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(01/20/04 5:00am)
On Friday, Dec. 5, I had the opportunity to sit in on a phone interview with Ben Affleck. College students around the country posed for Affleck to answer. Affleck was promoting his new movie Paycheck, directed by John Woo. Paycheck is about Michael Jennings (Affleck), an electrician who has had part of his memory erased. Jennings struggles to find clues to his whereabouts for the past two years. Here is what he had to say:*Editor's Note: Not all questions were posed by justArts. All questions from all colleges are included in this article.* justArts: How does Paycheck stretch your skills as an actor?Ben Affleck: With a lot of action movies, it is just about the action. This movie also pays attention to the actor and the role. You have to immerse yourself into the role. JA: What was it like working with John Woo? BA: It was a huge honor for me. Surprisingly, he was incredibly sweet for someone who's made so many "shoot 'em up" movies. He sees the movie as a choreographed dance. It was all for the feeling that John wanted to evoke. It was a true education for me. JA: How was this action character different from the Daredevil character? BA: Well, first of all, Daredevil was blind. This [character] was also closer to home for me. I was always into computers and pulling them apart to see how they work. So the reversed engineer was what I liked. Also, the character has his history erased. This is similar to my life in the sense of lacking privacy and anonymity.JA : You seem to really make an effort to have a diverse set of roles. Very often you play different types of roles. Is it a conscious effort on your part to diversify so not to be branded?BA: It is absolutely a conscious effort on my part to try to do diverse stuff. I think of acting as a decathlon, and therefore actors have to be decathletes. You can win a decathlon without being the best at any one event. One of my goals is to look back on my career and to say I did a lot of genres from drama to comedy to romance to action to horror to independent to unusual movies. I think that's one of my greatest assets and hopefully it will keep me working for a while. It also serves to prevent typecasting. A good example is a movie I just finished called "Surviving Christmas" which will be out next Christmas. It was a very broad comedy, and it's a film you would normally see Jim Carey or Mike Myers or someone like that in, and its something I thought was risky, but it was something I wanted to do. That is a very astute point, and I'm glad someone noticed. JA: Which movie genre do you prefer to work in? Indie films like Good Will Hunting, and anything by Kevin Smith, or action films like Armageddon and Paycheck?BA: It's hard to say. Each one is fun and exciting in its own way. There's sometimes a more diverse set of challenge in a different kind of movie. Changing Lanes is an example of that. People say it was an action movie, but I would say it is more of a drama. Working with Kevin and doing his movies have been especially satisfying because he's a dear old friend of mine, so that has certain added bonus to it. And with Good Will Hunting I got to do it with my brother [Casey Affleck and] Matt [Damon], and that was really wonderful for that reason. But I've always liked Hollywood popcorn movies. Once you've done one of those, you don't want to do another one soon, but after doing a number of kitchen sink dramas you think, wouldn't it be fun to do a spectacular Hollywood epic? If you ask someone who just finished Lord of the Rings, I'm sure they would never want to do another one of those again.JA: You worked with Uma Thurman in this film. How is her acting style different from other actress you have worked with?BA: Uma is a great actress, but one thing that was pleasant to see that out of everyone I've worked with, she was the most professional and down to earth. She shows up, does her job and does it very well. She's also one of the most grounded people I know. She's got two kids, and she's a really great mother. She's a smart and educated woman. She's got the whole package, she's great. I love the Kill Bill movies, so I got to harass her about that. JA: If your memory was erased, what memory would you chose to keep and what would you choose to erase?BA: It is hard to choose just one memory to keep, but I whatever I chose would have my family and close friends that I grew up with so I would understand who I am and where I came from and what's important. And in terms of erasing memories, I think even the bad memories make us who we are, so anything I would forget would make me a less strong person, so I would not erase anything. JA: What can science fiction and action fans expect from [Paycheck]?BA: If you are a sci-fi fan like I am you probably like Blade Runner and Total Recall, and this is similar to those because it's the same novelist. And if you like action films, all you need is to hear the two words: "John" and "Woo," and here you have the intersection of both those artists, and it's pretty exciting. You'll enjoy the film even if you're not a fan of those genres, but if you are, I wouldn't miss it. Paycheck is currently playing in movie theaters around the country.
(01/20/04 5:00am)
Last semester, while their classmates were getting ready for finals, Brandeis cross country runners Gretchen Chick '04 and Dan Crespin '05 were preparing for a different kind of test. On Saturday, Nov. 22, Chick and Crespin traveled to Hanover College in Hanover, Indiana, to compete against other top Division III runners in the NCAA cross country national championships. On the women's side, the runners who compete in nationals were determined by the regional championships. In New England, the top five women's teams and top nine individuals qualified. Chick finished sixth at regionals, becoming the newest female Brandeis cross country runner to qualify for nationals since last year, when Mariko Tansey Holbrook '03 and Caitlin Malloy '03 both earned All-American honors at nationals, finishing second and 22nd, respectively. Chick's qualification was the culmination of a successful season that included her first career All-UAA honor. At nationals she finished 86th out of a competitive field of 215 athletes, and was excited with her performance in the race and during the season. "The competition is very talented, so I was just hoping to go out there and race well. I was happy with the race and the season as a whole. I was strong all the way through and healthy, able to compete at a high level and improve. This cross country season was great," Chick said.The men's championship race boasted a competitive field of 215 runners, including other New England and UAA runners who Crespin had competed against during the season. According to the NCAA, in order to be eligible to participate in the championships, teams and individuals must qualify in their respective NCAA regions. 24 teams of seven runners each were selected to participate in the championships. The top teams from each of the eight regions automatically qualified. Additional at-large berths were awarded based on the regions with the first 16 finishers in the previous year's championships. They were awarded the additional berths. No region can receive more than five berths. Additionally, 47 men were selected to participate in the championships. Additional at-large berths were awarded to those regions with the first 16 finishers in the previous year's championships. 47 individuals were selected to participate in the championships. Crediting his hard work and intense training over the summer, which included racking up weekly a mileage of up to 90 miles, Crespin felt well prepared for the season. After his first two races of the season, in which he ran against some of the best runners in the region, many of which had qualified for nationals in the past, he felt confident in his ability to qualify, which would mean following in the footsteps of Matt Griego '05, who, in 2001, became the last Brandeis men's cross country runner to qualify for nationals.Crespin, who earned the honors of All-UAA and UAA cross country Athlete of the Week this season, placed 102nd, an impressive finish for his first trip to nationals. He was pleased with his performance. "I would have liked to have placed a little higher, but my goal for the season was to make it to the national championship, so I was very pleased to have done that," he said.
(11/18/03 5:00am)
Want Ad: Small liberal arts college seeking bustling and exciting college town. Quality shopping and restaurants open past 10 p.m. during the week are a plus. Will do community service to improve city. For years, Brandeis students have pondered whether to consider Waltham a college town at all. Nightclubs and restaurants have come and gone, and the city has transformed its overall image. The Brandeis name has at times been synonymous with this town and at other times absent from its identity. What has not changed, however, is Waltham's inner struggle with what it wants to be and Brandeis' struggle with what it expects from the city. Perhaps it is important to first define a college town, and what students might expect from theirs. Bona fide college townsThe University of Michigan, located in Ann Arbor, the mother of all college towns , is much farther from the closest major city, Detroit, than Waltham is from Boston. "Ann Arbor has most of what is expected," Michigan student Jenny Nathan '05, said "We have access to movie theatres, jazz clubs, malls, bars and cultural opportunities. Restaurants are open late here and there are a number of house parties each night. All we really lack are big name concerts and affordable housing."Bloomington, Ind., home to Indiana University, shares similar characteristics with Ann Arbor. But students in "B-Town" also said they expect plenty of late-night delivery services and hyped-up sporting events."Bloomington is like a bubble. It has everything we need from necessities to entertainment. It is easy to let go and enjoy living here," Indiana student Jennifer Gubitz '05 said.Often serving as lifelines for the towns where these goliath universities are found, schools with close to 40 thousand undergraduate students dwarf Brandeis in size and naturally have an entirely different "town-gown" relationship. Brandeis reflects on WalthamWhile many students at these schools have clear expectations of their town, Brandeis students are not as homogeneous in their views. Waltham's proximity to Boston, and the fact that it contains two small universities - Brandeis and Bentley - leaves students with diverse opinions of what they want from Waltham.One Brandeis student, Allison Smizer '07, who has lived in Waltham all her life, thinks that Brandeis students are vital to the Waltham community. "I remember seeing many ways in which Brandeis students gave countless hours back to the community in the hope of improving it," Smizer said.According to Smizer, some of her peers in high school looked at Brandeis as just the local college, but others "saw it as a reason to work hard in school." She added that "Brandeis awards a few of the best students in Waltham with full, four-year scholarships each year."Some students, like Ben Walker '04, don't consider Waltham ready and able to fulfill many off-campus needs. "Waltham doesn't really offer much in my opinion," said Walker, who grew up in Bloomington. "The restaurants close early, which sends a message that Waltham businesses don't even see students as a primary market."Wesleyan University may provide a more apt comparison than the large state universities. Nestled in Middletown, Conn. - a town much like Waltham - Wesleyan has an undergraduate population of approximately 3,000 students. Indeed, Wesleyan student Allison Burson '07 gave a description that rings familiar to Walker's view of Waltham. "We really only use Middletown for basic needs like groceries, banks, and drug stores." Burson said. "Students don't leave campus very often because Middletown is not a very happening town."Kelly Koby '04, who lives off-campus on South Street, said that Waltham meets her everyday needs. "There is plenty to do around here. We don't really need Boston for that much," she said. Koby also said that she sees a positive relationship between Brandeis and the community. "This is Brandeis," Koby said, "We aren't like other schools that cause problems in their town because students here don't all walk around drunk in the streets every night."According to administrators, Brandeis is looking to better educate new students about ways to utilize Waltham. Assistant Director of Student Life Alwina Bennett said in an e-mail, "We are thinking of enhancing our Waltham-orientation for new students and their families."Specifically, Bennett continued, "We want to educate people about the resources (Charles River Museum, the Embassy Theater, the Waltham Artists Collaborative, variety of ethnic restaurants and stores); we hope to help them understand how escort and the van services can help them access Main and Moody Streets, and can help them make other transportation connections."Some Brandeis alumni feel that much has changed in the city-university relationship since their time here. in the past several years. Michael Sisselman '82 said, "Waltham used to be a working-class town with few shops and restaurants. The only reasons we would visit were to go to the bank or buy groceries."Sisselman's wife, Dr. Karen Dahlman '84, said, "We used to have to go all the way to Watertown to get pizza."From the outside inOn the flip side, many Brandeis students wonder what Waltham residents think of them and the school. The reality is that residents of this town have equally wide-ranging views as the university students, though among this reporter's limited encounters, three main categories prevail. The first group can be called "Separationists." While these residents seem not to have a problem with Brandeis' presence in the community, they do want to keep the city's nightlife the way it is. "I don't want businesses open much later than they are. Students will just have to find someplace else to party," Joe Lydon, a Waltham resident for 15 years, said.A second group, which can be named "Indifferentists," make up the bulk of Waltham residents surveyed. These individuals have little or no interest in the relationship between Waltham and its universities. Waltham resident Reggi Richard, a stay-at home-mother who has lived in Waltham for 10 years, said she doesn't even consider Waltham to be a college town."Sure, it has neighborhoods like Cedarwood that are full of students, but the majority of this city of 40,000 has nothing to do with the colleges."Another resident of 10 years, Tomas Rosado, said that with the exception of visits to Victory Supermarket, he rarely encounters college students. "The universities here are good for the city, but I rarely ever see their students," he said. Some residents of Waltham care greatly about the school-town relationship, however, and have visions of Waltham working harder to become a more useful college town. These can be called "Bridge-Builders."Shirley Byan, who was in her twenties when she moved to Waltham in 1961, said that right now, Waltham is not a college town. She wonders where all the students are, and remembers past years when Waltham had more clubs and live music that drew a significant nightlife to its city center. Shirley also remembers a time when students were more involved in their community, especially those from Brandeis who took to the streets in protest in the 60s.Shirley's