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(04/07/04 12:00pm)
"Head" is the type of album that sounds best when you listen to all of the songs in a row. Eleven Eleven's latest effort has not one 'stand-out' or 'single-worthy' track but maybe that is part of their creative plan.
The Philadelphia area band can't plan on pleasing the masses with an album that goes on and on like a dreary, cold rainy day. Despite its east coast roots, this album is so Seattle.
"Every Ill in the World" is perhaps the most interesting and unique song on the album. The beat slows down as lead singer and guitarist Jeff Giuliani sings softly, "How come the pieces don't fit in the package that came with it and the last fleeting chance for goodbye is gone. When do they say April Fools, I missed when they gave out the rules."
Eleven Eleven's music and message become weakest due to lyrics that are cheesy and depressing. On "A Different Way to Die," Giuliani sings, "A polaroid of failures come bleeding from these eyes. I chase my tail again, what's alive will always die." Throughout the song you can't help but hope the guy lightens up before he kills himself.
Key Tracks - "A Different Way to Die," "Every Ill in the World" and "Absent."
Marianne Pillsbury missed her window of success in the mid-90s during the girl rock era. Back when Fiona Apple, Sheryl Crow and Meredith Brooks ruled the airwaves, Pillsbury may have had a better chance of reaching and pleasing the masses. Unfortunately, her brand of angry, fiesty rocker chick music falls a little flat.
The harmonies she creates in some of her tunes are a credit to her talent as a musician, but overall, most fans of this genre would be better suited to go buy an old Jewel album.
Pillsbury's best humor is in her album notes when she thanks her ex-boyfriends for unintentionally inspiring the songs on her lastest EP.
This humor would have been better suited in some of her song lyrics. While "The Wrong Marianne" EP is supposed to spark some sort of interest in her music, I don't see it really going anywhere but local coffee shops.
Key Tracks - "Supersize" and "Layaway Girlfriend."
"Great Big Fall" is a fun song. Finally, a band is able to write an upbeat song about a sad situation.
The Bloody Lovelies weave music that probably sounds better live than recorded, so perhaps investigating the group's live work would be worth your time.
The band fails in certain aspects in that its lyrics are too upfront in areas where tongue-in-cheek humor would have been better suited. The chorus, "It's money makes the world go 'round she says that money makes the world go 'round" followed by "I ain't tryin' to act cruel, it simply is a matter of fact fool if you ain't financially backed you'll know" is both bland and predictable. The second half of the album dies until "Rosarita" is able to muster a small amount of life back into the album.
Key Tracks - "Great Big Fall," "You Could Die" and "Rosarita.
(02/11/04 12:00pm)
At most award shows, the eclectic taste and trendy style of the stars dominate the results of the actual award show. However, at the 2004 Grammy Awards, most of the fashion choices were simple and even conservative.
Grammy award winner Christina Aguilera stood out for her fashion choices, remaining consistent with her poor outfit choices in the past. Who dresses this beautiful and amazingly talented woman? My 14-year-old sister could have done a better job. Her black hair was short, crimped and looked horrible.
She wore three different outfits and looked only half decent when she was performing "Beautiful" in a somewhat elegant suit.
Madonna came out to the Grammys and looked like she was about 20 years old. I love her, but she had to have gotten something done since the last time she made a public appearance - her skin was flawless. Madonna usually makes poor fashion choices, but her hot pink dress wasn't that bad compared to what she usually wears.
Beyonc?, known for taking fashion chances, looked beautiful in her short, hot pink dress early in the broadcast but didn't look so great when she was interviewed after the show in all of her golden glory. Beyonc?'s long, shiny, golden dress during the post-Grammy interview could be viewed by some as a miss. She should have taken some notes from Kylie Minogue, who looked amazing in her simple, elegant light pink dress.
Most of the men of the night didn't try to stray too far from the traditional suit or tux and we should thank them for it. P. Diddy wore a white tuxedo during his interviews with the press after winning an award for his collaboration with Nelly. Justin Timberlake was stylin' as well in his black suit and salmon-colored shirt.
No Doubt won Best Pop Performance for a Duo or Group with Vocal and should have won the style award of the night. Collectively, the group stayed true to its image and wore cute punk clothes with a modern flair for 2004.
Amy Lee of Evanescence would probably win the Worst Fashion award of the 2004 Grammy's if Christina didn't show up. While the tape on her dress did fit her gothic, Hot Topic image, I'm just not a fan.
Pop veterans stayed true to their image at the Grammys. George Clinton wore the same outfit he wears whenever he performs, with rainbow streaked hair. Sting wore an open shirt and was simply classic in his black suit. Even Prince was tame; he broke out his purple suit from 1986 for the special occasion during his performance with Beyonc?.
(02/04/04 12:00pm)
If you're from New Jersey, chances are you have a diner. Anyone that heralds from this amazing state can give an answer to the famous question, "What's your diner?" While in South Jersey, I live closest to the Starview Diner but prefer the Philly Diner.
College and high school students gather in diners across the state to catch up with friends, hang out over a cheap cup of coffee or to nurse a hangover. Without 24-hour diners, where would we be?
College students in Ewing have two main choices - the Crystal Diner and Parkside Diner. Each is conveniently located near the College; Parkside is located on North Olden Avenue in Ewing and Crystal is located on Brunswick Avenue in Lawrenceville.
Parkside Diner
Parkside Diner's charm is in its greasy fries. If you like the maximum amount of grease in your diner food, you'll love Parkside's blend of grease - and sometimes there is even some food in there. Parkside's prices are consistently cheaper than the Crystal Diner's and their servings are just as large.
The waitstaff at Parkside is generally kind but a little gossipy. The last time I was at Parkside, I got the inside scoop on the drama between the waitresses.
