Volume 103 Issue 1

The Fordham Ram Serving The Fordham University Community Since 1918 Volume 103, Issue 1

TheFordhamRam.com

February 10, 2021

Fordham Honors Black History

Candidates Vie for Mayor's Office

By ABBEY DELK

By SEBASTIAN DIAZ

Every February, communities across the United States honor Black History Month. The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) at Fordham University has planned a wide variety of programs and events to celebrate the rich heritage of Black Americans and encourage Fordham students to learn more about Black culture.

Black History Month, also called African American History Month, was first officially recognized by the United States in 1976 under President Gerald Ford, according to the Library of Congress. However, the Black community had celebrated the holiday long before that. Historian Carter G. Woodson and his organization, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) first founded “Negro History Week” in 1925.

The holiday quickly became

On Nov. 2, 2021, residents of New York City will elect the next mayor of the country’s most populous. The mayoral race is boasting a strong list of candidates with rich political experience. The current roster for the upcoming Democratic primary contains candidates with decades of New York public service experience, from Eric Adams to Andrew Yang, who recently gained the public spotlight as a prominent Democratic candidate during the 2020 presidential election.

It can be challenging to keep track of all currently-declared candidates for the mayoral race this early in the election cycle (primaries won’t be held until June 22, 2021). The Fordham Ram has compiled a list of the ten highest-profile candidates to provide insight into the platforms and personalities of the biggest players in the race.

Eric Adams Eric Adams has a long history as a public servant in the city, first as a member of the New York Police Department and now as the Borough President of Brooklyn.

A Republican-turned-Democrat, he was elected to his current post with 90.8% of the vote and has focused on community outreach in his home borough. In his bid for mayor, Adams established what he calls “100+ Steps for NYC” — effectively his political agenda — which includes working to dissolve tensions between communities and police, creating “tax-free Tuesdays,” and moving to a full-year school year. Adams has been caught in a number of controversies since moving into the mayoral spotlight, most notably for hosting an in-person campaign event during the COVID–19 pandemic.

AND SAM MINEAR

NEWS EDITOR

SEE HISTORY, PAGE 3

COURTESY OF THE RAM ARCHIVES

Fordham students and parents face another move-in process under the university's continued COVID-19 guidelines.

Fordham Students Hit Roadblocks During Spring Semester Move-In

By GRACE MCLAUGHLIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

From Thursday, Jan. 28 to Sunday, Jan. 31, returning and new Rose Hill students moved into their residence halls, but many were met with complications that delayed their move-in process.

On each day, there were 700-800 students who moved in during the screening process, said Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students at Rose Hill Christopher Rodgers. Students were told to upload their COVID-19 test results to the Student Health Portal.

However, some students were confused

about the type of test and quarantine days required to move in.

The emails sent to students

by Residential Life made it clear that spring semester move in would not be identical to the fall.

In a message sent through the Office of the Senior Vice PresiSEE MOVE-IN, PAGE 3

Fordham Foundry Funds Fledgling Firms

in 5th Annual Ram's Den Competition

COURTESY OF AWFULCLOTH.COM

Student entrepeneur Emmit Flynn, FCRH '22, (right) competes in the 5th annual Fordham Foundry Ram's Den competition.

By HASANA CERAN FEATURES EDITOR

The Fordham Foundry, a group for entrepreneurs in the Fordham community, held its third Ram’s Den Competition on Saturday, Feb. 6. The competi-

tion was held online this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic — more than 100 people attended.

Ram’s Den, formerly VentureUP!, is a Shark Tank-like competition “for early-stage ventures or business ideas that have a Ford-

ham student or graduate among their founders, and then the winners are chosen by a panel of judges drawn from the venture capital and startup community,” according to William Brodlo, FCRH ’22, one of the competition’s organizers. “WinSEE FOUNDRY, PAGE 4

ners can get up to a total prize pool of 40,000 dollars, and our top winner this year got [22,500 dollars] They compete by showing a pitch deck slide, explain their idea and then answer questions from judges,” said Brodlo. Attendants were encouraged to vote for their favorite team for the People’s Choice award, which carried a $1,500 prize.

Brodlo, who dealt with the technological aspect of the competition, explained that the main difficulty in hosting the competition was working within the limitations of online platforms such as Zoom.

However, he said that the ease of accessibility that comes with an online event meant that more people were able to attend and that this year had a larger reach in terms of viewers.

The competition is formed from students or alumni from Fordham who apply to the competition and are chosen by the Foundry based on their company’s viability and the judges’ interest level. The competition differs from the Foundry’s Pitch Challenge due to its requirement of at

SEE ELECTION, PAGE 4

in this issue

Opinion

Page 7

Biden's Executive Orders

Sports

Page 24

How Fordham Athletics Made the Spring Possible

Culture

Page 12

Remembering Sophie

NEWS

Page 2

PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS January 30, 2021 191th Street 10:50 p.m.

A Fordham student called 911, and Public Safety responded to the incident. A male, who was another resident of the building, pushed open the student’s door brandishing a butcher knife. The NYPD was contacted and investigated the situation.

They have arrested a male.

February 1, 2021 Webster Ave 9:30 p.m.

A student reported that he was the victim of an assault and attempted robbery. The student said he was working for Uber Eats and was on his bike doing a delivery when a group approached him. They accosted him, punched him in the face and tried to take his bike. He screamed and the perpetrators fled.

911 responded to the incident, and the NYPD is currently investigating.

February 2, 2021 Southern Boulevard 5 p.m.

Public Safety was notified that someone broke into two vehicles on Southern Boulevard. NYPD is investigating.

February 4, 2o21 East 188th Street 11:25 p.m.

Three female students were walking on Arthur Ave at the corner of East 188th street when a male jogged up behind them. The male grabbed one of their buttocks and ran from the scene. Public Safety is investigating.

February 7, 2021 Hoffman Street (Terranova House) 1:40 a.m.

FDNY was contacted due to a mutable fire alarm. The FDNY and Public Safety investigated the situation, but there was no indication of a fire. The alarm panel was reset.

Follow us on Twitter! @TheFordhamRam

February 10, 2021

Fordham Students Try to Capitalize on GameStop Trading Frenzy

By ABBEY DELK NEWS EDITOR

GameStop is not simply a relic from a time before video game enthusiasts could purchase and download the newest game from the comfort of their homes. For Phillip Wang, GSB ’21, the electronics retail company also presented an opportunity to participate in one of the biggest Wall Street trading frenzies of the past several years.

Wang has been an investor since his freshman year at Fordham. Initially, the stock market presented an opportunity for him to make longterm investments and take bigger risks with individual stocks that excited him, he explained. GameStop became one of those stocks.

The company garnered national attention after its stock value exploded in January, fueled by amateur traders, many of whom belong to an online community of investors on Reddit. The company’s stock price had been slowly creeping up through the latter half of 2020 but began climbing more rapidly in January of this year, according to data collected by Google Finance.

On New Year’s Eve, GameStop stocks (abbreviated as GME on the New York Stock Exchange) were valued at $18.81. Three weeks later, on Jan. 22, the stock had jumped to $39.12. And just six days later, GME had climbed to a staggering $347.51 per share.

But why did GameStop experience such a sudden increase in value? For many Reddit users who frequented the subreddit “r/WallStreetBets,” it had not seemed sudden at all. The online community is a place for individual investors to post memes, learn from other investors and advocate for stocks they believe will increase in value.

GameStop had been gaining traction as a good investment for several months in the community, particularly after an investment firm owned by Ryan Cohen, the founder of the online pet supplies retailer Chewy, bought a stake in Gamestop and joined its board last summer. Since then, Reddit users had been making the case for GameStop and encouraging other users to buy shares.

Griffin LaMarche, FCRH ’22, another student investor, said he first read about the buzz surrounding GameStop on the subreddit late last year.

“There’s always different little groups of people that pick a stock and say, ‘Oh, this is going to go up,

or this is going to go down,’” said LaMarche.

Still, LaMarche was not entirely convinced that GameStop could bring in the kind of money some users were claiming it could, so he did not immediately invest.

Wang had also begun to frequent the subreddit in the early months of 2020. For him, the forum represented a good place to see where other small-time investors were putting their money. “It’s a good jumpingoff point to do a lot of research on stocks,” said Wang. Wang said he has made money in the past after investing in stocks that were getting buzz in the “WallStreetBets” community, but he, like LaMarche, still did not take the prospect of winning big with GameStop too seriously when he first invested in the company.

He bought shares in December at around $20 but sold them by early January at about $40. “I didn’t like that half of my portfolio was ‘meme stocks,’” he explained.

To Wang’s dismay, not long after he sold his GameStop shares, GME stock began to surge more and more rapidly. Eager to cash in on the rising tide, he repurchased shares at roughly $150 per share. “It’s definitely a really high-risk stock,” said Wang. “I’m definitely not putting in money I wouldn’t be comfortable losing completely.”

Why the sudden surge? Reddit users and small investors were not simply attracted to GameStop because of the company’s perceived virtues.

Some investors had also noticed that several established Wall Street hedge funds, including Melvin Capital, had been shorting GameStop stock. This means that these larger investors essentially bet against the company, guessing its value would fall significantly.

In order to short a stock, these investors borrowed shares from another investor and sold them again immediately. If the stock fell, the investors who shorted the stock could buy back the shares at a lower price and return them to the original investors, keeping the difference and making a profit. But if an investor shorting a stock is wrong and its value goes up, they still have to buy back and return the shares, this time losing money.

This is exactly what happened to Melvin Capital and the other hedge funds that shorted GameStop. When small investors like Wang and LaMarche kept buying shares in GameStop, the company’s value went up and its shares became more expensive. When the pan-

COURTESY OF TWITTER

GameStop’s stock value soars in January as Reddit users scramble to invest.

icked hedge funds had to buy back the shares of GameStop they borrowed, they also contributed to the stock’s rapid surge in value, creating what is known as a short squeeze.

In the end, hedge funds lost billions of dollars. For some smalltime investors in GameStop, that had been part of the fun. As more people bought shares in GameStop, a populist attitude developed on social media demonstrating the power of individuals to make waves on Wall Street. When LaMarche purchased an option in GameStop in January, profit was his main motivation, he explained. Still, he said he was struck by the rallying cry of investors who wanted to fight back against established Wall Street firms. “While I don’t want to say you could make real change [by investing], people have more power than they think,” said LaMarche.

Though LaMarche ended up losing roughly $500 on GameStop, he’s still looking to invest in other companies in the future and never invests money in risky stocks that he cannot afford to lose. For now, Wang’s second investment in GameStop hasn’t led to any big returns either. He did not sell at the highest point of the stock’s rapid increase in value, and the stock has fallen significantly during the first weeks of February. As of this article’s publication, GME stock is valued at $59.10 per share, according to Google Finance. Wang said he hoped for another increase in value so he can sell again.

Andrey Ermolov, a financial economist and professor at the Gabelli School of Business, said he believed the GameStop debacle will

teach both big Wall Street investors and individual investors a valuable lesson. “These types of episodes teach investors by experience,” Ermolov said. “A lot of professional investors were shorting GameStop.

Now they lost a lot of money, so the next time they will … be more attentive to their decisions.”

Ermolov said new investors who had tried to cash in on GameStop and failed had also likely learned to be more careful as well. “If there is an episode like this in the future, it will be smaller because people betting on both sides will be more cautious,” he explained. “There is a reason that these kinds of episodes happen not every day but once every two or three years. People learn from their mistakes, and they change their behavior.”

Ermolov said that while it is perfectly acceptable to gamble on the stock market with stocks like GameStop, he recommended that students interested in investing for the first time should focus on building a well-diversified portfolio and suggested they find a brokerage firm with a good promotion for opening a new account. He personally advised investing in an exchange fund that gives an investor access to the entire S&P 500, the 500 largest publicly-traded companies in the United States.

Ermolov also emphasized that to make money as an investor, students should think long-term. He said research suggests that investors cannot really tell when it is the best time to buy or sell. “Just put money there and wait for ten to 20 years, and this almost guarantees you very strong returns,” he said.

This Week at Fordham Wednesday Feb. 10

Thursday Feb. 11

Friday Feb. 12

Friday/Saturday Feb. 13-14

Saturday Feb. 13

ASILI Black History Month Open Mic Night

CAB Speaker Series Alumni Panel

Rodrigue’s Welcome Back Concert

FET Improv Shows

Sláinte Beginner Class

ASILI (The Black Student Alliance) presents a virtual open mic night to give Fordham students a chance to showcase their talents as well as celebrate Black History Month.

Every Friday the Muslim Student Association holds Jummah Prayer.

The prayer room in Faber is too small, therefore, they have requested to use the classroom in McGinley so as many Muslims as possible can pray there.

In celebration of their spring 2021 opening, Rodrigue’s Coffee House presents a virtual live concert through Youtube. The bill for the show advertises the musical performance of the following artists: Pollyanna, The Booyah! Kids and Annie DiRusso.

Fordham Experimental Theatre’s improv group, Stranded in Pittsburgh, is hosting two nights of improv comedy this Friday and Saturday. Students should sign up to attend on the group’s Instagram page @strandedinpittsburgh.

