Seattle's got the Super Bowl edge

Posted by Katie Peverada

About 12 years ago I remember standing on a football field - yes, I played football - and hearing my coaches say over and over that "Defense wins championships!" For my football team, affectionately called the Purple Team, that rang true. We were able to ride the back of our 140-pound defensive lineman to victory over the White Team in the championship game. But why am I writing about a meaningless Pop Warner football game that occurred 12 years ago? Because the Super Bowl is on Sunday, and the No. 1 ranked defense in the NFL, the Seattle Seahawks, will find a way to beat the No. 1 ranked offense of the Denver Broncos.
Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos are arguably the greatest single-season offense of all time. Manning broke the single-season records for touchdown passes (55) and yards (5,477), and the team scored the most points in league history (606). Yes, Denver won two playoff games against two defenses in the top-half of the NFL. Against the No. 11 ranked San Diego Chargers, they put up a respectable 24 points. The next week, they put up 26 points on the No. 10 ranked New England Patriots. But neither of these defenses compares to what Denver will face at the Meadowlands.
Denver faced one defense in the top five during the regular season, beating the No, 5 ranked Kansas City Chiefs twice. However, neither the Kansas City Chiefs, nor the Patriots or Chargers, is at the level of the Seattle Seahawks "Legion of Boom" defense.
The Seahawks only gave up 231 points during the regular season, 74 less than the Chiefs - the Broncos' toughest test - and 107 and 117 less than the Patriots and Chargers, respectively. That's 14.4 points per game, which is the most important number when looking at defensive statistics. The Seahawks also lead the NFL in interceptions (28), turnovers forced (39), and yards allowed (4,378).
At this point in his career, Manning has taken to the short passing game, something that Seattle's young, mobile linebackers will be able to break up. And of course the Legion of Boom, as Seattle's secondary is nicknamed, has the ability to cover the multi-faceted Denver receiving corps. Other teams have not had the depth to cover all of the weapons in the Denver offense, but the Seattle secondary does.
All this being said, Peyton Manning, ever-known for his meticulous studying of film, will find ways to pressure the Seattle defense and put up points. So the Seahawks won't shut out the Broncos, but they will prevent them from reaching their average numbers, giving their offense a chance to control the game.
If defense can win championships, though, can't the same be said about defense losing championships? Well, yes.
The Denver Bronco defense finished 22nd in the NFL during the regular season. The Broncos actually have one of the top rush-defenses in the league, only giving up 1,626 yards this season (interestingly enough, the same yardage Seattle gave up on the ground). Denver gave up 13 runs of more than 20 yards, but none over 40 yards.
However, Denver also gave up 15 rushing touchdowns. Seattle's Marshawn Lynch, the second-best back in the league this year, had 12 rushing scores. Lynch also has a knack for busting one or two big runs a game that somehow end in the end zone.
So if the Seahawks can get Lynch going early, not necessarily with big runs but by eating chunks of yards and clock, they will control the game and keep the ball away from Denver. Quarterback Russell Wilson, oft cited for his mobility to role out and make plays with his legs, has an underrated deep ball, which the Broncos have a propensity for giving up (61 over 20 yards, 8 over 40 yards). If Lynch can get the ball rolling early and establish the play-action pass, then Wilson will have the opportunity to expose the slightly suspect Denver secondary.
Overall, the Seahawks defense is good enough to put Seattle in a position to win the game, it will just need help from Lynch and Wilson. The weather, too, will probably favor the Seahawks and their ability to ground-and-pound. Of the six coldest playoff games in NFL history, four were won by the team with the better ground offense but lesser pass offense. Manning and the Broncos' potent air-offense will undoubtedly make it interesting, and there is no way Peyton Manning goes down without putting up a fight. But in the end it is the defense - on both sides of the ball - that will allow Seattle to win.
Seattle 27, Denver 23.

Women's basketball falls to St. Lawrence, Brooks leads men to victory

Posted by Matt Choi

Both Skidmore basketball teams took the court against St. Lawrence this past Tuesday, Jan. 28. The Skidmore women came into the game 1-6 in conference play and on the outside of the playoff race looking in. The game tipped off at 6:10p.m. after a delay caused by a shot-clock malfunction. Both teams were without the shot-clock for the duration of the game, and relied instead on the PA announcer to count down the clock from 10 seconds. Although competitive in the game's early stages, the Skidmore women were eventually outmuscled by St. Lawrence, most notably in a 13-2 Saints run to start the second half. The game had been competitive up until that point, and guard Jordyn Wartts '14 did her best to will her team back into the game with several three point plays, but the Saints early second half run would prove fatal a result of excellent 18 point performances from players McDuffee and Dalton.
If Skidmore can take some positives away from this game, it's in limiting turnovers, a full-court press that continues to cause problems for the opposition, and a resurgence in confidence from Jordyn Wartts. Skidmore is averaging 16 turnovers, two over the league average, and committed only 12 on the night. Wartts had a difficult game against Union in Skidmore's last home game, but seems to have responded well over the past three games and was a handful off the dribble on Tuesday. Backcourt partner Molly McLaughlin '15 struggled shooting the ball but pitched in 4 assists on the night. She was visibly frustrated as she fouled out as Skidmore applied full court pressure in an attempt to salvage the game late on. The equation may well change for the Skidmore women in the coming weeks, as the playoffs slip further from their grasp, and they begin to look towards developing talent and alternative ways to win.

The technical difficulties continued on into the men's game, as the scoreboard was added to the list of electronic casualties, and a small scoring role had to be placed on the scorers' table to display the point totals. The Skidmore men, also struggling as of late in the Liberty League, came in 3-4 after losing two straight games on the road. They vented some frustration in the first half with an absolutely relentless three point shooting display. Guard Tanner Brooks '16 made several threes from what looked like NBA 3-point territory, but it was his partner Aldin Medunjanin '16 who was lighting it up early with five first half three pointers. Highlight plays were spread throughout the roster in the first half, as forward Eric Sanders '16 threw down a break away dunk, and big men Connor Merrill '15 and Perun Kovacevic '15 traded blocks and post-up points inside the paint.
The second half would be an entirely different issue after a 42-28 half time score. Saint Lawrence employed a zone defense to perfection and greatly limited the three point opportunities for much of the half. Saints guard Al Jones made a three to spark a furious St. Lawrence run, cutting the lead to one in the final minutes of the game. Skidmore looked lost on interior offense at times, with several turnovers and missed layups in the post, and so it was no surprise that their salvation came in the form of Tanner Brooks' 3-point shooting. Brooks proved to be the Thoroughbred's clutch player of the night, scoring the team's final 9 points from a range that no coach accounts for in his defensive plan. Despite the Saints run, Skidmore will take solace in the fact that they were able to return to .500 in conference play, and grind out a tough victory. They will also enjoy holding Saints star Brady Condalin, averaging 18 points across all competitions, to zero points on ten attempts. Despite the good defensive work and long range shooting, the Thoroughbred men may have to work on their interior and mid-range game for when the 3-pointer isn't an option if they want to meet this seasons' lofty expectations.

