The Crusader - 3-1-2013

Volume LXXXIX, Number 12 www.facebook.com/thehccrusader

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March 1, 2013

Worcester, Massachusetts

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College Hill Hate Crime Offender Identified Emily Vyse Co-Editor-in-Chief On February 20, Associate Deans Mable Millner, Paul Irish and Derek Zuckerman sent an email informing the College community of a hate crime that occurred the previous weekend, during the early morning of Sunday, February 17. A member of the Student Affairs division who lives on College Street reported hearing two groups of students in a verbal altercation outside Gate 6.

The staff member heard vulgar, racist and homophobic remarks being directed at a group of students heading back to campus.

According to Associate Dean of Students Paul Irish, the instigator was identified and has been addressed by the office. The investigation happened very quickly and the College’s response will be both punitive and educational.

Irish explained how the College will give the students an opportunity to reflect on their actions and how they conflict with the mission of the College.

The protocol regarding hate crimes at Holy Cross was developed by student leaders a few years back.

As this procedure mandates, the student body was informed of the recent incident on our campus to raise awareness that the community

standards were violated.

The victims of the crime have not been identified, and the College hoped that through the campuswide email, the group would take comfort in knowing the matter was

Dean for Diversity and Inclusion Mable Millner spoke about the power of words and the community’s commitment to respect of individuals.

Zuckerman hopes that the com-

Courtesy of Sara Bovat

A Student Affairs faculty member reported a verbal altercation outside of Gate 6 directed to a group of students returning to campus. being addressed.

Reflecting on the incident and its implications, Associate Dean of Student Life Derek Zuckerman feels that the use of hateful language stems from a history of acceptance of homophobic and racist remarks in our country’s history.

“The college community needs to step up and say this is not okay in our community,” Zuckerman stated.

“A violation to one person is a violation to us all.”

Both Zuckerman and Associate

munity can learn from the experience and move forward in creating “an inclusive community in which we show dignity for each human person.”

“We are all taught things from a young age. We carry those with us from our past. The hope would be that people would realize what is acceptable behavior,” Zuckerman said. “Realizing the power of words is part of that growth.”

Dean Millner expressed discontent with how freely students use

hateful words without understanding their significance or affect on others.

“Sometimes we hear students are not intentional in their actions and whether or not they are based on having a few beers or whether or not it is a joke or humorous interchange between friends or floor mates or what the situation may be, or maybe it is just intolerance, it happens when people don’t think of the consequences,” she said. “It is always hurtful to those people who are the victims of that kind of behavior.”

Moving forward, the Office of Student Affairs will continue to educate the campus community on diversity and acceptance through residence hall programming, the Office of Student Involvement, MSOs and the Leadership Diversity team.

“As we are being more intentional about our diversity efforts with the Diversity Leadership team and conversations about diversity and inclusiveness, it was time that we refreshed the community that being a Jesuit institution has its values and that we demand that our students live up to those values,” Millner said. “Living the mission is about treating others how you want to be treated.”

McFarland Center Fishbowl Encourages Gun Control Discussion after Sandy Hook Kevin Deehan Staff Writer On February 19, the Holy Cross community hosted a fishbowl-styled forum sponsored by the McFarland Center for Religion, Ethics, and Culture titled “After Sandy Hook: How do we prevent similar forms of violence?” This forum featured a panel of faculty and students who discussed various issues. These included gun control and mental health in the United States in the wake of the Newtown Massacre, one of the deadliest school shootings that happened just over two months ago.

The talk started with a simple question from Tom Landy, the discussion moderator, “What’s the cause of Sandy Hook?” The panelists listed factors, such as mental health, access to firearms, and violent video games. Alison Mangiero, a panelist and instructor in the Political Science department, commented, “If we

tects handguns, so the group as a whole toyed with the idea of banning certain classifications of guns— whether they were semi-automatic or automatic or assault riffles.

However, Robert Jones, Associate Director of Multicultural Education, later pointed out that these sophisticated weapons are not necessarily the problem pertinent to America on a daily basis. “If we were to ban all assault weapons, we might be able to avert some of those tragedies, like Sandy Hook, that happened, but most of the gun violence in this country is done by handguns,” said Jones.

Courtesy of Courtney Timmins The group responded to Jones’ point by labeling the Many students gathered in the Rehm Library to listen to the discussion among the Newtown Massacre as an panel of students and faculty in the response to the Sandy Hook tragedy. “oddity.” Then, Landy referenced a Slate Magazine The discussion then dove of anti-gun activism that which were two handguns report that stated 1,981 peoright into the issue of gun swept the nation in the days and an assault rifle, Lanza ple (at the time of the event control, a major factor following the Newtown used on his victims. All of on February 19) have been those guns were legal. killed by guns since the noted by several panelists. Shooting.

One specific aspect of Mangiero warned that the The manner in which the See FISHBOWL, page 4 forum immediately turned gun control that sparked a Second Amendment pro-

could identify the causes, it would be much easier to identify the solutions.”

to gun control mimicked America’s response, which was an instantaneous wave

Inside The Crusader Opinions..................5 The Eg g plant..........10 Features..................9 Sports.....................13

Campus Cutie Cam Previews Pitch Perfect, coming to Seelos Page 9

lot of discussion amongst the participants was the legality of the weapons,

Women’s Track and Field Places in Third for New England Championships Page 13

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NEWS

The Cr usader

March 1, 2013

Mogahed Addresses Women’s Rights After Arab Spring Bridget Bowman Staff Writer “We’re at a crossroads in the history of the Middle East. So much is transpiring and so much is still misunderstood,” stated Dalia Mogahed at the start of her lecture in Rehm Library on February 21. Mogahed’s lecture “Women after the Arab Spring: Revolution, Rights, and Religion” addressed the current state of women’s rights after the Arab Spring and the various misconceptions about gender justice in the Middle East.

Mogahed is the executive director and senior analyst for the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies and was appointed to President Obama’s White House Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Advisory Council in 2009. Arabian Business Magazine named her as one of the world’s most powerful Arab women in 2012 as she was “the first Muslim veiled woman to be appointed to a position in the White House.”

Her lecture was sponsored by the McFarland Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture as part of a se-

ries that addresses women’s issues across the globe.

Professor Thomas Landy, Director of the McFarland Center, said Mogahed’s lecture was an important talk to bring to the Holy Cross community.

“I do not think that we as a community, like most Americans, have a very deep understanding of Muslims’ lives,” said Landy. Mogahed “should help us to better understand the perspectives of women from the world’s second largest religious group.”

Mogahed is an American citizen, who was born in Egypt, and much of her lecture focused on the developments in her country of origin. She began her talk by analyzing the factors that led to the Egyptian revolution two years ago, saying it was sparked by economic and political dissatisfaction. Gallup surveys showed that a “longing for freedom” was prevalent in Egypt and other Muslim countries. “This idea that people hated us for our freedom is just simply completely wrong,” said Mogahed. “They did not hate our freedom, they wanted more freedom themselves.”

Since the revolution, analysts have speculated that Egypt’s future is

bleak due to violence and apparent divisions within the country. However, Mogahed said that according to Gallup surveys, Egyptians are more optimistic about their futures, they have an increased faith in their political system, and they support the notion that change through peaceful means is possible.

Mogahed said that a “tectonic shift” occurred in Egypt after the revoluion with regard to Egyptians’ sense of empowerment. According to Gallup, 90% of Egyptians now say it is their responsibility to solve a problem in their community.

This sense of empowerment also applies to Egyptian women, who constituted one-third of the protesters during the revolution.

Mogahed addressed Egyptian women’s views of government, particularly the role of religion in government, after the Egyptian Revolution.

Surveys found that both men and women in Egypt tended to be in favor of Sharia, also known as Islamic religious principles, in legislation. While there is not a gender divide over Sharia in the political sphere, there is a gender divide across the Middle East with regard

Speaking of Student Affairs Christine Staub Associate Director of Summer Internship Program Your BFF already has a job offer and the company is paying for her to relocate to Awesometown, USA. Your roommate secured a Wall Street internship last fall and is living worry-free. Everyone on your team or in your club seems to be interviewing.

So, what are you doing this summer? If this question gives you a knot in your stomach, there are two things you should know: 1.

You are not alone, and 2. There are people who can help you untie that knot.

True or False? You are the only person in the world who is not set-up for June 2013.

It is true that job and internship offers have been made, and several students can take ‘job search’ off of their list of things to do, at least for a few months. However, like a rare encounter with a bear, news of an early job offer spreads quickly, and the stories become bigger and bigger with time. Just as a very low percentage of the population will meet Baloo or Smokey, only a few students have secured a position at this point in the year.

The number is growing, and will continue to grow throughout the semester, but at this point, the numbers are relatively low. For example, only 20 positions have been filled out of approximately 160 that have been or will be posted through The Summer Internship

Program. Many organizations do not yet know what positions will be open four months from now.

So the answer is: false. Though many students are off and running, the job or internship search will continue right through the end of the school year for the majority of your classmates. You are definitely not alone.

However, unlike those bears in the woods, summer is something you should be actively preparing for. That’s where the people who can help come into the picture. You can start with Career Planning, or if you’re in SIP, visit the Summer Internship Program. Whatever stage you are at, we can help you find resources to help demystify the job or internship search. If you need to create or update a resume, find an alumni contact, or just want to figure out why all the resumes and cover letters you have been sending are not drumming up the interviews you were expecting, we can help. Even if you don’t know what questions to ask, but you think you should be doing something more to get the ball rolling, stop in. SIP and Career Planning have drop-in hours every day for quick questions or advice. You’re also welcome to stop by Hogan 203, e-mail SIP@holycross.edu or Careers@holycross.edu or call 793-3880 to set up a time to meet with a counselor.

Unlike those bears, we promise not to bite.

to women’s rights. In general, women are in favor of women’s increased political and economic rights, such as working outside of the home, while men are less supportive.

In Egypt particularly, there is a sense of outrage, not in the rise of religious political parties, but in the dramatic rise of sexual violence in Egypt against women. Mogahed said that there does not seem to be a rise in overall violence, so there is speculation that some of the violence against women is “political in nature.” She stated that this violence is “an organized effort to scare women from protests and to discredit the movement in general” by portraying the revolution as a movement that incites chaos.

Mogahed concluded her talk with recommendations to help “bring about gender justice in a post-Arab Spring world.” She said that efforts should focus on women’s own priorities, which involve security and economic concerns. “I think this [lack of security] is one of the greatest threats to women’s civic and political engagement,” said Mogahed. Women have “actually become afraid to engage in the public

space and that is exactly the intent of this organized effort.”

Mogahed also recommended that women “play a role in the interpretation of religious principles.”

Egyptian women are in favor of Sharia as a source for policy and also support women’s rights means that they “are interpreting their religious principles in a way that is compatible with gender justice.” If these women were to play a role in the interpretation of Sharia, women’s rights could expand as rights that are in accordance with religion.

Students and faculty filled Rehm Library for Mogahed’s lecture and reacted positively to her talk. Mary Bassaly, ‘16, a Holy Cross student of Egyptian descent, said Mogahed’s lecture was “very relatable and educational” and “shed light on politics in Egypt.” Her classmate Amber Alley, ‘16 said, “She was really good about breaking conceptions about the role of religion in politics of the Middle East and what women think about religion in the Middle East.”

Kimball Takeover to Celebrate National Nutrition Month Victoria Fritz News Co-Editor This week was the last week for submission of recipes for use in Kimball Takeover, an event being held in Kimball Dining Hall on March 2. The event, involving a “takeover” of Kimball lunch, is being held in honor of national nutrition month (which, as many may have guessed, is March).