The Circle K student organization will lead a trip to the St. Mary’s Recreational Center. There they will facilitate work with children with disabilities. All Fordham students are welcome and encouraged to participate in this volunteer opportunity.

Virtual (Zoom) 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Virtual (Zoom) 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Virtual (YouTube Live) 8 p.m.-10:30 p.m.

Keating 1st Auditorium 8 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Keating B23 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.

NEWS

February 10, 2021

Page 3

OMA Hosts Events to Celebrate Black History Month FROM HISTORY, PAGE 1

popular in the Black community and eventually evolved into the month-long celebration of Black culture and heritage that we know today.

Lilibeth Ramos Flores, a graduate intern at OMA, said that while the university honors Black History Month every year, she and the students on OMA’s Black History Month committee recognized the importance of honoring Black culture after the mass protests last summer for the Black Lives Matter movement.

“Even if this year we don’t see the kind of protests we saw in 2020, that doesn’t matter because it will always be important,” said Flores.

OMA organizes several student committees each year to help plan and implement programs celebrating different holidays and cultural groups, according to Flores. These include (but are not limited to) Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and LGBTQ History Month.

Each committee is headed by two student cultural programming coordinators, one from each Fordham campus. These coordinators often collaborate with cultural clubs on campus like ASILI and the Asian Cultural Exchange to plan events, said Flores.

The committee for Black History Month has announced a

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Fordham students attend a Zoom discussion on the influence of Black artists on the music industry and popular culture.

broad range of programming for Fordham students to celebrate the Black community and learn more about its history. Flores said the programming is a mix of in-person, hybrid and fully virtual events in order to cater to students who are remote this semester.

On Monday, the committee hosted a discussion over Zoom “on the importance of music in our lives and the significance of Black music in the entertainment world,” according to its Instagram page, @blackhistoryatfordham. Students who attended were able to talk about the

Black artists who have impacted their lives and share their favorite music. Student committee members also organized a virtual trivia night last week focused on Black culture and history. Winners received a gift card to a Blackowned business.

The Black History Month

committee plans to host a book club on Feb. 17 and a paint day on Feb. 19. Flores said they also plan to host a virtual panel on hair care and appreciation this month as well. The committee will continue to announce programming on its Instagram page throughout the month.

Flores said that the committee for Black History Month tried to create programming that was not only fun but genuinely educational. “We have a lot of things that I hope will encapsulate Black History as a whole,” Flores said.

“I think cultural programming is really important, but I also think we sometimes get lost in the glamour and sparkle and shine of music and dance and food. I feel that oftentimes the history and learning and intentional lessons are left out of programming.”

She also said that OMA tries to highlight as many intersectional identities as possible with its programming to make sure everyone in the Fordham community feels uplifted and appreciated.

Above all, Flores said she feels strongly that Fordham students should seek out opportunities to expand their worldviews and learn about other cultures. “It’s important for you as a person to get to know other people without tokenizing them and without burdening them,” she said. “Black History Month isn’t just for Black people. It’s for everyone. It’s for everyone to learn.”

COVID-19 Testing Requirements Complicate Move-In

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Fordham students returning to campus and moving their belongings back into residence halls for the spring semester must abide by updated COVID-19 testing and quarantine requirements.

FROM MOVE-IN, PAGE 1

dent for Student Affairs, the movein requirements were outlined as follows: Students from contiguous states to New York (New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Vermont) had to obtain a PCR saliva or nasal swab coronavirus test a minimum of seven days before move-in and upload it to the student health portal.

Students from outside these states were told to obtain a negative PCR test within three days before quarantining in a contiguous state for four days, and to get another test on the fourth day. This seems to be where confusion arose. Although

an email sent from University Health Services stated that rapid tests would not be accepted, it was unclear to many if that referred to just the first test, just the second test or both.

Julie Connelly, FCRH ’23, is from Virginia, so she was required to submit two tests: one a week before arriving at Fordham, and a second after being on campus for four days.

She uploaded a negative PCR test before quarantining, but submitted a negative rapid test on the fourth day.

However, according to New York State COVID-19 guidelines, travelers should receive two PCR tests.

“The email [from Fordham] specified that the first test had to be PCR, but did not specify about the second test,” said Connelly. She, along with other students who received a rapid test, was turned away when she arrived and stayed with relatives in New Jersey until her results from a PCR test came back negative.

Many other students got a rapid test at the end of their quarantine in order to move in quickly afterwards, not realizing that they would be turned away.

According to Dean Rodgers, the PCR versus rapid testing requirements were enforced by Fordham

due to the higher percentage of error of rapid tests.

“Most elements of the screening process were derived from New York State’s regulations,” said Dean Rodgers.

“Unfortunately, New York State’s specific quarantine requirements made it impossible for the University to allow quarantine on campus for the vast majority of students at opening/move-in ... we also assisted quite a few students on a case-bycase basis, allowing temporary quarantine with meal delivery in Faber for the most severe situations,” said Rodgers.

Rodgers and Alex Fischer, assistant dean of students and director of Residential Life, maintain that the spring move-in process was more efficient than the fall.

“Throughout the fall opening process, we learned a lot and made changes for our spring process, which made it run even smoother and more successful,” said Fischer.

“I want to thank each of the staff members in Residential Life, as well as staff in Student Affairs, Campus Operations & Facilities and the department of Public Safety for making this process smooth and safe for all involved.”

NEWS

Page 4

February 10, 2021

Mayoral Race Boasts Diverse Field of Democratic CandiFROM ELECTION, PAGE 1

Shaun Donovan

Shaun Donovan is best known for serving as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Barack Obama. His platform focuses on issues of education, climate, housing, health and aging, amongst other current issues.

Donovan describes education in New York City as a “dual pandemic” and asserts that the system must be reimagined to combat “ongoing systemic racism.”

His focus on aging is unique to this mayoral race, with Donovan placing an emphasis on accessible healthcare and transportation.

Kathryn Garcia Kathryn Garcia was previously the commissioner of the New York City Sanitation Department, and as of Sep. 2020, a candidate in the mayoral race. She has been a staunch adversary to Bill de Blasio, having resigned as commissioner in 2020 due to de Blasio’s budget cuts in the sanitation department, which created a 100 million dollar loss in funding.

Her campaign is driven by COVID–19 recovery and focused on the importance of vaccinating New Yorkers alongside ideas such as universal broadband internet and free childcare.

In a distinctive effort to combat police brutality, Garcia wishes to “increase the [NYPD] recruitment age from 21 to 25.” Regardless of her plans, she faces a hefty challenge, as many New Yorkers blame Garcia for NYC’s unsightly trash problem.

Raymond McGuire Raymond McGuire is not a politician –– and his campaign counts on that. A former Citigroup executive, McGuire was one of the highest-ranking business executives on Wall Street, helping businesses that generated upwards of $20 billion a year in revenue.

McGuire, since moving to New York from Ohio in his youth, has focused on outreach and providing to New York’s most underserved. He places a special emphasis on the Black community both in and outside of his campaign, serving as a board member on several charitable organizations and dedicating his mayoral bid to solving racial unrest and economic recovery. To help “kids like him,” McGuire’s platform seeks to invest in children from “cradle to career,” making education more accessible, discouraging gang membership and improving city safety.

Carlos Menchaca Carlos Menchaca serves New York City’s 38th district as a member of the New York City Council. An El Paso native, Menchaca is the first openly gay New York City Council member from Brooklyn and the first Mexican-American elected to public office in the city. Menchaca boasts himself as a candidate who will fight “against the wealthy and powerful” and for the public interest of New York City. He has taken firm stances against gentrification and discrimination and has established

his campaign to encourage economic regrowth and equality after the pandemic.

Dianne Morales Dianne Morales first announced her candidacy for mayor in late 2019, waiting almost a year to launch her campaign in mid-November of 2020 officially.

Although she has relatively little political experience when compared to other running candidates, Morales has laid out a plan for her first 100 days in office.

According to Morales’ campaign webpage, the plan is titled “Dignity Now,” and contains a series of progressive policies intended to respect and value every New Yorker. Among these policies include plans to stop collaboration between the NYPD and ICE, a temporary citywide prohibition of rent collection, housing the homeless, increased provision of mental health care and support for basic income.

Scott Stringer Serving as the New York City comptroller since 2013 and a member of the State Assembly before that, Scott Stringer has maintained a reputation of upholding reformative values. As a candidate for mayor, Stringer has developed an agenda he refers to as the “Details to Deliver,” which spotlights environmental justice and plans to fight back against climate change from New York City. Stringer’s platform heavily reflects the Green New Deal that has been proposed on a national level, adapting its policies to be more city-centric. These environmental plans include promotion

of greener and energy-efficient buildings in the city, a “Fossil Free NYC” movement to transition NYC communities towards green energy and the creation of jobs by promoting the production of green energy.

Loree Sutton Loree Sutton stands out from her fellow candidates due to her life experience in the United States Military. Having retired from the US Army as a high-ranking psychiatrist, Sutton became the commissioner for New York City’s Department of Veteran Services.

Sutton’s Broad Policy Agenda contains general ideas that Sutton plans to strive for if elected mayor.

Among these are accessible health care, reform for K-12 education encompassing digital learning and multiple partnerships to update city transit systems.

Maya Wiley Aside from having experience as a member of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the ACLU, Maya Wiley has attained political experience as Counsel to the Mayor in 2014. Currently, Wiley has created three different policy plans to tackle multiple problems across NYC, including the “Gun Violence Prevention Plan,” “New Deal New York,” and “Plan to End Evictions.”

While the first and latter of these are fairly self-explanatory in terms of area of interest, “New Deal New York” plans to combat what Wiley notes as “the worst economic crisis in at least a generation.” The main tenets of Wiley’s “New Deal New York” operate under the belief that supporting

small businesses and vitalizing labor protections are the keys to lifting the city out of an economic crisis.

Andrew Yang Perhaps the candidate with the largest share of the spotlight, Andrew Yang, gained national attention as a Democratic candidate for the 2020 presidential election.

One of Yang’s most prominent municipal policies adopts a plank from his presidential platform— universal basic income. Under Yang’s plan, New York’s poorest residents would be eligible to receive $2,000 per year and benefit from strengthened social relief programs.

Environmental justice is another key component to Yang’s platform, making the city’s vehicular fleet fully electric by 2035 (among other policies). Criminal justice-focused policies in Yang’s platform include plans to name a civilian commissioner of the NYPD. According to a recent poll conducted by Slingshot Strategies, a start-up political consulting firm, Yang leads the ranked-choice voting polls at 25% support. (It should be noted that Yang’s campaign sponsored the poll). Following Yang, 17% of New Yorkers chose Eric Adams as their first choice for mayor. In third place, Scott Stringer was the first choice for 12% of New Yorkers.

The poll’s decision to use ranked-choice voting is significant. New York City will be using ranked-choice voting for the mayoral election for the first time in the city’s history.

Fordham Students and Alumni Compete for Cash Prizes FROM FOUNDRY, PAGE 1

least $10,000 yearly revenue, according to Brodlo.

Outside of the financial incentives for competitors, the Fordham Foundry offers opportunities for budding entrepreneurs to network among the business community and to solidify their business plans for expansion.

This year had eight competitors with ventures in fields ranging from fashion and beauty to agriculture to plush toys. Many, such as the plush toy company Laffin, presented by Jonathan Samuel, FCRH ’24, and Nikolaj Folmer, FCLC ’24, and the fashion brand Awful Cloth, founded by Emmit Flynn, FCRH ’21, utilized TikTok and Instagram to reach the consumerist Gen Z population.

Nicholas Raefski, GSB ’21, of the clothing brand Nicholas Raefski, explained that the mission of the brand is to generate “hype” for the clothing, as well as raise awareness of mental health issues and work towards mental health advocacy.

Ely’El Beauty, founded by Alida So, GSAS ’22, seeks to provide natural beauty products by offering high-quality products with ingredients and recipes sourced directly from the founder’s native Burkina Faso.

Two companies sought instead to work with other businesses themselves. Equeduct, presented

by Nick Avella, GSB ’12, and Usman “Ozzy” Raza, intends to provide loans for small businesses. Fi-

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Grocery company Tu Plaza takes home first place, and the People's Choice Award at the 5th annual Fordham Foundry Ram's Den competition.

nal Approach Consulting, run by family members Justin Logerfo and Hannah Logerfo, FCRH ’20, is a data analysis consulting firm that hopes to help companies make better business decisions.

Tu Plaza, presented by Paulo Vieira, GSB ’22, stimulates the agricultural economy in Colombia, and was the winner of this year’s People’s Choice award.

Rickard Jean-Noel, GSB ’20,

spoke about The Real Word Ministries, Inc., an information distributor, podcast and nonprofit dedicated to bringing hope to people’s lives and to improving the living situation of disadvantaged persons, especially as the pandemic further harms living conditions.

Tu Plaza also took first place with a $22,500 prize, with Equeduct, Nicholas Reafski and Awful

Cloth in second, third and fourth place, respectively.

The judges this year were Desmond Lewis, co-founder of the Bronx Community Foundation, John Murphy, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Adobe, Annie Evans, founder of boutique fund Dream Ventures, Jared Sorin, co-founder of entreprenYOURS, Inc. and Elena Rowell, GSB ’13, outbound product

manager at Google.

