Month: January 2012

Categories
Football Men Sports

Former Bison Greg Schiano named Buccaneers head coach

By Greg Stevenson

Senior Writer

Former Orange and Blue linebacker and head football coach at Rutgers University Greg Schiano ’88 was hired last Thursday to fill the head coaching vacancy for the National Football League’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Schiano is the first University graduate to attain this honor in the NFL.

During his three-year playing career at the University, Schiano was a standout at the linebacker position. In addition to leading the Bison in tackles during his junior campaign, he was named all-conference that season. The following year, Schiano was named team captain and was elected to The Sporting News pre-season All-American squad.

Perhaps Schiano’s biggest accomplishment in coaching upon graduation from the University was his transformation of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights football program from the perennial doormat in the Big East, to a team that competed for conference championships on a yearly basis.

After four seasons from 2001 to 2004 in which the Scarlet Knights won a combined twelve games and just three in conference, Schiano finally broke through in 2005 with a seven-win campaign and a berth in the school’s first bowl game in more than two decades.

The following season put Rutgers football back on the map, when the Schiano-led Scarlet Knights started the season with nine consecutive victories, springing them to their highest-ever ranking (No. 6 in the BCS standings) in school history. In arguably their biggest win in school history, Schiano led Rutgers to a victory over then-third-ranked Louisville at home to give them a 9-0 record.

Schiano earned five different coach of the year honors for his team’s success that season, including the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award and the Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award.

After reaching just one bowl game in its over 100-year history before his arrival, Rutgers made six postseason contests, winning five of them, in Schiano’s 11 seasons. Overall, the Scarlet Knights finished 68-67 during that timeframe.

Before his stop at Rutgers, Schiano coached defense for the University of Miami Hurricanes football team at the height of their dynasty in the late 1990s. In addition to leading the 12th- and fifth-ranked defenses in 1999 and 2000, respectively, Schiano was defensive coordinator for current NFL stars Ed Reed and Jonathan Vilma.

Between his playing days as a Bison and coaching at Miami, Schiano also served different coaching positions at both Penn State and for the Chicago Bears.

Schiano will take over a Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ squad that finished 4-12 in 2011, last place in the NFC South. The Buccaneers’ former head coach, Raheem Morris, was fired the day after the 2011 season ended after just three seasons with the team.

Categories
Arts & Life

Sandy and John Nesbitt exhibit premiers at Samek

By Heather Hennigan

Write

This coming Tuesday, Feb. 7, the Samek Art Gallery will premiere its printmaking exhibition, The Sandy & John Nesbitt Collection: “The Discriminating Eye At Work.”

The exhibition showcases prints of the highest quality, generously loaned to the Samek Art Gallery by Sandy and John Nesbitt ’64, from their private collection. The prints are original woodcuts, engravings, etchings and aquatints by artists such as Albrecht Dürer, Rembrandt van Rijn, Piranesi, Matisse, Bonnard, Mary Cassatt, Berthe Morisot, Joan Mirò and many others.

Spanning the entire history of Western printmaking from 1500 to 1971, the exhibition includes distinguished examples from every epoch. Also on display will be fine examples of every major printmaking technique used by the great printmakers in Western art, ranging from cityscapes in Rome to Surrealist landscapes to artists’ self-portraits.

Christine Andersson,professor of art history, organized the show with the help of 11 students from her course, “Popular Culture and Prints,” which she taught last year. Her students researched the historical and art-historical contexts of the prints and wrote both the show’s wall labels and the exhibition catalogue texts. “Student-generated exhibitions are rare at the Samek Art Gallery, so I consider this to be an event of special interest to all of our students interested in the arts,” Andersson said. 

All are invited to the exhibition’s opening, which will begin at 2:30 p.m. with a public conversation by the Nesbitts about their activities as collectors. A reception will follow at 4:30 p.m. The exhibition will be on view in the Samek Art Gallery in the Elaine Langone Center until March 29.

