The Campus 03-02-2012 by Allegheny Campus

THE

CAMPUS SERVING ALLEGHENY COLLEGE SINCE 1876

VOLUME 136, ISSUE 20

- FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012 -

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Special interest housing to decline Residence life to remove majority of on-campus theme houses By CHELSEA FLEISCHMAN News Co-Editor fleiscc@allegheny.edu

Next year there will only be nine special interest houses on campus, a decrease from the 17 houses the college currently sponsors. After reviewing student feedback from Allegheny Student Government’s 2011-2012 Student Life Survey, the Office of Residence Life originally set aside just seven special interest houses for next year, according to Joe Hall, assistant director of Residence Life Out of 17 applications, five house proposals were accepted for the 2012-2013 school year. Only twenty-three percent of the 637 students that responded to the survey felt that there should be less special interest housing, according to Nicole Piccirillo, ’12, director of student affairs. Thirty-nine percent thought that the current number was adequate and the remaining 38 percent thought the school needed more special interest housing. The Musicians in Meadville and Student Experimen-

tal Theatre houses are the only two of the five approved houses that are new to campus. Since just five of the seven potential houses were filled, the two remaining houses will be included in the room selection process for a total of 15 college-owned house options in the 2012-2013 year. Hall said that students first submit an application with their proposed house theme. They are then given the opportunity to present their ideas and a mission statement to a committee made up of Residence Life faculty, staff, residence advisors, and an ASG representative. “We review past performance, new ideas, creativity, and ideas that can easily be integrated into the campus community,” Hall said in an e-mail. There are four additional special interest houses, ABC, Social Justice, Queers and Allies, and Sustainability, that were not included in the special interest proposal process but will still be present next year.

See HOUSES | Page 3

Musicians work to revive local scene By DAN BAUER Editor-in-Chief of Web bauerd@allegheny.edu

Once upon a time, in the nineties, the Meadville area had a music scene. A real live music scene, for local bands and national acts alike. Fred Oakman, Meadville native and local musician, rattles off the names of a few bands that came through the Edinboro-Erie-Meadville circuit. He rattles them off casually while my jaw drops. Goldfinger, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, The Dillinger Four. The Alkaline Trio once tried to come through, having heard great things about “The Shack” in Meadville by word of mouth. But The Shack turned out to be a high school kid’s parents’ barn and the show would have been on a school night, so things didn’t work out. So it goes. “Meadville happened to be almost a strange kind of Mecca in Pennsylvania,” he says, again quite casually. “It’s a smaller town and kids don’t have as much to do. So we made things to do.” Oakman was in a variety of bands back when the scene was thriving. He picked up guitar in seventh grade after seeing a local band called Jerkwater play at the Woodcock Township Building. “It was the greatest thing I had ever seen in my life,” he

said. “It was angry, it was fun, it was really raw... I saw these people a little older than me who were, in my opinion, masters of guitar in these bands. I was like, ‘If they can do it, I can do it.” Oakman started The Twirpentines, a punk band, with some friends in 1994. This was before Green Day had really broken through and before Blink-182 had inspired everyone and their brother to start a band. It was, in Oakman’s words, a “different” time. “My buddies and I, we would get out of school and people would throw mud at us,” he said. “People were really judgmental back then. So this little thing we had, we felt like it was our own place to get away, and there weren’t a lot of people who really understood.” The Twirpentines evolved as they got older. They put out two CDs along with a seveninch record and an eight song demo tape. They toured the United States. But eventually, things came to an end. “We played, we had a run, we all got a college education... everybody had their own thing they had going on,” said Oakman. “We said, ‘we’re not paying the bills, we’ve had a great run. Let’s have one last show.” The Twirpentines played their farewell show to a packed house in 2002.

INSIDE

Photos courtesy of Fred Oakman ABOVE: Signal Home and their debut album, “A Fragile Constitutional.” Signal Home was signed briefly to Carbon Copy Media. BELOW: The Twirpentines and their album, “Goodnight, Porchlight.”