Paige Wesson, HC class of 2013 and a member of SHAPE, sat down with Holy Cross Nutritionist, Kathy Egan, to come up with a unique event to celebrate nutrition this March. After extensive brainstorming, this is the idea they created- students submitting healthy recipes of their own to be featured as meal options in Kimball, garnering excitement not only for healthy eating, but proving that nutrition in college is possible. The project will be

The Crusader student newspaper College of the Holy Cross Published weekly since 1925 Friday, November 30, 2012 Volume LXXXIX Number 8

submitted to The National Association of College & University Food Services’ annual competition for the Most Innovative Wellness & Nutrition Program, “even though the competition is the last thing on our minds at this point!” says Paige.

The goal of Kimball Takeover is to raise awareness about real, nutritious food, and about why it is so important for all of us to eat healthy, in keeping of the theme of national nutrition month. “I hope students take away a greater sense of control when it comes to what they’re putting in their bodies,” said Wesson of her intentions for the event. In the past, Kimball has been receptive to student suggestions, and another hope for lasting effects of this event is long term change in dining options.

SGA, HEAL, SHAPE and

Sara Bovat, Emily Vyse Co-Editors-in-Chief Deirdre Koenen, Victoria Fritz, Jess Bailot, Elizabeth O’Brien News Editors Please address correspondence to: David Perretta, Lauren McDonough, Eric Butts, Jeremy Garneau Opinion The Crusader Editors P.O Box 32A Alannah Heffernan, Charlotte Errity, Katie DeGennaro Features Editors College of the Holy Cross Zach Lanning Eggplant Editor 1 College Street Andrew Fanikos,Tyler Scionti, Beth Fullerton Sports Editors Worcester, MA 01610-2395 Bobby Keilig Web Editor Email: crusader@g.holycross.edu Claire Mahoney Visual Editor Web: www.thehccrusader.com Kevin Deehan Publicity Manager Andrew Marzo Business Manager To advertise in The Crusader: Tim Moczula, Christopher Quinn Sales Managers Email: crusaderadvertising@gmail.com James Cerra Advertising Manager Phone: (508) 293-1283 Professor Steve Vineberg Faculty Advisor Dean Jacqueline Peterson Faculty Advisor

Eco-Action will all be sponsoring this event. The menu won’t be the only thing changed for the event: the entire dining hall is being taken over. Student volunteers will be assisting in the preparation of the dishes, as well as in the cooking and serving of the food. The event will be entirely student run. A photobooth will be featured in Kimball, as well as nutrition information throughout the dining hall. In addition, author Jim Hicks will be on-site to sell his book “Healthy Eating Healthy World.” Each RSO sponsoring the event will have tables set up to distribute information from their club pertaining to the event.

Lobby tables will be set up March 13th-15th and March 18th-20th from 1-4 p.m. each day, selling shirts and giving out free samples of the recipes to be featured at the event.

The Crusader is a non-profit, non-partisan, student publication of the College of the Holy Cross.

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The Crusader welcomes letters and op-eds from its readers. Please include your name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address. No submissions will be printed anonymously. All submissions may be edited for content, and must be received by the Sunday prior to publication. The Crusader reserves the right not to publish any letter or content deemed objectionable or which does not meet the editorial standards of the newspaper. Letters may be mailed, e-mailed, or brought to The Crusader office in Hogan 235.

The opinions expressed within the newspaper are not necessarily those of the College of the Holy Cross. This newspaper is printed by Community Newspaper Company.

Reproduction of any part of this paper is by permission of The Crusader only.

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The Crusader

NEWS

March 1, 2013

Mock Trial Team Fights for Big Win Emma Cronin Staff Writer This past weekend, the Holy Cross Mock Trial team competed and earned an 8-0 score in the Boston Regional Conference, which is run by the American Mock Trial Association and held at the Suffolk Community Courthouse. The primary goal of the Conference is to compete for a bid to the Opening Round Championship Series, often called ORCS. ORCS is the step before the National Tournament, where teams compete to be the national champions. In addition to Holy Cross, the other participants included students from Princeton University, New York University, Brown, Boston University, Boston College, Tufts University, Amherst College, Suffolk University, Siena College, University of New Hampshire, The College of Saint Rose, Williams College, Wesleyan University, Pace University, University of Maine, and the City College of New York also participated in this conference. Each school can send one or two teams; Holy Cross, the City College of New York, and Wesleyan all sent

two teams.

As co-chair of Mock Trial Kelsey Russell, ‘13, explains, the preparation for Mock Trial conferences is thorough and intense. “Generally, we meet 3-4 nights during the week and once over the weekend. Before tournaments we

and even team fathers who are attorneys come in to judge our practice rounds.”

The Mock Trial team consists of extremely hard-working, goal- oriented students, and many of them have a particular interest in attending law school upon graduating

it made a lot of sense to see how good I might be at this lawyer stuff. I wanted to hone my public speaking skills and see if I had anything to contribute to the team.” Russell truly enjoys Mock Trial and encourages her fellow Holy Cross students to get involved. She declared, “Mock Trial is a phenomenal way to get on your feet, make a cohesive, articulate argument and speak in a high pressure situation. As many of our judges tell us (who are often law students and former mockers) mock offers an advantage in that Courtesy of Kelsey Russell you will know the The Holy Cross Mock Trial team poses with their trophy after their big rules of evidence win last weekend. and courtroom demeanor long often run scrimmages (Holy from Holy Cross. When asked before you step into your first Cross has two competitive why she joined Mock Trial, class at law school.” mock teams) against one an- Russell recalls, “I decided to other.” The consistent prac- get involved with Mock Trial tice and dedication of the my junior year. I had a few team allow them to dominate friends who had participated in formal competition. Russell in it and loved their experiadded, “We usually have old ence. As I began thinking teammates, former ‘mockers,’ about applying to law school,

An Essential Part of the Holy Cross Experience Manresa Retreat Provides an Opportunity to Find Self and God Deirdre Koenen Chief News Editor Ignatian spirituality encourages us to find God in all things. It may slip the minds of the majority of our student body that we do in fact attend a Jesuit college, one with a strong spiritual presence and one that urges each member of the Holy Cross community to grow not only in academic strength, but also, and more importantly, in spirituality.

Sometimes in the ever-whirling chaos of social life, academic responsibilities and the other demanding facets of the college student’s life, we lose perspective of this deeper agenda. When we allow ourselves to be swept up in these demands it becomes increasingly difficult to find time to reflect on ourselves, our spiritual lives and our choices. This past weekend, forty Holy Cross students made the choice to separate themselves from their life on the hill for a couple nights to immerse themselves in the Manresa experience, a retreat during which time students have the opportunity to reflect upon their own lives and their relationship with God. Manresa is one of those words that graces the quintessential Holy Cross bucket list, and this two night retreat without a doubt is something that should be experienced at least once by everyone who identifies as a Crusader. It has been a part of the Holy Cross experience since

its birth in the 1996-97 academic year, when Holy Cross student Nicole Criffo, ‘99, started the program as the first student-led retreat.

Since then, Manresa has flourished under the leadership of students, who lead as a team along with a chaplain.

The leadership team consists of ten students, two of which are coordinators, and a chaplain. These students and the chaplain have been preparing for their specific retreat for at least six weeks prior to the event. Over the course of the Manresa retreat, the leaders share reflective stories on various topics including family, identity, God, values, and community. These reflections are especially powerful because they are the leaders’ honest accounts of their own personal encounters in relation to each topic.

The students attending the retreat have time to reflect individually after each presentation and then to share their thoughts in small groups. It is an experience of reflection, sharing, and community.

Megan Fox-Kelly, the Associate Chaplain and Director of Retreats, promotes it as a unique and fulfilling experience, “Manresa provides our students with the opportunity to slow down and to take time away from the busyness of life in order to pay attention to where and how God is present in his or her life. It allows our students the opportunity to think about who they are and who they want to become as well as the chance to pay

attention to the experiences and relationships that are shaping them as individuals. In listening to the story of the ‘other’, the stories of the retreat leaders, the students attending the retreat are challenged to think about their own stories and experiences that have shaped them into

“To have the opportunity to pay attention to one’s own heart, one’s own desires, and to listen to where or to what God may be calling you to is very significant.”

-Megan Fox-Kelly the people they are today and the people that they hope to become.”

Fox-Kelly justifies its status as an essential part of the Holy Cross experience, saying, “It is an opportunity that is so rare in our everyday busy lives and it is an important experience for our students. To have the opportunity to pay attention to one’s own heart, one’s own desires, and to listen to where or to what God may be calling you to is very significant.”

Dan Barrett, ‘13, and Liz Ma-

honey, ‘13, the two coordinators on the February Manresa, have both been on the retreat three times now, and view this retreat as a significant part of their Holy Cross experience.

Mahoney recommends the Manresa experience to students “because it is a unique opportunity to step away from the busyness of Holy Cross and spend time with other students in a different setting.

This retreat makes you step out of your comfort zone a bit and encourages you to open yourself up to others in a way that you have never done. I think all could benefit from this retreat in some small way whether it’s learning to be open or having the opportunity to reflect on the life you currently lead.” In her three Manresa experiences, twice as a retreatant and this once as a co-coordinator/leader, she claims to have gotten something new from the retreat each time.

“I do think you can get a new, unique experience each time you go on the retreat because it is entirely dependent on the leaders and the people that go,” she says. “The retreat is structured by the various talks given by the leaders and everyone has a different story to tell.

Each of my three times has been completely different and I have taken something new from each one.

Another three-time Manresa attendee, Dan Barrett went on his first retreat as a leader; he was encouraged to apply after his Escape

retreat as a freshman. He has been on Manresa as a leader, a retreatant and finally as a co-coordinator.

“I think different people get different things out of the retreat,” he says, “but one of the most common things that I hear from people is that it’s just a great way to relax, get off campus, and reflect about the things we don’t normally have time to think about. You hear people talking about the Sunday morning blues; I know that the Sunday after this past weekend was the first time I’ve been really happy on a Sunday in a while - I think that speaks for itself.”

Though the idea of spending two whole weekend nights away from our beloved campus may seem daunting, the retreat experience proves itself worthy of the potential all-nighter in Dinand that may stem from a homework-free retreat. So would you rather spend another alcohol-stimulated weekend in the purple bubble, or will you opt to embark on a soulsearching, community building experience?

Located in the peaceful, woodland environment of the Toah Nipi Retreat Center in New Hampshire, Manresa takes place three times during the academic year: in November, February and March. The popular consensus of those who have attended: don’t wait until your final months of college to start your Manresa experience!

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NEWS

Public Safety Blotter Wednesday, February 20 Clark Hall: No hot water Thursday, February 21 Off Campus: Male and female protestor outside Gate 2—College Street side Saturday, February 23 Loyola Hall: Called in plumber for overflowed toilet Swords Hall/Science Complex: Professor reported flooded restroom in Swords 303 Sunday, February 24 Healy Hall: Received a call from the RA over at Healy Hall stating a student punched a couple of windows on the first floor and broke them and ran off. Student cut himself and was bleeding.

Healy Hall: Smoke alarm activation—set off by lacrosse sticks caught on fire. The system was reset.

Monday, February 25 Student Lot #1: Stolen license plates

The Cr usader

March 1, 2013

From FISHBOWL, page 1 Newtown massacre. This number, which is roughly 76 times the casualties of the Sandy Hook shooting spree, suggests that gun control legislation should be aimed at these types of deaths since they are far more common. Professor Francis, of the Sociology department said that more people die from ordinary gun violence, so that is where gun control should start.

