Archive for February, 2005

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Middling in the stratosphere

Friday, February 25th, 2005 | Adam Summerville
Margaret Bauer

Strata
Strata

Wind-Up Records
For fans of: The Deftones, Linkin Park
Grade: B-

Final word: A good middle ground between screaming metal and soft rock.
Download these tracks: “We’ve Changed,” “In a Sweet Dream”

I feel that I am no longer the target audience of a band such as Strata. There was a time in my life where I would have been sufficiently filled with anger and angst and Strata would have spoken to me like a voice from on high, but no more. That being said, if you feel you are an angstier individual than I, then you might be more willing to forgive the faults that I find.

The band is reminiscent of softer Deftones’ fare and manages the genre of hard rock quite capably. Strata is at their best when the singing is allowed to flourish and the screaming takes a smaller role. The guitars are proficient, but nothing particularly captivating. The drums are probably the best aspect, not falling into the trap of being overbearing with double bass drum pedals, but rather playing a moderately nuanced performance for this style of rock. At times the singer tries to emulate the screams of Chester of Linkin Park, and the music falls flat at those points. However, when the band avoids the clich‚d hard rock mechanisms, they have a good sound that is hard enough to appease almost all hard rock fans but catchy enough to be serviceable to almost everyone. Unfortunately, the album is definitely a mixed bag, with some songs bordering on painful to listen to given their derivative nature, while others are a delight of emotionally raw hard rock.

Strata is certainly worth at least one listen by any fan of rock. They are neither too hard to be dismissed by people who normally would not give hard rock a chance, nor are they too soft to be ignored by hard rock fans who look with disdain at any band without crunchy guitars, driving drums and lots of screaming.

Posted in Cadenza | No Comments »

Of mice and mediocre: Modest Mouse live

Friday, February 25th, 2005 | Matt Simonton

So that’s why selling out sucks.

For months now I’ve been puzzled over why people are so riled up about Modest Mouse’s newfound success. I even wrote a column about it. But now I think I understand. It’s the live show. It’s standing in a venue with hundreds of people who don’t know anything more than the few songs they’ve heard off the band’s latest album. Such was the case Wednesday night, when Modest Mouse tried and failed to put on a good concert.

The tension in the Pageant was palpable from the get-go, when the familiar guitar chords to “Third Planet,” the immaculate first track from 2000’s “The Moon and Antarctica,” began the show. “Your heart, felt good / It was drippin’ pitch and made of wood,” sang Isaac Brock, but the crowd just scratched their heads. Luckily, “Float On” was there as the second song to bail the band out; as the audience chanted along to the familiar refrain “All right, already, we’ll all float on okay,” the excitement seemed to be building. Unfortunately, Modest Mouse had all but used up their resources at that point.

For example, no one was prepared for “Doin’ the Cockroach,” a jittery little slice of weirdness from 1997’s “The Lonesome, Crowded West.” Of course, the band didn’t help matters much, either. Aside from sporadic impassioned outbursts by Brock, the band members seemed reticent and unenthusiastic. And there was absolutely no interplay between the group and the audience, other than an obligatory “How you doin’ tonight?”

The band’s playing was at least serviceable, and they successfully brought their unique instrumentation to the stage with a string of songs featuring banjo, stand-up bass, and pump organ. The highlight of these was “Wild Packs of Family Dogs,” but the crowd’s unfamiliarity and the slow nature of the song brought the energy level down considerably, and it only occasionally fluttered up afterwards.

The latter half of the show contained several other old classics, such as “Cowboy Dan,” with its exclamation of “God, if I have to die, you will have to die!” As usual, the high schoolers were at a loss. Fortunately, “The Ocean Breathes Salty” saved the day, but the live version was weaker and less anthemic than the original. And “The Devil’s Workday” was just a mess, a sloppy, meandering electric version that was unidentifiable until the chorus kicked in.

The band left the stage amidst a cacophony of feedback, but returned for versions of “The World at Large” and a campfire version of “The Good Times Are Killing Me.” The crowd sauntered out not knowing what to think. “They’ve got to understand that you have to play what people know,” said one slightly disgruntled patron. Maybe next time, it’s the audience who should do its research. Modest Mouse have over a decade of great songs under their belts, and they’re not out to please anyone’s Top 40 needs. Chalk it up to rock snobbery, but the show was just plain bad. “The good times are killing me” indeed.

Posted in Cadenza | No Comments »

Rock around the Bloc with these post-punkers

Friday, February 25th, 2005 | Jordan Deam
Margaret Bauer

Bloc Party
Silent Alarm

Vice Records
For fans of: Interpol, Gang of Four, Franz Ferdinand
Grade: B

Final word: An interesting combination of post-punk and Britpop elements that is as suitable for headphones as it is for the dancefloor.
Download these tracks: “Like Eating Glass,” “She’s Hearing Voices,” “Pioneers”

Last year’s “Bloc Party EP” placed the self-same band firmly in the post-punk camp, ripping the “dry distorted guitars” and “jittery rhythm section” pages straight out of Gang of Four’s book and photocopying them for the band to use at rehearsals. Bloc Party were tight and precise, but sounded a bit generic compared to contemporaries the Futureheads and Franz Ferdinand. With the release of “Silent Alarm” last week in Britain, however, the once-reinforced boundaries between overly emotive Britpop and edgy, cynical post-punk have collapsed just a bit. Though Bloc Party still favor the energy and drive of their mother genre, they’ve opted for a more varied, spacious sound on “Silent Alarm” that goes a long way to distinguish it from their earlier, less original work.

