the independent student newspaper of syracuse, new york | dailyorange.com
Carbon neutral
Student Association leaders spoke about collaborating with Chancellor Kent Syverud in their aim to reach carbon neutrality before the university’s goal of 2040.
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C • Songs by students
The Westcott Theater was filled with music and excitement at Bloomfest II, featuring four artists and bands from Syracuse University.
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S • Sri Lanka to SU
After leading Temple to 173 wins over 11 seasons, Bakeer Ganesharatnam is ready to change the culture at Syracuse after Yelin’s retirement.
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By Danny Amron asst. news editor
Data from the Syracuse Police Department shows officers disproportionately stopped Black people in the city over the last year, with Black people accounting for nearly 65% of all stops despite making up about 35% of the population.
The data, which SPD began publishing after a 2020 executive order by Mayor Ben Walsh, spans from the third quarter of 2021 through the second quarter of 2022. It also indicates that the percentage of Black people stopped by SPD dropped from nearly 78% in the second quarter of 2021 to roughly 67.5% in the second quarter of 2022.
Even with the limited amount of data, Michael Sisitzky, an assistant policy director at the New York Civil Liberties Union said the information still indicates a larger pattern in policing practices nationwide.
“(The data) follows patterns that we see, really throughout the state and throughout the country, which is that policing in general disproportionately targets communities of color,” Sisitzsky said. “There really is a pattern that we’ve seen elsewhere, which is police in Syracuse disproportionately stopping and targeting Black people.”
SPD officers also disproportionately used force against Black people, the data shows. Of the 1.4% of SPD stops that resulted in officers using force, 74% of those uses were against Black people.
In the year’s worth of data The D.O. see spd page 4
Of the police stops analyzed, 47% were in the Southwest part of Syracuse, while stops in the North and Southeast parts of the city made up 33% and 20% respectively
By Stephanie Wright asst. copy editor
When Syracuse University
college campuses before applying, she noticed that all of them had a blue light system in place as part of their campus safety programs. Now a full-time college student, Kirby, a political science major, understands the need for such safety resources as she is
aware of the prevalence of sexual assault and violence against women on college campuses.
“As many safety measures that you can have, the better,” Kirby said.
“We have phones, we have safety alerts, and women still get sexually assaulted every day.”
Blue lights have been a fixture of college campuses since the 1980s, but the past decade has seen drastic reductions in their usage due to cell phone accessibility. Despite the decline in use, some SU freshman students new to campus, as well as DPS, still feel that blue lights are
necessary to ensure campus safety.
SU first announced plans to install blue lights on campus in 1989, adopting the technology after several other universities, including SUNY-Buffalo and Lehigh University, began to do so.
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The best quotes from sources in today’s paper.
“I like when members of the police force are required to live in the community where they’re law enforcement officers.”
Gary Pieples, SU College of Law professor
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“Being able to see everyone and get that energy off of people, it’s kinda unreal. Especially on a stage like this where you can really see the whole crowd.”
Vir Batra, Studio89 lead singer
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“Sometimes the easiest and most impactful change is how you can address these issues within your own social circles”
Chris Kosakowski, Vera House Campus Advocacy and Prevention Team Coordinator
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“Our goal is to build a new team with a strong foundation, culturally, but also from a competitive standpoint so we can move forward.”
Bakeer Ganesharatnam, SU volleyball head coach
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Noteworthy events this week.
WHAT: Commuter Student Welcome WHEN: Sept. 6, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
WHERE: Goldstein Student Center, 201 BC
WHAT: Sim Racing for Beginners
WHEN: Sept. 7, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
WHERE: Barnes Center 046
WHAT: Barnes Center Quiz Show
WHEN: Sept. 7, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m
WHERE: Barnes Center 046
By Grace Katz asst. digital editor
In 2009, Syracuse University committed to become carbon neutral by 2040 as part of its Climate Action Plan.
Current Student Association leaders want to see that deadlined moved up as part of a larger update to SU’s thirteen-year-old climate plan.
The plan would bring net university greenhouse gas emissions from 95,269 metric tons in 2020 to 0 in 2040.
But SA is pushing a closer target for carbon neutrality by 2029 or 2030, if not earlier, SA President David Bruen told The Daily Orange. Bruen said the student government and university administration are working to develop new sustainability initiatives aimed at meeting that goal.
“We have to dramatically in the next decade change our environmental (habits that) impact the
amount of carbon that we’re putting into the air,” Bruen said. “2040 is far too late.”
In April of last year, SA proposed a Green New Deal for SU which included a goal to move the plan’s deadline for carbon neutrality up to 2026.
Carbon neutrality pledges, also known as net-zero pledges, don’t promise to eliminate all greenhouse gas emissions by the company, organization or university that issues them. Instead, they seek to “offset” greenhouse gas emissions through investments in clean energy, carbon capture technology or forest preservation.
At an Aug. 29 SA meeting, Chancellor and President Kent Syverud expressed his support for SA’s climate and sustainability goals.
Adia Santos, vice president of SA, told The D.O. she was “pleasantly surprised” that Syverud thinks reaching carbon neutrality before 2040 should be a priority for SU.
international student concerns
“To know that the Chancellor is on board with advancing the date for carbon neutrality means that our university has a good chance of succeeding and demonstrating sustainable leadership in the years to come,” Santos wrote.
SA is advocating for the university to divest from the fossil fuel industry and invest instead in green energy, Santos wrote.
Syverud’s appearance at the meeting is a sign of how receptive the university has been toward the association’s demands, Bruen said.
Harrison Vogt, SA’s director of sustainability, said he hopes to get as many students as possible involved in the organization’s sustainability goals.
“I want to see a culture of sustainability that is not just driven by the granola student,” Vogt told The D.O. “I want to see people in fraternities wondering what their red solo cup does to the environment.”
Vogt said he plans to organize roundtables and release student
surveys in order to gauge students’ concerns about sustainability at SU. He also plans to meet weekly with the university administration and the sustainability management team.
SA will work with other colleges and universities to bring new climate and sustainability initiatives to SU, Bruen said. He said he is currently working with Le Moyne College on finding affordable ways to reduce on-campus emissions.
“We’re seeing support from a lot of places, from staff at the university, to the top with the chancellor,” Bruen said. “I want more students to be aware of the work that we’re doing so that they can be involved and engaged. Because … this could be a really significant thing.”
Harrison Vogt is a columnist for The Daily Orange. He does not influence the editorial content of the News section in his capacity as a columnist gdkatz@syr.edu
The Daily Orange News Staff
When U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in early August, the impact resonated across the world, including with Taiwanese and Chinese students at Syracuse University.
The visit from Pelosi, the highestranking U.S. official to visit the island in 25 years, stoked long-running tensions between China, Taiwan and the United States. Though Taiwan has historically governed itself and maintains official and unofficial diplomatic relationships with other countries, including the United States, China views the island as part of its territory.
Taiwanese and Chinese international students at SU who watched the visit unfold from abroad remember waiting anxiously for the fallout, fearing the tensions raised might
escalate to military conflict — putting their friends and family in danger.
The Daily Orange spoke with four SU students from Taiwan and China about how they experienced Pelosi’s visit and China’s response.
Joyce Chen
Joyce Chen’s phone rang the night when Pelosi’s flight landed in Taiwan. She picked it up to see a text from her Chinese friend wondering what might happen.
Chen, a senior in the Newhouse School of Public Communications, has connections to both sides of the conflict. She was born in Taiwan but spent her childhood in China, and her family moved back to Taiwan after she left for college. Because of COVID-19, her family hasn’t had a chance to travel back to China since Aug. 2019.
From a young age, Chen knew about the tensions between Taiwan and China and the uncertainty that came with them.