Parkside's menu offers a vast amount of diner favorites at great prices, including the Reuben, a large selection of omelettes, grilled cheese, chicken fingers and mozzarella sticks. Another side of Parkside Diner's charm is the interior's old school style stool seating and a register with numbers that roll.
Crystal Diner
The Crystal Diner has a small disadvantage in that it is perhaps five minutes farther from the College than Parkside. However, this diner experience is worth the trip.
Established in 1987, this historic building draws in patrons with its shell-covered fountain and wonderful waiting staff.
If you ever do go to Crystal Diner, make sure you sit in the smoking section and ask for Najma because she is one of the best waitresses in the history of diners.
For the coffee lovers out there, Crystal Diner's coffee is more addictive than crack. You go in with the intention of not having any coffee because it's 2 a.m. and you end up leaving with three cups in the belly.
Another diner staple that Crystal creates with near perfection is its eggs. Any way that you want them, they'll make them and even give you some toast and home fries on the side for the perfect meal.
Crystal's location is larger, offering more space and making it seem less crowded than the narrow Parkside Diner.
"I feel that the service as well as the surroundings provide for a better eating experience at Crystal Diner," Meghan Dismuke, an advertising design major at the Fashion Institute of Technology, said. "Also, Crystal Diner doesn't have anyone working there with a coke nail like Parkside does."
"Parkside's food is really greasy," Dismuke added. "If you're wasted at 3 a.m., Parkside's food is really good but at any other time, Parkside's food tastes like ass."
Overall
Parkside's prices are overall more reasonable than Crystal's but Crystal's meals give you more for your money.
(02/04/04 12:00pm)
The New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers played some great football during Sunday night's Super Bowl XXXVIII, but all anyone can seem to talk about is Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake's jaw-dropping half-time performance.
At the end of the "Rock your body" duet when Timberlake sings, "Better have you naked by the end of this song," Timberlake 'accidently' ripped off a piece of Janet's outfit, revealing her breast to 89 million viewers around the world.
My housemates and I were shocked and quickly began to argue if that was her real breast.
MTV, Timberlake and Jackson representatives apologized for the incident, which Timberlake called a "wardrobe malfunction."
This wardrobe malfunction may have been the biggest malfunction in the history of television and Jackson even admitted afterwards that she and Timberlake planed the event after final rehearsals. She further claimed that the red lace was supposed to cover her breast, but got ripped off with the black covering.
The show didn't really get interesting until just before that moment anyway. Everyone was lip-synching and the halftime show only began to get good when Jackson and Timberlake were flirtatiously dancing together - reminding some viewers of their rumored love affair.
Despite the genuinely shocked look on their faces, I find it interesting that Justin pulled this stunt just months after Britney Spears locked lips with Madonna on MTV, making national news in the process. It's also interesting to note that Janet Jackson has a new CD coming out at the end of March and for an aging pop star, any publicity is good publicity.
In the end, America got to see a pierced nipple when I can safely say that nobody was betting on that happening!
(02/04/04 12:00pm)
In Mandy Moore's newest album, "Coverage," she leaves all the writing to the more capable hands of musicians such as Joni Mitchell, Cat Stevens, Carly Simon, Debbie Harry, Elton John and Carole King.
Mandy Moore has had medial success since her debut with "Candy" and has not been able to find her niche in the world of music.
In "Coverage," Moore is able to find her voice in a few of the popular tunes, especially, "Have a Little Faith in Me," "Help Me," and "The Whole of the Moon." Her sweet persona matches "Have a Little Faith in me" perfectly, for this sweet brunette seems to exude trust and at times a glimmer of maturity.
Early in the album, Moore sings "The whole of the moon" and "Can we still be friends" with a relatively strong voice and an interesting production blend that helps modernize the songs without losing their past charms.
Part of Moore's problem in this album however, is the spunk she tries to create when covering Debbie Harry's "One way or another" and Carole King's "I feel the earth move."
She can't even be seen in the same league as Harry in terms of talent and only King can sing songs such as "I feel the earth move," in her own time period. It doesn't match Moore's vocal talents or personality at all.
Moore isn't the first one to put out a complete cover album, though she has had less success than those before her. She won't match the success that Gloria Estefan found with her cover album. Estefan was able to cover hits such as "Everlasting love" and "Turn the beat around" and make them her own. Most people wouldn't or didn't even know that those songs were covers, because they sounded like Estefan material. Moore, who doesn't have a long steam of material to build on, cannot churn out cover song hits without sounding at least a little cheesy.
Another problem Moore faces is the fact that she is competing with more successful and more sexual artists such as Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, whether she likes it or not. Moore can't seem to create a solid audience or buzz around her music the way her counterparts have been able to for several years.
While her voice is stronger than Spears' and more appealing than Jessica Simpson's, she hasn't been able to use it to create any solid radio hits. "Coverage" perpetuates this problem in that there is not one solid radio hit on this album.
The only song on "Coverage" that may generate some steam on the radio is "Have a little faith in me," and even that song may only cross over the Adult Top 40 radio stations.
While Moore's film career begins to build and her popularity grows as she competes in both medias, she only has perhaps a few more attempts in the music industry before she fades away, only known for small hits such as "Candy" and "Crush."
Key Tracks - "The whole of the moon," "Help Me," "Have a little faith in me" and "Can we still be friends."
(11/11/03 12:00pm)
While many retail stores are beginning to make an effort to bounce back from several seasons of poor sales, the back-to-school line at stores such as American Eagle and Abercrombie & Fitch have suffered especially.
Same-store sales for 2003 are down 6.4 percent at American Eagle and 7 percent at Abercrombie & Fitch, according to the Associated Press. Same-store sale comparisons are the retail industry standard for determining how well the retailer is performing.
Survival of the fittest
There are several reasons why American Eagle 's sales are in a slump. Abercrombie & Fitch opened a sister store, Hollister Co., a retail line feauring California and surf styles. Abercrombie & Fitch stores have also branched out into these styles, putting pressure on stores such as Hot Topic and Pacific Sunwear.