“There wasn’t even shoulder room,” said Oakman. “It was crazy.” Not long after, Oakman formed another punk band, Signal Home.

“At that point, we had legs on us,” he said. “Coming out of the Twirpentines, people knew who we were. We had a little bit of traction.” Signal Home’s break came

out of an instant message from JT Woodruff of Hawthorne Heights, who Oakman had met while still playing with the Twirpentines. Woodruff was starting up a label called Car-

bon Copy Media, and soon enough, Signal Home was signed. “It was crazy,” said Oakman. “Coming from being in seventh grade, being made fun of for looking a certain way, being from a small town and not really living anywhere else, to going to Best Buy and Target and seeing your CD on a shelf... we said ‘You know what, if you’ve got a passion, you can follow it. It just takes a lot of time and effort.’” Signal Home began touring, playing shows around the country, sometimes headlining, sometimes opening for Hawthorne Heights. They released their first album, A Fragile Constitutional, in 2006. They still had the trappings of the small-town, doit-yourself punk band. They were traveling without a booking agent or a manager, handling things as they came. “It was at the point where it was either going to go one way or another,” said Oakman. And, as it turned out, it didn’t last long. Hawthorne Heights got into a lawsuit with their label and Carbon Copy Media went defunct. Signal Home’s contract was voided. “It just didn’t pan out,” said Oakman. “We were getting a little older, and we said ‘We don’t have enough money to sit and write a new record. We

See MUSIC | Page 2

► COOKIES

► T R AS H I O N S H OW

► h i n e s wa r d

Elaina shows you how to make light, airy pumpkin cookies that are simple and fun.

Allegheny sustainability will strut its stuff down the runway on Saturday for the annual S.E.A. Trashion Show.

Matt Mascolo offers his analysis of the respective futures of the Steelers and Hines Ward.

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2 || March 2, 2012 || The Campus

AlleghenyCampus.com

[NEWS]

News editors: Elaina Mercatoris, Cory Rectenwald, Chelsea Fleischman || news@alleghenycampus.com

MUSIC

from page 1

didn’t make the right kind of contacts while we were on the road because we thought we had a bed to lay in at the end of the night and it turned out that we didn’t.” Signal Home went on indefinite hiatus and Oakman began a solo career playing folk music. He released an album and started a tour. “Touring was cathartic, but it was equally depressing,” said Oakman. “There was a point where I opened my guitar case and I had this wad of money that was all I had to my name. It was in some faraway state. I looked at it and I thought, ‘Wow. To go from playing shows to 4,000 people and having a CD in Best Buy... to opening up my guitar case and having 35 dollars to my name and having no idea when I’m going to get paid next is a tough thing to go through... I better get a legit job. This isn’t cutting it.” Oakman came back to Meadville and got a job with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He’s still playing as a solo act and just released an EP. He also started a new band in December 2011 called One if by Land. “I’m trying to find that happy medium where you can afford to do the things you love and not worry about your debt,” he said.

Oakman is also trying to revive the music scene that he grew up playing in by opening up venues such as the Gardner Theater above the Market House to local music. “I would not be the person I am today if it weren’t for those shows,” said Oakman. “It changed my life. I would like to see that happen again.” Along with local musician Seth Brewster, Oakman organized a last-minute show at the Gardner Theater last December and was encouraged by the response. “The turnout blew our minds,” said Oakman. “That told us that people want to go out, they want to see local music, and they don’t want to necessarily sit in a smoky bar to do it.” That show inspired an ongoing series called Indie Nights on Market. On the first Friday of every month, the Gardner Theater will open up to musicians from Meadville and the tri-state area. The first show is tonight, Friday, March 1. Oakman will headline, along with Tyler Smilo of Ohio and Lauren Joyce of Edinboro. “We’re just trying to create an awareness of the talent in our backyard,” said Oakman. “We feel like we can get something off the ground.”

Photos courtesy of Fred Oakman ABOVE: A Twirpentines show in Erie, featuring My Chemical Romance before they signed to Reprise Records. BELOW: “When prom came around, we felt like we didn’t fit in,” said Oakman. “We’d get dressed up and have amazing bands play right now the road.

