ALBANY §S
AS
CELEBRATING 100 YEARS
1916-2016
TUDENT PRESS
™
Sports:
Danes
Fall to
Vermont
PAGE 10
Student
Senate
Detente
PAGE 3
TUESDAY, JANUARY 31,
2017 ISSUE 1 ALBANYSTUDENTPRESS.NET
Cuomo Unpacks Agenda on Campus
By TYLER MCNEIL
Gov. Andrew Cuomo ditched tradition
for the sixth time in one week earlier
this month at the University at Albany,
reaching the final stretch of a historic State
of the State tour.
In front of a packed room at the
Performing Arts Center, Cuomo laid out
his vision for the state this year, including
measures that could directly hit campus
grounds.
During the 45-minute address, Cuomo
championed the Excelsior Scholarship, a
plan to make college tuition-free at public
colleges and universities. The plan, a first
of its kind in the nation, would grant free
tuition to families making up to $125,000 a
year by 2019.
Details for the $160 million plan have
yet to be released, rousing a wave of
skepticism by some lawmakers conceming
how the plan will be paid for.
While remaining curious about further
details, UAlbany Interim President James
Stellar lauded Cuomo for his proposal.
“Let's go with it,” said Stellar. “We need
to see the details when they come out of
the legislature, but I’m all for anything that
produces a greater public investment.”
The Excelsior Scholarship is not the only
effort lead by the governor with a potential
impact on campus. Cuomo highlighted
the College of Emergency Preparedness,
Homeland Security, and Cybersecurity
(CHEC), which awarded $15 million for
the university to launch two years ago.
“College — first college of emergency
preparedness and homeland security right
here at NANO, University of Albany,”
said Cuomo, mentioning CEHC among
investments in the upstate economy.
Informally known as “NANO,” the
Colleges of Nanoscale Science and
Engineering (CNSE) has not been under
UAlbany reign since 2014. Further, CEHC
has no ties with CNSE.
CHEC, which is
eventually set to be
facilitated from the
Harriman Campus, is
one of several initiatives
Cuomo expects to grow
the upstate economy.
Among revitalization
efforts, Cuomo announced
development projects
in Schenectady and
Plattsburgh.
Additionally, Cuomo
called for ridesharing
services to be legalized
upstate. He believes the
measure would draw in safer practices and
stimulate the local economy.
Another proposal close to the region
was for the $2 billion Clean Water
Infrastructure A ct, an action to protect
water following mass water contamination
in Rensselaer County.
Among statewide proposals, Cuomo
championed proposals including ethics
reform, childcare tax relief, lowering the
cost of prescription drugs, and voting
reform.
Please see CUOMO page 3
Oo MARCH ON WASHINGTON
a CAPITAL REGION
SOLIDARITY
PROTEST AT
ALBANY
AIRPORT
By JASMINE MILLNER
Following President Donald Trump's executive order
to ban immigration from seven primarily Muslims
nations, hundreds of citizens of Albany, and the
surrounding area, flooded the Albany International
Airport this Sunday in protest.
The protesters held signs saying things like, “All
Refugees Welcome,” “Fear does not make us great,” and,
Ina
Way
ation Gives
Resistance
“First they came for the Muslims, and we said not this
time.”
They all took tums leading chants and singing
songs, such as America the Beautiful and This Land is
Y our Land. Many protesters hugged one another and a
few cried when they heard the perspectives of Muslim
Americans.
Strangers became friends as they conversed over the
The second day of the Trump Administration
was punctuated with the single laregst mass politi-
cal demonstrations in American history. More
than 3 million people in dozens of cities across the
country took to the streets to protest the incoming
administration. One of the largest protests was in
Washington, D.C. and our own intrepid photogra-
pher, Noah Beadle, was there with his camera to
document history.
current situation and what they would do to try to stop it.
People of all ages, races, and religions rallied in solidarity
in the hopes of overturning what has recently been called
the “Muslim Ban.”
The purpose of the ban, according to The Atlantic and
the Trump campaign, is, “total and complete shutdown
of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s
representatives can figure out what is going on.”
In essence, the idea of the ban is to help reduce the risk
of terrorist attacks. Please see AIRPORT page 2
| CONSTRUCTION
Expansion Project Takes Shape
By ELISE COOMBS
As the University at Albany’s Campus
Center expansion continues, the plans no
longer include a two-level fitness center,
but still feature new food venues and added
student areas.
The decision to use the space for other
purposes was “a university decision,”
according to Director of Campus Center
Management Scott Birge. He said the
decision involved considering that “other
stuff might work better in that space.”
Occupying the area previously set for
the top level of the fitness center will be a
board room and aerobics room. Underneath
will be the Office of Student Involvement
PRINTED
and the Intercultural Student Engagement
Office.
The aerobics room, intended for student
groups and campus recreation programs,
will be equipped with stereo systems,
televisions, a dance floor, and a wall of
mirrors. Birge anticipates that it will be a
“busy room”— student groups will have to
sign up to use it.
Regarding the fitness center, “Even if
we had the fitness centers retained in the
campus center, it wouldn't have been at
a level sufficient for what folks want and
need,” Birge said.
Though the aerobics room has been
expansion will bring.
regarding the gym.
SEFCU as the main gym is “kind of a pain
for people,” considering the number of
students attending UAlbany. However,
Brown looks forward to the new area the
Francisco Flores, a sophomore and
commuter, shares a similar concer
Flores has a hard time accessing the
Indian Quad fitness center because he does
not have swipe card access. And since
SEFCU fitness center is easily accessible to
commuters, “that’s not fair,” Flores said.
Although he’s disappointed in the
decision to forgo the two-level fitness
In the expansion, some new food options
include Starbucks, Damien’s, a soup and
salad bar, and intemational cuisine such as
Caribbean, Greek, and Asian.
A three-station counter will house
the Asian cuisine. One station will
serve noodle bowls, another will serve
American-style Chinese food, and at the
last, traditional Vietnamese cuisine can be
found. Each station will have a separate
ordering line.
Past the main food area, two glass
enclosed rooms, which Steve Pearse,
Executive Director of University Auxiliary
Services, called “fishbowls,” will offer
preserved as an area for student activity,
junior Gabrielle Brown, said having
BY THE TIMES UNION, ALBANY,
center, Flores looks forward to new food
venues as the current options “get boring.”
more space for meetings and entertainment.
Please see EXPANSION page 3
NEW YORK — A HEARST CORPORATION NEWSPAPER
EDITOR: STEFAN LEMBO-STOLBA
THEASP.EIC@GMAIL.COM
2
NEWS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2017
ALBANY STUDENT PRESS
TUTE
AIRPORT
Continued from Page 1
As of now, immigration has been banned from Iran,
Iraq, Libya, Syria, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen.
According to the Huffington Post, there have been
no fatal terrorist attacks by immigrants from the banned
countries in the United States. Many of the protesters
were outraged with this decision and called the president's
decision both, “unconstitutional,” and, “un-American.”
One protester yelled, “We are all immigrants. This
country was built on immigrants. End the ban on
Muslims.”
He was met by cheers and applause from his fellow
protesters.
There were many Muslim Americans in the crowd as
well saying that they are lucky to already be in the United
States, as many were from the banned nations. One Iranian
man said that he is very lucky that he was not out of the
country when the ban was issued or he might not have
been allowed re-entry.