The Fordham Foundry will also be holding their 5th annual Pitch Challenge, which is open to entrepreneurs at earlier stages of business development, with a chance to win a $20,000 prize.

Applications for the Pitch Challenge are due Wednesday, Feb. 1o at midnight EST. The competition itself will be held on March 27.

OPINION

February 10, 2021

Page 5

The Fordham Ram

Polish Citizens Storm the Streets in Response to Abortion Ban

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Polish women take to the streets to protest an abortion ban.

By MADELINE BYRNE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

This past week, thousands of protesters took to the streets in Warsaw, Poland following the announcement of the Constitutional Tribunal Ruling on abortion. This near-total ban on abortion prevents women from terminating pregnancies with fetal defects, which account for 98% of legal abortions in Poland.

With good reason, protestors fear that this ban is a precursor for a greater concern: the jeopardization of human rights in a country with an increasingly conservative agenda.

This ruling limits women’s access to legal termination with the exception of only two instances: the danger of the woman’s health and the case of rape or incest.

Many of the demonstrations in Warsaw were organized by the Women’s Strike, a feminist group which led women in solidarity with LGBTQ+ and envirornmental activists through the streets toward the ruling party’s headquarters.

Among these protestors was Ola Bokowska, 31, who told NBC News that she feels the government is “targeting many people’s rights, and not just women’s rights” with its “traditional but outdated values.” The government’s increasing negligence towards members of the LGBTQ+ community and frequent pushes to reinstate more conservative social norms further prove Bokowska’s point.

Poland’s Law and Justice Party, the PiS, is responsible for these changes. This right-wing

populist party has become an undeniably dominant force in the country. With the support of the Catholic Church, the PiS has been successful in enforcing an anti-liberal regime. However, at what point do these conservative changes infringe on basic human rights?

Members of opposing political parties have spoken out against PiS Chief and Country Deputy Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński. Civic Platform Party MP Dariusz Rosati openly criticized the police force and administration on Twitter, writing, “They protect Kaczyński. The guest responsible for the destruction of the state, for setting Poland on fire, for unleashing hatred. Disgrace.”

Even the mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, stood by protestors. Following the announcement of the ruling, he took to Twitter to encourage Poles to publicly oppose the government’s decision, despite the country’s nationwide pandemic restrictions.

This ban sets the country apart from the many European countries moving in a more progressive and liberal direction. Poland is one of only six countries in the continent that does not allow abortion on a woman’s request or broad social grounds. The Center for Reproductive Rights reported that Poland has become one of the strictest European countries, with numerous attempts to re-

scind progressive laws in regards to women’s reproductive rights.

While this harmful ruling may seem unlikely to occur in the United States, some states are not far from administering laws and restrictions that parallel those of Poland.

In 2019, nine states passed bills to limit abortions within their borders. Stricter states like Alabama voted to ban abortion completely, while others like Georgia and Louisiana opted to pass “heartbeat bills.” These bills prevent women from requesting abortions after six to eight weeks of pregnancy, when professionals are able to detect a fetal heartbeat.

While these laws are not as stringent as the Constitutional Tribunal Ruling in Poland, they too threaten the civil liberties of American citizens. Despite the countless protests that broke out in the US like those in Warsaw, many states are still actively pushing to reverse Roe v. Wade — one of the only Supreme Court decisions that explicitly protects women’s reproductive liberties in the country.

Both in Poland and some parts of the U.S., citizens fear the suppression of their human rights at the hands of an overly conservative government. Whether the offense may be a constitutional ban like that of Poland or a gradual bill like those of American states, one thing is certain: Laws that encroach on the rights of individ-

uals’ volition are unethical and must be stopped.

As many Poles have expressed, this ban acts as a warning for all demographics, not just women.

The silence of the Polish government speaks louder than words.

If the PiS refuses to listen to the overwhelming response of its concerned citizens, who is to say they won’t pass more laws further restricting the voices of targeted groups?

The division that has erupted in Poland this week is severe — but perhaps necessary. While these protests may prove to be dangerous and upsetting for many, protestors are doing what is essential to protect their rights and the rights of others.

Student and active protester Dagmara, 25, said, “It’s my duty as a citizen to be here and fight for freedom. It’s the 21st century and respect and tolerance for everybody is a must.”

The fight to preserve human rights is far from over in Poland, and protestors are not giving up.

They have continued to express their concern with fervent demonstrations since the ruling has been announced.

“This is war,” said corporate worker Eliza. “We are protesting here. A group of women saying ‘no’ to our government and their decisions.”

Madeline Byrne, FCRH ’23, is a psychology major from Freehold, N.J.

Careful Reopening Required for Spring Semester

By KELLY CHRIST

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR EMERITA

Though 2020 has finally drawn to a close, the COVID-19 pandemic has not proven to be any less of a challenge in the new year.

January 2021 marked the deadliest month of the pandemic thus far, with over 95,000 deaths from COVID-19 in the United States.

While some schools have canceled their plans to reopen, colleges and universities across the country have reopened for the spring 2021 semester.

Although closing is likely the safest option, it is unrealistic to keep universities and other institutions completely closed amid the pandemic. However, if schools decide to open, precautions must be upheld, and students must make responsible choices to protect their safety and that of the community as a whole.

Despite the risks, Fordham’s decision to reopen for the spring remains a reasonable choice.

With proper safety precautions in place, it is certainly possible to reduce the spread of the virus whilst keeping members of the university community safe. Fordham had a relatively successful fall

semester in terms of bringing students and faculty back to campus.

Classes were held both remotely and in person, with mandatory face masks and social distancing where necessary. In-person campus activities were limited, and traditional experiences such as visiting the dining hall were altered to meet safety requirements.

When students returned in late August, the warm weather made it easier to safely enjoy campus.

Once the weather became colder, COVID-19 rates went up. In fact, cases rapidly increased as the fall semester drew to a close.

Though the university never met the 100-case threshold that New York State established for remote instruction, over 50 cases were reported during a single two-week period in November.

As the spring semester begins with near-freezing temperatures and snowstorms, options for safe activities are limited. With this reality comes the concern that indoor gatherings, which are far more likely to spread the virus, will rapidly increase the number of on-campus cases. The significant spike in COVID-19 cases following the holidays proves

the repercussions of not adhering to social distancing guidelines.

While it is frustrating to not have as many options to see friends in person, unsafe gatherings are not worth the risk.

The Fordham administration must ensure that all members of the Fordham community follow its protocols. As students, we cannot be afraid to have the sometimes awkward conversations about safety. This pandemic will not last forever, but the consequences will. While you may think you aren’t personally at risk, engaging in activities against guidelines from medical experts can put others at risk who may be far more vulnerable.

Another crucial measure Fordham must continue to improve upon in the spring semester is testing. At the beginning of the fall semester, the university did not provide clear guidelines for how testing would be conducted, who would have access to a test and how many tests individuals could receive. Accessibility to testing and transparency in reporting community testing numbers are vital to mitigating the spread of COVID-19 within the campus community.

It is incredibly difficult to come to terms with just how much this pandemic has taken from our college experience. For those of us who are seniors, the loss of longawaited traditions can be especially disappointing. However, we must continue to be responsible despite these frustrations.

This is not the spring semester any of us had hoped for. Last March, we did not think this pandemic would affect the fall semester, let alone 2021. But, this virus has not gone anywhere. More contagious variants are emerging, and infection rates remain alarmingly high.

With the introduction of a vaccine, there is a light at the end of the tunnel appearing, however dim it may be. But vaccines alone will not end the pandemic. Social distancing, wearing face masks and other protective measures must remain in place. Even if you have already been vaccinated, these precautions remain crucial.

There will be a time in which all of these protocols are a thing of the past, but until then, please continue to be responsible.

Kelly Christ, FCRH ’21, is an English and psychology major from Long Island, N.Y.

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Students are returning to school despite concerns about COVID-19.

Page 6

R

Serving the Fordham University campus and community since 1918 The Fordham Ram is the university journal of record. The mission of The Fordham Ram is to provide a forum for the free and open exchange of ideas in service to the community and to act as a student advocate. The Fordham Ram is published and distributed free of charge every Wednesday during the academic year to the Rose Hill, Lincoln Center and Westchester campuses with a readership of over 12,000 and a web readership of over 300,000. The Fordham Ramoffice is located in the basement of the McGinley Center, room B-52.

Website TheFordhamRam.com Email Address theram@fordham.edu

Editor-in-Chief Rachel Gow Managing Editor Dylan Balsamo Editorial Director Erica Weidner Multimedia Director Hunter Benegas Business Director Aidan Youngs Production Editor Vanessa DeJesus Copy Chief Megan Dowden News Editor Abbey Delk Features Editor Hasna Ceran Assistant News Editors Sebastian Diaz Isabel Danzis Opinion Editors Emma Lipkind Taylor Herzlich Culture Editors Ava Erickson Sara Tsugranis Assistant Culture Editor Hanif Amanullah Sports Editor Alexander Wolz Assistant Sports Editors Michael Hernandez Kaley Bell Digital Producers Katie Morris Collette Campbell Visual Director Pia Fischetti Photo Editor Mackenzie Cranna Graphics/Illustrations Cory Bork Faculty Advisor Beth Knobel Editorial Page Policy

The Fordham Ram’s editorial is

selected on a weekly basis and reflects the editorial board’s view on a campus issue.

Opinions Policy The Fordham Ramaccepts submissions to fordhamramopinions@gmail. com. Commentaries are printed on a space available basis. The Fordham Ram reserves the right to reject any submission for any reason, without notice. Submissions become the exclusive property of The Fordham Ram .

The Fordham Ram reserves the right to edit any submissions. The opinions in The Fordham Ram’s editorials are those of the editorial board; those expressed in articles, letters, commentaries, cartoons or graphics are those of the individual author. No part of The Fordham Ram may be reproduced without written consent.

OPINION

February 10, 2021

From the Desk | Sebastian Diaz

The Politics of Everyday Life On Jan. 20, 2021, millions of Americans cheered as Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States. In the aftermath of Biden’s inauguration, it is disheartening to see a drop in politically active people around me. In the later months of 2020, I couldn’t go a day without seeing someone repost an infographic on social media about police brutality, violent conflicts overseas or the migrant children from America’s southern border. Now, these infographics are largely gone.

To a certain extent, making the choice to drop any semblance of political awareness confuses me.

Although it may not seem superficially apparent, politics are rooted in almost every part of the world.

Did you order a textbook from Amazon that’s taking longer to arrive than initially expected? It might be because Amazon workers in Alabama successfully voted to unionize and are no longer working under an intense crunch from Amazon employers. Are you noticing that the Columbus Circle subway stop is missing a subway attendant while on your way to Lincoln Center? It’s likely because the MTA successfully passed its plan to lay off 185 employees and remove 20 station booths, a move currently being contested after being shut down by the Manhattan Supreme Court. It is possible that the group of homeless people you’re sharing the subway car with are there only because they were displaced by newly installed anti-homeless architecture that

disrupted their preferred place to sleep. While there might be other reasons at work, these situations are based on potential outcomes of real political struggles that will affect the average New York City citizen’s everyday life.

There are so many ways, both subtle and overt, in which politics manifests itself. Going to work invokes the political struggle of class. Paying tuition fees invokes the political struggle of education. Choosing to ride in an Uber instead of the subway invokes a political struggle of public versus private transport.

Ignoring politics under the belief that the struggle has disappeared is the same as ignoring the details of life. Beyond these details, there are disenfranchised people whose voices are being ignored. Amplifying these voices is an effective and manageable way of bringing justice to those who deserve it.

For the number of political struggles that are continually occurring, surprisingly few have appeared on my social media feeds or come up in conversation. It seems as though people are taking a rest because Donald Trump is out of office. If anything, attaining a political victory is the opposite of a signal to become complacent; it is a signal to become more vocal than ever. It isn’t enough to be content with a single victory, but to make sure a victory brings forward political, cultural and social significance that attempts to reconcile with the former.

I believe the complacency after Biden’s inauguration is a result of

the campaign’s election victory strategy. In the months leading up to November 2020, there was an increasingly aggressive voter registration campaign. Although this seems like an obvious move, there was more emphasis on winning than actually creating change as the president.

It is important to keep up with Biden-era politics and demand that the newly inaugurated president and his cabinet deliver on the many promises during his campaign. For example, the $1,400 stimulus checks included in a COVID-19 relief package

unveiled on Jan. 14 are far from the $2,000 checks used to incentivize eligible voters to participate in Georgia’s U.S. Senate runoff elections. The new stimulus package is an example of an administration turning its back on the people who elected them into office.

My advice: Take the energy acquired while campaigning toward a presidential victory and apply it to the struggles present in your community. After all, the small victories can add up to significant improvement in the quality of life for many people.

Editorial | 2021

Fighting News Burnout in a New Political Era For the past several months, it has been borderline impossible to ignore the news. It has screamed at us every morning, every afternoon and every evening. We encountered it wherever we went, from print newspapers to social media to casual conversation.

On important news days immediately after Election Day, we checked the news constantly. We anxiously waited for the Associated Press to call Pennsylvania for Joe Biden or Donald Trump. On the days after an armed insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, we sat by waiting for news of impeachment or resignation.