NBA Talk: Sleeping on Milwaukee

Posted by Andrew Shi

It's an open secret that a bevy of teams, mostly in the Eastern Conference, are in rebuilding mode (read: tanking). The General Managers of the 76ers, Celtics and Magic have to be lauded for their savvy accumulation of draft picks and high-ceiling youth. However, there is one team that has been overwhelmingly ignored, perhaps because they were originally expected to contend for mediocrity -- a bottom seed in the playoffs--but instead sunk to last in the whole league: The Milwaukee Bucks. Little has been said in regards to their future, but in a few years time they could easily be a dominating team in the East. Here's why.

This Year's Draft:

Quite simply, the Bucks will end this season in dead last, assuring them a top three pick. In all likelihood, they'll be in the same spot again next year. Not much can be said about next year's draft yet, however; the Bucks are just about guaranteed a franchise-changing player in this year's loaded draft. Two potential all-stars in the next two years does not sound too bad.

Their Current Youth:

Giannis Antetokounmpo, better known as the Greek Freak, is named such because of his exceptional size, wingspan and athleticism. When he was drafted last year, he was deemed a long-term project. However, he has shown flashes of brilliance that augur well for his high upside. He is already considered a future all-star.

The second year player John Henson has been an absolute stud for the Bucks so far, posting a Player Efficiency Rating of 20.3. For a comparison, that puts him above Kyrie Irving, Pau Gasol and John Wall. While his shooting range may be limited and his free throw percentage objectively abysmal, he can make his baskets and crash the boards for rebounds.

Larry Sanders, who had a breakout season in 2013, may be the x-factor of the Buck's future. After signing a generous contract, Sanders fell apart and all his stats have dropped. If Sanders can regain his former shape, the Bucks will have a top-ten center with plenty more upside and room to grow. However, if Sanders continues to take advantage of his guaranteed contract, the Bucks will be facing a financial albatross that will severely hinder their ability to rebuild.

Brandon Knight also deserves a nod. While his upside and ability to lead a franchise to a championship is questionable, he is starter-worthy and is posting a PER of 15.8

The other player that should be mentioned is the rookie Nate Wolters who, during a spate of team injuries, was able to successfully prove himself a worthy floor general and will make for a productive backup.

Cap Space:

The Bucks currently enjoy the status of one of a few teams under the cap and will be clearing another $19 million at the end of the season. Much of that will evaporate with Sander's new paycheck and the rookies they sign, but with the glut of rookies they have on cheap, the Bucks can look forward to accumulating enough cap space to potentially sign an all-star free agent in this offseason or the next. To pull this off, the Bucks will have to shed the contracts of OJ Mayo, Ersan Ilyasova or Zaza Pachulia. These are all serviceable players but are currently overpaid and do not meet the current needs of the Bucks. Ideally, the Bucks could trade these players away to contending teams for draft picks or expiring contracts, though the Bucks do have quite the pile of second round picks if other teams need incentive. If the Bucks can shed these contracts, they'll have the room to sign an all-star to lead a young team overflowing with potential.

The path for the Bucks is far from guaranteed. Shedding the aforementioned contracts will be difficult, and Sander's future productivity in consideration of this currently lackluster season is highly questionable. Furthermore, Milwaukee is a small market, unwilling to splash cash like the Nets or Lakers, and has never been much of an attraction for all-stars. However, between their youth, the rookies they'll pick up at least in this draft and the potential cap space they could acquire, the Bucks could be looking at seriously contending in just a few years.

Students with fake identification likely to receive hefty fines

Posted by Mira Brock

At least five underage students were issued tickets after attempting to enter The Mine- a 21-plus underground entertainment venue in downtown Saratoga Springs-on Saturday, Jan 25. The students, caught with forged or false identification, were escorted into a squad car, where they each received a ticket for as much as 450 dollars, according to one student. 

The Saratoga Springs Police Department did not orchestrate the operation. Instead, according to one student who received a ticket, the Department of Motor Vehicles issued violations. The DMV is often involved in investigations of establishments with liquor licenses according to SSPD Lieutenant Robert Jilson, who also explained that the DMV can "impose civil penalties." 

The students were issued a "uniform traffic ticket" which cited their violation of N.Y. Vehicle and Traffic Law 509-6. The law states: "No licensee shall voluntarily permit any other person to use his license, nor shall any person at any time possess or use any forged, fictitious or illegally obtained license, or use any license belonging to another person." Violating this law is punishable by a fine-between $75 and $300-and/or imprisonment for "no more that fifteen days." 

The students in question reported inconsistent ID'ing practices, noting that several other people with false identification were allowed to enter The Mine. According to one student, as a DMV employee detained him, a friend of his with fake identification was allowed to enter the club, located on Broadway. 

Many Skidmore students have observed a trend in which at least one or two arrests are made at the beginning of a semester, presumably to deter underage drinking at venues in downtown Saratoga. One student remarked, "it's not the first time this has happened, it might force people to think twice about going to Pony Club events." 

Pony Club, a campus group that organizes weekend events at local venues, told The Skidmore News in an e-mail that they have "definitely had a harder time finding venues to host events this year." Several seniors at Skidmore have also noticed heightened strictness and an increase in downtown policing since their freshman year. Some referred to an increase in "ID busting,"  and one student said that there are now bars in which "Skidmore students are no longer accepted."

Peabody's, a bar that many seniors frequented in the past, is now under new ownership and has recently undergone renovation. They have told Pony Club that they have no interest in hosting a Skidmore event because in doing so, they would risk ruining the new space, as there have been problems with vandalism involving Skidmore students there in the past. Other bars such as The Parting Glass and Irish Times also no longer want to host Skidmore events, according to Pony Club.

Skidmore students do not have the best record regarding substance abuse and alcohol related incidents. In 2010, during the annual Halloween Dance on Skidmore campus nine students were treated at the hospital for alcohol poisoning. In 2011, a visiting student from Boston College was found dead in Putnam Creek after attending parties with Skidmore students over the weekend. 

Some students think that responsibility with alcohol consumption is an area in which Skidmore College needs to improve. Winifred Vaughan '14 suggests that a police crackdown may very well be "a direct reflection of the Skidmore community and their presence in the Saratoga community at large." However, Associate Dean of Student Affairs, David Karp, says that the "negative incidents are probably more than offset by the many positive interactions with students who volunteer in various community nonprofits and work, shop, and eat in the many small businesses."

Owen Lilly, a sophomore at Skidmore and Saratoga Springs native, points out that alcohol is a huge part of the city's economy-especially during the summer-and he believes that any sort of police crackdown has to do with the reputation of the bars and the city. "They don't want to be known as being shady, and associated with underage drinking."

Political reasons may explain why bars and policing downtown have become stricter. According to one source, the mayor of Saratoga Springs, Joanne D. Yepsen, is trying to pass a law that forces bars to close at 2 a.m. Some believe that the police may be attempting to build a case for why this law should be passed, and Skidmore is an undeniable source of underage drinking. 

Underage drinking is a generally accepted feature of undergraduate college life. In regard to the production and use of fake ID's, Lieutenant Robert Jilson said that "it's one of those things: where there's a will there's a way." While the Lieutenant points out that there could be more school ramifications for underage drinking, one student argues that if there were a safe venue for underage students to experiment with alcohol on campus it could potentially eliminate unsavory alcohol-related incidents, "If there was a venue on campus that was more fun, less creepy, and maybe a little bit bigger than Falstaffs, it could solve some of these problems." This venue could be regulated by Campus Safety, who one student claims are "way nicer than the cops." 

