Holiday celebrations begin pg. 3
BUDGET UNVEILED
Scholars raise money for Haiyan victims pg. 3
Public Safety addresses StormCard fees pg. 5
FUNDS INCREASE, ALLOCATIONS CHANGE PG. 4-5 STAFF EDITORIAL PG. 6 TORCH PHOTO/KYLE FITZGERALD
Photos of the Week
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Managing Board XCI
Directory
Kieran Lynch, Editor-in-Chief
Mitchell Petit-Frere, Managing Editor Shannon Luibrand Samantha albanese Features Editor Entertainment Editor Natalie Hallak Diana Colapietro Chief Copy Editor Photo Editor jim baumbach Kyle Fitzgerald Advisor Online Editor Jenny Chen Angelica King Asst. Chief Copy Editor Advertising Manager
Christopher Brito News Editor Jon Perez Sports Editor diamond watts-walker Art Director
Advertising (718)-9906756 Business 990-6756 Editorial Board 990-6444
Features 990-6445 News 990-6444 Opinion 990-6445 Sports 990-6444
Rosanna Chiu Advertising Manager
Lifestyle Musicans raise more than $2,000 in charity show Jason Lapin Band throws a performance to send ill child to Camp Sunshine.
Lifestyle Pg. 9 Entertainment “PYD” album review The Torch reviews Justin Bieber’s new album, “PYD.”
Lifestyle Pg. 10
Sports St. John’s leaves Barclays Classic 1-1 St. John’s split last weekend’s games against Penn State, Georgia Tech.
Sports Pg. 14
ILLUSTRATOR’S CORNER | OPINION PG. 6
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PHOTO/FACIA CLASS
Students ride horse carriages around the Great Lawn Tuesday on the second day of the Winter Carnival.
Think Outside...
News
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SJU glides into Winter Carnival Ice-skating in Bryant Park kicks off string of holiday events for students CASEI LA TOUCHE Contributing Writer With Thanksgiving break coming to an end, the holiday season arrives in full swing at the University with the opening of the 23rd annual Winter Carnival. The week-long spread of festival activities began on Dec. 2 with the ice-skating trip to Bryant Park run by Student Government, Inc. Elizabeth Sheehan, president of SGI, said that the ice-skating trip was a chance for students to experience metropolitan life in an iconic setting such as Bryant Park. “Ice-skating is one of those things that’s a typical holiday experience,” Sheehan said. “Some students have never had the chance before.” By reserving a spot at the Campus
Concierge, starting from Nov. 26, students were granted VIP late night skating access at the popular rink;,including immediate access to the park. With finals right around the corner, SGI saw it fit to give the students the opportunity to step away from any forming stress and enjoy a fun night outdoors. Paige Band, co-chair of Red Storm’s School Spirit Committee, enjoyed the idea of the winter getaway. “It’s fun to hang out and joke around with friends,” she said. The two-hour experience easily became three as all who attended stayed until closing time. “Student Government has a lot of opportunities to offer for St. John’s students,” Sheehan said. “Tonight was a night to enjoy and just have fun.”
TORCH PHOTO/CASEI LA TOUCHE
Students ice-skated Monday in Bryant Park to start off 2013 Winter Carnival.
She further encouraged students to be a part of and enjoy the festivities planned for this holiday season. The remnants of Winter Carnival are as follows: The “Festival of Lights,” which celebrates all religious winter holidays observed by students at the University on Wednesday, Dec. 4. Celebrations continue at DAC After Dark with a chance to decorate holiday cupcakes on Thursday, Dec. 5 and a treat of hot chocolate, baked goods and student performers on Friday, Dec. 6 at Sodano Coffeehouse. Have your dose of holiday cheer on the weekend with “Live, Love, Learn Holiday Treats” at Sodano Coffeehouse, where you can personalize your own snow globe and watch the “25 Days of Christmas” movie series on Sunday Dec. 8 at DAC Org Lounge Room 128. Dec. 10, is the end of the Winter Carnival with Santa’s Workshop at the DAC Org Lounge where students can take their picture with Santa and decorate their own socks, Santa hats and cookies. Students are also invited to celebrate with our students, faculty, staff, alumni, family and friends this year of faith at Mass. The Winter Carnival wraps up with the “New York Christmas Spectacular” on the Great Lawn followed by the Red and White Community Dessert Party in D’Angelo Center. St. John’s asks that all guests attending the “Christmas Spectacular” bring a new, unwrapped toy with them to share the Christmas spirit with those less fortunate. All toys will be donated
Scholars raise money for Haiyan victims
TALIA TIRELLA Staff Writer
As part of the generosity-driven spirit of their program, the Ozanam Scholars presented the third annual OpenMIC Event called “Speak Out!” in order to raise funds for victims of Typhoon Haiyan that devastated the Philippines in early November. The event, which took place on Dec. 2, included singing, dancing and spoken word performances from both Ozanam and non-Ozanam Scholars alike. The group of Ozanam Scholars who put the event together frequently coordinates events like these throughout the semester. Junior Anna Misleh, a sociology major and an Ozanam Scholar, helped to put on the completely student-run event. “Events like this one give the [Ozanam] scholars a chance to make an effort to show and support something that they’re passionate about,” she said. Apart from the performances, the event also featured a bake sale and a raffle. 100 percent of all proceeds from both the bake sale and raffle will go to the charity organization Stop Hunger Now, which will provide aid to those in the Philippines that were affected by the typhoon.
The Stop Hunger Now mission seeks to end hunger during our lifetime by delivering food and other life-saving aid to those who need it the most, by remaining dedicated to a global commitment to mobilize the necessary resources needed. Among the many performances, several cultural groups performed, including Vietnamese Cultural Organization, RAAZ, Chinese Cultural Association and Philippine Americans Reaching Everyone. Their unique performances gave the event the cultural focus that it needed to help remind the audience of the cause they were supporting. Junior Rebecca Kerns, a biology major and an Ozanam Scholar, said, “This event is a great chance to see a lot of different acts from different people and groups that you wouldn’t normally see perform at other events here on campus.” Senior Jason Lapin and his band performed several songs and they were immediately a crowd favorite. A few of their songs can be found on iTunes. “I’m happy with how well it turned out, and happy that we had such a great turnout of people coming to watch,” Misleh said.
Torch
Briefs
COMPILED BY ALEXA VAGELATOS
Fashion for Relief on Thursday On Dec. 5, Fashion For Relief, an organization which works towards raising money for relief efforts, will be working with the Entrepreneurial Society and various other student organizations in bringing a fashion show to generate funds towards the destructive storm that hit the Central Philippines on Nov. 8, 2013. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the show is expected to run from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. in Marillac Auditorium. Opening remarks are expected to be made by members of the Entrepreneurial Society, along with a video clip created by members of P.A.R.E. which will highlight the relief effort. The show will then be broken up into four creative segments in which different themes, such as “Corporate Swag” and “Campus Trends,” will be demonstrated. The SJU student fee is $5 and non-student is $7. All proceeds of this event, from ticket sales to marketing efforts, will go to the Philippine Red Cross. An indiegogo.com profile has also been created to allow outside parties, who are unable to attend the event, to donate and help reach Fashion for Relief’s vital target goal of raising $10,000.
New orgs added to SGI
TORCH PHOTO/TALIA TIRELLA
Jason Lapin Band played at “Speak Out!” in an effort to collect donations for Haiyan victims in the Phillipines.