What’s first noticeably different from their EP is their willingness to use the studio as a creative instrument. Album opener “Like Eating Glass” begins with a few fluid digital guitar divebombs that sound reminiscent of My Bloody Valentine. A descending organ figure floats into the mix in the soaring chorus section, a subtle touch that actually does quite a bit to lift the song out of the rhythmic chord-bashing that the band seems to gravitate towards. The rest of the album is riddled with similar production tricks that probably wouldn’t be too obvious blasting out of a pair of car speakers but sound great with headphones.

As solid as the production and arrangements are, however, the rhythm section is in a different league. The bass and drums have an explosive energy that will make headphones seem a bit solipsistic. “She’s Hearing Voices” has a dry, over-compressed drum track that is unable to contain itself; it has such an unstoppable force behind it that its function of pushing the song forwards seems almost incidental.

While Bloc Party have mastered the “post-punk” side of the equation, the “Britpop” aspect gives them a bit more trouble. Take “Blue Light,” for example, which has an ambient guitar drone that sounds vaguely interesting at first but gets played out by the end of the song. Singer/guitarist Kele Okereke’s attempt at “breathy” vocals sound a bit forced; his voice is far better suited for the drum-marshal commands that he employs in other songs. And when the xylophones chime in at the end of the song, it falls flat on its face and, thankfully, ends shortly thereafter.

Posted in Cadenza | No Comments »

KWUR Week: The Wrens

Friday, February 25th, 2005 | Jordan Deam
Margaret Bauer

It’s easy to think of indie rock as the glamorous world of “OC” guest appearances, vintage t-shirts and “dive” bars where you have to be on the list to get inside. But not long ago, there was a time when “indie” meant “independent”: below the radar of the record-buying populace. For the last decade, the Wrens have been this kind of indie band. After struggling with the commercial pressures of a label that wanted “hits,” the band ended their contract and went on recording their next album, “The Meadowlands,” with no outside financial support. After four years, the album was released through Absolutely Kosher Records in 2003 to near universal critical acclaim. More than just another David and Goliath story in the record business, “The Meadowlands” is an excellent record from a band that deserves every bit of success that they get.

Cadenza got the chance to speak with guitarist/vocalist Charles Bissell about “The Meadowlands” and the unusual circumstances of being caught between an enthusiastic press and a largely unaware public. The band will be playing Saturday night as part of KWUR Week at the Gargoyle beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are free for Wash U students and $5 for everyone else.

I understand that you’re the only full-time member of the Wrens?

Well, it wasn’t necessarily by design. I mean I got laid off last spring but it was kind of right when things were really … you know the last year’s been so good for us and by spring things were really busy, which is actually one of the reasons I got laid off … you know, I used up all my vacation time playing.

It’s worked out just fine though. We’re best friends and it goes back so far, like fifteen years or more now, so it’s kinda like everyone does their own thing, and we just make sure that it works. Like my situation is very easy compared to Jerry’s [the drummer]; I still rent, I don’t have a house, I’m not married, don’t have kids, all of which he has going on, so even if he would like to go full-time Wren, the pay isn’t …[hesitates]… quite enough for three young’uns and a mortgage.

So how does having three fourths of the band tied down with families and day jobs affect your touring schedule?

It’s the same thing as when I was just as tied down. The logistics are, we basically only play on Fridays or Saturdays. We do a little more than that sometimes, and people will use their vacation time for that, but so far we’ve gotten by this past year just playing on weekends. It’s kinda become a running joke that we’re like our own cover band. But it works out OK. I could tour more, but at the same time, between everyone else’s work schedules, we do pretty much as much as we can, and it works out for everyone; like Jerry doesn’t have to be gone from the family too much, at the same time, I’m making enough to pay the rent and the bills.

It’s just kinda bizarre, as well as things have gone in the last year, it’s gotten to the point where a lot of times, either if we’re doing well in a certain city or in this case, a university that has a budget set aside, we can actually afford to fly in with most of our equipment, play the show, and fly home. So that’s what we’ll be doing on Saturday. Really bizarre … it’s like you’re a tiny, tiny little rockstar, and you fly in and you play your show, and then you get back on a plane, which still sorta boggles my little pea brain.

How has it worked recording all your material at home instead of a professional studio?