Categories
Basketball Sports Women

Fedorjaka resignation sparks controversy

By Chris McCree

Sports Editor

In a sudden and surprising turn of events, Kathy Fedorjaka officially announced her resignation as head coach of the women’s basketball team late on Jan. 13, sparking a flurry of speculations surrounding the move.

“Her resignation came as a big surprise,” starting guard Christina Chukwuedo ’12 said. “It was very unexpected, but we are coping as best we can by being positive and trusting in our coaching staff.”

Two weeks since the announcement, specific details concerning the motives behind the change still remain uncertain. Amid the swirl of rumors, all parties involved have been hesitant to comment.

“Because this is a personnel matter, the University is unable legally or ethically to comment about this announcement,” said Athletic Director John Hardt. “What I am able to share is that the coach resigned, as indicated in our announcement that day.”

Coach Fedorjaka could not be reached for comment.

Although Fedorjaka did issue a formal letter of resignation, speculation exists that she may have been pressured into the move. During the 14 full seasons with Fedorjaka in charge, the women’s basketball staff cycled through 25 different assistant coaches, with 12 of those coaches deciding to leave after one season with the Bison. On top of this, the program has seen numerous recruited players transfer to other schools over the past couple years, including one former Patriot League Rookie of the Year.

No formal remarks have been released to confirm these rumors, but the abruptness of the move has created some confusion, even among the players.

“Honestly, there’s not much any of us know at this point,” said a player who chose to remain anonymous. “We did not hear anything about it until that same night that the press release was sent out to the media.”

Leaving in the middle of her 15th season with the Bison, Fedorjaka was the longest tenured coach in program history and is credited with 209 career wins, as well as leading the Orange and Blue to their first NCAA tournament appearance ever back in 2002.

“I am very thankful to Kathy Fedorjaka for her 18 years of loyal service to Bison Athletics,” Hardt said in the press release issued on the night of Fedorjaka’s resignation. “Kathy was extremely passionate about coaching, and she was able to elevate the program to competitive heights never before seen in the Bison women’s basketball program.”

Despite the many accolades to her name, Fedorjaka was not able to achieve the same level of success in recent years as she had earlier in her career and her departure came amid a 2-15 start to this season.

Stepping in as the interim head coach is second-year assistant Bill Broderick who has 13 years of collegiate coaching experience to date.

“Coach B has a very different coaching style,” Chukwuedo said. “He allows us players to operate more of the ball and we all like it and trust it. ”

The future of Bison women’s basketball remains unclear for the time being, and it is unlikely that any major decisions will be made before the offseason.

“We will start a national search at the end of the season,” Hardt said. “Meanwhile, we are doing everything we can as an athletics department to support the interim coach and the team as they complete this season.”

The Orange and Blue have eight games remaining in the season, all against Patriot League opponents. Although winless, the team is by no means out of title contention and Broderick will be faced with the challenge to make the struggling team a contender once again.

Categories
Opinion

An Ode to John Legend

By Elizabeth Bacharach

Opinions Editor

Anyone that ran into me on Jan. 24 did not pass by without hearing the slightest mention about John Legend and his upcoming presence on campus. In simplest terms, I could not have been more stoked to touch the same ground as one of my absolute favorite celebrities and musicians, not to mention role models.

As an accepted student last April, I was browsing through our school’s Twitter and read a tweet announcing Mr. Legend’s potential performance. From that moment onward, I practically counted down the days until he stepped onto campus. I called everyone I knew and told them I was going to the best school ever, and also one that would host John Legend.

I started pursuing this performance the minute I returned to campus, pestering our Editor-in-Chief to make Legend our Arts and Life feature, maybe even pull some strings to get me an interview with the musician himself. As if a dream came true, 5 p.m. on Tuesday arrived and I was sitting side-by-side, shoulder-to-shoulder, face-to-face with John Legend in the flesh.