GET THERE FASTER. enjoy the ride. Coming home for the summer? Not really into looking for a summer job? Why not pick up a few credits, make your Fall Semester workload a little lighter or get that pesky pre-requisite out of the way? It’s easy at Gannon University’s three summer sessions: beginning May 7, May 21 and June 25. And with reduced summer tuition, you’ll save more than just time, and you might even save a semester in school. Let us show you how. We promise we’ll make it, you know…fast! Visit gannon.edu/summer for a listing of course offerings or call us at (814) 871-7350, summer will be here sooner than you think.

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[NEWS]

HOUSES

The committee offers some special interest houses a threeyear reapplication process alternative, which was applied to these four houses. Hall said that the decision to extend a three-year alternative to houses is based upon a strong review of past performance and the importance of those particular organizations on campus. The Lighthouse, which offers a space of Christian fellowship, and the Animal Welfare House, created by the Animal Welfare of Allegheny club, were also offered the three-year alternative for next year’s application process. Under this alternative reapplication, selected houses must only reapply every three years. Hall said approximately 65 students lived in special interest housing for the 2011-2012 school year. Houses can accommodate anywhere between three and seven students. He said that many of the current houses did not reapply for next year. “There are no financial benefits to these specific communities,” he said. “The houses are there to provide programming and educational opportunities to students and the community.” Katie Horan, ’13, and Liz

from page 1 Lennon, ’13, have lived in the questions regarding special inAnimal Welfare House for the terest housing, but both agreed past two years. that the number of houses They said that four officers should not be reduced. from the Animal “Special interest Welfare club residhousing should be ined in the house becreased because it will fore them. Horan look better for resiand Lennon ap- If student dence life as the stuplied for the house feedback indi- dents that live in these their sophomore spaces provide the colyears, along with cated that they lege with a greater bentwo other club wanted to cut efit than students that members. special inter- live in college owned “The first year houses without providest housing, it ing events to campus,” we were worried because we were is because the Horan said. all new people ap- houses Katrina Hohlfeld, that plying and were ’13, also applied for exist have not unfamiliar with special interest housing the requirements proven to have for 2012-2013. Her and of a special inter- the effect on her three friends’ idea est house as well campus that for a “Cultural Cooking as the application House” were rejected. process,” Lennon they are sup“We came up with said. “It was cer- posed to. it because we all love tainly made easier, to cook, come from however, by the different cultural backfact that the house grounds, and currently was already in ex- Katrina have insufficient kitchistence.” ens, ” she said. “The idea Hohlfeld, ’13 The Meditation revolved around havHouse, though ing open houses where present in years we could present the past but not this campus with one style year, was one of the five pro- of cooking and explain a bit posals accepted for next year. about how food operates in Neither Lennon or Horan the social fabric of that specific could remember filling out culture.”

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CRIME BLOTTER February 25 - Walker Hall Three students are being investigated for underage drinking. February 26 - Brooks Walk Three students were involved in an altercation. February 26 - Campus Center Students were caught drinking under the age in the Campus Center February 26 - Campus Center Unknown criminals stole items from the Campus Center hallways. February 28 - Alden Hall A student was found in posession of a controlled substance.

CORRECTIONS From the February 24 issue: Professor Aimee Knupsky received her undergraduate degree from Muskingum College, which is now Muskingum University. From “Engaging young minds: Professor talks teaching, regional honor”

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Hohlfeld said that she thought their presentation before the committee went well. She said that the committee asked a question or two before thanking and escorting them out. She also said there was no explanation as to why their proposal was rejected, just that many groups had applied for few spaces. “While we were disappointed, we were not shocked by this decision,” Hohlfeld said. “This is not the first time that residence life has failed us. Honestly, it’s hard not to take it personally when no explanation is given as to why someone else received funding for their ideas.” Hohlfeld said that she was frustrated by the room draw process, but because she would lose her financial aid in living off campus senior year, she will endure it again. “If student feedback indicated that they wanted to cut special interest housing, it is because the houses that exist have not proven to have the effect on campus that they are supposed to,” she said. “Honestly, that’s a shame, because I know my roommates and I would have done something special and would have really appreciated that house.”

