Archives

News

Players are not to blame for Olympic basketball debacle

August 31

You can't blame this year's installment of the "Dream Team" for trying. Amidst all of the finger-pointing in the wake the team's bronze medal performance in Athens, the twelve athletes that made the trip to represent their country should not hang their heads. Of course, the combination of many top stars being reluctant to give away their summer, along with the selection committee's ignorance to the differences in the international game, call into question whether the right group of players made the trip. In a competition where outside shooting and unselfish play were at a premium, this collection of individuals accustomed to a great share of the minutes and shots might have been the wrong team from the start. Dwyane Wade, while not a terrific shooter, exemplified what Team USA needed out of its point guard. His unselfish play and ability to penetrate stood out over Allen Iverson and Stephon Marbury's more traditional, NBA-esque "shoot first, pass second" style. The selection committee also came up short by sending just Tim Duncan and Carlos Boozer to man the inside. While Duncan tried, he could never adjust to international rules, and was regularly frustrated by early foul trouble. This left only Boozer, and under-sized backups Lamar Odom and Shawn Marion, to battle it out underneath the glass. Among the younger players suiting up for Team USA were LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. While both showed signs of life when they had the opportunity on the court, the bigger story was that each was treated to extended time on the bench, something that Anthony spoke out against. This year's number one draft pick, Emeka Okafor, was the token Christian Laettner of this year's roster. He played only 14 minutes in the tournament, and his roster spot could have been used more productively. Foreign-born NBA stars who played for the competition and were more accustomed to the international game also contributed to the American team's downfall. Point guard Carlos Arroyo of the Utah Jazz played a key role in Puerto Rico's preliminary upset of the United States, and it was Manu Ginobili's stellar play in Argentina's semifinal triumph that ended the United States hope of winning gold. While many of the players' shortcomings could have been predicted going into Athens, the players themselves cannot be blamed, as they played basketball the only way they knew how. Up against tougher international competition with rules not tailored to their game, the deck was stacked against the Americans from the start.

---

News

Class of 2008 makes its grand entrance on Hill

August 31

With boxes, parents, and window fans in tow, the 1,280 members of the class of 2008 arrive on-campus today for Orientation Week.

---

News

Tufts is hottest school for study abroad

August 31

Tufts may not be the "Hottest School for Diversity" (that's Wesleyan University), or the "Hottest for Jobs" (Carnegie Mellon), but according to Newsweek, Tufts is this year's "Hottest School for Studying Abroad" in the nation. The national magazine named Tufts one of "America's 25 Hot Schools" for 2005 in conjunction with Kaplan College Guide.

---

News

New freshman orientation set to unite class

August 31

Today, incoming Tufts freshmen will be greeted with an orientation that emphasizes the diversity of experiences that have brought them together on the hallowed and hilly grounds of the University.

---

News

Advice

August 31

Welcome to Tufts. The University is welcoming the most intelligent groups of students in its history, at least according to the SAT statistics. And to what school is this new class of students arriving? It is a school that claims it is upon the cusp of a revolutionary change; the full-scale leap from a small New England college to a world-renowned research institution. And what advice do you need before going into the big wide world of Tufts University? That is a tough question to answer. Most of you have received enough advice from parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, parents' friends, friends of parents' friends, and dentists to start your own column. There is not much to be said that has not already gone over, ad infinitum, by everyone you know and some that you do not. These next four years will be but one stage in what hopefully will be your long and successful lives. What makes these years "the best" of your 75 years of existence cannot be so easily explained. For a short while you will eat, work and live with thousands of your direct peers in age and, often, in interests. Academically, you will be challenged in ways you may not again. After classes, you will throw yourself into selfless tasks for different student organizations that give you a satisfaction that later in life you will probably never be able to explain. At night, you will be surrounded by friends who have reached awareness of who they are just as you do. These are the parts of college that will make you think back, many many years from now, of these times and wonder how they went by so fast. But college is a mean, and not an end. Your time at Tufts is a chance to do new things, to take advantage of the brief respite before heading into the Real World of work, taxes and lawn care. Do not run from that future, but rather use this university to grow stronger and meet it head on. Have fun. Do what you enjoy. Excel at what you enjoy. Make friends. Stay up late. Do your homework. Don't start your essay until 2 a.m. the night before it's due. Go out. Stay in. Be all you can be. See how long you can avoid stepping outdoors in the middle of the Massachusetts winter. Play in the snow. Sleep late. Watch sunrises. Get to know your professors. Skip class. Do all of this, or none of this, and we promise these four years will be the best start to your life you could have.

---

News

Wot do U call it?