The DMV's operation may prove efficacious. As one underage student remarked, "Now I probably won't go downtown next weekend."

Delineation of the mind: Rebecca Baruc '15, student artist, has exhibition in Case Gallery: Rebecca highlights the importance of not filtering yourself when pursuing what you love.

Posted by Blair Warren

People sometimes believe that the difference between their own convictions or way of thought to that of another's is merely their counterpart's misconstruction of a concept. Is this really accurate? Do we as humans have the liberty to categorize a person's beliefs or process of thought as right or wrong, with no space in-between?

Rebecca Baruc '15, an American Studies major and Studio Art minor, said, "When I look at things like the human form, I see abstractions and lines intersected. That's how you translate something onto two-dimensional paper. It's like you're creating an illusion when you're doing a portrait." Rebecca makes a good point, relative not only to creating art but also in the understanding of others. Everything that is believed is, in one way or another, an illusion of 'truths' that belong to the processes of one's own mind.
Rebecca attended the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland last semester and is back on the Skidmore campus this semester. During her term away, she spent focused time cultivating not only her art, but also the processing of it.
"It was exciting, I really loved it. It was two weeks of printmaking, two weeks of live model and two months of free time for self-determined studio art." When she returned to Skidmore, her works were exhibited from Jan. 21 - 27 in the Case Gallery of Case Center. Each piece represents not only her artistic talent, but also her own way of seeing the world and the people in it.
"I didn't title any of these pieces because I didn't want to be pedantic, by saying 'this is called this, so you should think that,'" Rebecca said, but one of her pieces that stuck out she sometimes referred to as 'The Feminist Essay Procrastination'.
"I had one essay to write the whole term about anything in art history, so I decided to write about feminism in contemporary art. Every time I sat down to write the essay, though, I would procrastinate by drawing these self-portraits. I don't think any of them look exactly like me, but they're all essences of who I am. It's multi-faceted, which is the conclusion of feminism in art today and is not constituted by just one female artist. Also, feminism in art history is what allowed me to become a confident female art student today."
Rebecca finds inspiration in the works of naturalist painters, specifically John Singer Sargent. She also admires the innovation of Klimt as well as the interactive, performance art pieces of Aneesh Kapoor.
While abroad, Rebecca discovered new ways of expressing what she saw in both the world and in people in her artwork.
"I've been really obsessed with delineation; it was an obsession I wanted to pursue. I also wanted to get over treating things as precious. So, I had this portrait of my friend and I delineated the color areas. I decided I've done a lot of portraits, so this doesn't have to precious. I also doodle a lot, so I wanted to take that line and make it invade a nice portrait. It's all connected; it started in the life room, where I had to draw her [a nude woman] as she moved, but then I put my geometric doodling into it. This made me see her form as abstract shapes, which then creeped into everything I did."
Rebecca explained the importance of letting go of preconceived notions of what may seem right or wrong, giving the mind an openness to freeform, let things take shape, and create.
"I learned not to judge the process. For example, with delineation and doodling, I was told to explore different surfaces to do it on. At one point I was sitting at my desk delineating a toilet paper roll and wondering, why am I doing this? It's so easy to judge something that you're doing but I learned that it was all part of a larger process, which is probably the best thing I learned. I hope that people take away from this how to not feel scared about pursuing their curiosities. Just don't filter yourself."

Campus Safety Reports: Jan. 17 to 23

Posted by Julia Leef

Incidents of Note:

• Monday, Jan. 20-Larceny: Two fire extinguishers found at 3:30 p.m. by Haupt Pond. It was determined that both were removed from the Art Center. Report taken.
• Monday, Jan. 20-Harassment: Report received of an email sent at 10:41 a.m. on Jan. 16 to Campus Safety regarding possible harassment between two current students.
• Thursday, Jan. 23-Suspicious Activity: A suspicious person reported at 7:20 p.m. walking near the Sussman Apartments. Officer dispatched located the homeless male subject and transported him to a shelter off campus due to the extreme weather.

Further Incidents

Friday, Jan. 17:

• Campus Safety Assist: A transport requested at 8:52 a.m. to the Sussman Apartments K as the reporting person was on crutches. Transport provided.
• Disorderly Conduct: Disorderly conduct, taunting and unruly behavior reported at 10 p.m. during a basketball game at the Williamson Sports Center. Officers responded and quieted the spectators. No further incidents.

Sunday, Jan. 19:

• Criminal Mischief: Officer reported at 12:14 a.m. finding that the phone on the fifth floor of Jonsson Tower had been torn off the wall. Report made and photos taken.
• College Violation: A reporting person called at 12:10 a.m. stating that there was loud music coming from a neighboring apartment in Sussman J. Dispatched officers reported speaking with the residents who agreed to lower the volume. The reporting person called again at 2:18 a.m. stating that the same apartment was noisy again. Dispatched officer reported finding several students watching a movie. Officer told the students that they would need to disperse, as this was the second time he had told them to quiet down. Students complied and left.
• College Violation: A loud group reported at 1:33 a.m. in McClellan Hall. Dispatched officers reported speaking to the residents and discovered alcohol as well. Report made. Alcohol dumped.

Monday, Jan. 20:

• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm sounded at 1:16 a.m. in the Sussman Apartments J. Dispatched all units, maintenance and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Alarm due to cooking.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 1:25 p.m. at 12 Whitman Way. Activation due to contractors. Alarm restored.
• Suspicious Odor: Odor of marijuana reported at 3:20 p.m. at Jonsson Tower. Odor dissipated prior to the officers' arrival.
• Suspicious Odor: The smell of gasoline reported at 3:25 p.m. at the Starbuck Center. Odor dissipated prior to the officers' arrival.
• Criminal Mischief: Criminal mischief reported at 4:56 p.m. at the Art Center. Upon entering the Ceramics Studio, the reporting person observed broken items and a piece of equipment left. Report taken.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 7:09 p.m. at the Sussman Apartments I. Dispatched all units, notified Unit-10, advised the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Alarm was due to cooking.
• Graffiti: Officer reported finding graffiti at 7:55 p.m. on the first floor of Wait Hall. Report made.
• College Violation: A noise complaint received at 10 p.m. at the Sussman Apartments J. Dispatched officers who spoke with the two subjects who turned the volume down. At 10:38 p.m., the reporting person called back stating that the noise was louder than before. Dispatched officer reported speaking with two different residents who stated that they would keep it down. The reporting person called back at 10:50 p.m. stating that it was still too loud. Dispatched officer spoke with the resident.
• Suspicious Odor: A suspicious odor reported at 10:36 p.m. at Penfield Hall. Dispatched officers.

Tuesday, Jan. 21:

• Campus Safety Assist: Transportation requested received at 8:33 a.m. to the Saratoga Hospital Emergency Room, as the subject was not feeling well. Dispatched officer. Transportation provided.
• Suspicious Odor: An odor of gas reported at 10:02 a.m. at the Dana Science Center. Dispatched officer and maintenance unit. Officer reported that no odor could be detected and advised the reporting person to call if the odor returned.
• Suspicious Odor: A suspicious odor reported at 4:25 p.m. at Penfield Hall. Dispatched officer could not find the source of the odor, which had dissipated prior to arrival.