I’m kinda in the process of setting up the studio and setting up the basement now actually, really thinking about looking ahead to the next record, thinking about better ways to work. You know, because if you record a song and you want to come up with a guitar part, and then you change the bass part, and then you want to change the chord progression, and then you have to go back and change the guitar and the bass again, it’s always hard to make a judgment because it’s like, ‘Well, this guitar part would work if the bass was doing this one other thing,’ and when you’re sitting there and doing overdubs and you have to try each one it becomes painful. Whereas if everyone’s actually playing in the basement, which is how most bands work, you can make those decisions immediately.

Does anyone take a more active “producer” role in the process or is it more democratic?

It’s actually both … I end up doing all the stuff, and yet everything’s subject to band approval. There’s nothing really that goes out that anyone’s unhappy with … that’s why it says ‘produced by pedalboy’ which is me; it’s a way of taking credit without actually having to take credit. It’s not as clear-cut as it might seem … it’s not Brian Wilson shouting out ‘more horses in the studio!’ or something.

There’s really no difference whether I come up with a guitar part or not. There’s a basic vocabulary of indie rock guitar parts, of which you come up with a million, and what counts is which one you pick … It becomes more like interior decorating than writing or composing or whatever, so when you get to the endpoint it’s all kinda the same thing … the ability to edit is almost what counts more than anything. It’s that ability to pick the good ideas from the bad ones. So what would end up happening is that I would overdub a million things, and I’d be lost and confused, and somehow in the very act of playing it for those guys, different as our tastes are, instantly I would know what I liked and didn’t like about it. That was just as important as coming up with guitar and bass parts.

Posted in Cadenza | No Comments »

KWUR Week: Brother Ali

Friday, February 25th, 2005 | Susannah Cahalan
Margaret Bauer

Praised by CMJ and The Village Voice as “the up-and-coming hip-hop artist,” Brother Ali comes to the Gargoyle tonight, free for all Wash U students. Brother Ali’s aggressive beats and intelligent lyrics, coupled with his eclectic use of instruments, including horns, flutes and pianos, create passionate, party-starting music accessible to all. His albums, 2003’s “Shadows on the Sun” and 2004’s “Champion” EP, have been hailed by critics as being some of the best music coming out of the underground hip-hop scene.

In a recent interview with Cadenza, Brother Ali shares his first experiences with hip-hop, his beliefs about the current state of the music industry and his relationship with his four-year-old son. But keep in mind, Brother Ali is above all else, an amazing emcee. He brings his considerable talent to the Gargoyle on Friday at 8 p.m. Tickets are free for Wash U students, $5 for everyone else.

How did you start getting interested in hip-hop?

When I was 8 and 9 [years old] I did the school talent show, break dancing. In fifth grade, I stopped break dancing and started rapping. Around that time, there were older kids who did break dancing and graffiti. Hip-hop was all one thing to me then, particularly what these guys did when they skipped school-they drank beer, smoked, steal shit. They partied. That shit was beautiful in a way. But I didn’t realize how important [hip-hop] was until the late ’80s.

Were there rappers who inspired you at this time?

Kool Moe Dee, Whodini, UTFO and Slick Rick. They were the first rappers I noticed that used different cadences of music. But when Run-DMC came on the scene it made me want to be the third rapper in the group … they really inspired me. When I heard them, I knew I could do this.

How do you feel about the current state of the hip-hop mainstream and underground culture?

Originally hip-hop itself was an underground movement … This movement we’re in now started around the time when Biggy, Jay-Z, and Tupac had club crossover hits. Every rapper wanted to do this music, so rap got out of control, glossy. The backlash against that kind of rap is coming out raw and gritty sounding. Now I feel that mainstream and underground-neither one is complete hip-hop. I think that the mainstream has sound, which is half, maybe more than half, but the other side to it is what you’re saying. Most of them don’t talk about anything. In the underground scene, it’s a lot of people being creative but it just don’t sound good. You almost have to force yourself to listen to it-it sounds so bad. I would rather listen to Ludacris than some of that underground music.

Who do you consider rappers who are on both sides-they say something and they sound good?

Jay-Z is the greatest rapper in the last five years, maybe 10. Also OutKast, 50 Cent, Ludacris. Atmosphere, musically, are good rappers: They have something to say and they’re creative.

How do you feel about being labeled “underground”?

That’s bullshit to me. Big misconception of underground fans is that underground artists are in the position they are in because they want to be there. Everyone that I know-I can’t speak for all artists-want to make music accessible to as many people as possible. But we don’t want to make a stupid-ass song to sell records. For me, I don’t know if I could make a Lil’ Jon type of song-I don’t know if I’m capable of it. We’re not saying we don’t want a record deal. But these huge record companies don’t know how to market me; they’ll fuck me up and ruin my career.

I understand that that [your label] Rhymesayers rejected offers from offshoots of Sony. What does Rhymesayers offer you as a means of support?

As a label, Ant [producer] really helps me to write things much more personal. He gives me courage and confidence-like singing a hook and personal things.

In your songs, you talk about spirituality and religion. Are you a religious person?

I always felt spiritual but I stopped going to church after confirmation around 13 or 14. I didn’t think that I had a particular religion to learn from. Then when I was around 15, I learned about Islam and I realized that I was born a Muslim. I push myself to be a better Muslim-the Koran puts that into words and the life examples of Muhammad. But who I am has always been a Muslim.

