating multi-cultural awareness within this community, it appears as though my contribution has only created misconceptions of the delicate issue of race.Gina Jibrin is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major.

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