Wednesday, Jan. 22:

• College violation: A noise complaint reported at 12:03 a.m. at Whitman Way. Officer advised that no noise was detected. Call unfounded at the time.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 7:06 p.m. at the Sussman Apartments. Dispatched all units and advised the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Activation due to a cooking error. Report issued.
• College Violation: A noise complaint reported at 6:03 p.m. at Wait Hall. Dispatched officer reported that resident complied with the request to lower the volume.
• Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 9:25 p.m. at Jonsson Tower. Officers dispatched reported a strong odor in the lobby but were unable to determine a specific source.
• On Call Request: Contact requested at 11:35 p.m. from Wilmarth Hall with a counselor on call. Message delivered and assistance given.

Thursday, Jan. 23:

• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 4:20 a.m. in Palamountain. Officers, maintenance and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department dispatched. Several subsequent activations due to a faulty smoke head. Electrician made repair. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Transport requested at 6:32 p.m. from Wilmarth Hall to the Emergency Room. Officer dispatched completed the transport. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person advised at 9:21 p.m. that she would like to report an uncomfortable situation that occurred in Penfield Hall. Officers provided assistance and issued a report.
• Medical Assist: Report received at 10:32 p.m. that a student worker at the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall had sustained a burn and would like medical assistance. Dispatched officer/EMT and the Skidmore College Emergency Service. Report issued.
• College Violation: A noise complaint reported at 10:52 p.m. at the Sussman Apartments. Dispatched officers reported that the situation had been rectified with the music lowered.
• College Violation: A noise complaint received at 11:02 p.m. at Whitman Way. Dispatched officers who reported that the residents agreed to lower the volume.
• College Violation: A noise complaint reported at 11:10 p.m. at Cane Crossing. Dispatched officers reported that the television volume was lowered.
• College Violation: A noise complaint received at 11:55 p.m. for the Sussman Apartments. Dispatched officers reported that the situation was rectified with the residents agreeing to lower their voices.

Women's winter sport update

Posted by Katie Peverada

Not to be overshadowed by the success of their fall counterparts, the winter women's sports teams entered the winter break with solid efforts. The riding team continued its dominance, the basketball team's 3-4 record looked promising and the women's swimming and diving team finished in sixth place out of 10 teams at the Liberty League championships on Dec. 7 and 8. But how are they doing now?

Women's Riding
The reigning national champions started off the fall semester with four first place finishes in four shows, with the final victory coming on Nov. 23 at the Van Lennep Riding Center. The Nov. 23 show proved to be a tough test, but Skidmore College was able to beat Morrisville State College with a narrow two-point victory. The Thoroughbreds will open the second part of their season with two home shows in a row on Feb. 15 and 22. The Zone 2 Region 3 Finals loom in the future on March 29.

Women's Basketball
The Thoroughbreds headed into winter break with a respectable 3-4 record, including a convincing 75-42 win over the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Skidmore College went on to capture the Salem Holiday Tournament, beating Salem State University and Albertus Magnus College on their way to the title. Angela Botiba '15, who was named the tournament MVP, currently leads the 6-11 Thoroughbreds in rebounds and blocks per game with 10.4 and 1.2, respectively. Jordyn Wartts '14, who was named to the All-Tournament Team, currently leads the team in scoring with 14.2 points per game. Despite a 1-7 conference record, Skidmore's players are not giving up and are still strong in every game. Botiba is among the top in the Liberty League, sitting at third in both rebounds and blocks per game. Molly McLaughlin '15 is fourth in the league with 4.4 assists per game. The team has eight games remaining, games in which they can play spoiler for other teams in the league..

Women's Swimming and Diving
With their sixth place finish at the Liberty League championships, the women's swimming and diving team set themselves up for a strong finish to the season. Although they lost their dual meet against RPI on Jan 25., they received strong individual performances that bode well for the remaining two meets. Erin Donovan '17 won the 200 Free and Backstroke in addition to a second-place finish in the 50 Free. Yookee Roh '17 continued the freshmen push with two wins of her own in the 100 Backstroke and the 200 IM. The team also grabbed a first place finish in the 200 Free Relay. The Skidmore College Women's Invitational awaits them at 1 p.m. this Saturday, and the New York State Championships take place Feb. 19 to 22

Men's winter sports catch-up

Posted by Katie Peverada

While Skidmore students were on break, the men's winter teams were hard at work trying to establish themselves in the pool, on the ice and on the court. And although there is still much to be expected this semester, there also was plenty of action while students were gone that is deserving of attention.

Men's Ice Hockey
The hockey team entered the winter break with a record of 3-4-3, and now stands at a respectable 7-7-6. Three seniors led the team in scoring, with Aaron Beck (13 goals, 4 assists), Vlad Gavrik (8G, 9A) and Brad Schuler (5G, 12A) each contributing 17 points to the Thoroughbred offense. First-year Anthony Bird leads all of the first-years on the team and ranks fourth overall in scoring (6G, 10A). Gavrik is tied for sixth in the ECAC East in scoring and his three power play goals are tied for second overall in the league. Meanwhile, Bird is third in the league for first-year scoring while Schuler is fourth among defensemen. Jack McDonald '17 has been getting most of the action in goal, sporting a .920 save percentage and 2.68 Goals Against Average. The Thoroughbreds, who sit in sixth place in the league, have five games remaining, all of which are ECAC contests.

Men's Swimming and Diving
Heading into the break, the men's swimming and diving team had a record of 2-4, and finished off their fall semester with a fifth place finish at the Liberty League championships. In their first meet after the break, they finished sixth out of seven at the RPI Invitational before dropping their final dual meet of the season 127-160 to RPI. The meet served as the final home meet for seniors Taylor Best, Tim Brodsky, Jon Markowitz and Peter Quattromani. On the diving board, Jacob Nathan '15 qualified for NCAA events in the 1-meter and 3-meter dives. The men have two meets remaining as they travel to the Vassar College Men's Invitational on Feb. 2 and the state championship from Feb. 19 to 22.

Men's Basketball
The men's basketball team finished the fall semester with a solid 4-2 record and have continued that strong play since returning from break. With their 10-7 record and 4-4 Liberty League record, the Thoroughbreds are positioned to move up from their fifth place standing into a playoff spot. With the top four teams qualifying for the post-season tournament, Skidmore College will have to beat RPI, RIT and Vassar, all teams who are ahead of them in the standings, in their upcoming games. Sophomore Aldin Medunjanin leads the offensive charge with 16.4 points per game, while classmate Erik Sanders is right behind with 16.2 per game. Both Medunjanin and Sanders are in the top 10 in the Liberty League in scoring. Medunjanin also is helping his teammates score, as he leads the team with 5.2 assists per game, also first in the league. Connor Merrill '15 and Medunjanin are tied for the team lead with 6.2 rebounds per game and Merrill leads the team with 1.9 blocks per game. Merrill and Perun Kovacevic '15 are first and second in the league in

Skidmore Outing Club to Announce Minority Opportunity Initiative

Posted by Alex Hodor-Lee

A collective Anglo complexion and sense of privilege have long oppressed members of the Skidmore Outing Club. This has fostered a very elitist environment, leading minority students to feel uncomfortable at the prospect of joining.

To remedy the social injustice (and assuage their Caucasian guilt), the Outing Club will launch a new program to attract Skidmore students from all shades of the rainbow.