How has having a child influenced your music?

Him being here makes me that much more serious, makes me work harder. I’ve always been a hard working person. But now, I’m not fucking around. If I’m away from my son, I’ve got to do it to death, I got to kill it.

Has having a son detracted from your ability to tour?

It’s a negative thing in the pure fact that I’m the only parent in my son’s life. For me being gone also has positives-I’m a self-employed entrepreneur, grabbed the world by the nuts, all that shit. But he’s four years old and doesn’t understand. Kids are self-centered. If you’re there, they think it’s because of them; if you’re not there, it’s because of them.

What’s next?

Me and Ant are coming out with a new album, “Undisputed Truth,” released fall of next year. Then we’re doing a world tour.

Posted in Cadenza | No Comments »

The best and worst of the NBA’s first half

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2005 | Allie Wieczorek

Well, the All-Star break has come to an end, and it’s about that time when all of my idolized sports writers and analysts dish out their NBA midseason reports. Although a midseason report doesn’t quite qualify as a “column,” I’m doing it anyway.

Midseason MVP:

Steve Nash. Without question, this man has turned the Phoenix Suns completely around. MVP stands for Most Valuable Player, not Most Points in a Game. Despite their unbelievably impressive statistics, Tim Duncan, LeBron James and Kevin Garnett are not ranked first in the NBA for assists per game-Nash is. And if one statistic should contribute most in determining an MVP, it’s assists per game. This is not to say that Nash’s other statistics are anything embarrassing. He is ranked sixth for assists/turnovers ratio, seventh for free throw percentage, and eighth for three-point field goal percentage.

In all fairness, an MVP is a player who can improve his team as a whole and make his individual teammates better. He is the player who the team cannot win without. When Nash was injured, he missed five games, and the Suns’ record went from 31-4 to 31-9. Since Nash joined the Suns, Amare Stoudemire’s points per game went from 20.6 to 26.2. Where last season the Suns were 18-36 after 54 games and didn’t make the play-offs, they’re currently 41-13, ranked second in the Western Conference, and will be one of the top contenders for the National Championship.

Rookie of the Year:

Emeka Okafor. Although I’m a Bulls fan and feel somewhat partial to Ben Gordon and Luol Deng, this category clearly only belongs to Okafor or Dwight Howard. I’m going with Okafor because he has all of the strengths that Howard has, only he’s stronger. Okafor averages 14.8 points per game (4.3 more than Howard), 11 rebounds per game (1.2 more than Howard) and 1.48 blocks per game (just .12 less than Howard). In case you didn’t read that closely enough, that means Emeka Okafor, a rookie, is averaging a double double. He has had a total of 27 so far this season-that’s 10 more than Dwight Howard has had. In this particular case, the numbers say it all.

Biggest Surprise Team:

Da Bulls. This is not just a Chicago fan talking-it’s the whole world. There is no doubt that this team has soared above and beyond everyone’s expectations of them…except for mine, of course. All I have to say is that GM John Paxson and Head Coach Scott Skiles really know what they are doing. Have you ever seen a draft go better for a team? You know they did something right when their second-round pick is more often than not in the starting lineup. The team may be young, but, if anything, their youth has only added to the passion and hard work with which they play. There is no question that Skiles has done a brilliant job with these guys in helping them to establish the roles they play as individuals for the team.

All four rookies have raised lots of eyebrows. Luol Deng and Chris Duhon both bring a work ethic and defensive talent to the team that only former Blue Devils can. They have both adjusted to the pros much more smoothly than expected and will only get better as the weeks go on.

Argentina’s Andres Nocioni brings forth a physical, sometimes dubbed “irritating” defensive presence that drives opponents crazy. And last but not least of the rookies: Ben Gordon. Averaging 13.8 points per game but slightly lacking on D, this shrimpy yet super-skilled former UConn Husky has been and will continue to be a huge asset to this team, especially as his defensive skills develop. Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler have been subject to a lot of criticism since the Bulls took them right out of high school. They did not quite live up to expectations, and yet they are now absolutely indispensable to this team. It took some of Skiles’ changes in the lineup to teach them their individual places on the team and allow them to perform to their full potential in each game. Curry is in much better physical shape, Chandler is focusing on his defense and they are both improving every day. Othella Harrington has joined Curry as an integral presence at the post. And Antonio Davis has played the veteran role surprisingly well and is hands-down the leader of this team and a huge reason for their recent success.

I actually went to a game while I was home over winter break and I have to say that the Bulls really are still Da Bulls. I can’t say I don’t miss Michael, but the games are still fun, the players are still characters and you still get “that feeling” when you’re in the United Center. Besides, we have a winning record and a very significant chance at making the play-offs. And if I remember correctly, the Bulls are usually pretty dangerous in the post-season. But, what else can I say? We’re back.