The news consumed us — not only as journalists, but as Americans.

Compared to the average news day under President Trump, the Biden presidency comes as a reprieve. For the past three weeks, the news cycle has been free of attacks on democracy and calls for political violence.

It’s easy for a slow news week to lull us into a sense of security. Burnout is only natural considering the events of the past few years. However, a Biden presidency does not mean that we should stop paying attention; on the contrary, Americans face a multitude of problems that we would be irresponsible to neglect.

The daily news is no longer littered with outlandish lies and images of men adorned in fur and horns roaming the Capitol halls, but there is still much action to be taken. Complex political issues do not disappear when a new president takes office. If we act as though President Biden’s election means the “nightmare is over,” we pretend the problems Americans face disappeared overnight.

However, the hot-button issues that dominated the 2020 presidential election have grown no less important and no less urgent.

Americans are still waiting for a COVID-19 stimulus bill providing

financial relief. We are still waiting for an organized, nationwide vaccination campaign. We are still waiting for leaders to take steps in recognizing and preventing irreversible changes in Earth’s climate.

We are still waiting for racial justice in the wake of unjustified, brutal murders of Black Americans at the hands of the police. We are still waiting for the perpetrators of the Capitol insurrection to face penalties for their actions.

Every member of the Fordham community has a voice. We at The Fordham Ram believe that we have a duty to remain aware and involved in issues that affect us, our school, our nation and our world.

It is imperative that we use our voices to advocate for the issues that matter instead of blindly relying on President Biden’s administration.

The Ram will continue to report on the Biden administration, just as it has for every administration in the past. It is our duty to cover

important news items and publish student voices, and it’s a duty we take with pride. However, it is also up to you, as readers, to stay informed and involved.

This week, former President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial began — just over a year after his first impeachment trial concluded — and we can expect plenty of newsworthy material as the Senate proceeds. This impeachment trial has historic implications for American politics, and it deserves both our attention and interest.

We urge you not only to follow the impeachment trial, but to keep your eyes open to issues that matter to you. We invite you to involve yourselves in politics beyond the scope of breaking news and the topics that pop up on your social media feeds. Fighting through news burnout means finding something worth caring about and advocating for regardless of what party holds power.

OPINION

February 10, 2021

Page 7

Bernie Breaks the Internet... Again

By NICOLE BRAUN

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

At President Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20, distinguished guests wore their finest attire, yet the most prominent fashion statement of the historic day was Sen. Bernie Sanders’ mittens. Not just a practical accessory for the chilly winter day, the senator’s mittens were specially made out of recycled materials

by Vermont teacher Jen Ellis.

Photojournalist Brendan Smialowski captured a very cold Sanders sporting a practical coat, mittens and a crooked mask, sitting with his arms and legs crossed. Sanders was unaware that the photo was being snapped, as he was “just sitting there trying to keep warm, trying to pay attention to what was going on.” Unsurprisingly, Smialowski’s snapshot of Sanders went viral. Sanders’s unimpressed expression has been photoshopped with the cast of “Friends,” placed on the Iron Throne and seated next to Forrest Gump.

This is not the first time that Sanders has made a mark in meme history. Just a few months ago, a video of him “once again asking for your financial support” (in a suspiciously similarlooking coat) went viral and was endlessly riffed.

It should not come as a surprise that Sanders has risen to meme stardom several times due to his popularity among younger demographics. After four years of using memes to make light out of dire political situations, younger generations are relieved that there is now a meme to laugh about simply because it’s funny.

Whereas the vast majority of Americans distrust nearly every politician, there’s something wholesome and trustworthy about Sanders. I don’t know what it is about him; maybe it’s the fact that his views have hardly wavered over his decadeslong political career or that everything he says is laced with passion and sincerity. But I do know that, while I don’t agree with everything he says, I trust that he really cares about the people he serves.

The new Sanders meme only adds to my warm perception of him. Shortly after his picture went viral, Sanders’ team released a new “Chairman Sanders Collection” of tees and sweatshirts featuring the iconic snap. Better yet, Sanders is donating all of the profits from this collection to several Vermontbased charities, an effort that has already raised millions of dollars.

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Sen. Bernie Sanders’ outfit at President Biden’s inauguration has become a viral meme symbolizing relief.

What does it mean that one of the biggest stories on a historic Inauguration Day is about Sanders and his mittens? It means that people are ready for some levity, some small break from the seemingly endless deluge of chaos. The viral sensation is a brief distraction from our nation’s problems and the mountain of work that needs to be done to rectify them. The meme adds to the celebration of Inauguration Day and a new begin-

ning.

One could argue that Sanders is making a statement with his choice of practical, somewhat casual wear on a day dotted with designers. It would certainly be on-brand for a man who has criticized the financial decisions of the wealthy for generations, but I don’t think that is what he is doing here. As Smialowski said, the photo is “just Bernie being Bernie.”

Bernie’s iconic pose and out-

fit don’t fix any of our country’s problems, but that’s okay. After four chaotic years, it’s hard to remember that not everything related to politics has to be a wild, polarizing controversy. This meme provided a bit of desperately needed respite before the country gets back to work under a new administration.

Nicole Braun, FCRH ’24, is undecided and is from Saddle River, N.J.

Cuomo Must Acknowledge Nursing Home Scandal

By SAMANTHA SCOTT CONTRIBUTING WRITER

When the COVID-19 pandemic overtook New York in March 2020, Governor Andrew Cuomo emerged as a strong leader, a bright star among the dismal responses on both the stateand federal level.

Where other states were overwhelmed with the virus, Cuomo was able tobring down cases and contain the virus, with New York having one of the lowest rates ofpositive cases in the United States.

Cuomo has received national praise for his work and even has a book about his response and leadership during the pandemic coming out this year. Despite this praise, Cuomo’s administration and COVID-19 response remain flawed.

Among the complaints, one stood out: Cuomo’s policies surrounding nursinghomes. On Jan. 28, Attorney General Letitia James, in direct conflict with her political party, released information that Cuomo and his health department vastly undercounted deaths in nursing homes, with over 40% of deaths not being counted in nursing home populations.

While Cuomo’s issues with nursing home policies were already problematic, more questions have been raised about his choices during the early stages of the pandemic and about who is to blame for this massive loss.

In mid-March 2020, at the height of the coronavirus pandemic in New York, Gov. Cuomo’s health department issued a directive for

nursing homes, stating that they would be required to accept patients who were infected or suspected to be infected with COVID-19 once they were discharged from hospitals.

The decision was met with immediate criticism from nursing home officials. American Medical Directors Association (AMDA), a group of doctors who work in nursing homes, said upon the announcement of the directive that “admitting patients who were dealing with suspected or documented COVID-19 infections represents a clear and present danger to all of the residents of a nursing home.”

Two months later, after continued scrutiny, Cuomo and his administration chose to undo the decision, but the damage was already done. At the time of the reversal, the reported number of nursing home deaths was 5,398, and after looking at Attorney General James’s report, this number could reach up to 10,000 deaths.

Who is to blame for this deadly disaster?

Initially, when Gov. Cuomo announced the directive on hospital transfers, he said that it would reduce the burden on hospitals and provide more beds in a time of need.

However, Cuomo and his administration directly ignored criticism from affected nursing homes, focusing instead on hospital availability.

Cuomo’s administration remained focused on the general population and hospitals. This focus isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but by overlooking the effects on the nursing home population and ignoring dual issues of a lack of proper PPE and adequate

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Gov. Cuomo received backlash after misreporting the amount of deaths in New York City nursing homes.

testing, Cuomo created a perfect place for COVID-19 to spread among the state’s most vulnerable citizens.

It is easy to look at the situation and place all of the blame on Gov. Cuomo, but some blame passes to others who decided to recommend the directive in an unusual state of crisis. New York Health Commissioner Howard Zucker recommended the directive without looking at the opposing side or discussing the issue with nursing home residents and staff members. Zucker, who has been open about the error, said that the decision came from a “scramble to provide more hospital beds.”

Looking back on the choices that New York officials made, it’s easy to see what should have been done dif-

ferently. Some choices can be made now to prevent more deaths. In the attorney general’s report, she recommended public reporting of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes, requiring staffing levels at nursing homes and repealing a liability shield covering nursing home operators.

Using these steps, New York can work to overcome this controversy and fix this issue for the rest of this pandemic. They may not be able to bring back the lives lost because of this devastating error, but they can work to make sure this doesn’t happen to any other nursing home residents.

This cannot happen if New York officials do not accept their faults for what happened in the past. In a press conference this past Friday,

Gov. Cuomo said, in comparison to other states, “We’re below the national average of deaths in nursing homes [33% national average, 28% New York average], but who cares?

3,328 died in a hospital, 3,000 died in a nursing home — they died.”

This blatant disregard for both his error and the lives that were lost shows Cuomo’s inability to admit his fault and failures both personally and on behalf of his administration. Gov. Cuomo needs to stand up for his choices, admit his faults in the scandal and work to create better policy for nursing homes and their vulnerable populations.

Samantha Scott, FCRH ’24, is an international political economy major from Columbus, Ohio.

Page 8

Meet The Staff Editor-In-Chief

Rachel Gow is a junior at Fordham College at Rose Hill, majoring in Journalism and double minoring in Spanish and environmental studies. She began her journey at The Fordham Ram as a timid freshman, first writing for Opinion, then serving as Culture editor for two years, and now taking on the role of Editor-in-Chief. While she has a slightly concerning addiction to The New York Times, the Ram will always be her favorite newspaper, and she can’t wait to lead it.

Editorial Director

Erica Weidner is a junior at Fordham College at Rose Hill, majoring in English and double minoring in political science and philosophy, and for the last time, no, she isn’t thinking about going to law school. After years of editing — around the table as a copy editor and at the head of the table as Copy Chief last volume — she’s finally giving writing a try. As Volume 103’s Editorial Director, she promises to deliver sweet, savory and spicy editorials.

business director

Aidan Youngs is a sophomore at Fordham’s Gabelli School of Business, majoring in applied accounting and finance with a concentration in Alternative Investments.

He started on the Ram in his freshman year as a part of the finance team. He is looking forward to taking on new challenges as the Business Director for Volume 103.

copy chief

Megan Dowden is a junior at Fordham College at Rose Hill from New Jersey. She is majoring in history and minoring in political science. She has worked as a copy editor on the Ram for the past two years, and will be back at the table again as Copy Chief for Volume 103. She doesn’t drink coffee, but has been warned this may be the start as she tries to catch each Oxford comma.

features editor

Hasna Ceran is a sophomore at Fordham College at Rose Hill, majoring in economics. She began working on The Fordham Ram by copy editing and writing the USG Column for Volume 101 and served as an assistant news editor for Volume 102. She is excited to take on the role of features editor for Volume 103! Hasna currently lives in California with two Zoom-bombing cats.

asst. news editor

Isabel Danzis is a freshman at Fordham College at Rose Hill and is currently majoring in journalism. Isabel started writing for the Ram’s News section last semester, and this semester will be an Assistant News Editor. Isabel loves New York City and finding new places to explore. She is excited to continue putting out articles and information that are relevant as well as important for the student body.

Isabel looks forward to being on the staff for Volume 103!

February 10, 2021 Managing Editor

Dylan Balsamo is a junior at Fordham College at Rose Hill, double majoring in film & television and music, or, as he likes to call it, majoring in Dylanology. He served as a writer for Sports and spent two volumes as Assistant Sports Editor before hearing the calling to become Managing Editor. The calling put him on a noble quest through time, space, light and sound in order to learn how to manage and edit simultaneously and know what it truly means to be a Managing Editor.

He hails from the storied town of Oakland, New Jersey.

MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR

Hunter Benegas is a junior at Fordham College at Rose Hill, is majoring in biological sciences, and is on the pre-med track. He started on the Ram in his freshman year as the Assistant Photo Editor; in his sophomore year he took the role of Visual Director, and for Volume 103 will be the Multimedia Director.

Production editor

Vanessa DeJesus is a senior at Fordham College at Rose Hill, double majoring in English and medieval studies. She started at the Ram as a copy editor and served as Copy Chief for Volume 101 and Production Editor for volume 102. Over quarantine, she consumed far more true crime podcasts than she would like to admit over quarantine. She also recently started a bookstagram! Vanessa’s home base is in Central Jersey, and now that she’s back on campus, she is returning as Production Editor for Volume 103!

news editor

Abbey Delk is a junior from Wheeling, West Virginia, majoring in English and minoring in journalism and film & television. Her career at the Ram began last year in the News section when she had no idea what she was doing. Luckily, she’s learned from the best (thanks Sarah Huffman) and is excited to keep learning as News Editor for Volume 103. She apologizes to her roommates in advance for late nights and stress-induced singing.

ASST. NEWS editor

Sebastian Diaz is a freshman at Fordham College at Rose Hill who is working towards a double major in journalism and either political science or film & television. For Volume 102 of the Ram, Sebastian spent a semester talking to undergraduate research students and sharing their experiences in the weekly Research Column. Sebastian has joined the staff of Volume 103 as an Assistant News Editor and is excited to hop into the role by immersing himself in the community.

culture editor

Sara Tsugranis is a sophomore at the Fordham College at Rose Hill, majoring in political science on the pre-law track and minoring in Orthodox Christian studies. Sara started writing for the Ram her freshman year, becoming a staff writer for the Culture section. She enjoys exploring the Bronx and sharing its beauty with other Fordham students. Sara is excited to continue to share Bronx gems as a co-editor for the Culture section in Volume 103 of the Ram.