[Features]

|| The Campus || March 2, 2012

www.AlleghenyCampus.com

Features editors: Molly Duerig, Katie McHugh || features@alleghenycampus.com

‘Wanderlust’ lacks luster

Wanderlustmovie.net Although ‘Wanderlust’ started out with potential, the film’s poor plot and stale jokes quickly caused the movie to fall flat, despite the presence of hollywood veterans Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston. By BEN DAUBER Movie Reviewer dauberb@allegheny.edu

I almost feel bad for relating how I really feel about this flick because I went into it with such high hopes, but truly, this one stunk. In the equation of movies, this one made sense. Paul Rudd plus Jennifer Aniston plus quirky premise equals good movie? That’s what we all hoped. What started off as a creative spin on the classic romcom spiraled into exaggeration, and what seemed like painfully scripted antics had me begging for the credits to roll. Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston are a overworked Man-

hattan couple that suddenly find themselves out of work and at odds in their relationship. Their only option is to move in with Rudd’s caustically obnoxious brother Rick. Along the way, they stumble upon a laid back hippy commune called Elysium which seems to be exactly what the stressed out duo needed. At first the stereotyping of both Rick (the commercial polo wearing suburban d-bag) and the Elysium (dirty nudist vegan hippies) seemed a delightful contrast. Quirkiness abounded and the film seemed to be heading the right direction. However, not even Rudd’s sarcastic and relatable style of situational

humor could pull this film out of the crapper. The true issue with the film is that despite a creative and unexplored premise the film squished all of the plot development into the final third of the film. In the first third I was delightedly optimistic. The second third I started to notice the jokes were getting old. In the closing portion however, I was biting my lip, checking the time and coming to grips with the reality that this movie was awful. The actors did their best; truly this film was neither Rudd nor Aniston’s fault. Director David Wain needs to be sat down…. Immediately. So

much potential with so little substance left a bitter taste in my mouth. A handful of low caliber one liners and an eclectic cast of funny people just can’t overcome the poor plot development. If beating a dead horse was a crime (which it may very well be) everyone who greenlighted this movie should go to jail. To put it metaphorically, this film was like a kid with all the potential in the world who tried meth, and as we all well know, you can’t try meth, not even once. This flick is a C-, don’t see it. Just imagine that it was good and go with that.

Anais Mitchell’s “Young Man in America” best album of 2012, so far By CODY MILLER Music Reviewer millerc3@allegheny.edu

Earlier this year, I called P.J Harvey “rock’s most consistently brilliant songwriter,” but I can’t help to think that with Young Main in America, Anais Mitchell might just be on the fringes of claiming this distinction. Mitchell’s previous release, Hadestown, was something akin to a ‘folk opera’ – a concept album framed around the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Ambitious, grandiose, and poignant, it was a musical tour de force that, in a just world, would have catapulted Mitchell to stardom. Young Man in America, the Vermont-based folkie’s fifth studio release feels somewhat less ambitious, but ever more poignant. In the opener “Wilderland,” Mitchell immediately immerses the listener in a disparate atmosphere of wrenching, trudging guitar, dissonant, screeching violins, and simplistic yet powerful thudding percussion. The piece is a testament to Mitchell’s songwriting prowess – she uses the lush instrumental interplay not to mask any sort of inadequacy within her music. Instead, each