Another heavily discussed topic at the fishbowl talk was mental health. Professor Wolfson stressed, “Only about 3-4% of violent crimes in the United States are committed by people with a severe mental illness.” This is a part of society that received heavy backlash due to Lanza’s questionable mental health. Wolfson later stated her criticism of using only a mental health disorder as an indication of whether or not someone should be able to own a gun.

The forum ended with no definite causes or solutions, but audience members left with their eyes wide open to various aspects of our society that promote violence. “It was very interesting to learn about the various explanations and causes the forum’s speakers could come up with—and I think that shows just how difficult this issue is and explains why there is no simple solution,” stated Caroline DiNicola, ‘16. In an effort to continue discussion on the matter, SGA hosted a dinner the following Sunday night for interested students. Video coverage of the event has been archived on the McFarland Center’s website.

Performers Seized the Day at Benefit Show Elizabeth O’Brien

News Co-Editor On Friday, February 22, the Holy Cross Dance Ensemble performed their Seize the Day Benefit Show in the Hogan Ballroom. The show raised money for Education and Hope, a nonprofit organization aimed at improving the education students receive in the western highlands of Guatemala. The foundation also provides scholarships and tutoring for poor children who wish to combat poverty.

There were a variety of performance groups at the show.

The line-up composed of All Ensemble dances, the styles of Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, Contemporary, and Lyrical, the oncampus groups Hip Hop Fusion, The Rhythm Nation Steppaz, The Delilahs, Fools on the Hil,l and the Sons of Pitches, and also some off campus groups including WPI Dance Team and Clark Dance Society.

The audience was never bored with similar or monotonous performances.

Sarah Roberts, ‘15 and one of the Co-Chairs of Dance Ensemble as well as a choreographer for the Performance group and All Ensemble pieces, has been preparing for this show for months.

“We began preparations for the show right after our Family Weekend Show in October,” said Roberts.

The benefit show was able to

raise $827.70 for Education and Hope. This money will go towards school uniforms, tuition, support for afterschool programs, and textbooks for Guatemalan children living in poverty. Jennifer Lillis, a junior at Holy Cross and member of the Dance Ensemble, believes that when the dancers combined their talent with the gift of charity it was extremely rewarding.

“I really liked being a part of a show for a cause,” said Lillis.

“Dancing is a lot of fun, but it is awesome to be able to make dance useful and to be able to do something you love to help people.”

Performing with other dance groups from on and off campus was unique for the Dance Ensemble. Caroline DiNicola, a freshman at Holy Cross and member of the Dance Ensemble, thought that the benefit show allowed her to collaborate with dancers that she normally does not have the opportunity to dance with.

“It was interesting to get to work with all of the other performing groups on campus and from other schools,” said DiNicola. “The Dance Ensemble has its own practices and performances, and we usually do not have much interaction with the other groups. Thus, the benefit show was a great way to connect all the other groups and to come together for a great cause.”

Although the endless hours of practicing were taxing in the dancers, it was a worthwhile

event. The performers are proud of how well the show turned out. Dress rehearsals went past eleven most nights, however, the end result is something the dancers will remember for years to come.

“There was a lot of work that went into the show,” said Lillis.

“There were so many practices and logistics to work out, but it was so worth it in the end. The show came together at the end and it looked great.”

For many performers the best number was the one where they all came together at the end. In the final number, “Seize the Day,” all the performance groups came running across the stage and through the aisles in Hogan Ballroom, with the dancers dressed up in flannel shirts waving newspapers like they were on strike. The theme was based off of the musical Newsies.

“The best part of this performance was the last number, ‘Seize the Day,’” said Roberts. “I chose the song “Seize the Day” to go along with the foundation we were supporting last night, Education and Hope in Guatemala. The All Ensemble pieces are a new addition to our shows this year. Although sometimes challenging to fit everybody on stage, I love that we can all dance together at the beginning and the end of the show.”

Courtesy of Colleen Paddock

The girls who danced the “Thrift Shop” piece may have been dressed in ‘second-hand’ style costume, but they a delivered a first-rate performance.

Courtesy of Colleen Paddock The entire dance ensemble poses for a picture prior to their benefit show., which raised money for the nonprofit organization Education and Hope.

OPINIONS

The Crusader

March 1, 2013

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Opinions The Pulse of Events “The Pulse of Events:” A page dedicated to the debates of our times. This week’s topic: The Sequester.

Sequestration: After All, It’s Only $85 Billion Garrett Bych Staff Writer Today is the day when it all comes down to the wire. March 1, 2013. Cut the budget, or face automatic across-the-board cuts totaling $85 billion. Before we can thoroughly discuss the implications of Congress’ actions as well as their options in dealing with the budget crisis, we should first analyze how and why March 1st, 2013 officially became “doomsday.”

In 2011, amidst consistent disagreement from both sides of the aisle over a way to reduce the deficit, Congress hashed out a plan to once again raise the limit on federal borrowing. At the same time, this agreement mandated an agreed-upon date down the road when Congress would have to make a deal to comprehensively reduce the budget deficit or else face across the board cuts in all areas that economists and political pundits alike agree would harm the economy as well as national security.

I would argue that neither side deserves complete blame in this scenario. Republicans have rebuked President Obama for setting this “doomsday” date in the first place, but it should be noted that many of these same Republicans were quick to come to the table in 2011 and sign the very deal mandating a

March 1st deadline in the first place because they wanted to avoid the deep military cuts that accompanied other various spending limitations.

That being said, an arguably bigger reason why neither side can be solely blamed is that neither side has yet to give in to a compromise that would allow for a deal. To protect the nation from big cuts to entitlements and other spending programs, Democrats need to agree to curb spending while still keeping some of the parts in place to push their policies. Likewise, Republicans face massive defense reductions if there is still no agreement when March 1st roles around.

Today’s deadline looms large and is very dangerous to the economic and national defense interests of America. However, the silver lining through all of this is the possibility that Republicans and Democrats come to the table and strike a bi-partisan deal not for purposes of rhetoric but for the good of the nation. What happened in 2011 is done.

Today is the day to make it or break it, whether politicians on either side like it or not. For the state of the economy and our national defense, Republicans and Democrats should put ideological biases to the side and finally begin working together again, not for the right or for the left, but for the United States of America.

Doomsday?

Jeremy Garneau Opinions Co-Editor On March 1, 2013, the sky could potentially fall. And no, it’s not another Mayan end-ofthe-world prediction. The eye of the storm originates in Washington, D.C. On this day a potential sequestration could occur, which will impact everybody in the United States. These across-the-board cuts to government agencies will hurt many departments, such as air travel, border security, meat and poultry production, Medicare, and elementary and secondary education. So is the sky really falling? Or is it just another conspiracy?

President Obama is proposing a short-term deal to Congress to put off fiscal cuts. However, if Congress and Obama cannot reach some consensus towards the nation’s fiscal budget, then these automatic, sequestered cuts totaling $85 million will occur. For the Republicans though, March 1st isn’t doomsday, but rather a slight change in the markets. The across-the-board cuts will eventually be replaced by the other cuts, according to Republicans. Leading voices like John Boehner believe that markets won’t drastically decline and the nation will not feel a tremendous impact. They are accusing Obama of scaring our citizens over this sequestration.

Obama wants to continue raising taxes, and is trying to avoid too many cuts in the fiscal

budget, yet this past December, Obama already raised a significant amount of taxes. Although a tax increase is helpful, Obama needs to start cutting in some areas if he wants to tackle our increasing national debt. In addition, Obama is accusing Congress of being nonnegotiable, yet Obama is the one who repeatedly keeps on delaying the sequestration deadline. March 1st is set in stone, so procrastination is no longer an option.

On the flipside, the cuts will see a budget reduction of up to 10% across the board, which could lead to a loss of 1 million jobs in the next two years, jeopardize assistance to the lower and middle classes, and detriment recipients of Social Security. Democrats argue that cuts are not essential because government expenditures have increased at its slowest pace since the Eisenhower administration.

Republicans and Democrats both have valid points here. Obama’s aim to increase taxes on the wealthy and the Republicans’ want for cuts both have their pros and cons. However, the more important concern here is negotiation, the heart of American politics. Republican ideas and Democrat ideas combined could help tackle the national debt. Instead of pointing the finger and scaring the public over this potential “doomsday,” Obama and Congress need to cooperate and put aside differences if they want to prevent our nation from getting shoulder-deep into debt.

Sequestration and Brinksmanship Politics David Perretta Chief Opinions Editor Full disclosure: I am writing this article before anything has been done to replace today’s sequester. If the federal government is able to get their act together and fix this mess, then please think of this article as merely a cursory study on how we got to this position.

In October 2010, Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said in an interview with National Journal magazine that the number one goal of the Republican Party was for “President Obama to be a one-term president.” This comment became a rallying cry of sorts, and is typical of the mentality behind brinksmanship politics. Effectively, brinksmanship is playing chicken with the United States economy (and, by extension, other aspects of American life).

It is when there is a hard deadline and politicians wait until the last possible moment before enacting (very necessary) legislation in an attempt to 1) extort the opposition and 2) make the other party look incapable of governance.

Emboldened by unprecedented, historic victories in the 2010 midterms, the Republicans went on to use brinksmanship politics in 2011 in an attempt to weaken President Barack Obama’s image for the 2012 election.

The scenario, as many of you recall, was increasing the United States’ debt limit. This would allow the country to borrow more money to pay for pre-existing obligations – otherwise, we, as a nation, would have to default on our debts. The Republicans decided to take the debt ceiling “hostage,” and would only use the House to pass legislation to increase it if spending was cut and the Bush tax cuts were extended. President Obama en-

gaged House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) in negotiations and attempted to come to a grand bargain that would involve increased revenues (higher taxes), spending cuts, and, quite obviously, an increase to the debt limit.

Initially, these negotiations went extremely well. Boehner only asked for one dollar in cuts for every dollar added to the ceiling (in contrast, the much-praised and oft-ignored Simpson-Bowles commission called for at least three dollars in spending cuts for every dollar raised via new revenues). Likewise, President Obama was asking for modest – and passable – revenue increases. For a moment, it seemed like the Speaker could control the Tea Party (whom he would come to call the “Knuckle-draggers”).

Then, President Obama called, asked for double the amount of revenue increases, and everything went to hell. Suddenly, everybody was citing the Grover Norquist pledge for “No New Taxes,” and Republicans became obsessed with making the President simply look bad. This led to waiting for the last possible moment to raise the debt ceiling and a downgrade in America’s credit rating from AAA to AA+ (that may not sound like a huge deal, but it does lead to increased interest rates when borrowing money and actually does cause us to owe more).

In this final deal, the President and nowSecretary of the Treasury, Jack Lew, came up with what felt like a great idea at the time: Sequestration. The sequester is a series of automatic spending cuts that will take place March 1 (conveniently after the 2012 election (originally it was supposed to take place during the Fiscal Cliff but was delayed)) and is supposed to be so unpalatable to both Democrats and Republicans that it would force the two parties to work together and replace it with more well-thought out fixes to our

economic woes. And, we did! Kidding, this is 21st America; we didn’t (again, at the time I wrote this article).

So, brinksmanship politics led to an increase in our interest rates as a nation. President Barack Obama was re-elected, and the House is still Republican. Basically, it did nothing to upset the status quo.