John Legend is a legend. From the moment he stepped into the lobby of the Weis Center for the Performing Arts, the room silenced, feeling the forceful presence of such an awarded celebrity. Mr. Legend walked slowly and humbly over to the eager media students waiting to simply shake his hand and hear him utter “Hello.” His voice is just as melodic, even while uttering just rudimentary words in person and his responses to rather trite—at this point, considering the amount of interviews he has endured—questions were well-composed, explanatory yet concise. In a 12 minute and 50 second interview, I felt as if John Legend was not of such high stature, but rather a relatable friend of a simple college journalist.

I was like a child on the night before Christmas, unable to eat, think or compose sentences, jittery with excitement after meeting such a legend.  Forget about dinner, all I could think about was seeing Mr. Legend again: listening to his speech and his musical performance.  I was in my seat at 6:45 pm, ready to see him saunter on to the stage, so close yet so far.

Mr. Legend’s speech was, if I do say so myself, beyond profound. He touched upon subjects that were relatable yet inspirational. John’s comments on creativity were so natural and well-spoken. His thoughts on creativity resonated throughout the audience, making me, as well as other students, feel as if we each have the capability to be as creative, talented and successful as he has come to be. Legend’s explanation as to his support of education was quite motivational. As he spoke about how lucky we are to be receiving such a prestigious and good education in comparison to those children, locked in place by socioeconomic immobility, who do not get the opportunity to expand their academic boundaries, I felt the urge to jump up and offer to join his Show Me Campaign, apply for Teach For America the minute I graduate and promise to donate whatever money I have to charities focused on education. A little drastic, I know, but that is how moved I was by Legend’s discourse.

As Legend’s voice reverberated through the Weis Center for Performing Arts, chills ran up and down my body. His acoustic performance blew away every one of his recorded songs on my iPod. This is not to say that I don’t listen to Legend daily—at the gym, walking to class and while doing work—but the combination of his voice live and his impeccable pianistic skills absolutely took my breath away. Legend surprised many, especially me, by playing, “Dream,” an unreleased song. His 11-song set list was a perfect culmination to a great evening.

It is quite clear that I have yet to come down from my John Legend high, so to speak. Since John mentioned he would love to come back to our university any time, I wonder … is now too soon?

Categories
Letters to the Editor Opinion

Letter to the Editor: Ann Pysher

Dear Ms. Lace,

After reading another column of “Sleeping Around,” I felt compelled to write with some parental thoughts. Yes, parents of Bucknell students subscribe to “The Bucknellian” and read your newspaper! Your newest column “Sleeping Around” just may be “TMI” for some parents. I realize the college students of today are a far cry from back in the 1980s when I was a college student. I read this column each week and am basically stunned by what I am reading. It is unfortunate in today’s world that hooking up is simply a typical thing to do and sex is no longer an act of love between two consenting adults. The academic standards to be admitted to Bucknell are high, but unfortunately, the moral standards are nonexistent as evidenced by your weekly column. Maybe by the time a college student of today’s society is married, he or she will have reached the triple digit number of sexual partners. Maybe even a sexually transmitted disease will be picked up along the way. That’s something to be proud of along with your degree from Bucknell.

It’s all about having a moral compass and high standards. Apparently that’s not the case for “Sleeping Around.” What a disappointment.  You can do better.

Ann Pysher

Categories
Featured Football Men Sports

Super Bowl XLVI: the ultimate grudge match

By Alex Wagner

Assistant Sports Editor

When the New York Giants and the New England Patriots meet on Sunday in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for Super Bowl XLVI, the nation will look on as the familiar foes seek to settle an old score.

For the NFC champion Giants, a trip back to the big game brings back fond memories from only four years ago when they stunned the unbeaten Patriots by beating them 17-14 in Glendale, Arizona.

Despite their ultimate success, the G-Men didn’t have an easy road to the championship in 2007–and, as any Giants fan knows, the road was not any easier this year.  It all began well, with a 6-2 record after the first nine weeks of play, including a close win over the Patriots at Gillette Stadium.  But from there things went downhill and eventually hit rock bottom.  Only a month ago, the Giants seemed destined for an early end to their season after they lost five of six games, culminating in a loss of 23-10 at home to the subpar Washington Redskins.