Student Government, Inc. recently approved nine new organizations to become active on campus. Initially, 30 applications were received by SGI. Interviews were conducted by members of the SGI organizations committee, and after various rounds of elimination, presentations and questionnaires by SGI members, these nine organizations were accepted. Improv Club, Phi Sigma (Biology Honor Society), Alpha Phi Omega (Service Society), and Avaaz were approved as budgetary organizations that will receive money from SGI Student College of Clinical Pharmacy, Global Medical Brigades, the Student Society of Health-System Pharmacy, the Actuarial Club and Project Sunshine were inducted as
4
SGI’s Allocated Budget 2013-2014
Anticipated Revenue
Revenue Source Anticipated 2013-2014 Activities Fee $1,130,000.00 Co-Op (Student Print & Distribution Center) $25,000.00 Vineyard Vines Totes & Ties $5,000.00 TOTAL $1,160,000.00 Organizations Budgets 2013-2014 S.G.I.: Special Allocations $100,000.00 IGC: Special Allocations $30,000.00 Organizations Allocations $286,845.00 ALFSA $9,500.00 Panhellenic Council $11,000.00 Tri Council $52,000.00 TOTAL $494,845.00 Organizations Support Services Budget Facilities Cost for Student Organizations Events $55,000.00 Security/ Cadets $90,000.00 Concerts $50,000.00 Co-Op/ Xerox (Student Printing & Distribution Center) $15,000.00 OrgSync $4,000.00 ASCAP/ BMI/ SESAC $8,000.00 Direct TV $800.00 TOTAL $222,800.00 Operating Budget Support Staff Salaries $42,000.00 Auditing Fees $15,000.00 Legal Fees $10,000.00 Equipment $8,000.00 NY Times Readership Initiative $6,000.00 Supplies $8,000.00 Postage $400.00 Contingency $50,000.00 Printing $2,500.00 QuickBooks $4,500.00 Department CoSponsorships $6,000.00 TOTAL $152,400.00 Government Budget Gift for Incoming Freshmen Class $7,500.00 SGI Awards Nights/ Inauguration $3,750.00 SGI Meetings/ Conferences $1,500.00 SGI Administrative Expenses $40,955.00 Senior Gift- Senior scholarship Fund $5,000.00 Donations $1,500.00 Senators $81,000.00 Secretary $500.00 TOTAL $141,705.00 Committee Budget Academic Affairs Committee $20,000.00 Budget Committee $500.00 Elections Committee $5,000.00 Events Review Committee $400.00 Organizations Committee $1,500.00 Public Relations Committee $5,000.00 Research & Development Committee $350.00 School Spirit Committee $45,000.00 Student Affairs CommitteeTraditional Events $65,000.00 Student Services Committee $500.00 TOTAL $143,250.00 Overall Allocated Budget 2013-2014
$1,155,000.00
2013-2014 Organizations Budget Allocations
Number of Active Organizations 22 Minimum $300.00 Maximum $4,100.00 Median $400.00 Mean $621.36 Mode $400.00 Total Academic Allocation $13,670.00 Number of Active Organizations 14 Minimum $250.00 Maximum $5,000.00 Median $700.00 Mean $1,025.00 Mode N/A Total Cultural Allocation $14,350.00 Number of Active Organizations 34 Minimum $400.00 Maximum $1,400.00 Median $800.00 Mean $ $994.12 Mode $ $800.00 Total Greek Life Allocation $33,800.00 Number of Active Organizations 14 Minimum $250.00 Maximum $750.00 Median $525.00 Mean $487.50 Mode N/A Total Honor Society Allocation $6,825.00 Number of Active Organizations 3 Minimum $500.00 Maximum $550.00 Median $550.00 Mean $533.33 Mode $550.00 Total Political Allocation $1,600.00 Number of Active Organizations 8 Minimum $350.00 Maximum $5,200.00 Median $550.00 Mean $1,156.25 Total Religious Allocations $9,250.00 Number of Active Organizations 9 Minimum $250.00 Maximum $300.00 Median $250.00 Mean $266.66 Mode $250.00 Total Social Justice Allocation $800.00 Number of Active Organizations 3 Minimum $300.00 Maximum $750.00 Median $500.00 Mean $505.55 Mode N/A Total Special Interest Allocation $4,550.00 TOTAL $84,845 Number of Active Organizations Total Programming Board Allocation
3 $172,000.00
Total Vincentian Yearbook Allocation
$30,000.00
Overall Organization Budget Allocation 2013-2014 $286,845.00
SGI increases budget by more than $100,000
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More funds distributed to contingency and SGI’s special allocations
CHRISTOPHER BRITO News Editor
The overall revenue that Student Government, Inc. receives annually, mostly from the activity fee in students’ tuition bill, increased by more than $100,000 for this school year, according to a budget included in a recent newsletter to the student body. Inside the 14-page annual newsletter titled “Student Focus,” SGI reported that its overall revenue rose 9.6 percent, from $1,053,730 last year to $1,155,000 this year. In addition to the $105 activity fees that students pay, a $10 increase from last year, SGI says it also receives some revenue from the Co-Op and Vineyard Vines Totes & Ties. As stated in the newsletter, most of the “portion” of student activity fees collected by the University goes to SGI and the rest goes to Campus Activities Board, which handles the marquee events throughout the school year such as Spring Concert and other funds geared for student endeavors. There were several funds that benefitted from SGI’s 9.6-percent increase in revenue, including those belonging to SGI’s special allocations, contingency, senators and the recently added secretary and support staff salaries. SGI’s special allocations fund, which is used to support academic and leadership training programs, increased 43 percent to $100,000. SGI Treasurer Emily Bargabos said that increase was due to previous boards experiencing shortages in the special allocations fund. “We were running short on funds for the spring semester [earlier this year],” she said. “We kept it in mind for this semester so we can offer it to organizations when they need to hold events and increase student engagement.”
Also, she said $15,000 has already been earmarked from that special allocations fund for the professional development committee, which works alongside the Department of Student Affairs to create more opportunities for students to participate in conferences and conventions. SGI Secretary Oscar Diaz added that the increase allowed them to provide students with more opportunities to attend conferences as part of their respective organizations during the summer. The contingency fund also experienced a stark increase, going from $2,000 to $50,000 this year. Bargabos said that was designed to imitate other government functioning bodies that allocate at least 5 percent of their total budget toward contingencies. The newsletter described the contingency category as unexpected expenditures that arise throughout the course of the school year, which are not generally categorized under another area. For example, the new organizations that recently were inducted into SGI will receive money from the contingency fund, Bargabos said. Funds allocated to the sophomore, junior and senior senators increased more than $20,000 – from $57,500 to $81,000 – in response to falling short in previous years, they said. The SGI secretary, currently held by Oscar Diaz, oversees the initiatives by the freshman committee and was granted $500 to carry those programs out. In addition, support staff salaries (i.e. student workers in the CO-OP, staff in the SGI office and a graduate assistant) were listed on this budget to provide further insight on SGI expenditures, Bargabos said. That line item is new in this year’s budget. Furthermore, SGI was also able to decrease funds in certain categories such as the Inter-Greek Council’s Special Allocations and Organizations
Allocations, which saw its budget drop from $35,000 to $30,000. The budget for IGC’s special allocations was primarily determined based on proposals from the Greek Life Office, but SGI shaved funds from them in order to make “realistic allocations” that match expenditures that match the previous year, according to Bargabos. Since the distribution and price of Vincentian Yearbook was accounted for in the organizations allocations area, SGI made several cost-effective cuts that required less funding. Bargabos said the money saved from both these lines was placed into SGI Special Allocations or contingency funds in order to create more opportunities for organizations. The annual stipend that members from the SGI Executive Board receive goes under SGI administrative expenses, which received $40,955 in funding. Bargabos said revenue from the SGI budget doesn’t carry over but incomes earned from organizations roll over to this fiscal year. But, she said, SGI’s budget is generally depleted by the year’s end and any leftover funds are typically put toward end of the year initiatives. SGI’s financial report does not detail how much was given to each organization, instead listing the organizations by categories and showing the maximum, minimum and average funding that was given to groups in that category. SGI members voted to use this method instead of publishing each specific organization’s funding in a general vote, Diaz said. SGI felt it was in the best interest of each respective organization to not let its funding for the year become public knowledge. “I think some of them might not be comfortable with letting everyone know how much they get because every organization this year and last year, SGI worked diligently to look at the merit of each organization,” Bargabos said. “It’s really to protect the organizations’
interests.” They said SGI determined each organization’s funding based on preliminary budget proposals submitted by organizations in the summer, completed organizational requirements (hold two events per semester minimum excluding general body meetings), quality of past events, amount of service hours, attendance at Org Congress meetings and monthly report forms for organizations committees (to be able to monitor their progress throughout the semester). “An organization that does 5,000 service hours, 10 phenomenal events each semester, they deserve more than an organization that does the bare minimum,” she said. They also said the budget was finalized by the end of October once student term bills were paid, but it took time to develop the newsletter that included the financial report. “The creation of the newsletter comes into play and working with a graphic designer,” Diaz said. “Basically all of that gets compiled and newsletter gets done, then we publish it.” Last year, SGI said it planned to release the budget earlier this year, but was unable to. It took nearly a month to tally the information into a newsletter. They said in the future SGI will look to release the financial report in a timelier manner. “Because the SGI budget is contingent upon enrollment, it is not concrete until late October,” Bargabos said. “With that being said, we are always striving to improve in everything we do and hope that we will be able to provide the Torch and our fellow peers with the budget as soon as possible.”