August 31

English MCs Dizzee Rascal and the Streets are the first wave of what might be the next British invasion. The relevant word in the preceding sentence being might. Even with a steady following back home, and the triumphs of past British cultural exports to coast on, the Streets (actually just one guy, Mike Skinner) and Dizzee Rascal (Dylan Mills on his birth certificate) have no guarantee of success State-side. After all, there's plenty of British culture that even the most Anglo-obsessed Americans can't stomach. Call it the Bangers and Mash phenomenon. This summer, while taking their first, tenuous steps onto the American music scene with a tour in support of their new albums, the question most likely on the Brits' minds is: will our music go the way of the Beatles or the blood sausage? It's a relevant question since, like British cuisine, the Streets and Dizzee's style of music, with its electronica-derived production and Cockney accents, is attuned to the palate of someone who grew up with the stuff. It's very British music, maybe even overwhelmingly so for American ears. The flipside of that claim is that there's nothing quite like it happening in the U.S. right now. Calling it the British answer to hip-hop isn't really fair; not only have we already heard the British answer to hip-hop (remember Roots Manuva? Trip-hop?), but Dizzee and the Streets are just as indebted to genres that traditionally never had much of an impact in the U.S. - dancehall/ragga, drum'n'bass - as they are to American hip-hop. In fact, their music is so unprecedented at home and 'cross the pond that critics and artists have spent the last couple of years clambering to give it a name. What started out as a type of Garage (a nod to a style of house music popular in Britain and New York) quickly became 2step and then finally Grime - a classification best suited to Dizzee, whose music sounds like the film of grease on industrial decay. Both the Streets and Diz are now two albums deep into their careers. Skinner pulled ahead early on with Original Pirate Material (2002) and his follow-up A Grand Don't Come For Free (2004), which has been nominated for the Mercury Prize and currently has a single in the UK's Top 40. With his unconventional delivery - a sort of speak-rap that flows in drips and spurts like a leaky faucet - Skinner earned himself a following in the U.S. that the Beastie Boys enjoyed during their prime: white hipsterish kids who like hip-hop music but are weary to invest in the culture. It was Dizzee, though, who proved to be the golden boy of the scene. At only 19, he released his career-making debut Boy in Da Corner (2003). Partly recorded on the young MC's PlayStation, Boy featured the cerebral, icy production that is a trademark of Grime. It also showcased his prodigious verbal talents. Where Skinner is restrained, Dizzee unleashes a whirlwind of ragga-inspired vocal calisthenics. His new album, Showtime (2004), which tackles his new-found success and belies an obsession for one-upping Jay-Z, is currently available in the U.K. and by less-than-legal means in the U.S. But the Streets and Diz are just the tip of a whole constellation of artists with names as foreign-sounding to Americans as joie de vivre: the Artful Dodger and Ms. Dynamite, Wiley and the Roll Deep Crew. Played mostly on pirate radio stations and making rare appearances on the charts, it's still an underground movement in the U.K., albeit one that's about to hit critical mass. But how will the music be received beyond the scepter'd isle? There's no question that Skinner, Mills and their cohorts are creating brilliant music, all the more so because they're doing it without a template to follow. The real question is how much of said brilliance is contingent upon its Cockney-ness? In other words, how British is too British? This brings us to Boston, USA at a June show at Avalon, where the paths of the Streets and Dizzee Rascal have converged to put on a concert for an audience brought there more out of curiosity than fandom. At first, things looked bad for Dizzee, who went on before the Streets. The audience tried to shuffle along to his jittery music with little success. They tried to follow his tales of life in the East London suburb of Bow but couldn't get past the accent. People didn't look entertained or even amused, they looked confused. Then Dizzee turned off the music .. a capella. As the words tumbled from his mouth, the audience began to warm up. By the time the Streets took the stage, half the crowd was ready to choke down a heaping bowl of black pudding (don't ask) for another song.

---

---

News

Tufts arts: here for the taking or the making

August 31

It's Orientation Week, and there are plays, concerts, and dance shows as well as copies of Tufts' publications everywhere. Sure, it's great to be a patron of all the arts groups available at Tufts, but what if you want to be a part of them? Here's a guide to some of the major arts organizations at Tufts: For students interested in theater, the call board in Aidekman is generally the most up to the minute resource. Upcoming events and auditions are often posted on Tuftslife.com, and most groups have email updates that they will be more than happy to send to you. Pen, Paint, and Pretzels (3Ps) is the umbrella organization for other student theater organizations at Tufts. It produces a major and several minor productions each semester. This fall, the major will be Mary Zimmerman's "Metamorphoses." 3Ps is the oldest student organization on campus. Meetings, open to any interested student, are held in Balch Arena Theater on Mondays during the open block. Torn Ticket II is Tufts' musical theater group. It produces one major musical, and sometimes sponsors minors, each semester. This fall, the major will be William Finn's "A New Brain." Bare Bodkin is a theater company specializing in student written and created theater. The Bodkins use "found space" on campus and off for their productions. Watch out for the 24 Hour Theater Festival early in the semester. The Black Theater Company promotes Black theater on campus, encouraging participation in dramatic activities by students of color and production of works by Black playwrights. The Traveling Treasure Trunk specializes in making kids happy - they're Tufts Childrens' theater collective. When people think about improv comedy groups at Tufts University, the first name to come to their minds will likely be Cheap Sox. Performing their brand of comedy for 19 years, Cheap Sox puts on a number of shows during the school year; last year they teamed up with the mime group HYPE to put on a show called CheapHype, an interesting blend of the two mediums. However, if you're looking to experiment with improv in a more low-key, workshop setting try Stealin' the Funny. A newer group on campus, they specialize in no auditions and lots of funny. The more musically inclined should check out the singing groups on campus. Like most colleges, Tufts has a plethora of a capella organizations: the Amalgamates, the Beelzebubs, Essence, the Jackson Jills, Shir Appeal, and sQ!. Each group fits a specific niche: the Mates and sQ! are co-ed, the Bubs are all-male, the Jills are all-female. Essence sings music of the African Diaspora and Shir Appeal performs traditional and modern Jewish music (Essence is all-female, Shir Appeal is co-ed). Other options include the Tufts Choral and the specialized chamber singers. Performing during halftime of every home football game, and making appearances elsewhere during the fall, the Pep Band is a great way to get famous. Wind ensemble is, as one would hope, a group of seated musicians playing woodwind instruments. Composed of about 50 people, the ensemble plays regularly around the campus, and has traveled to spots as varied as Ireland and Disneyworld. If you are interested in this group, get out your auditioning shoes. Tufts Symphony Orchestra also sticks to its name - they play instruments commonly found at a symphony, for example the cello. Or, on a good day, the clarinet. The literal movers and shakers among you can find your creative outlets in Tufts' dance organizations (and one percussive group). For traditional types, Sarabande is the best bet - they are known for their stylized ballet, jazz, tap, modern, and hip-hop routines. Hip-hoppers can also find their muse by joining Spirit of Color (SoC), whose funky core of hip-hop, jazz, and ethnic dance has at times expanded to include stepping, glowstick/techno dancing, and b-boying. Those who are into a more casual dance experience should check out Tufts Dance Collective (TDC) or TURBO, both of which do not require tryouts (SoC and Sarabande do). TDC, which boasts an impressively large membership, incorporates all styles of dance. TURBO is a breakdancing group and offers lessons to newcomers in addition to its normal meetings. The musical performance group wildcard is BEATS (Bangin' Everything At Tufts). A newly-formed organization, BEATS uses everyday items like water jugs, glass bottles, plastic buckets, and even its members' own bodies to create percussion in the style of shows like Stomp. And if you find yourself lovingly stroking the pages of this Daily and long to see your own beautiful words in print, call us. Call us now. Write us this second. But, if a daily newspaper isn't your style there certainly are other options. The Tufts Observer is a weekly news magazine which has such features as the police blotter and student photos with quotes. Tufts' best, worst, and only conservative magazine is the Primary Source. The Source comes out biweekly, and deals with both on and off campus issues. Tufts' best, worst, and only liberal magazine, meanwhile, is Radix. Although, they may or may not exist this semester, we don't know. Creative outlets also float around campus in multiple forms. One might say that all should join together for the good of quality - but since that's not the case, once again you will find multiple options. Optimus Prime is the most general of the bunch and accepts all forms of poetry with no specific emphasis, publishing frequently. Outbreath is the fiction journal, also featuring photography. It comes out once a semester. Onyx is the Tufts Black student literary magazine with an emphasis on Black culture featuring poetry, short stories, essays, and artwork. Hillel also has a literary publication that traditionally comes out once a semester. South Asian Literary and Arts Magazine (SALAAM) features artwork, poetry, stories, and plays. Despite the name, it accepts submissions from students of any background. WMFO 91.5FM is Tufts' one and only radio station. Last year they increased their range with a new broadcast tower. TUTV, meanwhile is the Tufts TV Station. One of their best known programs is the Jumbo Love match-all you love birds watch out. Oh, and if you think this list of activities is ridiculous and want to make fun of any of the groups listed in it, make sure to join the Zamboni - they're Tufts Humor Magazine.