“I’m very concerned for my parents, for my family,” Chen said. “But at the same time, there’s nothing I can do that can be of any immediate help.”
Chen also said she believes that media bias plays a role in how people in both China and Taiwan perceive the conflict.
Simba Chen
Simba Chen, a sophomore in Newhouse, was scrolling through WeChat Moments, a social networking function within the popular Chinese app WeChat, when the news broke that Pelosi was visiting Taiwan.
He remembers other Chinese social media users closely following
By Katie McClellan asst. news editor
Syracuse University drama student
Kat Kelly was 13 years old when she realized doing what she loves, dancing, causes her pain. When she was 14, she was diagnosed with a labral tear in her right hip, a common injury for dancers, and hip dysplasia.
“There’s that emotional-mental connection to knowing you’re injured or knowing you have limitations when you are feeling pain, and you’re in a room full of people who can do those things without feeling pain,” Kelly said.
What started as a personal struggle for the dancer soon evolved into a senior thesis project Performing with Pain, a performance focused on reducing stigmas surrounding illness and injury in the performing arts.
Renée Crown Honors drama students Elana Babbitt, Jessica Cerreta, Gabriela Moncivais and Rileigh Very told their stories about navigating health in the acting world alongside Kelly on Sunday night at the Skybarn on South Campus.
“This performance strives to put a face on the issue, and prove that with correct support, injury and illness do not have to be careerending,” Kelly wrote on the event’s webpage. “Rather, it is a normal part of this profession.”
When Kelly received her hip diagnosis, she realized the importance of taking care of her body.
“You have to maintain your body in order to do what you love,” Kelly told the audience. “Doing what you love doesn’t maintain your body.”
Very had a similar epiphany at 13 when a gymnastics accident caused a spinal compression, leading to four bulging discs, one decreased disc and spondylolisthesis, a spinal injury caused when vertebrae slip into one another. The latter cannot be healed without surgery, which Very chose not to have.
Pelosi’s flight as it approached the island.
“I have never seen this many people paying attention to where a flight is going,” Chen, an advertising major from Taiwan, said in Mandarin.
Two days after Pelosi’s visit, China launched 11 ballistic missiles into Taiwanese airspace and waters as part of larger military drills.
The show of force was especially concerning for Chen, who is subject to Taiwan’s mandatory military service requirement and could be called on to fight if the conflict escalates.
As a male Taiwanese citizen living in another country, he was able to postpone his service, but he said he’s still scared.
“You don’t know what the government is going to do. Your name is on a list, you’re going to get called,” Chen said.
“The first thing (my coaches) said to me: can you walk? I remember sitting there being like, ‘can I move?’” Very said. “I was in complete shock. I was in so much pain. I took up dancing so it was less pounding, but the chronic pain never goes away.”
Very believes building a community of people also experiencing health challenges in the arts industry will help others like her feel less alone.
“We deal with impostor syndrome already in this industry… and it’s such a ‘keep going’ mentality that there are multiple times in class where, on my bad days, I not only have that imposter syndrome, but I’m also in physical pain,” she said “I feel alone in a room full of people who are dancing with me.”
As a high-schooler, Moncivais underwent surgery to remove a polyp on her left vocal chords that required her to remain silent for two weeks. The need for surgery
analyzed, roughly 47% of stops were in the Southwest section of the city, about 33% were in the North and 20% were in the Southeast parts of the city.
Lt. Matthew Malinowski of SPD
Gary Pieples, a teaching professor at the Syracuse University College of Law and the director of the college’s Criminal Defense Clinic, said there is not enough data available to establish a trend, since the department only began publishing it last year. But he believes its publication is an important step for accountability.
“The importance of having the data is so that it’s not anecdotal, that people talk about how differently people are treated,” Pieples said. “I mean, the city is at least putting the data out there.”
Police departments disproportionately enforce minor infractions — such as a muffler that’s too loud or windows that are tinted too dark — in communities of color and in lowerincome neighborhoods, Pieples said.
“It just feels like we’re policing things that aren’t that important, like whether or not your license plate has its light on, that leads to interactions that potentially could create one of these issues that we’re really worried about where somebody gets hurt, or worse, killed,” he said.
The disproportionate stopping of Black people, Pieples said, could be a result of SPD not having a police force that represents the community it serves. Higher tensions between police officers and members of the community can escalate interactions between the two, he said.
“I like when members of the police force are required to live in the community where they’re law enforcement officers,” Pieples said. “I think that’s a healthy step”
Kayla Johnson, a coordinator and orga -
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Today, SU has 85 total blue light locations, including 54 on main campus and 31 on south campus. The SU system also includes several locations in the downtown areas surrounding SU properties, such as the Nancy Cantor Warehouse and Veterans Administration Medical Center areas.
When a person activates a blue light on the SU campus, they will immediately be connected to the DPS Communication Center. The average response time of campus police arriving at the scene of a blue light activation is two minutes, DPS Chief Craig Stone said.
The locations and purpose of blue lights are easily recognizable, said Truly Bunker, a freshman music industry major. With their widespread use across the United States, Bunker said, the blue lights feel like a symbol.
Over the past ten years, however, the usage of blue lights has decreased across college campuses, raising the question of whether or not they are still necessary.
Multiple academic institutions, including University of Colorado Boulder, New Mexico State University, University of California –Davis, and University of Nebraska – Lincoln, have suspended blue light systems due to the rapid spread of mobile phones and university safety apps.
At SU, the use of the blue light system has fallen significantly over recent years. In 2012,
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Joshua Tarn
Joshua Tarn, a senior architecture student from Taiwan, worries about the wellbeing of his friends and family back home.
nizer at Rebirth SYR, said community policing is one way to limit and de-escalate interactions between police officers and members of the community.
Johnson said she and fellow Rebirth organizer Hasahn Bloodworth frequently go to police stops as a part of their Cop Watch initiative, which seeks to monitor police behavior during stops. The two have seen police officers use language or take actions that can escalate interactions to the point where officers use force.
“They’ve been using those triggers, whether it’s saying something completely disrespectful or already knowing that individual is maybe intoxicated or a little drunk, and even they make it worse by saying things they know they shouldn’t say,” Johnson said.
In a statement to The D.O., Malinowksi said SPD advocates for de-escalation “where and when possible.” He added that the department has a low number of use of force cases compared to the number of interactions it has with members of the community.
The department has also met its selfimposed target of having 20% of officers complete the department’s crisis intervention training, he added.
Sisitzky said the city should place greater emphasis on addressing the root causes of crime and quality-of-life issues, rather than policing. In the absence of those solutions, officers will continue to over-police Black communities, he said.
“When you have police departments that are focused on low-level enforcement, they tend to go into neighborhoods and go after crimes of poverty,” he said. “They are sent in to address issues that are going after the types of activities that frankly exist everywhere but are only ever criminalized in particular neighborhoods, par-
there were 809 activations, the highest number of activations in a year at SU, Stone said. In 2020, people activated the system just 17 times, a decrease of almost 98%.
Although SU has mobile safety resources currently available in the Rave Guardian app, in addition to past usage of LiveSafe and future plans for implementation of the Orange Safe app, there is still a need for physical lights on SU property to keep people safe when safety features on phones are not accessible, Stone said.
“Blue light phones are an added security measure,” he said. “You could be out jogging and may not want to take your phone with you. Your phone battery could die. Maybe internet service goes down.”
In those situations, blue lights can put people in contact with the emergency services they require, Stone said.
While Katelin Ravelo, a freshman neuropsychology major, said she would utilize her cell phone over a blue light in a potentially dangerous situation, she acknowledged the importance of having safety apps and blue lights available.