Biggest Disappointment:

Minnesota Timberwolves. I really thought this was a unique opinion until I started looking up statistics to support my claim. My search discovered a whole bunch of columns and articles saying everything I figured I would say in this one. Whether or not it’s the same opinion everyone else has or just my own, it’s the right one.

There is no reason why a group of guys with this caliber of talent and experience should have to struggle-and I mean really struggle-through the second half of the season in order to fill the last possible spot in the play-off standings. I actually remember almost putting money on the Wolves making it to the Championship game before this season started. They were supposed to be sick.

So what happened? Well, for starters, neither Latrell Sprewell nor Sam Cassell got the contract extension they were hoping for. So that explains some of the bitterness and lack of motivation in two individual players, but in truth, there is no one player, no one injury and no one thing that could possibly explain why a team with so much potential has become such a disappointment this season.

It’s a whole conglomeration of things: bad attitudes, laziness and no motivation. This team just does not perform. They seem to have no defensive mindset whatsoever. They always look tired and almost distraught. There is little to no team chemistry and absolutely none of the excitement every basketball team has an obligation to show their fans.

Perhaps in this second half of their season, Kevin McHale-former Wolves vice president of basketball operations who just fired head coach Flip Saunders in order to take the position himself-will help the Wolves pick up the pace and get their act together. Or maybe McHale’s selfish move was just all too characteristic of this franchise.

Posted in Sports | No Comments »

To be or not to be (an NBA or NCAA fan)?

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2005 | Andrew Nackman

As the excitement of the NBA All-Star weekend comes to an end and with a couple of weeks to go before the start of March Madness, what better time to bring up the age-old debate of which basketball association is the superior: the NBA or the NCAA? It’s a hot topic, and you’re sure to find people who won’t hesitate to make a case for one side of the squabble. Contributing Reporter Jordan Katz argues in favor of the NBA’s excellence, while Staff Columnist Allie Wieczorek defends her NCAA obsession in point-counterpoint format.

Jordan Katz:

NBA vs. NCAA. Playing for millions vs. playing for free (well, mostly). Professional vs. amateur. Which form of basketball is better? In the world of sports, this is becoming a legendary debate. However, judging by most people’s opinions of the respective associations, I will be playing the devil’s advocate here.

The NBA is better, hands down. There, I said it. In a one-on-one game between the NBA and the NCAA, from a purely technical and objective standpoint, the NBA easily wins. My first problem is with rules in college basketball like the 35-second shot clock and the lack of a defensive three-second rule in the key, both of which provide for much slower game play. Just imagine if NBA centers like Shaq or Yao Ming could stay in the key as long as they like on defense. You could say goodbye to inside plays from smaller guys like Allen Iverson or Jason Kidd.

Another problem I have with the NCAA is that there is no team continuity. At the very most, college basketball teams stay together for four years, whereas in the NBA, teams can stay together for much longer. I find it so difficult to keep up with the ever-changing carousel of NCAA players from year to year.

Furthermore, the kill level in both leagues cannot even be compared. If you watched the All-Star game festivities this past weekend like I did, there can be no doubt in your mind that the players in the NBA are far and away the best in the world. Just look at LeBron James, Vince Carter or Tracy McGrady’s jaw-dropping dunks…or how about Steve Nash’s supernatural passing skills? Simply put, even the top players in college couldn’t hold a candle to what an NBAer can do.

I don’t know why, but for some reason I have a real problem with NCAA players who wear undershirts. To me, it seems like basketball players who wear undershirts just aren’t manly. Picture Ben Wallace wearing an undershirt during a game; he wouldn’t seem quite as intimidating in the post, now would he? Wearing an undershirt in basketball is like using training wheels when competing in the Tour de France. No matter how good you are, you’ll never get the street cred.

The overall entertainment a fan experiences by going to an NBA game far exceeds that of the NCAA. While ticket prices for NBA games are shooting through the roof, think about how much $50 for a nosebleed seat will buy you. You get mascot antics, thoroughly entertaining firework and light shows that rival LSD trips and those damn fine cheerleaders doing their risqu‚ dance routines during game breaks. What do you get at an NCAA game, you ask? A marching band? Cheerleaders that seem like Puritan spinsters compared to their NBA counterparts? I am easily entertained by watching infomercials, yet an NCAA game puts me to sleep faster than 151 and Nyquil.

More than just the in-game highlights, NBA players masterfully channel their artistic abilities into media besides basketball. For example, take the NBA stars that have turned into rappers, like Shaq and Allen Iverson. Lyrics like “don’t need the drink crooked I juice to get loose / my favorite cartoon is Bullwinkle the Moose” (ShaqDiesel) would make Tupac or Biggie jealous (may they rest in peace) and are far out of the intellectual reach of any collegiate basketball player. And what about the commercials, movies and TV shows starring NBA players? Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Larry Bird have all made insane shots while betting for Big Macs in a pitch for McDonald’s; Darius Miles had a moving performance in “The Perfect Score.” Let’s not forget Kendall Gill’s inspirational role in the short-lived Nickelodeon show “My Brother and Me.” These laudable performances can only be expected of NCAA players after they have graduated to the big league, the superior league-the NBA.