The demographic for these stores is 16 to 24-year-olds, yet there has been a decline in the sales for college-aged students. Instead, 18-22 year olds have gravitated toward more professional-looking fashion lines. Designer trends, such as Seven jeans, have also taken away from possible sales.
War of the sweaters
"I would say Hollister is my favorite out of the three, but all three stores only seem to sell clothes that are made for 13-year-old girls," Robin Yellen, senior biology major, said. "I still shop at those places, but I don't really buy that much from each place because they don't fit me the way I want them to because they are too short."
Abercrombie & Fitch is by far the most expensive store of the three, but its clothes are worn by many students around campus. Abercrombie's staple winter items are sweaters and denim. Sweaters usually vary in price from $49.50 to $79.50, with select styles on sale for $39.50. Its denim is consistently the most expensive, at $59.50 to $69.50.
American Eagle - which often carries a cheaper, version of Abercrombie styles - offers a similar style of sweaters ($29.95 to $58) and denim ($29.95 to $44) but at much more reasonable prices. Hollister Co. also tries to market itself as a cheaper Abercrombie & Fitch with the same quality and styles. These stores have monopolized much of the high school crowd, but do not have the same effect on some college students.
"I don't shop at Hollister and rarely at American Eagle because they have gotten more expensive," Nicole Cocuzza, senior business administration major, said. "I'd rather just go to Abercrombie. But when you go to Abercrombie, all they have are tables of clearance T-shirts that I'd never wear and maybe a nice sweater."
What's in a name?
So what could be the problem? High school fashion revolves around name recognition. Many students become walking billboards for companies such as American Eagle, Gap and Abercrombie & Fitch to show that they can shop there.
In college, however, many students mature and it becomes almost negative for them to walk around with a shirt with the word "Abercrombie" plastered on the front. Students in college are not judged by fashion as much as they were in high school. When you walk around the College campus, many students are found wearing cheaper vintage or thrift items.
"I think the quality is the same," Joanne Gault, sophomore accounting major at Monmouth University, said. "People are just finding ways to express themselves with other things than clothing."
Pick and choose
Final verdict: As a long time shopper at Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle, I wouldn't give up on these stores - yet. Most holiday collections are already in stores, so check them out and see if they have any new or inventive items. I have not been impressed with their last couple of seasons, but if you are as big of a shopper as I am, you can always find an item that you "need."
(10/14/03 4:00pm)
The Lions defeated New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) rival Montclair State University, 8-1, for the women's tennis program's 100th consecutive NJAC win.
The unbelievable streak began in 1982 when women's tennis was first introduced to the league.
"It was very exciting to be a part of a tradition that long, especially since many of us hadn't been born when it started," sophomore Jackie Gavornik said.
"Our team is very young this year," sophomore Kristen Klepacki said. "When we began the season, we weren't sure how well we would do. All of our girls worked so hard and I'm excited about the progress with this season."
The NJAC streak has spanned three head coaches. Current Head Coach Scott Dicheck is 18-0 in the league after the win over Montclair.
The Lions (6-0, 5-0 NJAC) gave up one match during the win - third singles Lions junior Katie D'Amato was defeated by Red Hawks sophomore Ashley Tomesko, 6-2, 6-4.
Gavornik and Klepacki won the first doubles match, 8-1. Individually, Klepacki defeated Red Hawks senior Paola Alexandres, 6-0, 6-0, during first round singles while Gavornik defeated sophomore Eva Salierno, 6-1, 7-6(7). Klepacki's career singles record improves to 32-4 while Gavornik's career record stands at 25-7.
Klepacki and Gavornik qualified for the 2003 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Nationals in Corpus Christie, Texas, starting on Oct. 16, after winning the 2003 ITA East Regional Doubles Title.
"So far this year, we have really come together," Gavornik said. "We started together last year and we have been really playing well throughout this week."
Lions 9, Ospreys 0
Richard Stockton College Ospreys, which were previously undefeated in the NJAC, were defeated by the Lions, 9-0 on Oct. 9.
The Lions swept the match, led by singles and doubles victories by Klepacki and Gavornik.
Freshman Ayumi Yamazaki remains unbeaten in her college career as she won 6-0, 6-1 at fifth doubles, improving her career record, 6-0.
Lions 9, Fords 0
The Lions defeated Haverford College Fords 9-0 on Oct. 8. Klepacki and Gavornik won first doubles 8-1.
Klepacki defeated Fords sophomore Anjani Naidu 6-2, 6-2 during first singles and Gavornik defeated Fords freshman Priya Amar 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 during second singles.
Third singles D'Amato defeated freshman Alexandra Glickman 6-2, 6-2; fourth singles freshman Turturiello defeated freshman Sarah Loeffler 6-0, 6-0 and fifth single Yamazaki defeated Jennifer Murph 6-1, 6-1.
Upcoming Match
The women's tennis season will resume in April.
The Lions played most of their NJAC rivals in the fall season, and will play mostly non-conference games during the spring.
"The fall season isn't as challenging as our spring season, but it is important to prepare us for the intense competition that we face in the sping," Klepacki said.
(10/07/03 4:00pm)
The No. 3 ranked Rowan University Profs drove deep into Lions' territory, threatening another come-from-behind victory on Friday night. The Lions defense gained possession of the ball with just a minute left, giving the College a 22-20 victory, its first victory over Rowan in five years.
The Lions, 4-1 overall, 2-0 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) now command first place in the NJAC, followed by Montclair State University (3-1 overall, 1-0 NJAC). The Lions, currently ranked No. 22 in the Don Hansen Division III poll, handed the Profs their first regular season loss since Oct. 13, 2001.
"The last two years, it's been really close and we've been on the short end of the stick," sophomore cornerback Steve Andrews said. "To get to the playoffs we have had to beat them and that's how it has been the past two years."