---

News

Team takes another loss to start the season

August 31

History has a funny way of repeating itself. For the second time in as many years, the Tufts men's basketball team will be without its previous season's star sophomore rebounder. In 2003 it was center Craig Coupe who left the Jumbos to play for NESCAC rival Trinity College. This year, center Blaine Lay said goodbye to his days in the brown and blue to attend James Madison University in St. Harrisonburg, Virginia. "It was a very tough decision, one of the toughest I've made," Lay, a junior, said. "There were times my sophomore year when I really regretted not leaving earlier, and times now that I regret leaving. It was never a black and white decision for me." "[Blaine] never really found his niche at Tufts," senior teammate Jesse Belodoff said. "His decision to leave was based on a lot of things. He missed home and never really felt comfortable." Lay ranked second on the team as a sophomore during the 2003-2004 campaign with 6.2 rebounds per game and 23 blocked shots. He averaged 28 minutes per game and was the third-ranked Jumbo in both field goal percentage (.477) and points per game (9.0). Basketball played a major role in both of Lay's decisions to stay for his sophomore year, and to transfer over this past summer. "I spent my freshman year spring break looking at schools," Lay said. "Basketball was a reason to stay at Tufts then. It wasn't the be-all-end-all reason why I left [this year], but it did have a lot to do with it." "Blaine had talked to me about transferring after his freshman year," coach Bob Sheldon said. "The only thing he liked about Tufts was basketball. He gave it two years and wanted to move closer to home." As a freshman coming out of Mercersburg Academy in Rockville, Maryland, Lay saw time off the bench in all of the team's 25 games. He averaged 5.3 ppg and 4.3 rpg. On the defensive side of the court, Lay made an impact with 14 blocked shots and 86 defensive rebounds, a total that placed him third on the team. Despite success in his two seasons, Lay was not content with the way the Tufts basketball program was run. The team's subpar 8-17 overall record, and abysmal 0-10 road mark in 2003-2004, accurately reflected a frustrating season. "The basketball program at Tufts has the potential to be a perennial powerhouse," Lay said. "I am disappointed that it didn't live up to that." Rumors flew last semester that the team was trying to gain enough support to have Sheldon ousted from the head coaching position. Though no changes have been made to the coaching staff for the upcoming season, losing both Coupe and Lay in consecutive years indicates Tufts' difficulty in retaining young talent. "[Lay's absence] is going to hurt," Belodoff said. "He was a big part of the team both on and off the court; a leader. Everyone was understandably upset when we found out [he was leaving]." "We're going to miss him," Sheldon said. "He was a big part of our program. We had some good depth up front. If we get injuries, we don't have that same depth without him." Though Lay will not be easy to replace beneath the boards or in the locker room, Belodoff and Sheldon believe the team is headed in the right direction for 2004-2005. "I'm excited; I think everyone is," Belodoff said. "Last year was a tough year for everybody, but the guys who are still here are really committed and on the same page. Our record is 0-0 and the possibilities are out there." "We have a great freshman class with at least two guys who will probably play right away," Sheldon said. "The guys coming back are excited and working hard. We'll be back to winning a lot of games this year." Senior Reggie Stovell, junior Dan Martin, and sophomore Brian Kumf will most likely bring down many of the team's rebounds this coming season. As for Lay, the towering junior's basketball future is uncertain at Div. I James Madison thanks in part to a foot injury he suffered in late August. "I haven't decided if I'm going to play or not," Lay said. "I'll talk to the coaches and then just wait and see." Though Tufts turned out not to be the shoe that fit for Lay, he still holds many fond memories of his time on the Hill. "I'll miss the atmosphere of the games, like when we beat ranked Amherst by 17 at home and the place was packed, and when we beat Bates last year," Lay said. "But, I'll miss my teammates and friends the most." Belodoff echoed Lay's sentiments on the personal level. "He's one of my best friends and I'll miss him terribly, both in basketball and in general," Belodoff said. "But he did what he had to do and I give him credit for making a hard decision. I just want him to be happy.