Ravelo echoed Stone’s opinion, saying that the system can be useful if someone’s phone is dead. However, she added that phones have made the blue light system less of a priority.
Ravelo also said that DPS should install more blue lights across campus because there are some locations on campus where there isn’t always a blue light visible.
“The citizens are always the victims,” Tarn said.
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left her afraid to use her voice, she said. “There’s this fear of that happening again,” she told The Daily Orange. “It took me realizing that sometimes attempting
Though Black people represent 35.40% of the Syracuse population, they made up 65.85% of police stops reported in SPD’s Right to Know data over the past year.
ticular communities.”
Malinowksi told The D.O. that SPD is working on multiple initiatives to improve relations with Black residents, such as hosting multiple monthly engagement events, partnering with the 100 Black Men of Syracuse organization to collaborate on a cadet program and hiring a media company to improve content and branding. The department has its Citizen Academy and an advisory committee to better connect with the community, he added.
The SU blue light system has been misused in the past. In 2016, The Daily Orange reported that of the 10,000 activations of SU blue lights since their installation on the campus, only 12 were instances where the person was actually in need of assistance.
When someone activates the blue light for a non-emergency situation, the activation will still prompt an emergency response from DPS.
“Misusing the blue light phone is the same as going into a residence call and pulling the fire alarm,” Stone said. “You’re creating an emergency response to an incident that is not an emergency, so that’s actually a criminal offense.”
Stone added that since he started working for SU he has been aware of pranks with blue lights, but few actual emergency situations.
Stone later said in an email that there were 29 total activations in August, but only two resulted in someone in need of assistance for medical emergencies. The other activations were accidental, pranks or unfounded, Stone added.
Kirby said that the misuse of blue lights might impact how seriously people take them in true emergency scenarios.
“You don’t want it to be like a ‘boy who cried wolf’ situation where if people start misusing them, then no one takes it seriously,” Kirby said.
Bunker added that she felt DPS should make students aware of the penalties for misusing blue lights. She said that knowledge
Johnson said that she isn’t sure what it will take to see patterns of disproportionate policing change. She feels the department already has extensive resources to address the issue.
“I’m pretty sure we’re probably going to have the same conversation next year, and it might actually go on more than it did last year,” Johnson said. “(Biased policing) is just something that’s embedded in the system.”
ddamron@syr.edu @dannyamron_
could “help people feel more comfortable using it because they know that it’s going to be taken seriously.”
Despite concerns about decreasing relevance, some colleges and studies have found that the system can still be useful. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign published an article explaining that most blue light activations were for mental health crises and that blue lights provided “a sense of immediate safety”.
That sense of immediate safety is one of the main reasons why blue light systems are seen as important. Blue light phones “produce affective experiences of ‘safety’ among students, parents, and administrators” according to the 2018 IJCS study. Another study at Rice University reported that campus crime fell 67% after blue lights were installed.
There are no planned expansions of blue lights at SU at this time, Stone said. He explained that when there are new property additions to the campus, DPS considers the need for a blue light in the facility.
“There’s no one or two things that’s going to eradicate violence, but the more that we can do to make it less likely to happen and to make women-identifying people in specific feel safe, especially on college campuses, where there’s like a lot of rape and party culture,” Kirby said. “I think that it’s really important just for a sense of comfort.”
spwright@syr.edu @stephaniwri_
Tarn remembers China and Taiwan having a less contentious relationship during the previous Taiwanese administration, and he hopes the current tensions subside soon.
Ni Dong Ni Dong, a sophomore and a selected studies in education major from China, said she and other Chinese students at SU are acutely aware of the recent tensions with Taiwan, despite the country’s media censorship apparatus — colloquially known as the “Great Firewall.”
to not do things so that you can keep your voice safe can almost hurt you even more and you have to actually just release it and let it go.”
Kelly reminded the crowd that “performance psychology” is just as crucial as sports psychology while simultaneously engaging
Dong said Chinese and Taiwanese culture has diverged, and he feels it will be
her audience and even drawing laughs.
Kelly said she feels she’s been taught how to to perform, but not how to train.
She believes the solution is teaching wellness and anatomy to dancers before they begin attempting complex moves.
“If we instead began by answering the
difficult to resolve the conflict between the two anytime soon.
“This is a historical problem, and I don’t think it can be fixed in our generation,” Dong said. “It’s just because we grow up learning from different textbooks, that is the reason why we have different views.”
news@dailyorange.com
question, how should this feel … we could avoid improper use and injury,” Kelly said. “Working from the inside out rather than the outside in puts you and your health at the center of the work.”
ksmcclel@syr.edu @katie_mcclellan
The Westcott Theater hosted a slate of local student bands for Bloomfest II last Thursday
By Sophia Moore asst. digital editor
Before rocking out on stage, Vir Batra manned the merch table in the back of the Westcott Theater. He socialized with other students as they came in and prepared for his act. Batra is the lead singer of house band Studio89 and plays guitar in Picture Us Tiny— on Thursday night, he performed in both groups at Bloomfest II, a show dedicated to the house band scene in Syracuse at the Westcott.
“It’s gonna be fun, it’s gonna be energetic,” Batra said before his performance. “Hopefully people are jumping around and it sounds as good as it’s been sounding in practice.”
Following the success of the first Bloomfest back in April, the Westcott Theater hosted a new slate of local bands for the second installment of the show. The lineup, consisting of Mnemonic Advice, Lauren Juzang, Studio89 and Picture Us Tiny, only included bands featuring Syracuse University students.
Bloomfest II gathered a healthy crowd on Thursday night, with attendees dressed in unique attire. From animal print flare pants to sparkly tops, cowboy boots and cargo pants, the crowd spoke to SU’s eclectic house band scene and the variety of people who enjoy it.
from the kitchen
The community, that’s the main thing for me. The community and seeing how much great music can be made by people I know, people who are in my life here.”
Sam Ronan su senior studying sound recording technology
One attendee, Sam Ronan, a senior at SU studying sound recording technology, has been following the house band scene since he was a freshman. He’s made friends with people in the bands and enjoys going to shows to support them.
“The house show scene has been like my home at Syracuse,” Ronan said. “I just saw some super close friends of mine just perform and it’s great. It’s a great feeling to be able to support them and just get to hear great music.”
As the crowd grew larger closer to the start of the show at 8 p.m., fans were excited to hear what the bands of the night had to offer. Mnemonic Advice, the project of senior Bandier student Josh Carus, hit the stage first. Their indie-rock sound reverberated through the building, with drum beats the crowd could feel in their chest.
Lauren Juzang performed second, also with a collection of originals and covers. Her chill, indie-pop sound and melodic voice got the crowd swaying, with some members even waving their hands in the air to her set.
Between acts, attendees could check out offerings from two of SU’s music-related extracurriculars, 20 Watts Magazine and WERW Radio, which were stationed next to the bands’ merch area at the back of the Westcott. 20 Watts, SU’s leading music publication, had past print editions on display and information available for interested patrons, and WERW, SU’s student-run independent radio station, was
see music page 7
By Madeline Rhodes contributing writer
When she was just 14 years old, Danielle Mercuri began working in the restaurant industry. And after working a desk job for a few years, she realized she was not made to sit at a desk. When she found herself unemployed with three children to raise, Mercuri decided to waitress at Rise N Shine.
Now, eight years later, she owns the popular brunch spot, as well as Loded, an unorthodox burger shop. She’s also partnering with local entrepreneur Adam Weitsman to create an Italian restaurant located in Carrier Circle to open in the fall.
The menu will be just as unique as her other two restaurants, only with a classic, old-school Italian taste, she said. The ambience inside will make eating at the restaurant a full experience, she said.