So, wisely, after the election last November, Speaker John Boehner made a very public announcement congratulating the President and claiming that Republicans were willing to negotiate well in advance of the Fiscal Cliff deadline. However, emboldened by his victory, the President decided to, in Boehner’s words, “annihilate the Republican Party.”

This would be achieved by playing brinksmanship politics with them, as they did with the President in 2011. While I sympathize with the President’s desire to hurt his opposition, his decision to campaign post-election and claim that we could fix our deficits and debt by taxing the rich was childish, at best (hint: there aren’t enough rich people to fix our problems). Apparently, in Washington D.C., maturity is a characteristic of whichever party has lost most recently.

Anyways, brinksmanship politics failed again; we went over the Cliff for a few hours and looked like fools, but in the wee hours of 2013 the Senate (thanks to Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Mitch McConnell – no thanks to Senator Harry Reid (D-NV)) was able to put through legislation to avert the deadline that was palatable enough for the House and President. So, the President got his pound of flesh from the wealthy, and the House was able to go home and explain that they merely let a tax cut lapse as opposed to legislating for new revenues. Probably best of all – sequestration was delayed.

But, here we are again, facing a new dead-

line. March 1 (today), the Government may or may not have figured out how to avert these caustic cuts and replace them with responsible budget-slashing initiatives. What scares me is that we are so close to this deadline and there appears to be a general apathy; the White House has resigned itself to the sentiment that the Republicans will take the blame for the President’s invention, and the Republicans have no desire to work with a President who uses every opportunity to bash them. Make no mistake – Sequestration is a huge deal. The cuts will cripple the Pentagon and will do even more domestic damage to programs that truly need the money. Spending is a major problem, though, and cuts must be extracted from the truly toxic assets of America: Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. These programs are noble, but a decrease in generation size forces us – you and me – to pay for our grandparents and parents.

It should not be this way – the older generation is supposed to leave resources for us, and in turn we are supposed to leave resources for the next generation. Expectations must be managed, and the three aforementioned entitlement programs must be fundamentally altered in a way that makes them sustainable.

At the very least, brinksmanship must end. It keeps putting us in terrible situations where legislation is hastily passed with very little thought.

Instead of taking time to weigh the costs and benefits of what we are doing, we are now arbitrarily waiting until the last minute to fix our problems. You wouldn’t (normally) wait until just before an exam to start studying. You wouldn’t wait until after a due date to begin a paper. The U.S. Government should be more responsible and start to think things through in a timely manner. The ball is now in the President’s court, but it will take both parties to fix this new political system we have created.

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OPINIONS

Drama... Ain’t Nobody Got Time Fo’ Dat Kibbs Fortilus Contributing Writer “Great people talk about ideas. Average people talk about things. Small people talk about other people...”

-Anonymous “This one is for all the [“people”] from my city trying to diss / Without a response from me you really fail to exist” - Drake “He who seeks revenge should remember to dig two graves” - Chinese Proverb “When angry you’ll make the greatest speech you’ll ever regret” - William Ury This is the realest thing I have ever written… Conflict resolution? I will do this in three easy steps… Thank me later. Nobel peace prize, here I come.

First, how much does the conflict mean to you? How much do you value this person, what are the spoils if you enter the war? So often, we enter unnecessary conflicts. We hear something negative comments and want to confront the person. What’s the point?

Throughout my life, I have accrued twenty-two years of wisdom; I have discovered that by forfeiting small battles, I conserve my energy to address much bigger issues. Here is how I address rumors about me: I spread them myself. It sounds counterintuitive doesn’t it? But it actually makes a lot of sense. I’ve discovered how rumors function. Rumors are meant to attack a person’s character, and what better way to dismiss a rumor than to show that it does not bother you? You rise about the assault by making it satirical. You are able to show your persecutor that you have risen above their childish banter, and you get laughs in the process. Once you can comfortably hyperbolize your personality, both the good and bad, what can someone possibly use against you?

Second, if this is a conflict you have with someone who you value, do not wait to solve it. This is a lesson I learned from my best friend, Jeanie Johnson ’13.

She introduced me to the “48 Hour Rule.” This rule states that if a conflict

arises, you have 48 hours to reach out to the person to address it, or you have to let it go. Anyone who knows me personally knows I hate passive aggressiveness. I find it to be wasted emotion. The effort one uses to suppress the issue could more productively be used to solve the situation. Jeanie uses the analogy of a wound. She says you should address the wound immediately so as to not be distracted by other things. And in addressing the wound, she warns me to never throw salt on it… Let me explain.

The third and final step to conflict resolution is actually addressing the problem. This is properly done through the CAR Method: Calm, Address, and Reconnect. I learned this at a summer camp while working with children and found that it also works with adults.

Being calm is the first step. This is where the salt and wound analogy I referred to above comes into play. Do not enter the discussion with malice, seeking revenge, and trying to force your point down someone else’s throat. One of my favorite quotes is, “Choose being kind over being right and you’ll be right every time.” Be calm, and you’ll be amazed at how smoothly the problem is addressed.

Finally, and most importantly, don’t forget to reconnect. Make sure that there has been reconciliation and compromise. There should not be any bitter feelings; no one should leave the room feeling cheated, guilty, angry, or frustrated.

True friendship will always be tested.

I can’t possibly tell you how often Jeanie has confronted me with a problem – usually addressing the fact that I am a horrible texter who responds to her messages a day late… Or sometimes not at all. But conflicts in friendships are what cause them to be stronger. I enjoy the conflict I have with my closest friends because I appreciate their willingness to be honest and vulnerable with me. However, when it comes to drama outside of my close-knit friends… Ain’t nobody got time fo’ dat.

The Roving Reporter “Dinand Cubicle...

Not even kidding” –Caroline O’Donnell ‘15

“Dinand, bottom floor way in the corner where no one passes by or talks!”

-Dee Ragon ‘13

The Crusader

March 1, 2013

7

Common Cents: Where Can I Pahhhk My Cahhh?

Tyler Scionti Sports Co-Editor Last week, we examined the market for clothing here at Holy Cross, and how the prestige of wearing brand name clothing created a situation where as the price goes up people buy more. Well I’ve been in the “market mood,” so let’s take a quick look at another intriguing market: the market for parking passes at HC. The market for parking spaces is an interesting one because much like the market in a Giffen good scenario this is rather different than a traditional supply and demand equilibrium. Too much economic jargon you say? Don’t worry, I’ll explain everything shortly.

The law of demand states that as the price of a good goes up, you buy less. The law of supply (quite predictably) is the opposite: as the price of a good suppliers are willing to supply Makes more. sense right?

Okay, but that is assuming that both sides have control of the quantity supplied or demanded. For some goods there is a fixed demand that doesn’t change no matter what price is charged (think broad necessities like food or water).

There is a similar scenario to supply, the supply curve can be fixed when there is a limit to how many goods can be sold. This plays out in neighborhoods with a fixed number of houses, ballparks with a fixed number of seats, and parking lots/garages where there are a fixed number of spaces. That is the exact scenario that plays out here at Holy Cross, there is a set demand that follows the predictable law of demand, although if we wanted to make things really interesting we could look at the market for in-state students versus out of state students (don’t worry, we won’t).

One other level of interest in this situation is the price. The price for a parking pass for resident students $150.00, while 24 hour parking privileges for students living off campus is $350. Why the huge discrepancy? Good question, the supply is fixed so the demand curve intersects it at one point. The demand can shift in one direction or the other, but the supply cannot shift unless new

parking lots are built. The importance of this is that there is one price depending on the demand for parking spaces. Let’s hope that the transportation office used economic principles to determine the equilibrium price of $150. At $150, let’s say “Q1” parking spaces are demanded, and luckily enough “Q1” parking spaces are supplied. If the price goes up to $350 per spot then “Q1” spaces are still supplied but “Q2” spaces are demanded.

Basically the transportation office is charging a higher price to create a disincentive for students living off campus to have 24-hour privileges which would otherwise go to resident students.

Well that certainly was fun, but wait there is still one other item of interest! Parking tickets are $50, which would cause any economics worth his salt to think about how many times $50 goes into $150, or $350.

Well you can get three tickets and then break even with buying a parking pass as a resident student.

That’s not really worth it because after you get one ticket you already paid a third of what parking for the year would cost. In other words you got a day of parking for a third of a year of parking privileges. What if you live off campus though? You don’t really need to 24 hour parking privileges and that price is pretty steep. That ticket suddenly seems more attractive considering it may be a one or two time violation, which is all you would pay for. Well the transportation office thought of that too and set a limit at six violations before you get towed, which probably has an additional cost. So before you break even by racking up tickets remember you won’t just get a slap on the wrist, you’ll have to get your car out of an impound lot.

There you have it, another look at an interesting market here on campus. I bet you never thought much of that while you struggled to find a parking space near your dorm did you? Got an issue you are passionate about and want to learn more?

Email me and I’ll do my best to address it in my next column!

Favorite place to study on campus?

“Hart Lawn at Sunset” *Spit* –Staff Llama ‘22

“O’Kane Computer Lab” –Ginny Do ‘13

“Periodicals Room in Dinand” –Natasha Giftos ‘14

“In the fall I prefer the basement of my dorm as Dinand is toasty in early Sept.

As the mercury starts to simmer down I love Rehm mostly because you don't hear those pesky heaters clicking. When finals roll around I love to work on the tables in stein because I can flag down a passerby when I'm need of some last minute help.”

–John Daly ‘15

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The Cr usader

March 1, 2013

FEATURES

The Cr usader

Features Immerse Your Ear Buds Peter McStravick Music Maven With 1 in 10 students at Holy Cross participating in the Spring Break Immersion Program, it is only fitting to dedicate an article to the musical aspect of the experience. For those unfamiliar with the program, there is a lot of driving from point A to B, and music in these car-rides serves as a catalyst for the group morale.

Majority of the groups on go to the Appalachian region, being brought to simpler times on the countryside. Therefore, music that can help get you there mentally and spiritually is a quite the achievement.

To get in the mindset and immerse your musical taste buds with the flavorful countryside, look for music that brings

back the roots of the explorative American drive for western expansion. As most of these groups drive further from the coast and closer to the heart of this country, the music should also reflect this.

Now, I hate using the word “folk” because it has lost its entire derived meaning with the inception and commercialization of bands that have banjos and are dubbed this genre. But this is the opportunity to digest inherent folk music during this endeavor: music that is born from hardships of the working class heroes and experiences away from skylines.

Here is a list of 10 songs to add to your trip as you head to a simpler place, so that your mind can also experience an auditory, simple place that em-

beds this American fortitude of exploration for your own journey.