The protest is only one of many across the United States.
The night before the Albany protest, thousands of people
flooded JFK International Airport in New Y ork City to
protest and demand the release of two refugees who were
detained upon arrival. Following the JFK protest, people
have taken to the streets in New Y ork City, Los Angeles,
Washington D.C, and countless other cities.
Due to the overwhelming number of protesters and
pressure from a large number of activist groups, the Trump
administration has rolled back the ban to no longer affect
Green Card holders.
As of now, there have been no reported detainees at the
Albany International A irport itself, but protesters used the
airport as a statement of solidarity with the JFK protest the
previous night.
Chants included, “we will not go away; welcome to
your third day,” and, “Say it loud, say it clear: Everyone is
welcome here.”
Various civil rights advocacy groups have spoken about
possible legal action on the issue and we can expect a long
battle over the ban in the upcoming weeks.
The protesters plan to continue protesting against
Trump’s actions in the upcoming weeks. This appears to
only be the beginning.
Jasmine Millner / Albany Student Press
Protesters making themselves heard at Albany Airport.
VOICES FROM THE WOMEN’S MARCH
Seeing these issues kind of
up close and personal was a
lot different than just being
a Facebook warrior all the
time.
It wasn’t too bad to come
back and be like, ‘oh,
Trump’s still here,’ because
it was so grounding to be
surrounded by so many
men and women that feel
so strongly about the same
values as you do.
Photos taken by Albany Student Press photographer Noah Beadle.
ff
It was incredible to be a part
of something so big. I truly
felt like I was a part ofa
revolution.
CRIME BLOTTER
dent per the student's
ACCIDENT- PERSONAL
UNLAWFUL POSSES- student in possession of _ UNLAWFUL 1/23/2017
SION OF MARIJUANA —_—DRIVING WHILE IN- marijuana and marijuana POSSESSION Indian Quad- Oneida Hall request.
1/20/2017 TOXICATED paraphernalia. An arrest MARUUANA Two female students
State Quad- Irving Hall 1/22/2017 and a referral were 1/23/2017 were found to be in
Report of a male sub- Roadways- University made. State Quad- Eastman possession of alcohol, INJURY
ject in possession of Drive West Tower marijuana and mari- 1/25/2017
marijuana and marijuana Report of a female
DRIVING WHILE IN-
Four male students huana paraphernali
a.
University Drive West
Report of a male subject
driving while intoxicated.
An arrest was made and
vehicle was towed.
University Drive West
paraphernalia. student driving while in- TOXIGATED found to be in Referred for same. Report of a female CRIMINAL
toxicated. An arrest and 1/22/2017 possession of marijua- student being hit inthe TRESPASSING
DRUG COMPLAINT a referral were made. Roadways- Excelsior na, marihuana parapher- DOMESTIC INCIDENT crosswalk by a male 1/25/2017
1/201/2017 Drive nalia, forged IDs and 1/23/2017 subject. Transported to UPD
DUTCH QUAD- Ten CRIMINAL POSSES- Report of a male alcohol. Referred for UPD hospital. Report of a male
Broeck Hall SION MARIJUANA student driving while same. Report of a male subject subject entering a
Report of odor of 01/22/2017 intoxicated. An arrest harassing a student. OPERATING MOTOR female student's room
marijuana in a male Indian Quad- Cayuga —_was made and vehicle CRIMINAL Male subject was con- VEHICLE W/ .08% OR _without permission.
students room. Referral Halll was towed. POSSESSION tacted and advised to MORE IN BLOOD
was made. Report of a male MARUUANA stop contacting the stu- 1/25/2017
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2017
ALBANY STUDENT PRESS
NEWS
EDITOR: LINDSEY RIBACK
THEASPNEWS@GMAIL.COM
EXPANSION
Continued from Page 1
One room is shaped like an orb and
the other like a bean. The orb-shaped
room offers a small stage, which can be
used for poetry readings and acoustic
performances, according to Birge.
The lounge space will offer a
combination of hard and soft seating,
such as tables, chairs, counters, and
couches.
All three floors of the expansion
will have transgender bathrooms, also
called universal restrooms. The industry
standard term has changed a few times
since construction began— they are
single occupancy, according to Birge.
At Podium-level, the top floor will
seat a 150-person boardroom. Like the
auditorium, the room will be heavily
equipped with technology.
watch.
building.”
Birge hopes the Student Association
and the University Senate will adopt it
as their meeting area, as he said it will
make presentations easier to give and
Birge’s history at UAlbany goes back
to his time here as a graduate student.
He was part of a bowling league, and
the alley was located where the student
financial services are. Seeing that there
is not much student recreational space
in the Campus Center, Birge said, “I’d
like to have more recreation in this
In terms of future construction, “one
of the things that has been designed in
this is the ability to grow and change as
we need other things,” Birge said.
An in-progress sprial staircase in the uncompleted campus center.
| MEDIA
New in the Media: Seperating Alternative Facts From Fiction
By MILO VOTAVA
Just two days after Donald Trump was inaugurated
as president, the term “alternative facts” was introduced
into the media.
During a “Meet The Press” interview on NBC,
Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway, said
that the incorrect figures for the number of people that
attended the inauguration, which was presented by
Press Secretary Sean Spicer, were not “a falsehood,” but
instead Spicer “gave alternative facts.”
The “alternative facts” uttered by Spicer were proven
to be false by checking transit records, showing that
only 193,000 people were riding the Washington Metro
before the inauguration, as opposed to the 513,000
people that had ridden it before Obama’ s inauguration
in 2009. Aerial views provided by the New Y ork Times
also showed that as opposed to the packed shots of the
National Mall in 2009, the space was largely empty.
During the NBC interview, Conway said, “I don’t
think you can prove those numbers one way or the other.
There's no way to really quantify crowds; we all know
this.”
The use of “alternative facts” in media is nota
practice that is common or seen as acceptable as a
journalist.
Professor Nancy Roberts, who teaches Media Law
and Ethics at the University of Albany, said “journalists
work hard to find relevant and balanced sources and they
assiduously fact-check the information they uncover.”
In the case that a journalist makes a mistake on
something they have reported, they also work hard to
correct errors as can be seen in the corrections column of
a newspaper, according to Roberts.
She said that while it is not illegal for Conway to
say something is an alternative fact, “at its best, maybe
we could say that it’s opinion. But it’s assuredly not
fact,” especially since the First Amendment guarantees
freedom of speech and press.
Journalists are taught to fact-check their sources
numerous times before publishing them, and many
journalists have gotten into legal trouble via libel or
slander charges for publishing incorrect statements even
if a correction is then printed.
The fact that the first press conference held by Spicer
for the president contained incorrect information about
something very minor, breaks the code that journalism
has for only presenting correct information, and brings
concems for what else they might present incorrect
information on in the future.
More concerns about the nature of the new
presidential administration have risen as Trump's days
in office grow, from revising the White House website
to include fewer concems than any other president has
ever included, to reinstating the “Global Gag Rule” from
Reagan in 1984 on abortions, to revoking the tweeting
privileges of many government agencies, including the
National Parks Service and the EPA.