daughter, Linda Byan, who moved to Waltham as a young girl, attended Bentley College. The younger Byan sees the potential for a positive relationship between the city and its schools and thinks that plenty of students already visit the city.As Bridge-Builders, both women have a vision for Waltham to become more of a classic college town. "This town really needs more of a nightlife. We need it not just for students, but for everyone. People here just need to get out more," the daughter said."It is important that university students spread their talent to the students of Waltham schools. Many young children could use better tutoring and after school activities," her mother added.The most crucial Bridge-Builder of them all is Waltham Mayor-Elect Jeanette McCarthy. After living in this city all of her life, she said she believes Waltham fosters positive relationship with its schools. "There is a very good interaction between both colleges and Waltham. Both schools have tried to be good neighbors," McCarthy said in a phone interview. "While there have been some problems in the past, such as students trashing their neighborhoods, these issues have been addressed."McCarthy is not satisfied with the current condition, however, and said she hopes for an even greater level of interaction between students and residents. "I want to see more collaboration between our two universities to improve this town," McCarthy said, "In my term as mayor, I will work to increase the cultural interaction between the schools and Waltham."Waltham businesses that frequently deal with student - mainly restaurants - are working to better attract and accommodate students. Matt Corbett, assistant general manager of Margaritas Mexican Restaurant on Moody Street, said, "We recently instituted a 'college night' on Wednesday evenings in which students with an ID receive a discount. It hasn't really taken off yet, but we are working hard to market the idea to the students in the area."In response to the complaints by students that restaurants close too early, Corbett said, "We don't feel the need to stay open any later on the weekdays than ten o'clock. Business usually dies down by 9:30 anyway."Generally, both students and residents alike said they understand the reality of living in Waltham. It will never rival college towns like Bloomington or Ann Arbor. It will probably never have the quality shops that one can find in Harvard Square in Cambridge, admitted both groups, and chances are restaurants won't ever be open much later than 10 or 11 p.m. during the week.Brandeis students use Waltham mainly for buying groceries, banking services, small shopping trips and occasional outings at local restaurants. For a big city entertainment experience, Boston will always win out. Thus, Waltham seems to be exactly what it wants to be and what most students expect it to be: a small town with all the necessary stores for daily living. It is not a college town, but merely another suburb of Boston, and most people said they intend to keep it that way.
(11/18/03 5:00am)
Amid calls for accountability for his role in the theft of 4,000 copies of the Justice, Class of 2004 Senator Mark Brescia resigned at the Union Senate meeting Sunday.Nearly all printed copies of the Justice were lifted from the loading dock outside Usdan between 2 and 4 p.m. last Tuesday before any were distributed on campus.Police recovered most of the missing copies on Wednesday after Brescia was confronted by Assistant Dean of Student Life Alwina Bennett. Justice Editor-in-Chief Meredith Glansberg '05 said that approximately 1,600 copies are still missing.Brescia said in an interview he "didn't really have any intentions at all" and that he "was trying to be funny.""I didn't think of it as a crime or stealing someone's property," Brescia said. He denied any connection between the theft and the events surrounded the Oct. 21 issue of the Justice which led to the resignation of three editors.In his resignation speech, Brescia criticized the Senate for excessively emphasizing procedure and politics."It makes me sad I'm leaving the Senate," Brescia said as he resigned. "This is a game. When it stops being fun, it's not worth doing anymore."According to Glansberg, it costs approximately $2000 to print an issue of the Justice. "I want to acknowledge Mark's resignation as the first step toward taking accountability for his actions," Glansberg said in student communications at the Senate meeting. "The Justice was deeply hurt, deeply saddened and deeply angered by the things that happened over the past week."Glansberg said she filed a University Board referral on Student Conduct Monday, but the Justice would not be pressing criminal charges.Missing PapersGlansberg said that after dumpsters were checked for the missing papers, it was determined that the papers had been taken. Justice Associate Editor Igor Pedan '05 said he filed a police report at approximately 8 p.m., prompting the start of an investigation.Around 11 a.m. Wednesday, Glansberg said she received a call from former-Senior Editor Matthew Bettinger '05, in which he told her he found about 300 copies of the paper in East Quad. Brescia said he "was trying to move (the papers) back. There was a lot of rumors that the police were 'hunting' for the so-called thief, I didn't want to be walking along trying to put them back and redistribute them and be hassled or accosted by Brandeis police."Later that day, however, the location of the papers was discovered."We received an anonymous call that there were some thousands of newspapers at a location on campus," Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan said.According to Glansberg and Pedan, this call came between noon and 1 p.m. Wednesday, and cited Brescia's residence, Foster Mods, as the location of the papers."Multiple parties called to tell me not to reprint (the issue) after public safety received the tip," Glansberg said. "If we had heard 10 minutes later, we would have reprinted at a huge environmental and monetary cost"Assistant Dean of Student Life Alwina Bennett said she was informed of this and left her office to request entrance to the Mod, which she was voluntarily granted. She says she ran into Brescia on her way there."I didn't think I had really done anything illegal," Brescia said in an interview. "When Alwina (Bennett) had asked me if it was true that there were several copies of the Justice in my mod, I said, 'Ya, absolutely.'"According to Pedan, Public Safety recovered approximately 3,000 copies of the Justice from the Mod. Those copies were distributed later in the day, Pedan said.Brescia said his decision to take the Justices "wasn't a long thought- out process." "I was checking my mail and they were all sitting on the loading dock and thought this would be kind of funny if the Justice disappeared for a little while," Brescia said. "It was just a joke, a prank that I didn't give much thought to it at all actually."When asked about rumors that placed others with him while taking the papers, Brescia said, "That I don't know about. No one's come forward to me and said, 'Hey, I saw you taking the papers,' so that I can't answer for you because I don't know."Community ResponseStudent and administration officials across the campus reacted strongly to the theft."I think it's a terrible thing," University President Jehuda Reinharz said Thursday. "I hope Ed (Callahan) is taking measures to the attention of the judiciary. Anyone who has a beef with the Justice should write a letter to the editor, protest outside the (Justice) office or start their own publication. Stealing is absolutely abhorrent."Glansberg said Public Safety Detective-Sergeant Dana Kelley informed her that Brescia could be charged with felony larceny over $250, which in Massachusetts carries a penalty of up to five years imprisonment or a fine up to $25,000 and up to two years imprisonment. "It should not be forgotten that this is a crime and that our property was stolen," Glansberg said. "While the papers are free for the Brandeis community, they were taken before they were distributed and therefore were still the property of the Justice."On campus, he could be found in violation of "Rights and Responsibilities" by the University Board on Student Conduct, which could result in a penalty up to expulsion.Some say the theft has led to further campus tension."A person who would commit this kind of act betrays a trust in the community, particularly given the events on campus over the last couple of weeks," Bennett said. "However this was intended, it resulted in an increase of hurt and mistrust."Brescia advocated for the Senate resolution of Oct. 26 to "take a stand on the (Editor-in-Chief)," according to Senate meeting minutes, and he participated in the Black Student Organization's protest outside the Justice office on Oct 27."Our resolution (concerning the Justice) did nothing, and that upset me," Brescia said in his resignation speech. "I feel disempowered."Glansberg emphasized the effect the theft had on the Justice."After Matt (Bettinger) called me to tell me that he found 300 copies in East, I went dorm to dorm looking for more copies," she said. "The Justice works very hard to ensure that the paper prints on Tuesday. People stay up all night long so that the paper prints on Tuesday."There are subscribers that received their issues late this week, and there are advertisers that could potentially be upset that the issue didn't come out on Tuesday."Calls for ResignationCalls for Brescia's resignation came as early as Wednesday, when Union Vice President/Senate President Kenneth Gantz '04 said he had spoken with Brescia."In a brief conversation, I asked if he was willing to consider resigning from the Senate," Gantz said. According to Gantz, Brescia replied with "something to the extent of 'absolutely will never happen.'"Union President Joshua Brandfon '05 also called for Brescia's resignation."I wanted to make sure Mark (Brescia), as a colleague of mine, understood the severity of what he allegedly did," Brandfon said. "I laid everything out on the table... and basically asked him to consider resigning from his position in the Senate."Explaining why he didn't resign initially, Brescia said, "being asked to resign and resigning are two different things.""If someone asks you to resign its not really asking. I resigned for my reasons not because someone tells me or asks me to do things," Brescia said. "Ken (Gantz) asking me to do something will almost guarantee I will disregard him completely. "I do things for my reasons, not because other people think that it is the thing I should do or think that it is better in their best interests. I do my own actions and people don't tell me what to do."Thursday night, Brescia, Glansberg, Gantz, Brandfon, and Executive Senator Erica Lemansky '05 met at Brandfon's request."I explained to Mark on Thursday night that if he resigned that weekend, the Justice would not take off-campus action," Glansberg said referring to pressing charges.Brescia Speaks At the start of student communications at Sunday's Senate meeting, Brescia asked to be recognized."I resign to speak in student communications," he said. "Everybody knows why I'm resigning, or at least you have a good idea... I pulled a prank. It was a joke."Holding back tears, he spoke of his respect for the Justice saying that his "opinions (about the paper) are irrelevant" and that he "respects (the Justice staff) a lot."But the majority of his speech criticized the Union government, particularly the Senate. He criticized a lack of cohesiveness within the Senate, contrasting it with the cohesiveness of the Justice Editorial Board."(The editorial board) back up their people until the end... right or wrong... and I see them as a good group of friends," Brescia said in his speech.He characterized the Senate as a "game.""I don't take student government ultra-seriously," Brescia said in an interview. "I just find it's a good venue to voice my opinion."Brescia concluded his speech pointing to specific Union officials and quoting the movie "Half-Baked.""Fuck you; fuck you; you're cool; fuck you; I'm out," he said. He left the building immediately after finishing his statement.Reactions to Brescia's speech have been mixed."He was sharing his feelings," Brandfon said. "I thought that the speech for the most part, in talking to underclassmen senators, was fine and appropriate. Obviously what he concluded with, with Senior Vice President Jean Eddy and Assistant Dean (of Student Life) Alwina Bennett in the room was extremely unprofessional."Gantz echoed that view, saying that with the exception of the conclusion, which he "regret(s) that (Brescia) said," the speech was "well articulated and appropriate.""I feel fine about it," Brescia said of his resignation speech. "I've never regretted anything I've done. I don't live in the past. I don't live in regret. Things happen. I accept responsibility. I take the consequences."I'm not going to look back and say, 'Hey, maybe I shouldn't have done that,' because maybe I shouldn't have done the whole thing at all. But that's stepping back.... You can't do that. That's not the way the world works."Though WBRS usually airs the weekly Senate meeting from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m., this week it did not begin its live broadcast until Brescia had finished speaking.Brescia is a former WBRS General Manager."I know a lot of the things that have to go with the legal requirements of a broadcasting station, and anyone who knows me, knows my demeanor, knows I'm very emotional and that sometimes I use profanity. I had alerted (WBRS) to this beforehand."WBRS General Manager Lousie Au Yeung confirmed this Sunday night, saying "we're really grateful he gave us that warning." "We didn't want to get in any trouble with the FCC," Au Yeung added.FCC regulations prohibit radio stations from broadcasting profanity before midnight or after 6 a.m., according to Au Yeung.She added that due to technical difficulties, his speech was also not recorded."We're very disappointed that we were having trouble with our equipment last night," she said Monday.Brescia said he wasn't disappointed the student body couldn't hear his speech."If they heard it that would be good," he said. "If not, you can't do anything about that now. It was a Senate resignation. It was to Senate."Asked if he now regrets taking the Justices, Brescia said, "it's not a statement I'd be willing to make.""It happened; it's the past," he said. "I'm not going to dwell on it. It was a wrong thing to do... but that's that. It happened, it's there, it's done. I can't reverse it, I can't change it. I don't have that ability."Looking AheadGlansberg said she filed a University Board on Student Conduct referral which recommended "university sanctions.""We filed a University Board of Student Conduct (UBSC) referral because it's vital to be accountable for your actions," Glansberg said. "In fact, the Senate resolution from three weeks ago explicitly stated the need for members of the Brandeis community to take responsibility for their actions"Other parties could also file UBSC referrals against Brescia."The University also has reserved the right to take action," Bennett said.Glansberg said the Justice will not file criminal charges because Brescia "took what we thought was the appropriate action on campus.""It was disturbing that an elected Senator and former general manager of WBRS took it upon himself to take our property," she said. "He was elected to represent the class of 2004, and he should have taken his role on campus more seriously.