- “American Hearts” by AA Bondy -“How Low” by José González - “Bad Luck” by Langhorne Slim & The Law - “Adventures in You Own Back Yard” by Patrick Watson - “For the Widows in Paradise, for the Fatherless in Ypsilanti” by Sufjan Stevens - “Liner” by Justin Vernon - “Oh No” by Andrew Bird - “Goin’ Home” by Dan Auerbach - “Upward Over the Mountain” by Iron & Wine -“Philharmonics” by Agnes Obel

Campus Cutie Cam

March 1, 2013

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The Crusader of the Week: Mary Pat Connolly, ‘14 Alannah Heffernan Chief Features Editor Name: Mary Pat Connolly Year: 2014 Hometown: North Andover, MA Major: Chemistry Favorite artist: Elvis Costello Motto for life: “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light”- Albus Dumbledore Roommates: Emely Ventura, Allie Gitto Campus activities: Marching Goodtime Band, Club Basketball, Magis, Communion Coordinator Favorite spot on campus: Freshman Field Hill Favorite class taken at HC: Faith and World Poverty Favorite Kimball meal: BBQ Chicken and Corn on the cob Best dorm to live in: Carlin Guilty Pleasure: Pretty Little Liars One word you would use to describe yourself: Energetic Three words your friends would use to describe you: Curly, Friendly, Enthusiastic Favorite pastime: Ms. Mary Pat’s Pies Pet peeve: People complaining about their workload Favorite tv shows: “The Office”, “Parks and Recreation”, “Once Upon a Time” Best movie: The Prestige Favorite Book: The Harry Potter Series Role Model: My parents and my grandparent

Favorite place travelled to: Brigantine, New Jersey Childhood aspiration: Astronaut Favorite holiday: Thanksgiving Worst Summer Job: Chipotle Cashier Do you have an HC bucket list, if so what’s number one? Get on the roof of Fenwick Favorite word: Entropy Favorite off-campus Worcester restaurant: Sole Proprietor Do you prefer… …Kimball brunch or Kimball dessert? Kimball Brunch …Th e Cr us ader or Fools on the Hill? The Crusader …Science Café or Crossroads: Science Café Where could you be found… …on a Tuesday at 11 am? Catholic Mission and Education …On a Friday at 1 am? Physics problem set …On a Saturday at 9 pm? Heading out ;) …On a Sunday at 6 pm? Club basketball Best piece of advice you have ever received: “Rub some dirt on it and keep playing” - Big Jim Fondest Holy Cross memory: The first time meeting all my friends freshman year What would you rather be doing right now: Ask Alannah...

Overheard on the Hill “Let’s vow to not drink beer this week in Punta because we honestly can’t bloat in bikinis.” ***

Courtesy of Matt Gallo, ‘13

Coming to Seelos Theater this spring, Picstich Perfect featuring Jordan Stevens ‘13, Matt Gallo ‘13, and Phil Beans ‘13. Be sure to tune in to catch these three campus cuties try to find love...in leather.

“We have to go out this Thursday because it’s my last chance to see him. So you better finish that paper...I need a wing woman and you are her.”

College Hill Apartments Boyden, Caro & Clay Streets Off-Street Parking Don’t wait for the Lottery A few apartments/townhouses are still Now signing for 2013-14 Call Paul Giorgio 508-612-2060 collegehillapt@aol.com

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FEATURES

The Cr usader

March 1, 2013

Holy Cross Covers the 85th Academy Awards ... from Mulledy Hall Charlotte Errity Features Co-Editor I was talking with my family this weekend about our vacation a few years back to Los Angeles. We were recounting how our visit to Beverly Hills and Hollywood was one of the most surprising and eye-opening vacations we have ever taken: there, we really became aware of the fact that acting and the entertainment business, in general, is indeed a business. We gained a greater respect for it because of this trip. In this business, the Academy Awards is arguably the most important night of the year. Pretty much every movie star, regardless of filming schedules, fly back home to Los Angeles to attend either the event, or the after parties.

So how did this year’s event stack up compared to past years? Personally, I thought it was a fun night of television. Seth MacFarlane, a man of many talents from recent Ted and “Family Guy” fame, hosted the Oscars this year. It is clear that this For your reading pleasure, I have included a few lists of “Bests” from this year’s Oscars below…

The Big Winners (listed): - Best Picture: Argo - Best Director: Ang Lee for Life of Pi - Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence in Silver Lining’s Playbook - Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln - Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway for Les Misérables - Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained Best (and Weirdest) Oscar Moments: - Seth MacFarlane’s entire opening: from the “Star Trek” references, to MacFarlane dressed as the Flying Nun, to the “We Saw Her Boobs” song…

- When Jennifer Lawrence tripped on her way up to collect her Oscar. It was equally hilarious and adorable. The Internet world loved it (see right).

- When Sandra Bullock struggled to open the golden envelope.

- Kristen Stewart’s messy hair, and new Red Carpet accessory: crutches. People everywhere were scratching their heads, wondering why she was limping on stage to present with Daniel Radcliffe; apparently, Kristen cut the bottom of her foot on a shard of glass two days prior.

- The closing song with Kristin Chenoweth and Seth MacFarlane: a

man is talented, from animation degrees, to an obvious singing background, to his writing skills.

But, so what? Were his jokes funny? I thought so, until we brought William Shatner into the mix; from there, MacFarlane’s opening monologue became confusing and weird. Yes, some part were kind of funny, but his several sexist jokes were uncalled for and out-of-bounds (including a strange “We Saw Your Boobs” song, something I’m actually uncomfortable to type, it was that awkward). However, could we have expected anything more from this comedian whose rap sheet reads almost solely as a list of raunchy comedies? No, we shouldn’t have expected anything less or remotely toned down.

In the beginning of the show, MacFarlane mentioned that the 85th Academy Awards would have a theme: a celebration of music in movies. The theme definitely carried throughout, with classic scores heard from intros and outros, as well as surprising performances by

Catherine Zeta Jones, revising her role briefly as Velma Kelly in Chicago, Jennifer Hudson, singing “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” from Dreamgirls, a performance by the cast of nominated film Les Misérables, and even “The Way We Were” sung by Barbra Streisand. Additionally, a muchhyped performance was a dedication to fifty years of the James Bond saga; Dame Shirley Bassey came on stage to perform the celebrated Bond song, “Goldfinger” to a standing ovation. The music-inmovies theme was ever present throughout the three and a half hour show.

The big winner of the night was Argo, for Best Picture (something I thought was extremely well deserved); First Lady Michelle Obama presented this award at the end of the show, via webcam. A politically charged movie perhaps deserved a politically charged reception, although I found this inclusion of our first lady rather odd.

Many records were set for the

85th Academy Awards. Daniel Day-Lewis, the winner for the Best Actor category for his portrayal as the president in Lincoln, became the first actor in history to receive three Best Actor awards (Day-Lewis won in 2008 for his role in There Will Be Blood, and in 1990 for My Left Foot). Additionally, Emmanuelle Riva, nominated for her role in the foreign film Amour, became the oldest nominee in the Best Actress category, at age 85. Another age record went to Beast of the Southern Wild’s Quvenzhané Wallis, who now holds the record of the youngest nominee for Best Actress, at age 9. While these women didn’t go home with a gold Oscar statuette on

Sunday, they will surely be remembered for being record holders (and, of course, amazing actresses for the respected films).

The Academy Awards is my favorite night in television. I love to watch the Red Carpet coverage (the sounds of groans from every girl across campus for Holy Cross cancelling E! News Network can still be heard, if you listen close enough…), judge the dresses, laugh along with the stars as they celebrate of how fabulous they were this year. I realize its politics, its dark side, but I relish it. Especially this year, with a raunchy host and a slew of amazing films nominated, I thought the Academy did a wonderful job.

Here’s to next year!

salute to the losers. It was weird.

- Michelle Obama’s surprise appearance.

- The salute to the James Bond franchise.

- The amount of longhaired blonde men won awards…

4. Amy Adams in Oscar De La Renta

Donatella.”

Katie Bullek, ‘15: “Jessica Chastain looked flawless. Somehow, that nude color didn’t wash her out. Her makeup—the maroon lipstick— and her hair really pulled the entire look together.”

Lawrence in Dior. However, it was not as cool as the fire outfit she wore in The Hunger Games.”

Charlotte Errity, ’15: “Amanda Seyfried in silvery-gray McQueen. I absolutely loved her entire look.”

Katie Degenero, ’14: “Definitely Anne Hathaway—timeless prima ballerina.”

Holy Cross Favorites: What was your favorite look from Sunday night?

Emma Cronin, ‘15: “I thought Jen-

Courtesy of Google Images

Worst Dressed: 1. Helen Hunt chose to wear a blue H&M dress... Sorry, but you don’t wear H&M to the Oscars.

2. Renee Zellweger’s gold Carolina Herrera dress that was, unfortunately, unflattering and strange. Sorry, Renee.

3. Melissa McCarthy’s gray David Meister dress was an absolute mess.

Should-have-won: My personal opinion is that Jessica Chastain brought life to Zero Dark Thirty. While I don’t object to Jennifer Lawrence’s stellar performance in Silver Lining’s Playbook, Chastain was the true star of her controversial movie.

I also believe that for Best Director, Steven Spielberg should Courtesy of Emrates 24/7 have won for directing Lincoln.

Jennifer Lawrence trips up the stairs to recieve her Best Actress Oscar.

Thanks for watching, Crunifer Lawrence looked really ele- Julia Midland, ‘14: “Charlize saders! If you missed the show this Best Dressed: gant, and I thought it was really Theron’s look, because it was sim- year, be sure to tune in for the 86th 1. Jennifer Lawrence in Dior fitting that she was wearing Dior ply and stiff. She has that gorgeous Academy Awards next February.

2. Amanda Seyfried in Alexander considering she’s the new face of new haircut, too.”

Let the countdown and dress specMcQueen Dior.” tulation begin... now!

3. Jessica Chastain in Giorgio Ar- Catherine Broadbent, ‘13: “Halle Features Editor’s Picks: mani Berry’s custom made Versace by Alannah Heffernan, ’14: “Jennifer

FEATURES

The Cr usader

That Escalated Quickly: Internet Absurdity Emma Pcolinski Rising Crusader Star It is indisputable that the invention and influence of the Internet defines not only our generation, but each future generation as well. It is now an essential and invaluable tool because of the instant information from international news sources as well as academic journals, ability to connect with those who are far, the possibility to create a refined self-identity through various social media. It helped facilitate protests and empowers the youth. It promotes and protects free speech. It can be a tool used for absolute good (as well as bad) and a way to simplify and daily life.

But the strangest, and I will argue the best, aspect of the Internet is its complete absurdity. Think about it: when was the last time you audibly laughed at something that actually made sense?

And haven’t you ever been frustrated by a friend who “just doesn’t get it?”

There’s nothing “to get!” Classic videos such as “Keyboard Cat,” “Charlie the Unicorn,” “Hamster on a Piano,” and more recently “The Harlem Shake” are amusing simply because they are. There really is no reason or magic formula to the Ermagerd meme’s popularity or the sheer hilarity of the Wolfpupy twitter account. The Internet is simply the manifestation and medium for this new brand of funny.

Every generation has its sense of humor. The Lost Generation couldn’t help but laugh at witticisms that only in-

tellectuals could really understand. The Beats loved anything vulgar and irreverent, preferably insulting at least half the room. And we cannot help but to adore the senseless. People can try to justify it, can connect it to political events or past Internet sensations, or even write it off as babble, but those people are major buzzkills. We say, stop thinking and start laughing. Why ask questions when a cat is wearing a sweater? Or a goat is screaming like a human?

We laugh at nonsense because we must.

Our world has ceased to makes sense.

This humor of absurdity is both a means of mocking and coping with the world in which we live. All of the tragedies aired on the nightly news rarely come with reason, and the justifications given are merely speculation. Many of the most important questions of our generation do not come with fast and easy answers. In fact, many would argue that some come with no answers at all.

Because of this, the Internet and its nonsense are both a fantasy, an escape mechanism, as well as a tool to speak the language of the actual happenings of the world.

It may not make sense. And it may only be funny when you turn your brain off.

But it is our generation, and we’re going to have to explain the hilarity of cat gifs to our kids someday. We should own it.

Brand it as a postmodern struggle to comprehend an incomprehensible world rather than worthless nonsense.