With just over four minutes of regulation time left in the fourth quarter, senior quarterback Bob Schurtz regained the Lions' lead when he hurled a 36-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Alan Kotteles.
The Profs blocked a key extra point, which restricted the Lions to only a two-point lead.
The Lions went into the second half with a 7-0 edge over the Profs. Junior running back Patrick Thompson ran a 31-yard touchdown for the Profs with 2:47 left in the third quarter, tying up the game.
Early in the fourth quarter, sophomore kicker Black Abbot scored a 27-yard field goal with 14:15 left to play, giving the Lions a slight 10-7 lead.
Profs Thompson followed up the Lions' field goal with a 65-yard touchdown at 13:19 in the fourth quarter, which helped push the Profs to their first lead of the game, 14-10.
Senior running back Jon Hedgepeth scored on a three-yard rush with 11:20 left in the game, giving the Lions back the lead, 16-14. Hedgepeth led the Lions in rushing yards with 23 carries for 67 yards.
The Profs mustered a final offensive touchdown with 4:12 left in the fourth quarter, when freshman quarterback Mike Orihel threw a 24-yard pass to senior wide receiver Eugene Racz. This gave the Profs their last lead of the game.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Lions recorded the first touchdown of the night when Schurtz ran ball from the two-yard line.
The 61-yard drive ended with 1:30 left in first-half play. The Lions almost scored a field goal in the first half, after junior linesman Justin Mannick picked off Orihel and returned the ball deep into Profs' territory.
But, with a minute left in the first half, the Lions were unable to capitalize on Mannick's interception. Abbot missed the 28-yard field goal, which would have given the Lions a more commanding lead going into halftime.
The Lions were still able to collect 276 yards of total offense, but Rowan's offense collected 310 offensive yards in the second half alone, which helped contribute to their 396 yard total.Sophomore linebacker Steven Vogt and junior linebacker Ray Bateman each tallied nine tackles for the Lions defense.
"The last couple years, the defense didn't make the big play at the end of the game," Andrews said. "This year it was a good test for us and as a defense we came through which is good for our confidence."
"Its one of the best wins of my college career because it is our biggest NJAC rival," senior cornerback Jeremy Julio said. "Rowan is always ranked high so it felt good to go out and beat them."
At the end of the game, with the roaring cheers of defense in the background, junior linemen Michael Sykes and senior defensive lineman Scott Paterson made a crucial stop at the Lions 40-yard line.
Orihel failed to convert a 3 and 14 pass into a first down, turning over the ball for the final time.
The Lions downed the ball from their own 40-yard line to the deafening screams of Lions fans, who realized that for the first time since 1998, the College's football team defeated Rowan.
Upcoming Game
The Lions travel for a third straight road game against NJAC rival William Paterson University on Oct. 10, at 7 p.m.
(10/07/03 12:00pm)
Last spring, Lauren Wanko had to make one of the biggest decisions of her life in front of millions of viewers on the MTV program, "True Life."
Wanko was chosen to become a part of the documentary series, and in this particular episode, the show followed four high school seniors as they made decisions that would impact the rest of their lives.
On "True Life," Wanko was the high school senior that was torn between going away to school at Emerson College in Boston or going to a school closer to home. Although Wanko was accepted to all the schools she applied to, she finally chose to stay closer to home. She said she made the best decision.
"The people on my floor are great," Wanko said. "There are just enough people, the campus is perfect."
Wanko is now a freshman communication studies major at the College and fondly remembers her experience when MTV cameramen and producers followed her for three to four days a week over a six-month period of her life.
"I didn't even see the promo's for the show," Wanko said. "It wasn't something I thought about because the cameras became a part of my life after a while."
Wanko attended Bayonne High School in Bayonne, N.J. She grew up in the same house her whole life - a house her mother had also lived in since she was six years old. Wanko loved to sing and perform in high school. As an active member of the drama club in high school and a performer at the PaperMill Playhouse, she performed in personal favorites such as "South Pacific."
She also sunk her teeth in the Bayonne television channel, which is known in the community as BenTV.
"It was an amazing opportunity," Wanko said. "I could leave school and field report. I hosted my own show - I hosted pieces and I edited. It was a great foundation for me to do what I wanted to do."
So far, Wanko loves life at the College, especially living in the Towers.
"Everyone is experiencing the same thing, everyone is together and there are so many people in the Towers," Wanko said. "You can go up five floors and someone will still understand exactly what you are going through."
"I'm experiencing my freshman year with over a thousand other freshmen who totally understand. And because most of us are from New Jersey, we had a common ground and I love it," she added.
Wanko is already dedicated to her communication studies major and media background. She has joined the College radio station WTSR and the Journal, the College's television station.
"The oppurtunies are here for me," she said. "I read the news for WTSR and field report for the Journal already," Wanko said. "I'm not sure that other schools would have allowed me to do all that so quickly."
Wanko said she never realized so many people watched MTV, until many students recognized her from the show.
"I don't have time to watch that much television so it was completely unexpected," she said. "I got my hair highlighted right before I came to school and some complete stranger recognized me and said, 'Hey, you colored your hair' and I was hoping that people would think it was natural," Wanko said with friendly laughter.
However, Wanko's mother was a little upset that nobody recognizes her from the show. Wanko said her mom even asked a few people during move-in day whether they remembered her from the show.
Most of Wanko's closest friends from the College had not seen the program over the summer, so they didn't understand why so many people recognized Wanko while walking to dining halls and classes.
"They want me to send up the tape from home, but I refuse," Wanko said.
(10/07/03 12:00pm)
What is going on with the NFL? I know it's only week five, and most of the predictions now will not stand at the end of the season, but the facts cannot be ignored.
Only one of the eight current divisional leaders, the Indianapolis Colts (5-0), went to the playoffs last year.