“It’s super high end,” Mercuri said, “and it’s going to be a place you’ve never seen here in Syracuse.”
She recruited Filippo Di Paola, a native of Northern Italy who’s lived in the U.S. for seven years, as the chef for the new restaurant. The taste and flavors will be authentic to Di Paola’s homeland, but it will be plated “our way,” Mercuri said, which means more quirky, unexpected combinations in the dishes.
In her four years of waitressing at
Rise N Shine, Mercuri became especially close to Peter Henessey, the owner at the time. And they learned from each other — he taught her how to cook in a standard kitchen, while she taught him marketing tactics to improve business, she said.
Some time afterwards, Henessey was diagnosed with leukemia. While he was in the hospital, he asked Mercuri to take over the restaurant. Though she renovated the building and changed the menu, she wanted to keep a part of Pete present in the business.
“His home fries are literally the same home fries as now,” she said.
“I’ve never changed the recipe.” In other ways, Mercuri crafted
It’s tough being a woman in the industry, having men underneath you and how they feel about working for a woman. I’ve had quite a few that couldn’t handle me being their boss.”
Danielle Mercuri
owner of restaurants rise n shine and loded
the small diner into her own. From traditional eggs and pancakes to extravagant milkshakes and flavored pancake flights, she
transformed the quaint breakfast spot, originally located on Thompson Road in DeWitt, into a packed restaurant with long lines waiting for tables.
With sales consistently increasing 30% a year on average, the restaurant’s small building couldn’t accommodate the demand, according to Mercuri. She decided to move Rise N Shine to Westcott Street with a modern redesign.
But Mercuri kept the old Rise N Shine building. Last year, she renovated it into Loded. She built the ‘90s themed burger joint to create revenue and jobs during the pandemic, and it took off.
see restaurant page 7
By Kate Kelley and Evelyn Kelley the daily orange
Buffalo resident Echo Young bought her friend tickets to the 85 South Show, Return of the Ghetto Legends Tour as a birthday surprise.
Excited to experience a “live podcast,” Young said she expected “laughs and laughs and laughs and laughs.”
On Thursday, the trio that makes up 85 South— DC Young Fly, Chico Bean, and Karlous Miller— performed at the Upstate Medical University Arena in downtown Syracuse. Over two thousand people gathered in the stadium for a provocative improv comedy show.
Typically, podcasts are something one enjoys alone and in the comfort of their own home.
However, The 85 South Show’s in-person tour
beyond the hill
offers a new listening experience that brings the fans and comedians together— the trio performed an improv act that brought the crowd to their feet.
The group describes their show as “a podcast for people who don’t know what a podcast is.” All three members were formerly on “Wild ‘N Out,” a comedy game show series hosted by Nick Cannon.
After calling everyone in for what they were told was a prayer, the three broke out into an unexpected, racy song and dance routine. The show included musical tributes to Biz Markie, The Notorious B.I.G. and Meek Mill that sparked sing-alongs in the audience. A DJ and drummer stood on stage behind the comedy trio, ready for when the comedians broke into those spontaneous songs.
Throughout the show, DC Young Fly cap-
tivated the audience with his robotic dance moves while Miller and Chico Bean landed jokes. The topics included just about anything the trio could think of, from taunting the crowd to singing about their sexual endeavors.
A common theme for the entire show was the shared laughs and knee slaps from the crowd, as showgoers couldn’t help but throw their hands over their faces at the groups’ jokes. Although the three had nothing explicitly planned for the show, they didn’t miss a beat, and they themselves could not contain their own laughter after each other’s lines.
Before his run with The 85 South Show, Miller was a firefighter in Mississippi, but he knew that job wasn’t the right fit for him.
“I’m just trying to do comedy,” Miller said on his Instagram page.
Now, Miller is especially well known for the “wildstyle” battles between him and Chico Bean, which are essentially open-ended freestyle rap battles where participants ridicule one another.
DC Young Fly, whose birth name is John Witfield, was an internet name before The 85 South Show. He was originally known for his comedy, singing, songwriting and “roasting sessions” that he posted on Instagram and Vine, in which he would relentlessly make fun of celebrities.
This hobby got so popular among fans that it landed him a co-sign with the famous comedian Kevin Hart. Eventually, in 2015, DC Young Fly joined the cast of Wild n’ Out and was named rookie of the year.
Brooks recalled when DC Young Fly asked
By Rachel Raposas culture editor
Volunteer at Pete’s Giving Garden
Love gardening and fighting hunger?
Spend the morning at Pete’s Giving Garden, harvesting tomatoes, zucchini and more for Hendricks Chapel’s two food pantries. The garden is a collaboration between SU’s Sustainability Management team, the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics and Hendricks Chapel Food Pantry. There will be accommodations for any volunteers with mobility issues. The event will occur on Friday, September 9, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Visit the student involvement fair
Discover almost 200 student organizations at this year’s student involvement fair. Between social clubs, academic societies, cultural organizations, media outlets, and religious and political groups, there’s something for everyone. The event will be hosted on the Shaw Quadrangle from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 8.
The Syracuse University Art Museum is showing a special exhibit on gold. Commemorating the five-year anniversary of a neutron star collision that sent precious metals spilling out into space, the exhibit examines how humans have used gold to express ideas about spirituality, wealth and power. The show will be on display during regular business hours — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., excluding Mondays and University holidays — and will run until December 11.
Learn how to sew Pick up a practical skill in this eight-week course taught by instructor Barbara Corey. The class will cover patterns, fabrics, clothing creation and the basics of using a sewing machine. Hosted at the Schweinfurth Arts Center in Auburn, NY, the first class begins on Saturday, September 10, and runs weekly until October 29. Classes run from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Learn how to use Procreate Interested in digital illustration? The Everson Museum of Art is hosting a two-part
class aimed at familiarizing people with the Procreate app. The class will cover sketching techniques, general color palettes, layering and importing photos, as well as other
skills. Although students are free to bring their own devices, the museum will provide iPads, Apple pencils and Procreate software.
giving away t-shirts, temporary tattoos, frisbees and water bottles to advertise the station to attendees.
Peri Friedman, a junior PR student at SU, tabled for WERW at Bloomfest II and encouraged students to get involved. He said that the station plans to branch out this semester, expanding its reach to YouTube and TikTok, while still maintaining its free-form radio play.
“You can have your own radio show for an hour a week where you can play your own music or talk or do a little bit of both. We basically say, ‘shoot your sh*t, say your
A second Loded location is already underway, although Mercuri won’t disclose the information on when or where just yet. In addition to her in-the-works Italian restaurant, she wants to open more Rise N Shine locations throughout the East Coast, and possibly even franchise Loded within the next few years.
Her two current restaurants are specifically known for their weird mashups, including bulgogi toppings on hot dogs, garbage plate fixings on burgers, a benny of pork belly and frizzled onions piled on poached eggs and English muffins. And the culinary creativity even extends to the sauces — Rise N Shine dips their waffle fries in Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal butter.
Al Ferenti, the district general manager of both restaurants, will be focusing on the new Italian restaurant after the opening. Mercuri’s hands-on approach shows great
from page 6 comedy
for marijuana from the audience, and said it was her favorite part of the event. With sudden enthusiasm, members of the crowd gave what they had to the comedian, reaching their hands toward him.
Anthony Chico Bean began his comedy career in Greensboro, North Carolina. His first big gig was opening for Chris Wiles, a famous actor, comedian and writer.
After excelling as an opener and gaining recognition, Chico Bean became one of the
sh*t,’” Friedman said.
Studio89 and Picture Us Tiny brought up the second-half of the show, continuing the high energy of the night. Studio89 rocked the crowd with a series of highenergy covers that Batra said were new for their set.