gritty note rings with purpose. Even “Venus,” by far the alAll of this held is together by bum’s most poppy track, feels Mitchell’s gorgeously morose somewhat meaningless absent vibrato, which sounds like a of context. On the chorus, slightly graceful, tuneful nod Mitchell sings, “I’m not makto Joanna Newsom. ing any other plans, The title I just want to see track builds upon your face again.” this launching point Without the spineas Mitchell leads the tingling anguish of listener through the the preceding track, despondency and “Mitchell is “Dyin’ Day,” the disillusionment of ru- not overpiece feels cheapral America. It rings ened, and the full with organic, affect- thinking extent of this blissing texture akin to these tracks. ful triumph is lost. Talk Talk’s Laughing The conclusion She’s just Stock. of this journey is Mitchell’s great- gliding along, also perhaps its est strength is her peak. “Ships” plays childlike wistfulness. impetuously like a placid, pasWith this, she guides following toral reverie. But it the listener through never veers off into a supple, fluid course what feels pre te nt i ous n e s s , of brilliant tracks right.” retaining a sort of that conveys at rustic campfire-like sinlandscape of timeless, cerity. It shows that genre-defying beauty. Mitchell doesn’t This bolsters Young need to sound huge Cody Miller Man of America as to sound powerful. not merely a collecShe commands an tion, but a genuine atmosphere of her album. Individually, none of own. Almost a direct retort these tracks would make ex- to the title track, it speaks to ceptional singles, but that is a perennially naïve American the point. These are songs that optimism that opportunity will demand to be listened to with- come, you just have to wait unin the context of something til ‘your ship comes in.’ greater. These pieces air humility

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and pastoral homeliness. Maybe that is because Mitchell has never truly ascended beyond her humble beginnings. She is a relatively obscure, albeit critically adored, well-educated thirty-something trudging along a busy tour circuit of coffeehouses, downtown bar venues, and the occasional theater. But, this is centrally why Young Man in America is so brilliant. Mitchell feels unscathed by misguided ambition and utterly transcendent of label pressures or fan expectations, and this rawness bleeds into her quality of her work. I get this sense, that while Young Man in America is certainly thematically rich, that Mitchell is not over-thinking these tracks. She’s just gliding along, impetuously following what feels right. Young Man in America is the work of incisive social criticism and raw authenticity. It is the best album I have listened to this year, and placed against the recent stream of Pitchforkdarlings, this feels even truer. Anais Mitchell has released an album that is above trendy. It is a rare album that touches upon the world we live in, while simultaneously perched in a world of its own.

By ELAINA MERCATORIS News Co-Editor mercate@allegheny.edu

One lone can of pumpkin sat on my dresser for weeks, staring at me, begging to be eaten. Since the end of winter break, I’d saved it, not knowing what to bake. Eventually I grew tired of only looking at the pumpkin and landed on a classic recipe of my childhood: pumpkin cookies, compliments of my mom Jane. It’s about time you become acquainted with her on a first-name basis. She’s the person I get most of my recipes from. She’s been a wonderful cook and baker throughout my entire life, so I have a habit of sharing with you some of her recipes that I loved growing up. Touching, isn’t it? Well, I’m no amateur at baking these pumpkin cookies. Sometimes I use raisins or chocolate chips, but I decided to go au-natural with this last can of pumpkin in my possession. The last time I baked them, a friend coined them “cloud cookies.” In comparison to my pumpkin muffins, these cookies are light, airy and scrumptious. INSTRUCTIONS: First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and get out two bowls: one for dry, and one larger bowl for wet ingredients. In the smaller of the two

bowls, combine two cups flour, one teaspoon baking powder, one teaspoon baking soda, one teaspoon cinnamon and onehalf teaspoon of salt. In the larger bowl, mix (in the following order): one cup softened butter with one cup sugar, and then add one cup pumpkin, one egg, and one teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix well before gradually adding the dry mixture to the wet bowl. If you want to add nuts or raisins or chocolate, now’s the time. Then, using a spoon, drop cookies onto nonstick cookie sheet. If you do not own a nonstick cookie sheet, be sure to grease your cookie sheet. Size is left up to your personal preference here. Make them big or small, but don’t try all different sizes on the same cookie sheet. You’re wondering why, huh? Because they cook at different speeds, dumbass. But if you use a normal tablespoon, then they take about 10 to 12 minutes. A batch makes well over two dozen too, so there are plenty to share with your friends. They go well with tea and/ or coffee, according to my personal experience. I even like to grab one on the go for breakfast on the way to my 8 a.m. class.

The finished cookies, freshly baked.

ELAINA MERCATORIS/THE CAMPUS Elaina’s pumpkin cookies are “light and airy” treats.