T.G.I.F – Happy Spring Break at last! As you shuttle off to airports and caravan back to Connecticut, all eager to depart for your desired destinations, take a second to read my Spring Break Staples List; a compilation of all your travel essentials. My Staples List covers territories you may have overlooked while packing. Bikinis and boardshorts are expected, but have you remembered to pack everything else? Be it by plane or by boat, may my list grant you a leisurely travel! § Sunnies Sunglasses are a necessity. Be it sun bathing by the Riviera or boating by the Everglades, sunglasses are a cute way to protect against wrinkles and accessorize the simplest of bathing suits. Sunnies are like shoes, you can never pack too many pairs! § Camera With the precision of Iphone’s and easy upload technology, hand held cameras are often overlooked. However, if you want to capture the beauty of white sand beaches or nightlife galore, I recommend something trustworthier than your 4s. Get artsy with your bad self! § White Pants At last you may wear your white pants without the awkward glance! Male or female, break out your wrinkled chinos and pack them into your suitcase with pride! Cuff your white pants and be sure to pair them with some serious color! § Hat

Julia Midland A Girl I hate when people talk about TV. Seriously people, stop doing it. But I will make an exception for one little show that I obsess over just as much as I obsess over Inhouse Coffee and Main Reading Room tables in Dinand (sidebar: people, leave them open for the big girls, please). Meet Lena Dunham. Just a year ago, she was a stringy-haired aspiring writer freshly cranked out of a small liberal arts college (sound familiar yet?). But, then entered GIRLS, her HBO show that as an overwhelming overnight success, snagged her a slew of big awards, and a Rolling Stone cover hot off the presses. Dunham is rewriting the book of what it means to be a 20 something, and that’s the truth. Sure, most girls on this campus don’t wear ill-fitting rompers or have a mural of fairy tale illustrations across their back, but Dunham and her characters are undeniably relatable. Let’s digress (and if you haven’t seen the show, put down this paper, go do it, and then get back to me because you just won’t understand).

Although annoying to pack, hats make every beach day outfit a tiny bit cuter. From baseball caps to wide brimmed straws, hats pull back beachy waves and protect the face from the suns awful rays. A sun burnt body is never the end of the world, but a sun burnt face, better luck next year! § Moroccan Oil Shout out to the girls – humidity hurts hair.

Don’t let your fly-aways ruin your summerlike-days! Be sure to pack a frizz tamer so that your natural hair may be a little less natural. Moroccan Oil makes travel sized bottle- stock up! § Something Floral Be it a Lilly Pulitzer dress or a Tommy Bahama tank, when your hibernating in a warm climate, its nearly illegal not to wear bright patterned apparel. Personally I prefer wearing Lilly oxfords en route to the pool!

So whether your week brings you daiquiris and drama or the elderly and the everglades, may your skin soak up the sun and your mind absorb absolutely nothing, for it is time for some outright rest and relaxation.

Pack light and pack pretty. Never forget a sweater for sundown dinners. Always bring your worn in Rainbows. Pack your nail polish for touch ups. And never overlook the essentiality of a long maxi dress. Happy spring break to all! To those of you stuck in chilly suburbia, I am ever so sorry!

Until we all return a much darker shade, Your Fashion Fairy Godmother, Katie E. DeGennaro Safe flight! xo

11

Let’s Hear it for the GIRLS

Helpful Hints for the Hopeful Spring Breaker Katie DeGennero Features Co-Editor Fashion Guru

March 1, 2013

Lena Dunham’s character, Hana, is a dumpling-like, oblivious dreamer. She simply wants to feel it all and will show you everything until she does so.

She is played by the writer and creator of the show so she is undeniably played to a t. Next is Marnie, I would argue there are a lot of Marnies at this school, so listen up! She is driven, has good hair, doesn’t need no man, and wants to run the show… always. I’m still warming up to Marnie because she’s so freaking skinny though.

Shoshanna is the lackey of the bunch, she’s young, still at NYU. She is wound up so tight it hurts, but is painfully funny to watch. And last is Jessa. My fave. Sorry ladies and gents, dibs on this girl to be my crack spirit guide. She’s the coolest and worldliest, she is like a mermaid but with a better vocabulary for curse words.

And, hopefully I haven’t lost you by now guys, but this is a message to the boys. It’s not just for GIRLS. I’m not saying go watch this with your dad anytime soon. Seriously, don’t.

But, men should be open to Dunham’s world of selfish chaos and funky outfits that encompass a true girl. Some have

equated this as a 20-something Sex and the City, which I can see; great clothes, great music, New York, and a lot of sex.

But, I would say that (especially in this season) we see extremely complex characters that anyone can relate to in this existential crisis we call life. And don’t think you can escape; the Girls are slowly coming to Holy Cross. Professor Theresa McBride tactfully cited Dunham at this year’s Aptissimi Leadership conference in her keynote speech (props Professor McBride!) and there are more mumblings around campus about the show every week.

Every girl (and boy) at this school needs to know that sometimes it’s fine to dance on your own a little bit, and that everyone has baggage, and GIRLS helps us come to grips with that (or just gives us guy characters to love-hate and parties to salivate over). But, you be the judge and check it out next Sunday because when you love somebody you don’t have to be nice all the time.

Ask Alannah Alannah Heffernan Chief Features Editor Dear Alannah, I am freshman currently living in Hanselman. I have had a really great year with my roommate and figured that we would just live together next year. Since we got back from break I have noticed a growing distance with her.

She keeps blowing me off for our regular Tuesday night cookie date at Cool Beans.

She recently started “going out” and that was something that she never did last semester. She even sexiled me on a Tuesday night! She is changing so quickly and I don’t know who to room with. I want this all to work out between us but I feel like she doesn’t want to room with me. All my other friends are set on their roommates and I don’t know who to ask... hence I am asking you. What do I do?

Sincerely, Homeless in Hanselman Dear Homeless in Hanselman, Let me reassure you that you are not alone. No matter the class year, finding a roommate or three of them can be a challenge. Follow these easy steps and your

mind will be at ease.

1. Communicate with your current roommate. It sounds like you need to sit down and chat about both of your plans for next year. By having “the talk” you will know for sure if you are living with her or if you need to find someone else. If she says no, look to the following steps…

2. Start asking around.

While you may think everyone has a roommate odds are they don’t. Speaking as a former freshman and former first year RA, I guarantee there will be some type of drama between people on your hall between now and housing selection. Get your name out there and make it known to every other freshman you know that you are a free agent.

3. Mix and Mingle. Residence Life and Housing every year host a meet and greet for people looking for a roommate. Many people are scared to admit that they don’t have a roommate and are hesitant to go. However, you should GO!!! You are not alone and who knows you might find your BFFL. 4. Look in ResLife. Be-

sides the Mix and Mingle, there is usually a bulletin board in Residence Life and Housing Office. On the board are lists of people looking for a roommate.

Check your email for when this list is compiled.

5. Wing it. If you follow all these steps and don’t have a roommate it is not the end of the world. Go in without a roommate and you have a chance of getting a single until they find someone.

Just remember, not having a roommate is not the end of the world. I along with countless other Holy Crossers have been in your position and it has all worked out for the better. Even if you get placed with a crazy, look on the bright side you will have great stories to tell your kids one day and this will provide you with some great character building.

Ask anytime, -A

Need advice?

Submit it anonymously to my new tumblr: http://askalannah.tumblr.com/

12

FEATURES

The Cr usader

March 1, 2013

The Eg g plant The Crusader’s Satirical Page Student Worker Forgets to Clock Public Safety Officer Tickets out: Receives 2 million dollar paycheck from the school Zach Lanning Chief Egg-itor

Bobby Keilig St-Egg-asuarus Contributor COLORADO--An alumnus of the Class of 1985 has received a paycheck totaling over two million dollars this past Thursday, alumni services reported. Sources report Ann Walkerson, who has not set foot within a one thousand mile radius of Holy Cross since she graduated over two decades ago, was pleasantly surprised with the lump sum of cash when she discovered a letter from Human Resources in her Lark Bunting bird patterned mailbox.

It appears that the cash transfer was no glitch, but instead the result of Walkerson having forgotten to punch out at the end of her assistant librarian work study position in Dinand Library. Her mistake then went unnoticed until now, when a sophomore who remarkably shared the same name, Ann Walkerson, swiped out at the end of her shift.

Incidentally, the alumnus Ann Walkerson shares no blood relation with the currently-

enrolled Ann Walkerson Member of the Class of '85, Ann Walkerson, not only forgot to clock out, but by pure happenstance managed to do so on her last day of work during the last semester of her schooling. Consequently, she was still signed into work when she went to receive her diploma, worked for ten years as a marketing analyst, and then settled in Basalt, Colorado with her husband and three children.

Earning approximately eight dollars an hour every single day from 1985, Walkerson's total compensation equates to a whopping 2 million dollars, which she plans to spend on a swing set and expanded nursery for her three little offspring.

Holy Cross has yet to indicate whether or not it will challenge the paycheck, although such a move can be viewed as unlikely. With the recent donation of 25 million dollars to the school, an endowment of $665 million, and an expected 2013-2014 tuition exceeding $56,000, many believe Walkerson's good fortune has gone completely unnoticed.

Pope Retires, Joins Barkley and O’Neil on TNT Brendan P. Higgins M-Egg-nanimous Contributor Pope Benedict XVI recently announced that he would be retiring from the Papacy this Thursday the 28th of February amidst some controversy: “I know a lot of Catholics wanted me to play out the liturgical year, and were confused as to why I didn’t retire at the end of the last liturgical year a couple months back, and I’m sorry for the trouble I may have caused.”

Benedict reflected at an EWTN press conference. “I thought that I could give the Church my all for another season, but the road games just took the life out of me and I just didn’t think I was the teams best option anymore, so I’m stepping down. I know I may be criticized for leaving in the middle of what seems like it will be a big Liturgical Year for our squad, but I just don’t have it in me. I’d really like to thank all my fans and followers for the great run I’ve had, and especially wanna thank the big man upstairs. He’s the reason for it all after all.”

Many analysts of the Catholic Priesthood have been speculating whether or not Benedict would be up for Sainthood after he passes, due to the substantial influence he had over Catholic life during his career. “Yeah, I know half of the media questions have been whether or not I’ll make the Hall of Fame,” Benedict laughed, “I mean, I feel like I have the stats.

25,000,000 excommunications, 500,000,000 conversions into the faith, nobody has pulled numbers like that since the middle ages. But I mean its like I’m following Jordan with John Paul II being the guy in front of me, he’s a shoo-in. In the end, it would be a really nice thing to cap off my career, but it’s not the most important thing to me. Jesus is.”

Benedict also faced several questions about what he would be doing after he retired. Benedict is the first Pope to resign from the position since Gregory XII, and many speculated whether or not he would stay involved with the Church or guide the new Pope as he takes over.

“Oh yeah, almost all of those Cardinals have texted me or DM’d [Direct Messaged] me on twitter about what its like being the guy in the big hat and I’ve been doing absolutely everything I can to help the guys out. It’ll be interesting to see who gets the seat, all of the guys up for it are solid dudes, each one would bring a lot to the table for the Church, it’ll be real interesting to see who gets it, any of them would do a great job.”

Benedict also faced questions on what job he might be taking up after leaving the Papacy, if any. Many speculated that he might try his hand at coaching or managing a parish; many also thought that he might just ride off into the sunset and stay quiet for the rest of his time, doing guest appearances here and there. “Yeah I thought about just moving out somewhere warm and hanging out for the rest of my days, but I really love Jesus too much to stay too far away from the Church for too long.” Benedict said of the decision. ”Were in the process of hammering out the details now so nothing is official, but if all goes according to plan I’ll be joining Fr. O’Neil and Brother Barkley announcing on TNT starting up next liturgical year.”