(11/18/03 5:00am)
As Brandeis opened a 1-0 lead early in the second half, the Judges seemed to have the momentum. But a disastrous stretch saw the Judges give up three goals in four minutes as they closed out their season with a 3-1 loss at Coast Guard Academy in the ECAC quarterfinals. Freshman forward Shane Laughran scored the opening goal of the game, and minutes later the collapse started. Brandeis gave up two goals to Bears captain Judson Wheeler, while senior Matt Smith had two assists during Coast Guard's rally."We just collapsed," coach Mike Coven said. "Once we scored they started playing a couple notches higher. They dominated the second half."Sophomore forward Shelton Stewart tallied one assist, while senior goalkeeper Ben Doyen-Charon had two saves in the losing effort. Stewart finished the season as the Judges leading scorer with thirteen goals and nine assists. The Judges finished the season with a 9-9-3.The Judges played a physical Bears team without freshman Scott Zackaroff and senior Kevin Alvezi, two of the team's bigger defenders. A game time decision sidelined Zackaroff with a pulled groin while Alvezi sat out his second game with an ankle injury."They were just what we expected," Coven said. "They were big, they were very fast and they were very very physical. [Alvezi and Zacharoff] are two of are bigger kids. They're two of our more physical players. If they had played, it might have been a different story.Wednesday's game marked the closing of four Brandeis soccer careers. Seniors Alvezi, Doyen-Charon, Chris Shannon and Dom Marginetti will all graduate in the spring. Marginetti was the team's second leading scorer this season with 6 goals and 8 assists. This season he moved into 16th place on the Brandeis all time scoring list, and finished his career with 53 points. Doyen-Charon stopped 79 shots on the season, with a .745 save percentage. Shannon had five goals and one assist, while Alvezi was the team's leader in the backfield."They probably all had their best years," Coven said. "I had a great group of seniors, they made the season enjoyable for me. I think they all had great careers, and they should all be proud.""I had a great time," Doyen-Charon said of his career. "I made a lot of good relationships that I think will definitely carry past Brandeis."The Judges season was highlighted by a 3-2 double overtime win against Case Western Reserve, impressive wins over Endicott and UMass Dartmouth a 2-0 shutout against previously undefeated MIT. Shelton Stewart provided many of the season's high points, registering two hat tricks. Stewart, Shannon, and freshman Yoni Litwok were all named UAA Athlete of the Week at one point.Coven feels the team needs to get bigger, and is hoping to bring in recruits to provide the size the Judges need to get to a higher level play. Coven has also continuously preached winning games in the middle third of the field by winning all the lose balls and head balls that fall in the midfield."I'm looking for technical players with good skills. I want to bring in guys who are more physical, guys like [Zackaroff and Alvezi]. We need midfield players who can distribute the ball, and win the middle third of the field."Coven will first improve the Judges already talented roster, and then go to work on bringing his team to the next level of competition.
(10/14/03 4:00am)
JustArts sat down with Jason Mraz in Gosman's varsity weight room last Thursday night before he performed at Brandeis with the Roots. An eccentric and charming young man, Mraz discussed a variety of different topics, ranging from how he keeps his scrawny figure, why he was excited about Brandeis, to his fetish for women's pole vaulting and where he finds his inspiration.justArts: So where do you get the inspiration for your lyrics?Mraz: Well, after hours and hours in the weight room, and really getting the blood flowing, trying to get the left brain to balance with the right through drinking lots of water, I then think back to the many relationships that I've had and hope to have. Basically every song is a relationship in some sense. Whether it's a lover, friend, family member or business associate. That to me is where stories evolve.justArts: Who do you count as your musical influences?Mraz: Anybody, I think who has made music has inspired me. Whether it's a guy in a dorm room playing guitar or it might by Liz Phair, and the way that she retains youth, and still manages be a mom and rock at her professional career. Or whether it's the Roots for Christ's sake, and the way they do their own thing. Every time I turn on the radio, whether it's good music or it's the most ridiculous pop that I need to change immediately, I'm easily influenced, you know?justArts: What is your favorite part of performing live?Mraz: Sweating and laughing. Those were two things I was told to do if I want to live a long, healthy and happy life. I need to sweat everyday, and I need to laugh everyday. Performing live is a hell of a lot easier than lifting weights. So, you get a good sweat going, you talk to the folks, you do something stupid, you get a good laugh, you know, you feel good.justArts: What is the message that you hope to convey to your listeners through your music?Mraz: Well, I hope they too chose to sweat and laugh. I have yet to really narrow down what my sole purpose is and what this message is that I am meant to relay in music, but if anything I hope people interpret the songs for themselves. If they get a message out of it, I hope it's just that they become aware of their own creative energy. Because I think that is how I got turned on to performing, by seeing other performers and saying "Wow, I want to make the most of my creative choices." And creative choices are anything from getting dressed to combing your hair to the kind of tea you prefer, the color car that you purchase. Every choice you make is a creative choice. I think it's important that we are aware of that. So that way we make our choices a little more interesting, a little more vibrant, a little more colorful. Whether you want to get into art or business, or caring for your grandmother -- you can be very creative in that. That if anything is what I want to convey. Be creative; don't bash other people for the choices they make. Be happy; create.justArts: What do you think sets you apart from other male singer/songwriters in your musical genre?Mraz: I lift more weights than they do. What sets me apart is that I don't gain any muscle. I still remain very fragile, very wiry. But I do that with my own mind. I challenge my body to remain very insensitive, so that way I can achieve maximum spooning if I am ever with another. I don't think too many other songwriters have that mental capacity to lift as much weights as I do, and yet stay so weak and scrawny.Editor's Note: The following transcript is from the WBRS portion of the interview session with Jason Mraz, conducted by Matt Closter.WBRS: How did you get started playing the guitar?Mraz: I got started playing guitar because I had a roommate that played guitar and I thought that was rad. I envied the fact that he could just sit around and sing songs and make up his own songs. And I would make up songs to his playing and whatnot. At that time I was studying musical theater in college. I had to have an accompanist to sing my songs, plus I was singing songs that had been around for centuries, it felt like, and the only thing you had to do was audition against other people to sing those songs. I thought what a nightmare. I just want to sit in my apartment and sing. So this guy started showing me chords and as soon as I learned two chords I was off and running. And that was it.WBRS: Where did you go to school?Mraz: I went to school a couple different places. I went to a school called AMDA, the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. We called it "SCAMDA," because it really didn't do any good for any of us. Except it did get us to New York, where we experimented with a lot of drugs and sex, which we don't need to tell the young children. I tried school later again, thinking I was ready and more of an adult, at a small University in Virginia called Longwood. People often called it "Bongwood," or "Longwoody." It was one of those types of schools. WBRS: What is the craziest way that your last name has been pronounced?Mraz: Mayer. People say " M. Raz" as if there is a space there. People say "Mo-rantz," they add an "m" and a "t." Another one people say is "Mo-raz," sometimes adding vowels before the R. I'm used to it, I grew up with the name so when you are at a bank or say you get arrested and they are like "State your name, spell your name," you're like "Mraz, M..R.." and you look down at their paper and they've already written like "M..A." It's really bizarre.WBRS: What is your dream playing venue?Mraz: Other than Brandeis? WBRS: Oh you're too kind.Mraz: The only thing is that I get to watch pole vaulting all day. Women's pole vaulting, while I'm waiting for the show. You know, we don't get that everywhere, and that has kind of been a dream of mine.WBRS: Well then you'll have to come back.Mraz: And you know how much I love to lift weights. The facilities that you have here, conveniently located next to the stage, really makes my life easier.WBRS: I'm sure that will make everyone happy to hear at Brandeis. Thanks a lot Jason.Mraz: Thank you.