Volume 103

February 10, 2021

culture editor

Ava Erickson is a sophomore from Denver, Colorado.

Her passion for writing and language led her to major in journalism with a minor in Spanish at Fordham College at Rose Hill. She began working for the Ram at the end of her freshman year, writing for Culture and Opinion. She is looking forward to her new position as co-editor for the Culture section in Volume 103.

sports editor

Alexander Wolz is a sophomore majoring in communication and culture. He went from writing to assisting and will now be Sports Editing. He also loves video editing, whether it be Fordham Athletics highlights or a “One on One” reel for WFUV Sports. He also dabbles in culture through Star Wars or an ever-expansive YouTube Music playlist. Listen to him and all of sports at the Section 103 podcast, though he cannot promise it’ll compose itself after quarantine.

Asst. sports editor

Michael Hernandez is a sophomore at Fordham’s Gabelli School of Business, majoring in marketing with a concentration in sports business. He started on the Ram in his freshman year as a contributing writer and is looking forward to his new role as an Assistant Sports Editor in Volume 103 of the Ram.

opinion editor

Taylor Herzlich is a sophomore at Fordham College at Rose Hill, majoring in journalism. She started writing for the Ram her freshman year and is thrilled to continue her involvement in the paper as Opinion Editor. Most of her qualifications consist of being the go-to proofreader before her friends submit their school papers (but she swears she enjoys it!).

digital producer

Collette Campbell is a junior at Fordham College at Rose Hill, majoring in French language and literature with a minor in communications and culture, and is excited to join the Ram as a Digital Producer. She is an avid hot chocolate enthusiast and is constantly on the search for the best one in New York. When not on this adventure (and on it too), you can probably find Collette trying to embody the main character energy her home state of Georgia brought into 2020 and 2021 and unfortunately underperforming at it.

graphics/illustration

Cory Bork is a sophomore at Fordham College at Rose Hill, majoring in communication and culture. He began writing articles for the Ram this past fall semester as he needed something to do whilst trapped in his dorm; of course, he also had a passion for writing articles. He is excited to resume working with the Ram this spring semester in Graphics/Illustration.

Page 9 ASST. culture editor

Hanif Amanullah is a freshman from Austin, Texas, majoring in international studies at Fordham College at Rose Hill. His love of art, music and literature led him to the Ram in 2020, where he helped out with copy editing and wrote the occasional article. For Volume 103, Hanif plans to write even-more-than-occasional articles, and is excited to contribute to the paper as an Assistant Culture Editor.

Asst. sports editor

Kaley Bell is a junior at Fordham College at Rose Hill, studying English with minors in business administration and economics. She started writing the Student-Athlete Column in her freshman year, hoping to bring a studentathlete’s perspective to the paper. With this new role, Kaley hopes to familiarize other student-athletes with the paper and the Sports page. She is excited for the spring semester to get going!

OPINION EDITOR

Emma Lipkind is a sophomore at Fordham College at Rose Hill. She hopes to combine all of her interests by pursuing a major in international political economy and minors in French and journalism. She started on the Ram as Opinion Editor her freshman year and is thrilled to continue being part of the team! When she’s not editing articles, you can find her beating everyone at Just Dance or shopping at your local thrift store.

Visual director

Pia Fischetti is a sophomore at Fordham College at Rose Hill, majoring in new media and digital design. She began taking pictures for the Ram her freshman year and became the Graphics/Illustration Editor for Volume 102. She is excited to continue her time with the Ram and contribute more to the publication as Visual Director of Volume 103.

digital producer

Katherine Morris is a junior at Fordham College at Rose Hill, double majoring in digital technologies and emerging media and mathematics/economics, and she is excited to return to her role as Digital Producer. When not doing crosswords or playing tennis, she can be found eating toast and/or being a ginger. Skills include, but are not limited to: sitting on benches, winning Mario Kart and playing guitar really badly.

photo editor

Mackenzie Cranna is a junior at Fordham’s Gabelli School of Business, majoring in marketing and concentrating in sports business. She started taking action shots for the Ram as a freshman and enjoyed being the Sports and News Photo Editor for Volume 102. She looks forward to taking more action shots and becoming more involved with the Ram as Volume 103’s Photo Editor.

Page 21

ADVERTISEMENTS

February, 10 2021

The Fordham Ram Sports Section is always looking for new writers!

Think you know sports? Want to write about them?

Or just like to write and will do it for whoever will take you?

Email: fordhamramsports@gmail.com

February 10, 2021

CULTURE

Page 11

Mental Health Column: Insurrection Against Stigma

By Katherine Timofeyev COLUMNIST

After the capital riot, many members of ongress spoke out about the traumatic experience, expressing their fear and how it has impacted them. Yet one voice seemed to be silent amongst those sharing their stories, until Monday night. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez opened up about her experience during an Instagram live, admitting that a previous trauma amplified her feelings. This compound effect of multiple traumas made it all the more difficult for Ocasio-Cortez to speak about her experience.

Through her harrowing words, Ocasio-Cortez was candid and vulnerable, bravely sharing her story and expressing the impacts of her personal trauma. While some were appropriately supportive, others insultingly accused her of using her trauma for political gain.

Needless to say, the claims of these critics were incredulous and insufferable, particularly in their attempt to discredit Ocasio-Cortez’s honesty and openness about such an incredibly sensitive topic.

Trauma is extremely complex and individualized, making it

all the more challenging to talk about, not to mention the risk that comes along with taking it public. But this complicated and chaotic nature of trauma makes it all the more important to talk about. Though definitions may somewhat vary, trauma is any distressing event that overpowers one’s ability to cope. This is well-articulated by clinical psychologist Seth Gillihan, “trauma doesn’t speak in words… it’s processing an overwhelming sense of danger, of feeling powerless, feeling my life is out of my hands.”

While traumas are often interpersonal, they do not always have

COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, also known as AOC, speaks out about mental health on an Instagram Live.

to be. Natural disasters or neglect can be extremely traumatic experiences. Traumatic experiences can mean something different for everyone and can lead to PTSD. People’s responses to trauma may also vary, and an event that is traumatic for one person may not be for another.

Alas, the pandemic we’re all living through will likely serve as a shared trauma for our generation.

Many are hesitant to share their struggles with mental health because of the fear of being stigmatized. With the response that Ocasio-Cortez received, it is rather evident that the stigma surrounding mental health issues still exists very strongly. Still, it gives me hope that Ocasio-Cortez sharing her story may have reached some people and perhaps helped them feel less alone in their own experiences.

By being so vulnerable and sharing her story, Ocasio-Cortez likely validated the feelings of many who have gone through similar tragedies and have been struggling in their healing. Sadly, trauma is more common than we may think. As Ocasio-Cortez expressed in one of her social media posts, “Survivors of trauma are close to you. They are people you love & you may not know.

Many decide whether their story is safe with someone by how they respond to other survivors.

Don’t push them away.”

This story highlights the importance of being sympathetic to one another and crafting environments in which trauma survivors feel comfortable and safe sharing their stories. Though conversations about trauma are difficult, speaking about it can help survivors feel supported and better process what happened.

Talking about trauma can also help someone recognize that they are more than their trauma and release some of the misguided beliefs that may have arisen as a result. For instance, many survivors mistakenly blame themselves for traumatic events and talking to someone may help discredit these feelings.

Whether you are listening to someone courageously open up about their trauma, or you think you may be ready to speak about your own hardships, always remember that your feelings are valid.

If a loved one is opening up to you, make the time to be available to sit down and listen and offer all the support and compassion you can. And when it comes to yourself, be reminded that you’re completely allowed to feel as you do. Stigma against trauma survivors, and mental health stigma as a whole, have no place in our world. By being there for each other, we can help unravel the stigma and support each other through our healing.

Who’s That Kid? | It’s John Regan, GSB ’22!

Young Entrepreneur Creates Online Business

By Kaley Bell

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

John Regan GSB ’22 is a Finance major. At first glance, Regan is someone who does his work quietly without any complaints, and as a thrower on the track team, he is always among those who pushes themselves the hardest.

There’s more to Regan than meets the eye. He has been able to create a successful online business, one that he describes as “an online financial education business with a focus on equity options.” Regan started his company in early August and his reasoning is pretty simple: love of the stock market, “I have always been interested in the stock market,” Regan said. “I started learning how to trade the summer going into my freshman year of college and was attracted to options over trading shares due to the amplified potential gains.”

When I asked him what led to his success, Regan told me that it was not always like this. “I succeed now because I failed over and over,” he said. “I blew up my trading account many times when I was first learning. However, I looked at the losses as my tuition. People pay hundreds of thousands in college tuition, so why not pay a fraction of that to learn a lifelong skill that can help me compound my money?

“After getting more consistent with my skill I quickly developed a passion for teaching others. I immersed myself in the Discord trading community, contributing content to multiple servers as an analyst and developing some very meaningful connections.”

Regan’s beginnings allowed for him to flourish within the Discord and Finance community. “I met another like-minded guy and we quickly realized how well we worked together,” he said. “We developed a profitable trading system together and also found we had a ton in common on a personal level. We launched a Discord server in early August and the rest was history.”

Understanding what his company does is pretty straightforward. Regan described it clearly saying, “We perform technical analysis, give trade ideas, make educational content, and host a variety of useful resources such as bots that pull in financial news and data in realtime.”

Now, his company has grown fairly quickly. “In just 6 months since launching we have over 1100 paid subscribers and are closing in on $500,000 in annual sales,” Regan said. “It’s all been a very surreal experience and we feel fortunate to be growing so fast and impacting so many people.”

This past few weeks, we have

seen how the internet has come together for a common goal with the Wall Street Bets Reddit Situation. “You can’t help but love this story,” Regan said.

“I think this war of hedge funds vs. the online retail trading community is only just beginning and I fully support it. Not only does it bring more liquidity to the market but I think over the long term it can actually make the market more stable and democratize trading.”

In connecting it back to his business, Regan said, “Regarding our business, the recent Wall St. Bets rally in ‘meme stocks’ didn’t impact us very much. We ride the wave regardless if the market is going up, down or sideways. Our strategy helps us to find opportunities regardless of the market conditions.”

“We made some awesome gains on Nokia ($NOK) and AMC ($AMC) but we differed from the larger populus of reddit/discord traders who claim to be holding forever. We got in and out fairly quickly on these names. There are so many opportunities in the market every single day. There is no reason to get attached to one position, especially on previously failing companies.”

In talking about the future of his company, Regan had quite a lot to say, “It is our hope that we can play a role in empowering the

new generation of retail traders by providing the tools and information they need to effectively manage risk, build profitable

trading systems, and gain an edge with their trading.” So to clarify, Regan is making his future right at home.

COURTESY OF JOHN REGAN FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

John Regan, GSB ‘22, founded a successful financial education buisness.

CULTURE

Page 12

February 10, 2021

Remembering Sophie: A Trailblazer and Inspiration

By Grace Robinson

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

It can be difficult to put into words the emptiness that strikes us when we lose a beautiful soul too soon. Only once they are lost do we appreciate the work they did to brighten our futures. Sophie, the Scottish experimental pop artist, celebrated authenticity and life in all she did.

Acknowledging herself as a transgender experimental artist, Sophie’s recent passing on Jan. 30 at the young age of 34 was a tragic loss that the communities

she inspired continue to grieve.

From the very beginning, Sophie was dedicated to transforming the world with the overlapping realms of identity, music and art. Even in her final moments searching for the full moon in Athens, Greece, Sophie embodied a genuine curiosity and love for the world.

From the young age of 10 years old, Sophie pleaded with their parents to drop out of school and create music full time. This was no surprise to Sophie’s dad who

COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

Scottish experimental pop artist Sophie died on Jan. 30 at age 34.

had just started to take Sophie to raves at this age. The genre of electronic music is not anything particularly new, but in Sophie’s eyes, it became a malleable field open to experimentation. Sophie had all of the tools to create and transform the genre, and that’s exactly what she did.

Sophie was quick to learn the keyboard, an early birthday gift, and progress in her music career.

Her adult career began when she joined the band “Motherland,” an alternative/indie band that started in 2014. Sophie began her career anonymously, hiding her voice and body from interviews and the press. Sophie’s single “Bipp” in 2013 was the first of her songs to receive glowing attention, surfacing her into the industry as an anonymous artist.

The mysterious persona left many struggling to connect with an individual behind the techno music, and in a way, allowed Sophie’s music to stand for itself.

2014’s “Lemonade” arose with featured vocals from prior bandmates, and “Hard” initiated her work with PC artists, specifically GFOTY. Both songs gained a strong interest from the tech/pop industry, and intrigued listeners to learn more about Sophie’s production process.

Sophie relied on mixing sounds rather than pulling from samples, while also using the Monomachine to create plastic-like instrumentals that set her experimental dance music apart from the rest.