Known as "The Outside Club", the pilot program will help teach underprivileged minority students how to "get in touch with their inner-outsideness." The Outing Club is hoping to shed their image as a white's only an intolerant and exclusive club.

The Outing Club is one of the largest clubs on campus and its members often measure the size of their walking stick by boasting the number of email recipients on their listserv. However, some have admonished them for their lack of diversity as related to their relative clout on campus.

Others have come to the club's defense, noting that hiking and bird-watching are predominantly Anglo "sports," that Others (employed in the anthropological sense) are not privy to. Moreover, proponents of the club contend that a lack of integration is not a problem specific to the Outing Club, but representative of a systemic issue at Skidmore.

The situation also raises interesting questions about the role of forced integration on campus. Should college clubs, or even the College, be responsible for legislating or regulating interracial interactions on campus? Is it even a big deal?

While some contend that diversity substantively enriches our perspective, ability to collaborate and capacity to learn, others recognize that diversity is simply a descriptive element: a corporate instrument employed in an effort to raise Skidmore's perceived prestige.

In any case, this white man's burden initiative will begin "whenever we get our shit together", wrote one member, who, unauthorized to discuss the program, spoke on condition of anonymity.

A College spokesman remarked, "We're very proud of the College's commitment to diversity and support new initiatives, such as the Outing Club's." The spokesman also astutely pointed out, "diversity and integration are two of Skidmore's most difficult challenges and require hard work and dedication," continuing, "[diversity and integration] certainly can't simply be achieved by writing sententious, satirical pieces in one's pajamas."

It remains to be seen whether this post-colonial endeavor will teach minority students to fish. Most importantly: will these minority students assimilate to the Outing Club culture, becoming as integrated and accessorized as nalgenes on backpacks?

The Outing Club is currently seeking Asian, hapa and mulatto students, in hopes of abating culture shock in this transition period. Students seeking financial aid to cover the cost of equipment can apply for grants through the Cynthia Carroll Opportunity Fund.

Next week: If Pony Club told you to jump off a bridge...

Author's Notes: The Skidmore New's "Pulp" section often features essays, poetry and,in this case, satire. It should be understood that satire stories are parody and employ humor to highlight social and cultural norms.

Good: By Andrew Gettings

Good

By Andrew Gettings

Mel was good.  She had brown hair.  She did girl's track.  She had no piercings except for one in each earlobe, which were only ever adorned with conservative studs.  Mel didn't listen to rap music, she liked country.  She was always home by eleven and she always had her schoolwork in on time.  Mel never had any stories to tell at camp or fingers to put up when playing "never have I ever".

It was a few days after Mel's birthday when she told her little brother Ian that he'd have to walk home from school.  She told him she had stay after school and work on the yearbook.  Mel didn't like to lie to her brother, it made her feel like a mean older sister, which she wasn't.

That day after school Mel hurried to her car and drove out of the student parking lot.  She was careful to not be seen by her brother or anyone who might stop her and ask for a ride.  She needed to be alone.

Mel drove for fifteen minutes before pulling into a gas station in the next town.  She got out of the car, her palms were damp and her breath was short.  A cold winter breeze pushed Mel forward as she walked into the store and swallowed her nerves.  She was going to be fine.

She walked up to the counter and surveyed the array of cartons behind the cashier.

She cleared her throat.

"Can I have," she played with her car keys, "can I have a pack of Newports please?"

Mel was afraid to look up as the man turned around to get the little box she had requested.

"Can I see your ID young lady?", the cashier softly placed the carton on the counter.

"Here." Mel slid her license out of her paisley wallet.  She could hear her heartbeat.

"Alright is that all?" The man's finger levitated above the cash register.

"Yes." Mel handed him a ten and said, "You can keep the change."  He thanked her as she walked briskly to her car, not looking back.

Mel turned the key and pulled out of the small lot.  She drove for what felt like hours, just going in circles, stalling.  She was excited but terrified at the same time.

Finally when she was ready and she took a left into the North Point Beach parking lot.  She could hear her tires grind against the sand and the asphalt.

In the summer this lot would be full of beachgoer's cars but now it was empty.  No Ice-cream truck jingle.  No seagulls squawking overhead.  The lot was silent.

Mel rolled down her windows.  She took a deep breath.

Mel opened her cigarettes as quietly as possible, and took one out.  She turned it over a few times in her clammy hands, checking for imperfections.

She reached to her right and opened the glove compartment.  The day before she had hidden her family's long fireplace matches in there.

She put the cigarette in her mouth.  It felt dry.  She lit a match, held the flame to the end of her cigarette and inhaled.  Flames licked up the sides and her mouth felt warm.  She took the cigarette out of her mouth and coughed, then she inhaled again.  It tasted like cigarettes smell.  Mel didn't like it but she continued.

Smoke swirled out the windows.  The smell was strong and unpleasant.

She started to feel a little weird, but not bad.  Why not bad?  This is bad, she thought, but she didn't feel that way.  She was frustrated.  Angry.  Her plan had failed, she was still Melissa Greene.  A good girl.  She wanted to cry, to scream.

She looked into the faint glow at the end of the cigarette and, without thinking; she quickly put it out on the underside of her forearm.

Good: By Andrew Gettings

Posted by Erika Marcinek

Good

By Andrew Gettings

Mel was good.  She had brown hair.  She did girl's track.  She had no piercings except for one in each earlobe, which were only ever adorned with conservative studs.  Mel didn't listen to rap music, she liked country.  She was always home by eleven and she always had her schoolwork in on time.  Mel never had any stories to tell at camp or fingers to put up when playing "never have I ever". 

It was a few days after Mel's birthday when she told her little brother Ian that he'd have to walk home from school.  She told him she had stay after school and work on the yearbook.  Mel didn't like to lie to her brother, it made her feel like a mean older sister, which she wasn't. 

That day after school Mel hurried to her car and drove out of the student parking lot.  She was careful to not be seen by her brother or anyone who might stop her and ask for a ride.  She needed to be alone.

Mel drove for fifteen minutes before pulling into a gas station in the next town.  She got out of the car, her palms were damp and her breath was short.  A cold winter breeze pushed Mel forward as she walked into the store and swallowed her nerves.  She was going to be fine.

She walked up to the counter and surveyed the array of cartons behind the cashier.

She cleared her throat. 

"Can I have," she played with her car keys, "can I have a pack of Newports please?"

Mel was afraid to look up as the man turned around to get the little box she had requested. 

"Can I see your ID young lady?", the cashier softly placed the carton on the counter.

"Here." Mel slid her license out of her paisley wallet.  She could hear her heartbeat. 

"Alright is that all?" The man's finger levitated above the cash register.

"Yes." Mel handed him a ten and said, "You can keep the change."  He thanked her as she walked briskly to her car, not looking back.

Mel turned the key and pulled out of the small lot.  She drove for what felt like hours, just going in circles, stalling.  She was excited but terrified at the same time. 

Finally when she was ready and she took a left into the North Point Beach parking lot.  She could hear her tires grind against the sand and the asphalt. 

In the summer this lot would be full of beachgoer's cars but now it was empty.  No Ice-cream truck jingle.  No seagulls squawking overhead.  The lot was silent.

Mel rolled down her windows.  She took a deep breath. 