(10/14/03 4:00am)
Three bands performed at Harper's Ferry in Allston on Thursday night. The opening acts were Tripside and Sloth, followed by one of my favorite bands, Tantric. At a venue best known for its live rhythm and blues shows, this performance of three alternative groups really rocked the house.The first band onstage was Tripside. Hailing from Long Island, N.Y., the band formed in 2001. It consists of members Ryan Siegel (Vocals/Guitar), Frankie Martinelli (Guitar), Mike Sadis (Bass), and George De Haven (Drums). They are relatively new to the music scene and have no current hits on the radio or elsewhere. I was very impressed by this group. Siegel, besides being physically attractive, had an excellent voice compared to many other alternative singers and was a pleasure to listen to. The songs, which were mostly written by Siegel, were interesting and lyrical. I especially enjoyed the songs "Take You Home" and "Easier" due to their emotional significance to me. The band has produced two albums, the second containing most of the songs that were played at the concert. I hope that they will become popular soon because they have great potential.Following them was Sloth, which I did not like at all. This wasn't because they weren't my preferred style of music, but because they lacked talent. The band, which formed in 1995, consists of Richard Love (Vocals), Kristo Panos (Guitar), Andrew Kowatch (Bass) and Adam Figura (Drums). Their music was very hard and included lots of yelling, screaming, and guitar riffing. The lyrics were nothing special or memorable. To me, it was just noise pollution as I waited in anticipation for Tantric to take the stage.Tantric's set did not begin until past 11 pm, but it was worth the wait. I had never seen them in concert before, and Harper's Ferry was a great venue to see them in since it was small but not tiny, so it had a "listening to your friend's garage band" feel to it. Tantric, formed in 1998 in Louisville, Ky., has produced one album thus far. The band features Hugo Ferreira (Vocals), Todd Whitener (Guitar), Jesse Vest (Bass) and Matt Taul (Drums). They are unique because their genre is "bluesy-alternative," and they play everything from acoustic to punk songs. The band opened with one of my favorites, "Astounded," and I was surprised how many of the fans knew all of the words, since they are not a hugely popular band. They only played three other songs from their album, among them their hit "Breakdown," and all of the rest were from their yet to be released album. This was both good and bad. It was good because I got to hear their new material-most of which sounded outstanding-but bad because there were not many songs I was able to sing along with. Ferreira had a great stage presence and did a nice job of getting the audience to sing along and be involved with the show.Overall, besides the concert starting later and lasting longer than I expected, it was a really enjoyable evening. I discovered a new band, was able to see a band I loved, and, well, there are not many positive comments I can make about Sloth, but other people seemed to like them. I can't wait for the new Tantric album, due out in February, and I hope Tripside will gain more recognition as legitimate artists. Judging by the enthusiastic reception the band received during the show, it is safe to say that they gained many new fans. As a venue, I would definitely recommend Harper's Ferry because it is a good location with enough space to adequately enjoy a band, and plenty of televisions to watch the Red Sox on while you wait.
(08/26/03 4:00am)
Hey Brandeis sports fans, I am here to lead you to the promised land during another year of sports news. As the "Straight Shooter," I would be remiss if I did not tell you what to expect in this year's collection of columns. As someone who likes to focus on major sports, the vast majority of my pieces will be devoted to Major League Baseball. I will also write a great many things that you may find offensive, and if you want me to apologize, I shall answer with this John C. Holmes quote: "Stick it all the way up your ass, yeah, that's it!" In his "Sabbath's Theater," Philip Roth wrote, "Any drunk can be a drunk, but it takes a certain special woman to cut the dick off of her husband." Those of you who have followed the Detroit Tigers thus far this season can grasp the essence of that quote. The front office in Detroit has gone a long way toward castrating its own team, and the results illustrate their failure. The first and most important piece of the puzzle is that monument to misappropriation known as Comerica Park. For years, the Tiger management rallied for public funding of a new stadium in downtown Detriot, hoping a multi-million dollar facility would rejuvenate the entire area. Never mind the fact that several economic studies have shown that new stadiums create no net economic benefit, often causing major losses.Flash forward to 2003. In its inaugural season, Comerica drew 2.4 million fans, which represented a 20 percent increase over the previous season and a 100 percent jump from the putrid Tiger attendance figures of the mid 90s. By 2002, though, attendance was back down to its previously low level, which means that the boost in attendance was an artificial spike. This season, Tiger attendance ranks 27th in the league. So the next time Bud Selig tells you that you need a new park to boost attendance, you can just go right ahead and spit in his face (or laugh, whichever works for you).In this summer of 2003 that has featured cinema bombs "Gigli," "From Justin to Kelly" and Ruben Studdard, the biggest dud is in Detroit, and it isn't Michael Moore (who could also stand to lose some weight and gain some common decency). The Detroit Tigers, with their "lofty" 50 million dollar payroll are giving the 1916 Philadelphia A's a run for their money.The players on Detroit can be grouped into three categories. There are veterans who qualify as an unbridled waste of payroll, youngsters who will likely improve in the future and youngsters who should consider a new line of employment. The Tigers, with one of the lowest payrolls in baseball, found a way to squeeze in as many players who fit the first description as possible. Foremost on the list is one Damion Easley, who was given a five-year deal with an option for a sixth back in 2000. That contract was worth an estimated $31 million. Of course Easley was 30 when he signed the deal, meaning his best years were likely over. Furthermore, Easley was producing numbers that were barely above average. To give that sum of cash to a replaceable, over-the-hill infielder is the equivalent of using Benjamins to clean oneself in the loo. Next up in the cavalcade of crap is Bobby Higginson, a player who spent his first few years with the team as a respectable, yet injury-prone outfielder. But he never hit more than 30 home runs, walked more than 80 times, slugged .550 or reached base 38 percent of the time. So when Higginson became eligible for free agency, what did the Tigers do? They gave him a four-year, $40 million contract, making him one of the highest paid corner outfielders in baseball. Higginson proceeded to produce for one more season, before initiating a mixture of injuries and awful offense that made fans wish his contract were spent making a legitimate drama starring Kevin Costner, Steven Segal and Elizabeth "Showgirls" Berkley. Tiger Dean Palmer used to be one of the best third basemen in the American League. Of course, "Friends" used to be funny and clever and Aerosmith used to rock. The problem is when you start to award contracts based on "used to's." The result is evident: Palmer, making $8.5 million, has the worst production of anyone in baseball with more than 80 trips to the plate this season.Worse than giving money to has-beens is awarding money to the classic never-was, examples of which include Mike Mordecai, Desi Relaford and Chloe Sevigny. Examples of this creature inhabiting the Tiger bench include Shane Halter, a backup third baseman whose battle to hit his weight can be titled "The Eternal Struggle" and Matt Anderson, a reliever who can throw 99 miles an hour when his arm isn't missing a ligament or two.Sorry I didn't get to the actual performance of the Tigers (32-98), readers. It is important that you see how much money is being squandered here. The reason the Tigers can't compete has nothing to do with the notoriously unbalanced MLB economic system. The Tigers actually won the World Series in 1984, and they've produced a number of Hall-of-Fame caliber performers. So don't bitch about competitive balance, my friends, bitch about Bud Selig. And bitch about Comerica Park, but most importantly, bitch about Shane friggin' Halter! - Dan Passner '06 submits a column to the Justice.
(05/20/03 4:00am)
Graduating seniors in the Fine Arts department exhibited their work Thursday, April 30 in the lobby of Spingold theater, with the majority of the pieces on display in the downstairs gallery. Works by three seniors were also displayed in the lobby of Slosberg.The pieces in Spingold were impressive works of art, but the exhibition itself was lacking in organization. The only attempt at continuity was employed in keeping works by one particular artist together, but even then it was difficult to tell which pieces were by which artists. Many of the artists featured showed impressive talent, but the exhibit itself seemed to be geared exclusively for the students and for the faculty, not for disinterested art appreciators outside of the Fine Arts community.One of the most notable works of the evening was the graffitied sculpture of a woman made out of paper mache and U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail stickers by Matt Lu '03. Lu incorporated a keen sense of color and space into this piece. His other two installation - sculptures, which included a human-fetus form floating in air and a human body with tangled wires and disassembled limbs, were provocative, but aesthetically unappealing. A large oil painting by Rachel Weber '03 with several nude human forms, akin to the Tahitian objects of Gauguin's affection, was not especially notable for the artist's technical talent, but of her keen sense of form placement and positioning. Like an intuitive theater director, Weber placed the figures to successfully depict many interpersonal relationships in families and communities.Jane Ro's '03 painting of a nude young girl conveyed the same sense of sexual naivete, curiosity and fear that is evident in Munch's "Adolescent." The painting frames around the form isolate her even more in a very symbolic way which many could relate.A blue nocturnal piece by Natasha Bowdoin '03 of a nude form in a chair appeared to be heavily influenced by El Greco, because of the model's elongated form, and Picasso, with the model in a pose quite similar to Picasso's slumped guitarist. The work lacked a strong sense of originality, but it did depict Bowdoin's impressive eye for color.Several works by Tam Le '03 were tied together by themes of isolation and hope. His oil painting of a notably small figure kneeling as the sun rises in the looming background portrays both the "boy who is lost in the emotions that encompass him," as the artist describes himself in the show's program, and the man who has lost his childish naivete and must face his own sense of mortality and insignificance in the universe. His painting of a naked prisoner sitting, half-illuminated by a ray of sunlight, depicts a very similar theme. Le's works were perhaps the most poetic and emotionally vulnerable pieces of the entire exhibit.Another expressive painter whose works were on exhibit that day was Abraham Storer '03. His self-portrait looking into a bathroom mirror against a long row of sinks conveyed a similar sense of self-reflection and isolation. The juxtaposition of the almost adolescent figure with a second self-portrait of himself with facial hair indicates the artist's coming-of-age and his commencement and entrance into the "real world." His fallen boxer paintings might convey a fear of failure outside the walls of Brandeis.The Senior Studio Show must have seemed like the closing of a chapter for the student artists whose works were exhibited. The lost and contemplative expression of Storer's figure as he stares at himself in the mirror perhaps captures the essence of the entire exhibit, in which students presented their best works, reflecting on their pasts and looking ahead into the future.