Most were shocked by the decision to join TNT’s squad when EWTN made it very known that they wanted Benedict to join their network. Benedict said of his decision, “Yeah, the guys at EWTN all seemed great, they clearly loved the Church and were really passionate about it but I just wasn’t getting the right workplace vibe from them. O’Neil and Barkley can be a bit raunchy at times but they just seem like they’re having such a great time on set. I had to take a lesser package but I prayed on it, and it just felt right.” When asked about what he would do till the beginning of the next liturgical year Benedict said he would be spending a good amount of time relaxing, saying masses at the Bermuda Cathedral, and taking some much needed time off.

It was quite a scene this past weekend when hundreds of unsuspecting Holy Cross students received multiple parking tickets for various offences. Whether the tickets were given for a valid reason, or for parking next to a reserved spot in a completely legal one, or even being so bold as to use the last three floors of the parking garage, which ARE COMEPLETELY EMPTY on the weekends instead of letting their cars get covered in snow, the student reaction remained the same: “This sucks, man.”

As Randomstoned Hippie-Kidd so eloquently put it, it did indeed “suck” for all of the parkers involved: “I was just trying to park, man, you know? But here come the Corporations with all their greed, man, and the government, man, who are just like, infringing on my rights as a human being, dude. I read John Locke, man, I know about the social contract and it says that Man has a right to throw off his chains, you know? So, like, that’s what I’m gonna do…can I borrow, like, 20 bucks?”

Perhaps the most intriguing story from this weekend’s parking ticket-palooza is the one of Public Safety Officer Sgt. Phil Draconian. Sgt. Draconian is in charge of parking enforcement in the student lot and he takes his job very seriously: “Do you know what happens if you let people just park wherever they want? You get a society that’s going to crumble into ruin, that’s what. Death, pestilence, disease, larceny, rampant sexual harassment, prostitution, line-jumpers, old-lady beaters, double-dippers, even surreptitious

nose pickers. I’M THE THIN BLUE LINE THAT STANDS BETWEEN ORDER AND DISORDER. I WILL NOT FAIL IN MY DUTY!” Draconian screamed as he raised his ticket pad toward the heavens and showered my now week-old Abercrombie cardigan with fresh globs of spittle.

But in his avid quest to rid the world of renegade motorists and parking ne’er do wells he accidentally committed an act that has caused him a lot of trouble this past week: “I started getting into what we in the business like to call a ‘ticket frenzy.’ I was slamming cars with tickets left and right, upholding the moral order all over the place, and I got a little carried away. I blacked out for approximately ten minutes, and when I came to I saw it. I had ticketed my own cruiser.”

Yes, in his elevated state of butt-kicking justice Sgt. Draconian had written himself 15 tickets for multiple offences, including parking in the student lot without a permit and possession of an unauthorized Hootie and the Blowfish CD, coming out to a total of around $5 million: “Yea, I had forgotten I had that ‘Hootie’ album in there,” stated Sgt. Draconian, “It’s Fairweather Johnson…went triple platinum in ’96 I think.

Hell of an album…probably some of their best stuff. Anyway, I’m gonna appeal the tickets and I think I should get off, they’ll understand.”

The Office of Public Safety was not as understanding as Sgt. Draconian believed that they would be. They denied his appeal, while also charging him an extra $100,000 for filing some of his appeal paperwork incorrectly. They also kicked him back on campus.

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Sports

Sports

The Crusader

March 1, 2013

13

Holy Cross, Boston, and Beyond

Historic Meet as Women’s Track and Field Places Third at the New England Championships Elizabeth Fullerton Sports Co-Editor After competing in the Patriot League Championships a few weeks ago, Britt Gorski, ’13 said that, “our league is extremely competitive.” The captain was spot on.

Holy Cross placed fifth at the conference championships at West Point two weeks ago. However, in the New England Indoor Track and Field Championships hosted by Boston University February 22 and 23, Holy Cross placed third overall, which represents their highest scoring ever at this meet. Amazing individual and relay performances led the Crusaders to an outstanding third place finish out of 34 teams with a total of 51.33 points.

Strong individual performances led the Crusaders to this huge overall team accomplishment. Stephanie Okpoebo, ‘14 tied her school record in the 60 meter dash with a time of 7.60 seconds, placing third.

Okpoebo also placed second in the 200 meter dash with a time of 24.59 seconds. In the long sprints, Oona Wood, ‘16 placed seventh in the 500 meter run, with a time of 1:16.06.

In the qualifying rounds, Wood set a personal best time of 1:15.54. In the field events, after breaking the school record last week in the pole vault, Mackenzie Arndt, ‘15 performed well again, placing second overall with a height of 3.7 meters.

Numerous season best performances took place over the weekend for the Crusaders. Britt Gorki became the New England 800 meter champion with her career best time of 2:10.65. Other strong middle distance performances took place in the 1000 meter run. Caroline Carley ’16 ran a season best time of 2:55.22, good enough for third place in her debut at the New England Championships. Teammate Kathleen Brekka, ‘13 also ran well, placing fifth in 2:58.89. “Everyone put themselves out there- from

competitors to supporters,” said Brekka. “We were able to carry the energy we brought and received at Army to BU.” In the pentathlon, Sarah Dahlstrom, ‘15 scored 3,143

Courtesy of Goholycross.com

Stephanie Okpoebo, ‘14 tied her school record in the 60 meter dash at the New England Championships.

points, a season best, which wasgood enough for eighth place. As Sarah lined up to run the 800 meter run, one of the events

in the pentathlon, teammates cheered her on. “No matter how hard we’ve trained or how ready we are for our events,” says Dahlstrom, “there’s something about the little push you get from such loud and excited teammates. I’m so proud of everyone for working so hard all season and giving it all they had at this meet.”

In the distance events, Emily Hughes, ‘14 ran a personal best time of 10:09.6 in the 3000 meter run, improving her previous personal best time by over eight seconds. Sandra van den Heuvel, ’14 finished the 5000 meter run with a time of 18:09.22, a season best for her. “For some of us, it was our last meet-and it was good to see the season end on such a high note,” said van den Heuval. “Especially considering our finish at New England’s, this season has been truly historical for HC track and field.”

In the relay events, Holy Cross performed strong in both the 4x400

meter relay and the 4x800 meter relay, with season best times in both events. Payton Shubrick ’15, Fiorella Johnson, ‘15, Oona Wood, ‘16 and Victoria Engvold, ‘16 took part in the 4x400 meter relay, running an impressive 3:57.96. “I’m really happy how the team did overall,” Shubrick said. “It was a huge accomplishment and one of the strongest indoor seasons we’ve had.” Gorski, Brekka, Carley and Sarah Meinelt, ‘13 placed second in the 4x800 meter relay, with a season best time of 9:04.82.

The handful of Crusaders that qualified for the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships will compete in the three day meet March 1 through March 3. “For the girls still running,” van den Heuval said, “I hope the competition at ECAC’s is prepared.”

Women’s Basketball Prepares for Patriot League Tourney Peter Zona Staff Writer It has been another successful week for the Holy Cross Crusaders’ Women’s Basketball team. After starting off 1-4 in Patriot League play, head coach Bill Gibbons has found a way to motivate his team as they have now won 6 of their last 7 matchups. Last week, the Crusaders fought two tough battles against the Lafayette Leopards and the Bucknell Bison to climb up into sole possession of third place in the Patriot League standings while nearly clinching the highly coveted first round playoff home game.

On Wednesday, February 20, the Crusaders traveled to Easton, Pennsylvania to take on the Lafayette Leopards. Senior forward and cocaptain Amy Lepley led the team with a game-high 23 points to go along with 6 rebounds to come

away with the victory. It was a vantages in rebounds (39-38) and much needed win as the Crusaders assists (17-16). led the Leopards by only one game in the Patriot League prior to the start of the contest.

Lafayette fought tough right up to the final buzzer, but Holy Cross prevailed by a score of 69-58 after leading for the entire game by as many as 17 points.

In addition to Lepley’s outstanding performance, junior guards Brisje Malone and Alex Smith contributed some solid minutes of play. Malone scored 15 points to accompany her gamehigh eight assists while Smith accounted for 13 points and six rebounds. Sophomore forward Courtesy of Goholycross.com Emily Parker led the squad with Freshman Molly Hourigan will get the nine rebounds. As a team, the start Wednesday night.

Crusaders held advantages over the Leopards in points in the paint (34Three days later, Holy Cross 24), points off turnovers (14-11), hosted the hated rival Bucknell fast break points (8-0), and blocks Bison. Seeking revenge for a tough (5-0) as well as small, but critical ad- three-point loss in late January, the

Crusaders got out to a quick start and never looked back. Head coach Bill Gibbons displayed a lot of class by starting all three of the team’s seniors on Senior Day. Kaitlin Cole, Amy Lepley, and Alexis Nicholas have all contributed a great deal to the team over the past four years. For the second consecutive game, Holy Cross did not trail and led by as many as 21 points before settling in to a final score of 57-49.

On the day set aside for the seniors, it was freshman center Molly Hourigan who had the biggest day. She led the team with 16 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks. Brisje Malone recorded her second career double-double by recording 11 points and 10 assists. Alex Smith was another major contributor with a 14-point effort. Holy Cross once again held advantages in numerous statistical categories defeating Bucknell in

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points in the paint (38-20), points off turnovers (19-12), fast break points (20-4), bench points (21-5), assists (20-9), blocks (4-3), and second chance points (7-6).

With these two wins, Holy Cross now has an overall record of 15-12 and 7-5 in the Patriot League, three games back of Navy for first-place.

Additionally, the team has the best scoring offense in the league with 61.2 points per game. With the final regular season matchup at Colgate right around the corner, the Crusaders will likely host a home playoff game on Thursday, March 7. While this game falls over Spring Break, anyone that is staying on campus or is in the area should attempt to be there as the team looks to make its 13th appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

14

SPORTS

The Crusader

March 1, 2013

Men’s Hockey Update Ariana Tuccelli Staff Writer As the regular season is quickly coming to a close, the men’s hockey team has achieved a respectable record above .500. The Crusaders’ overall current record of 17-12-3 lands them at the number three spot in the Atlantic Hockey Association (AIC) following no. 1 Niagara and no. 2 Air Force.

After a solid weekend of competition versus AIC, Holy Cross conquered the worthy opponent with a tie on Friday night and a victory on Saturday night.

In addition, the Crusaders have defeated Sacred Heart this Monday evening which was a pivotal victory. This critical win allowed Holy Cross to surpass UConn who held the no. 3 position prior to Monday’s game. These strong performances should presumably provide the impetus needed for success this upcoming weekend to finish out the regular season.

In respect to the Sacred Heart match, Holy Cross seems to have all the momentum. They have reached the point where they must continue to progress in preparation for the post-season. But before considering the tournament, the focus is on their pair of games versus Army. Though Army is no. 10 in the conference, this team cannot be taken lightly.

The last matchup between the two teams resulted in a major loss for Holy Cross, being outscored 7-2. Hopefully the Crusaders find what they need to overcome

this Army team.

Lately, I have been truly impressed with Holy Cross’ freshmen players. They seem to be a driving force on the squad and have shown progression over the course of the season.

More often than not, only a few freshmen, if any at all, have an immediate impact on a collegiate team.