During Studio89’s performance, a mosh pit started up at the front of the crowd, sending attendees crashing and jumping into each other. Others in the crowd stuck to jumping and singing along with the covers and originals the bands played during their respective sets. Picture Us Tiny kept the audience going with their signature poppunk sound, for which frontman Jackson Velli went viral on TikTok. 33col3 also
promise for expansion, said Ferenti, who is now one of almost 100 workers.
“I know this company is going to grow. I know it’s going to grow quick, (and) I know it’s going to grow big,” said Ferenti.
Mercuri took the restaurant business by storm with her exotic dishes and entrepreneurial mindset, and gained the admiration of her staff in the process. But as a woman, she said, she didn’t always have that kind of support.
“It’s tough being a woman in the industry, having men underneath you and how they feel about working for a woman,” Mercuri said. “I’ve had quite a few that couldn’t handle me being their boss.”
Aside from the new chef and the Italian cuisine, Mercuri won’t give away too much about the unopened restaurant, including the name. But expect to hear more about her latest restaurant endeavor in the next few months, she said.
“Three is just the start,” said Ferenti. mrhodes@syr.edu
founders of “Freestyle Funny Comedy Show,” a stand up group in North Carolina. Down the line, this comedy group encouraged Chico Bean to try out for season five of Wild n’ Out, and he’s been an iconic member of the show ever since.
Smiles and continuous laughter followed the crowds as they left the show. Brooks noticed a sense of community created by relatable humor.
“I definitely enjoyed the show (and) had a wonderful time. They absolutely met my expectations,” Brooks said. “It was nice to see the Syracuse community come together and enjoy (themselves).”
culture@dailyorange.com
showed up during their set as a special guest.
Prior to his performances, Batra said that using the energy of the crowd was one of the advantages to playing on an elevated stage, like that of the Westcott’s, as opposed to basements. House bands often play shows in basements and other settings more accessible to students than a stage, so being on a designated stage for the night gave the bands the opportunity to interact more traditionally with their audience. Seeing the crowd, Batra said, is one of his favorite parts of performing.
“Being able to see everyone and get that energy off of people, it’s kinda unreal. Especially on a stage like this where you can really see the whole crowd, it’s pretty
cool,” Batra said. “Normally we’re playing basements where you can see like three people in the front and nobody else.”
As Batra said, the energy of the crowd and performers feed into each other. Syracuse’s house band scene is both a musical and social experience, and for Ronan, the bond that’s created between people and performers at house shows is why he keeps coming back.
“The community, that’s the main thing for me,” Ronan said. “The community and seeing how much great music can be made by people I know, people who are in my life here.”
sophia@dailyorange.com
@sophiaamooree
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The class will occur on Thursday, September 8 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The cost is $48 for members and $60 for non-members.
Go to an art opening
Engage with Syracuse’s art scene by heading to the Everson Museum of Art’s September Opening Reception. At the event, visitors can meet with artists and be among the first to see new exhibitions, including Raymon Elozua’s “Structure/Dissonance,” Rebecca Hutchinson’s “Re-Generation,” Helene Starr’s “Organic Unfolding,” and “The Ceramic Nationals: 1932-1972.” The event will take place on Friday, September 9 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and is free for members and $15 for non-members.
Run a 10K
The 2022 Arc Race will take place this weekend. Choose between a 10K or 5K along the edge of Onondaga Lake, or a virtual option for participants who want to contribute to the cause from outside Syracuse. The entry fee is $45 per participant, with all proceeds going toward helping people with developmental disabilities. The race will occur on Saturday, September 10 and will kick off at 9 a.m.
Go to an annual yard sale
Do you love shopping secondhand? The Pratt
House Museum is having their annual Trash2-Treasure sale this weekend, which in previous years has featured electronics, cookware, dishes, antiques and more. The museum itself will also be open for tours — take a walk through the historic Victorian home while you’re there. The sale will be on Friday, September 9 and Saturday, September 10, starting at 9 a.m. on both days.
Visit the Golden Harvest Festival
Get out into nature and in the fall mood at the Golden Harvest Festival, hosted at Beaver Lake Nature Center. There will be activities for all ages: canoeing in the lake, hayrides, scavenger hunts, kids’ crafts, balloon art, a pie eating contest and a live scarecrow competition. The festival will be open Saturday, September 10 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, September 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $1 for children and free for children 5 years old or under.
Head down to the local farmers’ market
Treat yourself to some fresh, locally sorced food! Over 300 vendors converge each week at the CNY Regional Market, which offers fruits and vegetables, meats, fish, dairy products, breads, specialty drinks, spreads and baked goods. The market is open on Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. rachel@dailyorange.com @rachel_raposas
By Chris Kosakowski
Editor’s note: This story includes descriptions of sexual assault.
As an advocate who has been working in the field of domestic and sexual violence for over a decade, I can say it’s an incredibly concerning time to be doing this work. The impact that the overturning of Roe v. Wade has had on individuals, specifically college students with marginalized identities, is immeasurable and devastating.
There are direct connections between Roe v. Wade being overturned and victims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence. I want to put words to the complexity of this issue in order for college students to gain a better understanding and know how to take action.
My name is Chris Kosakowski and I am the Campus Advocacy and Prevention Team Coordinator for Vera House, Inc. I’ve been involved in advocacy work for sexual, reproductive and relationship health and rights since I was an undergraduate student at Syracuse University. I’ve worked on all sides of these issues— presentations, training, therapy and support. I have seen time and time again how important reproductive health access and abortion rights are for victims and survivors. There are countless people who have experienced sexual assault and have become pregnant. Overturning this landmark decision means that they don’t have control over their decision, body or life.
In some domestic violence situations, I’ve seen how abusers force, coerce, threaten and intimidate their partners. They limit their access to birth control and use abortion as a tool to control or harm their partner. The freedom and control over one’s body being stripped away is an attack on the basic humanity to which a person is entitled.
Through my work with the Vera House, one of my roles is to connect students to services and resources. We try to help meet any potential needs a victim may have. These include our confidential shelter where someone can escape an abusive living situation, access to counseling with therapists to process the trauma associated with sexual assault or working with an advocate to help amplify victims’ voices and get them connected to resources. For some victims, it may also mean getting connected to the appropriate resources for reproductive health options in abortion access and interpersonal violence can go hand-in-hand.
In Syracuse, there are resources, primarily through Planned Parenthood, that a person can be connected with should they need to receive an abortion. New York state has codified the right to abortion into the state constitution, despite the overturning of Roe. With students coming to SU from many different states and countries, it is incredibly important
that people know what their rights are. Which is why raising awareness about the issues of domestic and sexual violence and abortion rights is incredibly important. If students don’t know what their rights are, they won’t know when those rights are being violated. It’s important now more than ever to know the resources that are available to students.
Make no mistake, this decision is specifically about control and limiting the rights of individuals. However, it’s also about so much more than that. When one federal right is stripped away from people, who’s to say what’s next on the chopping block? The impact of this decision has caused genuine trauma for folks—feelings of pain, isolation and panic. I write this to let any college students dealing with these issues know that they are not alone; there are people here to help.
It can feel like the world has turned upside down and hope is lost. But that is not the case. If these issues are something you have interest or passion in, I encourage you to get involved. Many agencies like Vera House or Planned Parenthood, which provide essential services to college students are nonprofit organizations, meaning their funding is always up in the air and they’re frequently understaffed. Getting involved as a volunteer or advocate can be an incredibly powerful way to make change. Donating to the National Network of Abortion Funds can be a quick way to financially support those fighting for this cause.