But they turned things around for good the next week by beating the confident New York Jets and Rex Ryan to reclaim their status as kings of the Big Apple.  A win in their season finale against the Dallas Cowboys allowed them to clinch the NFC East and gave them their first spot in the playoffs since 2008.

The opening playoff game against the Atlanta Falcons did not prove to be much of a challenge, as the Giants rolled to an easy 22-point victory.  The next game against the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers was not nearly as easy, but New York managed to come out on top 37-20.  Finally, the Giants won 20-17 in overtime against a San Francisco 49ers team that had a lot of momentum going into the NFC title game.

The Patriots’ return to the Super Bowl is their first time back since their defeat four years ago, which feels like a long time for a team that lifted the Lombardi trophy three times between 2001 and 2004.

On their road to the big game, the Patriots once again proved that they are one of the elite teams to beat in the NFL.  They began the season 5-1, winning three of those games by double digits.  The regular season ended on a similarly high note with an eight-game win streak.  The most significant game during that stretch was arguably the win against the Denver Broncos, which game them a good preview for later in the year.

After a bye in the wildcard round, the Pats were very convincing when they ended Tebow-mania by defeating the Broncos 45-10 in the divisional playoffs.  A botched field goal late in the next game by the Ravens’ Billy Cundiff gave them a 23-20 win and a ticket to the Super Bowl.

Perhaps the most notable feature of this matchup is that it has the same quarterbacks and coaches as four years ago.  Patriots coach Bill Belichick will undoubtedly be looking to rely on the consistent play of quarterback Tom Brady, while Giants coach Tom Coughlin will hope that Eli Manning can seal his status as an elite quarterback with a second championship ring in his young career.

Besides the two quarterbacks, Rob Gronkowksi and Victor Cruz will be the players to watch come Sunday.  At tight end, Gronkowski has become one of New England’s biggest offensive threats.  He had 10 catches for 145 yards and three impressive touchdowns against the Broncos.   Cruz has similarly helped the Giants in the postseason.  He had 10 catches for 142 yards against the 49ers.  Whichever player sees the most touches this Sunday will bring his team closer to victory.

Super Bowl XLVI is sure to be a great game, no matter who you are rooting for.

 

Categories
Basketball Men Sports

The Bison’s deep threat

By Greg Stevenson

Senior Writer

If you ever find yourself at Sojka Pavilion before a men’s basketball game, there is one thing you are guaranteed to see—guard Bryson Johnson ’13 crack one of his ear-to-ear grins.

“I have always had fun playing basketball and it has been something that I have enjoyed my whole life,” Johnson said. “It’s hard to be anything but happy when playing, to be honest. I am very fortunate to be able to play at a school like this and if I didn’t enjoy it, I think I would be taking my situation for granted. I don’t want that to be the case.”

By tip-off, though, his demeanor changes, and his game face, one that exudes focus, comes out. Behind that pre-game smile and mid-game concentration on details is one of the Patriot League’s deadliest shooters from outside.

During the Orange and Blue’s run to the NCAA tournament last season, Johnson was an integral member of the Bison starting five, on the floor to drain important three-pointers down the stretch of games. His teammates and coaches had a lot of trust in him, and the statistics back it up.

Johnson had the highest shooting percentage from outside the arc in the Patriot League during the 2010-2011 season by over five percent while also attempting the most shots. Starting all 34 of the Orange and Blue’s contests last year, Johnson finished second on the team in points per game with 11.7.

“I don’t know if there is anything that makes me good at this role other than just trying to do it as best I can and help our team win games,” Johnson said when asked about his role as the outside shooter for the Bison.

This season, though, has gone a little differently. Opponents have started to key in on him defensively, and the shooting lanes that were open last season have been completely clogged up this year. His scoring average has dipped below 10 points per game and he is not hitting three-pointers at quite the same efficiency as last season.