None of the top four teams in the NFL last year the Philadelphia Eagles - (2-2), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-2), Tennessee Titans (3-2) or Oakland Raiders (2-3) - are in the top position of their divisions. My boys, the Bears, beat the Raiders last week. Even I can admit that's not natural.
In the past four years, the NFL standings became a wild card. We saw four different teams (Buccaneers, New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens and St. Louis Rams) win the Super Bowl.
Only the St. Louis Rams made two Super Bowl appearances through the past four years.
This is why I love football - it's completely unpredictable. If someone told me that the Carolina Panthers (4-0), Minnesota Vikings (5-0), Kansas City Chiefs (5-0) and the Indianapolis Colts (4-0 press time) would be undefeated this late into the season, I would have slapped him silly and called him a liar.
But look who's the fool now. These teams are doing it, banding together and winning games not even their fans would expect them to win.
Last year in the AFC, 13 of 16 teams had a chance to make the playoffs within the last two weeks of the seasons.
While only six teams secured the coveted spots, it provided great suspense for the fans.
My housemate Meghan believes the whole NFL system is rigged for ratings, similar to wrestling.
I used to make fun of her, but the way things have been going (Carolina is winning for God's sake!), I may begin to believe her.
(09/23/03 12:00pm)
Life as a fanatic fan can be hard work, and the true test comes when your favorite team is losing. Being a sports editor and a trained journalist I learned you have to remain unbiased in your reporting. However, it's hard to remain biased when you are obviously going to root (secretly if necessary) for your school's teams to win.
Certain rivalries occur among high school friends who all go off to different universities and colleges. I have suffered greatly from these, despite the fact that our College has an amazing athletics program.
As I said in a previous commentary, I have seen the Lions football team lose to the Rowan Profs three years in a row. After every loss, my Prof friend Leigh would make fun of me. She's a cheerleader, I'm a reporter, do we really have any power over the events of a football game? Of course we don't - but it's fun to argue.
The College has several amazing teams, all of which are worthy to root for. I was an extremely cocky fan last year when the Lions women's basketball team went to the New Jersey Athletic Conference championships last year.
When they lost to Rutgers University-Camden, I was mostly angry that my friend Tara has the bragging right to instant message me with disparaging remarks about the College whenever she wants.
As a fan, you suffer the losses with your team and I encourage all true fans to show your support with pride.
Every year after our football team loses to the Profs, I sneer at Leigh and say something to the effect of, "there's always next year."
As a fan of the Chicago Bears, I've said 'there's always next year" for my entire life. As a fan of the College's football team, I hope I won't have to utter those words much longer.
(09/23/03 12:00pm)
So you want to go shopping? Me too. Grab your daddy's credit card (I know I've got mine) and let's head out to the greatest and most popular shopping destinations - places where many students can find their favorite stores.
#4 MarketFair
Well ... at least it has a movie theater. MarketFair doesn't offer much in terms of shopping - Gap and Pottery Barn are among the highlights. MarketFair does offer a decent amount of restaurants, including Americana Grille, T.G.I.Fridays. and Big Fish Seafood Bistro. The only reason I usually travel to MarketFair is for Barnes & Noble Booksellers, the closest one to the College. Its Starbucks coffee section provides a great study environment. MarketFair is approximately 17 minutes from campus.
Directions from the College: Route 31 north, to I-95N towards New York. Take exit #67 (Route 1 North, New Brunswick). Then take the Meadow Road jughandle across the highway and MarketFair is on your right.
#3 Quaker Bridge Mall
I used to work at this mall, so it's not my favorite shopping destination because I spent too much time there. However, I cannot deny the convenience that this mall provides to the College's students. Plus, it's included in "The Loop" shuttle service and is only a little over 10 minutes away.
Quaker Bridge has the staple retail stores you can find at almost any mall - a large Gap, American Eagle, Old Navy, Limited, New York & Company and women's Express. It also has a modestly sized men's Express, Forever 21 and Eddie Bauer. The worst part of Quaker Bridge is that it doesn't really have a food court. Compared to some of the shopping destinations further down the list, though it doesn't compare.
Directions: Make a right out of the main entrance of the College to Route 31 North, take I-95N towards New York (I-295S). Take the US Route 1 exit (#67) towards New Brunswick, merge onto Route 1 North and the mall will be on your right.
#2 Palmer Square
Palmer Square makes its home in historic, downtown Princeton across the street from Princeton University. Palmer Square's "big three" shopping destinations are Banana Republic, Gap and J Crew. There is also a Chico's and Ann Taylor for when your mom comes to visit. Take her to Palmer Square for the fine dining - it has a great selection of bars, high-end eateries and several restaurants that are reasonably priced. You buy lunch and maybe she'll buy you an outfit at Banana Republic. Makes you want to transfer, doesn't it? Palmer Square is approximately 20 minutes from the College.
Directions: Route 31 North, to I-95N towards New York. Take exit #7B (Lawrenceville/Princeton) continue on Lawrenceville road (it winds and watch out for deer) make a right onto Nassau St. and a left onto Palmer Square.
#1 Oxford Valley Mall
My favorite mall is Oxford Valley and its only disadvantage is that it's the furthest from the College. I know it's a novel concept for some, but you have to actually leave New Jersey to get to it. Don't be too scared though, it's only 25 minutes away and well worth the trip. Oxford Valley, though a large mall like Quaker Bridge, offers so much more. It has all the stores that Quaker Bridge has, minus the Eddie Bauer, but it also has an Abercrombie and Fitch, Hollister Co, Banana Republic and an actual food court! Oxford Valley provides a cleaner and more concise shopping experience than all the rest - it is any valley girl's (or boy's) dream come true.
Directions: Route 31 North to I-95S towards Pennsylvania. After you're in PA, take exit #46A Morrisville to U.S. Route 1 North and get off at the Oxford Valley exit.