Public Safety answers concerns on StormCards ALEXA VAGELATOS Staff Writer
Public safety officials addressed students’ questions regarding prices of replacement StormCards and other concerns at the advisory meeting with Student Government, Inc. on Nov. 20. Tom Lawrence, vice president of public safety, shot down the idea of having a waiver for special circumstances when students, who lose their Stormcard four times, have to pay $100 for a replacement, citing that it affects “the safety of the University.” “If you are losing your card that many times, you are becoming a safety concern to the University,” Lawrence said. He added that once the card is lost and isn’t reported to be, it is still active, it means anyone could get onto campus into any building with it. When asked why the price was so high, Public Safety responded by saying the prices and rules were established a long time ago. Still both SGI and Public Safety concluded that they will review data of students who lose their StormCards more than four times during their tenure at St. John’s before making any adjustments or statements about the
prices and rules. Public Safety said that information is only retrievable through IT. Lawrence has requested to have that information before their next advisory meeting on Dec. 11. Access to Gate 7 after 7 p.m. was another area of concern.
FILE PHOTO
StormCards fee will be under review following a Public Safety meeting with members of SGI on November 20.
In contrast to the rest of the gates that close at 11 p.m., Gate 7 closes four hours earlier causing students to walk further in order to enter or exit the campus. Lawrence said it will never be possible to keep it open that late because of an agreement between the University and the neighboring Jamaica community. It has to be closed after 7 p.m. as long as the parking garage on Union Turnpike is open and available. He added that Public Safety is aware that the walk from Gate 1 to Gate 6 could make students feel unsafe during the late evening hours, but nothing that can be done about it. However, SGI and Public Safety did reach a compromise by potentially having postings of times of when the gates close outside the gates or on the Public Safety website to eliminate confusion. SGI also expressed their opinions on the nighttime van service running at inconvenient times. Public Safety reassured them that the van runs from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. 7 days a week (8 a.m. to 3 a.m. on Saturdays) and that it comes every half an hour during the late evening hours, making continuous loops around campus to all off-campus locations (Seton Complex, Coolidge apartments, etc.) starting in
front of Public Safety. After discussing the various locations the van stops at, students suggested that the nighttime shuttle drop students off in front of some of the gates around campus (whether they are closed are not) for people living off-campus in the neighborhoods surrounding the University. As long as the shuttle service that goes to and from Henley, Public Safety said they are waiting to hear back from students who live there when it comes to scheduling. Last year, Public Safety actually allowed Henley residents to come up with their own schedule for the Shuttle Service. Lawrence said Public Safety is “very open” to having students dictate a more convenient schedule as opposed to them. Among other things, Public Safety is working on removing their broken down vehicles from taking up most spots in the Gate 6 parking lot. Additionally, Public Safety is looking into tweaking student’s overnight policies, adding lights to the crosswalk by Gate 1, and adding signage at gates such as 3 and 4 that addresses the times StormCards are necessary to leave campus are, for both students and nonstudents visiting campus after hours.
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Opinion Editorial Board XCI KIERAN LYNCH Editor-in-Chief
Illustrator’s Corner
MITCHELL PETIT-FRERE Managing Editor CHRISTOPHER BRITO News Editor
FLAMES OF THE TORCH Giving budget snapshot hurts SGI and students Student Government, Inc. released a summary of the 2013-14 budget to the Torch in the form of an annual newsletter. The summary, which can read about and viewed on Pg. 4-5, sheds some light on where the $1,155,000 given to SGI this year is being distributed. Unfortunately, it doesn’t show a complete picture of its finances – with regards to the funds SGI gave to the various recognized on-campus organizations, it offers the student body only a snapshot view. Organizations are lumped into groups, and we’re told the maximum, the minimum and the average amount given to organizations within that group. When Treasurer Emily Bargabos was asked by the Torch for the reasoning behind this, she said, “I think some of them might not be comfortable with letting everyone know how much they get because every organization this year and last year, SGI worked diligently to look at the merit of each organization.” If that’s the case, there’s no reason not to disclose the amount each organization receives. If the elected SGI officials determine this group or that group merits a certain amount of money based on the criteria they go by, that’s their choice, as per the system currently in place. But we feel that other organizations should also be able to see where that money is going. Doing so could help organizations learn what they need to do to receive more funding, based on comparison with other groups. In the cover letter before the summary, the 2013-2014 Executive Board and Floor wrote that SGI was releasing its financial report “in an effort to continuously promote transparency.” It’s transparency, but only to the point that SGI feels comfortable being transparent. Once it reaches the point where transparency opens it up to potential criticism about funding decisions that have been made, the board and floor would rather offer a snapshot of the pic-
ture, not a complete picture. While the U.S. government has many issues, it is expected that individuals elected to represent the people have to make decisions that are sometimes difficult and stand before people who agree or disagree, but they have to defend the decisions nonetheless. Most budgetary information is considered public record for that reason. While the SGI financial report is detailed, it does hold back information that would be of interest to organizations. And the system it chooses to offer organizations information seems flawed because it invites groups to guess what they received in comparison to others. The summary includes the minimum and maximum dollar amount that organizations in the grouping receive. Right there, one can discern from the smaller groupings who gets what and even in the larger groupings, the organization only getting $300 knows it’s getting the least in the group. At that point, aren’t you just shooting yourself in the foot? By not fully disclosing the use of funds made possible by student payments, it is easy to see some organizations may be left feeling as if you’re clearly trying to hide what other organizations received. Then, at the same time, you’re making these same groups at least slightly aware of where the money is going, enough to still take issue with where it’s going without having the benefit of a full explanation. An argument that could be made is that the voting members of SGI voted to release the budget this way, but to us this makes no difference. These people are deciding what every students’ money gets used for. Because of that, there is no reason the allocation of every dollar shouldn’t be published and distributed to each student regardless of organization affiliation or whether they spend every waking second on campus or go home every chance they get.
EDITORIAL POLICY
Editorials are the opinions of the Editorial Board of the TORCH. Columns are the opinions of the author(s) and are not necessarily those of The TORCH. Opinions
expressed in editorials, columns, letters or cartoons are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty or administrations of St. John’s University.
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TORCH ILLUSTRATION/ MIKE BRODNANSKY
to see where it’s going. On the other hand, we’d like to extend a word of thanks to the SGI Executive Board. While we disagree with many of the aspects of the budget release, members of the board didn’t shy away from questions and helped us understand the numbers we were looking at more thoroughly, which is more than can be said for boards of past years. On a final note, the Torch would
like to make it clear that while a group picture of a few of the editors appears underneath the budget total in the newsletter, this publication doesn’t receive funds from SGI, nor would it want to. The Torch relies on advertising money to pay its printing bills and other costs, and is independent from the University to preserve its ability to report about St. John’s with full editorial control.
Lifestyle
Think Outside...