Mel opened her cigarettes as quietly as possible, and took one out.  She turned it over a few times in her clammy hands, checking for imperfections. 

She reached to her right and opened the glove compartment.  The day before she had hidden her family's long fireplace matches in there.

She put the cigarette in her mouth.  It felt dry.  She lit a match, held the flame to the end of her cigarette and inhaled.  Flames licked up the sides and her mouth felt warm.  She took the cigarette out of her mouth and coughed, then she inhaled again.  It tasted like cigarettes smell.  Mel didn't like it but she continued. 

Smoke swirled out the windows.  The smell was strong and unpleasant.

She started to feel a little weird, but not bad.  Why not bad?  This is bad, she thought, but she didn't feel that way.  She was frustrated.  Angry.  Her plan had failed, she was still Melissa Greene.  A good girl.  She wanted to cry, to scream. 

She looked into the faint glow at the end of the cigarette and, without thinking; she quickly put it out on the underside of her forearm.

I Love You Comic

Posted by Allison Smith

Campus Safety Reports: Nov. 29 to Dec. 5

Posted by Julia Leef

Incidents of Note:

• Monday, Dec. 2-Aggravated Harassment: Report received at 10:17 a.m. about a threatening Facebook message. Officer conducted an investigation. Report issued.
• Wednesday, Dec. 4-Maintenance: Reporting person advised of a large leak at 12:18 p.m. in the sub-basement of Howe/Rounds and a possible water main break near the Howe/Rounds Fire Lane. Report made.
• Wednesday, Dec. 4-Burglary: Report received at 3:30 p.m. that an unknown person(s) had stolen a marble sculpture from Wait Hall. Report made.

Further Incidents:

Sunday, Dec. 1:

• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activated at 11:13 a.m. at the Sussman G Apartments. Officers, maintenance and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department advised. Alarm was due to cooking. Report taken.
• Campus Safety Assist: Assistance requested at 3:15 p.m. with an argument that occurred between two teams at the hockey tournament at an off-campus location. Officer dispatched. Argument resolved.
• Suspicious Odor: A suspicious odor reported at 8:45 p.m. in Wilmarth Hall. Drug law violation referral.
• Suspicious Odor: A burning candle smell reported at 11:37 p.m. in Wilmarth Hall. Officer dispatched. College violation reported.

Monday, Dec. 2:

• College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 1:20 a.m. in Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officer reported that the subjects complied with the request to lower the volume of the music.

Tuesday, Dec. 3:

• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 5:58 p.m. at the Sussman Apartments. Dispatched officers, Unit-10 and advised the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Activation was due to a cooking error. Report issued.
• Fire Alarm: Fire alarm activation received at 10:17 p.m. at 12 Whitman Way. Dispatched officers and Unit-10. The Saratoga Springs Fire Department advised. Activation was due to a lit candle. Report issued.
• Liquor Law Violation: Report received at 10:29 p.m. that upon investigating a noise complaint call the subject observed a liquor law violation in plain view in Wait Hall. Report issued.

Wednesday, Dec. 4:

• College Violation: A noise complaint reported at midnight in Wait Hall. Dispatched officer who stated that the cause was due to loud music. All quiet at the time.
• Property Damage Auto Accident: Reporting person stated at 8:03 p.m. that she had just hit a vehicle while parking her car in West Lot. Dispatched officers. Report made.
• Medical Assistance: A transport requested at 9:33 p.m. to the Emergency Room. The Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service also requested. Contacted the SCEMS and an ambulance. Evaluation conducted. Transport provided.
• Medical Assistance: Report received at 11:59 p.m. of a student in need of medical attention in Wait Hall. Dispatched officers and toned out the Skidmore College Emergency Medical Service. Evaluation conducted.

Thursday, Dec. 5:

• Suspicious Activity: A male reported at 6:30 a.m. standing next to a vehicle in the Case Center parking lot. The reporting person stated that the individual was acting suspiciously. Dispatched officers reported that the individual was an employee walking into work. No problems to report.
• Medical Assistance: Reporting person called at 11:22 a.m. to state that a person was in need of medical attention at the Tisch Learning Center. Dispatched officer. Report made.
• Suspicious Odor: An odor reported at 6:51 p.m. in the Jonsson Tower Penthouse. Dispatched officer reported that the source of the odor could not be located.
• College Violation: A noise complaint received at 10:02 p.m. in Wilmarth Hall. Dispatched officer reported that a large group was leaving the building. Officer reported no problems at the time.
• College Violation: Loud music reported at 11:57 p.m. at Dayton Drive. Officer responded and reported no noise at the time.

Are we using our resources?

Posted by The Editorial Board

Over winter break, the College will host its second Sophomore January Program. The free program-but only open to a limited number of students-offers leadership sessions, career and personal assessment sessions with the Career Development Center, alumni guest speakers and a mini-course entitled "Presenting the Brand Called Me." Last year 36 sophomore students participated in the program.

Sophomore year at Skidmore is filled with a number of important decisions. Students must declare a major, select an advisor and begin thinking about if, when and where they would like to go abroad.

These are most certainly personal decisions, and ones that for the majority of students should not require intensive hand-holding throughout the process. But The Skidmore News does view the Sophomore January Program as a well-timed optional supplement to a student's sophomore year. The program is offered during the winter break, around the time when sophomore students are required to declare their major. The goal of the program is to develop a deeper understanding of personal and civic responsibility.

This paper recognizes that it is during sophomore year that much of a student's identity at Skidmore is constructed. The first year is a time of academic experimentation, but once sophomore year arrives, students are expected to choose and pursue a specific path and begin to plan for the future.

Creating an optional program personally tailored for sophomores looking to develop their personal presentation skills, as well as work on their resumes and interview strategies, is the most logical plan of action in preparing students for the future and hopefully fending off sophomore slump too. The services are available for those who seek them out, and non-mandatory for students who are not interested. After all, it's not the College's job to force students to actively think and plan for the future-nor should it be. It is, however, the College's job to encourage student planning. As students we have an enormous amount of resources and programming at our disposal-but are we using them?

Enrollment at the College is 2,660 students.

According to Megan Jackson, associate director and Information Technology manager at the College's Career Development Center, in the 2012-2013 academic year, 2,285 appointments were made with the Center.

Seem high?

Actually, 906 individual students and alumni made the appointments. Of that group, 709 were students while 187 were alumni.

That means about 25% of our student body pursues the free services at the Career Development Center.

Jackson recognizes that the Center offers a lot more services than most students are aware of, including free help with interview skills, resumes, cover letters, graduate school applications, networking with alumni and seeking internships. The Center will even assist a student with the specific language to use when reaching out to an alum or employer via e-mail. And here's the kicker-these are unlimited, lifetime services for all Skidmore alum. The Center even provides long-distance appointments via Skype.

As much as Skidmore is about the liberal arts and diversifying student's knowledge and understanding of the world, it's also about preparing students for the world. So don't wait until you've graduated to begin utilizing these resources.

Sustainable Skidmore: Reworking the Curriculum to Incorporate Sustainability Credits

Posted by Rachel Dyckman

            Sustainability is a topic on everyone's mind these days. With the impending crisis of global climate change, many colleges and universities have decided to implement mandatory sustainability credits into their curriculums. Schools like Dickinson and Middlebury are developing sustainability requirements, and Skidmore seeks to follow suit.