Al STUDENT ASSOCIATION
Student Senate Seeks to Repair Rift With OSI
By TYLER McNEIL
Student A ssociation senators eased back on a
resolution slamming the Office of Student Involvement
for allegedly overstepping the organization’s operations
at last week's senate meeting.
The resolution included several concerns among SA
leadership: OSI deemed two senators, both of whom
missed sexual violence prevention training last fall,
ineligible to serve and opened a signup form for the
seats on MyInvolvement; OSI reportedly planned to
freeze MyInvolvement access for about 70 student group
accounts, all of which had officers fail to attend training.
Recent concems were struck down during talks
between SA and OSI on Wednesday. Sexual assault
training for group officers and student leaders was
extended for early February.
Out of roughly 950 student group leaders, 130
members missed training last semester.
“Tt would’ ve been very disruptive to the progress of
UAlbany student organizations,” said SA President Felix
Abreu.
Asa result of negotiations earlier in the day, sponsors
of the resolution (nearly half of the senate), decided to
table the legislation at the Wednesday meeting.
The recent ordeal, Abreu said, may lead SA to update
its bylaws to comply with state-mandated sexual assault
training.
Because both senators did not violate bylaws, SA
leadership argued prior, OSI's call infringed upon
organizational independence from the university.
Under the 2015 law, university officials are
responsible for enforcing training. Much of the
communication regarding training has been between OSI
and Chantelle Cleary, Title IX coordinator.
Prior to this week, Michael Jaromin, director of
Student Involvement said that communication between
SA and OSI was unsteady.
“What I would own is that we need to communicate,”
said Jaromin. “Because if we did communicate, this
wouldn’t have happened.”
SA-OSI relations first took a hit three years ago with
the enactment of the recreation and campus life fee
which sought to fund the creation of the Programming
Board. SA opposed its enactment in a resolution,
considering the fee to overstep the role of student
government.
Three years later, tensions mounted after OSI
established the Student Organization Resource Center,
an office designated to assist student groups. Claimed in
Last week's SA Senate meeting in session.
Wednesday’s tabled resolution: SORC was created with
“minimal” communication between SA and OSI.
While avoiding further conflict, Austin Ostro, senate
vice chair said that the overall sentiment within the
resolution remains.
“I do think there were inappropriate actions taken that
have violated our autonomy,” Ostro said. “I think we can
do more to help our situation by entering that dialogue
[rather] than just by standing by that resolution.”
Some student groups, which attended Wednesday’ s
meeting in response to a mass email sent by Abreu
Tyler McNeil / Albany Student Press
earlier in the week warning budget freezes, had separate
concerns.
In the fall, Zainub Amir, president of the university's
American Marketing Association chapter, faced
miscommunication from her executive board regarding
training. Had she been notified about officers missing
training, she believes the situation could’ ve been eased.
“If somebody didn’t attend and the last session was
coming up, we would’ ve liked to have been notified,”
Amir said.
CUOMO
Continued from Page 1
“Early voting, automatic registration, no-excuse
absentee ballots,” said Barbara Bartoletti, legislative
director for the League of Women Voters of New
Y ork told reporters. “If we could accomplish that,
we think they could go a great distance to absolutely
helping people in this state to feel as though, ‘yes, I can
participate in this participatory democracy.”
Many legislators did not hear the proposed legislation
at the time it was delivered. With the speech scheduled
during legislative session, only three lawmakers were
able to attend Cuomo’s address.
The governor's press office told the Albany Student
Press last week that the governor's decision to bring the
State of the State address on the road was intended to
“bring the speech to the people.” Each speech mentioned
regional issues.
However, Cuomo’s decision to bring the State of the
State address on the road — after over 90 years from
the Capitol (he broke this tradition last year, hosting the
event at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center) —
has prompted legislation on its own.
During the same week, State Sen. Jim Tedisco
(R-Glenville) and Assemblyman Phil Steck (D-Colonie)
introduced a constitutional amendment to keep the
speech in the Capitol Assembly chamber.
Supporting the proposal, GOP Chairman Ed Cox
alleged that Cuomo’s tour violates the State Constitution.
“The fraud here is where he’s calling these six
speeches around the state ‘State of the State,’” Cox said.
“It’s not ‘State of the State’ unless you’ re addressing the
legislature. And that sends a message to the legislature.”
The State Constitution does not make clear on the
location of the address.
EDITOR: ILENE ROTHMAN
OPINIONS.ASP@GMAIL.COM
4
OPINION
TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2017
ALBANY STUDENT PRESS
STUDENT LIFE
Study A broad? Si!
By ILENE ROTHMAN
Studying abroad should be a rite of passage for college
students and not a luxury expense. American author, Henry
Miller said, “one’s destination is never a place, but rather a
new way of looking at things.” Y et, most American college
students do not study abroad. In 2014, only 1.55 percent of
the undergraduate United State’s population studied abroad,
as calculated by NAFSA: Association of International
Educators.
Prior to studying abroad in Italy and Greece this past
winter break, I had severe misconceptions about being
out of the country. I had never left the United States until
Jan. 2, when I boarded a plane to Italy with the College at
Brockport’s study abroad program, Splendors of the Medi-
terranean.
I thought that by studying abroad I would “discover my-
self” and immerse myself completely in a different culture.
Instead I learned that studying abroad is not a short-term
experience. My time abroad has added another unforget-
table dimension to my life and has broadened my cultural
outlook. During my time abroad I made a vast amount of
cultural discoveries that made me aware of my cultural
ignorance pre-departure.
The University at Albany currently has a general educa-
tion requirement entitled, International Perspectives. The
university hopes to deepen a student’ s understanding of
cultures beyond the United States through this requirement.
The requirement can be fulfilled in two ways: by studying
abroad or by taking a specialized course at UA lbany.
The International Perspectives requirement should man-
date all students to study abroad. Whether that program be a
domestic program that involves a student visiting a univer-
sity in another state, or a program that involves traveling to
another country.
I previously fulfilled my International Perspectives credit
by taking the course option
on campus. I found that the
course did not compare in
the slightest to actually be-
ing on foreign ground.
Susquehanna Univer-
sity, a small private liberal
arts school in Selinsgrove,
Pennsylvania has had a
study away requirement
for all students since 2009.
The GO Program requires
all students to study off
campus in a cross-cultural
learning experience. I hope
that UA lbany could look
into adopting a similar
program.
Kira Githens, a junior
psychology major and
anthropology minor at UAI-
bany studied abroad in the
fall of 2016 at the AIP Lan-
guage Institute in Valencia,
Spain. Githens understands
that while studying abroad
is an experience that
everyone can benefit from, it should not be forced onto all
students.
“I wouldn’t say it should be a requirement, but very
strongly encouraged.”
Githens stayed with a host family during her semester
abroad and found herself surprised that having a host family
was her favorite part of the trip.
Ryan McAlpin, a sophomore political science major with
minors in history and business at UA Ibany, studied abroad
on
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this past winter in London on a UA lbany Faculty Led
program. McA pin believes that there is no best time fora
student to study abroad, except possibly holding off until
you assimilate into college.
“Maybe not right away, maybe adjust to college first.
During the first semester get your academics and your new
environment together. But then, really anytime that works
for you.”