Sophie’s electronic sound and “hyperkinetic” take on pop music encouraged collaboration among

many of pop’s thriving artists, including Charli XCX, Madonna, Vince Staples and Namie Amuro.

Charli XCX began a collaboration with Sophie in 2015, and by 2016 the two had worked closely to produce Charli’s album “Vroom Vroom,” where Sophie’s production work allowed Charli XCX to create “the most pop thing and the most electric thing” she had ever released. Their connection grew as Sophie traveled on tour with Charli XCX, and would continue to assist in her productions, helping to form the radiating confidence and energy found through Charli’s current music.

Of Sophie’s many inspirations, Madonna was a prominent figure. Sophie recalls that Madonna truly “created the blueprint for modern pop stars.” Sophie was able to work with Madonna to co-write and co-produce the track “B**** I’m Madonna” in 2015, further widening her platform. Sophie reflected on Madonna’s past work as quite vast, with each phase a new chapter in her story of self-discovery. In many ways, the same can be said about Sophie, an artist whose work continued to grow with her ever-changing identity.

One of the unique elements that entices me about Sophie is her fearlessness to produce music as a multilevel platform.

Sophie’s identity was released in 2017 through the work of her music video “It’s Okay to Cry,” which opened up Sophie’s voice and face to the public through a single shot, four-minute video.

Sophie creates a very different impression with her 2018 music video “Faceshaping,” a psychedelic experience that amplifies intensity and captures a visual component of music. Her sense of direction with the flashing of light, the obscurity of images and a musicality that seamlessly ties it all together connects listeners to a greater experience.

Sophie’s 2018 album “Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides” creates what the Guardian writes as a genuine work that “visit(s) extremes of terror, sadness and pleasure.” The album brought Sophie to the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, where she was nominated for best dance/electronic album. Sophie made history that night as one of the first openly transgender artists nominated within the category as well as one of three transgender women to be nominated for a Grammy.

Not only did Sophie make way for emerging electronic artists, but she was an inspiration to the transgender community to pursue an authentic life, promoting a character where both the soul and body must always align.

Rather than centering gender as the main focus in their career, Sophie believed in acting in accordance to best embody one’s individuality, even if that means eliminating gender in its entirety.

The music that Sophie leaves behind empowers the pop industry to search for greater meaning and experimentation in their productions, and her endless creativity continues to encourage us to live our most genuine life.

Editor’s Pick | Literature

“Such a Fun Age” and the Problem With Performative Activism

By Ava Erickson

about showing that we support it.

“Such a Fun Age” forced me to acknowledge that as much as I disliked Alix as a character, I am like her in some ways. Throughout the story, Alix is unnecessarily transparent about her political views and practically forces it down the reader’s throat that she is woke. It becomes annoying how desperately she tries to prove herself.

Yet, the book pushed me to wonder: are Alix’s thoughts and actions really any different from the Democrat donkey sticker I have on my laptop or the Black Lives Matter infographic I repost-

CULTURE EDITOR

The novel “Such a Fun Age” was extremely uncomfortable, yet impossible to put down, as it called out my own performative activism as a white liberal woman.

“Such a Fun Age,” Kiley Reid’s debut novel, was released in Dec. 2019. The book centers around two women, Emira, a young Black woman and Alix, the white woman Emira babysits for. The chapters alternate between the perspectives of each woman, allowing the reader into two different minds.

Throughout the novel, Alix tirelessly pursues “wokeness,” the perceived awareness of social justice issues, particularly in regards to racial justice. Alix is not a likeable character, yet I still related to her (often egocentric) mission to be perceived as not racist.

In one particularly poignant moment, Alix dreams about the moment when Emira will discover that one of Alix’s closest friends is Black. Of course, as I read the novel I was annoyed with how ridiculous that was; the fact the Alix has a Black friend does not automatically make her not racist. However, as I stewed over this scene in the book, I began to relate it to my own experience with performative activism, particularly on social media.

In the wake of the Black Lives

ed? This book is a good reminder that being anti-racist and appearing anti-racist are two very different things.

“Such a Fun Age” has many layers, but Alix’s character is really what struck me the most. It was uncomfortable to read the chapters from her perspective because they pointed to the problem of performative activism, and forced me to confront my participation in it.

“Such a Fun Age” is a fantastic read that allows readers to deeply dive into the minds of the characters but also forces them to dive back into their own minds.

COURTESY OF CORY BORK/ THE FORDHAM RAM

“Such a Fun Age” centers around two women, Emira and Alix.

Matter movement, posting social justice related content on social media has become trendier than ever before. My Instagram feed is consistently inundated with reposts of colorful slideshows filled with cute infographics from questionable sources. While social media can be a powerful tool to spread awareness and information quickly, it can also be a far too

easy way to cross “social justice” off your to-do list.

Similarly, owning and displaying merchandise with slogans like “don’t be racist” or pictures of famous liberal politicians have become a popular way to show that you are not racist. When we post on social media or wear this merchandise, it ends up being less about the actual cause, and more

COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

“Such a Fun Age,” Kiley Reid’s debut novel explores race and performative activism.

SPORTS

February 10, 2021

Page 13

Beyond the Scoreboard: Fending off Father Time Successfully in Sports

By ANDREW POSADAS

MANAGING EDITOR EMERITUS

The axiom that “Father Time is undefeated” in sports describes how age and attrition ultimately catches up to every professional athlete at some point in their respective sport. Yet, an elite group of current athletes have collectively responded with a popular saying of their own: “Age ain’t nothing but a number.”

Remember when former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was supposedly starting to show signs of decline at age 37 after suffering a 41-14 blowout loss to the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2014 NFL season? Brady went 14 of 23 for 159 yards, throwing two interceptions in an overall nightmarish performance.

The following week was filled with media narratives essentially eulogizing Tom Brady’s career as if he had just played his final game on that Monday night in late September. It seemed like the only thing missing was a tombstone engraved with the words “Here Lies Tom Brady’s Prime” in bold, capital letters.

Instead of riding off into the sunset as many predicted he would, Brady has decided to make a few pit stops along the way in those seven years since that fateful game. Not only would he finish the 2014 season by hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, Brady helped lead the Patriots to three more Super Bowl appearances and two more Super Bowl victories before departing

from the only franchise he’s ever known after the 2019 season.

Over the weekend, Super Bowl LV saw a familiar face seeking yet another Lombardi Trophy to add to their collection. No, it wasn’t Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.

It was a 43-year-old quarterback wearing No. 12 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tom Brady. And as fate would have it, Brady faced the same team that handed him the loss which prompted people to question whether his career was indeed finished nearly seven years ago.

Behind three touchdown passes from Brady and a spectacular performance from Tampa Bay’s defense, the Bucs dominated Kansas City 31-9 to win their second Super Bowl title in franchise history. Brady now has 34 playoffs wins, more than twice as many as the next closest quarterback in NFL history (Hall of Famer Joe Montana had 16 wins). With his seventh Super Bowl win, he now has more Lombardi trophies than any other NFL franchise. To keep things in perspective, only six NFL franchises have even half as many Super Bowl wins as Brady does. He also became just the first athlete in North American sports history to win championships for two different teams after turning 40 years old.

Those are all incredibly monumental achievements, yet perhaps Brady’s most impressive accomplishment relates to the sustained longevity he has enjoyed. He is the only player in NFL history to win a championship in three different decades. This statistic right

here perfectly exemplifies Brady’s all-time greatness and how difficult it is to maintain that virtuosity over an extended period of time.

However, Brady is not the only athlete who has mastered the art of alluding Father Time for multiple decades. There is a specific table in the G.O.A.T (Greatest of All Time) section where two other current icons in their respective sport share a seat with Brady when it comes to standing the test of time.

While Brady has been in 10 Super Bowls and has seven Super Bowl rings to his name in 21 seasons, Los Angeles Lakers superstar Lebron James is also showing no indications he has declined playing in his 18th NBA season.

The 36-year-old is averaging 26 points this season alongside eight rebounds and eight assists per game. Should LeBron play in another NBA Finals, it would be his 11th appearance and a win would give him five NBA titles as he continues his pursuit of matching Michael Jordan in championship rings.

Recently, LeBron said watching Brady win his seventh Super Bowl title in his 21st season was “inspiring” but it does not influence his current NBA career timeline.

LeBron went on to say, “I don’t know how long I’m going to play the game. I don’t know how much more I’ll be able to give to the game. The way I feel right now, we’ll see what happens. But I have no timetable on it. I have no year of, ‘OK, do I want to play until 30-this or 40-that?’ The game will

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Brady is the latest example of athletes stretching the definition of time.

let me know when it’s time, and we’ll figure it out then.”

This table of three would not be complete without the greatest tennis player of all time, Serena Williams. Like Brady, she has also won titles in three different decades, starting with her first win back in the 1999 U.S. Open against Martina Hingis and most recently, her 2017 Australian Open victory over her sister Venus. Williams currently has 23 Grand Slam titles and has been trying to equal Margaret Court’s record of 24 major titles in the last four years, but to no avail.

When asked about the pressure she feels not having tied Court’s record yet, Serena explained her mindset concerning getting to that magic number of 24. “I’ve had a ton of pressure, and now I don’t feel it anymore,” Serena said. “It’s like a huge relief. I think

I was just looking at it all the wrong way in the past, and I feel totally different about it now.”

Despite finishing as runnerup in her last four Grand Slam finals, there is still an inevitability that even at age 39, Williams will eventually equal and surpass Court’s record before all is said and done.

These three athletes have mastered the mentality necessary to compete consistently at the highest level. They have taken full advantage of modern-day medicine and technology to preserve their respective careers and maximize their full potential.

There is no need to compare their respective greatness with each other in arguing who the real G.O.A.T truly is. All we can do is enjoy their careers until they decide to join Father Time in retirement.

Women’s Basketball Earns Come-from-Behind Win, Gaitley Earns 200th Fordham Victory

By JIMMY SULLIVAN

SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS

Fordham Women’s Basketball earned a 56-53 victory over Rhode Island on Sunday despite trailing by as many as nine points in the third quarter.

Fordham and Rhode Island faced off at the Rose Hill Gym after Fordham’s weekend games at Richmond and VCU were both canceled following positive COVID-19 tests in both programs.

Rhode Island was also in need of a weekend game, as their Sunday game with George Washington was postponed due to a positive COVID-19 test in the Colonials’ program.

Once the two teams made it to Sunday, Rhode Island got off to a hot start. The visiting Rams kicked off the game on an 8-1 run, and while Fordham chipped away at the deficit, the home Rams could never wrest control of the lead.

Fordham cut the Rhode Island lead to one near the end of the first, but back-to-back makes by grad transfer Johanna Muzet and redshirt Emmanuelle Tahane gave URI a five-point cushion entering the second quarter.

The second quarter story was much of the same. Fordham twice cut the deficit to just one point, but Rhode Island ended the quarter on a 9-4 run to take a six-point lead into the halftime locker room.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Women’s Basketball rolls on with another win, this one a signifcant milestone for Coach Gaitley.

In the third quarter, Fordham finally made headway. After baskets by redshirt freshman Yanni Hendley and Muzet made it a nine-point game, Fordham went on a 12-2 run to take the lead.

Head coach Stephanie Gaitley’s timeout paid dividends, as back-to-back threes by sophomore guard Sarah Karpell and junior forward Kaitlyn Downey helped key the Fordham run.

Four straight points by sophomore guard Anna DeWolfe put Fordham in front by one, and back-to-back threes by senior guard Kendell Heremaia and DeWolfe kept Fordham in front heading into the fourth quarter.

In the final quarter, Rhode Island threw the first punches.

Sophomore forward Marie-Paule

Foppossi gave URI the lead with back-to-back baskets, and Tahane’s layup put Rhode Island up by five with eight minutes to play.

Fordham senior guard Katie McLoughlin’s jumper made it a three-point game with 7:29 to go, and both teams went without a basket for nearly two minutes thereafter. With just over five minutes to go, DeWolfe — like she has so many times this season — bailed out the Rams’ offense, with a jumper and a three-pointer to put Fordham in front.

But Rhode Island wasn’t done.

Senior guard Marta Vargas’ three put URI up 50-48 with 3:32 to play. But once more, Fordham came through when it needed points. Heremaia made a layup to tie the game with 1:56 to go, and

was fouled by Vargas after an offensive rebound with 1:25 to go.

She made both free throws to put Fordham ahead 52-50. Hendley missed back-to-back attempts to tie the game for Rhode Island, and two more free throws from DeWolfe made it 54-50 Fordham with 12 seconds to play.

With URI’s chances on life support, Vargas missed a three with seven seconds left. But Muzet snagged a long rebound and made a three of her own to cut the lead back down to one with two seconds to play. Downey was immediately fouled on the inbounds pass and made both free throws to put Fordham up three with 1.2 seconds left in regulation.

Rhode Island needed a three to tie the game and force overtime.

The Rams wouldn’t get it.

Coming out of a final timeout, Rhode Island and head coach Tammi Reiss designed a play to get Vargas open at the top of the key. For a moment, Vargas cleared space and hoisted up a three, but Fordham junior forward Meg Jonassen was in position to defend and got a hand in Vargas’ face, forcing a shot that was well short of the rim.

Fordham earned the victory, head coach Stephanie Gaitley’s 200th win at Fordham.