[Features]

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The Campus || March 2, 2012 ||

Features editors: Molly Duerig, Katie McHugh || features@alleghenycampus.com

Sustainabilit struts its

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Third annual Trashion Show t r s t ash into threads By KATIE McHugh Features Co-Editor mchughk@allegheny.edu

Heather Neylon, ’12, remembers the precise moment she stepped onto the runway for the annual Trashion Show. “It was sophomore year. My friends just came up to me last minute. It was literally the day of the Trashion Show and [they] wanted to make an outfit,” she said. “I literally sewed plastic bags together and made this really ramshackle dress thing. And she made an armored suit out of cardboard.” “It was probably the worst one at the trashion show that year,” she added. “But it was fun because no one really cared.” Now on her third year of participation in the Trashion Show, an annual event that showcases creative outfits composed of trash and compost materials, Neylon carefully stitched together her latest outfit, a dress made of coffee filters unsuited for GFC’s machines. Cloth-like materials suit her best, she explained. For couple years, Neylon crocheted strands of discarded plastic bags into bracelets and worked in the Playshop’s costume shop, building costumes for theatre majors. “Obviously not all trash can be made into something,” she said. “But there are some things that have potential that you can really use.” “Really anything you have around the house can be turned into something if you put the time into it,” she added. “[The show is] a good way to engage the campus community,” said Tiffany Ng, ’14. “Our message is always emphasizing the importance of waste minimization and I think it’s a great way to use trash. It’s not just something you throw away.” Nathan Malachowski, ’14, the Trashion Show’s Master of Ceremonies, agreed. “Also, it keeps focus on creative aspects of innovation to

environmental problems, not necessarily in that direct sense, but through being creative and having fun,” he said. Ng plans to put together the outfit for her model, Pranav Aurora, ’14, on Friday before the show. Originally, she only planned to help organize. But when Aurora asked if she would design a costume for him, she agreed. “I played around with a lot of objects,” she said. “I have old CDs and I smashed them, and I think by now I want to make a turtle design, just because I thought it was very appealing and I’d like to have a water design theme.” In the three years since its inception, the Trashion Show’s popularity exploded. Maranda Nemeth, ’13, president of Students for Environmental Action, created several committees to handle the logistics of the event. “It’s really gotten a lot bigger,” she said, citing the rising number of volunteer models. “The number grew enormously more because people know what it was and got much more excited. I hope to see more people than I did last year and definitely the first year.” “This year we have a lot more coverage. We’re getting so much publicity,” she added. Nemeth began planning the show during winter break and believes the planning process is going well. “It’s not as hard as it used to be,” she said. “The last two years were a lot harder. We already have things established. We already know what to expect and know the things we need to do in order to make it what it is. And everything’s recorded.” The fashion show has had its fair share of bumps in the road. Nemeth feels nervous inheriting command of an event the former president of SEC, Paula Frisch, passionately promoted and organized. While she won’t

be wearing a costume or standing as an MC, she remains optimistic about Saturday’s show. “I’d rather be working on organizing a rally for the tires to energy facility. That’s what I always get nervous about, too,” she said. “But I think that on Saturday it will be really good.” The Trashion Show is organized solely by Allegheny students. Malachowski commented on the difficulties of getting already overscheduled students to commit. “It’s hard to get positive confirmations out of people, but it’s still working out,” he said. Other problems with faculty arose as well, according to Nemeth. “On Monday, four of our judges dropped out of five. Abby was calling me and telling me we don’t have any judges,” Nemeth said. “And I was just like, ‘Shit, it’s Monday! It’s in like five days!” So within a couple days, the majority of our judge board dropped. But we picked it up and now we have new judges.” “Sometimes these things just happen and you think, ‘Oh my God, this is horrible,’” she added. Nonetheless, the Trashion Show quickly attracted the attention of other organizations. Second Nature, an organization dedicated to promoting sustainability in higher education, has moved Allegheny College into a semi-finalist slot for its Climate Leadership Award. Two other magazines have indicated interest in covering the show. “There’s a lot more campus interest,” said Neylon. “When we were starting to make our costumes this year someone was already interviewing us for their class.” Nemeth agreed. “This year we have a lot more coverage. We’re getting so much publicity.”