Usually upperclassmen are primarily relied upon to propel the team forward while the freshmen need more than a season to become acclimated to the quicker pace and higher skill levels of college play in comparison to high-school play.

However, these freshmen have changed my perspective. In the first 9 games of the season, there were not any freshmen included in the starting line-ups and their collective playing time seemed to be limited.

Through the middle of the season, the freshmen involvement increased.

Three first-years intermittently entered the starting line-ups including Sommer, J. McNamara, and Beckman and have been major presences on the ice during this final stretch of the regular season.

These freshmen, along with several other first-years, have been able to greatly contribute to offensive success for the Crusaders.

Top 5 of Spring Training Tyler Scionti Co-Sports Editor In case you haven’t noticed (and I don’t blame you if you haven’t) the Boston Red Sox Spring Training camp is underway, and they have been playing games since this past Saturday. Not much has happened as of yet because, well, it’s Spring Training; that said I do have a top five list of highlights from the past few weeks, and key players to keep an eye on as the spring continues. The Sox have a lot to prove this year, and so far they are off to a great start.

Number 1: To top off our list is the fact that John Farrell is not Bobby Valentine. Many may remember Valentine’s antics during last spring: his preparing for the tour de France, his insistence on always bunting, his yelling at Mike Aviles… The list could go on for hours. Farrell has taken a very different approach though; he has a no-nonsense attitude that commands respect while making the players feel about ease. He’s not on the field pitching so why make it about him? Farrell is dedicated to getting the Sox in shape and ready to play in the 2013 season, it sure is

good to have him back.

Number 2: You know who else is good to have back? Pedro Martinez. No Pedro is not making a comeback, but he is working with the Sox as a special coach and pitching instructor. Martinez has been very active so far in camp watching bullpen sessions and having some one-onone conversations with the pitching staff. Pedro has been assigned to work with Doubront, the promising young lefty, to help him further his career and mature as a pitcher. Pedro may not be back on the mound firing fastballs and tossing that magical changeup of his, but it sure is good to have him back.

good work on the effort. It will be tough to convince the fans in Boston that he is worthy of cheers rather than boos, but given time I think he’ll prove himself to be a valuable addition to the rotation.

who want to take it up a notch, Jose Iglesias wants to prove that he has earned the starting job over Stephen Drew. “Iggy” showed up to camp about 10 lbs. heavier haVing worked out hard over the winter to gain some muscle mass to add some more pop in his bat. He certainly seemed to have made the proper adjustments, he has looked great so far in BP and managed to launch a rocket over the faux Green Monster in his first at bat of Spring Training.

Number 5: Last on our list: the new kids are all right.

Newcomers David Ross, Jonny Gomes, Stephen Drew, and Shane Victorino all have made a big impression on the media thus far.

Number 3: John Lackey lost Gomes and Ross suited up 20 pounds over the winter getlike a pair of regular hicks ting in shape for the season. and went “gator hunting” the Lackey showed up looking other week, while Victorino more like Buchholz than the seems to have a permanent Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia.org chicken and beer ringleader we smile wherever he goes. Drew last saw in 2011. Lackey is a Jose Iglesias hopes to prove that he has continues to remind us how what it takes to be the starting shortfierce competitor and you can different he is than his brother stop in 2013. bet that he set out this offseaJ.D. which shows he’ll fit in son to get ready for a season just fine. Nothing of news and prove something to the Fenconcerning funny-man Ryan way faithful. I say good luck and Number 4: Speaking of players Dempster, but that could just be

because he’s working on a Joe Castiglione impression for the fans.

Dishonorable mentions: Ortiz who injured his Achilles tendon last August has had a slow recovery and will take a while to get better after his injury. The official report has him taking BP with the team but he is not yet cleared to run the bases just yet. Relief pitcher Craig Breslow was experiencing shoulder pain early in Spring Training and has yet to be fully relieved of his symptoms. A recent MRI showed that the inflammation went down but he has not gotten back to a throwing program. Lastly, as good as this team is in terms of depth (they have three backup first basemen) they still need a backup third basemen. Middlebrooks is a solid player, but chances are he won’t play every 162 games this season, the problem is that the only backup the Sox have is Pedro Ciriaco who also plays short, second, and outfield.

That’s it for Spring Training updates, we’ll keep you posted throughout the remainder of the winter!

SPORTS

The Crusader

March 1, 2013

15

16

SPORTS

The Crusader

March 1, 2013

Purple Pennings With Andrew Fanikos

A Few Thoughts Before Break Thank the lord spring has almost sprung. Nicer weather, outdoor activities, and the resumption of activity on the Hoval will great us all upon our return from spring break.

More importantly, however, with the encroachment of warmer weather, spring sports will be in full swing, as Holy Cross and other local teams make their way up north from far warmer climes!

WOOOOOOOOOO!!! No longer will our loyal legions of purple people eaters need to endure the sad display of sportsmanship which has so far characterized the winter sports season. After an underwhelming winter sports season, we might once again find reason to cheer!

Starting off fast, the men’s ice hockey team has cooled since January, struggling to gain any momentum. Going 7-8-1 over their last sixteen after a 9-4-2 start, the team has underperformed. Exchanging wins with loses, jockeying to maintain a position in the top four of the Atlantic Hockey Conference, the team’s Jekyll and Hyde performance could not come at a worse time, with the Atlantic Hockey Conference Tournament looming. The Crusaders, who have entered the tournament hot the past two seasons, have been able to ride their momentum deep into the tournament. With the loss to last place Sacred Heart University last Monday, hopefully the team has reached its low point and will be able to regroup before the final three games of the season, three games which should all be wins, given that the team is playing Sacred Heart once and Army twice.

While the team’s struggles are far from surprising, given the team’s youth, this squad is far too talented not too make a deep run in the Atlantic Hockey Tournament and possibly beyond if they can play with the consistency they displayed earlier this season.

Wrapping up their season this past weekend, the women’s ice hockey team enjoyed yet another successful campaign in the ECAC under the guidance of Head Coach Peter Van Buskirk. Finishing with an overall record of 16-6-5, and a 9-4-5 record in the conference, the Lady Crusaders thankfully gave many Holy Cross fans something to cheer about during the Winter Session. Advancing to the conference title game, the Crusaders lost a thriller to ECAC champion, St. Anselm, by a score of 4-3, forcing

the Hawks to the brink, with the game decided in overtime. A relatively young team, expect the women’s ice hockey team to chal

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Once again, the Holy Cross women’s ice hockey team had much to celebrate. Finishing second in the ECAC Open Tourney, the team hopes to build open its ‘s success and challenge next year.

-lenge for the ECAC Open Title yet again next season, and with any luck, for many seasons to come.

Likewise, the women’s basketball team has been playing strong in the final weeks of its season, gearing up for another run at the Patriot League Title and chance to dance in March. Currently sitting at 15-12 with a 7-5 record, good for third place in the Patriot League, the team has been led all season by junior captain Alex Smith and Senior Captain Amy Lepley. With two regular season games left, the Crusaders could possibly slip into the Patriot League Tournament as the number two seed if they are able to win out and get a little help from their friends, which could significantly improve the team’s chances of making a deep run in the Tournament, by holding off a potential match-up with Navy as long as possible, a team which has been Kryptonite to the Crusaders this year. Either way, as staff writer Peter Zona so eloquently put it, “It’s Clobberin’ Time!”

Following the conclusion of an out-of-conference schedule which featured squads from the Big East, ACC, and Ivy League, the team sat at a respectable 8-7. Although the losses of Mike Cavataio, R.J. Evans, Devin Brown, and Charlie Mills to graduation were obviously felt during the early weeks of the season,

the team had appeared to regroup and establish a new identity, and just in time too, with the start of Patriot League play looming. By all estimations, the team was rounding into form and would challenge once again for a top four finish in the conference. Since then the wheels have fallen off. Looking like the Washington Generals, the men’s basketball team has struggled to compete since the start of Patriot League play. Similar to Monopoly in which players collect money by passing go, Patriot League teams collect wins simply through passing through the Hart Center, as the team quickly became mired in a five game losing streak, falling far behind in the league standings. The rest is pretty much history, as the Crusaders have gone 3-9 over its last 12. The team’s play is uninspired, painful to watch, and upsets this writer as much Flaky Herbed Chicken.

While I remind my readers that finger-pointing is rude and should ALWAYS be refrained from, with an ample supply of blame to go around, this is less easily said than done, especially in the midst of a season which has featured multiple drubbings, including one at home to a mediocre Army team which was, to put it ever so tenderly, inexcusable. At this point it is clear that the team has not played great, however; perhaps there is something going on that is far more debilitat

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Bombs Away? The trigger-happy ways of the men’s basketball team has left it tied for the 275th worst field goal shooting percentage in the country, and in second to last place in the Patrot League.

ing, specifically the team’s style of play.

Currently, the active roster features nine players who stand 6’5” or taller. Although not the tallest team in the conference, the team is

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Senior Stephen Wadsworth hopes to help the baseball team return some hardware to the hill this spring, after the team was selected to finish first in the Patriot League.

far from vertically challenged and should be able to bang bodies with the best of them in the post. Despite this, the team favors the “chuck it up and hope for the best” offensive method, living and dying by the trey. Unfortunately, this team has mostly died from the three, shooting a mediocre .337 from behind the arc, averaging nearly nineteen three point shots every game, making less than seven of these shots every game. According to statistics tallied by Espn.com, the team currently sits at number 182 out of 347 NCAA Division I schools in terms of its three point percentage. Perhaps even more alarming, Espn.com reports that the team currently sits at number 275th out of 347 NCAA Division I teams of its field goal percentage. Simply put, this team cannot shoot to save their lives or their season. Despite the team’s shooting woes, Coach Brown insists upon a style of play which predominately relies upon the long ball and the finesse play of big men which is a Patriot League no-no. If there is any hope for this season, this team needs to drop the trey and own the glass. While the Patriot League isn’t very good, the Crusaders are worse. If the stars align, it is once again looking like a first round Patriot League exit against Lafayette University for the Crusaders.

Luckily, spring breathes new life into the athletic programs here on the hill. As bad as the men’s basketball team may be, the baseball team may be that good, picked as the pre-season favorite to win the Patriot League. Following a season which saw the Saders finish second in the league behind the Black Knights of Army, the team is poised to return to the College World Series for the first time since the Jurassic Era, when Ron Perry famously rode his Brontosaurus around the base-paths. On a serious note, the team’s recent play, under Head Coach Greg DiCenzo, is no laughing matter. In his first five years on the bench, DiCenzo has taken the team from the bottom to the top. Under the bench boss, Holy Cross has enjoyed a baseball renaissance, as it enjoyed its first winning season in twenty years, during the 2011 season, and recorded its most wins (33) in the programs history during the 2012 season. With a team which features nine players who landed on College Sports Madness’s preseason team, the talent is there. Although the team has so far opened up its season with a 1-3 mark, it has played top flight talent competitively and will do so all season long.

Perhaps not as heavily favored going into their respective season, the softball team will look to improve upon last season, building off of the efforts of senior captain Sam Fregenti, junior captain Alex Gustafson, and junior Julia Barrett, all three of who were selected to the pre-season All Patriot League Team. The men’s and women’s lacrosse teams should challenge within the Patriot League as well, with both teams beginning the season at or above five hundred.

While the lacrosse teams dangle, the track and field and crew squads will move fast, faster than a Cheetah with XFINITY. In closing, the winter is almost over. While we wait for our winter teams to play out their respective schedules and challenge in the postseason, we have so much to look forward too. Forsooth, spring has once again sprung.