---

News

Sunset returns childhood games to campus

August 31

Thanks to juniors Daniel Stuckey, Jeff Katzin, Anish Jain and Jason Karp, anyone traveling through the Tufts campus on Aug. 12 wouldn't have been alone in thinking they were on a middle school playground rather than in the middle of a university. That afternoon, Sunset Entertainment - an entertainment collaborative comprised of Stuckey, Katzin, Jain, and Karp -organized a free dodgeball tournament, its third event of the summer. And despite its difference from "typical" college entertainment (read: lack of beer), response to the event, and to Sunset's previous two initiatives, kickball and capture the flag, has been staggeringly positive. "People have just been so happy - it's such a nice change," said Karp, who co-founded Sunset with his 413 Sunset St. housemates to provide students with a fresh social outlet. "In the 'normal' college social scene, you go to the frat, you drink the beer, you stumble home drunk, or, if you're lucky, you stumble home to someone else's bed. But this is just so much fun; it's like being a little kid again!" "It was so much fun - it was all those random sports that you played in elementary school that you still really love, but no one really plays anymore," agreed junior Greg Fujita, who attended all three Sunset events. "It was one of those opportunities to actually talk with the hundred people who you've always seen around campus, but never talked to." "The weather was nice, the events were good ideas, and on top of it, you got to meet other people in the area," echoed junior Alex Sherman, who played capture the flag and dodgeball. "When we were playing dodgeball on the tennis courts, quite a few tennis players decided to play dodgeball instead of tennis," Fujita laughed. The games' social appeal, drawing everyone from engineers to English majors, also impressed junior Cassidy Morris, a participant in the capture the flag and dodgeball games. "The friendly nature of the games and the athletes [was] contagious for passersby, who'd join in or watch," Morris said. "People would see the fun we were having and couldn't help but join in." Attendees also welcomed Sunset's events as a colorful respite from summer malaise. "You know, when you get home from work, you either watch TV...or you go play kickball with a whole bunch of random people!" Fujita said. "If you live here during the summer, you're basically on your own to come up with your own entertainment - the functions provided by student organizations and the university during the year are unavailable," Sherman said. "Who wouldn't want to play capture the flag with face paint on the academic quad?" Karp feels that much of Sunset's events' success is due to their appeal to the kid in every college student. "It's cheesy as hell, but it's good clean fun," Karp said. "I mean, half of us were camp counselors, and that's basically what we're doing. We're playing the same games that we played as little kids, but now we haven't played them in 10 years, so it's exciting." That excitement has drawn an increasingly large amount of attention, and, thanks to its success over the summer months, Sunset will organize similar events throughout the school year. "They keep getting bigger and bigger," Karp said of the group's ventures so far. "The first time, we sent Evites out to maybe 40 people, and now it's 250! It grew really rapidly." Utilizing the Evite system-which allows users to send invitations and receive RSVPs online-as a publicizing tool has helped Sunset to reach as many people as possible. "I had never used it before, but it's easy, it's cheap, it's free-no problems with that!" he said. "Plus, people are able to post responses. It's pretty encouraging to read them, and to see people get all psyched up...like, for capture the flag, we all came in full face paint and full regalia." The capture the flag game, Sunset's second endeavor, was held on the academic quad and drew over 80 enthusiastic participants. Even a few cops got into the spirit: "The Tufts police have been awesome," Karp said. "They almost invariably show up at our events and say, 'What's going on?' We tell them, 'We're Tufts kids having a good time; no one's causing any trouble,' and they're totally there for us, and very supportive." With its third event, dodgeball, Sunset's repertoire expanded to include indoor activities as well as outdoor. Participants in the Aug. 12 dodgeball game followed up the action by viewing a certain hit movie at the Somerville Theater - at a discounted cost. "The idea was 'Dodgeball and Dodgeball,'" Karp said. "Anish is in The Residence, a band that had done a benefit concert at the Somerville Theater last semester. He explained the idea to the manager, who was very nice about it and gave us the group rate." Only one problem: "By the end of playing dodgeball, we were so tired that some of us ended up not going to the movie!" Karp laughed. Sunset's members plan on carrying their group's momentum and name forward during the upcoming schoolyear, even though they're all moving off of their namesake street. "For our next event in September, I'm expecting a huge number of people," Karp said. That event, an Australian field game called "Rob the Nest," will be held on the academic quad Sept. 6. "We're hoping to get a good crowd because people will want to be social without wanting to go to a party the night before classes start," Karp's Sunset co-founder Jeff Katzin said. Morris, for one, would love to be there. "I'm glad that I had the opportunity this summer to have such good fun with some very cool people," she said.

---

News

Hamm's golden debate continues

August 31

In the United States, many grade school boys dream of hitting a walk-off home run in the World Series or catching the game-winning touchdown in the Super Bowl. Some kids fantasize about buzzer-beating threes, Stanley Cup heroics, or even an occasional world cup winner. But never gymnastics. More seven year old boys dream of being LeBron James's agent than of sticking their landings in the Olympics for a gold medal. The resounding stick of American Paul Hamm's feet at the end of his high bar routine at this summer's Athens Olympics began a new chapter in American gymnastics, and could very well have sparked a change in attitude towards men's gymnastics in this country. While America often has been enchanted by female gymnasts, from Mary Lou Retton in 1984 to Keri Strug in 1996, gymnastics is one of the few sports in which the men have fallen by the wayside. This hasn't happened without good reason. The United States has long been the black sheep in a men's gymnastics community dominated for decades by Eastern European and Asian countries. The last American team medal came 20 years ago at the boycotted 1984 Summer Games. On August 18th, Hamm, the defending 2003 world champion, won the most coveted individual medal in the sport, the all-around gold. This came just two nights after leading an American team, that included his twin brother Morgan, to the silver medal. The team finished behind the Japanese and just in front of the Romanians. American boys may not be skipping Little League in favor of the pommel horse quite yet, but for at least one night, Paul Hamm captured the country's imagination. After vaulting in his fourth of six events, Hamm's medal hopes seemed dismal. The normally solid athlete landed his vault out-of-control, stumbling on his landing and taking several large steps before crashing into the judge's table. He received a 9.137, spiraling down the standings and into twelfth place. "I thought, 'That's it. I'm done,'" Hamm told the Associated Press. Other medal contenders began to falter, however, and Hamm proceeded to perform the two best routines of the Games. He received a 9.837 for his parallel bars performance, the highest score of the competition given to any gymnast in any event to that point. That score would not be beaten, but it would be matched by Hamm on his sixth, and final event, the high bar. That routine featured three consecutive release moves during which Hamm released the bar on the upswing, somersaulted over the top and grabbed the bar on the way back down. Hamm won the all-around competition by .012 points, the closest margin of victory in men's Olympic gymnastics history. Later, a scoring scandal broke out with the discovery that South Korean bronze medalist Yang Tae Young's parallel bars routine was misjudged and deserved an extra tenth of a point, which would have placed him first. The International Gymnastics Federation ruled that the results from Athens could not be changed, perhaps for good reason, as a later scoring error was discovered that would have docked Young an extra two tenths of a point. The aggregate corrections would have landed him out of medal contention all together. The controversy is still burning, a situation that is becoming unsettlingly familiar after each Olympic Games, but Hamm's awe-inspiring performance will be remembered long after the scandal dies down. Even after the Wheaties boxes go back to featuring Super Bowl heroes and NBA stars, Hamm's impact may have helped usher in a new era in American gymnastics: one in which the men are a much bigger part of the action.