Outside of getting involved directly, change can be generated on many levels. As college students, your voice can be incredibly influential in advocating for change on local, state and federal levels. Though, on an individual level the easiest and most impactful change is sometimes addressing these issues within your own social circles. Too often we experience misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, racism and countless other forms of oppression in direct and indirect ways from students, staff and faculty. An inappropriate statement, a problematic joke and a targeted comment are all opportunities for individuals to act as empowered bystanders and step in to address these things.
I’m no Supreme Court Justice, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have just as much potential to use my knowledge, skills, privilege and power in whatever ways I can to make the world a better place. I encourage SU and the larger Syracuse community to find a way of creating a world free of violence and abuse with reproductive rights for all.
For those who have questions, comments or concerns, please reach out to us at the Vera House, Inc. at 315-468-3260 or the Counseling through the Barnes Center at The Arch at 315-443-8000.
Chris Kosakowski is a Campus Advocacy and Prevention Team Coordinator for Vera House
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After earning his master’s degree at West Virginia, Ganesharatnam stayed as a recruiter and a full-time assistant coach for three more seasons before being offered the head coaching job at Temple. The Owls had an abysmal season the year before Ganesharatnam’s arrival in 2011,
from page 12
casserole. Prep — which can sometimes include upwards of four hours of planning — started Tuesday night and continued until Thursday, when she and Jeremy began cooking.
“You keep thinking ‘oh, this is gonna be it,’” Jeremy said. “And then it just keeps growing more and more.”
J.R. Heeter, the head brewer at The North Brewery in Endicott, New York, is the beer guy for the SyraCRUZ tailgate. He used to make “The Fine Mess IPA’’ specifically for the tailgates — a 6% beer containing a touch of a stone fruit flavoring. On Saturday, he brought the Drift Pale Ale in a 16 oz. gray bottle with orange-red trimming.
To Cupelo, the tailgate has come a long way since 2005. Now, they feed the security guard at the top of Henry Lot in exchange for a coned-off section in the back. Six canopy tents spread next to one another, each housing a different purpose — the grill, merchandise, television and living room. Set up began around 2 p.m. on Saturday, with the expected group trickling in by 3:30 p.m.
They talk about everything from whiskey to why Carlos Del Rio-Wilson could be the real deal. “(Donovan) McNabb-like,” Lentini said. They get in trouble with the university sometimes, most memorably prior to the Clemson game in 2019, when Cupelo estimated they had 325 people at the tailgate.
“What I tell the others is that they can do this too,” Cupelo said. “Maybe we can take care of a dozen players.
They still have their traditions that they began years ago. Lentini still brings a 6 oz. can of nonalcoholic Heineken that Cupelo gave him a decade ago. The crowd gathers around a television set in the middle of the day to watch a specialized video made by Cruz and fullback Chris Elmore. There’s a 50-50 raffle for a Cruz-signed football where half of the
finishing with a 1-14 record in the Atlantic 10 conference and a 4-25 record overall.
Ganesharatnam was tasked with rebuilding the program.
Akiko Hatakeyama, one of Ganesharatnam’s long-tenured assistant coaches at Temple, said it took a while to create a successful culture. “We were always underdogs. People always underestimated us for some reason, so we had to outwork every-
one else every single day.”
Now working as an assistant coach for Nevada’s volleyball team, Hatakeyama remembered the habits and values that Ganesharatnam instilled at Temple.
“He never forced players to do anything,” said Hatakeyama. “He brought in the philosophy of being structured and disciplined, which I really respected.”
Ganesharatnam took Temple to the 2020-
21 American Athletic Conference Tournament Championship, picking up AAC co-Coach of the Year honors in the process. But, on top of his accolades, Pierre and Thompson were impressed with Ganesharatnam’s demeanor off the court.
“The way that he treats others stands out,” Pierre said. “Ask any of his colleagues or teammates, and they’d all say the same.”
trschiff@syr.edu
money goes to Cruz — who also got $5,000 up front from the group.
The group also brings in players from “non-football teams” to promote other SU sports. Saturday’s guest speaker was SU women’s basketball player Olivia Owens, a transfer from Kentucky who was rooting hard against Louisville.
Cupelo said he’s only missed six games in the last 40 years. He knew Gary McAfee, who
approach was working against a formidable ACC opponent in Syracuse’s home opener.
helped out with the merchandise table, from the West Genesee High School band. James Giacovelli, who now handles the audio and technology at the tailgate, has worked with Cupelo for 40 years. The ages at the tailgate range from 8-year-old kids tossing a foam football and playing corn hole to guys in their 70s sitting in lawn chairs donning Syracuse hats and polos.
Giacovelli thinks the tailgate can garner
towin on the betting slip or by virtually all media. Babers had his fun clapping back at the lack of faith postgame, and rightfully so. The Orange’s secondary, one of the only established units with a plethora of returning talent, held its own.
The pass-centric offense and retooled offensive line looked good, but impressed in their first iteration. The Football Bowl Subdivision knew about Syracuse’s “mob,” and even without the flex linebacker Stefon Thompson in for most of the game, it ensured Louisville threw for less than 200 yards.
To end the third quarter, Louisville was driving as it crossed the 35 yard line. Cunningham clapped and dropped back as his receivers sprinted down field. The goal was to gain significant yardage and bring the Cardinals across midfield. Instead, Derek McDonald jumped the route, bringing the looping pass intended for Braden Smith across the middle down to the Louisville 12 yard line.
The game was won when… Sean Tucker cut back after running a quick wheel route and shook off his first tackler. Then, with the help of three Syracuse blockers, Tucker sprinted to the right sideline and hugged the white turf as he scored a 55 yard touchdown. It only extended the lead to 10-0, but it was clear that the new offensive
Quote of the night: Dino Babers on the win
“Marshall street better not close down.”
Babers said prior to the game that a week one win would mean more than usual. Syracuse won in front of a crowd of over 31,000, but not a sold out one. Babers has drawn criticism since failing to recreate the success from his 10-3 year, but started his seventh season off with a win against a team that has trounced SU in recent years.
Stat to know: 18 penalties
Syracuse’s 18 penalties set a new program record. Babers and Garrett Shrader both said after the game that Syracuse needs to clean up the penalties, and that they can’t happen against better teams. The Orange — specifically the offensive line — struggled with penalties throughout 2021, sometimes so much that it derailed drives and even games.
Syracuse had a string of false starts and one snap infraction from Carlos Vettorello. Babers attributed some of the false starts to the “window dressing” of motions that the Orange incorporated into the new offensive scheme.
Game ball: Derek McDonald
Stepping in for Thompson served as a tall task for the backup linebacker, but McDonald not only made his presence known as
a formidable pass-stopper, but effectively ended any Louisville chance at coming back with his third-quarter interception. Losing the flexible option of Thompson could have spelled trouble for the Orange up the middle, but they instead locked down the pass and stuffed the box on runs.
Three final points: Chris Elmore goes down
Elmore went down early in the first quarter and didn’t return. He was seen on the sidelines later in the game in regular clothing, but Babers wouldn’t address the outlook of Elmore’s injury. The seventh-year fullback was used throughout the first quarter as an extra blocker. On strongside runs, Elmore picked up the linebacker or corner running in for extra help.
He’s part of a now-experienced tight end group, one that includes Steven Mahar Jr. and Maxamillian Mang. But no one has had more experience out of the backfield as a blocker than Elmore.
The most inexperienced group with Syracuse stood out. Players like Okechukwu and Linton, part of a completely renewed unit, had to face a star-studded offensive line in the season opener, rather than a nonconference or FCS opponent. Evans had the potential to break off multiple long runs and bury Syracuse, but he only found one good hole for a touchdown.
national attention, envisioning a world where tailgates from rivaling schools have competitions. Athletes that would’ve otherwise gone unnoticed in an NIL world would now have the chance for local recognition.