(09/16/03 4:00pm)
Despite fumbling seven times during a torrential downpour in the second half, the Lions were able to clutch onto a 21-14 victory over New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) SUNY Cortland Red Dragons.
The Lions (2-0, 1-0 NJAC) defeated their first NJAC rival with a strong first half offense, and a consistent defense throughout the game.
The Red Dragons came close to tying the game, when Lion senior punter Jon Mizglewski fumbled the ball on fourth down on the Lions 18-yard line. Tutwiler attempted a pass in the end zone to sophomore receiver Paul DeSantis but was tipped by senior defensiveback Jason Julio.
"Offense did a great job in the first half, we weren't quite as intense in the second half," sophomore tight end Jeff Lebb, said. "We were underdogs going into the game."
"It was nice to play at home, it was an exciting and competitive game," head coach Eric Hamilton said. "I don't think both teams played their A-games, but both played hard. It's an NJAC game so it puts us up in the NJAC conference."
Sophomore defensive back Steve Andrews rushed two touchdowns during the first half, one just 21 seconds before the first half expired. Andrews' first touchdown consisted of a 33-yard run early in the first quarter.
After the Lions first goal, Red Dragon sophomore tailback Michael Stepnick had a 10-yard rush with 50 seconds left in the first quarter. Senior running back Jon Hedgepeth scored the only touchdown pass for the Lions from senior quarterback Bob Schurtz with less than four minutes in the first half.
Throughout the game, Schurtz threw 105 yards, went 7-14 and threw a touchdown and an interception.
"I liked the way the offense came out in the first half and did some business," Hamilton said.
"We put our penalties down, which was a focus," Hamilton added. "But I was disappointed in special teams. I was happy that all three units played together."
During the rain of the second half, the Cortland Red Dragons rallied in an attempt to obtain the lead, as senior quarterback J.J. Tutwiler hit freshman wide receiver Anthony Morat to narrow the Lions lead, 21-14.
"I was a little disappointed with the second half," Hamilton said. "I don't know if it was a matter of the weather and the turnovers, but defensively we had some big stops."
Linebacker juniors Michael Sykes and Ray Bateman had eight tackles each. Sykes and Bateman led the Lions successful defense, stopping several Cortland drives in the second half. Senior defensive back Jeremy Julio also aided the College's defense when he recovered a fumble deep in Lions territory.
"I think the 21-7 lead had us a little overconfident, so we didn't play as well in the second half," sophomore running back Jim Dabrowski, said. "The weather conditions were a big factor."
Upcoming Game
The Lions host LaSalle University Explorers on Sept. 19, at 7 p.m.
"LaSalle is a team that creates problems for us, they spread out and throw the ball," Hamilton said. "We don't know much about them because we don't play them and all we know is what we have seen on the tapes."
"They made a big mistake taking off Sunday because we had practice," Lebb said.
(09/16/03 12:00pm)
Four years ago, I became a huge fan of professional tennis. Serena and Venus Williams were what drew me into the game and have held my interest ever since. I love their fresh attitude, style and strength. However, its a love I don't share with most conservative tennis fans.
At the 2003 U.S. Open, the attention strayed away from women's tennis in a big way, as the new U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick paved the way for a new breed of men's tennis.
Roddick defeated Juan Carlos Ferrero (6-3, 7-6, 6-3) to win his first grand slam title, a dream he has had since he visited the U.S Open as a child.
In front of thousands of fans at the court, and millions watching from around the world, Roddick cried and raced into the stands to be with his mother.
It always amazes me when an athlete cries from the pure joy of victory - it's one of the few times a man feels he can show emotion in an acceptable manner. For the first time in years, I find myself following men's tennis over women's tennis, and have witnessed the media's attention sway as well.
Roddick is the poster boy for this new attention. He was featured in several mainstream magazines such as Rolling Stone and even dates Mandy Moore. That's cool in my book.
Roddick is only 21 and is already ranked No. 2 in the ATP Tour rankings, his career-best. I'm 21 and a senior in college, I guess you could say that's my career best.
Some conventional fans don't like Roddick and it is rumored that several players despise him as well. Ferrero went as far as to say that Roddick is hated in the locker room.
I disagree with the snobbish, elitist tennis fans that don't give Roddick a chance. I appreciate his attitude and style, similar to that of Serena and Venus Williams, because it provides a different choice for tennis' younger fans.
(09/16/03 12:00pm)
Fall fashion is here and with it comes a few new rules. It's time for the men to pack away those ugly denim shorts and the ladies to let go of their white pants. I just saw a lovely lady wearing white pants at KatManDu and, while they looked really good on her, I believe in the rule that white pants are for late spring and summer wear only.
One of the biggest trends this fall is corduroy. Gap, J. Crew and Banana Republic are three of the top retail stores that supply both men and women with corduroy, but Gap has the best deals. Women can find a large variety of Low Rise Boot Cut Cords ($49.50), which come in almond, camel, brown, black, red, teal and blue. For men, Gap provides three different styles of cords, relaxed boot fit, worker and loose ($44 each).
American Eagle Outfitters has launched a "re-issue" of past fashion trends, which heavily borrows from the 60s, 70s and 80s. American Eagle is having a huge sale, where women's and men's jeans and cargo pants are as low as $24.95. Men should check out the AE Morrison Boot Cut jean.
Abercrombie is still riding the success of its "vintage" line and I have to ask myself, "do they ever change their marketing style?" The best deal for men's merchandise is the Abercrombie button down shirts which come in a variety of colors and seem to be made with good quality.
Another good buy is the Wanika Falls Track Jacket ($59.50), which comes in gray, blue and brown and can serve as a wonderful central piece for an entire wardrobe. But beware of Abercrombie's Beckhorn Trail Tweed Blazer ($350), they are poorly made and way over priced.