---

News

Usual suspects jockey for playoff spots in season's final weeks

August 31

Welcome freshmen to the wonderful world of Inside the American League! Last year this space was used to make fun of (former) Boston Red Sox manager Grady Little, make bold predictions (which occasionally turned out to be true), and make sarcastic yet on point observations which hopefully made baseball more enjoyable to follow. So what's going on in the American League right now, you ask? Well everything has gone pretty much according to plan. The Oakland Athletics are up by a small margin in the West, and that's where they should stay. Their starting pitching is as dominant as it gets, and the other components of the team are good enough to keep them in front as we move into October. The Anaheim Angels are starting to play well at the right time. They have the offense and an excellent bullpen, but it's hard to believe that their rotation will stand up down the stretch. Meanwhile, the Texas Rangers have come out of nowhere this season, and they are legitimate contenders for the wildcard and the division. Inside the AL rarely makes mistakes, but it sure didn't see the Rangers' surge coming. Check out this quote from an article from last year: "And the Texas Rangers? They're not old, but they suck, so don't count on them winning anything in the next three years." Well now. Everyone knew the Rangers would have a fabulous infield. Third baseman Hank Blalock, shortstop Michael Young, second baseman Alfonso Soriano, and first baseman Mark Teixera could all be in the All-Star game together for the next seven years. But the Rangers outfield hasn't been very good. Kevin Mench and Laynce Nix have potential but have yet to fully blossom. Pitching has fueled the Texas turnaround. It's something Texas fans haven't seen much of since former Governor George W. Bush pitched a bunch of crap to them disguised as policy. But pitching coach Orel Hershiser has done an incredible job helping pitchers like Ryan Drese realize their potential. In the Central, the Minnesota Twins appear to have it all wrapped up. Johan Santana is looking more and more like Cy Young, and the Twins defense is excellent as usual. Their offense is starting to make a push as well now that Justin Morneau has finally been brought up from the minors for good. Last year Inside the AL was going crazy wondering why Morneau wasn't being brought in to replace Jose Offerman. Finally that wrong has been righted (Morneau has 14 home runs in 184 at-bats) and the Twins are on the right track. The Chicago White Sox made a nice trade for Jose Contreras, but General Manager Kenny Williams made his usual bizarre deadline trades to acquire outfielder Carl Everett and second baseman Roberto Alomar for the second straight season. Honestly, what GM looks at their team at the deadline and says: "I need a combustible outfielder who can't hit anymore and a completely washed up second baseman!" Yeah, that's the ticket. In the East, things are getting tighter by the day. The New York Yankees have serious starting pitching problems. Luckily for New York, Orlando Hernandez is looking like the pitcher he was five years ago. But the Yanks still don't have a fifth starter, and both Hernandez and Brown have a history of injury problems. The exceptional Yankee bullpen and offense are the reasons why New York is still the favorite, but the Red Sox are going to make them work for it. Boston, like Oakland, has the starting pitching to take them down the stretch. The difference is that Boston has one of the best offenses in baseball, an upgraded defense, and a top notch closer. For Boston, a big problem is their middle relief. The loss of Scott Williamson was devastating, but closer Keith Foulke can get six outs when necessary for the save. So who will make it to October? Just like the roommate you're assigned freshman year, it's a crapshoot. But look for Oakland to take the West, the Twins to win the Central, and New York to win the division with Boston settling for the wildcard. And then in October, everything is up for grabs.

---

News

Division, wild card races heating up

August 31

As you, the Class of 2008, gear up for your first college run, the NL playoff race is heating up too. But much like college, a quick peek at the National League standings reveals everything is not always as you expect. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing. As March and spring training rolled around, most experts were treating Roger Clemens' arrival to the Houston Astros like the Second Coming of the Messiah. With fellow Yankee-snubber Andy Pettitte in tow, the pair was expected to lead the 'Stros to the NL Central title, battling it out with the Chicago Cubs and their 1-2-3 punch of Mark Prior, Kerry Wood and Greg Maddux (with Carlos Zambrano and Matt "Chin Thing" Clement thrown in for good measure). But nobody predicted the Central race we're seeing at the moment. The St. Louis Cardinals have all but clinched the division, leaving the Cubs and injury-riddled Astros in their wake. Thanks to "Phat" Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen and their band of merry sluggers, the Redbirds have beaten up on their division, going 48-28 within the Central, all without any pitching. Come on. If you predicted a rotation that includes Jason Marquis, Chris Carpenter and Jeff Suppan - yes that Jeff Suppan - would be pitching for a division leader, you're likely just trying to make yourself feel good. And Matt Morris is having a bad year to boot. But despite the Cards' offensive prowess, the starting pitching likely won't be strong enough to take them deep into the playoffs, even with the possible major league return of control expert Rick Ankiel. Ouch. But down in oil country, while Clemens has lived up to - and surpassed - expectations, including going undefeated in his first 12 starts, Pettitte and Wade Miller have spent considerable time on the DL, chipping in just 13 wins combined. The value of late-June rental player Carlos Beltran is also debatable. While Beltran is enjoying a career year offensively and has solidified the outfield for wild card-contending Houston, the team gave up one of the game's better setup men/closers in the process - Octavio Dotel. Good pitching wins ballgames... The Cubs are also in the middle of the wild card battle with...wait for it...the San Diego Padres? Yes, led by Mark Loretta and surfie Khalil Greene, the guys in the nauseating sandy threads are neck and neck with the Windy City Northsiders. But chances are the Cubbies will win due to depth. Sure, Jake Peavy, the aging David Wells, and Brian Lawrence are solid starters for San Diego and both the bullpen and lineup have generally been strong. But you can't ignore a Prior-Wood-Maddux punch, coupled with Chicago's superior offense. But the Padres could make a late run at the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers, who remain strong despite a somewhat mysterious trade deadline shakeup by GM Paul DePodesta. 3B Adrian Beltre is having an MVP-caliber season, almost doubling his career-high in homers (23 last year, 42 through Monday). But again with the setup man question: Why trade Eric Gagne's setup guarantee in Guillermo Mota? Balco Barry's San Francisco Giants also remain in the playoff hunt, sitting right on the pace with the Cubs and Padres. The Giants could fade quickly with a one-man rotation named Jason Schmidt and a disastrous bullpen, however. Many heralded 2004 as the year of the Philadelphia Phillies and the demise of the Atlanta Braves. While it certainly looked that way to begin - where, oh where have the Jones boys gone? - the Phillies have been melting quicker than Whiz on a cheese steak, thanks in part to the loss of Pat "The Bat" Burrell, Billy Wagner's flame-throwing left arm, and an underachieving bullpen. Meanwhile Atlanta's sleepy offense has turned a corner, led by a healthy J.D. Drew - knock on wood. It's fitting to end with a Nomah saga update, as it contains an important lesson for all contending clubs. Garciaparra left the Hub in a "fragile do not drop" package to become a Cub and promptly - Hallelujah, Mr. Lucchino - was healthy again. But the poorly handled "he said, he said" battle launched from both sides appears to be continuing, this time in Chicago. As much as we all love Nomar, the Cubs must be careful his Achilles-wrist-ego injury does not become a clubhouse distraction, lest the rest of the team seeks out the trainer for a bulk dose of Advil. Yes, Nomar plays hard every time he steps between the lines, but it's stretch time now, and the focus must be on the team, not the individual. All in all, it should be an interesting September. While the Braves in the East and Cardinals in the Central are a virtual lock, the Dodgers, Padres and Giants could be in for a tough time in the West, with the Cubbies and Astros joining the mix in the hunt for the wild card. Stay tuned.