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2017
ALBANY STUDENT PRESS
| WOMEN’S MARCH
LIFE
EDITOR: DANIEL PINZON
OPINIONS.ASP@GMAIL.COM
4)
A WOMAN’S RIGHT TO CHOSE: A
FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT
By DANIEL PINZON
Apparently the Women’s March on
Washington inspired a handful of people.
In fact, it inspired people who were
the complete opposite of the march’s
purpose. The March of Life, as the anti-
abortion marchers established it, took
place after and around the area of the
Women's March.
“Life is winning again in America”, as
Vice President, Mike Pence said at the
march. But is it really?
The main purpose for the Women’s
March on Washington was to combat
against the rise of abortion laws and
the ban on Planned Parenthood. Having
other moral ideas attached to the march
as well as ethnic women concerns,
overall, the movement focused on
defending Planned Parenthood, which
brings up the controversial issue of pro-
life versus pro-choice.
Yes, abortion is not the most appealing
thing in the world. Y es, a fertilized egg
can lead to a developing human. But a
woman also has a right to do what she
wants to her body.
People seem to forget that not all
women intentionally get pregnant.
Irresponsible youth don’t know the
importance of a condom and end up
impregnating the female. Some people
may think their “pull out” ability
supersedes pregnancy, but it doesn’t.
And its not like humans can’t deter away
from sex. Abstinence is a thing, however,
the majority of the population doesn’t
want to give up sex. And let’s face it,
we as humans no longer have sex just to
reproduce.
So when one of these incidents
occur, is it fair to place this enormous
responsibility on someone because they
weren’t prepared enough? Is it fair to
place this responsibility on someone
who made a mistake, who didn’t plan
on getting pregnant? This responsibility
falls on just as much as the men as much
as it does the women, as it takes two to
impregnate.
A typical reaction with this would
be: they should have been prepared
regardless. Well, the fact of the matter
is, not everyone can be prepared at all
times. Condoms break, some people
don’t like the feel of it, or the condom is
taken off without the women knowing.
And just a reminder, people get horny.
Well they should still pay the
consequences for their actions; if
anything, there’s foster care.
‘Well foster care isn’t perfect either.
According to the Administration of
Children and Families at www.acf.
hhs.gov, 427,910 children are in foster
care, and of those children, 111,820 are
waiting to be adopted as of June 2016.
With the number of children adopted
with public welfare agency involvement
being 53,549, there are still a lot of kids
waiting to be adopted. In fact, children
who have been waiting to be adopted
has increased since 2011, which was
106,440. And it doesn’t help that same
sex couples struggle to adopt children in
some states, which eliminates a group
of people from taking care of these
children.
Living in foster care until your
adulthood isn’t ideal. If people thrive
for this family connection, living in
foster care will not give you the splitting
image of a nuclear family, which is what
traditional people aim to achieve.
Well the person should take care of
their own child.
That's easier said than done. Some
people aren’t financially stable to afford
a child. Children are expensive to have.
And if people barely have the funds to
support themselves, that child will be
deprived in one area or more, basically
receiving a half asked life.
Unfortunately rape exists as well
and rapists don’t use contraceptives. In
those cases of impregnated rape victims,
should that person be responsible for
that child? Ultimately a sensitive topic
nevertheless, rape is not a form of
making love. The victim was not only
violated, they were given a life long
responsibility, which is not fair and not
ideal.
What people who are pro-life seem
to be obsessed about are the statistics
behind Planned Parenthood. Planned
Parenthood claims abortion is three
percent of what they do, however
Live Action, a Pro-Life non profit
organization, established that the
abortion rate is higher. Live Action
expressed that Planned Parenthood’s
“three percent” is misleading as
it doesn’t capture an accurate
representation of the actual amount of
women who undergo abortions.
The percentage difference doesn’t
make a difference. They have proven that
there are more abortions than expected.
It’s arbitrary to point this out. They have
claimed that Planned Parenthood has
used misleading statistics, yet the way
the statistics of Planned Parenthood were
portrayed is still a way of representing
information.
No matter how many abortions are
performed, the concept is still the same.
This just shows they are against the
concept, which we are well aware of, but
they don’t really have anything to back
up their argument other than abortion is
wrong.
Abortion is an option. It’s not the ideal
option, however, it’s still an acceptable
fair option.
If women are obligated to birth these
children, these children will not have
the life they deserve to have. They will
have a life that was put together last
minute. They will have a life of parents
abandoning them, of parents not being
able to support them, and of parents
who can’t express their love in which
they wanted to had they planned the
pregnancy.
If we take away abortions, society
better make better children support
programs, cheaper education, better
maternal benefits, and generally more
space. Since society can barely keep
up with the children now, it better be
prepared for a bigger wave to come.
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FILM REVIEWS
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2017
ALBANY STUDENT PRESS
THE TUNEFUL ‘LA LA LAND’
CLIPSES AWARDS SEASON
By ANDY GALLA
This old-fashioned musical picked up
a lot of steam once award season began,
winning seven golden globes, the most
ever, and tying Titanic and All About Eve
for most Oscar nominations, with twelve.
For this reason, I am embarrassed to admit
I only finally saw this film the other day.
Nonetheless, the film is deserving of its
accolades so far, and is an incredibly
impressive feat for young Damian
Chazelle, who has proven to be a rising
star, as he both wrote and directed this
prolific film.
The story is simple, a young struggling
actress living in Hollywood meets a
young struggling jazz pianist, and their
animosity for one another turns into a
friendship which tums into a romance.
The story took the occasional liberty from
conventional storytelling, often skipping
long periods of time out of nowhere.
However, the film got to the point much
quicker because of this, and being that
this is a musical and not expected to have
the cleverest story ever, it was probably a
smart move by Chazelle to keep the film
moving at its exciting pace.
This film almost had too many good
qualities to point out the best ones. The
most obvious accomplishment is the
music itself, as composer Justin Hurwitz
makes a flawless soundtrack full of catchy
but powerful songs, and like in his and
Chazelle’s last feature film Whiplash
he appropriately glamorizes jazz. The
performance of the music brings back
good memories of old classics like Singin’
In the Rain or An American in Paris, but
manages to both pay homage and stay
modemized. The choreography of the
dancing is some of the best I’ve ever seen,
specifically the opening “Another Day of
Sun” scene, with countless extras dancing
along ina song you'll be tapping your feet
to for days.
The acting is also superb. While Ryan
Gosling’ s performance had its dryer
moments during the film’s buildup, he
got it together as the film went on and
exceled in the most important moments.
He also gave a solid singing performance.
Arguably most impressive was his
piano playing. Though many tracks
were pre-recorded, he was still able to
play the sequences by heart during the
filming (after rigorous practice), and
cinematographer Linus Sandgren took
great advantage; without a hand double
or CGI, he could film Gosling playing
any way he wanted to, and the results are
passionate and gorgeous looking musical
pieces. The cinematography in general
was far better than expected, looking
great when necessary and capturing the
emotion of the actors with romanticism.
Emma Stone gave a fantastic singing
performance, but even when speaking
normally she was incredibly powerful and
moving. The scene where her character
is interrupted during an emotional
audition (based off one of Ryan Gosling’s
actual auditions) required such layered
acting, her believability was almost
overwhelming as her character goes from
acting hurt to truly feeling that way. I
don’t think I’ve ever seen such valuable
emotional acting in a musical.
What more can be said about this film?
Itis a perfect 5/5. Damian Chazelle and
Justin Hurwitz wrote the dialogue and
music while attending Harvard many
years ago, but decided to wait to make it
because of demands for script changes
and a mere $1 million budget. This ended
up being a good call, as after the success
of Whiplash, studios were willing to shell
Source: Flickr.com/photos/bagogames
out for the emerging stars, as the budget
for this film ended up being $30 million.
The result is one of the most well-made
and passionate films in a long time, and
the tribute it pays to the old musicals that
Hollywood was once known for (notice
the “Presented in Cinemascope”) only
serves to add to the delightful experience
this film offers.
Damian Chazelle has truly proven
himself this time. His script seems to use
his own struggle to become successful in
chasing his dreams as inspiration, but this
is likely the end of those troubles, as he
is clearly a rare talent. The expectations
for his films are now sky high, but who
knows, he could be the next great auteur
of our time if he keeps making movies
like this one.
His next one is set to be a biopic about
Neil Armstrong, played by Ryan Gosling.
While it will be interesting to see his style
outside of the world of music, one might
argue that he seems most in his element in
LaLaLand. Regardless, see this movie,
especially if you like musicals, but as
somebody who generally has little love
for musicals I can tell you this film is a
worthwhile experience for all.
‘Manchester By The Sea’ is
bleak yet intensely emotional
By ANDY GALLA
Amazon productions has
officially thrown their hat in
the ring. Manchester By The
Sea, a film written and directed
by Kenneth Longeran, tells
the story of Lee Chandler, an
antisocial loner who just wants
to be left alone. The plot of
the film is exposed in non-
linear fashion, with timeline
jumps that are not dictated
but assumed because of how
drastically different his life
was. Eventually we see what
the tuming point in Lee’s life
truly was, and we understand
that his behavior is nothing
short of normal; he completely
ruined his own life and only
because of a small mistake
(spoiler alert: skip to the next
paragraph if you have not
seen it). Lee was married with
three kids but he accidently burns his home
down, killing his children. A fter that, Lee
changes, and this new Lee is the one we
become familiar with in the film, the Lee
who acts like he died with his kids.
This film has very few flaws, if any. The
soundtrack is a beautiful jumble of classical
music and Lesley Barber's score, both of
which double down on the emotion being
expressed in their respective scenes. The
cinematography is also gorgeous, with some
long takes and symmetry that you hope for
in such a serious film. These long takes
really accentuated the acting of the film,
particularly Casey Affleck (Lee) and Lucas
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Hedges, who plays Lee’s nephew whom
Lee must take care of after his brother
dies. Both performances were completely
natural, despite having to display complex
emotion, especially Affleck who must
display emotion with subtle behavior like
looking at the floor. Michelle Williams was
also fantastic, displaying great emotion with
Source: pressone.ro
ease, but its Hedges and Affleck
who truly carry the film as masters
of their craft. Kenneth Longeran
really impressed me, the direction
of the film really brought out all
its best qualities, combing them
even. For instance, the longer takes
looked amazing but also made
Hedges and A ffleck act for a long
time, and the longer the shot goes
the more you must be amazed
at how in-character both actors
stay. Longeran also penned an
incredible script, one that manages
to be funny despite the theme of
misery persisting. The dialogue
is believable but also saddening,
seemingly without even trying.
What is most incredible about
this film is how real it feels. It
almost seems weird to think about
how the events in this film did not
truly take place, it feels like the
actors are just being themselves,
the subtleties of behavior are
ridiculously well done. Longeran and
Amazon have both proved a lot, and I
wouldn't be shocked to see either A ffleck
or Hedges take home their respective
Oscar nominations. Longeran might have
a tougher time but he could pull it off, this
film is best picture quality.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2017
ALBANY STUDENT PRESS
| ALBUM REVIEW
Run The
By JULIAN ALBAN
On December 25 of last month, critically
beloved Hip-hop duo Run the Jewels
decided to grace their fans with an early
release of their highly anticipated third
album Run the Jewels 3. Fans and critics
from around the world eagerly unwrapped
Run the Jewels 3 on Christmas moming,
only to be greeted by the laziest, least
inspired, and most inconsistent album of
RTJ’s career.
Consisting of Atlanta rapper Killer Mike
and Brooklyn rapper/producer EL-P; RTJ
first hit the scene in 2013 with the release
of their eponymous debut album: Run the
Jewels. Remarkably enough both Killer
Mike and El-P were 38 years old when
the album came out which provided a
stark contrast to the “young man’s game”
reputation that Hip-hop generally upheld
for most of its existence. Their second
album Run the Jewels 2 only strengthened
the massive RTJ fan base and critical
acclaim, with Pitchfork notably deeming it
the best album of 2014.
Killer Mike and El-P were very quick to
capitalize on the success of Runs the Jewels
2, anotable case being the hysterically
absurd remix album Meow the Jewels
which featured instrumentals made solely
of various cat sounds. As RTJ’s following
grew, so did their online store. This was
evident by the wide variety of t-shirts,
hats, sweaters; and more unorthodox
music merchandise such as duvet covers,
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Band or Brand?
pillows, flags, watches, keychains, and
even cat food bowls. This blurring of the
line between band and brand continued
throughout 2016 with some examples
including multiple RT] themed Marvel
comic book covers, a collaboration with
animated sitcom Rick & Morty resulting
in various “Rick the Jewels” themed
clothing, and guest appearances as playable
characters in the newest Gears of War
video game.
Unfortunately, it
appears that RTJ’s
increased focus on
their image and
media presence has
directly impacted
the quality of
their music.
This becomes
immediately clear
on “Down”, the
opening track on
Run the Jewels
3. “Down” is a
classic example
of the assertive,
confident,
braggadocio that
has catapulted
RT] into superstardom. However, for
this particular track, as well as most of
the album, their shtick has grown stale.
This becomes apparent with the multiple
obnoxious outros/interludes that solely
consist of the repeated spelling of “R-T-J”
Jewels:
Source: Tom Spray / Pitchfork.com
on songs such as “Talk to Me” and
“Legend Has It”.
It isn’t until “Hey Kids (Bumaye)”,
the fifth song on the album, that Run the
Jewels 3 begins to pick up. However,
while it is certainly one of the better
songs on the album, Detroit rapper Danny
Brown’s subpar and unimaginative verse
is an ultra-rare example of one of his
guest appearances actually making a song
worse. Brown
isn’t the only
artist whose weak
feature distracts
from Killer Mike
and El-P’s more
though-provoking
lyrics. The track
“2100”, which is a
solid attempt at an
anti-Donald Trump
anthem contains a
bland hook from
singer/producer
BOOTS that makes
the track feel like a
cheap knockoff of
the “Early” from
Run the Jewels 2.
Perhaps the worse example is on “Panther
Like a Panther (Miracle Mix)” which
features a laughably generic chorus from
legendary Miami rapper Trina. Trina’s
hook, coupled with an irritating beat, and a
cringe-inducing fart joke from El-P makes
Source: wikipedia.org
EDITOR: ELI ENIS
ARTSENT.ASP@GMAIL.COM
7
“Panther Like a Panther (Miracle Mix)”
quite possibly the worst song on the album.
Despite its fair share of weak, repetitive
tracks; it would be both unreasonable and
off-base to suggest that Run the Jewels 3
doesn’t have its redeeming qualities. The
album is really able to shine on tracks
where Killer Mike and El-P take a break
from hyping themselves up in order to
focus on more in-depth social, political,
and personal ideas. The most striking
instance is on “Thursday in the Danger
Room” which has E]-P vividly capturing
the feelings of hopelessness and dread
that he experienced while watching his
close friend and musical collaborator, the
late Camu Tao, pass away after a painful
battle with lung cancer. On the very same
track Killer Mike also discusses a death
of close friend; who was tragically killed
by gun violence. In perhaps the most
impressive verse on the album, Killer Mike
astonishingly expresses forgiveness and
empathy towards his friend’s shooter by
demonstrating a clear understanding of
the societal factors that led to the horrific
incident in the first place. Combining these
two verses with lush and melodious horns
from saxophonist, and Kendrick Lamar
collaborator, Kamasi Washington; it is very
much within the room of possibility that
“Thursday in the Danger Room” will bring
more than a few tears to listener's eyes.
Despite its enjoyable moments, Run
The Jewels 3 has faults that cannot be
ignored. The album’s physical release
in particular, contained one highly
questionable business transaction. This
was due to the “Limited Edition Run the
Jewels 3 Cassette Tape”, which was solely
available through RTJ concerts or through
Urban Outfitters retailers. Given the
company’s controversial CEO, high-profile
Republican financial donor Richard Hayne,
fierce and passionate political songs such
“A Report to the Shareholders / Kill Y our
Masters” (which features vocals from Zak
De la Rocha of Rage Against the Machine)
and “Thieves! (Screamed the Ghost)”
feel somewhat undermined by the duo’s
enthusiastic work with such a morally
questionable corporation.
Ultimately this review conveys a deeply
unpopular opinion; as Run the Jewels
3 has gamered near universal acclaim
among critics and fans alike. What remains
frustrating however, is that the record’s
occasional glimmers of promise become
completely overshadowed by on onslaught
of shallow, self-serving, and repetitive
tracks that refuse to venture into any new
territory whatsoever. It cannot be disputed
that both Killer Mike and El-P are both
phenomenally talented musicians, however,
on this album it becomes apparent that their
success has gone to their heads.
| BORED?
Entertainment: Things to Do This Semester
By LINDSEY RIBACK
Despite the cold weather and occasional snowfall, there
are endless things to do both at the University at Albany
and in the greater city of Albany this semester.
UAlbany students can visit the University Art Museum
and access its array of exhibitions and art collections on
Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday through
Thursday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays 12 to 4 p.m.
Also on campus is the New Y ork State Writer’ s Institute,
which hosts various writers, filmmakers, performers, and
speakers throughout the semester. Among many other of
their accomplished guests, the institute will host David
Ebershoff, Author of “The Danish Girl.”
On the cold and rainy days you can head over to
Crossgates Mall, which is accessible from campus via the
12, 114, and 190. Besides, for the typical shopping trip
you can grab some food in the food court, enjoy a meal
at the Standard, the Melting Pot, and Texas de Brazil,
among many others, or catch the latest movie at the Regal
Crossgates Stadium. For some late night fun, head over
to Lucky Strike Social, Dave and Busters, or test your
adventurous side at 5 Wits.
Downtown Albany boasts many museums such as the
New Y ork State Museum, the Albany Institute of History
and Art, and the USS Slater.
For those who love the outdoors, the Pine Bush Preserve
is roughly 10 minutes from campus by car. If you want to
travel a bit further and get off campus for the day, Thatcher
State Park is just under a half hour away. Y ou can also hit
the slopes at Hunter Mountain, just over an hour south of
campus, Gore Mountain, roughly an hour and a half north
of Albany, or snowboards and skiers can travel about an
hour and a half northeast of campus to Vermont for Mount
Snow or Stratton.
Some specific local events to look forward to this
semester:
Come out and show your UA lbany pride at the 20th Big
Purple Grow! and Ferocious Feast on Saturday, Feb. 4.
The feast starts at 5 p.m. in the university gym where there
will be food, games, and prizes for attendees. A fter filling
up at the feast, head over to SEFCU Arena for the Big
Purple Growl as the Great Danes take on the Stony Brook
Seawolves. Tip-off is at 7:05 p.m.
For the lacrosse-lovers out there, there are two specific
home games to look forward to. On Saturday, March 11,
the men’s team plays against last year’s Big 10 Conference
champions, the University of Maryland Terrapins, at 3
p.m. and then they will face off against the Y ale University
Bulldogs on Saturday, April 22, also at 3 p.m.
In March the Student Association plans to host “SA
Day.” This will be the first event of its kind and will serve
as a day to educate students about SA. Great Danes will
have the opportunity to receive giveaways and participate
in various activities similar to the Block Party and Great
Danetopia held in the fall. The date and time have yet to be
announced, but it is expected to be held mid-March either
just before or after spring break.
UAlbany will welcome Supreme Court Justice, Sonia
Sotomayor on A pril 4 as part of their annual Speaker
Series. Registration information has yet to be announced,
but the Speaker Series has previously hosted Brandon
Stanton of Humans of New Y ork, Bill Nye, and the former
president, Bill Clinton.
On Mother’s Day weekend, May 13 and 14, head
downtown to Washington Park for the 69th Annual Tulip
Fest. The Royal Tulip Ball will be held Saturday, May
13 at 6:30 p.m., but most of the entertainment will be on
Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. when local artists take to
the various stages and booths will be set up featuring local
vendors, businesses, and organizations.
As tradition, Parkfest will be held at the end of the
semester. While the date has been set for Saturday, April
29, SA has just begun to pursue performers so no contracts
have been solidified yet. Past performers include 2 Chainz,
J Cole, Fetty Wap, Rae Sremmurd, Future, and Jerimih.
Whether you’ re looking to stay on-campus or head
elsewhere, there are many opportunities for Great Danes
to enjoy their time in Albany and its surrounding areas in
both the cold and warmer weathers.
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im WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
TATE AND THE DANES BEND BUT DON’T BREAK
By JUSTIN BERGLUND
The University at Albany women’s basketball team
held off a late comeback from conference rival Hartford
on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Hawks 82-71
Saturday afternoon at SEFCU Arena.
The Great Danes dominated the first three quarters--at
one point growing their lead to as high as 31 points. But
Hartford proceeded to start the fourth quarter with a 26-5
run, cutting the lead all the way to 6 with 2:06 left in
the game. The Danes quickly regained their composure
and raised the lead to 11 with just over a minute left,
ultimately sealing back-to-back wins for the Danes after
their win over Vermont earlier in the week. The Danes
are now 11-10 on the season, improving their record to
6-3 in conference play.
“T thought the first three quarters was as good of any
three quarters that we have put together all year,” Rookie
head coach Joanna Bernabei-McNamee said of the early
dominance. “The fourth quarter was a bit of a different
story, both with us maybe trying to hang on to the lead,
and us fouling a lot more and reverted a bit.”
Berabei-Mcnamee also joked about her team’s
performance, saying “This team definitely knows how
to keep it interesting. I think that’s a crowd pleaser right
there.”
The team was led by senior guard Imani Tate, who
filled the stat sheet with 23 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds,
4 steals and one block. Tate appeared to sustain an
injury to her ankle toward the end of the first quarter,
which forced her to miss the entire second quarter. Tate
emerged from the locker room ready to roll in the second
half, later saying adrenaline allowed her to fight through
the pain. She took over the game in the third quarter,
scoring 14 of her team’s 29 points. Tate created the two
highlights of the game with a dazzling behind-the-back
assist to Khepera Stokes on a fast-break, as well as an
emphatic block on Hartford’s Darby Lee with :44 left in
the third.
One of the biggest contributors to the UAlbany win
was the Danes’ dominance on the glass. Overall, the
Danes outrebounded Hartford 41-29. UAlbany was
especially dominant in the first half, outrebounding the
Hawks 27-11, 12 of which were on the offensive end.
Hartford also struggled with staying out of foul
trouble throughout the game. The Hawks finished
with four players with 4 or more fouls, including Lee
who eventually fouled out. After scoring 5 points in
Hartford's fourth quarter rally, Lee committed her 5th
foul of the game with 3:32 left in the fourth quarter with
her team’s deficit trimmed to 10, sending her to the
bench and ending her night. Not by coincidence, Lee’s
absence seemingly ended the Hawks rally and killed the
momentum they had built throughout the quarter.
UAlbany and Hartford now share second place in the
America East standings with Binghamton, as all three
teams sit at 5-3 in conference play. The Danes will spend
the next week on the road, facing UMass-Lowell and
Stony Brook on their home courts.
Dalia Yan / Albany Student Press
Imani Tate takes a highly contested shot in the
Danes’s victory over Hartford.
| PROFILE
After Health Crisis, Charles is the Danes’ “Heart” and Soul
By ALLEN ENRIQUEZ
After only competing in nine games last season for the
University at Albany’s men’s basketball team, forward
Travis Charles has bounced back from a heart condition
and is having a positive impact off the bench for the
Great Danes.
During one of the final days of the 2015-16 preseason,
Charles, a Brooklyn native and transfer from Howard
College, walked into the locker room feeling nauseous.
Already dwenched in sweat, Charles’ teammates kept
asking him if he had already completed a workout before
the actual team practice had started, which he didn’t.
Charles then walked into the training room vomited.
Thirty minutes later, he woke up in a hospital room
surrounded by doctors.
“Tt happened so quick like bang, bang, bang,” Charles
said. “They were running so many tests on me and I was
just waiting for them to tell me what’s wrong. That was
nerve-racking in itself.”
His doctors diagnosed Charles with a heart condition
called acute pericarditis, an inflammation of the
pericarditis of the heart. Naturally, the delivery of the
news terrified the 21-year-old.
“I was petrified because when you're 21 years old and
you work out probably at least six days a week and you
find out you have a heart condition, it’s like ‘Dang, will
I ever be able to play basketball again?’” Charles said.
“How was my life going to change? All these different
types of questions run through your head and that’s all I
thought about.”
Charles also thought about Hank Gathers, the former
Loyola Marymount basketball player who collapsed and
died on the court due to an unknown heart condition.
“Y ou start to imagine if that could happen to you. It
was just scary.”
While receiving treatment for his heart condition,
Charles spent most of the basketball season at home
in Brooklyn with his family. Charles’ days consisted
of undergoing different tests and evaluations while
his family stayed
to support him,
encouraging him to
play video games to
keep his mind off his
issues. He drastically
changed his diet,
largely cutting out fast
food and switching
to more heart-healthy
foods like tomatoes
and berries.
But the thing that
bothered the forward
the most was watching
his team enjoy a 24-9
season without him.
“That was probably
one of the hardest
moments of my life
being a competitor,”
Charles said.
“Especially watching
games where you
know you would have
an impact--it was hard.
Sometimes I would
want to get up and leave
because | literally couldn't do anything.”
After getting cleared to return to practice, Charles
began the process of returning to the court, which wasn't
such a cakewalk.
“The process was terrible; I was tired all the time,”
Charles said. “So you know after the season, you have
a couple weeks off, catch up on your work and then we
start the postseason stuff. I was just there like, ‘Dude,
I’m tired.’ I basically went cold turkey for about four
months but then I eventually started working my way
back. I would go to the gym on my own and get some
extra conditioning and stuff.”
Throughout the process, Charles not only had to
“2
> ac _m
John C. Longton Ill / Albany Student Press
Travis Charles shoots over a defender. He has become a key player off the bench for the Danes
despite being less than a year removed from being diagnosed with a perilous heart condition.
prepare for the season physically, but also mentally.
With the support of his team and his family, Charles
didn’t go through the recovery process alone.
“The coaching staff was very patient with me,”
Charles said. “It was more than just basketball, it was
life.”
Now averaging 7.1 PPG and 3.9 RPG for the Great
Danes, Charles feels better than ever because he gets to
play every game with his teammates.
“I don’t take anything for granted,” Charles said. “Just
to be back on the court, I’m happy. I always tell myself
to have fun, because things could be worse.”
The Editar’ s Take on the Super Bowl:
Wanted: LIFEGUARDS &
SWIM INSTRUCTORS
Flexible hours — days, nights and weekends available
It’s really tough to bet against the Patriots.
Atlanta is a really good team with a high-
scoring offense and great playmakers. But
New England has no weaknesses. Tom Brady
is the best quarterback to ever play in the
NEL. I’ve been watching he and Bill Belich-
ick carve up defenses since I was 5 years old
and I have no reason to believe that won't be
the case again on Sunday. A tlanta has had an
unforgettable season and quarterback Matt
Ryan deserves to be the MVP, but unfortu-
nately the Falcons’ season won’ t end the way
they want it to.
The CAPITAL DISTRICT YMCA is looking for Lifeguards
& Swim Instructors for the following branches:
GREENBUSH and TROY Branches call:
Emily Furthman 518.477.2570 x 1230
ALBANY and BETHLEHEM Branches
call: Jean Berry 518.463.9622 x 1330
CAPITAL DISTRICT YMCA
P= www.CDYMCA.org
the
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2017
ALBANY STUDENT PRESS
SPORTS
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR: JOHN C. LONGTON Ill
SPORTS.ASP@GMAIL.COM
10
‘mat MEN’S BASKETBALL
Great Danes Offense, Winning Streak
Unravel in Loss to University of Vermont
Brittany Gregory / Albany Student Press
Senior F Dallas Ennema (pictured above) and the rest of the Great Danes were stymied by the stingy Vermont defense in their 60-49 home loss at the SEFCU Arena.
By JOHN C LONGTON III
The men’s basketball team lost to Vermont 60-49 in the
final installment of a 3-game home stand this past W ednes-
day night at SEFCU Arena.
The Danes (13-10, 4-4) came into the game on a 3-game
win streak, but were outmatched by their Catamount (18-5,
8-0) counterparts, who won eight in a row coming into the
matchup.
The Danes had beaten the Catamounts at home in every
meeting since John Becker since took over as head coach
for Vermont in 2011. UAlbany or Stony Brook have ended
Vermont's season in four of those seasons, so Becker and
his team were excited to pull out the W in the place their
coach had never won before.
“These are two teams that have ended our season every
year that I've been a coach and every year these guys have
been players,” Becker said after the game. “It’s just kind of
a test to see where we’ re at.”
In the first half UAlbany held its own and seemed as if
they could go toe-to-toe with Vermont. It was a back-and-
forth game until the waning minutes of the first half. The
game was tied at 25 and both teams were still trying to feel
each other out. From there Vermont ignited a 10-0 run,
imposing their will and changing the trajectory of the game
in the process,
It was a chippy contest from the start with both players
on both teams constantly hitting the deck fighting for loose
balls. Tempers flared, introducing an element of physi-
cality to the game which UA lbany wasn’t quite ready to
handle.
“I thought this was a very physical game,” said Will
Brown, the head coach of UAlbany now in his 16th season.
“Y ou have to give Vermont credit in crowding (David)
Nichols and (Joe) Cremo and getting them to pass the
basketball.”
Cremo and Nichols are the two players who have carried
the Danes so far this year. Each player stands in the top-10
in points per game in the America East. But on Wednes-
day, neither scorer could get his game going thanks to a
swarming Vermont defense. The Catamounts limited the
sophomore duo to 25 points altogether.
The Danes did however make a second half push that
ultimately came up short. UA lbany trailed by 10 or 12
points for most of the second half, but did manage to close
the gap to single digits with about six minutes to play.
Depth proved to be the deciding factor as Bekcer was con-
stantly able to dive deep into his bench for fresh legs. Ten
players on Vermont's roster saw action on the court, which
proved to be the difference in the game because Vermont's
swarming defense never wavered In intensity.
“I thought their depth would only be an issue if we got
into foul trouble,” Brown said.
Nichols picked up two fouls early in the first half,
sending him to the bench prematurely. Devonte Campbell
eventually fouled out of the game.
“I think we missed an awful lot of shots within five or
six feet of the basket,” said Brown.
The Danes scored their lowest point total of the season,
shooting only 30 percent from the field. The Vermont de-
fense gave them fits, which led to tempers flaring between
teammates at the end of the game.
Just after the game ended an altercation took place he-
tween Nichols and forward Travis Charles at center court.
The two were jawing at each other and eventually had to
be separated by teammates. A fter the incident the captains
of the team called a players-only meeting, presumably for
the team to get to the bottom of potential chemistry issues.
“When I was done talking to them they wanted to meet,”
said Brown when responding to the media who asked why
some of his players weren’ t available to speak. “This is a
young team, an inexperienced team and they are generally
disappointed.”
Whatever was said in the meeting is unknown, but
UAlbany did bounce back on Saturday and defeated
Hartford 74-61. UAlbany’s season ended abruptly last year
when they lost a shocker to Hartford 68-59 in the America
East quarterfinals at SEFCU Arena. The Danes avenged
last year’s loss to Hawks, but six games stand between a
chance to get even with the Catamounts.
“We've got a lot of games before we have to go up to
Burlington to play them,” Brown said. “I love when the
opportunity presents itself.”
The Danes host UMass-Lowell on Wednesday, whom
the Danes lost to earlier this month. The game is scheduled
for 7:00 pm at SEFCU Arena.
| DANE PRIDE
Even As a Pro Overseas, Peter Hooley Will
Always Bea Part of the “Purple Fam”
By ROBERT LEPELSTAT
Depending on who you ask, the term may warrant dif-
ferent interpretations. But for students at the University at
Albany, the phrase refers to one thing, and one thing only.
March 14, 2015 will forever be remembered as the day
that Peter Hooley, in the waning seconds of the A merica
East Championship Game between UA lbany and Stony
Brook, took a tipped ball off the fingertips of fellow Aus-
tralian teammate Sam Rowley and nailed the game-winning
three to send UA bany to a third straight NCAA tourna-
ment. Not only was the shot itself improbable--Hooley
turned a tipped ball into UA lbany’s first converted three
of the game-- but it’s the circumstances surrounding the
shot that made it an incredible story. Hooley’s mother
had passed away about a month-and-a-half earlier after a
long battle with colon cancer. “When you’ ve got angels
watching you, you can do anything,” Hooley said after that
special game.
Fast-forward about 22 months later and Hooley is now
embarking on a new joumey, embracing every aspect of life
in the U.K. while pursuing his lifelong dream of a profes-
sional basketball career. Hooley is halfway through his first
season with the Plymouth Raiders of the British Basketball
League, who recently clinched a berth in the BBL semifi-
nal.
“We're going to be challenging to win the whole thing
so it’s exciting for me.” Hooley said. “For me I’m just
trying to do the best I can with the opportunities I’ve been
given--anything I can to try and make this team better.”
Even with all the success he has experienced in his first
season as a pro, Hooley hasn't forgotten about his former
home court, SEFCU Arena, and his “Purple Fam.”
“The connections I managed to make with so many
people. It got to the point in my last couple years I could
walk around before or after a game and I knew so many fa-
miliar faces. I could have so many good talks with people,”
Hooley said. “It’s great to have the Purple Fam with you
and I'll always have that. My memories of winning three
championships will live with me forever but it’s those
friendships— teammates, coaches and everyone else in
Albany-- I'll always cherish that.”
Despite the five-hour time difference and a busy sched-
ule, Hooley still makes sure to watch every UAlbany game
from Britain, using it as an opportunity to catch up with the
friends he’s made along the way, including former team-
mates Ray Sanders and Evan Singletary, whom he ex-
changes phone calls and text messages with while watching
the Great Danes. Hooley has also managed to keep in touch
with his closest friends from the current UA lbany roster,
including fellow Aussies Mike Rowley and Dallas Ennema.
It wouldn't be right for Hooley to speak about his time
in the 518 without mentioning UAlbany’s head coach
Will Brown, who is now in his 16th season with the Great
Danes. Hooley said he keeps in touch with his former coach
every other day, as well as Coach Brown’s wife, Jamie,
and the rest of the Brown family. “I can’t say enough
praise about him. He was there for me through everything,”
Hooley said. “He made me a better basketball player yes,
but he made me a better person as well which I can’t thank
him enough for.”
With his graduate school work over, Hooley hopes to
begin writing a memoir about everything he experienced
in college, which he is excited to share with the world. He
says his mother and “The Shot” will play a prominent role
init.
Even 22 months later, Hooley is still asked about the
iconic shot against Stony Brook that “just can’t seem to
escape him”, saying “It’s funny because obviously I’m in
anew place but I still hear about it regularly. People tell
me it’s the first thing you see when you type my name in
on Google. I look back on that shot pretty regularly and
is something that really defined my life-- not in terms of
basketball but everything else it meant.”
For Hooley, the future is bright and he has shown he has
everything it takes both on and off the court to be a success-
ful pro at the next level- his maturity, hard work, dedication
and commitment to the game as well as his ability to hit the
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big shot with the game on the line. But regardless of what
happens in his basketball future, Hooley will never forget
the memories and friendships he’s made at UA lbany. He'll
always be a member of the “Purple Fam” because as they
say: Once a Great Dane, always a Great Dane.
Source: ualbanysports.com
Peter Hooley, UAlbany basketball legend.
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0