Being from Cleveland, I’ve never been a fan of college basketball mostly because there are no good teams to follow. Now with King James tearing up the hardwood every night, I find it even harder to get into college basketball. Call me biased, but I think my case for the NBA speaks for itself.

Allie Wieczorek:

Okay, since my end of this argument needs no introduction, all I’m going to say is to prepare yourselves to agree with everything I say.

If we we’re discussing who would win in a one-on-one match-up between the players in the NBA and the men in the NCAA, we wouldn’t be writing this article. Considering the NBA draft consists predominantly of college basketball players, it is clear that the skill is greater in the NBA-that’s why it’s the step after college play. I will not try to argue that Duke’s Shelden Williams could school Shaquille O’Neal. That’s why he’s in a lower, unprofessional league. But he will be in the NBA one day, and Shaq may still be better then, but now we’re talking about individuals and not leagues.

The real question here is which association is better. And anyone who truly understands and appreciates sports for sports knows the answer to that.

Guess what? We don’t need to worry about Shaq and Yao hanging around in the key for as long as they please-they’re in the NBA. Besides, the “little” guys in college make plenty of inside plays. And I cannot understand how a person who calls himself an NBA fan can watch a professional game and watch a college game and honestly tell me there is slower game play in college. And if we’re going to talk about actual speed then you surely cannot tell me that Shaq is faster than any college center. If the flow of the game is slower, then why do I drop whatever I’m doing for a good two and half hours to watch a college basketball game while I prefer to just check the NBA scores on ESPN.com? The answer is because NBA games are less exciting.

Okay-for most people who aren’t Reggie Love, college is only four years. And the new trend to opt out of college early for the NBA doesn’t help the team continuity my colleague speaks of. But whether or not the opportunity is there, you very rarely see an NBA team stay together for anything close to or more than four years. Trades are constantly happening and players are constantly adjusting to and trying to create new team chemistry whether or not a few of the best players stay together.

So I guess it’s time for me to admit that I did not exactly watch the All-Star weekend festivities. I do enjoy the Slam Dunk Contest and Rookie Challenge and read about them in depth, but the actual All-Star game just wasn’t going to do it for me. Instead, I watched one of the best college basketball games I’ve ever watched. I was planning on turning on the All-Star game when Duke finished whooping Wake Forest, but then I saw a commercial for what was on FSN after the Duke game. Don’t tell me you’d expect me to watch the NBA All-Star game over “Beyond the Glory: Mike Krzyzewski” (That’s Duke’s Coach K for anyone who didn’t learn how to spell his name before her own).

I don’t understand this problem with undershirts that my colleague discusses; basketball players don’t have to be manly to be good. And some people have damn good reasons for their undershirts (e.g. J.J. Redick’s back-ne), but there are rumors that he’s gay, so I guess he’s not manly enough for you anyway. Besides, his undershirt doesn’t change the fact that he can pop a beautiful three-pointer from far beyond the arc his opponents are guarding. I’d say there’s something intimidating about that. I’m more comfortable comparing training wheels in the Tour de France to magic shoes like those worn by Lil’ Bow Wow in “Like Mike”-now that qualifies as cheating.

So the NBA has a lot of money and they can entertain. I don’t mind going to games myself. But what do you get from going to a college basketball game? I couldn’t tell you because I’ve never been, but I dream about it every night. It gives you amazing live basketball. I don’t believe a person could come close to falling asleep during a live college game. But shouldn’t sports fans get annoyed with all of that bullshit entertainment and just want to watch some basketball? Please never look me in the eyes and tell me any NBA game would be better than going to your first game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. And I know that that holds true for people without my Blue Devils obsession. It’s like telling me you’d rather see a better baseball team play than see a game played at Wrigley Field, especially if you’ve never been there.

Maybe you haven’t been watching enough TV lately, but college players and coaches are quite the thespians themselves. That commercial with Christian Laettner’s famous shot (don’t pull the “Laettner’s in the NBA” card-we all know he’s a college player) and Coach K coming out of the bushes cracks me up every time. Maybe they’re few and far between, but college basketball isn’t about media attention and commercial gigs.

Let’s not forget that college basketball players play basketball. And whether or not under-the-table financial transactions actually take place, college basketball players don’t play for money. Never would an NCAA star go into the stands and physically abuse a fan…unless he jumped into the crowd out of excitement to celebrate and accidentally knocked someone over. Maybe the NBA is the “big” league, and maybe it’s superior in terms of the talent that’s there, but it is not superior in any other way. It’s less pure. It’s less fun. It’s less nice. And it’s more corrupted.

I know it’s cheap at this point to bring up the NCAA tournament, but I’m going to anyway. If that’s not excitement, what the hell is? Why else would I spend days working on my bracket, hours trying to decipher R.P.I.’s and Lunardi’s bracketology and weeks watching even the first-round games?