Women who shop at Abercrombie should stay away from the Dillon Military Cord Jacket ($79.50) because the cord jackets at J.Crew and Gap are cuter and come in more colors. Abercrombie always sells several risqu? tees and the best one for women this fall is "What's his name is so good to me." Wear one of those to a frat party or bar and you are sure to stick out in the crowd, and maybe even get your beer a little quicker.
I asked my friend Melissa what she would stress as a must-have fall item and she practically screamed accessories. I have to agree with her. Recently, I wore a "nudist" necklace that I had bought at Abercrombie and Fitch and I received several compliments on it. Don't neglect your accessories. Watches, purses, belts and necklaces - they make an outfit.
(09/09/03 4:00pm)
Running on hype, the Lions football team delivered a 28-17 win over Norwich University. Senior quarterback Bob Schurtz threw 232 yards to lead his team to its season opening victory. Schurtz became the Lions career passing yards leader, surpassing Pete Harteveld's previous record of 3,705 (1995-97).
"If we can use this game as a starting point and get better and improve, we'll be fine," Eric Hamilton, head football coach, said. "If we continue to make turnovers, we can't help but shoot ourselves in the foot for doing that.
"If there is one negative that stands out in my mind it is the penalties," Hamilton added. "We had 10 penalties for 96 yards and that's too many."
At the half, when the teams were tied 7-7, Lions junior defensive back Steve Andrews returned the opening kickoff of the second half for 85 yards to give the Lions a 14-7 lead. Norwich Cadet junior kicker Rhett Soltas kicked a 36-yard field goal with 9:36 left in the third to lessen the Lions lead, 14-10.
Later in the third, senior quarterback Ben Clark drove the Cadets into Lions territory to set up an 8-yard touchdown to his brother, junior Josh Clark. The Cadets held their only lead of the game at this point, 17-14.
The Lions responded with two touchdowns, one being a 38-yard run by senior running back Jon Hedgepeth at the end of the third and a 4-yard run from Hedgepeth with 6:41 left in the fourth. Hedgepeth had 119 rushing yards on 21 carries.
During the first half, the Lions jumped out with the opening touchdown, in which sophomore wide receiver Alan Kotteles caught Schurtz's pass from 15 yards outside the end zone. Cadet Clark made a 12-yard pass before the teams went deadlock into the half.
"I think we did some things well but we did make some mistakes having three turnovers and fumbling the ball inside the 10," Joe Franzone, senior captain said. "A win is a win and we were happy about that," Franzone said. "There is less room for error against a team like Cortland."
The Lions defense had several outstanding performances. Sophomore defensive back Jon Sher picked off a pass by quarterback Clark at a crucial position on the field, the Lions two-yard line. Sher led the defense with 10 stops and an interception. Junior lineman Michael Sykes had seven stops, a fumble recovery and three sacks.
"The defense played well - we stepped it up when we had to," Sykes said. "Cortland's offense is strong, the quarterback was all-conference last year, so the defense will need to step it up and make some plays."
"We were able to go up there for their homecoming weekend, which was a huge event for them and we were able to do what we needed to do," Hamilton said.
Upcoming Game
The Lions will host SUNY Cortland on Sept. 13, at 2 p.m.
(08/25/03 4:00pm)
During summer break, the College announced that it had forfeited five men's tennis matches and all 34 games of the softball season due to a secondary violation in each sport.
The College self-reported the violations to the NCAA after one player from each team was academically ineligible to compete.
"We discovered that we had a tennis player and a softball player, one in each sport who were academically ineligible," the College's Athletic Director Kevin McHugh.
"We found out after the fact and we reported it to the NCAA. They were satisfied with the steps we took," he added.
"Basically, it was a mistake we didn't know about until the end of the season," Scott Dichek men's tennis coach, said. "Unfortunately, the individual slipped through the cracks and it cost us five matches," he added.
The men's tennis team went 8-8 during the 2002-2003 season. The team only forfeited five of the matches that occurred during the spring when the violation occurred.
"It wasn't even a decision to make, we knew we would self-report it," Dichek said.
The Lions softball team went 23-11 over the course of their spring 2003 season.
All victories, statistics, scores and records for the season will remain as recorded by the NCAA but will be marked with an asterisk which indicates the forfeits. The same asterisk will be used for the men's tennis violations.
Any game or match that was forfeited was forfeited because the individual shouldn't have competed in that match according to McHugh.
McHugh said that the NCAA accepted the report, and decided to not investigate the matter.
(08/25/03 12:00pm)
Football
The Lions enter the 2003 season after coming back from a 6-3 record last year, in which the College tied for second place in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC). With 27 letter winners and 17 starters returning, the Lions football team is hoping to make a run to win the NJAC title.
The team will be led by senior quarterback Bob Schurtz, the College's single-season passing record holder for most pass attempts, completion and passing yardage.
He is just 85 yards shy of surpassing the career-passing yards mark, which currently stands at 3, 705 yards. Head Coach Eric Hamilton hopes to fill the void left by graduated seniors with talent such as senior receiver Joe Franzone.
Men's Soccer
The Lions men's soccer team can expect good things from several of their returning players including seniors Joe Schneck and Dan Muzzillo, and juniors Rich Adams and Shawn Mecchi, a strong pair of junior goalies. Also returning is junior back Brett Hockenjos, who scored his first career goal against Rowan University last year in the NJAC semi-finals.
"In terms of how hopefully things will be better this year, we lost four seniors last year but we gained 10 freshmen," Head Coach George Nazzario said. "Brian Rostron, our two-time all NJAC First Team, he's probably our biggest loss."
"We are looking forward to the opening tournament next weekend," Nazzario added. "The toughest opponents this year, Kean, Rowan and Richard Stockton, those are the games we build up the most. In the non-conference schedule it"s Elizabethtown and Drew."
Field Hockey
The Lions return on the strength of their Hall of Fame Class of 2003 coach Sharon Pfluger. Pfluger has recently become a member of the National Field Hockey Coaches' Association (NFHCA).