“This season, teams have been a little more prepared for me and have been doing a good job running me off the three-point line and trying to make me do other things,” Johnson said. “I just have to do a better job adjusting and the shots will go down.”

But Johnson has managed to shoot nearly 40 percent, good enough for 13th in the conference.

In last week’s victory over Holy Cross, Johnson knocked in a three-pointer as time ran out in the first half to give the Orange and Blue a double-digit lead. It was all the momentum the Bison needed, and they ended up running away from the Crusaders by a 34-point margin. Ten times this season, Johnson has scored in double-figures, including back-to-back 20 point games in the Legends Classic back in November.

Johnson, now in his third season, found the transition to college life to be smooth since his hometown, Pictou, Nova Scotia, had the same small-town feel as his home as Lewisburg. It was his teammates and the coaching staff, though, that really made him feel welcome and at home at the University.

“I came to Bucknell because I had a great relationship with the coaches while they were recruiting me,” Johnson said. “On my visit I really liked the players and the whole atmosphere of the school. I really like the small school feel of this place and really getting to know people on campus.  The small town feel also reminds me a lot of home which is good because I always miss being home when I’m away. And I love playing basketball here because of my teammates. We are a pretty close team and it’s always fun to play basketball with those you consider as family.”

Even though Johnson did not take the traditional route to the University, coming from a small town in Canada, this sharpshooter has hit his stride and found a role that suits him. With the team headed towards another Patriot League Championship and berth in the NCAA tournament, there’s plenty of reason for Johnson and the rest of the Bison to smile.

 

Categories
Basketball Featured Men Sports

Cohen joins 1,000 point club

By Eric Brod

Senior Writer

Bryan Cohen ’12 is the man who the Bison men’s basketball team relies on on a nightly basis to shut down the opposing team’s top player. Whether it’s Lehigh’s C.J. McCollum or the UConn Huskies’ all-purpose guard Kemba Walker, Cohen has always responded with tenacity that has earned him back-to-back Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year awards. During last week’s 67-61 victory over American, it was Cohen’s offensive game that was celebrated when he nailed a three-pointer in the opening minutes for his 1,000th career point. Cohen became the 35th player in program history to reach the milestone, sending the boisterous student section into a frenzy as fans held up signs to celebrate the moment.

“It is a great accomplishment for me because it put me in the company of some of the greatest players to come through this basketball program,” Cohen said. “It is also a great accomplishment for me because this is an achievement on the offensive end of the floor which can be difficult for me at times, having to chase around opponents all over the court throughout the game.”

While Cohen has maintained his defensive prowess this season, most notably holding McCollum, the nation’s fifth leading scorer as of Wednesday night, to 14 points on 5-15 shooting, his offensive game has been solid. So far this season, Cohen is shooting 32 percent from three point range while averaging 6.6 points per game, good for fifth-highest on the team. Most importantly, Cohen has had a knack this season for scoring buckets when the team needs it, whether it’s a big three or timely layup to end the opposing team’s run, as was the case against Lehigh. 

“Honestly, it is extremely tough to have the assignment of guarding the best offensive player, as well as being aggressive on the offensive end of the floor,” Cohen said. “Coming into college my freshmen year I was more of a scorer; however, throughout the rest of my career my coach had given the role of focusing more on the defensive end by becoming the defensive stopper to help the overall success of the team. It is a role that most players do not tend enjoy the most but it was the role I was given and took it in stride.”

As the veteran leader of the team, Cohen knows the importance of his role as his team looks to defend its Patriot League title and advance to the NCAA tournament for the second year in a row.

“The main focus of the team is that we must understand that we have a bull’s eye on our back, being the defending champions, which means that we are getting every team’s best shot every game,” Cohen said. “We must attack every practice and make sure that we are focused for every single game because every team plays their best game against the champs.”

Without a doubt, the will of Cohen and his defense will play a huge factor in the Orange and Blue’s effort to defend their league title.