“This was such a great team win,” Gaitley told Fordham Athletics postgame. “We showed so much toughness and resilience against a very good Rhode Island team.”

The win moves Fordham to 7-2 in the A-10 and second place in the conference standings.

Fordham has now beaten Rhode Island twice this season; the Rams earned a 64-58 victory in Kingston on Jan. 8.

Two of Rhode Island’s three A-10 losses have come at Fordham’s hands, and Fordham finds itself behind only undefeated Dayton in the standings.

Fordham will be staying home this coming weekend. The Rams take on St. Joe’s on Friday at 12 p.m. and host La Salle on Sunday at 2 p.m. The momentum is squarely on Fordham’s side, and the Rams are coming together nicely as the season roars towards its conclusion.

SPORTS

Page 14

February 10, 2021

SPRING

How Fordham Athletics Made the Spring Possible

By ALEXANDER WOLZ SPORTS EDITOR

One week ago, Fordham Volleyball hosted Saint John’s University in the Rose Hill Gym. It was not only the first match of the season for a team typically playing in the fall, but the first after a 451-day layoff.

More broadly, it was the first of a cascade of games that will follow in the spring.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many of Fordham’s athletic programs have seen their fall campaigns pushed to the spring. The list is long: volleyball, football, cross country, water polo and soccer, just to name a few. All of which join the usual spring suspects.

However, the hope that this much can occur requires a plan.

To develop that, where does iInterim Athletic Director Ed Kull and the Athletic Department start? By looking to the past.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Fordham Interim AD Ed Kull

Fordham Men’s and Women’s Basketball have been on the court for the past few months to largely promising results. After nearly three months without a positive test across Fordham Athletics, there have been two shutdowns in the men’s program and a fair share of canceled games for the women. However, the season has rolled on regardless, with lessons learned from it.

“It’s definitely been a little bit of a roller coaster in terms of learnings,” said Kull.

Learnings that have come out of tremendous challenges for the program’s athletes, from quarantine in their dorm rooms to staying on an empty campus over the holidays amid the overall uneasiness surrounding the season. “It was a powerful reminder that it’s so much more than basketball in terms of a lot of things we’re dealing with.”

In response, the department adopted a focus on mental health, with doctors from student affairs and New York professional teams brought in for support. Kull remarked, “You really got to take it day by day and make sure we’re just putting the best interest of the student athletes first, always.”

That focus lays the groundwork for combating the challenges that are bound to continue in the Spring. This past weekend, both basketball programs had their schedules uprooted, as water polo’s inaugural match was postponed. “It’s just the ongoing ability to be flexible,” says Kull.

Beyond that, New York City has seen its coronavirus numbers spike of late. With this level of severity, the challenges of the spring may be even greater than

those of the fall. Furthermore, managing this number of sports would likely prove challenging in an ordinary season, and far more difficult amid the safety measures of the pandemic. However, the department is prepared for it.

Standard spring sports will play in regional pods and limit excessive travel, similar to the current basketball season. Each athletic program is subject to different testing protocols based on their level of contact, all of which is done according to NCAA standards. There are also daily temperature checks and the utilization of Fordham’s VitalCheck system. When it comes to playing itself, practice routines must fall in accordance with health protocols.

These precautionary measures are overseen by the Atlantic 10 and Patriot League, doctors who are “part of every conversation we have on a nightly basis,” Kull said. “I don’t pretend to be a doctor by any means, but believe me, we have two of them on my left and right shoulder at all times during this interesting time, and no decision is made right now without doctor approval.”

This cannot ultimately eliminate the risks of playing amid a pandemic, but it puts a plan in place to combat it. “There’s going to be teams on pause. We’re going to have cases, that’s inevitable,” says Kull. “It’s just a matter of when and how do we properly handle it.”

That “we” does not just come down to athletics either, but a united university effort. “We’re all in this together. It’s not an athletics question or situation,” says Kull.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Kull has embraced the challenges the pandemic presents.

Kull is also of the belief that this commitment will be for the better. In a piece in the Athletic Director U, he described Fordham’s future as “exactly what it was and completely different.”

Ultimately, Kull embraces this future. “Although they are difficult as we continue to go through this pandemic, those learnings are extremely important as we change the way we do things moving forward,” whether it be from the coronavirus pandemic or the calling for social justice.

“As much as change and the unknown is scary, the ability for us to work together, work more strongly, closely and unified is the excitement I talk about in that line,” says Kull.

This comes from a personal perspective for Kull, who has built many relationships since becoming athletic director amid the pandemic. “I feel very close to a lot of my colleagues on campus and we’re working that much more efficiently and collaboratively, and I think that’s the optimism,” he said.

With such a big picture in mind, the present comes in the spring season. The difficult work

Football

By DYLAN BALSAMO MANAGING EDITOR

To the casual fan of collegiate athletics, it will have seemed that college football was the only fall sport that was able to have its regularly-scheduled season go off without a hitch.

But that is only some of the story; it was really only the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of Division I that was able to play this fall. Out of the general public’s attention per usual, the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) saw all of their conferences and programs either cancel their fall season or delay it enough until their only option was to play in the spring.

The FCS includes Fordham.

Their conference, the Patriot League, called off fall activities during mid-July, meaning they have had half a year to readjust and stay in shape.

For most of the fall and winter, what that meant was light workouts a handful of days out of the week, with the squad split in half alternating between stints indoors in the weight room and outdoors doing socially distanced workouts on Jack Coffey Field.

It’s the best that they could do in a time that no amount of football playing or coaching could ever prepare them for.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Fordham’s much-awaited football season is set to begin this spring, in a new time but with the same goal in mind.

But now comes what they have been waiting for: The 2020 (now spring 2021) Patriot League football season is happening, and it’s coming soon.

The Rams will play their first of four regular season games in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania on March 13 at Bucknell University and their first home game on March 27, hosting Lafayette College in the Bronx. It will be a four-game regular season, with the remaining regular season games against Holy Cross and Colgate University. If all goes well for Fordham, they will play in the

Patriot League Championship Game on April 17.

It’s a creative way to go about an unprecedented year and environment to try and play sports in. For the Rams, they are confident that the way they have been going about their time in football limbo can prepare them for what is ahead in the next two and a half months.

“We’ve been aiming to put our guys in a position where, no matter where or when we start playing, they’ll be ready,” head coach Joe Conlin said in conversation back in early

December. “There are a lot of variables and possible scenarios, and we’re preparing for all of them here.”

But apart from the unique time to have the season, the incredibly short length of the season and the expectedly odd nature through which the games will be taking place, this will be treated just like any other football season.

One where the Rams will have 21 seniors, most of them starters from last season, and look to improve on a 2019 that, although disappointing, showed potential for the future of the program.

has been done in the background to make that possible. And, hopefully, to turn right back around and have another season in the fall. Concerns come with that, but the same optimism is there too.

Football’s recent signing day was a first sign of that. Coach Conlin jokingly said, “it’s an opportunity to have two Patriot League championships in the same calendar year.”

Opportunities like that make the spring, in all its uncertainty, exciting. Not just for Kull, who has been in the stands for basketball games, but as the focus always is, for the student athletes.

Regardless of how empty, perhaps even dismal, things may look, Kull knows how valuable sports are to them. “I think what I look forward to is literally for that two hours, I know our students get lost in the game, get lost in the love of playing.”

Kull continues to look toward the future, as he always does, but that love is the most important factor here. The work of the entire Fordham community has made the return of athletics this Spring a possibility.

At the end of a 4-8 season last year, Conlin took the team’s close efforts in a handful of their losses as reason to believe what was ahead for his team was bright.

“I think these guys are gonna leave the season with a little bit of frustration,” Conlin said, sitting in his office following a triumphant season-ending victory at home against Bucknell.

“We had an opportunity to win [the game against] Lehigh ... [we had a chance against] Lafayette, [for] two and a half quarters of the game against Holy Cross, we were the better team, [and the game against] Central Connecticut came down to a field goal on a last second drive. Those are four games right there where, had we done some things a little bit better, they could have gone our way.”

The Rams will be facing two of those aforementioned teams they lost to (and Bucknell) during their four-game trek this season, and will finally have the chance to square up against all of them again, after what will have been a year and half come kickoff of the late season.

The Fordham Rams, just like the rest of the sporting world, hope that 2020-21 will be a season without subsequence of similarity any time in the near or distant future. But for now, there are four games to be played, and Fordham hopes to be in position to compete.

February 10, 2021

Men’s Soccer

By ANDREW POSADAS

MANAGING EDITOR EMERITUS

After having its season delayed for over six months amid the current COVID-19 pandemic, Fordham Men’s Soccer now embarks on an unprecedented spring season with ambitious expectations to be among those competing for an Atlantic 10 Championship.

When the A-10 announced last summer that all fall sport competitions and championships would be postponed in favor of playing fall sports during the 2021 spring semester, head coach Carlo Acquista decided to put the newlygiven extra time to adequate use.

Acquista worked on different projects with the players, focused on player development, tactical strategy and, more importantly, built up team culture.

“To be fair, it gave me, my staff and the team a little bit more time to get to know each other as a new head coach,” said Acquista. “ Of course I wanted to play from day one, but I also understood that it gave me time to prepare my group, get to know my group and be even more prepared.”

The second-year head coach is looking to build on a debut season

SPORTS

PREVIEW

which saw Fordham finish 7-10-3 overall and come within a penalty kick shootout of advancing to the A-10 Championship match in their heartbreaking semifinal loss to the University of Rhode Island.

Eight players graduated from that 2019 squad, most notably the team’s co-captains, Joergen Oland and Bart Dziedzic.

Oland earned the A-10’s Defensive Player of the Year for a second consecutive season on the way to cementing his place among the most decorated players in program history.

The Rams also lost an experienced midfielder in Dziedzic, who appeared in 70 games and made 41 starts over the course of four years at Rose Hill. The departure of goalkeeper Konstantin Weis also leaves a crucial position open this season after Weis ended 2019 by earning a spot on the A-10 AllChampionship Team. Weis now joins Acquista’s staff this season as a volunteer goalkeeper coach and performance analyst.

However, Acquista believes his team is well-equipped to replace the leadership and contributions that the aforementioned players brought to the program. Returning players like seniors Sameer Fathazada and Jacob Bohm will be looked upon to provide vet-

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Men’s Soccer hopes to use its growth to make a run in the Atlantic-10.

eran leadership and impact every game this season. Fathazada made 18 starts in 19 games for the Rams last season, ranking third on the team in scoring with seven goals.

Bohm appeared in 20 games last season and was a freshman on the 2017 team that made it all the way to the NCAA Championship quarterfinals.

Newcomers to the group such as graduate transfer students Josh Levine and Matt Sloan also bring ample experience of their own which Acquista is confident will provide immediate contributions on the field. Levine, the

Volleyball

Women’s Soccer

By GIGI SPEER

By KALEY BELL

STAFF WRITER

On Feb. 3, Fordham Volleyball celebrated both National Girls and Women in Sports Day along with the start of their 2021 season. After waiting well over a year to play with their fall season pushed back to spring because of COVID-19, the Rams were ready to embark on their new campaign, jumping out to an early lead against St. John’s University in the Rose Hill Gymnasium.

Senior outside hitter McKenna Lahr who transitioned to libero for Wednesday’s game noted, “Mentally, I and the team are so excited to finally be playing again after over a year without any games. It’s exciting but also filled with a bit of anxiety considering we are still in such uncertain times and anything could happen to disrupt our flow of practicing.”

With strict restrictions including temperature checks, COVID tests, social distancing, wearing masks during practices and games and limiting the number of people you are interacting with, being an in-season collegiate athlete requires being on your toes on and off the court.

When asked about the toughest part of this unprecedented year, Lahr said, “Definitely just the fact that life has been disrupted so much by COVID for everyone, and will continue to be disrupted for the foreseeable future.” She continued, “Everyone has had to adapt to the changing environment with getting back in shape, new schedules, new conference format, and other details, that mixing that with school, career search, family and friends, and other factors outside of volleyball, it is very easy to get overwhelmed.”

Despite all the challenges, Lahr is grateful for the all-around effort shown in order to ensure her a senior season. “I never expected my senior year to turn out like this as I’m sure every other senior athlete can relate. With that being said, it is really so incredible how everyone is devoted to making spring seasons happen for all sports. As frustrating as COVID is, I can’t help but thank coaches, admin-

Penn State University transfer, appeared in 32 games for the Nittany Lions over three seasons and earned a spot on the Big Ten AllTournament team in 2017. As for Sloan, he appeared in 46 games over three seasons at American University and comes in with two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Playing matches in the spring is not completely foreign to college soccer programs, something Acquista thinks plays a huge factor in helping his players adapt throughout the season. Ultimately, Acquista understands his most important job is to reiterate all

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

McKenna Lahr (above) enters the season with gratitude for simply playing again.

istration, sports medicine, facilities, and everyone else involved in making this happen. For a while I was trying to accept the fact that I wouldn’t play volleyball again and even just having the opportunity to play one more game is enough for me and I’m thankful to all those who are so instrumental in that.”

The Rams were ranked ninth in the Atlantic 10 Coaches’ preseason poll, yet Lahr says this does not define this year’s squad.