7
Shaving good-bye to a hairy month
BRUCE GOODWIN Staff Writer
That time of year where clean-shaven men are made fun of and 5 o’clock shadows are scoffed at has come to an end. The air was cold in Novemeber, the layers were heavier and the beards were thicker. It’s the only time of the year where any male who has gone through puberty tries to look as scraggily as possible. We say goodbye to No-Shave November as we welcome in December, but the memories of Movember will live on. One Movember origin story includes a few guys from Australia beginning the tradition with 30 or so friends to raise awareness for men’s health and cancer. Since its start in 2003, their Movember campaign has reached 21 countries. In the middle of what many students consider the busiest part of the semester, it couldn’t come at a better time. “I just got finished studying like crazy for like six midterms I had within the past two weeks so I got a bit of a head start. Instead of always worrying what I looked like, I was studying,” senior Joe Callaghan said. “I like no-shave November because it gives me a chance to embrace my inner man, and its one less thing I’ve gotta do in the morning.” Most students are unaware of the holiday’s origins and instead think of it as a lighthearted rebellious act. “I didn’t even know that was the point of it, I just enjoyed comparing
beards with my friends, but now I get it,” Callaghan said. ” I understand the meaning behind it and it’s a really great cause. Maybe my girlfriend will be more understanding now.” Women are encouraged to participate too, though they seem less willing. For the women to participate, all they’ve got to do is refrain from shaving their legs and underarms. It’s not much in thought, but mentioning it to a woman didn’t get the greatest response. “I don’t think I could ever go that long without shaving my legs or even my underarms, I do support guys doing it though. It has a great cause,” sophomore Ann Depora said. The website even has a few rules and a few things you can come to expect with not shaving. It states that during the first week consists of a lot of scratching and is the hardest week to get through, as the urge to shave will be unbearable. After about two weeks in is when the beard begins to look fuller and not so ridiculous, except for the boys with barely a mustache, and the women of course. You may even look homely at Thanksgiving, “because Moms and grandmothers just won’t understand,” the website jokes. At the end of the month comes the victory lap, where you take celebratory pictures. And by the time Dec. 1 rolls around, it’s time for the razors to come out. The word is now being spread across Twitter and Instagram for what the event really means. A quick search on either platform will reveal 14-year-olds with peach fuzz mustaches and men with beards big enough to get food caught in them.
Jay-Z Releases Pricey Collection at Barney’s
After weeks of controversy surrounding his decision to partner with Barney’s New York, rapper Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter has finally released his exclusive holiday collection, “A New York Holiday.” It features luxury items ranging from a $750 ski mask to a $33,900 gold Hubolt watch, leaving many fans wondering where their ‘Brooklyn boy’ is. The “Empire State of Mind” rapper’s wife, Beyonce took to Instagram to support her husband by modeling a few of the luxury items to her 7.5 million fol-
lowers. Her star power was still not enough to do damage control for the Jay-Z/Barney’s partnership, which many petitioned to end after two racial profiling reports were filed earlier in the year. With the racial discrimination lawsuit still going on. Jay-Z is hoping this does not affect his sales. He released a statement telling critics his “ idea was born out of creativity and charity” for his organizations the Shawn Carter Foundation, which will help send “individuals facing socio-economic hardships” to college.
The Facebook page currently has over 100,000 likes, which states “Movember, the month formerly known as November, is a moustache growing charity event held during November each year that raises funds and awareness for men’s health.” In 2011, Google Chrome partnered with Movember to create a video. The video featured real participants, and how they used the Internet to raise awareness and funds for the cause. The video currently has over 1.3 million views. In 2012, the Global Journal listed No-Shave November as one of the top 100 non-government organizations in the world. Going further than just user-based
Kimye’s New Steamy video, ‘Bound 2’
It’s no secret that the Kardashian’s love the limelight. But no one knew that soon to be inlaw, Kanye West, would enjoy the attention just as much. The 35-yearold Chicago native dropped by “Ellen” earlier this week to release a video for his new single “Bound 2,” starring fiancé Kim Kardashian. The video began in a serene setting with soulful vocals from Charlie Wilson in the background, then West began to rap while riding in on a motorcycle with a topless Kardashian. Showing major side boob, the new mom looked flawless as
she looked into her husband-to-be’s eyes. The video that many refer to as soft porn shows the pair moaning, making sexual gestures and holding each other close while riding through the desert with the Grand Canyon on a green screen behind. It seems the video was released right on time as the Yeezus tour jumpstarted again after a mini hiatus. The two have been seen soaking up all the publicity from their new steamy video throughout NYC with the entire Kardashian clan, including little North West.
PHOTO/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
platforms is the official site noshember.com. The site also features a list of popular charities associated with the month, the most popular being the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The NBC newscasters, along with much of the staff behind the camera have agreed to stop shaving for the month. One of them being Matt Lauer, who drove home the importance of men’s health and early detection of prostate cancer. Awareness doesn’t have to stay in the month of November either. Sometimes No-Shave November turns into don’t worry December, Just grow it January, Forget about it February, and of course, manly March.
Lady Gaga and Madge’s last battle
There seems to only be room for one on the pop star throne and Lady Gaga wants Madonna to know she can have it. Gaga ruffled a few feathers when she visited the Howard Stern show to promote new album “ARTPOP.” When Madonna was brought up during her interview, she told Stern that the “Material Girl” is “aggravated that I’m not upset that she doesn’t like me.” She continued, “There’s a thing with some people that I’m a threat to the throne.”
Before ending the radio interview Gaga sent a personal message to the 55-yearold singer telling her, “I don’t want your f**king throne.” While Gaga’s snarky comment may have helped her win the endless feud, it seems as though Madonna had the last laugh with Forbes magazine releasing a list this week naming her the world’s highest paid musician, with $125 million in 2013.
Compiled by: Briawnna Jones PHOTOS/MTV
8
When in Rome, do as the Romans do CHINONYE MBONU Staff Writer
At this point, my Discover the World rotation has been in Rome for less than a week, but already we’ve collectively eaten about 40 different pasta dishes; mind you, there are only 32 students in the rotation. The Pasta Chronicles started even before we landed at Roma Fiumicino Airport. For weeks in Paris, we had been on the borderline of starvation. This is not to say that St. John’s didn’t feed us, because when they did, it was like manna from heaven. Rather, our pocketbooks were experiencing a severe famine caused by the insane Parisian cost of living. Only a handful of us were financially blessed to sit in a restaurant and order food. For the rest, McDonald’s and ramen became a way of life. I, for one, am the self-proclaimed Mademoiselle Microwave Chef Extraordinaire. Needless to say, we learned quickly how to make pasta in the microwave. But good things come to those who wait. For 40 days and 40 nights we waited, and on the 41 day we were rewarded. Since the Rome campus had no cafeteria, St. John’s provided students with meal tickets every week that could be used all over the country. Yes, all over the great nation of Italia. When asked how she felt about Rome, “I’ve died and gone to carb heaven,” Valerie Juarez, a
sophomore journalism student, said. From the basic spaghetti alla Carbonara to the more complex fettuccine con Pomodorini Pachino, there was a pasta dish for everyone. In the unlikely event that we got sick of pasta, there was also a pizzeria on every corner. Toppings ranged from the familiar sausage to surprisingly delicious French fries. Our pizza experience was anything but standard. The pizza came with little to no tomato sauce, and was cut into rectangular portions and weighed for price. Pizza Hut could definitely take a few pointers from the Italians. For those who preferred sweet over savory, gelaterias saved the day. Nutella, straciatella, pistachio, cinnamon, caramel, even wine, you name the flavor and I guarantee we already ate it. If the pasta, pizza and gelato weren’t enough, our meal tickets could also be used in grocery stores. This worked out wonderfully because the campus had two full kitchens. The first day we got our meal tickets, we made a feast of jell of rice, bruschetta with tomato and shrimp and a spicy mediterranean salad. With all the food to eat, we did very little exploring of the city. We had no regrets however, for we had five more weeks of expanding waistlines to go. Chinonye Mbonu is a journalism student studying abroad this semester in the Discover the World program.