6 ||March 2, 2012 ||

The Campus

AlleghenyCampus.com

[ S P O RT S ] Sports editor : Colleen Pegher || sports@alleghenycampus.com

COMMENTARY

Ward’s future uncertain By MATT MASCOLO Staff Writer mascolom@allegheny.edu

RYAN BAKER/SPORTS INFORMATION Bobby Over, ’13, looks to improve Allegheny’s fourth place standing in the NCAC Championships in Wabash this weekend.

Men’s track and field hopes to improve on fourth place standing in NCAC Championships By JOHN LICHINA Staff Writer lichinaj@allegheny.edu

While the majority of the track and field team took a weekend away from competition to prepare for the North Coast Athletic Conference Championships in Wabash, Indiana, teammates Taylor Ordines, ’15, Nathan Taggert, ’15, and sophomore Zach Hill began competition last weekend. Prior to the break, the team has competed every weekend for the last three weeks. The break left valuable time not traveling and allows athletes to catch up with anything they need to on or off the track. A weekend with no competition does not translate to a weekend of relaxation.

“We are touching up on some main things we need to work on,” said Head Coach Brent Wilkerson. “We are focusing on the faster, harder workouts.” Senior Taylor Throckmorton understands the reality of his difficult midweek training schedule. As a senior, Throckmorton is prepared for the heart pounding runs that come with the weekend away from the track. “It gives us the opportunity to really work hard this week,” Throckmorton said. The time between competitions will allow the team to recover from injuries and illness. The squad will depart next Thursday for Wabash.

Wabash is the clear favorite to win their second successive indoor title. The sheer size of Wabash’s squad cannot be combated with the Gators’ hard training sessions. Last season, Allegheny took nine individual event titles to lead the meet. Wabash came out on top by placing more competitors in the top eight. “They have always had the total package for track,” said Bobby Over, ’13. “They are a team you have to look out for in every event.” Wilkerson believes that the tough competition benefits his team. Wabash and OWU are often ranked in the nation’s top 25, with Allegheny often competing for a spot as well.

“Track and field is all about competition,” said Wilkerson. “It is definitely and asset to have a good conference.” While his teammates trained, sophomore Zach Hill finished fifth in the heptathlon, a two-day event. Allegheny is currently sitting in fourth place overall. Ohio Wesleyan was the winner of the heptathlon, placing three in the top six. They are leading heading into competition this weekend. Freshmen Taggert and Ordines failed to enter the scoring, finishing ninth and thirteenth, respectively. Ordines also finished tenth overall in the hurdles and the pole vault.

CHARLIE MAGOVERN/THE CAMPUS The men and women’s tennis team will travel to Hilton Head, South Carolina over Spring Break where they will play three regionally ranked teams.

Tennis faces off against Case Western Men fall to Spartans over weekend, women look to triumph By DAN MARCUS Staff Writer marcusd@allegheny.edu

The men’s tennis team entered their match with Case Western last weekend after starting the season 5-1 overall, but the Spartans got the best of the Gators winning the match, 9-0. Sophomore Patrick Cole played a solid match and nearly beat number 12 regionally ranked player Will Drougas in flight one singles. Cole’s match ended 3-6, 7-6, 11-9. Other close matches included Frank Mosconi’s match against Ben McClaren, which ended 7-5, 6-1. The number one doubles pairing of Cole and freshman Kevin Kacer lost their flight one doubles match 8-6.

Assistant Coach Greg Kreitzer believed his team was not intimidated going into the match against Case Western, he thought the team could compete and ultimately win the match. “We have not played a match against a team the same caliber as Case all year, and this exposed us to the level of play that we will be seeing for much of the remainder of the season,” Cole said. The Gators look forward to their spring break trip to Hilton Head, South Carolina. Again, the team will face solid competition there from several regionally ranked teams. “In Hilton Head, we are playing three regionally ranked teams and this is our chance to prove ourselves,” said Cole.