Although the program lost senior co-captain Laura Chowansky, a 2002 STX/NFHCA Division III All-American, it returns with 10 freshmen and eight seniors. Senior forwards Jessica Hamway, Jackie Levy and Christie Shore along with senior midfielder Lauren Wooster led a powerful offense.
Seniors Danielle Bechtel, Katie Flaig, Jackie Scullin and Charlene Winkelspecht dominate the field in the defense as they help sophomore goalkeeper Kristina Beyel in the backfield.
Tennis
During the fall season, the women's tennis team will play their tournament and their NJAC schedule while the men's team will only play tournaments.
"With 95 straight league/conference wins, obviously with five more this year the goal is to get to 100," Head Coach Scott Dichek said. "We are also trying to get to our 21st straight NJAC championship."
"It is the three returning tri-captains that should lead the team," Dicheck said. "We have also added four talented freshmen to the squad."
The tri-captains are junior Katie D'Amato, and sophomores Jackie Gavornik and Kristen Klepacki. Also returning to the squad are senior Kelli Emery, junior Katie Richards and sophomore Caitlin Reich.
The men's squad is returning with six players from last year and has added three freshmen.
The squad is led by its captain Bryan Hanley and should also build its program on the strength of juniors Victor Lai and Neeraj Pilly.
Cross Country
On the women's cross country team, Dolan mentioned the strength of senior All-Americans Lindsay Scarborough and Beth Vesey
"I'm excited about the start of the season," head coach Steve Dolan said. "A few of our leaders including seniors Brian Brach and Adrian Cline should be strong coming back for us this year."
"I'm excited to see other folks that will step up from last year as they have been improving over the summer," Dolan added.
Dolan also highlighted the return of senior Erin Cahill, who was injured last year and junior Sara Spilman, who suffered an injury over the summer.
Dolan said he was looking forward to the Blue/Gold Alumni Run that would take place at Washington Crossing State Park in Titusville, NJ on Aug. 30.
(08/25/03 12:00pm)
Athletic competitions are some the most entertaining happennings of College life, but not enough students take advantageof this.
Here is a list of the top five games or matches that you must catch if you are a Lions fan. Most end early enough to catch some amazing after parties.
5. Women's Tennis will host a Lions Fall Kickoff Sept. 6-7, and will play matches against Carnegie Melon and New York University (NYU). Last year, the Lions defeated Carnegie Melon 7-2 and defeated NYU 6-3. Cheer on the women's tennis team during one of their few home matches as they hope to repeat the success of last year.
4. Last year, men's soccer lost to Richard Stockton College in the final game of the season 2-0. The Lions will hope to enact revenge on the often high- ranked Ospreys, at Stockton on Oct. 1.
3. The women's soccer team was able to win the NJAC championships over Montclair State University 2-0 last year and on the way they had defeated Stockton 1-0 in the NJAC semi-finals. Catch the Lions as they hope to repeat their success over these teams in this year's regular season. The Lions will face the Montclair Red Hawks in an away game on Oct. 25.
2. Over the past two years, the Lions field hockey team's season has ended with an NCAA Division III semi-finalist finish at the hands of Messiah College.
Last year No. 2 ranked Messiah defeated No. 4 Lions 1-0, the year before Messiah won 2-1 in overtime. The Lions will host Messiah on Oct. 21.
1. I've watched the Lions football team lose to the Rowan University Profs three years in a row now and it's about time the Lions win. In 2002, the Lions lost 30-25, despite having a 19-0 lead. In 2001, I nearly cried along with the rest of the College when the Lions lost by one point, 28-27, because they went for a 2-point conversion in the final seconds of the game rather than go for the tie.
In 2000, the Profs handed the Lions a 20-10 loss. The trip to Rowan University on Oct. 3 will well be worth the excitement that this gameis sure to produce.
(04/29/03 12:00pm)
I hate those articles/opinions about reflection. I don't think that much can be learned by them, but here I go trying not to reflect too much. I've been asked to write about something that I have been saying for weeks, the difference in terms of personal growth between a sophomore and a junior.
Sophomore year was an amazing year. I went to countless concerts, semi-formals, formals, date parties, frat parties, house parties, Broadway shows and nightclubs.
In one weekend, I ended up partying or going to events in four different cities (Philadelphia, New York, Camden and Trenton - I didn't say they were all good cities.)
Sophomore year in college is the year you start thinking like a college student and finally leave that high school mentality behind you. But I don't think that sophomore year is the real year of truth.
Junior year is hard. Any junior in college can tell you that this is the year that really counts.
When my sophomore friends ask me what junior year is like I tell that to imagine how hard their junior year in high school was, (by far the worst year in high school), and multiple that to the college level. At times, it's that bad.
Junior year is the year that I finally realized the reason that I was at college. I joined SGA and the staff of The Signal. I got two new jobs - hall security worker and another at the Gap.
I realized that I had been wasting my time during my sophomore year - time that I had to make up this year. My resume sucked and I realized that without hard work and experience, I wouldn't get any internship let alone any job that I applied for.
Now I'm busting my ass and attempting to make up for it.
Last semester, as any of my friends can tell you, I didn't party much because I had to budget my time to the minute. I was working over 30 hours a week between my three jobs on top of being a full time student. It wasn't always fun but I grew up to be the man I am today.
I have to say that in retrospect, I was just a boy before that. If anything, junior year has taught me that I am ready for the internship and the eventual job I hope to get.
It taught me that I can move off campus senior year and balance my life and finances better when I'm off on my own. I think I'm ready to move away from home after college and if I get an opportunity to move away from the east coast or even further, I would have to take it.
So what am I trying to say in this opinion? I guess I'm saying that if you are a rising freshman or sophomore and you are reading this, it's not too late to get involved.
It's not to late to do all the things you saw yourself doing in college and it'll never be too late to grow up to become a better person than you were yesterday.