(02/25/03 5:00am)
You may know them as one of Brandeis' hottest up-and-coming bands, or for one of a hundred other reasons: their bold personas, their smooth, improvisational lyrics or their jazzy-rock infused music. If you don't know them, then learn their names now. Pianist/singer Phil Seleznick '05, guitarist Tom Pernikoff '05, bassist Mike Park '05 and drummer Mark Record are known to many across campus as Red Shift. This group of individuals has drawn a large fan base from first-years to seniors, all vying for a glimpse of the men behind the buzz around Brandeis' music circuit. Yet there is more to this group than first meets the ear. The members of Red Shift met last year, after each honed his own musical talents independently before they realized their chemistry as a group. "I met Phil through a jazz group here. Well ... actually I didn't introduce myself until Tom brought us together," Park said. "Tom called me out of the blue and sounded very official, saying that they were looking for a bassist, so I met up with them and auditioned. I'd like to say that it was instant chemistry, but it wasn't. I stuck it out a little for a while and we started connecting both musically and as friends."Pernikoff, whose musical background stems from a deep interest in blues, rock and jazz, had spent most of last year playing shows at Cholmondeley's with fellow guitarist Matt Goldfine '05. They built up an impressive reputation, but the duo was short lived, and Pernikoff moved on to forming his own band, Pocket, which consisted of Pernikoff, Seleznick, Park and drummer Ari Teman '05. However, his relationship with Teman was also short-lived: He left because of various personal conflicts between him and the rest of the group, taking the name "Pocket" with him and leaving the band without a drummer or an identity. But, Seleznick's watchful eye picked up on Record, who had played with Seleznick in a previous band called Clan Du, and it seemed fitting that he join the pianist yet again. After numerous brainstorming sessions and sit-downs, the name Red Shift was born.From an avid listener's point of view, it is difficult to classify Red Shift's musical style -- after all, they draw comparisons to everything from jazz to rock. Yet listening to Pernikoff belt out wailing guitar rifts or Seleznick's wild piano playing allows their listeners to form one conclusion about them: These guys are serious about their music. "I think it is obvious that everyone in the band comes from a different place," Perkinoff said. "People have put us in many genres, such as jam, jazz/funk and rock. I think we are all of these, but I would like people to see us as a unique entity." Pernikoff said he hopes that through utilizing different types of music they will be able to define their own style. As they continue to seek that style, they also hope to create a new name for themselves ... literally. Over on the other side of Boston at Tufts University, rival band Red Shift 6 has been playing gigs for the last four years, and with their seniority over Brandeis' own Red Shift, fans of both bands have been confusing the two groups for each other. This has sent Phil, Pernikoff and the rest of the guys on a search for a new name for their band. "It's been an arduous process trying to find a new name and it sucks, but we've already been confused with Red Shift 6, so we felt if we wanted to proceed on our own merits we would need to change it," said bassist Park. Though both groups boast different styles of music, Red Shift wants their name to stand out from other bands, hoping to alleviate confusion and give their group more of an edge. Yet, it will be the next two years, not their efforts to pick a new name, that will test the true talents of the band. "If we can make serious headway in the next two years, which means recording an album and playing many of the venues in Boston (basically if we become more popular), then I think we have a serious chance," Pernikoff said. Park echoed this sentiment as well: "I see Red Shift or whatever we call ourselves going real far. I know we will be gigging everywhere and I feel that we have a newer sound right now so I feel like we can conquer Boston ... We're taking determination to the next level and hopefully our music shows this."Undoubtedly, the band we all know today as Red Shift has come a long way since their humble beginnings. From acoustic guitar sessions in Chum's to performances all over Boston (their next big show is Feb. 25 at "The Midway" in Boston), the band has overcome some big obstacles, picking up an amazing sound and a large fan base along the way. They are even looking forward to the eventual possibility of being signed to a record deal. But, no matter what happens down the road, these guys know where they got their start -- right here at Brandeis.
(02/18/03 5:00am)
Two of about 30 Brandeis students who joined hundreds of thousands of people in New York City Saturday to protest the possible war against Iraq were arrested. There were 400,000 protesters in New York according to estimates by the organizing groups. New York City police said more than 100,000 attended. The New York protest was one of many held in major cities around the world that day. Brandeis students Aaron Cela '04 and Matthew Andrews '04 were arrested by New York City Police. According to the lawyers for other arrested protesters, over 300 were charged with disorderly conduct. Both Brandeis students have been released and Andrews is now back on campus."They (the police) shoved my head into the pavement and then another cop put his knee on the back of my head and a third cop pressed my ankles down into the pavement with a nightstick," Andrews said. "The voice of what must have been a female cop shouted, 'Stand up, mother fucker!' I was so shaken I said I couldn't stand, but if they lifted me to my feet I could walk."Susan Tsoglin '04 was with Andrews and witnessed the arrest. She said the police began shoving people in various directions with what she said was the intention to split the group of protestors in two, so that busses and other traffic could pass. They also blocked the intersection of 53rd Street and 3rd Avenue, dividing the protesters.According to CNN, New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said, "I think (the protest) went well. It was orderly. We facilitated people's ability to make their opinions known." CNN reported more than 5,000 police officers were on duty as law enforcement remained on high alert after recent warnings of a possible terrorist attack. Kelly said there were injuries to eight officers, including one who was pulled off his horse and beaten by demonstrators. Tsoglin said the police gave them no warning when they tried to break up the group. "Of course, we weren't warned (of the police attempt to split the group), and the lack of space on the sidewalks just caused people to get pushed into one another and get angry with the unnecessary demonstration of power by the police," Tsoglin said. "Matt tried to hold on to my sleeve for a few moments so that our group of five people stays together, but the police decided that the only way to split us into two quickly was to charge with horses, and so I quickly lost sight of Matt and everybody else I had been with."Tsoglin said she believes the police used excessive force by using horses as "weapons.""The horses are not made to be used as weapons, so they swayed their heads and tried to avoid people, and it freaked us out because the use of horses as forms of police brutality was just ... ridiculous," Tsoglin said. "I had been slightly kicked in the ankle by one of the horses."Andrews said he recalls almost being hit by a horse. "Then the cops with nightsticks passed me into the crowd and I was face to face with a horse for a second," he said.Tsoglin said she watched as Andrews and Cela were trapped in the "soup of policemen and horses.""Seconds later, I watched Matt being forced to the ground, several police officers holding him down, and another protestor with blonde dreads rushing over to try to help him get up," she said. "At this point, I was being held back by a new line of police and was screaming, 'Oh god Matt, oh god Matt,' to myself and panicking."Andrews said he believes he did not do anything wrong. "I don't understand why we were targeted for this abuse. Nobody on my chain-gang was hostile to the police," he said. He said he was instructed by a legal observer from the People's Law Collective to plead not guilty to the charges as the observer said he believed the charges would probably be waved.During his arrest, Andrews said he lost both his hat and glove and that he was hurt. "I now have bruises all around my head, under my right cheekbone and on my ankles and knees as well as a mark on my left wrist from the handcuffs," he said.After the arrest, Andrews said he was kept in a bus from 3 p.m. to around 10:30 p.m. and then was taken to a police station in Manhattan and released at around 12:30 a.m."We were kept in handcuffs and not given any food or water or allowed to use a bathroom," he said."After several hours, my left hand was becoming swollen and numb because the handcuffs were too tight," he said.Andrews said he believes the police were using "intimidation tactics.""This is standard for the NYPD from my experience," he said.After the arrest, Tsoglin said she lost sight of two others she had been with, Elisa Harkness and Jeffrey Kosbie, for about half an hour. Ultimately, she said she was able to locate them and after several phone calls, she said they confirmed that Andrews and Cela were arrested.We were relieved and hoped that if Aaron had been arrested, that they would at least be together," she said. "Later on that night, nine hours or so after Matt and Aaron had been arrested, they were released and we found Matt covered with bruises on his forehead -- where he had had his head buried into the cement and held down by a police officer's knee. Ridiculous -- simply ridiculous.""I went to NYC to stop a U.S. war against Iraqis and found myself in a U.S. war against Americans," Andrews said. "If protesting did not have any power, they would have ignored us -- I believe their brutality was a sign of our effectiveness. They have decided they can't ignore us.
(02/11/03 5:00am)
If it is indeed true that defeat is a better teacher than victory, the Brandeis University men's basketball team really went to school last week.After beginning the week with a 77-68 win over Mt. Ida College on Tuesday, the Judges (2-7 UAA, 6-12) lost rematches to UAA foes University of Chicago 82-49 on Friday and Washington University 99-62 on Sunday. Sunday, the Judges faced a daunting task in their rematch against Washington University, the top-ranked team in the NCAA Midwest Region. The Bears (9-0 UAA, 20-0) dominated the Judges last week in St. Louis in a 92-60 route. After Brandeis opened with a basket that gave them their only lead of the game, the Judges were unable to score for the next eight minutes as WashU built an astonishing 25-2 lead. This would prove to be a deficit from which the Judges could not recover. The offense showed signs of life for Head Coach Chris Ford late in the first half, but the Judges could never cut the lead below 17. They shot 39.3 percent from the field in the first half and made no three-pointers in five attempts. Brandeis' seven successful foul shots accounted for just under one-third of their points. At halftime, they were behind 47-29. While no single WashU player dominated the first half (senior guard Joel Parrott led the team with 16 points on the afternoon), the Bears did what they do best with relentlessly steady team-oriented play. They shot 48.6 percent from the field at Auerbach Arena. Brandeis endured more anguish in the second half. While WashU made only three three-pointers, they again shot 48.6 percent from the field and continued to play as a cohesive unit. They had four players finish in double figures, as guard Matt Tabash and All-America forward Chris Jeffries combined for 27 points.Despite their offensive struggles, the Judges did have a few highlights. With 12:19 remaining in the second half, the Judges produced the most exciting offensive play of the game. Guard Stuart Pradia '05 brought the ball up the court, and when he reached the three-point line he threw a no-look pass across the perimeter into the hands of guard Tim Diehl '04. Diehl then faked a shot before passing it inside to forward Glenn Wright '05, who made a lay-up and drew a foul.Brandeis also had strong performances from several individuals. Center Bryan Lambert '04 had the best individual performance of the game, scoring 21 points and pulling down 12 rebounds. Pradia and Wright also had solid games, contributing 10 points each. On Friday, the Judges looked for revenge against the University of Chicago after a 73-57 loss to the Maroons last week. Unfortunately, they faired little better against Chicago than they did against WashU. Against Chicago, Brandeis ran into a 6-7, 235-pound basketball machine in senior center Derek Reich. Reich is the top player in the UAA, averaging 26.2 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. He is also the main reason the Maroons have won seven consecutive games and are second in the UAA. Against the Judges, Reich essentially scored at will, pouring in 24 points in the first half, a feat that equaled the output of the entire Brandeis team. Reich finished the game with 40 points and 14 rebounds, tying season highs in both categories. In the first half, the Judges had the same problems that plagued them against Wash U. They started the game in a 21-1 hole after 11 minutes from which they could not come back. Glenn Wright was the team's lone bright spot, scoring 10 points on five of six from the field (he finished the game with 11 points). The Judges suffered a major blow in the first half when Pat Collier left the game because of tendonitis in his knee. He scored six points in 11 minutes, but was unable to return and did not play on Sunday. He is expected back for Tuesday's game at Amherst College. Brandeis shot 35.7 percent from the field, 0-5 from the three-point line, and 66.7 percent from the foul line in the first half. At halftime, Chicago led 43-29. The second half was a virtual mirror of the first. The Judges shot 34.4 percent from the field, 0-4 from the three-point line, and 60 percent from the foul line. The Judges were never behind by less than 18 in the second half. The Judges' early offensive struggles have been a recurring issue for Ford. "We came out and could not put the ball in the bucket early. After the beginning it was an uphill battle. [To be able to win] you have to stay within striking distance and put the ball in the bucket, said Ford.The high point of the week was the Judges' 77-68 win over visiting Mt. Ida College. Even though the Judges came away from this game with a win, they struggled at times. First, the Judges were thrown out of their rhythm when it was unexpectedly announced that the Judges would have to play a game in the Shapiro Athletic Center for the first time since 1990. In a moment reminiscent of some monster Shaquille O'Neal dunks from years past, a rim was bent out of place during pre-game warmups. Brandeis was also facing a Mt. Ida (0-6 North Atlantic Conference, 4-15) team that, despite playing in a lower-tier D-III conference, was primed for an upset.The Judges started the game strong, scoring 22 points in the first 12 minutes for a 22-12 lead. But Mount Ida refused to give up, and the visiting Mustangs charged back as freshman guard Greg Canzater hit four three-pointers in the first half (he finished with a game-high 23). Canzater's hot hand pulled the Mustangs back within one at 33-32 with 3:12 remaining in the half. The Judges were able to hold the Mustangs scoreless for the remainder of the half, extending their lead to seven (39-32). Brandeis maintained a slim lead for the first seven minutes of the second half before stretching it out to 12 at 52-40. The Judges maintained this cushion for the next nine minutes, and it appeared that Mt. Ida would not be able to give the Judges any further difficulties. But with Brandeis leading 71-59 with 4:24 remaining, the Mustangs began to claw their way back into contention. The Judges went scoreless for the next 3:13, while Mount Ida scored six. With 37.8 seconds remaining, Lambert hit a jump shot to put Brandeis up by nine. Mount Ida made a jumper on the ensuing possession, but was forced to foul with time running short. Jon Marks went to the line with 22.1 seconds left and hit both foul shots to give the Judges a 75-66 lead. The Mustangs missed their next shot, and quickly fouled Marks again. He made both foul shots again, giving Mt. Ida no chance to come back. "We definitely played down to the level of our competition," said guard Greg Kristof '04. "They came out with something to prove. Even though we won, we should have played a lot better. But a win is a win." The 37-point loss to Wash U. is the Judges' greatest margin of defeat this season and the 33-point defeat to Chicago is their third-worst. Although they faced very tough competition, these losses exposed many of the Judges' weaknesses, particularly on offense. The first major problem is that Brandeis was without center Pat Collier '06. Collier has been a steady source of offensive production and rebounds off the bench. But the freshman has also been plagued by tendonitis in his knee and was unable to play Sunday after leaving the game early against Chicago. He is, however, expected back on Tuesday night. Without Collier, the Judges have been unable to score consistently in the post.Forward Glenn Wright, who led the team with 10 points in 29 minutes of play against WashU, is hopeful that the Judges can emulate the unity displayed on Sunday by the visitors from St. Louis."I just want us to play together as a team," he said, "We need to keep it together and keep playing hard. Nobody is going to give up as long as everyone keeps their heads up." Tonight, the Judges will face Amherst College (17-3, 6-1 in NESCAC competition) at 7 p.m.