“What’s bad about this?” Giacovelli asks. “This is a grassroots effort, and people like grassroots things.”
anthonyalandt29@yahoo.com @anthonyalandt
The defensive line was pushed around, but stood tall enough to hold Louisville to just 158 rushing yards.
Punting is finally a success
Babers fielded a question toward the end of the postgame press conference about special teams. The unit had two delays of game, but Babers said he was excited to finally see a punt go “more than four yards.” Max Von Marburg won the job away from James Williams in training camp and succeeded in his first game as the starter, pinning the Cardinals back numerous times within their own 20 and 30 yard lines.
The Huskies starting quarterback Ta’Quan Roberson went down with a season ending injury in their first game along with UConn’s top receiver. It just beat Central Connecticut State, but is still in transition as Jim Morra is in his first season as head coach. The former Big East rival has struggled since realignment placed Syracuse, Louisville and other programs in the ACC, leaving teams like UConn behind.
Zion Turner, now the starter as a true freshman, is also a dual-threat quarterback that had tremendous success in high school, leading St. Thomas Aquinas to a state championship in his senior season.
anthonyalandt29@yahoo.com @anthlandt
By Jason Mazer staff writer
Head coach Ange Bradley told her squad that she wanted them to be “relentless” against Columbia. Quirine Comans exemplified Bradley’s motto, having entered the game with three goals in the Orange’s opening three games.
Ten minutes into the matchup, Comans beat a Columbia defender down the baseline and slid the ball perfectly across the middle. Freshman Lieke Leeggangers was in the perfect spot next to the goal and tapped the ball into the back of the net.
Two minutes later, Comans capitalized on a poor pass by the Lions, pick-pocketing the ball in their last line of defense before heading straight to goal. She composed herself, looked up and put the ball through Columbia goalie Katie Wimmer’s legs to give
women’s soccer
the Orange a 3-0 lead.
Comans finished with a hat trick in No. 10 Syracuse’s (4-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) 6-2 win over Columbia (1-1, 0-0 Ivy League). She combined for seven points in total, helping the Orange bring their average to 5.5 goals per game.
The Orange have been successful this year using their pressure and turning it into offense early. Whenever an opponent had the ball, two Orange defenders surrounded them. This has helped Syracuse get off to perfect starts, and it was no different against Columbia.
The Orange seemed to score their first goal off a Joy Haarman backhanded shot. However, after a video review, the goal was disallowed due to foot interference. While that could have slowed the Orange down, it did the opposite.
Less than a minute after seeing Syracuse’s goal taken off the board, Charlotte De Vries
saw a loose ball that bounced off the Columbia defender’s stick. She pounced on it and dribbled 20 yards into the crease before firing the ball into the bottom right corner of the net for her first goal of the season.
SU didn’t score in the second quarter, but its defense stepped up like it has all season. The Orange allowed just one shot in those 15 minutes, shutting down a penalty corner in the process.
In the second half, Comans was not done. De Vries dribbled around three Columbia defenders and went down to the baseline. She hit a backhanded cross that flew into the air in the middle of the goal. Comans watched the ball rocket towards her and tapped it into the net to give Syracuse a 4-0 lead.
The Orange allowed their first goal of the season after completing 14 quarters without letting an opponent score. Brooke Borzy-
mowski had a stellar performance with two saves, but she couldn’t stop a low shot to her left off a penalty corner in the third period.
Syracuse was able to respond shortly after earning its own penalty corner. De Vries ripped the first shot that was saved, but sophomore Willemijn Boogert put away the rebound. Boogert’s second goal of the year put Syracuse up 5-1.
Later in the quarter after another Columbia goal, Syracuse answered back again. This time, Comans got her hat trick. The Netherlands native scored off a feed from Leeggangers for her sixth goal of the season. Comans is the second SU player to record a hat trick this season.
“I am happy about the goals but I am more happy with the win. I would be just as happy if anyone else scored those goals,” Comans said.
jdmazer0919@syr.edu
By Wyatt Miller asst. copy editor
With just two minutes left in the first half, graduate student forward Chelsea Domond broke past two defenders in the open field to advance into the penalty box. The two defenders seemed to have caught up to the speeding Domond until she put on the brakes and left them both stumbling. Domond planted her right foot in the ground, firing a shot past a diving Lily Morgan as Syracuse took a 2-0 lead that it wouldn’t relinquish.
Despite the 2-1 win over Merrimack College (1-4-1, 0-0 Northeast), Syracuse (5-1-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) couldn’t escape missed opportunities on offense that have plagued them continuously throughout the young season. It got off 27 shots (16 on goal) to Merrimack’s 11 shots (five on goal). In their fourmatch winning streak, the Orange have outshot opponents by 101 to 28. Yet, Syracuse has
only outscored its opponents by eight goals in those matches.
The Warriors were playing a 4-4-2 all night that was “essentially an eight with two up front,” SU head coach Nicky Adams said. Throughout the 90 minutes, Merrimack was pressuring the ball heavily and leaving just two defenders back.
That focused strategy along with SU’s speedy forwards, made Syracuse breakaways a common occurrence on Sunday. Adams said the team did well breaking Merrimack’s heavy pressure, but couldn’t capitalize near the goal. They scored just twice on 27 shots.
“There is an enormous gap [in the defense] and I thought we did fine breaking the pressure,” Adams said. “But what we did after the pressure was almost like, ‘Oh my God, I have so much time. What do I do now?’ So we got to just learn to calm down and play a bit more simple instead of forcing it in transition.”
The match was physical throughout, but it started to become chippy toward the end.
With less than two minutes to go, a scuffle broke out between the two teams after a hard foul on Merrimack’s Ella Cormier. Syracuse’s Pauline Machtens tried to make sure the two teams separated when Cormier recoiled and said, “Don’t touch me.” Machtens backed off and play resumed without further incident.
SU had multiple stretches of missed offensive opportunities, including an 11-minute span where it missed seven shots. That run started with a missed breakaway from Chelsea Domond. With leverage on the right side, Domond juked inside and sent a lefty shot toward Morgan with a defender closing in. She missed her mark high and the ball skipped toward the goal where it was scooped up easily. From there, three more SU players missed six more shots.
The close chances continued into the 66th minute, where Gianna Savella hit a shot off a defender before Machtens got the rebound and fired high to miss the second shot for SU in the
span of seven seconds. The Warriors took possession and SU didn’t score for the remainder of the match.
But the Orange still held on to the victory after they took the lead in the seventh minute. Koby Commandant recognized a man-mark on Erin Flurey and took the opportunity to suck in the defense. She made a cut to find an opening near the corner of the penalty box where she received a pass from Kate Murphy. Then she sent a high cross to a crashing Ashley Rauch, who kicked the ball on the volley into the right goalpost where it rolled down and into the back of the net.
“Erin [Flurey] was being man-marked pretty much the whole time on the left side, so I kind of took the opportunity there, and she did a really good job of pulling her inside,” Commandant said. “So I went wide and Murphy played a great ball to me and from there I just kind of cut inside and found [Rauch] on the far post and she made a great finish.”
wbmiller@syr.edu
By Anthony Alandt senior staff writer
The last few game plans against Louisville quarterback Malik Cunningham didn’t work. Last year, Cunningham torched Syracuse with four passing and one rushing touchdown en route to a 41-3 bludgeoning. While Cunningham threw two interceptions in 2020’s matchup, he also scored one touchdown from the air and one on the ground. Built up by the return of Tiyon Evans and with the help of a dominant offensive line, Cunningham had copious amounts of room to work in as a dualthreat quarterback.