Growing up as a Duke fan got me into college basketball, but we cannot forget that I also grew up in Chicago in the ’90s. Who remembers Michael Jordan? I’ve been in one of his old cars and played a pick-up game with his youngest son at their country club. Scottie Pippen ran over my sister’s toe when we chased him into his car trying to get the last signature of the 1992 Bulls on the basketball we got my dad for his 40th birthday. I love the NBA. I love the Bulls. But I believe the NCAA is a better league that shows the best sport in the best light. Why do parents like their kids better before they’re old enough to talk back? Same reason I like my basketball games and basketball players uncorrupted by fame and fortune.

Posted in Sports | No Comments »

Jose Canseco on steroids: C’mon, everyone’s doing it

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2005 | Andrew Nackman
Margaret Bauer

Whether he intended to or not, Jose Canseco’s book entitled “Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant ‘Roids, Smash Hits, and How Baseball Got Big,” released on Mon., Feb. 14, has greatly helped the game of baseball. In his book the former major league slugger claims that 80 percent of major league players have taken steroids and calls out former teammates, including Ivan Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro, Juan Gonzalez and St. Louis’s own Mark McGwire. While there is no way to know if all of his claims are in fact truth, (he also strongly believes that Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds and Bret Boone, among others, are steroids users) these allegations bring further attention to the issue that threatens the credibility of the sport, while forcing major league baseball owners and the players’ union to lay down strict rules for the future.

In the past two weeks, Canseco has been interviewed by Mike Wallace on CBS’s popular news magazine “60 Minutes,” his allegations have been featured on ESPN’s “Sportscenter,” and the book itself finished third on Amazon.com’s best-seller’s list on its first day. The book and its accusations are adding to the negative image already overshadowing the Major League. This offseason, Major League Baseball has been hit hard by the BALCO investigations, which revealed separate testimonies from Jason Giambi and Barry Bonds in which they admitted to taking forms of anabolic steroids. Subsequently, the owners and players’ union agreed to a more stringent steroid policy, suspending all first-time offenders for ten days and implementing year-round random testing. Despite these marginal improvements, more can be done.

Thus far, baseball commissioner Bud Selig has refused to comment publicly on the accounts contained in the book and all of the players implicated by Canseco have either vehemently denied the accusations or declined to speak. Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, who was not mentioned by Canseco in the book, thinks the public finger pointing is unfair. He has been quoted as saying, “This is a time, obviously, [when] baseball is in a negative light and Jose is not helping out. In terms of his accusations, the only people that know are him and whoever he is accusing. The unfortunate thing is, if it’s not true, you’re looking at guys having to defend themselves over something they haven’t done.”

Can Jose Canseco be trusted? These steroid indictments, while almost all plausible, have no hard proof to back them up. Furthermore, early reviews of his book have revealed some factual inaccuracies in many of his claims. For example, he recounts an instance during a spring training game in 2000 while playing for the Anaheim Angels when he had a conversation with Mariners All-Star second baseman Bret Boone, who admitted at the time to taking steroids. But this situation never happened according to baseball record books, which indicate that Canseco never reached second base in any of the five exhibition games between the two teams. Canseco also alleges in his book that he struck out pinch-hitting in a crucial situation in game six of the 2000 World Series while playing for the Yankees (the Yankees actually won the World Series in four games), and vividly describes a monster home run that he hit during his rookie season against Detroit in Tiger Stadium, though records show that this also never occurred.

Therefore, can we believe anything that he’s saying? Some of his most outrageous assertions include providing Sammy Sosa with his first corked bat, roughing up Kevin Costner because he was making a pass at Cal Ripken’s wife and maintaining that Major League Baseball allowed Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Orel Hershiser to scuff the baseball during the 1988 World Series because they did not want the Latin and black players on Canseco’s Athletics to win.

If this book is, in fact, a web of lies and personal attacks on former acquaintances, what are his motives? Many people, including his former manager, Tony La Russa, argue that this book is simply a means for Canseco to earn cash quick, and, judging by the book’s early success, this goal most likely will be attained. Or maybe Canseco realizes that his career was not Hall-of-Fame-worthy and, in anger, wants to take down many other superstar sluggers with him?

But either way, it does not matter. Whether his stories and recollections are true or not, the book is quickly gaining enough publicity to become something which Major League Baseball has to tackle. If his steroid accusations continue to pick up steam in the press, Selig will no longer be able to ignore them. Jose Canseco may have been the most significant contributor to the introduction of steroids to baseball players but also may end up playing a substantial role in eliminating them as well.

Posted in Sports | No Comments »

WU Equestrian Team rides its way to victory

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2005 | Scott Kaufman-Ross
Courtesy of the WU Equestrian Team

This past weekend the Washington University Equestrian Team hosted an Intercollegiate Horse Show at their home barn, Baskin Farms. Didn’t know Wash U had an equestrian team? Well after this weekend’s success, Wash U students should start paying closer attention. During the two day competition the Wash U riders placed reserve high point, or second overall, on Saturday and finished with the highest point total on Sunday, bringing home first place.