PHOTO/CHINONYE MBONU
Students studying abroad get the chance to eat food from all different cultures.
‘Cheap Applause’ for season’s highest ratings
DOMINIQUE MUSA Staff Writer
Even in its 39th season, Saturday Night Live is still one of the most popular shows on Saturday night television. For the nonbelievers, what makes it such a great show you ask? Well, besides its great regular cast members, its weekly host and musicians often steal the show, especially when the host does a two for one deal and also performs. The Nov. 17 show featured none other than the multi talented Lady Gaga. It was not Gaga’s first time on SNL, she has appeared in previous seasons but this is the star’s first run as host. Kicking off SNL’s highest rated episode of the sea-
son, the “ARTPOP” star’s monologue consisted of a Chicago style performance of her song “Applause.” In true Gaga fashion, Lady Gaga took to the stage twice. Both performances were unique in their own ways. First she performed her song “Do What U Want” alongside R. Kelly. Gaga donned a white and sparkly, very 70’s style, jumpsuit and big hair combo, while R. Kelly wore an all-white suit. The performance included some very suggestive moves, including crawling around the stage together. In her second performance of the night, Gaga went solo. With a pink piano and a shoulder pad-lined dress that doubles as butterfly wings in tow, Gaga performed a brand new song “Gypsy,” off of the album she’s promoting, “ARTPOP.” Although Gaga starts off on the piano, she switches over to the guitar to
PHOTO/NBC
Gaga’s first time hosting SNL brought in the highest ratings of the season.
prove how multi-talented she is. The end of the performance also included a man dancing in sparkly tights. Moving past her musical roots, Lady Gaga took to a number of skits throughout the night. In some skits, Gaga served as the starring character where as in others, she didn’t. She had more secondary characters than leading. In one of her starring roles, Gaga played herself. The skit featured an old Lady Gaga living in an Upper West Side apartment alone. The former popstar is so lonely she calls her apartment super (Keenan Thomson) to fix a “broken light bulb” just to have someone to talk to. While trying to keep up the conversation, she once again, takes to her piano and continuously asks if he remembers her from her glory days. After going through various hits, Thomson’s character still does not remember her saying
PHOTO/NBC
“Sorry, I’m more of a classic rock guy: One Direction, the Smiths, both Willow and Jaden.” Old Lady Gaga even brings up her “Telephone” duet with Beyonce, who Thomson’s character refers to as “Empress Beyonce.” With varying reviews and both hot and cold receptions, Lady Gaga did a pretty good job in her first stint as host on SNL. From her performances and roles in “Cover Song Collection” singing Madonna’s “Express Yourself” to her priestess-like character in “Blockbuster”, Gaga did not fail to entertain. You can see more of Lady Gaga and her acting skills in recently released “Machete Kills” and the 2014 release of “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.” Catch the performance and various skits on NBC.com if you missed seeing it live!
9
Best Man Holiday: a Sequel for the Season BRIAWNNA JONES Contributing Writer
Nearly 15 years after its original release in 1999, Spike Lee’s writer and director cousin, Malcolm D. Lee, brings back his all-star cast for the “Best Man Holiday.” Picking up right where it ended over a decade and a half ago, the film answers many questions fans may have been wondering through the years. Straying far away from its title name, this movie has very little do with an actual “Best Man.” The amount of subliminal shade being thrown throughout the movie and knife-cutting tension makes it impossible for someone to walk away from the film truly satisfied if they didn’t see the first one. Not saying that it is mandatory, but the true essence and meaning of the story will not be fully understood. Coming in at the box as the No. 1 comedy in America, many would expect a hilarious movie, but this is not the case. Straying far from its original comic roots, this movie isn’t your typical predictable sequel. Many thought, when initially hearing of a second movie, that it would be something light-hearted with lots of
PHOTO/UNIVERSAL PICTURES
Best Man Holiday raked in $3.4 million making, it the No. 1 comedy in America.
laughter and a few tears. However, what I was given was a film that warmed my soul through its unique story line of the lives of affluent African-Americans coming together as adults mending their battered college relationships. Lee’s script shows real complexity as it focuses on every aspect of adult life. From financial issues to marital problems, it is all addressed in this
holiday film. The script may have been well-thought out with tons of plot twists and minor stories, but it is the phenomenal acting from the cast that brings it in for the home run. Morris Chestnut shines as Lance Sullivan, a soon to be retired Giants running back, and Taye Diggs as Harper Stewart, a struggling writer focusing on his ca-
reer and rocky marriage with Robin (Sanaa Lathan). We get to see our favorite college students settled into adulthood. Reprising her role as Jordan Armstrong, actress Nia Long spices it up with an on screen relationship with good looker and charmer, Eddie Cibrian who plays Brian McDonald. Harold Perrineau as Julian Murch and Regina Hall as Candace Sparks deal with the challenges of her exotic dancer past as they further their careers and raise a family. While characters Shelby (Melissa de Sousa) and Quentin, played by Oscar nominee Terrance Howard, bring sexyness and sassiness to the movie, it was Monica Calhoun that stole the show with her stellar performance as Mia Sullivan, the heart of the group. As the group of dysfunctional and dynamic friends gathers during Christmas weekend, they share with the world a powerful message. No matter how big or small the issue these characters face, they never fail to believe. Truly living up to its title of “Best Man Holiday,” this film reminds us of the reason for the season. Laughter will fill the air and tears will be seen throughout the room, making this movie a must-see during the holiday season.
Musicians use voices to raise money for kids ELLA LEVIYEVA Staff Writer
Beneath every fundraiser, there is a coordinator with a passion. This is the case for senior Jason Lapin as he pairs his musical talents with his devotion to charity. Lapin is one of the few performers that recently raised over $2,000 on campus for a terminally ill boy to a special camp with his family. In efforts to sponsor this boy and his family to attend this week-long camp, Lapin teamed up with fellow St. John’s musicians Alan Garcia, Stephanie Margiotta and Kyle Conlon. Together they raised the necessary amount of $2,000 to send 15 year-old Melvin Pananeno, diagnosed with lupus, to Camp Sunshine. Lapin has worked with Camp Sunshine almost every year since his favorite teacher got him involved his junior year of high school. “It’s literally the happiest place in the world, you really gain the most perspective on life there,” Lapin said. Camp Sunshine, located in Maine, is the only center in the nation that creates a haven not only for the children with life-threatening diseases, but their families as well. The children range from a month old to 18 years old and spend the day doing fun activities while the parents get counseling. Well-known for his performances around campus, Lapin expands his horizons as he recently released an EP, or an extended play, titled “Friendly To Strangers,” which is now available on iTunes as well as Spotify. Lapin re-
corded this EP, released on Oct. 29, with St. John’s students and alumni. “Friendly to Strangers” not only titles Lapin’s album, but describes his altruistic persona as well. It contains feel good songs with a lot of heart, and talent, beneath them. Lapin says, “I’ve been writing mu-
sic for six years now, but I never came out with anything; it just felt like the right time. The EP has three songs and the ideas are kind of cliché, but I tried to make them all personal to me. I wrote one of the songs for a friend I had who was gay and was struggling with
his sexuality, so the song was kind of an ‘I love you dude, be who you are,’ song.” Lapin states that he plans on continuing his devotion to Camp Sunshine, as well as his prospering music career. “Friendly to Strangers” can be found on iTunes and Spotify today.
PHOTO/FACEBOOK
Kyle Conlon (far left), Jason Lapin, Stephanie Margiotta and Alan Garcia pose at the Camp Sunshine fundraiser.