Head coach Dino Babers wouldn’t publicly say what the new approach was, but whatever it was worked on Saturday night for Syracuse. Cunningham only threw one pass for over 10 yards in the first quarter and didn’t break off a scramble run for more than two yards until a no-huddle 2nd and 15. Even then, Cunningham only managed eight yards on the ground before getting squashed between Marlowe Wax and Steve Linton.
“We’re just really proud of being the mob and being who we are,” Garrett Williams said.
The mob showed out against Louisville, from interceptions to swatted passes, ensuring Cunningham never gained enough freedom to make an impact. By the second half, it was clear that Syracuse had ruined
Cunningham’s and Cardinals’ head coach Scott Satterfield’s plan. Forcing Cunningham, who’s still a raw passer, to throw ended with two Orange interceptions, including one by Williams in a key moment.
With six minutes left in the first half, Syracuse’s defense executed a goal line stand that showed Cunningham was completely off his usual game. He did keep the ball on a run-pass option from the 10 yard line that brought the Cardinals to the two. But then Renato Brown jumped offsides, a result either of the creeping SU secondary or the deafening noise from the fans. Pushed back and forced to throw, Cunningham sat in the pocket for too long.
Louisiville’s line held up for the most part against the Orange, at least in the early progressions of a play. But SU’s deep secondary forced Cunningham to frantically look across the field for an open man. Eventually, like on that 2nd and goal pass, someone like Caleb Okechukwu would break through and get to Cunningham. Syracuse only got three sacks, but forced plenty more errant throws from Cunningham, who hasn’t been used to bailing on plays against the Orange.
“We were really confident throughout the whole offseason going into today knowing that we have the guys to do what we wanted to do,” Williams said.
The 4th and 2 run-pass option that Cunningham kept himself turned the tides, burying Louisville despite being
By Tyler Schiff asst. digital editor
Bakeer Ganesharatnam packed his bags, set to move 4,000 miles away from his home in Sri Lanka to Stuttgart, Germany, when he was 5. Like most academic curricula in the West, Ganesharatnam grew up attending mandatory physical education classes. He enjoyed basketball, soccer, fencing and table tennis, but volleyball caught his eye. He noticed the necessity for teamwork and selflessness and how each player on the court touched the ball.
“You have to make sure it’s a good team altogether and not just one good player,” Ganesharatnam said.
In June, SU announced Ganesharatnam as the seventh head coach in program history. The Orange are currently rebuilding after losing nine players from last year, but Ganesharatnam is ready to take on the challenge.
“Our goal is to build a new team with a strong foundation, culturally, but also from a competitive standpoint so we can move forward,” Ganesharatnam said. “Our goal is to compete at the highest level in this conference.”
The Sri Lankan Civil War forced Ganesharatnam family’s abrupt emigration, sparking his interest in working in diplomacy for The United Nations. But in 1990, Ganesharatnam’s passion helped him land a spot as a player for VFL Sindelfingen, a local club in Stuttgart. Sindelfingen’s reach spread across the continent with amateur and professional teams in every sport imaginable. He played for their volleyball team and over the next decade, Sindelfingen won multiple regional and state championships.
As his school career ended, Ganesharatnam wished to seek a new challenge “somewhere different.” At the time, he had family living in New York City. After persistent persuasion, Ganesharatnam was eventually drawn to what his cousin called the “greatest place in the world.”
Ganesharatnam enrolled at St. John’s in New York City for his freshman year. Initially, he viewed his move to the United States for a semester abroad, a trial period to see whether he enjoyed it. But one day, while playing volleyball at a local recreation league, a St. John’s assistant coach approached Ganesharatnam, asking if he competed at a
high level before. The coach relayed word of Ganasharatnam’s talent to Karl Pierre — then-coach of Queen’s College’s volleyball team.
He was astounding,” Pierre said. “He was committed, willing to listen and learn, and had a nice temperament; you couldn’t have asked for a better player.”
Ganesharatnam’s skill and finesse showed early on in his relationship with Pierre. After a few training sessions, he received a full scholarship for the remaining three years of eligibility, prompting him to transfer from St. John’s. Ganesharatnam made an immediate impact at Queen’s, leading the front line as a middle blocker.
“He came in, mild-mannered and hard-working,” former Associate Athletic Director Merlin Thompson said. “When someone is that driven, you can’t help but attach yourself to them.”
The game in Europe was slow and technical, but it was flamboyant, powerful and rapid in America. Ganesharatnam gradually adapted to the new style, helping the Knights to two conference championships while pursuing a potential career in politics.
After graduating from Queens, Ganesharatnam worked for a couple of volleyball camps to make some extra money on the side. His affection for the job grew, and he took on an assistant coaching role at Cedar Valley College.
At the time, Ganesharatnam didn’t think coaching would become his profession. So after a brief stint in Grand Prairie, Texas, he decided to ret_urn to school at West Virginia. Still, Ganesharatnam took on a graduate assistant job to help cover the costs of his education. After one semester with the Mountaineers, he changed his major to athletic coaching education and sports management.
Despite the pivot in concentration, Ganesharatnam was still deeply interested in political science. He was thankful for how Germany accepted immigrant families like his own and was intrigued by the openness with which its citizens talked about political issues and policies. Still, his devotion to volleyball ultimately took center stage.
“I like coaching because it requires constant building,” Ganesharatnam said. “It’s multi-faceted. It’s not just a nineto-five. It’s multi-dimensional.”
By Anthony Alandt senior staff writer
It started as a joke text between longtime tailgaters. Following Miami quarterback Jaden Rashada’s reported $9.5 million name, image and likeness deal associated with booster John Ruiz, Mark Cupelo joked that “The Fine Mess” tailgating group should sell their naming rights. The 10 or so members said if they threw in a few hundred dollars, maybe they’d compete with the $9.5 million. Then someone else said they’d throw $100 into the pool, then another.
“We expanded it, and expanded it, and $15,000 later, it’s become this,” player representative Mike Lentini said.
Cupelo said the tailgate garnered tons of donations — upwards of $3,000 from its members and others on the Syracuse Fans online forum. The group wanted to find an “under the radar” player that wasn’t getting a massive NIL deal, one that “busts his butt” every day and gets nothing. Through Syracuse University’s ACCELERATE Exchange platform on the INFLCR app — which allows potential NIL dealers to communicate directly with players — the group asked players to pitch themselves. They canvased 26 redshirt sophomores and freshmen, asking questions about their passion for SU as well as their community involvement at home and in central New York. The last player, Enrique Cruz, stood out the most and won the tailgaters’ sponsorship.
“He talked about the work he does back in Chicago with his family supporting breast cancer research, talked about whenever he’s back home working with disadvantaged kids in the community,” Cupelo said. Cruz’s response was late because he wanted his answers looked over by his mother and grandmother.
The Enrique “SyraCRUZ” tailgate, situated in the back of Henry Lot, expected 175 people — all who had to RSVP — prior to the Orange’s home opener against Louisville. The once-small group now sells Cruz merchandise and each member wore orange shirts with Cruz’s No. 70 on the back.
Back when the group was a little less than two dozen members at Henry Lot, it was called “The Fine Lot.” Beginning with a member nicknamed Texan Mark and based off the Laurel and Hardy skit “Another Fine Mess,” the group changed its name to “The Fine Mess,” according to Jeremy Conners.
In the week before the Louisville game, Conners’ wife Nell ran between Costco, Aldi and Wegmans to purchase all of the food for “The Fine Mess.” Nell attended Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas, where she gained the knowledge to create food spreads that include everything from cheeseburgers and hotdogs to bacon corn see tailgate page 9