“Our win streak last season gave us all the confidence we needed to realize and show others that we are a top competitor in the A-10 … It’s given us even more motivation to prove to everyone in our conference that we can win and people shouldn’t overlook us as being a strong team.”

Graduating crucial players could be tough for any program, but as proven in the game against St. John’s, the new additions joined ready to step up and show out. Freshman middle blocker Isabel Fichel finished with 12 blocks, and freshman outside hitter Whitley Moody racked up 14 kills.

“Most people would look at losing five instrumental players as negatively affecting a program, and while we all miss them and cherished their contribution to the team, we have five new players who are continuing to build up the program,” Lahr noted.

“Not only is there a lot of talent and competitiveness within the first years, but returners have also

stepped up and continued to improve over quarantine and break.

It is really nice to see players step into themselves more and continue to grow with their role on the team and just in everyday life.”

Although the squad dropped 1-3 to the reigning Big East champions, their impressive first set and performances throughout the game provide a glimmer of hope for the chaotic months to follow.

With both fall and spring sports competing after having competition halted and canceled due to the pandemic, it is an exhilarating start to a complicated yet wonderful time.

The world has been flipped upside down in the last year, and Lahr has had to change her perspective as well. “I used to be very goal-focused with volleyball, in terms of hitting numbers in the weight room, counting kills, digs, and hitting percentages; however, because a lot of those goals are not really attainable anymore, my new focus is to just have fun.

Recognizing that these are my last months playing volleyball, I’m really just focused on enjoying my time on the court, my time as a collegiate athlete, and not taking it for granted,” she said.

“I feel like it’s easy to get caught up in the unpleasant side of sports and I have definitely done that in the past, but now as long as I just play as hard as I can, regardless of the outcome this season, I want to be able to reflect on how much fun I had, despite the adversity and uncertainty.”

After the craziness of 2020, 2021 is trying to bring to light many of the events we missed last year. This includes Fordham Women’s Soccer, paused due to the ongoing pandemic.

With careful planning and coordination, the Atlantic 10 concluded that making a schedule that did not require much traveling would be in the best interest of every school involved. Schools are going to be playing in “regional” pods that will create a safer environment without many travel issues. With only four away games, the Rams have the home advantage, playing on a familiar field minus the familiar fans.

In the preseason poll, Fordham was ranked 10th, between ninth place Duquesne University and 11th place Davidson College. At the top, the Saint Louis University Billikens are expected to dominate. That being said, Fordham is never scared of a challenge, and head coach Jessica Clinton said just as much: “This may not be an expectation, but I do hope that as we go through the season, our team continues to have fun even when it’s a hard day.”

Exciting “Battle of the Rams” games will take place on March 25 and Apr. 1. Fordham will face Virginia Commonwealth University, a matchup in which each team has home field once. The regular season will end on Apr. 11 at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. This championship season

Page 15

health and safety protocols in order to complete a full season. The A-10 preseason poll has predicted Fordham to finish fifth this season, but the Rams are motivated to capture their fourth conference tournament championship in program history.

When discussing Fordham’s realistic expectations for the year, Acquista thought back to what his former athletic director at Adelphi University used to tell him, recalling, “Trust the process. Follow your process. It’s a process and you will get there.”

The upcoming spring season features 14 regular season matches, including notable nonconference road matchups against St. John’s University (Feb. 17) and Seton Hall University (Feb. 24) before conference play begins in March. There will be six conference matches before the A-10 Championship takes place between Apr. 15-17 with only four teams eligible to qualify in this year’s tournament as opposed to the traditional eight-team format. Fordham officially kicks off its season this Saturday at 2 p.m. when the Rams welcome Fairleigh Dickinson University to Jack Coffey Field. will also look different as only four teams will compete instead of the usual eight.

Although the first A-10 soccer game back was postponed due to weather conditions, players and coaches alike can expect to see a season like they never have before. Weather stoppages, COVID stoppages and any change in schedule must be quickly accounted for when it comes to the upcoming season.

Not knowing when you are going to compete next is tough for any athlete. It has been difficult to adjust to the change in schedule, and the women’s soccer team knows about this struggle all too well. The women have had to continue practices and maintain their strength and conditioning, hoping for the chance to compete.

Once the schedules were released, the team had something to look forward to. Clinton also notes the other challenges that came with their new situation.

“There was a lot more going on outside of soccer and a change of schedule seemed so minor,” she said. “Our group has learned to adapt and be resilient pretty quickly.”

“This is the first time we are playing NCAA championshipstyle soccer in the winter/spring, so I’m not sure what it will look like, but luckily enough, during January and February months, we are usually training in limited hours and mostly outdoors,” she said.

With so many unexpected changes and challenges, the athletes must be ready to play hard every chance they get. The Rams know what is coming their way, and they are not scared to face it.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Home field may be the only normal thing for Women’s Soccer this season.

SPORTS

Page 16

February 10, 2021

The Fordham Ram

Student-Athlete Column: Culture in Crisis

By KEVIN DINEEN

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

This year almost everything has been out of control. Every plan can go up in smoke at any moment. The smallest exposure to COVID-19 can sideline you for at least two weeks.

The Fordham track team has been doing the best it can to keep things under control, but even with everyone’s best efforts, there is a level of uncertainty that is going to hang around until the pandemic is over. Will we be able to race at all this year? Will our training be good enough to compete if we do?

There is one thing that I think can still be controlled, and that is the culture surrounding the team. That means making sure that people are doing the right thing, forming the right habits and setting themselves up for success in the future because the present is so unclear. It also means making sure that people are happy, comfortable and coming to practice for the right reasons.

Culture is strange because there is nothing that any individual can do to change it. It revolves around the group’s collective thinking and decision making. As long as the majority of people are doing the right thing,

the team will continue to thrive.

However, for me there is no longterm future. As a senior, this is my last semester with the team. After three years of showing up, this is not how I expected it to end. It would be pretty easy to hang up the shoes and call it quits. After committing to something for this long, though, I just can’t do it.

Training this year has been a struggle, COVID-19 restrictions aside. I spent months at a time running by myself every day. Even worse, injuries continued to pop up. Nothing serious enough to stop me for months at a time, but enough to impact my training and get on my nerves.

The reason that I persevere, in my opinion, is because of the culture that I came into and the need to preserve that for the future. My entire college experience has been built around the same schedule and habits. This culture has shaped who I am as a person.

The greatest contribution I can make to the team now, even if I never race again, is to do my part to keep the culture intact. So, even with all of the uncertainty surrounding the rest of this year, I will keep coming to practice, keep trying to make good habits and stay optimistic for the future.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Culture has become a signifcnat part of a season lacking in competition.

By MICHAEL HERNANDEZ ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Professional athletes are the best in the world because they train for years, perfecting their craft to enjoy the sport to which they have dedicated so much time.

We are used to seeing them on screen, and we expect that every athlete will be safe as they provide us with excitement and entertainment, especially in Formula 1.

As a driver, there is a tremendous risk of injury or worse. But when something does happen, the fans are forced to realize that it is impossible to eliminate risk entirely. Over the past week or so, two drivers who had previously been in serious accidents and faced a long road to recovery jumped back into the cockpit and the world of racing.

In August 2019, every F1 fan was looking toward the Belgium Grand Prix. In the Grand Prix, there are support races that fill up the rest of the weekend. This week there was an F2 race, which is the level below F1. In F2, you have younger racers who are trying to make it to F1, and these races are used to prove themselves worthy of an F1 seat.

On that day, racers’ worst fears became real.

In the opening lap, there was a massive accident that immediately red-flagged the race. This led to the tragic death of one of the drivers, Antoine Hubert, and left another driver, Juan Manuel Correa, seriously injured. Correa had severe injuries on both of his legs. He was put into a medicallyinduced coma with life support machines when he developed a condition of his lungs being filled.

He had lost a part of his tibia, and during his recovery, had to wear a

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Grosjean’s return from injury is a sign of inspiration for those in and outside of F1.

special metal device to ensure that it was growing.

After he was taken out of the coma, he faced multiple surgeries and even the decision to amputate a part of his leg, which he eventually did not proceed with. Over the past year and a half, he has been slowly recuperating, being able to stand and eventually walk.

Now he is returning to racing in F3 with ART Grand Prix in the upcoming 2021 season.

Another horrific crash that recently occurred involved Romain Grosjean. In the first lap at last season’s Bahrain Grand Prix, Grosjean was involved in a massive accident that saw his car go up in flames. The car impacted the barrier at 53Gs and broke into two pieces, with one part embedded in the metal barrier. Grosjean was engulfed in flames for around 30 seconds until he climbed out of the cockpit and into the medical car that quickly arrived. Fortunately, he was conscious during the entire incident because if not, he may not have been able to get out of the crash alive.

He was immediately taken to the hospital for an examination.

Luckily, he only sustained burns on his hands and ankles with some ligament damage. Grosjean subsequently did not race in the last two races of the season and was not signed for another season in F1.

In an interview after his crash, Grosjean admitted that at one point in the accident, he made peace with himself, accepting that he was going to die in the fiery wreckage. After weeks of recovering, Grosjean announced that he is now going to race in the 2021 IndyCar season.

Both of these incidents have shown the determination of Juan Manual Correa and Romain Grosjean. Both men have been in neardeath scenarios that would leave anyone scarred physically and psychologically, but they persisted. They did not let their injuries stop them. They pushed through the pain to achieve their goal of being able to compete in a racecar.

These drivers can serve as an inspiration to all. If they can survive a near-death accident and have the courage to return to racing, as long as you put your mind to it, you can achieve your goals.

Super Bowl LV: Seven is Heaven

By COLIN LOUGHRAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Our working world tends to glorify strength, flash and appearance.

For instance, someone may get the elite job or beautiful girl because they “steal the room,” “look the part” or have a “dynamic” way of doing things that mesmerizes their peers.

However, often in life being smart, prepared and emotionally invested prove to be more critical than any of the aforementioned qualities. Never was this more evident than this past Sunday as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, led by a legendary quarterback who has made a legacy out of being “smart, prepared and emotionally invested” defeated the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs 31-9 in Super Bowl LV. In the weeks leading up to Super Bowl LV, the main storylines revolved around two key matchups: the Bucs’ Tom Brady vs. the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes, and perhaps more elaborately, the Chiefs’ offense vs. the Bucs’ defense.

Kansas City’s offense is widely regarded as an absolute juggernaut.

Along with Mahomes, players like

tight end Travis Kelce and wide receiver Tyreek Hill make up an athletic offense that can absolutely obliterate any given team. During the regular season, the Chiefs had 15 passing touchdowns of 20+ yards, and Travis Kelce even set the single-season receiving yards record for tight ends. The boys from Kansas City look the part and play the part with flash, charisma and confidence.

With this in mind, Tampa’s defense, albeit an extremely talented group that ranked top 10 in terms of points and yards allowed, had their work cut out for them. To almost everyone’s surprise, the Chiefs offensive attack was held to only nine points the entire game. The defending champions could not get the ball into the end zone.

Patrick Mahomes was pressured on 29 of 56 dropbacks, picked off twice and sacked three times. In terms of receiving, Tyreek Hill was essentially followed by the Bucs secondary the entire game. While Hill was able to get seven catches for 73 yards, he was not able to run roughshod over the defense like in week 12 against the same Tampa Bay squad.

Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles’ Bucs came prepared, fully

invested and played a smart game.

They played with energy the Chiefs couldn’t seem to match. Front line players like linebacker Shauil Barrett and defensive end Ndamukong Suh made Mahomes’ night an absolute nightmare, and the secondary was able to keep Kelce and Hill from being their usual “rockstar” selves.

On the other side of the ball, Tom Brady was masterful.

Like a conductor leading his orchestra, Brady led the offense. The Bucs boasted a strong deep passing game all season, a philosophy best summed up by head coach Bruce Arians as a “no risk it, no biscuit” approach. Deep threats like Chris Godwin and Mike Evans were critical components of the Bucs’ success during the 2020 season, especially during the three road playoff games.

However, Super Bowl LV was not won with Arians’ trademark style.

Instead, the Bucs employed a “Patriot-esque” offense that took few deep shots, made little to no mistakes and featured a healthy mix of rushing and passing plays. Among the most memorable moments were a rushing touchdown by running back Leonard Fournette, a quick touchdown catch by ex-NFL diva Antonio

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Brady’s seventh trophy was helped by preparation and a dominant defense.

Brown and two touchdown grabs

by Tom Brady’s trusty sidekick Rob Gronkowski. Brady himself took home Super Bowl LV MVP honors, completing 21/29 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns.

Super Bowl LV was won by the smarter, more prepared and emotionally invested team. The Buccaneers struggled to find their rhythm after a 7-5 start but went on to win their final four regular season games and four more playoff games against three former NFL MVPs. The Bucs found strategic solutions this entire

year and were well prepared to face Kansas City’s monstrous offense while picking apart their defense.

This new culture of winning would not have been possible without the key offseason acquisition of Brady. With Sunday’s win, he has cemented his status as the absolute GOAT (Greatest of All Time). What a story. What a season. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are Super Bowl LV champions. Tom Brady has successfully secured both his fifth Super Bowl MVP and seventh Super Bowl win. Fire the cannons!