(09/16/03 4:00am)
Brandeis is not a party school. Period. That said, Brandeis parties are not a completely alien phenomena. Parties do exist. And these gatherings often involve alcohol - even for those under the legal drinking age. But according to students, these parties are not as large, not as wild, and not as frequent as parties at a so-called party school.Many students go on to claim that this distinction arises partly from the attitudes and actions of campus police. Students add that police presence this year seems more salient than ever: according to Brandeis party-goers, public safety officers are now arriving at parties with less cause, as well as more often and earlier in the night.Parties just ain't what they used to be.Jacob Baron '06 recounts a recent venture: "Last weekend, Friday night, I tried to party. That task seems very difficult on or near Brandeis' campus. I never even made it to a party that night, because so many of them were broken up that there was a line at the Ziv party I tried to go to."Compared to last year, Baron said, "... it seems that everything is being broken up earlier and more harshly, with everyone being kicked out and scattered instead of warned or told to keep it quieter." According to Baron, this is a step in the wrong direction. "Off-campus parties are one thing, because they affect the Waltham community, but honestly, if Brandeis wants to have any hope of attracting more applicants or attaining a better reputation by a supposedly improving social scene, this new stricter attitude by the Brandeis police has to stop."Elena Katsnelson '05 made a similar point. "What Brandeis has to take into account," she said, "is that if people aren't happy here, no matter how much they like the academics and everything else, they aren't going to stay here.""In order to have an active student body, they need to have a happy student body. If they disallow any kind of fun, that's not going to happen," Katsnelson continued. She said that the capacity for change lies more in the university administration than the police. "I think the Brandeis police do a good job...But as far as parties go, I think that Brandeis as a university goes a little too far in restricting student activities."Katsnelson mentioned that at a recent party in the Mods, the police came several times and eventually-she is not sure of the time, but estimated that it was after one o'clock in the morning-instructed everyone to leave. Though she said until then, the police "were very cool with us being there," she echoed Baron's observation that police presence at parties has taken an upward turn. The police, she said, "are a lot more hardcore this year."Camille Linick '05 has also noticed the change. The reason, she said, "is not necessarily because cops are trying to enforce the rules any more than they ever have." Instead, she said she believes that "this year the parties are simply bigger. People run out of alcohol less frequently and they usually don't have anyone at the door to make sure the place doesn't get too full. The place gets packed to the gills, the music is blasting, and before you know it, the cops are there."Because of the police, said Rachel Kane '05, "Brandeis is sort of dead by midnight or one o'clock." On occasion, she added, it's even earlier: two weeks ago, police broke up a party in Ziv at 11 p.m.Brandeis students do not see this is a lost cause; they are prepared with suggestions. "I think (the police) should have a policy of not breaking anything up before one a.m. at the very earliest," said Baron. "Sometimes," said Rebecca Toddings '05, "I don't see where the problem is. The cops should wait until there is a problem before they come to the party."Deborah Lyon '06 spoke of another time when she said the police overexerted their power. Last year, after one of the events during Bronstein weekend, she and her friends were standing around outside, and the police told them to return to their rooms. "I pay 36 thousand dollars to go here-and I pay, not my parents-and I can stand outside at 2 a.m. if I want to!" Lyon said."The police come when it's not out of control," said Hannah Berg '06. She is from Oregon, and she said that her friends who attend the University of Oregon talk about full-fledged riots at parties. In cases like this, Berg said she believes the police should certainly step in. But in less violent situations, she said she thinks "the Brandeis police need to loosen up and realize we're in college."Despite their misgivings, students say that compared to Waltham police, and sometimes compared to quad directors and CAs, the Brandeis police are in fact quite lenient.The Waltham police, said Katsnelson, "are very obnoxious." She continued: "They don't even ask what's going on. They just come up and say, 'Everyone's going to jail.' And then everyone runs off and they say, 'Fine. You're not going to jail.'""The (Brandeis) cops' goal," said Yonatan Samlan '04, is "keeping order with a minimum amount of trouble." In his experience, police only break up "really big, noisy parties."And in non-party related issues, such as burglary and assault, students praise the Brandeis police force. Jason Hyne '06 said that he filed two police reports this past weekend, and the police were very attentive in both cases. His only remaining complaint, he said, "is that they still abuse their car ticket ing privilege."They're just doing their job.Ed Callahan, director of public safety at Brandeis, began by stating that the police do not merely show up haphazardly at parties, but instead respond to calls from members of the community. "If someone calls the dispatch and says there's a party, the officers have to go," said Callahan. Usually, he continued, these calls occur more frequently in the beginning of the school year, and continue throughout the year.Callahan said it is currently too early in the year to note any changes from last year. As far as referrals to Residence Life or the Student Judicial Board, there were 81, 89, and 96, in 1999, 2000, and 2001, respectively.Callahan did say that he has also noticed the shift to earlier hours of the night. He said though, that the since the police come in response to calls, this means that calls are coming earlier in the night."In the 70s and 80s, people were up till 2 or 3 a.m. at Brandeis. People now seem to go to bed earlier," Callahan said. "I think the economy dictates that...the economy is harder now...there are more students that work now. In order to sustain a job, you have to go to bed - at night." Callahan went on to explain University policies, which require that students register in advance any party they plan to hold in residence halls. Callahan personally signs each registration form, as do the hosts of the party and the quad director.Based on these forms, the police have a advance notice about the location of parties. With this knowledge, said Callahan, the officers "try to do a certain percentage of community policing." This means they may "stop in at parties or before the party and explain to students what is expected." These expectations often include a size restriction, which is outlined on the registration form. In a Ziv suite, for instance, Callahan said that "from a public safety perspective, over 50 people in a suite is a concern."Callahan explained the general procedures in response to a call about a party. "It's not like you just go in and kick the door open. It's methodical," he said.One or more officers will go to the party and first try to determine if the party is "authorized or unauthorized." If it is authorized (registered), the officer will ask guests to regulate their behavior. If it is unauthorized, the officer could conceivably ask people to leave right then. But according to Callahan, "unless there were a riot, unless they get to a party and it was so out of control," then the police would not shut down a party on the first warning.If police have to report to the same party two or three times, however, they may ask the guests to leave. Even when police do terminate a party, the students do not necessarily get in trouble. If it is an unauthorized party or one that is "totally out of control," the police often refer the hosts to the department of residence life. Only in more extreme situations would police make a referral to the student judicial system.And only in very rare cases do the Brandeis police make arrests. In the 2002-2003 school year, said Callahan, there was one "protective custody incident," where a student was "so belligerent" that physical restraint seemed necessary. From 1999-2001, there was one liquor-related arrest on campus each year."We try to be more educational than punitive. We're not a rigid force," said Callahan. "If you're a minor in possession of alcohol, we'd rather go through the educational system than the criminal justice system.""Students probably look at our presence as meddlesome. They say, 'This guy just doesn't want us to have fun,'" said Callahan. "But I'm here to make sure that you maintain four years of academic and social involvement.
(09/16/03 4:00am)
Making up half of the 20 percent of Americans that engage in file sharing, people between 12 and 22 are among the chief targets of those accused of illegally sharing copyrighted music, according to Josh Bernoff of Forrester Research, Inc. in Cambridge. In a city teeming with young college students, Boston has proven to be a major hotspot for RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) litigation as 46 lawsuits of the 261 filed since Sept. 8 against those accused of illegally sharing music are in the local area. "I wouldn't say the RIAA is targeting college students specifically, but they're inevitably going to hit a lot of college students," Bernoff said.Bernoff explained that since young consumers are more likely to use file-sharing software than one-in-nine older consumers, younger demographic groups are more likely to be prosecuted."The focus is on college students because of three reasons," Bernoff said. "First, because of the high use of file sharing, second because of the high amount of free time they have, and third because of broadband bandwidth that makes it easier to download music."With 18 percent of the lawsuits filed in Boston, Eastern Mass. may have the largest concentration of online music-sharers targeted by the RIAA, according to a Sept. 8 Boston Globe article. Naturally, this has caused some to grow increasingly concerned of Brandeis' own file-sharing network, Boogle, and its relative security."If you are sharing files, you do not have privacy," wrote Boogle's creator, Danny Silverman '05, on its official site. "This is not a BranScan issue, this is a real-world issue. If you are sharing on a public network, anyone on that network can see the files that are being shared, and from which computer. People with access to information to network topology (such as ITS) can determine where the sharing computer is located. People with access to UNet databases can see to whom the computer is registered."Perry Hanson, the Chief Information Officer and Associate Provost for Educational Technology, said in a May 5 campus wide e-mail that Brandeis has a responsibility to report copyright infringements when Brandeis Computer Policy has been violated."...federal law requires Brandeis University to take action when notified that someone on our network is illegally distributing copyrighted materials...Legal action may be taken against you by the holder of the copyrighted material that was sent to or received from your system," Hanson said.If legal action is taken against a student Brandeis must abide to whatever is asked and maintain a neutral stance in the litigation, according to Executive Assistant to the President Dr. John Hose."If the University was presented with a subpoena concerning the activities of a student, we would first confirm that the subpoena was properly issued, and, if so, we would then comply with it," Hose said. "If a student was sued in connection with unlawful use of copyrighted material, the student would have to have his or her own legal representation in court. Brandeis' attorneys would not represent the student."Three student computers have been cut off from the network so far this semester which is remarkably fewer than other local schools, according to Network Administrator Rick Graves, of Information and Technology Services. "My paranoid streak wonders whether the relatively few copyright complaints Brandeis has received means they're (RIAA) saving up for something big," Graves said.So far the music industry association has only sued those who enable the sharing feature on their file-sharing software and are distributing more than 1,000 music files, according to The Boston Globe. Those who choose to share files face the possibility of a multi-million dollar lawsuit since the music association is requesting statutory damages of $750 to $150,000 for each song."From a strictly legal standpoint, the kind of file-sharing described in the lawsuit is a pretty clear violation of copyright law," said Laura Miller, a sociology professor. "And it will be very difficult for those being sued to argue otherwise...what to me is the more interesting question this lawsuit raises is whether at least some Americans are challenging the very notion of intellectual property."Despite the copyright issue, some students view the lawsuits as futile because there will always be a demand to download music regardless of its legality."(Recent RIAA litigation) only seems to make an ugly situation even worse," Dan Schleifstein '05 said. "Attempting to apply judicial action at this point in time will be ineffective, as the public has clearly expressed a mandate for online file-sharing that arises from common usage and, most importantly, above attempts to associate it with precedents in allegedly similar cases..."However, students still are still apprehensive to download and share on Boogle or other music file-sharing software programs. According to a July 16 report by Forrester Research, 68 percent of young Internet users who share music online said fear of jail time or a fine would stop them. Furthermore, file-sharing has fallen 23 percent after the RIAA first threatened consumers with lawsuits, according to market research firm, NPD Group, in Port Washington, N.Y. This statistic represents a sharper decline than NPD Group had expected from students leaving their high connection speeds at collegeStudents who fear being faced with a hefty lawsuit can look into receiving amnesty from future lawsuits in exchange for a notarized promise of reform announced by the RIAA Sept. 8.
(09/09/03 4:00am)
Kobe Bryant had it all. At the tender age of 24, his fruitful partnership with Los Angeles Lakers teammate Shaquille O'Neal had produced an astounding three NBA championships and countless comparisons to dynasties such as the Boston Celtics of the early 1960s and the Chicago Bulls of the late 90s. Aside from an occasional spat with the equally domineering presence of O'Neal, Bryant - arguably the most successful athlete to ever leap from high school (in Lower Merion, Pa.) to the pro ranks - was the prototype for Madison Avenue image-makers. Bryant's clean-cut persona, highlighted by a seemingly blissful marriage to young beauty Vanessa Laine (who was an 18-year-old high school student when the two wed and settled in Newport Beach, Calif.), attracted the admiration of corporate giants like McDonald's, Nike and Coca-Cola's Sprite. Endorsers were able to portray Bryant in ways they could never market the charisma-bereft Tim Duncan or tattooed malcontent Allen Iverson, who seems to consult his posse before attending practice in Philadelphia. Bryant arrived in the NBA with little fanfare as the 13th overall pick in the first round of the 1996 NBA Draft by the lowly Charlotte Hornets. Dealt to Tinseltown for Vlade Divac and a future first-round selection, Bryant would compete in his first NBA All-Star Game at 19. That game, Michael Jordan's last All-Star appearance as a Chicago Bull, was viewed by many as an informal passing of the torch to a new generation of basketball superstars that Bryant was at the forefront of. With grace and humility on and off the court, the soft-spoken Bryant seemed that rare sports icon who was every bit the man off the court that he was on it. Even His Airness had vices, battling allegations of compulsive gambling and infidelity through the latter half of his career. With early success that far surpassed that of Jordan, the undisputed Zeus of international basketball, Bryant appeared destined for unprecedented star status. In June of '03, Nike courted Bryant's allegiance after Bryant was dropped by sneaker rival adidas, handing the Laker guard a five-year, $45 million endorsement pact. While that sum was relatively slim compared to the $90 million Nike threw at basketball's latest schoolboy wonder, Akron, Ohio product LeBron James, it symbolized Bryant's steady appeal in the me-first, trash-talk culture of pro ball. Three weeks later, on July 18, Eagle County (Colorado) District Attorney Mark Hurlbert announced that Bryant would face three charges of felony sexual assault stemming from an encounter that took place on June 30 at a luxury mountain retreat near posh Vail. "Basically, it is alleged that he had sexual penetration or intrusion," Hurlbert said, "And he caused submission of the victim through actual physical force." Bryant, who was in Colorado rehabbing from knee surgery, faces a maximum punishment of life in prison. In late July, Bryant shocked the basketball community when he held a teary-eyed press conference in which he admitted to being an adulterer, but vehemently denied that he had forced himself upon a 19-year-old hotel employee at the gated Lodge & Spa at Cordillera in Edwards, Colo. Flanked by his wife and Denver-based attorney Pamela Mackey, Bryant attempted to deliver a most sincere apology. "I didn't force her to do anything against her will," Bryant said, "I sit here in front of you furious at myself, disgusted at myself for making a mistake of adultery." "You're a blessing. You're a piece of my heart," Bryant said as he looked desperately towards wife Laine. "You're the air I breathe. And you're the strongest person I know. I'm sorry for having to put you through this and having to put our family through this." Bryant hasn't shied away from the public glare since his arrest. Free after posting $25,000 bond, he has appeared with wife Vanessa at nationally-televised events ranging from the ESPY Awards to the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards. He also ventured onto Rodeo Drive for a well-publicized shopping spree in which Bryant purchased a $4 million ring for his wife. While Bryant pulled out of Team USA's Olympic qualifying tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico to deal with the potentially life-altering rape charges, most legal analysts believe a likely trial date is June '04. Bryant will be in uniform on October 28 when the Lakers begin their quest for a fourth title in five years against the Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center. Mavs owner Mark Cuban has been reprimanded by NBA Commissioner David Stern for his frank remarks about the Bryant situation and the impact it will have on fan interest in the Lakers. Appearing on "Access Hollywood" in early August, Cuban told Pat O'Brien that the case, while a tragedy for those involved, would be a boon for television ratings. "From a business perspective, it's great for the NBA," Cuban said. "It's reality television, people love train wreck television, and you hate to admit it, but that is the truth, that's the reality today." "It will draw viewers," Cuban continued. "I'm not saying this is a good thing. I'm not saying it's a positive reflection of who we are as a country. It sells papers, and the NBA will benefit from that." One of the most intriguing facets of the early stages of the Bryant case is the manner in which the media and public at large have peeled away the layers of Kobe Bryant's true self, exposing an aloof, introverted athlete at the peak of his game. In today's NBA world, selling sneakers to urban youths is as important as selling season tickets to die-hard fans. And the new marketing buzzword is "street cred." Allen Iverson, who grew up on the dangerous streets of Hampton, Va., and literally fought his way through high school (Iverson was briefly jailed in high school for his role in a full-scale riot at a bowling alley between black and white gang members), has street credibility. Magic forward Tracy McGrady does too. But Bryant, who grew up in Italy, where his father Joe "Jellybean" Bryant played professionally, and spent his high school days in the wealthy suburbs of Philadelphia, has never been able to connect with that most coveted demographic. Even while his personal life seemed fulfilled, Bryant was estranged from his father for two years. Joe Bryant disapproved of Bryant's relationship with Laine, who is of Latin descent, choosing not to attend their wedding or any of his son's games until the two split. Perhaps motivated by his father's skepticism, Bryant spent an inordinate amount of time with Laine, isolating himself from a Laker squad dependent on coach Phil Jackson's motto of team chemistry. Sportswriters are salivating at the prospect of an O.J. Simpson-esque circus, replete with all the racial divisions and high-powered attorneys that made the "Dream Team" synonymous with F. Lee Bailey instead of Olympic basketball in Barcelona. "He says it was consensual, she says it wasn't," Detroit Free Press columnist Mitch Albom writes. "And by the time this is over all of the following will be tried in America: race, power, sex, money, sports, fame, reputation and -- oh, yes, somewhere along the way, Kobe Bryant, who was the shining star of the NBA, a seemingly impenetrable warrior dedicated to hard work, championships, wife and family." "This is Bill/Monica, O.J./Nicole and Mike Tyson/Desiree Washington all rolled into one," Albom continues. "In case you didn't follow those cases, let me tell you right now what you can expect to hear in the near future. From those who defend Kobe: 'Hey, he admitted his mistake. It's a private thing between him and his wife. This girl is a gold digger!'" "From those who defend the girl: 'She was only 19! She was probably overwhelmed! These athletes think they can have anything they want!'" "From those who argue race: 'Kobe won't get a fair trial! This is a lily-white town in a lily-white ski resort! They're trying to destroy Kobe because he's a successful black superstar!'" Reaction to Bryant' potential guilt already seems to be dividing Americans along racial lines. An August poll of 1,000 adults by USA Today shows that while 41 percent of those surveyed think the charges against Kobe are "definitely" or "probably" true, more than two-thirds of blacks in that sample think the charge is false.And while nearly two-thirds of blacks said they were sympathetic to Bryant, just 40 percent of whites reported being "very" or "somewhat" sympathetic to the Laker star. The measure of an athlete's success nowadays seems to be the number of times they're pictured on the cover of Sports Illusrated. Bryant's made six appearances on SI covers over the course of his career. The July issue read as follows: "Kobe Bryant Accused."In sports, as in life, things aren't always what they seem.
(09/02/03 4:00am)
Even the most naive college basketball fan has to admit that the 21st century version of the NCAA game is far from the haven for conscientious student-athletes that university presidents and trustees like to envision. While win-at-all-costs boosters and ridiculously lenient academic "advisors" have long been a staple of Division I hoops, a barrage of disturbing revelations have surfaced over the past year-and-a-half. There was the case last March of academic fraud at the University of Georgia, where head coach Jim Harrick's son, Jim Jr., developed a phantom physical education course that never actually convened. And at St. Bonaventure last spring, University President Robert Wickenheiser resigned after acknowledging that he approved the transfer criteria of basketball star Jamil Terrell. Terrell came from tiny Georgia Coastal Community College, where his highest academic honor was a welding degree. As upsetting as those allegations were to the NCAA community, nothing could prepare the association for the events of this past summer. Baylor University, in Waco, Texas (a city known best for housing deceased cult leader David Koresh), has a little over 13,000 undergraduates and a major sports program in the prestigious Big 12 Conference, which also includes the University of Texas, University of Kansas and University of Oklahoma. Aside from short stints of NCAA-imposed probation in 1986 (illegal cash benefits to a player) and 1994 (the FBI convicted coaches for completing players' homework), Baylor is a relatively obscure institution, far removed from the radars of most avid college sports fans. Its teams have struggled for success in most major sports, producing just one NBA player (Sixers center Brian Skinner) over the past decade. That anonymity, however, came crashing down in late June when Baylor forward Patrick Dennehy, a Santa Clara, Calif. native (and recent transfer from the University of New Mexico) was officially pronounced missing. When a basketball program such as Baylor's is making headlines on all of America's 24-hour cable news outlets, it's highly probably that the news is very bad. While the case remains sketchy, with a few pieces left to the puzzle, the chain of events is as follows. On July 10, about a month after Dennehy's mysterious disappearance was made public, Baylor head coach Dave Bliss (set to begin his fourth season at the school) broke the school's silence to speak with the media. "This situation is uncharted waters," Bliss said. "We're going through something that is an unbelievably bad nightmare." "I appreciate being the basketball coach at Baylor University," Bliss continued. "I'm confronted with something completely off the charts, but I'm also in charge of steering through this." Bliss, a veteran college basketball coach who has held head coaching posts at Oklahoma, Southern Methodist University and the University of New Mexico (where he recruited Dennehy), was right on one front. A case of homicide in the NCAA was without precedent, and the case soon grew even more bizarre. On July 21, Dennehy's teammate and close friend, junior guard Carlton Dotson, was arrested and jailed in his home state of Maryland. Just four days later, Dennehy's body was discovered in a field near the Baylor campus. An autopsy report revealed that the 21-year-old had been shot twice in the head. Dotson, also 21, was indicted on a murder charge on August 27, and now faces a maximum penalty of life in prison as he awaits Texas Governor Rick Perry's approval of extradition to that state. While District Attorney John Segrest has refused to discuss motive in the case, sources close to the team have stepped forward to suggest widespread substance abuse among team members. Dotson disputes police claims that he confessed to shooting Dennehy in a sworn affidavit to the FBI. Dotson's estranged wife, Melissa Kethley, recently told the Dallas Morning News that Baylor players would routinely smoke pot and drink immediately before team practices. Sonya Hart, whose son Robert briefly roomed with Dotson before leaving the team in February, told that same paper that she warned the school about alcoholism and drugs surrounding the team. Bliss, momentarily out of the limelight while Dotson was tracked down, soon became the focal point of the investigation. In early August, the FBI released tapes secretly recorded by assistant coach Abar Rouse featured Bliss encouraging Baylor players to lie to investigators by giving them the false impression that Dennehy paid his tuition by dealing drugs. On August 8, Bliss and Athletic Director Tom Stanton (who had been with the school for five years) resigned as Baylor placed itself on two years' probation. Bliss has been portrayed as the archetype of the grizzled college basketball coach given free reign by the NCAA to dodge a corrupted system.Initial reaction to Bliss' resignation was surprisingly empathetic. Brian O'Neill, who assissted Bliss at both New Mexico and Baylor, was prescient in his remarks."I think a lot of NCAA men's basketball programs operate in a gray area," he said. "And I think once the NCAA was allowed to investigate the program, a lot of those things in the gray area were exposed and, therefore, he may have felt responsible for some of those things that transpired." "Once you start an internal investigation in your school or any school, some dirt is going to come up in some cases," O'Neill added. "And with all the negative publicity swirling around Pat (Dennehy) ... there was going to be some other disheartening things that would come out." "By trying to muck up a murder investigation," Caulton Tudor of KnoxNews.com writes, "shuffling money under the table to players and possibly filming opposing teams' practice sessions, Bliss turned the Baylor basketball offices into an open-air sewage dump." Jesse Jackson of the controversial Rainbow Coalition is urging the international basketball community to ostracize Bliss and ban him from coaching again. "He perpetuated a racial stereotype," Jackson said, "by casting young Dennehy as a drug pusher. His lie was based on belief that people would accept that Dennehy, a black man, was a thug who sold drugs." The fallout from the Baylor scandal has come in an unbelievably swift manner. On August 20, Jeff Howard, the NCAA's director of public relations, honored a request made by Baylor President Robert Sloane Jr. that all basketball players who wish to transfer out of Baylor be exempt from the standard NCAA rule that they sit out a year before competing again. Already, Baylor's top scorer and rebounder from a year ago, Lawrence Roberts, has announced his intention to continue his career at Mississippi State. Junior forward Kenny Taylor will move on to the University of Texas, junior guard John Lucas III will play for Eddie Sutton at Oklahoma State and sophomore forward Tommy Swanson will also depart. Baylor has announced that on September 4, the school will host a free rally led by popular entertainer/comedian Bill Cosby to lift the spirits of the student body after a trying summer. Cosby, a fixture at his alma mater of Temple University and numerous commencement ceremonies around the country, has long lauded Baylor's Christian mission. "Over the years I have come to know some of the outstanding students, faculty and staff at Baylor," Cosby said, "and I know it's been a tough few months for them. So I want to let the world know what a great place this is." On August 22, Baylor announced the hiring of 32-year-old Valparaiso head coach Scott Drew, who was 20-11 in his only season at the northern Indiana school. Valpo, a Lutheran-affiliated school of 3,600, competes in the Mid-Continent Conference with the likes of Chicago State and Oral Roberts University.Scott's father Homer spent 14 seasons at Valpo, compiling a 236-185 record, and leading the Crusaders to the NCAA's Round of 16 in 1998 with the help of another son, Bryce."I can't wait for the new image for Baylor to come," the younger Drew said recently. "I really enjoy working with young people and helping them achieve their goals: graduating, making the NCAA Tournament, reaching the professional ranks.
(04/08/03 4:00am)
Artest flips off fans of Cleveland CavaliersIndianapolis Pacer Ron Artest, the NBA's newest poster-child for in-your-face antics and excessively physical play, was fined $20,000 by the league on Thursday for making an obscene gesture towards Cleveland Cavalier fans during an April 3 game.The St. John's University product, who's been suspended a league-high five times this season, has missed a dozen games due to his immature behavior. With the Pacers crusing towards a 21-point victory against the hapless Cavs, Artest shoved Cleveland shooting guard Ricky Davis out of bounds and was whistled for a technical foul. When teammate Austin Croshere attempted to restrain a fuming Artest, the Pacer forward shoved him aside before slapping away the arm of Head Coach Isiah Thomas.After Cavs forward Jumaine Jones was ejected minutes later, Cleveland fans began throwing garbage on the court. After being hit by a stray quarter, Artest almost incited a riot by motioning towards the rabid crowd for more.It's been a rough season for Cleveland fans. Their Cavs, last in the Eastern Conference's Central Division with 15 wins and 61 losses, have basically quit on interim coach Keith Smart, content to land projected lottery pick (and Akron, Ohio native) LeBron James.Last month, during a rare blowout victory over the Utah Jazz, Cavs guard Davis attempted to earn his first career triple-double by shooting at his own rim and grabbing the rebound.Suffice to say that type of maneuver is blatantly illegal: Ricky finished with 28 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds. Cuban's April Fools joke a hit with fansControversial Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who once managed a local Dairy Queen for a day to prove how incompetent NBA referees are, pulled a fast one on Mavs coaches and players Tuesday.During a timeout in the second quarter of Dallas' home game with the New Orleans Hornets, Cuban inititated a heated argument with a man disguised as a ref. The two began shoving each other before Cuban put the man in a headlock and was dragged off the court by Dallas equipment managers.Assistant Coach Del Harris, fearing that Cuban was serious and that his actions could cost the owner a lifetime ban from the sport, ran towards the staged melee and began scolding Cuban.Practice fight leaves Blazer with black eyeFurther cementing their notoriously poor reputation as the Portland "Jail" Blazers, a brawl during team practice Wednesday left forward Ruben Patterson with a badly bruised eye and second-year power forward Zach Randolph suspended for two games.The Blazers, who stand a half-game in front of the Minnesota Timberwolves for the fourth spot in the Western Conference, have experienced more turmoil than any other NBA squad in recent history.The fight broke out when rookie Qyntel Woods got into a heated exchange with journeyman Patterson. As the third man in, Randolph sucker-punched Patterson in the face as teammates held him away from Woods."This instance crossed the line," said embattled Portland general manager Bob Whitsitt, "and this type of behavior will not be tolerated by our organizations without the individuals being held accountable for their actions."The laundry list of misdemeanors committed by Blazers this season reads like a script of "Cops." In late November, Patterson was fined $100,000 after he was arrested on suspicion of domestic assault. Just last Saturday, Woods (a '02 graduate of Northeast Mississippi Community College) was released on bail after Portland police stopped his vehicle and charged the 22 year-old with marijuana possession.Fueling rumors that Blazer stars may be auditioning for roles in the sequel to "Half Baked," a Nov. 22 traffic stop in Washington State also found Portland veterans Rasheed Wallace and Damon Stoudamire guilty of marijuana possession.
(04/08/03 4:00am)
Entering the theater, the audience did not know what to expect of this small, low-budget film with a rather ambiguous title. Leaving, the crowd felt just as dazed, but with a newfound sense of awareness and appreciation for their surroundings and circumstances. Additionally, the title became a bit more comprehensible, but a shadow of irony loomed over it. "Levity" is the ambitious directorial debut of screenwriter Ed Solomon ("Men In Black"), starring skilled actors Billy Bob Thornton, Morgan Freeman, Holly Hunter and Kirsten Dunst.In "Levity," Manual Jordan (Thornton) is released from jail after being incarcerated for 22 years. Scared and unsure about leaving the place he has remained his entire adult life, Jordan is thrust back into the cruel, tough world that fostered his life of crime at an early age. A montage of characters float in and out of his life upon his return - some friendly, some confused, some loving and some desperate. Jordan slowly begins to reclaim his identity, while at the same time becoming a source of solace and support to those around him. When he begins to fall in love with a lonely, single mother (Hunter), and befriends a troubled teenage girl (Dunst), life gets more complicated. Ultimately, these experiences develop into enlightening, necessary occurrences for all involved. The cinematography was the richest part of this film. Acclaimed Director of Photography, Roger Deakins who has worked on masterpieces such as "The Shawshank Redemption," "Fargo" and "A Beautiful Mind," brought an eerily hazy quality to "Levity," which fit the narrative perfectly. The camera angles and shots were simple and beautiful, always luring the audience in. The cinematography is especially precise in a particular scene where Jordan meets pastor Miles Evans (Freeman) outside an urban community center on a dark, snowy night. The utilization of shadows - as well as contrasting colors and images - gives the picture a morose, tangible feel.Complementing the cinematography was the superb acting in multifaceted and difficult roles. Although the men were good in "Levity," the women stole the screen. Kirsten Dunst stood out as the youngest of the thespians at 21 years, in the part of the vulnerable, misguided Sofia, who only wants to be loved and appreciated. Proving her acting abilities in past films, including "The Virgin Suicides," and "Spider-Man," Dunst has a long, exciting career ahead of her. Furthermore, after taking a break from movies since 2000, Holly Hunter is back and at her best. The versatile actress claims her role as Adele Easley, a struggling mother with a teenage son in the inner city, with graceful vigor and intensity. It is a pleasure watching these talented women, as well as Thornton and Freeman, outside of the big blockbuster hits in this unique film. Solomon's first time as director proves to be a success, and hopefully he will continue this endeavor in the future. Admittedly, "Levity" is a slow-paced movie. At first this may seem a nuisance to the "Fast food/Internet" generation, but sit back, relax, and enjoy the two hours of quiet continuity. It is a solid film that will make you think."Levity" opens Friday in select theatres.
(02/18/03 5:00am)
In 1994, underappreciated filmmaker / actor Albert Brooks released a movie called "The Scout. In the film, Brendan Fraser plays Steve Nebraska, a phenom who can do anything on the field, but is hindered off of it by crippling mental troubles. Few people know that there is an actual "Steve Nebraska," and both he, and society, have struck out.Sportswriters pounced on the story of a 6 foot 6 inch behemoth of a man named Greg Nash who was literally discovered in the middle of nowhere (a semi-pro league in southern Louisiana). The media saw this powerful, switch-hitting, semi-literate Nash as a journalistic goldmine. To the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the team that first signed him, he was a potential draw and savior; a Simon Bolivar borne of the cane fields.In less than two years, however, Nash went from savior to pariah. What, you ask, could precipitate such a calamitous downfall? It was the combination of two factors: Minor league stats that didn't exactly conjure up memories of Roy Hobbs in "The Natural" and a crime that a successful athlete can't just sweep under the legal system's rug: statutory rape.So what became of "Toe" Nash as he was commonly known? After going to trial, Nash spent eight months in jail for his act, which, considering he was 18 at the time of the crime, seemed quite reasonable. Of course, Nash lost eight months of precious development time, which pushed him further behind the many players eager to do whatever it takes for their cup of big league coffee. This was especially tragic in light of the fact that Nash has been behind on development all of his life.He's another in a long line of athletes who, at a young age, displayed outstanding physical skills, but a less-than-outstanding mental capacity. Nash was rushed through the academic system in his school days and stripped of an education as a young adult by a father who raised him entirely on his own.Of course, Nash got another chance after the Devil Rays released him, because teams will take a flyer on anyone who gets mentioned in the news. However, Nash kept finding ways to screw up. He has been arrested for everything from domestic violence to robbery to your garden variety marijuana possession charge. The last straw came after a recent arrest for parole violation and second-degree battery. This resulted in Nash's release from the Cincinnati Reds. A potentially legendary bat was silenced by inner demons and a disadvantaged upbringing in the South.If there is a moral to this story, it is damn hard to find. I tend to look at Nash's story as a tragic one. The fact of the matter is that there was something wrong with him that no one cared to, or was unable to, correct. Maybe it was because Nash was poor and because he could hit the ball a country mile that nobody recognized his problems. If Nash had gotten caught only recently, he may have already been in the majors and would have received the preferential treatment doled out to athletes like immunity is to diplomats. So, perhaps the moral is, if you are going to sin, for goodness sake, make the All-Star team. God bless America!
(01/21/03 5:00am)
In front of over 16,000 fans at the Hartford Civic Center on Saturday, the University of Connecticut women's basketball team thumped Georgetown University, giving Head Coach Gino Auriemma his 55th straight victory. UConn's astounding streak snaps the NCAA Division I womens' basketball mark of 54 set by Louisiana Tech from 1980-1982. It began last season when the Lady Huskies went 39-0 and captured their third national title in seven years. The Huskies are 17-0 this season with five wins coming in Big East play. On Tuesday, a 56-year-old man who kicked a security horse during a riot outside London's New Den Stadium was sentenced to five years in prison. Raymond Everest, a fan of English club team Millwall, attacked the horse on May 2, 2002, following a loss to rival Birmingham City. During the spectator uprising, 157 police officers and 26 police horses were reported injured."It is difficult to imagine a worse example of behavior by a man in his mid-50s than that you displayed on that particular evening," presiding Judge Philip Statman said in his ruling.
(01/14/03 5:00am)
The movie musical is back with a bang! Rob Marshall's "Chicago" is a masterpiece. The movie centers around Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones of "High Fidelity"), the star of the vaudeville stage who is in jail after killing her husband and sister. Roxie Hart (Rene Zellweger of "White Oleander") is a wanna-be star. Hart stands in absolute awe of Kelly, who murdered her lover after he lied to her by promising to help her achieve stardom. Hart and Kelly meet in prison on death row; both are accused of murder. Kelly is on her way out of jail having hired the superstar criminal lawyer, Billy Flinn (Richard Gere), whose high price reflects his perfect winning record. When Hart learns of him and her sucker of a husband pays the $5,000 fee, she becomes Flinn's new project leaving Kelly in the dust. Flinn acts more as a PR rep than a lawyer by teaching Hart that the way to win the case is by winning the hearts of the public. She soon learns that by concocting the story that she is pregnant, she can further win the hearts of the public. Kelly must learn to save herself when she sees that Flinn has given up on her case because Hart has become the city's new "it" girl. "Mamma" Morton, the jailhouse warden (Queen Latifah of "The Bone Collector") is also in the mix to help the women, but not without helping herself at the same time. The movie opens with Zeta-Jones performing the stupendous song and dance number, "All That Jazz." Her formal training on the London stage helped her transform herself into the superstar Velma Kelly. With her dancing and singing talents, she gets completely lost in the character. Zellweger doesn't bring the same charisma to the screen, lacking formal singing and dancing experience. But, her character doesn't need it, since Hart is not the celebrity that Kelly is. Gere also does surprisingly well with singing and dancing. He even tap-dances! This was Rob Marshall's directorial film debut after having directed a number of theatrical productions. He takes the delight of theater and mixes it with cinematic magic. This film's strongest point is its fusion of theater and film. The movie doesn't stick to the traditional film techniques of putting the audience inside the story as though it is a fly on the wall. It also provides what only the theater can do -- puts the viewer right up there watching the action and feeling that the actors know you are there. All of the singing and dancing is performed on a stage, while the camera is actually behind imaginary audience members who are believed to be watching the show on stage. "Chicago" takes you off the wall and puts you in the theater. The singing and dancing is so spectacular you will find yourself tapping your foot to the beat and mouthing the words to the songs. Last year's "Moulin Rouge" brought the musical back, and this year's "Chicago" is keeping it here.
(10/22/02 4:00am)
Oct. 21, 2002 - (U-WIRE) PHILADELPHIA - Patricia Hill Collins candidly discussed sexual violence in the black community before a mixed crowd of University of Pennsylvania students and faculty members on Friday.Collins' lecture in Logan Hall focused on the topic of her upcoming book "Black Sexual Politics."She stated that in this "era of desegregation" the lines between traditionally gendered sexual behaviors are being blurred."Lynching and rape are not nearly as gender specific as one might think," she said.Collins, the Charles Phelps Taft Professor of Sociology and a professor in the department of African American Studies at the University of Cincinnati, talked about historical differences in how blacks viewed violence toward men and women.While there was a huge movement of protest against the lynching of men in the community, in reference to rape, she said, "Black women were encouraged to keep quiet in order to subdue the idea of their wanton sexuality."Instead of talking about the more traditional aspects of sexualized power that are addressed in her book, Collins read mainly from a chapter on how the prison system in the United States helps perpetuate sexual violence in black homes."Judging by the media, rape is accepted as a common force of prison," Collins said. She brought up the fact that in many of today's movies, rapes occurring in jail are considered humorous.The reputations of men in jail, she explained, are often based on whether they are the victims or perpetrators of rape. Once a man has been raped, the only way for him to escape his emasculated fate is to rape somebody else, she said.Another issue Collins addressed was that "black women do not want to claim an identity of being a victim," and for black men, this is even more true, so many remain silent after being sexually assaulted.Collins said that she intended for her forthcoming book to be accessible to everyone from undergraduates to her colleagues, and that is why it is taking her so long to complete the work.Some of the attendees came in order to supplement their sociology courses. But College freshman Kelly Cregg came for a different reason."I just wanted to see a different dimension," she said. "I really enjoyed it."Collins said she enjoyed giving the lecture as well. She commented, "There are different personalities of audiences I speak to. I'm pleased that I got a pretty good match."