---

News

2004 alumni council members elected

August 29

The Alumni Council has welcomed 21 new transitional andpermanent representatives.

---

News

Voter registration drives try to attract young voters

May 23

With the presidential election looming closer every day, effortsto move the younger portion of the electorate to the voting boothsin November have been raised a notch across the nation.

---

News

Between the Sheets: The end of an era

May 22

Writing this column has been a major pain in my ass. There's a certain amount of pressure associated with knowing it's the last one. Somehow, the end of anything seems significantly more important than whatever took place before it. It's as though it isn't the flavor of the meal that matters, but the taste left in one's mouth once one has finished eating. We spend 99 percent of our time in the middle, yet we dwell on the one percent that is the end. Perhaps nowhere is our obsession with the end more pronounced than in regards to sex. We obsess over orgasms. Did you come? Did she come? Did you come at the same time? Did you come inside of her? Did you come once or twice? You would think that sex was nothing more than the brief orgasm at the end. Sure, getting off is important, but it's a mistake to overlook the rest of the sexual encounter. You can have horrible sex and still have an orgasm, or have great sex and never come. You can't reduce the meaning of your sex life to a string of five second "money shots." Just as we let orgasms overshadow our sex lives, we let break-ups determine the lens through which we view our ex-partner. We rate the quality of the person we dated and the entirety of the relationship on the inevitably miserable last chapter. If they hurt us at the end, it completely negates anything positive they may have done before that. So sometimes it can feel pointless to spend time and energy being nice to our partner. The most emotionally-distant jerk and the great lover who always cooked breakfast are sealed with the same fate once they break your heart. If they dump you, they're an asshole. Period, end of story. But as tempting as it may be to hate our exes for hurting us, doing so ruins our chances of pursuing a friendship with someone with whom we were once very close. People whom we once swore we couldn't live without, we swear that we will never speak to again. Because all we let ourselves remember is the end, we overlook the amazing friendship that was once there. We tend to forget that the end of anything is nothing but a point on a very long line, a date that we can put our finger on. Like May 23, 2004. The time you've spent with your friends in the last week probably seems exaggeratedly important since it may be the last time you are all together. But it's not this past week that's going to make or break whether these friendships are for life or just a four-year distraction. As much weight as we place on the end of a relationship, it's the middle where everything happens: sophomore year, when your best bud spent three hours helping you decide what to major in; junior year, when they handed you a beer and listened to you complain about how you chose the wrong one; or spring break, when you were having too much fun to care (or even remember) what you majored in at all. Although the end may be when we verbally acknowledge it, the middle is where it happened. As much weight as we place on goodbyes, those moments are the same as all the others; it's just that they happen to be the last. If we could learn to value the middle as much as we value the end, we could find more fulfillment in all aspects of our lives.

---

News

Students continue to cry out about assistant IR director's departure

May 22

Over a month after the departure of International Relations Program (IR) Assistant Director John Jenke, current and former IR students are still looking for answers as to why the popular administrator left the school. IR major Cathy Caicedo, who is currently studying in London, began a letter writing campaign two weeks ago. Caicedo did not return repeated e-mails requesting comment. The campaign, announced in a mass e-mail May 13, calls for IR majors to send letters and e-mails to President Larry Bacow and Provost Jamshed Barucha concerning the "seeming ease with which [Jenke] was fired." Jenke "went above and beyond his written job description to truly become a mentor for all students," Caicedo's letter states. "I implore the University to conduct an open investigation of the events leading up to his dismissal. In my opinion, Tufts should not be the type of place that simply slams the door on anyone who has devoted so much to our community." Jenke was still unable to comment on his reasons for abruptly leaving his post at the University, but stated that he was "desperately searching for work." IR Program Director Christiane Zehl Romero said that the IR Program will have a "student-oriented, highly qualified" assistant director by the fall. Former Tufts political science professor Donald Klein said last month that Jenke had been fired, and blamed the decision on a personal conflict between Jenke and Zehl Romero. The Tufts Daily has received over 20 requests for more information about the reasons for Jenke's departure. Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Susan Ernst said that she could not comment on a human resources issue. Tufts Human Resources said last month that it could not comment on an individual employee's status. Zehl Romero said she could not provide any information on the number of advisees Jenke had. Jenke was commonly noted by seniors on the Senior Survey as having "a significant impact on their undergraduate experience," according to Dawn Terkla, Executive Director of Institutional Research. Terkla said Zehl Romero would have to provide the exact results. Zehl Romero said she "cannot" give an exact breakdown of Jenke's results. Dean of Undergraduate Education James Glaser said that "several students have come to me to express their unhappiness," about Jenke's departure. Questions about how the IR Program will function without Jenke next semester were rebutted by Zehl Romero in an e-mail response. "I appreciate the loyalty students have for John Jenke and the loss they feel, but he was not THE International Relations Program," Zehl Romero said. She said that there are many sections of the IR Program and that its office has other qualified staff members who will continue to support students. "Loss and change are never easy, but the Tufts IR Program must and will go forward in positive ways," Zehl Romero said.