“These next two weeks are incredibly important for us and our team as a whole needs to step up the intensity in practice to get ready for spring break.” The men’s team will focus on their doubles game going into spring break competition. They look to be more aggressive and more effective in closing down the net. The women’s team will travel to Cleveland this weekend to play Case Western. The Case Western’s women’s team is also very strong, ranked 14th in the Central Region. Last year, the Gators upset the Spartans 5-4 and eye doing the same this year. The Spartans look to avenge a close defeat to Denison in last weekend’s match, and enter the match this weekend with an

overall record of 6-2, while the Gator’s are 3-3 and ranked 20th in the region. “Case is definitely a solid team, and we know it’s going to be a battle, but we definitely know we can beat them,” said Kretizer. “They are a similar team from last year.” The Gators have three seniors in their starting lineup, Janna Dickerson, Elyse Schmitt, and Deborah Landau. “Our seniors play in three slots out of the six, therefore there is a lot of experience out on the court,” Schmitt said. “It will be up to the seniors to remind everyone not to get ahead of themselves, be patient, and play our game.”

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Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers have released the 36 year old wide receiver Hines Ward, arguably the most consistent pass catcher in the past 14 years for the team, Pittsburgh and NFL fans alike are wondering: Is the receiver done? And if so, is he a hall of famer? Ward has nothing left to prove in the NFL. He is a fourtime pro bowler with two super bowl rings, and a Super Bowl MVP. One of the interested teams is the Carolina Panthers, but there are several reasons why the Panthers would not be a suitable fit for Ward. The Panthers, after losing Steve Smith, are extremely limited at receiver, and Ward could provide some veteran leadership on a young team, but there are two reasons why Ward isn’t a great fit there. The Panthers play in a division with the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons, both teams with ten or more wins last season. The Panthers are a couple of years away because they are young. If Ward is to go to another team, they must be a contender. Second, with a solid bunch of receiver prospects coming into the 2012 draft (Justin Blackmon, Michael Floyd, and Kendall Wright), expect the Panthers to go after a sizeable receiver in the draft, even if it’s not in the first few rounds. Unless Ward takes a huge pay cut, he won’t be signed by a team. Ward doesn’t have the top end speed (though, he never really did) to be consistently effective in the league anymore. Cris Carter has been denied the Hall of Fame for five straight years. He tallied 100 more catches and 45 more touchdowns, but never won a Super Bowl with the Eagles or the Vikings. Tim Brown was also refused

Hall of Fame honors. Brown was largely more dominant than Carter, boasting nine straight seasons of 1,000 yards receiving, seven of those with at least seven touchdowns. He also made an impact in special teams, as one of the most feared returners in the game throughout his career. He appeared in Super Bowl XXXVII, losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 48-21. If Ward retires this year, he should have some big name company in five years when he is eligible for the Hall of Fame: Randy Moss and Terrell Owens. Moss is a first ballot Hall of Famer even with the controversy that has surrounded him in certain periods of his career. Owens should get in the first ballot too. He had 153 touchdowns and, aside from maybe Moss, was the most dynamic pass catcher in the NFL during his career. Owens might have been a head case, but his numbers far exceed the headaches he caused. Ward, with over 1,000 catches, 10,000 yards, and 85 touchdowns, has Hall of Fame caliber numbers, but none of those quite match Owens, Moss, Brown, or Carter. Ultimately, the Hall of Fame is not going to vote all five of those guys into the Hall of Fame, at least not anytime soon. Owens and Moss will get in right away, but Carter and Brown will continue to have trouble. That only is a sign of things to come for Ward. Yes, he has two Super Bowl rings, but that statistic bears greater weight for quarterbacks. Instead, a receiver’s impact on the field and on defenses is crucial in determining Hall of Fame status. Ward doesn’t have that on his side. He will be remembered in Steeler lore forever, among Bradshaw, Harris, and the Steel Curtain, but he’ll never garner the yellow jacket. It is a sad, probable truth for Steeler fans.