(01/14/03 5:00am)
Both the men's and women's swim and diving teams continued their successful seasons on Sunday with home victories over Trinity College. While most Brandeis students were trudging back to campus, the men's team improved to 3-1, toppling Trinity 117-77. The women continued their undefeated campaign with a 124-114 victory over their rivals from the New England Small College Athletic Conference. The matchup was a crucial one for both teams, giving them some much-needed confidence going into the second half of the season.Noah Rachlin '05 led the Judges with first place finishes in the 400-yard Individual Medley and the 200 Butterfly events. Nick Pai '05 was impressive in the 100 and 200-yard Freestyle events, placing first in both. Marshall Goldman '03 finished third in the 1650-yard Freestyle event as well as the 200 Backstroke. Matt Christian '05 combined with Pai, Rachlin and Nick Dufresne '04 to win the opening event of the meet, which was the 400-yard medley relay. James Yeaton '04 and Cory Clinton '06 split the diving events for Brandeis. While Yeaton captured the one-meter event with a score of 185.25, Clinton took home the three-meter with a mark of 138.20. The 40-point difference was the largest margin of victory for the Judges this season. Brandeis hopes to stay on a roll this weekend in Cambridge when they face the University of Rochester and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in what promises to be a very challenging meet.The women's team boasted several notable performances as well. Sharon Makowsky '06 finished first in the 200-yard freestyle and 100- yard freestyle. Shira Friedman '04 won the 200-yard Butterfly, and completed her day with a decisive victory in the 200-yard reaststroke. Friedman excelled in the three-meter diving event with a mark of 250.15, a significant score for a number of reasons: It was a Brandeis record and stands five points shy of the NCAA qualifying mark. Perhaps the most impressive accomplishment on the women's side came courtesy of Lalin Anik '06. Anik, a contributing member of the Turkish national swim team, placed first in the 400-yard Individual Medley and the 200-yard Breaststroke with blazing times of 26.46 and 57.42. Maya Marx '04 also came up huge for the Judges, finishing first in the 200-yard Breaststroke with a time of 2:32.39. She placed second in the 100-yard freestyle. The upperclassmen complimented the freshmen with a host of strong performances versus Trinity.Maya Marx '04 remarked how impressed she was with the team's overall performance, especially after the intense training sessions they endured in the Bahamas.
(01/14/03 5:00am)
In this era of corrupt owners, spoiled players and ignorant fans, a new sheriff has arrived in Boston to shake things up. The noble-hearted renegade is a 28-year-old wunderkind by the name of Theo Epstein. Epstein recently assumed the role of Red Sox General Manager after the team, owned by billionaire John Henry, failed to sign the two men widely regarded as the best General Managers in the game, the Oakland Athletics' Billy Beane and the Blue Jays' J.P. Ricciardi (a man who is as hard to pinpoint as his last name is to spell). Although one might not know it from the media's reaction, Theo is likely to bring an era of success to Boston not seen since the days when the Sox were owned by an alcoholic Broadway producer. Back then, the team's stars were Tris Speaker, Dutch Leonard and Babe Ruth.The media have taken two separate approaches to Epstein's new role. One has been to chronicle the story of the young Jewish boy who "made good," rising from Yale with his degree in American Studies, which his family called a "jock major." To be honest, the stories make for good reading, tugging at one's heartstrings.Journalists need to keep bread on the table and Pulitzers on the mantle, so stories like this find hungry publications; such an angle is insignificant when you recognize that the Sox are a team with a payroll well above 100 million dollars that was purchased by John Henry for 800 million dollars. This is a business decision and needs to be evaluated as such.The second angle the media have taken in covering Epstein has been to criticize him for being lackadaisical in his pursuit of this winter's hottest free agents. When Cuban defector Jose Contreras signed with the New York Yankees, media types from Hartford to the Back Bay railed against him. There have been countless jokes made regarding what may be the signing of the off-season, his acquisition of Jeremy Giambi, the younger, sloth-like brother of Yankees star Jason. Of course, this only furthers the point that the vast majority of baseball writers are so ignorant that they confuse an epic bargain with a titanic mistake.Jeremy Giambi has never been given the chance to break out as a bona-fide star. He toiled in obscurity in Kansas City, where a plate of the famed KC barbeque could outplay the current Royals squad. In Oakland, Jeremy played in the shadow of his older brother and the Father, Son and Holy Ghost of pitchers, Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder and Barry Zito. Over the past two years, Giambi has developed into one of the best offensive players in the game. In 2001, he sported a stellar .391 On-Base Percentage, which was in the top ten in the AL. In 2002, despite coming to the plate less than 400 times for the A's and the Phillies, Giambi walked 79 times and hit 20 homers. His On Base Percentage was in the top 10 in all of baseball despite playing in two pitcher's parks and his Slugging Percentage was well above the league average. In fact, Giambi put up numbers that were better than that of Cliff Floyd, the man Red Sox Nation wanted to see re-signed to a multi-year deal. Floyd is 30 and incredibly injury-prone. Giambi is 28 and durable. In fact, Jeremy's brother Jason did not have a season like Jeremy's 2002 until he was 29, which means Jeremy is a year ahead of the curve. What Epstein might have stumbled upon is the bargain of a lifetime: All-Star production for less than three million dollars. That Epstein has been ridiculed for spending his money carefully only goes to show that most baseball writers would be better suited reading poetry on a street corner for spare change.Additional evidence of Theo's genius is his handling of the Rule 5 draft. Rule 5 is a draft where unprotected players can be snagged from other teams, provided they stay on the roster of the drafting team for the entire season. Very few GM's are able to capitalize on the potential of this draft, while the few that can are able to improve their own team very cheaply while taking away from the resources of others. Epstein likely made out better than any team other than Oakland and Toronto. Epstein selected former Pirates outfielder Adrian Brown, a player who provides speed at a discounted price the way McDonald's provides a cheap source of artery-stopping fat. Epstein also picked up catcher Chris Coste, who tore up AAA Buffalo last season and will likely be one of the best backup catchers in the game. Coste is so good that the Sox could trade current starter Jason Varitek and trim 3 million dollars in payroll, while acquiring a decent prospect. Epstein also picked up a pair of relievers in Javier Lopez (who has been the source of media jokes because he is not Braves catcher Javy Lopez) and Matt White. Lopez could well become an elite left-handed reliever as he racks up K's with pinpoint control. White has some serious power that could translate into major league success. All told, Epstein picked up a trio of players who have tremendous upside for less than $1.5 million. Former Red Sox GM Dan Duquette was known for doing things like paying Dante Bichette $6 million to sit on the bench and get fat. By spending less on quality bench players, Epstein leaves budget money open for a big midseason acquisition, or a free agent signing prior to the start of the season.Epstein buys into the principles of Sabermetrics popularized by author Bill James. It involves the use of terms like "plate discipline" and "freely available talent." For this reason, major followers of Sabermetrics are often ridiculed in the media, labeled stat freaks and geeks. But, the results of actual intelligence, as opposed to conventional old boy logic, are undeniable. Billy Beane, another Sabermetrics proponent, has been able to build a successful team with almost no money behind him. J.P. Ricciardi is making the Blue Jays a competitive team, despite the fact that the Canadian dollar is worthless. Padres GM Kevin Towers has a young team that will likely be able to lick the Diamondbacks very soon, and for tens of millions less. In the end, intelligence and forward thinking will always win when they face off against conventional logic in a battle royale. Those who are ridiculed are often the ones who hold the key to success.Andy Dufrense, the protagonist of The Shawshank Redemption, remarked, "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." So, Boston fans, hold your heads up high, for with the hiring of Theo Epstein you have acquired that most precious of things, hope. It is a hope that change will come, that you will finally be able to break through the wall of dominance of your rivals. So give some thanks to John Henry and Theo Epstein, and more importantly, to the men who inspired them.