10
Pizza shop battle under the bridge
SARAH HERMINA Staff Writer
A satisfied customer with a toothpick in his mouth exited the restaurant assuring the crowd that the pizza was well worth the 45-minute wait. Whether you’re a local or an honorary New Yorker who is looking for something delicious to satisfy the appetite you’ve worked up after the long, scenic trek across the Brooklyn Bridge, Juliana’s Pizza has a pie to try. However, next to Juliana’s sits another pizza restaurant called Grimaldi’s, and with the two comes as much controversy as delicious food. The two establishments at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge share something more than being neighboring pizzerias. Much has been written about the two competitors, but perhaps a local New Yorker tells the story best. The short version of the story, according to Roberta Langella, who moved from Brooklyn and now lives in Harlem, is that Patsy Grimaldi opened his Patsy’s Pizzeria at the original Fulton location. She said that Patsy sold the restaurant to Frank Ciolli. However, the landlord eventually evicted Ciolli, and Patsy came back, this time as “Juliana” after the name of his late mother. Ciolli, she added, opened a restaurant in the building next door, now called Grimaldi’s. But in addition to the business competition, a legal food fight of sorts ensued. According to press reports, Ciolli accused Patsy of unfairly competing with him after selling him the good will of the business, and the two have reportedly called inspectors to check on the legality of each other’s coal ovens. All these controversies aside, the question remains, which is the better pizza?
Robyn Footlick, a close friend of the Patsy Grimaldi family, said that since the opening of the restaurant over a year ago, locals have been torn between letting the out-of-towners know about Juliana’s, and “keeping the secret for themselves.” Ms. Langella clearly takes sides in the disputes noting that Juliana’s is the one and only original pizza. She says that she and her family put their money where their mouth is: “My brother was their first customer the first day they opened, we had my father’s 80th birthday here … so it’s like a family tradition even though they still make me stand in line like everyone else,”
she said jokingly. While inside Juliana’s, a customer gets to observe the pizza-making in action. In addition to the quaint New York photos that decorate this simply-designed restaurant, check out Juliana’s FAQ chalkboard where you will find fun pizza trivia such as the right temperature for a coal oven (800 degrees F) and Frank Sinatra’s favorite pie (sausage). Next time you venture past Union Turnpike to find a good slice of pizza, go to 19 Old Fulton street in Brooklyn, get a pie at Juliana’s and maybe even step into Grimaldi’s for the pizza test.
Bieber releases ‘PYD’ LAURICE RAWLS Contributing Writer JUSTIN BIEBER PYD
OUT OF 5 STARS
PHOTO/SARAH HERMINA
From Brazilian woman to onand-off break-ups with celebrity Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber has been under constant ridicule regarding his current relationship situation and new found maturity, yet he hasn’t let it stop him from making music. His music fits his new mature, somewhat aggressive and sexual mindset. On Nov. 17th, Justin Bieber released a song called “PYD” featuring the infamous R. Kelly via iTunes. With this song it’s clear Bieber wants his fans and media to know he’s grown up and can make sexual music if he so pleases.
Employees at Juliana’s Pizza hard at preparing pizza pies for customers.
This Holiday’s best beauty collections
SHARON TONG Staff Writer
Since Rihanna made her debut “RiRi Hearts MAC” makeup collection this spring, RiRi has received great reception for her makeup line. The 25-year-old singer, who signed a year-long collaboration with MAC, is slated to sell out another exciting holiday collection. It will have three matte lipsticks, two eyeshadow palettes, a RiRi Woo nail polish, bronzing powder and eyeliner. A makeup bag that’s perfect for gifting will also be available for purchase. The collection
will be available Dec. 5 and we’re so ready for RiRi madness: part deux. Another noteworthy MAC holiday collection, Divine Night, is brimmed with perfect, luxurious, pigmented shades, from velvety gold to plum and burgundy. The vibrant colors are mostly frosty finishes, wearable on a day-to-day basis. Expect many seasonal colors, like taupes, champagnes, olives and golds. The mineralize brushes come with three, warm-toned colors with satiny finishes and gold-packaged lipsticks with a range of frosty pink to magenta red. The “must-haves” of the collection are the fun nail lacquers of Fierce Entrance, a rich gold-bronze, Military, a
PHOTO/MAC
Rihanna wearing the “RiRi Woo” lipstick off her new makeup line with MAC.
black matte with silver suede pearl and Gadabout Girl, a blackened plum. Nothing is more festive and meaningful than giving a gift set from e.l.f. cosmetic. Known for their super affordable dollar makeup and beauty tools, their holiday collection is full of perfect and budget-friendly sets like 14-piece nail polishes, lip trios, 150-piece eyeshadows and beauty kits—all for $20 and under. All we really want for Christmas is Mariah Carey’s OPI Liquid Sand holiday nail collection; the Pop-R&B diva has collaborated with OPI for another holiday collection of shades that reflect her fierce personality—with glam and overwhelmed with sparkles and dazzles. Named after some of Carey’s hits her 25-year music career, this collection is especially a must for anyone who loves getting glitter-bombed on their nails— textured, matte glitter shades that bring out your inner-vivaciousness. If you haven’t already stopped at the beauty section of your drugstore, be sure to check out Fergie’s Wet n Wild Holiday Collection. As you can imagine, the collection is oh, so Fergalicious— lots of shimmery eyeshadows, eyeliners, nail polishes, palettes, brushes and mascaras that are part sophisticated and part electrifying. The collection comes in perfect (and cheap) $5 gift sets, like boxed eyeliners and mascaras, nail polishes and false lashes.
PHOTO/INSTAGRAM
“PYD” is said to stand for “Put You Down” and after listening, Bieber makes it pretty clear he’s going to do just that. As expected with the self-proclaimed “King of R&B”, R.Kelly, “PYD” is both sensual and sexual. “PYD” opens with Justin Bieber telling his Beliebers all of the places he wants to “put them down”, “From the door to the wall Coffee table girl get ready I’mma put you down.” This song and the rest of Bieber’s “Music Monday’s” series is now available on iTunes. Can’t get enough of Lifestyle? Follow us on twitter @TORCHLIFESTYLE for online exclusives. torchonline.com
11
Poet finds a voice through the spoken word KYLE FITZGERALD Online Editor
Poetry is a tool. It is the voice for those who cannot speak. It is a tool for healing – the healing of oneself and the healing of others. It is a form of art that brings emotions to life and actions into purpose. Carvens Lissaint, 24 and a full-time student working on his thrid degree, said he experienced the core of what poetry is through his superfluity of words and verses, he embarked on a journey of self-healing and has become a voice for the voiceless. Lissaint didn’t find poetry until one day while playing basketball in high school, he spotted a flyer for free pizza which ultimately changed the course of his life. “I played basketball before I got all in touch with my feelings,” he said. “I actually encountered Urban Dove because they partnered with my basketball team. It was actually mandatory; we didn’t really want to go. And on the flyer it said ‘Free Pizza’ so that’s the only reason why we went. Funny enough, maybe only two of us stayed.” Through Urban Dove and another organization, Urban Word NYC, Lissaint began his journey of self-healing through the spoken word. Raised in a strict Haitian-American, Catholic household, Lissaint struggled to find peace. As a child of color, he strug-
gled to find opportunities for academic growth, and was bullied because of his obesity, which led him to suffer from depression, starting as early as the fourth grade. Lissaint developed as a poet through Urban Word, and soon discovered a truer and humbler approach to poetry: using his talents to bring social justice. “The element of social justice is rooted in the understanding that things are bigger than you,” Lissaint said. “And I think that was one of the first lessons I learned through poetry; that I was speaking for the voiceless and something bigger than myself. I was able to find my own healing through that.” Lissaint said he stumbled upon this quality in a literal sense when, in high school, he visited Haiti with his mother. The experience in itself was, in a word, humbling, he said. “Poverty is an understatement. It was the first time I saw people who were breathing, but weren’t alive. To see people begging just to eat, the stakes are different than anything I’ve ever seen,” he said. Lissaint brought those people to life in a way that earned him first place at the Urban Word 2009 Poetry Slam finals. Yet it was not the poem that was awe-inspiring, Lissaint said; it was what happened a year later when an earthquake struck the impoverished country. “It was borderline prophetic,” Lissaint said. “I don’t think it came from me, but I created this piece that was sort
of able to live a year after. The only line that I changed from the original line to the piece after the earthquake was ‘Earthquakes can’t shake us.’… I was speaking, literally, for those who couldn’t. I was speaking for my cousins and family members in Haiti who don’t have a voice here in America.” Lissaint was called to understand the humble circumstances of his gift; to be a vessel of peace and solidarity
amongst people who are struggling. Lissaint appreciates the fact that unlike the average student, he is already living his dream. While he isn’t on campus, he travels across the country in hopes of being a voice for those who cannot be heard. “I’m nothing more than a vessel, nothing more than a simple dude to carry out God’s plan,” he said. “I’m just trying to live my life and do my art.”
PHOTO/CARVENS LISSAINT
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4 December 2013
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Poetry
13
Rigor Mortis Life In A Nutshell
We all know life’s a struggle Sometimes you may get knocked down But never stay down for the ten count Never back down no matter what the odds That’s the wish of the almighty, God We’ve all been taught this since we were young It’s the same song that’s always been sung Before one runs he must learn to walk Before one sings he must learn to talk Respect yourself and you’ll like you become If you’re ever worried just remember Even the ugly duckling became a swan
By Rob Taliana
Close your eyes, ignore the pain. Last connections made of a body in the rain. Holding tight so it won’t hurt, Your light goes out, becomes a blur.
Greatness
Holding tight, so you can let go The burning sting, the ceasing heat flow I feel you seize up. I feel you breathe out. I feel the rigor mortis rise up from your mouth.
Our world today has known many great men
You should’ve listened, Cause now you can’t listen anymore. You should’ve harvested opportunity Because now you sit still. Inaction is an action, And when you lie on your back With coins in your eyes and wood at your sides You can’t make any more mistakes. The only lesson learned is: ‘I should’ve done more.’ And now you can’t leap at butterflies Because you’re trapped in a cage, And you can’t breath any more, But that’s okay because your lungs are dust.
Men who have brought about peace
Paid the fare, the ferryman rows. River of souls, the waves crash below. I see you propped up Against the boat’s side. I let your body slip under the gray tide. If you lead your life dead Your purpose escapes you. You are nothing but a shell There is no Heaven, There’s no Hell. There is only Rigor Mortis. By Wombat
Men who have conquered cities Men who have led the free world
But one thing all these men have in common Is that they are someone’s son The greatest son of all once said “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth” I respect the almighty But if we settled for the earth Then how would we reach the stars?
By Rob Taliana
14
Slow out of Johnnies complete comeback vs. GT the gate
JON PEREZ Sports Editor
For the second time in the span of 16 hours, the St. John’s men’s basketball team found itself in a 15-point deficit, only this time surviving 68-59 over Georgia Tech in the consolation game of the Barclay’s Center Classic Saturday. ST. JOHN’S
68
GEORGIA TECH
59
Junior guard D’Angelo Harrison led the way for the Red Storm (5-2) with 21 points and was the catalyst for the team when they went on a 23-5 run to erase the deficit. Harrison went 12-13 from the charity stripe to push the Johnnies over the top. “This team has a way of fighting back, but we just have to get it together in the beginning,” Harrison said. “We can’t get down 15 points. If we take care of that then it’s a whole other kind of ball game and we don’t have to fight all the way back. We could just take the lead earlier and sustain the lead.” Despite the loss, head coach Steve Lavin felt like Friday night’s loss to Penn State was where his team played better as opposed to Saturday afternoon’s win over Georgia Tech (5-3). Nonetheless, he says he saw some maturation in his crew. “I thought the kids played with purpose at the end of the first half and throughout the second half,” Lavin said of his team who had to climb over the hill again. “We played as a cohesive bunch and I think these last two games were good for us. Sometimes you don’t play well and win, and sometimes you play great and lose. It seems counter-intuitive, somewhat like life. I think in both of these games, the loss and the win, our team grew up a bit.” The case all year for St. John’s has been the generation of offense from their defense and that was the name of the game today. The Red Storm registered 20 points off 20 Georgia Tech turnovers,
most of the points coming during that run. The Red Storm didn’t allow any Georgia Tech players to reach double figures. Sophomore center Chris Obekpa continued to dominate on the defensive side. One night after notching seven blocks, Obekpa clogged the paint with six blocks. “We know that we can pressure the ball because we know we have Chris [Obekpa],” Harrison said of the nation’s leading shot blocker. “We rely on him a little too much, but he’s always going to do his thing. You know you can press them when you have a guy in the
back that can block shots even JaKarr [Sampson] and Orlando [Sanchez]. It helps the guards pick up and pressure the ball more.” Although the Johnnies continue to dig their ways out of holes, Lavin said he understands that games like this can be trouble when conference play begins. “When you get off to a big lead and you’re up 15-nothing the concern is giving those leads up,” he said. “If we get a lead I’m concerned about sustaining the lead and when we fall behind I’m concerned about that pattern of falling behind.”
PHOTO/ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
D’Angelo Harrison has averaged 19.7 points in his last three games for SJU.
Jon on Johnnies: Jordan needs starter’s minutes JON PEREZ Sports Editor
When Rysheed Jordan committed to St. John’s it was assumed that St. John’s finally had its future point guard for the future. He would be the first top-20 recruit of the Lavin era. So naturally, he plays 15.8 minutes per game. This very same player was the No. 17 overall basketball player in the country and had many in the locker room raising their eyebrows at the natural athleticism shown in practices. Jordan is also the very same player that some teammates said belongs in the class of Duke freshman guard Jabari Parker and Kansas freshman guard Andrew Wiggins. Jordan finally played crucial minutes in Saturday’s win over Georgia Tech in the Barclay’s Center Classic consolation game. It only took Lavin seven games to do so, or maybe it was the foul trouble by other Johnnies during the game. After Friday night’s game against Penn State, Lavin said that only playing Jordan for 17 minutes was
“Just a minutes thing.” Just a minutes thing? That’s a statement one would expect when talking about guard Jamal Branch or shooter Max Hooper. Hooper is coming off of a good weekend in which he went 7-12 from downtown and might have saved his playing career from being buried in the bench like Christian Jones last year. Rysheed Jordan needs minutes to be a positive on this team. One comparison that comes to mind is D’Angelo Harrison’s freshman year. Hold on a second and hear me out. Jordan is not the player that Harrison was his freshman year. It’s no secret that Harrison was the better player his freshman year, at least statistically. But Jon, it’s apples and oranges. Harrison didn’t have the depth on his team like Jordan does now. I’m not denying that, but Harrison was better served on the court than learning from the bench. Through his first seven games, Harrison averaged 14.3 points per game in 32.4 minutes per game. Harrison did start in six of his first seven collegiate games; Jordan has
started in three games and didn’t play in one game due to his suspension. The potential for Jordan is a lot higher than others expected from Harrison. However, Harrison wasn’t in the top 20 of ESPN’s high school players. Jordan is. While this team is more loaded than the one of two seasons ago this team has so much talent that it could afford to let him rot on the bench. Jordan is not just another recruit, even though Lavin is playing him like one.