---

News

Top ten sports stories of the last year

May 22

10. When we saw Todd Bertuzzi attack an unaware Steve Moore from behind on March 8, it was hard to believe we were watching an NHL hockey game and not a street fight.9. After all these years, it's official: Pete Rose was lying. Surprise. And he gambled on baseball. Surprise. And he only admitted it to sell his book and try to get reinstated in the Hall of Fame. Surprise.8. In the words of the Doublemint gum commercial, it was "double the pleasure" for the University of Connecticut, which captured both the men's and women's 2004 NCAA basketball championships behind the efforts of Emeka Okafor and Diana Taurasi.7. In a world where professional athletes often fall short of being the role models they should be, Pat Tillman was different: not because he died April 22 in Afghanistan, but because he walked away from the money and allure of pro sports to follow his personal beliefs.6. The rape allegations levied against the University of Colorado's football program may or may not be true, but there is no question that Gary Barnett's program - and the culture of Div. I athletics - is in need of some serious reform.5. Sox. Yanks. ALCS. Game 7. Grady. Pedro. Boone. Do you need to hear any more?4. LeBron. LeBron. LeBron. Wait, who's he? He's the teen who won the NBA's Rookie of the Year award and brought excitement (although not the postseason) back to the Cleveland Cavaliers. And if you have to ask who King James is, you probably spent all year either in the library or stoned.3. In two of the last three Super Bowls, the New England Patriots have been able to give Massachusetts what the Red Sox haven't been able to, thanks to Tom Brady's arm, Adam Vinateri's foot, and Bill Belichick's mind.2. The BALCO scandal confirmed what we pretty much suspected: athletes use steroids.1. When Kobe Bryant let a woman into a hotel room in Colorado on the night of June 30, he committed adultery. But was it consensual or rape? A trial is pending.

---

News

Postmodern analysis for cowboys

May 22

I have nothing against cowboys. Some of my best friends are cowboys. In fact, I myself grew up in a Chevrolet pickup with a rifle in the rack and a busted-up bale of hay in the back. I remember my first pair of Nacona boots' alligator hide, pointed toes, and spur-worthy, s**t-kickin' heels. I have even owned a Stetson cowboy hat. But I never was a cowboy. Why? Because I was always more of an Indian. I had the dark skin, especially in summer, and the straight black hair and brown eyes. Actually, I am a Jap (a word I used to fear but now can use without flinching). But I grew up with Navahos and Paiutes. We worked alongside each other. We hauled alfalfa and harvested potatoes together. We drank water out of the same five-gallon milk can. Even so, when some Indian got shot and fell off his horse in a movie, I thought nothing of it - at least not until somebody, by mistake, called me an Indian. My response was angry and automatic. "Hey, I ain't no Indian, you f**king cowboy." Those fighting words came straight from my own lips. If I'm "x," then you're "y." So either you give me the respect that my samurai heritage requires, or I'm gonna beat the s**t out of you. Forgive me for this unholy binary thinking, this ugly "either/or." It comes from the big world of ideas that surrounded my much smaller world of real Indians and real Cowboys. I tried to keep it out, but it came in. It was an infectious meme that tried to make me believe that reality could be that clear and simple. You're either a Jew or a Gentile. A Christian or a heathen. A virgin or a whore. And on and on. I remember when Clint Eastwood and company complicated the model with the film "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly." That movie taught me an important lesson. Somehow, two categories can't hold everybody. There was this extra something, this miscellaneous ugly category. Very cool. And if there was Ugly, maybe there could be Beautiful? And if there were four baskets to hold all of reality, could there be five, and six, and seven? Here was discovered the beginning of my postmodernity. And I have never looked back. So let me tell you the truth about cowboys - the real ones, not the clich?©, not the pretenders, not the stereotype that has come to be such a powerful symbol of American life. As Gretel Ehrlich, an easterner-gone-western, explains, cowboys are actually caring, sensitive people. They deal with animals, and animals need care. Plants need care, too. But the culture of agriculture has always allowed culture to be more precise and abstract. The difference is the difference between a row of cabbages and a herd of Angus. Why is it, then, that the image of the cowboy, which seems to be becoming the hated image of American life for so many people both in and out of this country, is not caring at all? To the contrary, today's American Cowboy is murderous, vengeful, cruel, torturing, and ever more land-grabbing and beholden to the fastest, biggest gun. George Bush, the born-again cowboy, might not be the most articulate and intellectually able president we have had. But, boy, is he straight-talking and straight-shooting. In these times of war, we need a man like that. Someone who does what he says, someone who holds to his values no matter what: we are good, they (all Muslims) are evil. End of story. Maybe end of earth. Go ahead, call George Bush a good-ol' boy. But don't call him a cowboy. His nostalgic Texan pose is false and romantic in its self-delusion. Cowboys don't get into (and through) Yale because their parents have money. And how many days has he really spent doing the work of managing a ranch? The appeal of this image is considerable, nonetheless. Bush's Cowboy is an image of the quintessentially modern white guy, locked in a binary struggle with the evil Other. The problem with Bush's blunder - this poorly conceived and fated military venture in the Middle East - is that he did not stop to do the cultural analysis. Had he learned the lessons of the so-called "culture wars" of the 1980s and '90s, he would have realized that he would be trying to lead a nation that has been there and done that. The modern image of the cowboy does not fit us, not any longer. For the same reasons, this war does not fit us either. On the other hand, Iraq probably is still a modern nation, as many nations in the developing world are. They are passing through the modern window now, just as we did during two world wars. Someone like Saddam Hussein probably does see the world in a modern way, just as Hitler and Mussolini and Roosevelt once did. Just as Bush still seems to want to do. To many, the postmodern analysis might seem too "ivory tower" to be relevant to the way the world works. But the echo of Vietnam arises precisely because "the system" is trying to come back from the dead. The age of world war is over for us, or is it?Charles Inouye is a professor of Japanese, International Letters and Visual Studies.