Skidmore Sustainability Committee member, Rachel Dance '14 explains, "We are in the very beginning stages of putting this together and it's going to be a long process... we have been looking at schools that already have this requirement and are looking to simulate those curriculums to make it applicable to Skidmore's mission. The curriculum as a whole is being reevaluated and will take about three to five years to implement." If Skidmore implements sustainability into its curriculum, it can join the 280 higher education institutions (including Wesleyan, Vassar, Franklin and Marshall, and Tufts just to name a few) that are currently rated by STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System. STARS is a "self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance" (stars.aashe.org). Skidmore currently offers (but does not mandate) hundreds of courses in various departments that would be able to fulfill sustainability credits. In order to integrate sustainability into Skidmore's curriculum, student support is critical. A petition process must occur, as well as involvement from SGA. Finally, a proposal will be given to the CEPP, the Committee on Educational Policies and Planning.

            A major push for adding sustainability requirements into the Skidmore curriculum stems from the notion that Environmental Studies majors should not be the only students aware of environmental issues occurring today; instead, all students should be encouraged to learn about sustainability and how their actions affect the environment. Several years ago, an intern for Skidmore's sustainability office started working on getting Skidmore ranked with STARS. However, after the student graduated, the process slowed down. Now a new group of dedicated Skidmore students and faculty members are on a mission to make certain that all Skidmore graduates will be knowledgeable about environmental issues and sustainability.

             "Peaking interest in students is really important right now because we want more people to get on board with this initiative," Dance stated. Thus, in order to move forward with formally incorporating sustainability into the Skidmore curriculum, student and faculty support is necessary.

NBA Talk: The East stinks and will only get worse

Posted by Andrew Shi

The Eastern conference is currently in shambles. As of Wednesday, only two of its teams are above .500. Boston, the team that just traded away its all-stars and was suspected of tanking the season, is fourth. Meanwhile, the team that it dealt its all-stars to and was expected to be a serious contender for the conference finals, the New Jersey Nets, is 13th. In the Western conference, there are 12 teams .500 or better and the bottom four of those teams, which are currently sitting outside of the playoffs could, if in the East, be battling for third place. Simply put, the East is awful and it may only get worse.

The reason for this is that in the East only two teams are seriously playing for the championship: the Pacers and the Heat. The Bulls were the third team until Derrick Rose suffered another knee injury that has resulted in a second consecutive lost season. Perhaps another seven or eight teams are playing just to make the playoffs. Four teams are likely in a race to the bottom: The Celtics, 76ers, Magic and Bucks. In the West, there are six teams that can reasonably aspire to play the Heat or Pacers in the finals: The Trailblazers, Spurs, Clippers, Thunder, Rockets and Warriors. More importantly though, there are another six teams that are definitely playing to make the playoffs, and the Suns are playing well enough to make the playoffs as well. There are only two teams playing for the lottery: The Kings and the Jazz.

There are thus three groups of teams in the West: the championship contenders, the playoff contenders and the tankers. As the season progresses, these demarcations will become more accentuated, but what's important about the first two groups is that as the trade deadline approaches, they're going to be bidding for spare role players to increase their chances for victory. That's 12 teams looking for role players, or even stars, and they'll be looking at teams that won't be playing for the playoffs. And those teams will be in the East.

If the rumors are true, the Celtics, 76ers and Magic are all playing for the draft. Originally, the Bucks were expected to be playing for mediocrity again, but after the loss of Sanders and Defino and the current disaster their team has become, they may be joining that race to the bottom. A fifth team, the Raptors, which is good enough to make the playoffs in this conference, is allegedly looking to shed its big contract players and make a run for Wiggins. That would make five teams, all with serviceable players, that will be targeted by the West.

By the February trade deadline, players that have been playing impressively: Aaron Afflalo, Glen Davis, Evan Turner, Brandon Bass and Demar Derozan, for example, may very likely be playing in different uniforms come the end of the season. The end result is that these Eastern teams, which have been playing admirably and playoff worthy, will be even worse.

On the flip side, though, these Eastern teams may also trade with other Eastern teams aspiring for the playoffs: the Cavaliers, Knicks, Nets, Pistons, Bobcats and Wizards. The Knicks and Nets are desperate to make moves and they are both likely to pay big for whatever may put them over the edge.

So while on the whole the Western will become better at the expense of the East, several Eastern teams may improve as well, or at least make the playoffs more interesting. And even without these inevitable trades, it's unlikely that the Cavaliers, Knicks or Nets will continue to play gutter-worthy. Still, come playoffs, it will all be about the West

Mental Health: The Stigma is Real

Posted by Amber Charette

Mental health is a topic of interest that not only fascinates me, but that affects me on a personal level. For the past several years, I've been struggling with severe anxiety and depression. My illnesses began sometime in high school, but it wasn't until my junior year of college that I really started to try and make things better for myself. Since then, I've experienced enormous ups and downs, and have at times questioned my ability to continue fighting these illnesses. Recently, with the help of medication and therapy, I have begun to make great strides in my coping ability. I'm not going to say that I'm in the clear, but I can tell that what I'm doing are the right things for me and that as long as I continue doing them I will become increasingly stronger.

My name is Amber Charette, and I am a senior exercise science major here at Skidmore. I wanted to share a small piece of my story to you all because I would like nothing more than to help open people's eyes to the realities of mental illness. The stigma that is present on mental illness is real, and it is not only hurtful to those affected by mental illness but also detrimental to their overall wellbeing. How is someone going to ask for help if society does not accept people being ill in this way in the first place?

Most of you who are reading this article probably don't fall into this stigmatizing group. But that doesn't mean there aren't people out there who do. I can recall several instances where people have ridiculed, bullied, and tormented people because of their mental illness. Not only this, but I have also witnessed such stigmas via popular social networks such as Facebook, Myspace, and Tumblr. One of the latest stigmatizing experiences I came across was a Facebook post shared by a group I am a member of. While I couldn't find the exact post (as it was shared back in September), I did find an article that highlights the gist of it very well:

  http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/09/26/asdas-mental-patient-fancydress_n_3993125.html. While I encourage all who are reading this article to take a peek at this link, I understand the realities of the last few weeks of the semester very well. Thus, I'll give a brief synopsis of the whole situation. Basically, two companies, Asda (which is owned by Wal-Mart) and Tesco were selling "mental patient" and "psycho ward" Halloween costumes in England. One look at the costumes, and viewers became instantly outraged. And while I was pleased with the quick backlash from viewers, I was nonetheless disgusted by the fact that some people, somewhere, thought it was acceptable to sell such costumes.

To some, I may seem like I was exaggerating my frustration at this post, but I don't think I was. As someone who has been a patient in a mental health unit multiple times because of my illnesses, I was personally offended and hurt by what those companies did. But what bothered me most was the message that was being sent to consumers: which was that mental health patients and people with mental illness in general are all violent, scary, and insane.First, I can guarantee you all that while I admit to being quirky and weird at times, I am certainly not crazy. I'm a normal college student, who happens to struggle with anxiety and depression. Second, notice I said that I struggle with anxiety and depression. I do not consider myself to be "an anxious and depressed" person. Rather, I am a person with anxiety and depression. While the change is subtle, the meanings differ enormously: I am first and foremost a person, and thus, using what is known as 'people-first' language is essential.

I do not define myself by my mental illnesses, and I think it is time that society realizes and respects that mental illnesses are just that - illnesses. I read another post on Facebook recently that said something like this: "You wouldn't tell someone with diabetes to just snap out of it." Whether psychological or physical, illnesses should be treated equally.

As an endnote, my struggles with mental illness have helped to show me what I am passionate about doing in my future. I hope to become a social worker in an inpatient mental health unit one day, so I can help individuals cope with and eventually overcome their illnesses too. Sometimes, just sometimes, your weaknesses can become your strengths. 

Blackhurst earns Longstreth/NFHCA Division III National Player of the Year

Posted by Katie Peverada

The Skidmore field hockey team's season ended in the NCAA Division III semifinal, as they lost to Salisbury on a rare overtime penalty stroke. The season was one of the program's most successful, and it also marked the end for Kelly Blackhurst '14, the program's all-time leading scorer. Blackhurst, though, is continuing to pull in national recognition for her season and her career.
On Tuesday, Blackhurst was selected as the 2013 Longstreth/NFHCA Division III National Player of the Year on the strength of her 32 goals and 15 assists this season. Her 79 points this season give her a career total of 264 points (105 G, 54 A), which is 5th all-time in career scoring in Division III.
This season, Blackhurst was also tabbed as a Longstreth/NFCHA All-American for the third time in her career, and she was selected as North Atlantic Region Player of the Year for the second time in her career. Additionally, this season marked the second time Blackhurst was named the Liberty League Offensive Player of the Year as well as being named to the All-Liberty League team, and she finished her career as the League's all-time leading scorer.
Blackhurst's 32 goals this season was a record for most in a season, and the eight of those goals that were game-winners was also a record. Blackhurst also slashed a couple other records, including most career game-winning goals (20) and most points in a season.
Blackhurst's career goals per game (1.24) is fifth all-time in Division III, her career goals (105) and career assists per game (0.64) are both seventh all-time.
The Thoroughbreds ended the season at 19-4, won the Liberty League championship and made it to the Final Four for the third time in program history.

Why the Red Sox letting Ellsbury, Saltalamacchia walk is a good move

Posted by Katie Peverada

The past week has been quite busy in the world of baseball, with the hot stove turning on full-blast. There were a lot of notable players moving around, via trade and free-agency, but the Boston Red Sox letting two players walk in free-agency were calculated moves for the benefit of the team. It would appear that the Red Sox let two key players walk in catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia and centerfielder Jacoby Ellsbury. These moves seem detrimental and counter-productive (isn't the idea to repeat as World Series Champions?), however, Boston's general manager Ben Cherrington has the Red Sox on the right track. So far, the Ellsbury and Saltalamacchia moves are the right moves for each team involved.
By now, the sports world knows that Jacoby Ellsbury left the Boston Red Sox and signed with the New York Yankees for $153 million over seven years. The deal, which has an option for an eighth year, was in typical Yankee fashion. Stealing the Red Sox star-center field is something they've been doing for years (see Johnny Damon). Ellsbury is coming off one of the best years of his career and, pending he can stay healthy, should provide the Yankees with a strong bat at the top of the lineup. On top of Ellsbury's signing, the Yankees also signed catcher Brian McCann, and are still in a good position to resign pitcher Hiroki Kuroda. To sum it up, the Yankees missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008 (!), and as a result have embarked on a huge spending spree to return to the top of the AL East. Even if they don't win the World Series, the Yankees will still achieve their yearly goal of spending the most money, as they did in 2013 with $228,995,945 payroll.
In an equally as important departure and signing, but one done with much less fanfare, Saltalamacchia signed with the Miami Marlins for three years and $21 million. Saltalamacchia is a huge upgrade over Jeff Mathis and Rob Brantly, the Marlins platoon in 2013. Saltalamacchia's batting average of .273 is an upgrade of over .060. The Marlins, as bad as they have been the past few years-they haven't finished over .500 since 2009-they do have a strong, young, and deep pitching staff that finished a respectable 11th in MLB in 2013 with a team ERA of 3.71. It's at the plate where the Marlins struggle, finishing dead last this year with a team average of .231. Saltalamacchia wasn't the best available catcher on the market (the Yankees got that with McCann), but his stats are very comparable and his experience with winning is what the Marlins need in the locker room. Pending any crazy fire sales from owner Jeffery Loria, Saltalamacchia will prove to be the anchor for the Marlins climb back into relevancy.
But what about the Red Sox? They lost their starting centerfielder and their primary catcher and remain committed to keeping their roster financially flexible. Saltalamacchi was looking for a multi-year deal and Ellsbury was asking for a lot of money. In what was one of the quietest offseason signings, the Red Sox signed catcher A.J. Pierzynski to a one-year deal worth $8.25 million. Pierzynski was signed before Saltalamacchia made it official with the Marlins. The Red Sox were not only ready to move on, but they were also prepared to. Pierzynski, a durable catcher coming off of a .283 season in Texas, will join last year's backup David Ross. Ross is no slouch, and could start on other teams, as he caught four of the six World Series games. Cherrington probably also had in mind that he has the sixth-ranked prospect catcher, Blake Swihart, and another great catching prospect in Christian Vazquez. Swihart won't be ready this year, but the Red Sox are high on his ability, which is why signing a one-year deal was important. It allows Swihart and Vazquez to develop in the minors in 2014 and makes the spot behind the plate open in 2015, when hopefully Swihart or Vazquez proves ready. Ellsbury's departure makes way for Jackie Bradley Jr. to replace him in centerfield, and explore free-agency a bit. Bradley struggled at the plate in his time in the majors last year, but the team seems ready to commit to him and his lights-out defense.
The Red Sox letting Ellsbury and Saltalamacchia walk got what everybody involved wanted. The Yankees will continue to spend, and nobody can ever tell what the Marlins are going to do. And while the Red Sox's success from letting the players walk does depend on how the prospects develop in 2014, all these teams will at least get a chance to prove that they made the right moves.

Winter athletes honored by Liberty League

Posted by Katie Peverada

The winter-sports teams are well underway, with some Skidmore athletes already earning recognition from the Liberty League for their individual performances.
Women's basketball senior Jordyn Wartts was selected for this week's League Honor Roll. In the team's overtime win over Hamilton College last week, Wartts led Skidmore with a double-double. Wartts scored 24 points and added 12 rebounds, including seven key points in an 8-0 Skidmore run in the second half that pulled the team back into the game. Wartts is currently ninth in the Liberty League in scoring, averaging 14.6 points per game for the Thoroughbreds.
Connor Merrill '15 of the men's basketball team was also named to the Liberty League Honor Roll this week, as he helped lead the Thoroughbreds to an 87-74 victory over SUNY Potsdam. Merrill scored a career-high 32 points in the game, shooting 12-16 from the field and 6-7 from beyond the three-point line. Merrill also added 15 rebounds in the game, and he combined with teammate Tanner Brooks '16 to score 13 points over a four-minute span late in the game to cement the win.
Wartts and the women's basketball team, who sit at 1-4 on the season, are hosting Middlebury College at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7.
Merrill and the 3-1 men's basketball team are also playing Middlebury College at home at 4 p.m. on Saturday.