In addition to team victory, many of the outstanding individual riders had tremendous success. Senior captain Joanna Prager led all the riders at the competition on Sunday, taking home the title of individual high-point rider. In addition, four riders at the competition competed in a “ride-off” to determine who would win reserve high point. Two of the four riders were Wash U students, freshman Erin Fishman and sophomore Deborah Zickler, who won the prestigious distinction.

“Winning the show was amazing because we started out this year with only one full year of competing under our belts and ended up ranking first above nine other colleges at our most recent competition,” said team co-founder Melissa Mosley.

These impressive results are even more incredible when you consider the experience of the Wash U team. The team was started just three years ago by students Amy Reahard and Melissa Mosley. With limited funding and with the only available barn located 35 minutes away, founding the team presented a tremendous challenge to potential Wash U riders. Despite these difficulties, the determined riders managed to compete in their first inter-collegiate competition in the spring of 2003, even though their roster only contained four people. The team has grown significantly and its roster now includes 15 devoted members.

Many of these challenges remain, however, as the team continues to establish itself. Due to limited availability, riders practice once a week, meeting with their coach, Susan Baginski, on differing days in groups of three. Just earlier this year, the team changed barns.

“We just switched barns in September,” Mosley commented. “At our first meeting with all the new riders, I couldn’t even tell people where we were riding because I didn’t know.”

Although University funding helps the team pay for hotels, gas, and competition entry fees, the riders have to cover the rest of their expenses out of pocket and through fundraising efforts. A large financial hurdle is the cost of training, which totals close to $3,000 a semester, only $200 of which is covered by the University.

Although the Washington University team is small and faces many difficulties, not all teams have the same troubles. Kansas State University (KSU), one of the competing teams this weekend, has a well-funded varsity team with four official coaches. They also have their own barn right on campus, making practicing exponentially easier. Before this tournament, the KSU team had not lost an intercollegiate competition in the two years that WU has been competing. Beating KSU was a pipe dream for the WU Equestrian team, but it was accomplished this weekend.

“Basically, it seemed entirely impossible up until the moment they handed us our trophy yesterday,” said Prager. “They’re a varsity NCAA team that recruits riders and is currently in the process of building a $21 million facility, and we’re a self-organized club team that rides once a week and pays for our shows by selling cookies.”

Wash U’s victory this weekend is truly remarkable, and a culmination of the hard work of the captains and riders.

“I am extremely proud to have founded a team that was built from nothing and is now well-established; I envision that the team will be a legacy. People will come to Wash U hoping to ride on the equestrian team,” said Mosley.

The team’s other co-founder, Amy Reahard, graduated from WU, but was in attendance to support the team during their shining moment. Two WU students, juniors Ryan Malleus and David Fleishman, announced the show and kept the audience laughing throughout the competition. The team is still looking for more riders and hopes to increase interest in the team. With the success of the two “walk trot” riders, which is the lowest competitive level, the team now needs new riders. The two pervious riders have moved up a level, and the team is looking for devoted riders to be the newest part of what they hope will continue to be a winning team.

Posted in Sports | No Comments »

Student Life names Bauer new editor in chief

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2005 | Cory Schneider

On Friday, Margaret Bauer was named editor in chief of Student Life for the 2005-2006 school year by the Board of Directors of Washington University Student Media, Inc., the newspaper’s publisher.

Bauer is a junior who works as the online editor for Student Life. She will take control of the paper at the beginning of April after next year’s staff has been hired.

“It’s not something I expected to be doing senior year,” said Bauer. “I wasn’t hoping for something that high, so to have gotten it is really a great thing.”

Bauer began working for Student Life as a staff writer for the news section in her freshman year. Last year she assumed the position of copy chief.

Bauer is enthusiastic about her new position and has an optimistic view about the future of Student Life.

“I hope to improve the general quality of the paper,” said Bauer. “What I’d like to do is keep us on a kind of even keel and continue the success we’ve had in the past year with investigative reporting. One thing I’d really like to do is improve the paper’s diversity as far as ideas and the general cultural and religious backgrounds of the staff are concerned.”

The current Student Life leadership expressed confidence in Bauer’s selection.

“I have every expectation that Margaret will be very successful in leading Student Life over the coming year,” said current Editor in Chief Jonathan Greenberger, a senior. “I am sure she will do many exciting things with the paper, and readers will benefit from her tenure.”

The board interviewed Bauer on Friday before making its final decision based upon her application, interview and the recommendation of the staff.

The editor in chief hires the editorial staff, ultimately oversees the entire production of the newspaper and makes all final editorial decisions. Student Life is staffed by Washington University students and is editorially and financially independent from the University.

“I’m excited because I feel like we have good people, we have a good staff and it’s a good place to be,” said Bauer. “We can continue the good things we’ve been doing this year.”

In addition to selecting Bauer, the board also recognized two graduating staff members for their achievements over the past four years. Editor in Chief Greenberger received the Gregory M. Freeman Award for Career Achievement. In addition, Contributing Editor Rachel Streitfeld received the Gregory M. Freeman Award for Excellence in Journalism.

Posted in News | No Comments »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »