Women's lacrosse returns to postseason play

As the women’s lacrosse season comes to a close, the Knights earned the third seed in the SUNYAC Tournament, finishing the regular season with a conference record of 6-2 and an overall record of 13-2. Geneseo matched up against Buffalo State in the first round of the playoffs on Tuesday April 28, defeating the Bengal Tigers 12-3. Since the Knights finished with the third seed, they had the advantage of a home game in the first round. After beating the Bengals, the rest of the tournament will be played at SUNY Cortland—the Red Dragons clinched home field advantage for the SUNYAC Tournament by clinching the top seed. But according to head coach Carly Ritchlin, her players are taking this tournament one game at a time.

“Cortland has hosted 11 of the 12 years I have been here, so for us to play there in the postseason is something our team is used to. We always end up playing there for the postseason at least once,” Ritchlin said. “But before we get to that point, we are just focusing on our next opponent—because if we cannot get past them, we do not advance in the postseason.”

Cortland has dominated the SUNYAC Conference, winning 17 of the conference’s 18 tournaments. Geneseo will need to be ready both physically and mentally in order to succeed.

“I tell our team before every game that when we execute our stuff and play how we are capable of, we are the best team out there. We truly are a special group when we operate efficiently and play how we have practiced,” Ritchlin said. “The teams that get the farthest in the postseason are the ones that come together and are able to perform under the pressure of the tournament and simply compete.”

This season the Knights have gotten a lot of support from their defense—these players have been able to anchor down and stop teams from going on a scoring frenzy. Ritchlin noted, however, that she would like to see her offense produce more in order to really put out the best effort.

“Our defense has been huge for us this year because they are always the ones that keep us ahead in games and put us in a position to win. It is crucial that our offense picks it up in the postseason because I still think they have not reached their potential,” she said. “Do not get me wrong, they have done a great job all season, but I have seen how good they can be—our offense is scary good when they are playing well together.”

For the four seniors on this team, the SUNYAC Tournament could be the last time they play organized lacrosse. Conversely, the nine freshman players are experiencing their first tournament. Watching these two groups mesh together has been what Ritchlin described as “the reason I love coaching here.”

“Geneseo is a special program because our team is so close knit. Our team is very coachable—they come in wanting to get better every day, which I am very thankful for,” she said. “For the seniors, I am positive that they are going to leave everything out there, and I feel as if the first-years will follow suit. It should be interesting how everything works out.”

The Knights will take on SUNY Fredonia at Cortland on Friday May 1 in the semifinals of the SUNYAC Tournament.

Social host law may discourage students from seeking help

In a unanimous vote, the Village Board of Geneseo passed the Social Host Law on April 20. This law has—understandably—dismayed many college students. The law levies fines of up to $500 and possible jail time for anyone who hosts a party where alcohol or illegal drugs are given to a minor. Though the law may be considered a valiant attempt to curb unlawful and dangerous activity by some, in actuality this law does the exact opposite. The law will likely make an extremely difficult—yet life-threatening—choice even tougher: the choice to call 911 if an underage friend becomes ill from alcohol or other illegal substances. If someone’s life is in danger, calling for help is always the proper choice regardless of potential legal ramifications. This choice, however, may not be as easy to make while one is panicked or inebriated. To pass a law that makes this decision even tougher is counterproductive to its goal and inherently shameful.

Previously, one would be protected from possession of alcohol or drug charges if 911 had to be called for a medical emergency—but now this policy is effectively gone. “This [law] does not grant you complete amnesty. Of course if someone is in trouble and you call the ambulance, you’re doing the right thing,” Geneseo Police Chief Eric Osganian said while speaking to the Genesee Sun. “We will work with you to get a feel for the situation. If there is one underage person at your party that is one thing, but if there are 10 we will still have a problem.”

In other words, if several minors are drinking at a party and one becomes dangerously ill, partygoers will now be even more wary to call for help, as they will not be completely protected from liability.

The law also states, “Such person must take reasonable corrective action to ensure that the possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs by any minor on such premises is prohibited.” This means that if a host checks everyone’s driver’s licenses or marks minors’ hands with a marker, he or she will not be charged. This fails to explain, however, who would be held responsible should a drinking-age partygoer give minors alcohol without the permission or knowledge of the host. Who will decide how “reasonable” a host’s actions were in preventing underage drinking? What is to stop the host from being punished for another partygoer’s unverifiable actions?

Geneseo Mayor Richard Hatheway addressed the concerns voiced by several college students at a hearing. “I think they were not necessarily on target in that they got off on too many ‘what ifs’ and worrying about some inebriated person showing up at their house,” he said.

While “what if” questions can be inappropriate and distracting—especially at a public hearing—I believe that they are extremely relevant in a discussion about a law with potentially life-threatening consequences. Without answers to these questions now, students will be hesitant to call an ambulance for an ill, underage friend in a time of need.

To act dismissively toward students who genuinely want to know what the law entails is to act dismissively toward the wellbeing of every student at Geneseo.

Former Division I tennis player finds home at Geneseo

Junior Cat Crummey has come a long way since picking up a tennis racket for the first time as a 4-year-old. The list of her accolades has grown since and it will continue to grow as the Knights take on many challenging competitors in the tail end of their season. The Loudonville, New York-native explained that she was influenced by her two elder sisters to start playing tennis. Crummey played only during the summer at first, but tennis quickly grew into more than just a seasonal, recreational sport for her. “When I became 10 years old, I realized that’s what I want to do,” she said. “So I started playing all year-round.”

Crummey qualified for the New York State high school championships five times. It was there that Crummey finished fourth and won the Sportsmanship Award as a senior. Her commendations go on, including playing team tennis in the 1B and 1A National Championships, where she beat a five-star recruit.

With regards to her career highlights, Crummey recalled her excitement in a national competition when she beat a tennis player in a national high school competition who now plays for the University of Oregon. “I was warming up and I thought, ‘This girl is going to kill me, she’s so good,’” Crummey said. “But I was playing really well that day. I won in a tiebreaker third set … I remember I walked off the court and I was crying—I was so happy.”

After high school, Crummey played for Division I University at Albany for two seasons before transferring to Geneseo. Crummey explained that she was drawn to Geneseo due to both its academics and the impressive reputation that head coach Jim Chen has built for his tennis team in Division III. Balancing Geneseo’s highly ranked tennis and academics is nothing Crummey can’t handle, however.

“I actually do better [academically] when I’m in season because you feel like you need to get your priorities straight,” she said. “It’s more of a schedule—it keeps you structured.” A math and business major, Crummey hopes to go to law school or to get her masters of business administration after college.

Over a month remains in the Knights’ schedule—the NCAA Tournament starts on May 8. The team will be going up against difficult competition to prepare for the even tougher competition in the Tournament. “The team’s main goal is to win the second round and to go on in the NCAA Tournament,” Crummey said. “My goal personally is to just go out and try my best and win all the matches I can.”

Crummey noted that she loves cheering her teammates on, stressing how winning a match isn’t just about getting a point as an individual, but rather for the team. That being said, Crummey still has her own matches to think about.

“When I’m on the court, I’ll fight until I don’t have anything left. I don’t want to lose,” Crummey said. “I will fight.”

Crummey will indeed fight as the Knights take on the University of Rochester at home on Thursday April 9.

Men’s lacrosse loses sixth straight game

Coming off a loss to SUNY Plattsburgh on Saturday April 4, the Geneseo men’s lacrosse team hoped to bounce back against SUNY Cortland in its first home game of the season. But a home atmosphere doesn’t guarantee anything—the Knights fell 11-9 to the Red Dragons on Wednesday April 8. The Knights are in the thick of their schedule with many tough games ahead. The Red Dragons are in first place in the SUNYAC, followed closely by Plattsburgh. Nevertheless, head coach Jim Lyons was optimistic before the game against Cortland.

“With the way that we played in the second half on Saturday, I think that it is well within us to pull out a victory,” he said. In the second half against Plattsburgh, the Knights kept it close with a goal differential of 4-6. “If we had had two halves of the game like our second half, then we could have won that game,” he added.

But there is some good news out there for the Knights. After being confined to a gym for most practices this season, the Knights were able to get in a home game. Playing at home allows the players to eat and sleep where they are comfortable and is extremely advantageous.

“Playing at home is something that I wish we could have been doing all season,” Lyons said. “The players are more comfortable at home, their families get a chance to see them play and they don’t have to sleep in a hotel room. Everything about home games is better.”

Having lost six straight games, Geneseo is going to have to pull out all the stops if the Knights want to go far in the postseason. As Lyons said, they will need to play an entire game instead of just playing strong individual halves. That is much easier said than done, however. The Knights are going to have to rely on their strong offensive and defensive capabilities, which have shone brightly at certain times. If they can manage to do those things, it could put them back on track heading into the tail end of their season.

The Knights will play at St. John Fisher College on Saturday April 11 and will host SUNY Oneonta—barring inclement weather—on Tuesday April 14.

Softball wins four straight after slow start in Florida

The Knights have earned some much-needed wins since returning to play in New York State. Geneseo split a doubleheader on Thursday April 2 against SUNY Cortland and continued to control its home turf as the Knights swept SUNY Oswego on Friday April 3 and Keuka College on Tuesday April 7. With these victories, the Knights have pushed themselves back to a .500 record in SUNYAC play—they’re 3-3 in the conference and 8-9 overall. Geneseo is fortunate enough to have a diverse mix of players with a relatively even balance between all class years. While the transition from high school to college athletics may take some getting used to, it is necessary to adjust mentally and physically to have the highest chance of success throughout the season. This holds especially true for players that are not used to playing two games a day.

Senior pitcher/infielder Katie Muller—a mathematics major from Manlius, New York—and senior catcher Ashley Fillmore—a psychology major from Getzville, New York—both said they were able to put more wins on the board after returning from Florida. “I think as a team we were able to come together more,” Muller said. “We were more in-sync and used to being outside—because Florida was our first time being outside on the field this season.”

Fillmore agreed, noting how their games in New York are paramount to the team’s success. “There is a bigger motivation to play SUNYAC teams than the teams out of conference,” Fillmore said. “I think we took [the conference games] a little more seriously.”

Both athletes were playing softball long before coming to Geneseo, but they haven’t always played double-headers so consistently. “I like it better this way,” Muller said. “No matter what, we are going to have to play every team twice. If we didn’t do it this way, we would be playing almost every day—with school, that would be impossible.”

Fillmore agreed that having the doubleheader system is best for the team, but it undoubtedly takes a toll on her mind and body. “It is definitely hard to stay mentally focused through both games,” she said. “If we win the first game, it can be harder to win the second game and keep yourself focused throughout the whole thing.”

The Knights are lucky to have formed such strong relationships with their fellow teammates, as well as with head coach David Sylvester in his third year coaching the team. Sylvester takes into account the high amounts of physical and mental vigor associated with daily practice and the doubleheaders on game days.

With many of the players able to play more than one position, Sylvester is able to substitute someone in when another player might need a break. Muller said that doubleheaders also benefit the team socially. “Everybody on the team is very close,” she said.

The Knights’ home doubleheader that was scheduled for Wednesday April 8 against Nazareth College was postponed due to inclement weather. They will face SUNY Brockport at home on Friday April 10 at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Women’s lacrosse falls to fifth ranked Cortland

The Geneseo women’s lacrosse team is off to a 2-1 start in SUNYAC play. After defeating SUNY New Paltz 12-6, SUNY Cortland defeated the Knights 17-7. This was Geneseo’s first loss of the season after a hot start—winning six straight games. The Knights then beat SUNY Oswego 12-6 on Tuesday April 7. But as junior defender Bridget Lincoln said, the loss to Cortland was a minor speed bump in the grand scheme of things. “They are a really good team, so it’s not really rebounding from the loss but rather fixing what we already do well to get a better result next time,” Lincoln said. “If we can correct mistakes and handle what we can control, then we can move on and get to a better place in the conference.”

The Knights only dropped one spot in the national rankings—they’re now 18th. They have seven games left before the SUNYAC Tournament. The Knights have made it to the conference championship the past two years, but lost to Cortland in the finals both times. This year’s team, however, has a different camaraderie, something that Lincoln attributes to their successes.

“We all get along so well and we have great chemistry on and off the field,” Lincoln said. “We are able to work hard together and we all want the same thing so it makes practices and games a lot easier.”

Of the Knights’ five remaining SUNYAC games, four are against unranked opponents. This should allow Geneseo to get some major work in before the team has to potentially face Cortland again. The Knights are also looking to reaching the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive year. Although the end goal is to get as far as possible, Lincoln and the rest of the Geneseo team have the mentality of “one game at a time.”

“If we look ahead to the end of the season, we would be getting ahead of ourselves and lose focus. Instead, we like to only take the game in front of us and that opponent, because that is what will get us to postseason play,” Lincoln said. “Our most important game is the next game and that has been our motto since the first day of practice.”

As with any team, coaching is a big part of the team’s success. Head coach Carly Ritchlin has given the women keys to succeed and the players have recognized her efforts—her will to win rubs off on the team.

“She is great, she is honestly one of the best coaches I have had. She knows how to get us all to work together and always prepares us for our next game very well,” Lincoln said. “She pushes us to work hard and, if you saw the amount of effort she puts into each practice and game, you would want to match that intensity and match it to put your best effort out there every time you step on the field.”

The Knights will face Buffalo State at Webster Schroeder High School on Thursday April 9.

Cheerful comedy of “Kimmy Schmidt” recalls glory days of NBC

Some of us are still mourning the end of NBC’s Thursday night comedy block. We watched as each beloved show faded away, one by one—first “30 Rock,” then “The Office.” We endured the drama of the “Community”’s cancellation of “Community” and its Yahoo reboot, and we recently experienced a satisfying “Parks and Recreation” finale.

Although the new Netflix original series “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”—created by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock—doesn’t quite hit the mark, it nonetheless evokes that same appreciation and enjoyment I once felt for my favorite comedy shows.

The allure of “UKS” comes from its familiar faces and lighthearted comedy. Ellie Kemper of “The Office” plays the titlular character Kimmy Schmidt, an optimistic, childish 29-year-old whose naivety comes from her being forced to live in an underground bunker—essentially owned by a cult—for 15 years.

Some of the funniest lines come from Schmidt, as her knowledge of the world ends somewhere in the mid-1990s and her positivity is at a Leslie Knope-level of unattainability. Her character development over the season reveals a determined, passionate woman who is capable of bouncing back from tragedy and failure with a smile and a series of outdated pop culture references.

The gem in the show’s crown is Schmidt’s roommate Titus Andromedon, portrayed by Tituss Burgess. Andromedon combines the exaggerated dramatics of a struggling actor with the harrowing responsibilities of a youngish adult—in one episode he can’t use an ATM because he only has two dollars in his bank account.

One of Andromedon’s best moments is also one of the best social commentaries offered by the show. When Andromedon walks around New York City fully dressed as a werewolf for a job at a theme restaurant, he realizes he is treated better as a werewolf than as a black man. The plot respectfully touches on race relations while still maintaining comedic value, crucially alluding to the real-life New York Police Department that is currently under scrutiny for its handling of racism.

Unfortunately, the accurate race representation ends there, as a red flag emerges with another main character—Schmidt’s boss, Jacqueline Voorhees, portrayed by “30 Rock” alumna Jane Krakowski. An episode about Voorhees’s backstory reveals that she is Native American and wears blue contact lenses and dyes her hair blonde to pass as a white woman.

This plotline and Voorhees’s dramatic, materialistic character are reminiscent of Fey-ist comedy. Voorhees is almost indistinguishable from “30 Rock”’s Jenna Maroney, not only because they are portrayed by the same actress but because of their outrageous one-liners. While Fey likes to push the boundaries of political correctness, the portrayal of a Native American woman by a white actress goes too far, as it essentially undermines the goal of achieving accurate representation of minorities on television.

It is difficult not to compare “UKS” to Fey’s previous work. The same quirky humor that made “30 Rock” a success is part of what makes this new offering so likable. Fortunately, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” is still capable of standing on its own. Its original story gives it character, and its characters give it humility. It seems to fit right in with my NBC favorites and I can’t wait to binge-watch the next season.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Will Butler’s solo debut: no "Reflektor" of Arcade Fire

It’s all here: the fuzzy guitars, the get-up-and-dance drumbeats and the half-shouted vocals—all the elements of early-2000s Arcade Fire. Will Butler’s debut album Policy has critics and audiences reminiscing with nostalgic longing of Arcade Fire’s lost energy and fury. This says a lot about the Arcade Fire of The Suburbs and beyond. The shenanigans like the papier-mâché heads and fake stages that once marked live performances have been consistently lambasted for trading energetic and raw for calculated and precise.

The problem with these criticisms is they fail to acknowledge just how much Arcade Fire has grown over the years. No, the band’s new material won’t blow you away with grand, operatic and melodramatic choruses, but this is just proof of artistic growth. Arcade Fire’s 2013 album Reflektor wasn’t bad—it just wasn’t as flawless as the band’s three previous records have shown to be.

Inevitably, as Butler served as the poster child of early Arcade Fire’s frantic and intense energy, his debut will be compared to the former of these two emergent “eras” of Arcade Fire. While the multi-instrumentalist appears to lean on the early side of the discography, he comes up short on much of what made that period so successful for the band.

Absent are the sweeping choruses of Funeral, the conceptual direction of The Suburbs and the subtlety of Reflektor. Indeed, Policy ends up sounding most like 2003’s exciting but largely immature EP Arcade Fire.

Policy’s opening track “Take My Side” shares many features of the 2003 version of “No Cars Go.” Still, the song leaves a lot to be desired. Gone are the horns and the sonic charge that gave “No Cars Go” its replay value.

At the end of the day, Policy deserves to be judged on its own merits, though it is unclear whether the younger Butler will be able to break free of the comparisons—especially given Arcade Fire’s monolithic presence atop the indie totem pole.

The album paints an altogether uncertain picture. Tracks like “Something’s Coming” and “Anna” tease an electronic influence suggestive of Reflektor, whereas key tracks “What I Want” and opener “Take My Side” take a strikingly different, authentically New York rock direction.

The album’s stylistic diversity is not necessarily a bad quality, but across a mere 27 minutes and 8 songs, it feels less a coherent album and more a collection of singles Butler had lying around.

In the inescapable comparison between Butler and his “parent” band, Policy sounds the most like Arcade Fire. That is to say, it isn’t perfect—or even above average—but it certainly indicates Butler’s potential as a solo artist.

Rating: 2.5 stars

Bad Romance: The Lamron staff divulges worst dating experiences

When I was in high school, I got set up for a date with this girl through mutual friends. It was the middle of December and we went to a small coffee shop along the water on Long Island. I ordered green tea and since it was so picturesque, we carried our drinks outside to sit by the water. I was shivering so much that I spilled my scalding hot tea right on my crotch. Since it was so frigid, however, I barely even flinched and I’m pretty sure she didn’t notice. It actually felt kind of nice because of how cold it was. I spent the rest of that night with my pants soaked in green tea. -Managing editor Kevin Frankel

Toward the end of my freshman year of college at the University of Alabama, I got a text from a friend asking me to go to my high school’s prom with one of her friends. I hadn’t seen my high school friends in a while and thought it would be a fun time, so I said yes, even though I didn’t know this girl. I was really wrong. I started drinking before pictures were taken, but it didn’t help. By the time we got to the prom, my date disappeared and I ended up hanging out with my sister who was working at the dance. At the after party, none of the high schoolers knew how to hold their liquor, so the only college kid there got to babysit.

-Sports editor Taylor Frank

I was dating a guy who played the trumpet in his high school band. We went out to a local Mexican restaurant and ordered tacos and quesadillas. The meal was decent and he paid for everything, so I was having a pretty good time. After dinner we went back to this house. Then, my date suggested I hear him play his trumpet. So I agreed––I mean, why not? He began playing and I soon realized that the only reason he wanted me to hear him play the trumpet was because he had to fart––he thought that the loud sound of the trumpet would have masked the sound of his monstrous fart.

-Photo editor Zoe Finn

I was new in New York City and downloaded Tinder. I got a message from an Italian guy asking me out on a date, so I figured, why not? When we met each other, it was clear that this guy was not from Italy, but I went along with it because we had a meal and he had a walk through Central Park planned out. He seemed to think that I didn’t know he was lying about being from Italy, but then he started to serenade me in the middle of Central Park! His Italian accent was unreal. I did not see him again.

-Editor-in-chief Chelsea Butkowski

Midseason NBA report

The National Basketball Association will reach its official midway point come Valentine’s Day weekend. There have been a lot of compelling story lines so far, so here is a rundown of what has went has occurred up until this midseason mark. The Atlanta Hawks are the best team in the Eastern Conference. With a record of 41-9 and a 20-game win streak going, they’re one of just two teams with fewer than 10 losses this season.

That other team comes from the Western Conference—the Golden State Warriors with a record of 37-8 heading into their matchup with the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday Feb. 4. For the Warriors, guard Klay Thompson set an NBA record with 37 points in one quarter of a game versus the Sacramento Kings. Thompson was 9-for-9 from beyond the arc and finished 13-for-13 from the field that quarter. He ended the game with 52 points.

Thompson, veteran guard Mo Williams of the Minnesota Timberwolves and All-Star guard Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers are the only players this season to notch 50-plus point games. We’ve seen the return of Derrick Rose to the Chicago Bulls, only to bring about question of whether or not he will ever be an MVP caliber player again.

Meanwhile, Rose’s teammate forward Pau Gasol has resurrected his career by making the All-Star team as a starter—his first selection since 2011. His brother Marc Gasol currently plays for the Memphis Grizzlies and is starting for the West at forward. This will be the first time in NBA history that two brothers face each other in the all-star game.

One of the favorites to win Rookie of the Year––Milwaukee Bucks guard Jabari Parker––went down with a torn anterior cruciate ligament and will miss the remainder of the season. The league has had major trades take place. Guard Dion Waiters went to the Oklahoma City Thunder and guards J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert left the struggling New York Knicks to join the contending Cleveland Cavaliers. In addition, guard Rajon Rondo left a desperate Boston Celtics team to take the helm on a Dallas Mavericks team that could be scary good come playoff time.

Of course, every midseason report has to mention LeBron James. Returning to Cleveland as a member of the new big three—with Irving and fellow forward Kevin Love—James is pushing Cleveland back to the top of the Eastern Conference. Averaging 26 points, seven assists and six rebounds a game, I guess you could say he feels like he never left.

This season has been one for the books so far, as we have seen no shortage of alley-oops, show time assists and rising stars step up for the challenge. After the break, the main question will be about who will lift that gold trophy in June.

Knights run with top athletes

The Geneseo men’s and women’s indoor track teams competed at the Ithaca Bomber Invitational & Multi held at Ithaca College on Sunday Feb. 1. The Knights competed against Division I talent and held their own with several athletes posting personal records. Junior heptathlete Aidan Fullerton now looks to be in a good position going forward for nationals and junior sprinter Michael Segelin posted a personal best time in the 200-meter dash. For athletes like Fullerton, getting good marks and times this early in the season is a blessing––it allows for more breathing room heading into the meat of the season. Fullerton now has time to sort out his competition and to improve on his already good marks. His point total is good enough for 12th in the nation and because a good portion of athletes have yet to run, that sets him up for bigger point totals as the season progresses.

“He almost certainly has a good chance of getting into nationals now,” head coach Chris Popovici said.

Another athlete whose performance this past weekend put her in the national spotlight is sophomore Joanna Heath. “[Heath] has reached a point in the season where she’s realized that she’s faster and stronger than her competition, and she’s just trying to figure out what that means for her,” Popovici said. If the season were to end today, Heath would make nationals in the high jump and she hasn’t hit her ceiling.

“She’s not even close to her best jump yet,” Popovici said. Going forward, Heath can only improve upon her already impressive marks in both the high jump and the long jump.

Both Fullerton and Heath have put up great numbers from the beginning of the season. Their teammates have been consistently putting up numbers that place them in the national conversation for their respective events as well. Segelin is a top national runner for the 200-meter dash and there are a number of distance runners who also ran on the Geneseo cross-country teams that also have a good chance of getting into nationals, including sophomore Alfredo Mazzuca, freshman Isaac Garcia-Cassani, senior Keira Wood and senior Alyssa Knott.

With so much talent on both the men’s and the women’s teams, the Knights showed that they can compete at the highest level. Their individual athletes were able to hold their own against many D1 athletes, a good sign for the future of the team—both from a team perspective and an individual one.

If the Knights can put up a good show against that kind of competition, athletes at the Division III National Championships should prove no match for the Knights.

Face-Off: Super Bowl XLIX

Chaz Abad It’s the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl and there are 26 seconds left—you’re one yard away from winning. The best running back in the league stands behind you. It’s second down and you have one timeout. What do you do? Well, you don’t pass.

In what may become one of the most scrutinized plays in National Football League history, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson elected to pass the ball. Head coach Pete Carroll had Wilson line up in the shotgun and challenge a crowded end zone. NBC’s commentating crew could not stop questioning Carroll’s decision.

A run was low-risk play for Seattle. Running back Marshawn Lynch doesn’t lose yards and barely fumbles. He fights to the whistle and consistently moves the pile forward.

All of America thought a run was inevitable and the New England Patriots were in a pass defending formation. They had three corners lined up and five rushers across six blockers. Who knows, maybe the Patriots would have let Lynch score—something they did for New York Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw in Super Bowl XLVI—preserving time for quarterback Tom Brady to use.

The win probability reached 88 percent for Seattle––three tries to run with the league’s best running back. It would seem like an easy call, but apparently it wasn’t. Maybe it was panic, but seconds later, it was 0 percent win probability.

Though Wilson’s legacy won’t be made or broken because of this, a long offseason will give him time to think what could have been.

Taylor Frank

In the moment, it definitely seemed like the wrong call. Putting the ball in the hands of a pretty-good-at-best player like Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson instead of an all-world running back like Marshawn Lynch is preposterous to most people. But that’s why most people aren’t coaches in the National Football League.

Don’t get me wrong—Lynch is a great player. Regardless of his off-the-field antics, the man can run the football. But when he’s up against the goal line, he’s not the all-pro back that we’re used to seeing. Lynch had five rushing attempts from the one-yard line this season and only scored on one of them. In the past five seasons, Lynch has scored on 45 percent of such plays. That ranks 30th in the National Football League. Those aren’t exactly odds that evoke confidence.

On top of that, interceptions on pass attempts from the one-yard line are rare—really, really rare. Wilson’s pass was the 109th attempt from the one-yard line this season. It was the first to be intercepted. For those who aren’t mathematicians, that means that 99.08 percent of passes from that distance aren’t interceptions. Those are exactly the odds that evoke confidence.

I’m very glad that my desired career path allows me to use hindsight in order to sound smart, but NFL head coaches don’t have that luxury. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll made the best decision he could have based on the information he had. At the end of the day, Carroll made the right call to pass the ball.

Plans in action to fill empty rooms in Fraser, Sturges halls

Geneseo’s Facilities Planning & Construction will begin to finalize arrangements for the ongoing program study of Sturges Hall and Fraser Hall within the next few weeks, relocating certain departments into the open space and bringing a close to the yearlong project. The building departments have been empty since the renovation of Bailey Hall, when the ones in Sturges and Fraser were moved to new offices and classroom space.

Assistant vice president for facilities and planning and study coordinator George Stooks reported that there are seven different options that he is currently discussing with colleagues in facility planning and the project’s consulting firm Stieglitz-Snyder Architecture. The firm is in concert with the State University Construction Fund. Each option combines the needs of various departments vying for space and the one that meets the criteria and allocates space efficiently will ultimately be chosen and implemented.

“A program study looks at the needs of a campus as a whole and develops a baseline plan of how to use the space that is available,” Stooks said. “There is almost always more need than there is space.” The planning team’s goal is to take departments that might be fragmented across campus and bring them cohesively together through this project.

According to Stooks, the relocation of departments will be “phased in over time” and no official date for a hall reopening has been set. The process will not involve major renovations, however. Only minor repairs and adjustments will be made to the buildings regarding which departments occupy the spaces.

Major renovation has to be avoided due to a lack of capital funding from the state. Up until 2013, Geneseo had been operating under five year plans passed in the state budget, which allocated $550 million per year for the entire State University of New York system. The governor’s budget is now discussing a different five-year capital plan which allots only $200 million a year, a $350 million decrease caused by state spending caps and debt.

“It has had a huge impact on this program study of Sturges and Fraser,” Stooks said. “If we were still operating under a five-year capital plan, we would be taking a much different approach.”

This approach may have included taking steps as were done in Doty and Bailey Halls, yet the resources to do so were not available. This also leaves the planning team with little current ability to extend renovations and relocations to other structures on campus.

“As more capital becomes available, we will return to other elements of our master plan,” Stooks said. “I’m sure our newly elected president [Denise Battles] will be able to weigh in on these things once she begins her term.”

For now, Sturges and Fraser will remain the focus of Geneseo’s facilities planning.

CLASSIFIEDS Week of October 30th, 2014

FOR RENT Conesus Lake Waterfront Home: Furnished (5 bed, 2 bath $1,200/month) Available August 30th 2015-May 18th 2016 http://www.familytiesatpebblebeach.com   716-548-0158

For Rent: Clean and spacious 5 bedroom home in the village of Geneseo. Plenty of off-street parking. $2300.00/semester. Washer & dryer, water & sewer, garbage and snowplowing included. Free summer rent prior to semesters. Students who decide to sign a second lease after the first year would have two summers rent free, and wouldn’t have to move out for two years. Free summer storage. Please call 750-9951 for Mark or 703-7105 for Erica.

FOUR BEDROOM HOUSES FOR RENT: (2015-2016) COURT ST. AND WADSWORTH ST., $2,500/STUDENT/SEMESTER, WASHER/DRYER, STOVE/REFRIGERATOR, LEASE & SECURITY REQUIRED CALL 243-5937

For Rent: 2015 - 16 STUDENT RENTALS OF ALL SIZES - Studios, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 bdr’s, all located on Main, Wadsworth and Court Streets, all NEXT TO CAMPUS. Marilyn 585 738 5736 or marilyn@geneseorentals.com

For Rent: Booking for 2015-2016 school year 6 to 8, 5 to 6 and 3 to 4 bedroom places. Some have two kitchens and two baths.

Can accommodate any size group. Rent includes heat and hot water on site, laundry, off-street parking, plowing, and garbage. All have large backyards. call or text 585-278-6924 can email as well at cviewlimard@yahoo.com

SPACIOUS FIVE BEDROOM HOUSES FOR RENT: (2015-2016) 12 RORBACH LANE. $2,500/STUDENT/SEMESTER, FREE WASHER/DRYER, UTILITES INCLUDED, AMPLE PARKING, FULLY FURNISHED EXCEPT BEDROOMS, LEASE & SECURITY REQUIRED EMAIL: amy-morin@hotmail.com

For Rent: 4 bedroom house for 2015-2016 school year, washer and dryer included, lots of off street parking, hi-efficiency gas furnace, $2200 per student per semester plus gas and electric.  Call Jeff at 585-245-1893.

Student Rentals:  Available 2015-2016 school yr.  -   5 bedroom home on lower North St. with coinless w/d and mostly furnished.  Also available:   4 bedroom apt. – Main St.,  both with off street parking.  All utilities included.   Please call 585-243-2858 for more info.

For Rent: 2015 - 2016 SUNY Geneseo School Year. 7 Bedroom house can be divided to 3 & 4 with washers /dryers on premises, large back yard, enclosed back porch and large front porch. Off street parking less than 2 blocks from campus. If interested call 585-243-4260.

For Rent: 2 person apt. and 5 person house for 2015/2016 school year. 2 person apt available Spring 2015. Call 585-243-5740.

Student Renters Wanted: (Spring 2015, 2015-2016) for beautiful Lake House: Minutes by car from SUNY Geneseo, semester lease includes utilities, wireless Roadrunner/cable TV ready, 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, furnished 1600 sq ft, 8 rooms, hardwood flooring, washer and dryer, deck, smoke free and pet free, beautiful park separates you from the water and beach, $1850/semester/person for 2, $1700/semester/person for 3, discounts for 4 or $295/mo/person for 3 plus utilities. pkline1@rochester.rr.com or M585-857-1130

FOR RENT-  25 Orchard St., Geneseo for 2015-2016 school year. One (1) 3 bedroom apt. for 3 students.  $1875 per person per semester ($375/mo.). One (1) 2 bedroom apt. for 2 students.  $2000 per person per semester ($400/mo.). One (1) 1 bedroom apt.  $2500 per semester ($500/mo.). Most utilities included.  10 month lease. No pets. Call 585-243-9173 evenings.

FOR RENT- 17 Ward Place, Geneseo for 2015-2016 school year. 4 bedroom  house for 4 students.  $2375 per person per semester ($475/mo.). Most utilities included.  10 month lease.  No pets. Call 585-243-9173 evenings.

For Rent: 2015-2016 school year, new owner has a renovated 2 unit house available; a 3 bedroom, and a 4 bed room, both with new hi efficiency furnaces and new hot water heaters, great location, off street parking, $2300 plus gas and electric.  Call Martin at 585-260-7686.

For Rent: Second Street 2 bedroom apartment for 2015-16 school year.  $2100/student/semester.  Includes water, garbage and wireless. Call 585-738-8476.

Student reps address SUNY policy

The State University of New York’s Student Assembly discussed policies for individual schools and the SUNY Student Assembly as a whole at its biannual General Assembly Conference in Rochester from Nov. 8-10.

The conference addressed issues such as tuition assistance, textbook affordability and transparency, blood donor equality and SUNY’s Seamless Transfer Policy, but only after an opening day of procedural programming.

Geneseo’s Student Association President senior Forrest Regan, along with sophomore Gina Villazhinay represented Geneseo at the conference. The two students voted on nonbinding issues that helped to provide insight for SUNY Student Assembly President Tremayne Price, who is a graduate student at the University of Albany. Price is the sole voting student representative on the SUNY Board of Trustees.

During the first day, the General Assembly managed to accept an agenda, approve last conference’s minutes, which had been lost, and vote in a special election for a new vice president.

The SUNY Student Assembly advocated for an increase in the amount and duration of assistance from the New York State Tuition Assistance Program. Federal advocacy also passed in support of the return to a lower fixed interest rate on student loans, separate from the market.

A memorandum on textbook affordability brought up many ideas, new and old, about textbook options for students. SUNY has begun to develop of a new program titled “Open SUNY Textbooks.” The program allows free full access to SUNY faculty-developed textbooks for many popular introductory-level classes. As of now, a pilot program includes books on North American history and humanities, with 15 new titles coming.

Additionally, a representative from the graduate program at the University of Buffalo brought up an often-ignored higher education act meant to aid students in choosing classes based on textbook prices.

The Higher Education Opportunity Act, Section 112 Provision D states that schools receiving federal assistance must disclose the ISBN number and retail price of any required materials at the time of registration.

“[Students] blindly [register] for classes without knowing how much book expenses are going to be,” Villazhinay said, expressing concerns on the behalf of Geneseo students.

She suggested professors post book lists during registration periods instead of a few weeks before classes begin.

Stony Brook University sponsored a memorandum calling for the repeal of a Federal Drug Administration ban on blood donations from men who have had sexual contact with men. While the memorandum was widely supported, some felt it did not do enough. The memorandum did not include any stipulations relating to women, who are also prevented from donating if they have sexually engaged with men who have had sexual contact with other men. It was decided that the repeal of one would imply the other.

A representative from SUNY Fredonia brought up SUNY’s Seamless Transfer Policy. The policy increases the number of number of general education requirements to 30 credits in seven out of 10 subjects, setting standard expectations for introductory-level classes and capping required credits by a department at 120.

“This agenda only restricts SUNY students’ options and tampers the reputations of individual institutions, like Geneseo,” Regan said. Regan added an amendment allowing for schools to identify those programs it felt should be exempt from the proposed cap.

The Seamless Transfer Policy passed with Regan’s amendment.