---

News

E-men heading back to Nationals

May 22

Though they are graduating today, nine senior members of Tufts Ultimate Frisbee team will be drawing out their careers for just a little bit longer, as the E-Men prepare for the upcoming national championships, to be held May 28 to 30 in Seattle. The trip to Seattle will represent the squad's fourth national berth in the last five years. A disappointing failure to qualify last spring broke the three-year streak, but provided added motivation to this year's team, especially the senior class. "A lot of us made it sophomore year and we didn't want that to be our big thing," senior co-captain Andy Valen said. "It provided extra motivation for this year, plus we wanted to do it for a lot of the guys who had never been. We wanted to give them a chance." Tufts secured its berth two weeks ago at the New England Regional tournament in Newport, R.I.. The E-Men swept their first three games, defeating University of New Hampshire, 15-3, Wesleyan, 15-5, and Harvard, 15-9. "Especially for the seniors, we really went in looking to prove something to other teams in the New England region, but more to ourselves - that we belong with the top teams, going to Nationals," senior co-captain Matt Abbrecht said. "We talked about the fact that this is our team and we had to step it up and lead the way and show the younger guys what it means to be a winner and what it means to be a part of this program." Tufts put forth its best against archrival Harvard in the semi-finals. The score remained close through much of the first half, but Tufts pulled ahead, 8-5, to close out the period. The Crimson burst out of halftime with an agenda, though, closing in on Tufts to make it 10-8. "Once they took off and went on a run, our coach [Jeff Brown] called a time-out and said 'we're still in control of the game and we just have to go out there and put it away,' and we did," Valen said. "It was him calling that time-out and bringing everyone together and helping us get our focus." Tufts went on a giant run to win the game, shutting the Crimson out completely following the timeout. Big hucks to Tufts' sophomore Michael Chirlin, junior John Korber, and senior Zach Geller demoralized the Harvard squad, and sophomore Rob Spies stepped up with skilled catches and tight defense. On Day 2, the E-Men found themselves on the short end of a 15-4 game against Brown University, in a match whose winner automatically advanced to Nationals. The rainy, cold weather that had moved in overnight cut short Tufts' typical game, which relies on long throws and deep strikes to carry the offense. The E-Men also lost senior strongman Zach Geller to a slightly torn hamstring during the game, though he is working with the athletic trainers and expects to be back just in time for Nationals. With two teams advancing from the double-elimination tournament, Tufts had another shot later that afternoon. According to senior Ariel Santos, the '04 E-Men huddled together before the match to talk about the game's importance. "I did not want this to be our last game and neither did any of those guys," Santos said. "We looked at each other and realized the severity of this game. Everyone came out fired up and fed off the energy demonstrated by the seniors." The E-Men gave up an early goal to Amherst, but quickly reversed the lead and dominated the remainder of the game to win, 15-6, and assured themselves a spot in Seattle. Freshman Chris Skipper was strong on defense and helped to fill the void left by the injured Geller, and junior Aaron Rubin, Valen, and classmate Michael Lawson showed impressive handling skills against the Amherst zone defense. "It was great to see that all the hard work and determination [paid] off," Santos said. "All the sprints, the eight-hour practices, the stairs, the drills, the sweat ... culminated in a weekend of great Ultimate. We hope to take Seattle by storm and surprise some people with our game." According to Abbrecht, several alumni and other E-Men supporters made the trip to Regionals, and a handful of dedicated fans are planning a road trip to Seattle for Nationals. "It's bigger than our team in that sense," Abbrecht said. "It's a big thing for our program. We have a lot of people putting in a lot of effort and really supporting us, and it's nice to have something to show for that." The E-Men, Abbrecht said, feel both thrilled and confident about next weekend. "Practice this week and last [has] been relaxed and exciting, because we know that we can beat anyone out there," Abbrecht said. "For the younger guys, it's great because there's that new excitement. For the older guys, we're able to look back and say this is our team now, we get to take them now."

---

News

Jumbos will miss Bram, not just on the court

May 22

With the 2004 season in the books, Tufts tennis bids farewell to one of its most consistent performers of the past four years. After capping off his Jumbo career with a second-place finish in the first doubles fight of the NESCAC Tournament, the most memorable moment of his career, senior tri-captain Jon Bram has hit his final winner in a Tufts uniform. When adversity struck the team early in the 2004 season, it was clear that Bram was playing with a team-first attitude this spring. After losing junior co-captain Adam Yates to injury, Bram was forced to move up in the lineup to second singles, facing some of the stiffest competition the NESCAC had to offer. Bram, an economics major, only mustered a 5-10 singles record his senior year, but his vocal presence both during and after his matches often lit a fire beneath the young Tufts squad. In a 4-3 win over Bowdoin in April, despite his three-set loss, it was Bram and his boisterous - and shirtless - cheering section that helped give his teammates the emotional support necessary for a win. He ended his career with a 29-26 singles record, but it was his doubles play that will be remembered most. In 2004, Bram, the team's lone senior, partnered with the team's only active junior, tri-captain Rifat Perahya. Along with their NESCAC finals appearance, which earned them both All-Conference Team selections, the two put together a 9-7 mark on the season, barely missing a spot in the NCAA Div. III Individual Tournament. Bram models his topspin-heavy game after pros such as Alex Corretja and Juan Carlos Ferrero. While his best singles play comes from the baseline, he has become extremely aggressive at the net in doubles. He knew from the start that the pairing of the team's two elder statesmen would be a successful one. "I knew [Perahya and I would] be really tough together. We're both very intense on the court," Braham said. "We started off well, then we had a couple of bad matches, but we picked it up in time for NESCACs." In 2003, Bram partnered with current sophomore Jon Rubenstein at third doubles, putting together an 11-6 record on the year, including a NESCAC semi-finals appearance. As a freshman and sophomore, Bram learned the art of college doubles, as he and Mark Fitzgerald went 13-11 in their two years as partners at second doubles. All in all, his 33-25 career doubles record gave him a 62-51 overall record in 113 total matches as a Jumbo, but there is much more to Jon Bram's name than statistics. Described as a B.M.O.C. (Big Man on Campus) by head coach Jim Watson, now in his 23rd season, Bram set a positive example for his team, despite his animated personality occasionally frustrating his coach. The tri-captain had only good things to say about Watson. "We've had some good times together," Bram said. "I've enjoyed playing under him. He's been really good to me." The women's tennis team holds a soft spot in Bram's heart, as his sister Becky, currently a sophomore, has already made a name for herself on the court. One has to wonder what the results would be if the NESCAC offered mixed doubles play. "I think Becky and I would take a NESCAC mixed doubles tournament," Bram said. "We could be the only brother-sister combo. Becky and I play really well together." Bram is the only player graduating this year, but Watson said that it is a big hole to fill. "[Bram is] a very gregarious guy," Watson remarked. "He keeps the guys loose, but when it's time to play, he gets down to business." While Bram will be missed by his teammates and coaches, he too looks back on his time on the Medford-Somerville campus and remembers the individuals that shaped his time here. "I'm going to miss the tennis guys, and I'm going to miss my fraternity [Delta Tau Delta] brothers. I'm definitely going to miss the people here the most," Bram remarked. "It's been a real fun ride. I love Tufts."

---