Categories
Beyond the Bison Sports

Beyond the Bison: A Life Well Lived

By Julian Dorey

Columnist

Some of us are college football fans. Others casually watch. Others don’t watch at all. But just about all of us have heard of Joe Paterno.

On Jan. 22, the world lost a great one. Never again shall we see an old-school, long-reigning, dynamic—yet so humble–football coach like Joe Paterno. Paterno was more than a football coach. He was an idol.

For 62 years—46 as head coach of Penn State’s football team—the Italian kid from Brooklyn aged with success and grace in the farmland of Pennsylvania. Among that farmland, Paterno built a utopia—a place where young and old could assemble every Saturday to escape from whatever stresses their lives brought upon them.

“Happy Valley,” as Penn State has now long been known, became one of the few football meccas in America.  It is one of the rare situations in life when a triumph can be completely attributed to one person.  Paterno single-handedly built a respected and revered program by marching a selfless, diligent and proud football team out of the tunnel every Saturday.

For all 46 years.

After a successful life living among the cornfields, Joe Paterno went out the same way he lived: without a complaint.

During this sad time, some have chosen to refocus on the recent tragedy that occurred at Penn State—and unfortunately, they’ve chosen to rehash empty claims that Joe Paterno was the man at fault.

In the words of Nike CEO, Phil Knight: “If there is a villain in this tragedy, it lies in [the] investigation—and not in Joe Paterno’s response.”

So in this one last nostalgic piece about the old ball coach, I’ll leave the “scandal” at that.  Never before has a man been so undeserving of what he got—and so graceful in how he handled it.

Joe Paterno accomplished many great things on the football field.  He won two national titles, he sent hundreds of players to the NFL, he created never-before-seen offensive and defensive play packages and he took the Penn State program to the pinnacle of excellence.

But nothing can compare the lasting impact he has left on so many off the field.  Penn Staters and non-Penn Staters alike have been witnesses to that for the last half-century.  Paterno touched more people than most could touch in a billion lifetimes.

Being a good—great—person was what consumed Joe’s life—not winning another football game.

That’s a beautiful thing.

 

Joseph Vincent Paterno

1926-2012

 

Categories
Men Sports Track & Field

Bison Athlete of the Week: Andrew Powell ’12

By Chris McCree

Sports Editor

 

Profile:

Andrew Powell

Senior

Jumps/Multi

Hometown: Charlton, Mass.

Major: Accounting

Statistics:

Heptathlon –

Total points- 5,049

60 – 7.40
Long Jump – 22-6.25
Shot Put – 35-1.75
High Jump – 6-6
60 Hurdles – 8.58
Pole Vault – 12-9.5
1000 – 2:48.68

 


During the final day of the Bison Open & Multi this past weekend, Andrew Powell ’12 made his way into the men’s track and field record books, becoming the first Bison to break 5,000 points in the heptathlon. Powell finished with 5,049 points, beating his previous best time by 82 points and former teammate Ryan White’s ’10 previous record of 4,973. Heading into Saturday, Powell held a healthy lead over UMBC’s Malte Bertram, and extended his lead with two first place finishes in the 60-meter hurdles and pole vault. Capping his meet off with a third-place finish in the 1000-meter dash, Powell cruised to a 459 point victory over Bertram and the rest of the field.

Since joining the squad in 2008, Powell has been no stranger to success. The reigning Patriot League champion in the heptathlon, Powell further exerted himself as one of the league’s elite athletes with his record-breaking performance. On top of this, Powell currently holds the school record of 6,552 points in the decathlon and is a member of the record-holdings 4×60 shuttle hurdle relay squad.

With two weeks remaining before the indoor Patriot League Championships, the Orange and Blue will rely on Powell to continue his strong performances and be the big point-earner they need to claim the title. Over the past five seasons, the Bison have finished in the top three every year.

Before concentrating on championships, Powell and the rest of the squad will head to Youngstown, Ohio this weekend to compete in the Youngstown State Invitational.