(11/26/02 5:00am)
This year's Rent-A-Gent Bachelor Auction, which benefited the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition, made a conscious effort to encourage men to bid on other men. The fourth annual auction, held Thursday night in Levin Ballroom, auctioned off 63 bachelors and made about $6,000 for charity.While women bought most of the men up for bids, a few of the men auctioned off were bought by other men. The auction organizers, Mariel Meringolo '03 and Gabrielle Mayer '03, fully supported men bidding on other men, and emcee Morty Rosenbaum '03 got the ball rolling by bidding against Meringolo on Matt Preece (GRAD), who showed up in vinyl pants and a cowboy hat. "You want to get the crowd excited, and once Mariel started bidding, it worked, so I put in a bid too -- it upped the bid, and it let everyone know that anyone could bid on anyone," said Rosenbaum.Later on, Preece bid on Damien Scoditti '05. Rosenbaum also spontaneously auctioned himself off, was bid on by men and women, and was eventually bought for $150 by a man.In the past, the auction has primarily functioned as a platform for women to bid on men to go out on dates with them. After realizing this type of forum was exclusive and not encouraging to the gay community, Meringolo, Mayer and Rosenbaum worked on ways to make the auction more accessible to people of all sexual orientations. "Same-sex bidding is never anything we have prohibited in the past, however, it seemed to come to the forefront this year and we are happy the issue was raised because it illuminated the fact that we are not against same sex bidding and that in fact, we encourage it," Meringolo said.The organizers said they contacted many gay men who are comfortably "out" to encourage them to either be auctioned off or to vocally bid on other men. They even extended the deadline to add in some gay bachelors. The organizers said they realized that audience members may not take the initiative though, hence Rosenbaum's impromptu bid.The audience responded to the same sex bidding by clapping wildly when Rosenbaum won Preece. And, although there were men bidding on men throughout the evening, they just did not always end up winning. "Even if not a lot of bachelors were bought by men, there was a lot of male bidding going on, so there was definitely a presence there," Rosenbaum said. Meringolo said there have been no issues raised because of same-sex bidding, nor does she foresee any potential problems. Due to this year's success, Meringolo, Mayer and Rosenbaum said they hope larger steps can be made in the future. "I felt really happy with it, in terms of the progress it is working towards, as not being a mechanism of compulsory heterosexuality. With anything that's a bachelor auction, there will be problems, but it was a really great step," Rosenbaum said. "Hopefully, in the future, there will be gay men bidding at the auction, not only as a deliberate and necessary way of asserting there presence, but because they will know it is a legitimate place to find a date.
(11/26/02 5:00am)
The Brandeis men's and women's swim teams both achieved impressive victories against Waltham rival Bentley College Thursday. The men's team won 126-104 and the women's team topped Bentley 128-109. Both teams won by healthy margins, and there were several highlights for each squad.The women knew this was going to be a difficult meet, and were up for the challenge. Their victory continues their undefeated campaign.Junior captains Maya Marx '04 and Jordan RoseFigura '04 each won three events to lead the Judges to victory. Marx and RoseFigura joined Elizabeth Fischer '05 and Lalin Anik '06 to win the 400 yard medley relay event in the blazing time of 4:18.43. This was the opening event of the night, and Brandeis' strong performance set the tone for the evening. Marx went on to place first in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:15.51, and was also the victor in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:30. RoseFigura was victorious in the 200 and the 500 freestyle with times of 2:03.19 and 5:26.94 respectively."We had a strong meet on Thursday," Marx said of the team's performance against Bentley. "It was the third win in a row for the girls. The season is looking strong.""We lost to (Bentley) the last two years," RoseFigura said, "and we stepped it up this time. We swam fast, won our races and won the meet."The Judges received additional help from diver Shira Friedman '06, who stepped up to win the one meter board and the three meter board event with scores of 231.15 and 243.85. There were several women on Bentley's team who also performed well. However, the day clearly belonged to the Judges.The same was true for the men's squad, whose victory was particularly important after their heartbreaking Nov. 14 loss to Babson College. Dan Levin '04 was victorious in the 500 freestyle with an impressive time of 5:14.93. Senior captain Marshall Goldman '03 contributed to the winning 400 medley relay team. Goldman also won the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:02.78. Matt Christian '05 placed first in the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:06.50. The men also improved as a team in their diving skills, and were able to collect some points in those events."It was the last dual meet of the first semester. We were just trying to set personal bests," Ben Paquette '05 said. "We were tired from a hard week of practice, but both teams were still able to win."Both the men's and women's teams hope the momentum from this meet will carry over to their important meets next semester.
(10/29/02 5:00am)
Ultimate finishes third at BatesThe men's and women's ultimate frisbee clubs had an exciting weekend. TRON, the men's team, played in a tournament on Saturday, and the two teams combined for a competition on Sunday.On Saturday, at U. Mass-Amherst, conditions were tough. It was raining and cold all day and there was more than an inch of standing water in some places on the fields. TRON played five solid games, but came away with only one win, an upset against Skidmore College, whom TRON has beaten twice in the last three weeks. Saturday's stars included Tom Gage '03 as well as Ari Browne '05 and Noah Browne '03. On Sunday, at Bates College, the ultimate teams were considerably more successful. The tournament was co-ed, meaning that there had to be five men and two women per team on the field at all times. The first game against Colby College was clearly a mismatch. From the beginning Colby had difficulty matching up with Brandeis, and TRON quickly jumped ahead. Brandeis went into halftime leading 7-2. A highlight of the half came when Co-captain Gabe Reif '04 made a diffucult grab in the endzone for a goal. The second half was similar, as Colby was unable to string together enough passes to get into the endzone. Brandeis quickly capitalized, scoring goals to Rachel Kane '05, Jane Partensky '06 and Dena Leeman '06. The game ended with the score 13-3 in favor of Brandeis. Adam Sheps '03 played especially well, scoring multiple times.In the second game, Brandeis played Bates College B, but they were no match for Brandeis. After the first half, TRON led 6-1 and went on to win 11-6.After two fairly easy games of pool play, Brandeis was caught off-guard by the strength of its next opponent, Bowdoin. Both sides used zone defenses, and the two teams exchanged points until it was 4-4, when Bowdoin made a change in their zone defense. They brought defenders in to clog the middle, forcing Brandeis to make much riskier passes. While many of these passes were completed, too many were either blocked or redirected by the wind. Bowdoin went on a run and won the game 13-5.After that discouraging loss, Brandeis played its next game against Bates A for third place in the tournament. Bates used a European style offense, which utilized give-and-goes and quick, short passes. Brandeis realized Bates' strategy quickly and proceeded to shut its offense down. With great defense by Co-captains Yoni Resnick '04 and Joshua Vaughan '04, as well as Ari Kahan '04, Len Pader '05 and Anton Prybish '05, Bates had difficulty bringing the frisbee up the field. Brandeis was able to capitalize with strong all-around offense and a couple of incredible grabs. The first of these came when Resnick leapt over two Bates players to catch a hanging throw in the endzone. Then, to finish things off, Rachel Kane caught a deflected hammer in the endzone for an upwind goal. Brandeis won by a score of 12-7."This was a rather monumental weekend for Brandeis Ultimate Frisbee, for it was the first time TRON . joined forces with the new women's team (captained by Vanessa Anik '05). The results were great as the Brandeis team took third and came away feeling great and looking forward to more opportunities to play again," Reif said.Tennis holds first tournament The tennis club held its first tournament of the year on Sunday. This was a doubles tournament featuring 17 teams. It was single-elimination, with the first team to win a set advancing to the next round. In the final, the team of Matt Lenore '05 and Roman Nadgor '05 defeated the team of Allan Sternberg '05 and Jason Kramer '04 by a score of 6-3. Lenore and Nadgor jumped out to a 4-0 lead, but Sternberg and Kramer rallied to close to make it 5-3, before Lenore and Nadgor closed it out. "The tournament was a great chance for us (Matt and I) to get to play some tennis against our fellow Brandeisians. The final match was a well-played one, and we managed to come out victorious against our strong opponents," Nadgor said."We both had a great time playing and I hope that the tennis club will put on more of these types of matches in the future," Lenore said.The winners received a gift certificate from House of Sports on Moody St. Gymnastics looking to expand The gymnastics club is looking for new members. Practices are once a week, and upcoming events will include a cartwheel-a-thon and a campus-wide handstand contest as a fundraiser. There are currently about 30 members of the team, 15 of whom are regulars, and a wide range of skill levels, from those who have never participated in gymnastics before they came to Brandeis to those that have been competing United Sates Gymnastics Federation for years. Club president Eliza Agrest '03 has considerable experience, having started gymnastics in Russia when she was about four years old. She later competed in the USGF until the age of 14, when she quit. She did not start again until she came to Brandeis.For more information, e-mail genetix@brandeis.edu.
(10/29/02 5:00am)
Last week, undergraduate students, under the direction of Candice Brown, presented the groundbreaking play, "The Laramie Project," by Moiss Kaufman and the Tectonic Theater Company. The play is specifically tied to Brandeis, as one of the associate writers, Stephen Wangh '64, is a Brandeis alumnus.The show, also an HBO movie, is set in the town of Laramie, Wyo. four years ago and documents events after the brutal, deadly beating of Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old gay student at the University of Wyoming. The members of the Tectonic Theater Project went to Laramie several times and conducted interviews with over 200 people in the town, from a lesbian professor at the University, to people who had been living in Laramie for dozens of years, to the young man who found Matthew after he had been tied to a fence for 18 hours. Due to the interesting format of the play, the piece works on many levels, examining the reactions and feelings of the interviewers themselves, as well members of the community and people directly involved with the incident.The play is essentially a drama of dialogue, recreating many of the interviews, however there are also reenactments of certain occurrences, like Shepard's funeral and the subsequent trial. The set was bare, save a background of a giant map of Wyoming highlighted by some neon blue lines and a few television screens showing scenes of Wyoming and some major events tied to the murder. Black, wooden chairs were the only props.Each actor played various roles, sometimes as many as eight or nine. Because of the possible confusion, the current role each person was playing at any given moment had to be announced. These interruptions, however, were not too disruptive, because of the interview format of the play. The actors also wore different costumes for each one of their roles, which were as simple as a different hat or jacket. The actors went in and out of their various roles very smoothly.Most of the 11 undergraduate actors played one or two roles each, in which they completely shined. Ron Wilson '04, however, was excellent in each of his eight diverse roles, being careful not to let his different parts mesh together. Each character he played was convincing and moving in its own right. Cynthia Shur '04 especially shined when she played Catherine Connolly, a lesbian professor at the University of Wyoming. Catherine's intense fear for her own safety after the incident was portrayed well. Similarly, Elizabeth Helitzer's '05 performance as Reggie Flutey, the cop who responded to the call when Matthew was found, was executed proficiently and beautifully. Especially moving was the scene when Reggie, who handled Matthew's bloody body, discusses when she discovered Matthew was HIV positive.Other actors performed standout roles, including James Yeaton '04 as the bartender, Matt Galloway, who was tending the night Matthew left the bar with Aaron McKinney and Russel Henderson, his two murderers and Zack Friedman '05 as Aaron Kreifels, the young student who found Matthew's body. Yeaton as Matt also provided comic relief to the intense play and Friedman seemed to truly epitomize Aaron Kreifels and his trauma in discovering the body.Many of the actors adopted Midwestern accents, which worked well. Ben Rathbun '04, who played, among other roles, limousine driver Doc O'Connor and Hannah Heilman '04, whose best character was Marge Murray, a Laramie resident, had the most effective and authentic sounding accents. Doc, played by Rathbun, was one of the best characters for comic relief, which was much needed in a play dealing with such a serious and depressing subject matter.Some interesting directorial decisions were made. The entire cast, attempting to dramatize certain points in the play, often banged their chairs down simultaneously. The problem was this was done so many times it lost its meaning. The subject matter was dramatic enough and did not need these extra effects. One scene in particular, in which Caitlin Steitzer '05 led the cast in a rendition of John Lennon's "Imagine," while Katharine Braun-Levine '04 did an interpretative dance, stuck out from the rest of the dialogue. While the singing was beautiful, and the dancing lovely, the song is simply too clichd to have much meaning anymore. The only other negative aspect of the play was its length - it was three hours long. While it was very interesting, there is a limit to how long one can watch a single performance. There were a few points at which the show could have ended and not much would have been lost. That being said, the show was an excellent portrayal of the issues facing a small town struck by a tragedy that turned into international news. The reactions of the townspeople, which ranged from blaming Matthew for his own death for possibly making a pass at Aaron McKinney, to wishing for the death penalty for the murderers, can teach humankind an important lesson about the treatment of homosexuals in America and the world. "The Laramie Project" is an important tool for relaying the heartrending story to the world to help prevent future hate crimes. Brandeis' production was beautifully and respectfully done, and its treatment of such a serious matter will hopefully help educate the campus of such important events in American history.For more information about "The Laramie Project" and Matthew Shepard, visit www.hbo.com/films/laramie and www.matthewshepard.org.
(09/24/02 4:00am)
Matt Griego '05 runs a lot. He trains a lot. He also wins a lot. Not only is he a member of the so- called "Five Hundred Club," having run well over 500 miles last summer, but he also just happens to have the potential to be one of the best runners in Brandeis history.Last year, Griego won first place in the UAA Cross Country Championship hosted by Emory University in Atlanta with an incredible time of 25:08 on the 8k course. He was the first freshman ever to do so and the first Brandeis student to win since 1988. However, he did even more during that amazing season. Not only would he compete in New Englands, but he amazed yet again in the NCAA Division III qualifier for cross country, finishing 54th in the nation. In a sport in which the best runners are usually juniors and seniors, Griego has already left his mark. Returning this year, the sophomore still has three seasons ahead of him, and says he plans to set his sights even higher."Brandeis has a long tradition of excelling at distance running. With Matt, I think it will continue," Coach Jean Cann said. "He had an injury in the spring, so it'll be great to see what he can accomplish when he's healthy all year."Griego hails from Blackstone, Mass., a town closer to Providence than to Boston. Even at a young age, he enjoyed running competitively. He was a member of his schools' cross country teams in the eighth, tenth, 11th and 12th grades. Two things were a given at all of Griego's meets: His family was always there cheering him on, and there were always mini-bagels.He also participated in track and field starting in the eighth grade. Keeping in step with the long stretches required by cross country, he concentrated on the two-mile. By the end of high school at Blackstone-Millville Regional, his personal record was an astounding 9:37. In general, running just one mile in under five minutes is an accomplishment; running two in the row at the same rate is astounding. As a result he was All-District in track and made it all the way to the All-State meet. Unfortunately, due to heavy rain at the meet, he finished in last place during the final heat. Griego also went All-State in cross country. "I saw him run twice in high school and was impressed by what I saw," Cann said. "I'm also impressed by how quickly he adapted to the five mile distance. In our first race he was our number one runner."While cross-country may be his specialty, Griego has also been an important part of the Brandies's spring track team as well, running the five-thousand meters. Despite an injury towards the end of the season, he placed seventh at the UAA track and field championship last April at Emory.For Griego, "being a student still comes first." He is thinking of majoring in either political science or economics, a decision that was helped by taking Robert Reich's (HS) Wealth and Poverty class last year. Fully recovered from last spring, he ran trails - 70 miles a week all summer - and acting as a counselor at a running camp. Griego is revved up for a new cross country season. And, in a sport where there are sometimes running prima donnas who consider themselves the next best thing since running shoes, Griego shows himself to be a team player. "We have a really good team this year and a shot at making nationals. Last year we were really young, and this year we have a lot more experience," Griego said.With mental toughness, dedication and practice six times a week, it looks as if that may come to pass. This year, the team itself is comprised of incredible amounts of talent, and it plans on capitalizing on that when the time comes.In the end Griego only has only one goal for this season. "This year I'm hoping to place in the top 20 in nationals," Griego said. And, hopefully, when he crosses the finish line, Brandeis will see him there.
(05/28/02 4:00am)
For four years, they lived dual lives as Brandeis students and Brandeis athletes, switching back and forth between tests of academia and those of athleticism. On May 26, the class of 2002 Judges made one last stop in a place they knew well: The Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. But, this time they were there to receive their diplomas and say their goodbyes, not to run around a track, dribble up and down a court, dive into a pool or throw a ball.Looking Back:For some of the 65 recently graduated athletes, specific moments from their freshman year still remain vivid.Indoor and outdoor track team member Wole Ogunkoya's first year was full of memorable races. At his first large championship meet, the New England Division III Championships, he took third in the 55 meter hurdles, finishing only four hundredths of a second away from the winning time. Later that year, at the UAA Championships, Ogunkoya combined with Geoff Getz '99, Geoff Cunningham '99 and David Frank '99 to win the 4 x 400 relay. "It was just great to be a part of the team and win the last event in front of our home crowd," he said. "It was also cool taking a picture with President Reinharz after we won."Like Ogunkoya, swimmer Kelsa Teeters had a positive introduction to Brandeis sports, placing second at the UAA Championships and qualifying for nationals in the 1,650 meter freestyle during her debut season. "My freshman year, our girls team had an 8-0 season, our relays broke several records and I personally broke a lot of records," Teeters, who holds five individual swimming records and has been a part of three of the fastest relays in Brandeis history, said.Hannah Johnson, another aquatic record-breaker, achieved All-American status three times during her Brandeis career and currently holds every Brandeis diving record. But, despite her numerous accolades and awards, the accomplishment she is most proud of has nothing to do with numbers and rankings."Diving is a unique sport because a lot of what you do on a daily basis is really scary," she said. "You have to overcome mental challenges in ways that a lot of other sports don't have to. I think my biggest overall achievement is being able to practice hard and learn those scary dives, being able to compete them and compete them well . that is what makes you competitive at a national level."Men's basketball Co-captain Rashad Williams and baseball Co-captain Jim Freethey '02, have also made their marks on the Brandeis record books. Williams demolished the previous standard for career points, while Freethey took control of the records for career hits and career runs.During a game against Emory University on Jan. 27, Williams scored 30 points to bring his career total to 1,747, which he raised to 1,922 by the time he finished his senior season. His point total surpassed that of Rudy Finderson '58, who scored 1,733 points before graduating from Brandeis in 1958. "It didn't really hit me until after because I didn't realize the significance," Williams said. He later received a congratulatory e-mail from Finderson (See related story).Lindsey SensenBrenner and Jen Curran also left a deep impression on Brandeis basketball. The co-captains both ended their careers with over 1,000 points."I think my greatest individual achievements are scoring 1,000 career points and having mine and Lindsey's numbers retired by Carol (Simon, women's basketball coach)," Curran said. "I never really thought about either of those things when I first got here, and to be able to share them with my teammates, let alone have Lindsey do the exact same things, has certainly made a great impact on both of us."SensenBrenner agreed. "(Having my number retired) is such an honor. I am still in shock!" she said.According to Assistant Director for Sports Information Jack Malloy, "Jen Curran and Lindsey SensenBrenner ... are only the third and fourth players in school history to (score over 1,000 points)."Above all of the points scored, records broken and titles won, Brandeis athletes remember the relationships that developed out of spending countless hours with dedicated peers."I will miss my teammates the most," volleyball player Caryn Sackman said. "They have always been what has made the team wonderful."Like Sackman, softball co-captain Erin Powers will also miss the bonding aspect of her sport. "The thrill of being on a team where everyone's contributing their best, picking up team members when they're down and all working together toward the same goal is something I'll both remember and miss," she said.Ari Yeskel, co-captain of the men's swim team during their best season ever, noted that his team acted "like a team outside of the pool" as well as within, living and socializing together.As members of teams in the UAA conference, Brandeis athletes had the chance to compete within New England, as well as at venues as far away as Washington University in St. Louis and Emory University in Atlanta. Such time away from Brandeis allowed them to compete against other top competitors in their sports, while spending quality time with their teammates."Traveling around the country to play soccer with a large group of friends was a blast," men's soccer co-captain Sebastian Castro-Malaspina said. "There was never a dull moment."Moving Forward:Though women's soccer co-captain and track team competitor Melissa Purswell will miss "having time set aside specifically for athletics," she, like many other Brandeis athletes, hopes to stay involved with her sports. Until November, she will work on a gubernatorial candidate's campaign in New Hampshire. She also plans to run, play soccer in summer leagues and possibly coach in the future, if she has time.Johnson, too, hopes to give something back to her sport by coaching. "I've definitely 'retired' as an athlete, but I love the sport of diving.I would love to stay involved in it," she said, mentioning coaching at the high school or club level as possibilities for the near future.Tennis coaching and instruction is also a possibility for men's tennis captain Gary Falkowitz. He will head to St. John's Law School in the fall, but has no plans to set aside his racquet. "I plan on keeping tennis a priority in my life, whether it be teaching in the summers or playing in adult leagues," he said. "It's taken up too much time in my life to just forget about it."Matt Guilbert, who has been sailing at Brandeis for four years and was a co-captain of the team during the spring and fall of 2001, also expects his sport to be a major part of his life after he graduates. After teaching sailing in Vermont this summer, he will move back to Boston to work. He "sees [himself] staying involved in sailing for a long time," whether by racing at local yacht clubs or "cruising with friends."SensenBrenner and Curran both aspire to combine their academic and sports passions. SensenBrenner will be a graduate assistant for the Nova Southeastern University (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) basketball team while she works towards her masters in sports psychology. Curran also hopes to be a graduate assistant.Castro-Malaspina also would like to include his favorite sport in his future plans. He hopes that his two summer internships with Major League Soccer will turn into a career. "Soccer is my passion and it would be great to have a career in something that I love," he said.But, Castro-Malaspina is not ready to trade the soccer field for an office just yet. He will return to Brandeis next year to complete his masters in International Economics and Finance, and will captain the Brandeis soccer team once again. After moving back home to Oregon and trying to secure a job in a pharmaceutical company, biotech company or research institute, Teeters hopes to pick up where she left off in the pool. "I absolutely will continue swimming in a competitive masters program," she said.No matter what Brandeis' most recently graduated Judges decide to pursue, they will use the lessons they learned while juggling the lives of student and athlete."Unless you are a four-year varsity athlete, it's hard to comprehend the sacrifices and challenges," Johnson said. "All four-year athletes should be proud of themselves.