TORCH PHOTO/DIANA COLAPIETRO
KIERAN LYNCH Editor-in-Chief
The St. John’s men’s basketball team came roaring back from a 15-point deficit twice over the weekend at the Barclays Center Classic Brooklyn. It came out of the tournament 1-1, but saw the continuation of a trend of slow starts that dates back to the Red Storm’s season opener against Wisconsin. The Red Storm have played seven games thus far and have trailed at halftime in four of them. At the Barclays Center, the Johnnies were down seven against both Georgia Tech and Penn State at the break. While the team has trailed at halftime only slightly more than 50 percent of the time, it hasn’t broken away from opponents until late in the second half. After trailing against Bucknell at Carnesecca, St. John’s was down by as many as nine points in the second half before taking an eight-point lead that became a four-point victory. “It’s just a bad habit we’ve got,” sophomore forward JaKarr Sampson said, referring to the slow starts at the Barclays Center. “[We] just don’t come out with enough energy, enough fight. We just have to come out with a different mindset, a different attitude. We have to come out like we’re down already.” Head coach Steve Lavin and his players said strong defense is the key to helping them play well offensively. The plan relies on rebounding and getting transition baskets. “If your defense is solid, then it creates better field position for your offense so you’re more consistently able to put up points,” Lavin said using a football analogy. “And it’s the same in basketball: stops and shutouts are going to lead to those run-outs.” Junior guard D’Angelo Harrison said preventing the need for a comeback starts with executing from the tip. That much was evident from Saturday’s game against Georgia Tech, when the Johnnies fell behind by 15 with 8:45 left in the first. “Of course we were frustrated, but you know, this team has a way of fighting back, but we just have to get it together in the beginning, can’t be down 15 points,” Harrison said. “If we take care of that, it’s a whole other kind of ballgame. We don’t have to fight all the way back, we can just take the lead earlier and sustain the lead.” With a non-conference game against No. 4 Syracuse and the Big East schedule looming in the coming months, slow starts could become harder to come back from than against some of the mid-major opponents St. John’s faced in the first four weeks of the season. Lavin said that’s more of an issue every college coach deals with, especially at this stage of the year. “When you get off to a big lead and you’re up 15 nothing, the concern is giving those leads up,” he said. “I’m sure [Georgia Tech coach Brian Gregory] was pleased with his fast start, but disappointed probably with his inability to sustain the lead. There in lies sports.” “If we get a lead I’m interested in sustaining the lead and when we fall behind I’m concerned about that pattern of falling behind, but I think every coach is and that’s why you have to keep practicing, Lavin added. “But you are dealing with 18-22 year olds, so there is a likeliness that this is going to be the same way 100 years from now,” he said.
Lewis schools Harvard in win MICHAEL TRIVIGNO Staff Writer
The St. John’s women’s basketball avoided their first losing streak of the season by taking down Harvard 81-76 Sunday afternoon at Carnesecca Arena. The Red Storm’s strong second half turned out to be the difference maker in this toe-for-toe matchup. ST. JOHN’S
81
HARVARD
76
“A really gutsy performance,” coach Joe Tartamella said of his team’s victory. “I was really proud of our effort.” The Red Storm (5-1) started off the game with a sluggish first half against Harvard (6-2), but with a stellar team effort, they pulled together to get a tough win at home. Freshman guard Aaliyah Lewis put together one of the best performances of her career finishing the game with career-highs in points (19) and steals (5). “She took over the game,” Tartamella said. “People are amazed at how small she is but she has a warrior’s heart.” Lewis’ energy in the second half became the spark that St. John’s needed for them to pull out the win. Lewis scored 12, dished out 5 assists and came away with 4 steals in that impressive second half. “I had confidence in myself this game,” said Lewis. “The only thing that was going through my mind was to
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Leavin’ their Mark HARRISON NAMED TO NINTH HONOR ROLL
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Aaliyah Lewis finished Sunday’s win against Harvard with 19 points.
stay aggressive and be smart and to keep getting my teammates involved.” St. John’s second ranked defense in the Big East forced Harvard to commit 24 turnovers compared to the Red Storm’s nine. St. John’s committed just one turnover in the second half. Lewis added, “My main focus was to get the point guard out of the game, just get her aggravated and everything else would come together.” Sophomore guard Aliyyah Handford once again finished with a team-high in points with 25 to go along with her 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Junior forward Mallory Jones proved to be the difference maker with her career-high 10 points off the bench, shooting 50 percent from the field. “Mallory had a terrific game coming off the bench,” said Lewis. “She knocked
down a couple of three’s for us that got us back in the game and also with some defensive stops, so she was big factor.” St. John’s fell short in their last match against Florida on the road (72-68) due to a slow first half, and with another disappointing start to Sunday’s game, St. John’s refused to finish with the same outcome. “We just got to come out like we did in the second half,” said two-time reigning Big East Weekly Honor Roll recipient Aliyyah Handford. Tartamella praised his team’s second half by adding, “I feel good about our chemistry with this group and I think it showed in the second half.” St. John’s will need to bring their energy on the road with them when they take on Auburn Friday night at 6 p.m.
Transfers give back during break KYLE FITZGERALD Online Editor
Women’s basketball transfers Danaejah Grant and Selina Archer spent some on their Thanksgiving break volunteering at St. John’s Bread and Life. The two visited the charity program to cook a warm meal for low-income families who would not be able to have a lunch otherwise. St. John’s Bread and Life, which has been in existence for over 30 years, is a program formerly under St. John the Baptist Parish in Brooklyn. As it rapidly grew, the program was transferred from the Diocese of Brooklyn to St. John’s University. St. John’s Bread and Life offers more than the stationary soup kitchen. It also offers a mobile soup kitchen that reaches out and offers hot meals to New York’s most impoverished communities who may not have the means to travel to the stationary soup kitchen. In addition to the two kitchens, St. John’s Bread and Life also houses a food pantry that provides uncooked meals for those who would be unable to provide food for their families otherwise. Through the soup kitchen, mobile soup kitchen and food pantry St. John’s Bread and Life offers more than 3,500 meals each day, 365 days a year, to the impoverished, homeless and hungry. The day before Thanksgiving,
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Junior guard D’Angelo Harrison was selected to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll on Monday for the ninth time in his career. Harrison led St. John’s to a 2-1 record this past week, averaging 19.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists spanning over three games. Harrison also found success from beyond the arc, shooting 7-for-20 (.350). Harrison also helped the Red Storm from the free throw line, shooting 18-for-24 (.750) over the three games. The Johnnies defeated Longwood at Carnesecca Arena behind Harrison’s 18 points, and then overcame a 15 point deficit to beat Georgia Tech at the Barclays Center Classic consolation game. Harrison ranks second in scoring in the Big East with 19.7 points per game and is tied for seventh in the conference in free throw percentage, going 44-for-53 (.830) from the line this season.
Blowin’ in the Wind
“We have worked so hard for this; its been such a journey for the senior class.” -Ian Stone
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Danaejah Grant and Selina Archer cooked lunch for families during break.
Grant and Archer, along with St. John’s staff members, served breakfast and lunch to a crowd of 3,000. The day started at 10 a.m., with the serving of hot chocolate to warm people up and provide a cozy and welcoming atmosphere. As the day progressed, lunch was served and aimed at a more traditional Thanksgiving meal. “As a university with a Vincentian mission, helping those in need, we’re out there at the forefront just like the students and faculty trying to give back,” women’s basketball head coach Joe Tartamella said. St. John’s Bread and Life opted to
serve its Thanksgiving on Wednesday rather than Thursday to add some extra pep and get a head start for the holiday season that annually cycles feelings of welcoming and comforting feelings. As a Vincentian university, St. John’s aims to keep in the footsteps of St. Vincent de Paul who served as a vessel of service for the poor in France. Now, as one of three Vincentian Universities in the United States, St. John’s continues its mission to provide for to the poor through various programs such as St. John’s Bread and Life, the Ronald McDonald House and Midnight Runs, among others.
Lookin’ Ahead
Red Storm upcoming sched-
Men’s Basketball Dec. 7 Dec. 15 Dec. 18 Dec. 21
Fordham* 1:30 p.m. Syracuse* 12 p.m. San Francisco* 1:30 p.m. Youngstown St* 12 p.m.
Dec. 6
at Auburn
6 p.m.
Dec. 14
Drexel
12 p.m.
Dec. 15
James Madison 2 p.m.
Dec. 22
Texas A&M
Women’s Basketball
* WSJU Radio
11 a.m.
15
WBB SURGES LATE OVER HARVARD
SPORTS DECEMBER 4 2013 | VOLUME 91, ISSUE 13 |
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COMEBACK KIDS Johnnies dig out of big hole, split weekend PG. 14 PHOTO/ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS