News

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If it ain't broke...

Now that the Super Bowl is over, it's time to shift our focus. March Madness and the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship tournament are right around the corner. Many think that the 65-team, three-week tournament is the greatest event in all of sports. But it's in danger of being ruined. There has been a lot of talk about expanding the tournament field from 65 teams to either 96 or 128 teams. On the scale of bad ideas, this one is right up there alongside the 'Let's hire Chan Gailey' move. The tournament is perfect exactly the way it is. Why change it? For those unfamiliar with March Madness, here's how the 65-team field is decided: At the end of the regular season, every conference (except for the Ivy League) holds a championship tournament. The winner of each conference tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The Ivy League simply sends its regular season champion. There are 31 conferences in Division I, so 31 teams receive one of these automatic bids. That's the easy part. The 34 remaining spots in the tournament are assigned by a selection committee, which carefully reviews the credentials of each team in the nation and decides whether the team is worthy of an invitation to 'The Big Dance.' Most of the decisions are easy to make, but every year, there is controversy surrounding the teams 'on the bubble,' or in other words, the teams that barely make it in and those that just miss being included. Sure, maybe St. Mary's should have gotten in instead of Wisconsin last year. But was St. Mary's going to beat North Carolina, who made winning the championship look easy? Not likely. Though teams on the outside looking in may have legitimate complaints, they also have to deal with the fact that a few more regular season wins would have taken away the committee's ability to snub them. A main argument for expanding the field is that schools that normally don't make it into the tournament would get to experience the opportunity of a lifetime, one that many student-athletes miss out on. Isn't it an opportunity of a lifetime precisely because it's difficult to get in? Expanding the field lessens the sense of accomplishment, waters down the competition, and renders the regular season meaningless. If making it into the current field is like getting a table at The Chophouse on a Saturday night without a reservation, then changing it into an expanded field would be like reserving a table at Applebee's for Tuesday at noon. The real motive behind the potential expansion is money, just like it always is with the NCAA. More teams means more games, and more games mean more revenue from television deals and sponsors. The same organization that won't allow its athletes to make a penny off of their talent can't seem to stop trying to exploit the athletes to make more money for itself. The NCAA's greed has already ruined college football's championship system. It would be very sad if it ruined college basketball's as well. E-mail: luke.hammill@ubspectrum.com

The game of champions - coming to Buffalo

Whether it's sinking balls or chugging from notorious red cups, it was only a matter of time before someone was innovative enough to turn the game into a competitive sport. Five years ago, Sam Pines, chief executive officer, commissioner and founder of the World Beer Pong Tour, created a league with his college roommates in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. After graduating, Pines saw the potential in a larger beer pong tournament, and in 2006 he started the New York Beer Pong Tour. Traveling across six cities in October of that year, Pines brought with him six tables and the ambition to turn beer pong into a recognized sport. Hosting over 50 events in the N.Y. area with an immense fan base, it was decided that the N.Y. Tour would be expanded, but under a new name – the World Beer Pong Tour. As if things couldn't sound any better, the WBPT will be coming to Buffalo on Saturday at Bottom's Up on West Chippewa Street and Pines has created a special promotion code for University at Buffalo students. By entering SPECTRUM while registering online, students will receive $5 off all entry fees. Entry will be $20 a player, to include one draft beer and exclusive beer specials all night. The fee will be increased to $25 at the door the night of the event, so it is recommended that teams register online to save and gain a place in the tournament. Registration and practice time for the event will begin at 4 p.m., and the tournament will start at 5 p.m. First place will win a three-night hotel stay and a chance to compete in the Atlantic City Championship, second place will receive a $50 gift certificate to Bottom's Up, and third and fourth place winners will receive $25 gift certificates. 'I ran a beer pong league in college that was very successful and after I graduated I wanted to continue producing beer pong events ... our company now has a presence in two countries, 18 states and over 100 cities around the world,' Pines said. Since its creation, the WBPT has awarded over $500,000 in cash and other prizes to participants. With over 75 events held along the east coast each year, the tour continues to grow throughout the United States and Canada. 'To date, we have held over 400 tournaments, including two national tournaments, one in Montreal, Canada and one in Acapulco, Mexico,' Pines said. '[We had] our inaugural Atlantic City championship last June, where over 170 teams competed for the grand prize of $25,000 cash. This year, we're doubling the prize money to $50,000.' However, Pines admits that not everyone is a fan of the WBPT and criticize the company's goal to turn beer pong from a game intended to get participants intoxicated, to a true competitive sport. 'Everyone should realize that drinking is just supplemental to the game, and isn't really part of it at all. This game is a hit without alcohol being involved…There will always be resistance and controversy over the game - that is why we started a movement which focuses the game to more of a sport that doesn't require the consumption of alcohol' Pines said. In an effort to further legitimize the sport of beer pong, Pines and his staff have created rules to ensure an equal opportunity for all participants to play. 'All of our tournaments are double elimination, 10-rack, no bounce, blow, finger beer pong. [It's] similar to frat style, except there is no elbow rule. We do, however, use 8-foot tables instead of your typical 6-footer in a frat house,' Pines said. For additional rules and regulations, Pines encourages participants to visit WBPT's Web site, www.worldpongtour.com. Qualifying events will be held throughout the tour for the chance to compete in the 2010 Atlantic City Championship held at the Resorts Casino and Hotel in Atlantic City, N.J. on June 13 to 15. At each qualifying event, players will need to be 21 to participate and drink. However, when it comes time for the big event in June, participants ages 18 and up may play. Keeping in mind safety concerns, Pines has trained each of his staff members to recognize when a player is over their limit, and urges participants to use the taxi service WBPT provides when leaving the event. 'We want to promote the game as a fun activity that anyone can play regardless of height, weight [or] gender,' Pines said. 'Anyone can be a champion - that is the beauty of the game.' E-mail: features@ubspectrum.com

Fraternizing with an intellectual

Dr. Cornel West may be looked at as a civil rights leader, but the 56-year-old philosopher is more concerned about the health of America in general. Managing Editor David Sanchirico spoke to Dr. West before his Friday night speech at The Center for the Arts and learned about West's concerns on a bevy of topics. The Spectrum: You seem to be on the road constantly giving speeches. Do you enjoy leaving Princeton and traveling all across America? Dr. West: It depends how smooth the plane ride is. Sometimes they're moving all over the place, and I wish I were at home reading some Tolstoy. But generally speaking, meeting wonderful people like you is a joy and allows me to see all sides of America. S: I got you quoted saying, 'If a nation is sleepwalking and doesn't wake up, it will never be saved. An individual can be a catalyst and spark a nation, but can't totally save it.' While you were campaigning for Obama, did you view him that way? CW: Some people did, but we know there's no such thing as messiahs in the 21st century. For Christians, there's one particular Jew that they view as one, but other than that, there are none. There was a certain misconception regarding Obama. He was very charismatic and was running a crucial campaign, but of course he's no messiah at all. In a democracy, all of us have to rise up, organize and mobilize. S: You said you'd be his toughest critic once he stepped into office. It's been a year so far, what are your views of him now? CW: I've been a tough critic on him, very much so. I give him an A for changing the image of the country around the world, but I give him a C for the economy because he's got a team that's too tied to Wall Street and is not rooted to Main Street enough. Job creation is now an afterthought because the big banks are doing well now, the small banks not so much. I'll give him a B for green policy, which is very important. Foreign policy... I'm not too crazy about the war in Afghanistan. S: It's seems like people ignored his foreign policy. They viewed him as a peaceful guy that was going to bring this country back together. CW: In his campaign he did mention Afghanistan, but he downplayed it because the folks were in Iraq. S: The African American community was obviously ecstatic with Obama's election, but he doesn't seem to be focusing or helping those poor communities out. What's your opinion of Obama and lack of help in poor African American communities around America? CW: I think that he's kept the whole race at arm's length from the very beginning, because the only way he could win was to neutralize the anxieties of the white moderates who didn't know who he was. He kept the black supporters because they thought, ‘Oh my god if he could win, we'll be ok.' And he was certainly better than McCain. But my concern has to do with poor people in general. He has yet to speak to those people, no matter what color or where they're from. S: What is your message to those poor communities? Obviously we're in a tough recession right now and the money's not there. How do you get those people to rise up and try to succeed in this tough society? CW: They have to stay strong, hold together and stay disciplined. There has to be opportunities to reach out to each other and support each other. S: I'm going to go back in time a little bit: how old were you when Dr. King was assassinated? CW: I was 14 years old. S: That must have been a great shock. CW: It was devastating. I had just run a track meet in Sacramento. The news came out, and my heart broke. I'm sure every African American my age felt the same way. S: I found out that you weren't the most cooperative child. I've always compared you to Malcolm X, who wasn't the most stable and most law-abiding citizen as a child. What changed for you? CW: For me, it had to do with the power of love, the power of education, and the power of the church. All of these made me see that the lack of mind meant the lack of success. S: You were 17 where you traveled cross-country to attend Harvard. Talk about the experience as a kid traveling to a totally new surrounding. CW: It was like a whole new world. I meant a bunch of magnificent people. Black, white, all colors. Ever since then I've been along the east coast. New York, Princeton, Cambridge. I may be from the west coast but I love the east coast. S: Now I'm an old school hip-hop guy, and I know you're big on that stuff and have even been mentioned in Lupe Fiasco songs. I'm kind of skeptical of modern hip-hop, pop kind of stuff. What's your view of all of the stuff on the radio? CW: Guys like Talib Kweli and Lupe Fiasco rap messages and have something to say. Now Jay-Z is on the radio and he's talented, but he's just not at the level he use to be at on Reasonable Doubt and The Blueprint. The genius is still there, but there's no more motivation. S: Do you think those artists that are on the radio rap about limited messages are providing bad role models to young African Americans? CW: They're not spiritually deep. I'm a libertarian, people have the right to make noise, but there's a lack of diversity of voices on the radio. Every generation has some music that's questionable and not overly sophisticated. Unfortunately, the radio is so systematic. When I was making my album, they said if I made a catchy and booty-shaking single, they'd play it. But that's not what music should be about, especially the popular songs on the radio. E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com

Bulls lock up Central Michigan

The women's basketball team closed out the Michigan portion of its schedule on Saturday afternoon with its best defensive performance of the season. The Bulls (7-16, 3-7 Mid-American Conference), in their second of two conference home games this week, slipped past the Central Michigan Chippewas (8-14, 5-5, MAC) at Alumni Arena, 60-52. The Bulls scored first and, with a strong defensive effort, never trailed once. Although the Bulls struggled hanging onto the ball, committing 21 turnovers, their defense held the Chippewas to a measly 26.8 percent shooting from the field on their way to victory. '[I was] extremely pleased with the defensive effort,' said Bulls head coach Linda Hill-MacDonald. 'I don't know that we've held anybody to 26 percent from the floor all year, and it was a great team effort defensively and I was really proud that we were able to do that for 40 minutes.' Despite committing twice as many turnovers as CMU in the first half, the Bulls forced their opponents into difficult shot attempts and took a 37-25 lead into the break. With 10:39 left in the second half, sophomore guard Brittany Hedderson hit a 3-pointer to put the Bulls up by 14, 48-34. The Chippewas then used full court pressure to force the Bulls into committing turnovers and eventually cut the lead down to six points with 6:14 to go. With a little under six minutes to go in the game, junior guard Ashley Zuber hit a jumper to end the team's scoring drought and put the Bulls up eight. After two free throws and a layup from junior forward Kourtney Brown, the Bulls went up 12 with 3:23 to go and never looked back from there. Zuber was able to break the Central Michigan press with ease and found a way to get her teammates the ball in position to score. Zuber led the team and matched a career high, with nine assists while committing only two turnovers. When asked how she handled the CMU press, Zuber attributed her success to maintaining her focus. '[I] just stay focused and found my teammates open,' Zuber said. ' [I] handled the ball, took care of it, and I knew that when I drew two people, [somebody] would always be open.' Brown notched another double-double and led the team in points and rebounding with 19 and 14, respectively. 'A lot of the points came from my teammates finding me open. They're getting a lot of assists,' Brown said 'And rebounding is kind of my job. [I've] really just been working on it and getting good position on people so I can get those rebounds.' With 19 points on Saturday, Brown passed Mari McClure for seventh all-time in points scored at UB with 1,163 for her career. Another key to victory for the Bulls was shutting down the Chippewas' leading scorer, junior guard Shonda Long. Long was held to 13 points on 5-of-14 shooting, and went 2-for-8 from downtown. 'For the majority of the game we were extended out on [Long], not giving her an opportunity to get a look from 3-points,' Hill-MacDonald said. The Bulls were pleased with their performance against the teams from Michigan. 'We love beating teams from Michigan,' Hill-MacDonald said. 'Any success at all, we will certainly feel good about it and try to build on it. We were hoping to go 3-0 against the Michigan schools. We went 2-1, [but] we'll take it.' On Wednesday, the Bulls look to start a two-game winning streak for only the second time this season, when they battle the Ball State Cardinals (9-14, 3-7, MAC) in Muncie, Indiana. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. E-mail: sports@ubspectrum.com

"Cuddy, M.D"

This week's episode of House will be switching gears. Instead of focusing on everyone's favorite egotistical and insensitive doctor, fans will get a glimpse at an underdeveloped character. The episode '5 to 9' will give a look into the personal life of Dr. Lisa Cuddy, played by Lisa Edelstein. The episode will explore the head of Princeton Plainsboro Hospital both in and out of the workplace. Prior to this episode, Edelstein's character had been mostly undeveloped. As she balances her time between being a mother and a hospital administrator, Cuddy is also often seen in an authoritarian light, asserting her dominance over her colleagues and often challenging House. 'Cuddy is a much more controlled, serious Wonder Woman. She just cannot be as playful [as me],' said Edelstein discussing parallels between her and her character. As for her personal life, outside of light flirtations and sexual tension between her and House, it is largely left unmentioned, which has not gone unnoticed by fans of the show. The relationship between House and Cuddy is one that has seen many ups and downs and has yet to define itself in any concrete sense. If Cuddy and House do get involved, the question of whether or not the show could remain popular without the pessimistic attitude that has become one of House's trademark assets still remains. Edelstein, however, doesn't think the show's main character would change. 'I don't think that because people are in a relationship that they are happy. I don't think that relationships necessarily make people happy. You just are happy or you're not happy. So, I think that if they were ever to get together, there would be no loss in the misery level,' said Edelstein. House's poor attitude stems from many problems, although most are everyday issues people deal with. Still, in the beginning of this season he found himself under psychiatric care due to a drug addiction, an issue that led to more tension and emotional conflict between House and Cuddy. Fans often grumble when the focus of the show is not the main character, but this episode is sure to be a satisfying respite from the usual formula of the show. Given the tumultuous, albeit engaging, relationship that Cuddy and House have had for the duration of the show, it is due time for Cuddy to have an episode of her own. Up to this point, her current boyfriend, Lucas, a private investigator whom House originally hired in season five, has seemed like little more than a live-in nanny. There have been momentary signs of attraction between Lucas and Cuddy, but nothing to convince viewers that they are in an intimate and serious relationship. Whether or not Lucas and Cuddy's relationship is serious, he is still an interesting character on the show as he is one of the rare few that is able to keep up with House on an intellectual level, at least as far as deviance is concerned. It is hard to speculate where the relationship between Cuddy and Lucas will find itself as the season progresses. The appeal of House's character is obvious to many, but Cuddy and Lucas's relationship may be missed by many viewers. 'I think he shows up, he helps her with her life, he's uncomplicated, he's very loyal, and he has sex with her … I think that those things mean a lot to somebody who has got a world like hers, which can be very overwhelming,' said Edelstein. This may be a hint toward what is to come in the episode. It is sure to be an enlightening view into the world of Lisa Cuddy, and it will determine whether Lucas is just an obstacle in the seemingly inevitable romance between House and Cuddy, or a real contender. E-mail: arts@ubspectrum.com

February ups and downs

By CHRISTY SUHR and CHRIS LAWAsst. Sports Editor and Staff Reporter

Students get heated over Governors fire alarms

Constant fire drills in the Governors Complex on North Campus has left residents angry and seeking answers. Student estimates put the number of fire drills at 46 for this academic year, a number that continues to rise. In the past week alone, residents had three fire drills. The one that occurred on Feb. 3 left students waiting outside in 20-degree weather for at least 20 minutes. In response to the growing student animosity, two Facebook groups have been formed. Daniel Johnson, a sophomore history and political science major and Benjamin Rinauto, a sophomore mechanical engineering major, created a Facebook group devoted to the annoyance called, 'We didn't start the fire at Governors.' 'I knew a lot of people in Governors are disgruntled over the fire drills,' said Johnson. 'In less than 24 hours, 200 people had joined the group.' Students turning to this group aren't just annoyed with these constant fire drills; they see them as a safety hazard. '[The constant] fire drills are desensitizing people to alarms and putting them at risk for a real emergency,' said Amanda Ruby, a freshman biology major and Governors resident. Due to the weather conditions, many students who live in Governors, instead of evacuating when the alarm sounds, have opted to stay in their dorm rooms to avoid the long wait and the weather. 'It is a huge safety issue. People just take their time [evacuating] now or just don't come out at all,' Rinauto said. 'It takes forever to evacuate people and we end up waiting 15 to 20 minutes because the Residential Advisors have to check the rooms and discipline those who chose to stay in.' Johnson has also noticed this trend. 'A good handful of people are just staying in their rooms; I know a few people who do,' he said. Students are unsure of the cause of all of these false alarms but don't believe it is a result of people playing pranks. 'As far as I know, the system was updated recently, so it would be understandable that it would have some kinks, but they should have been taken care of by now,' Johnson said. 'All the information I know is from what my friends, who are RAs, have told me.' University Residence Halls and Apartments has not released a statement to the students who live in Governors Complex addressing this issue, which has begun to affect their daily lives. 'They happen randomly, sometimes in the middle of the day when you are trying to study, do homework or just heading back from class to relax. It is very inconvenient,' said Johnson. The earliest in the morning students have reported fire evacuations happening is at 1 a.m. and many students have expressed their annoyance on the Facebook walls of 'We didn't start the fire …' as well as the second group, 'People in Govs need to learn how to cook! Stop setting off fire alarm[s]!!!' In the group 'We didn't start the fire…' the creator, Johnson, makes a mock Declaration of Independence. Among the students' demands are a review of the fire prevention system to determine whether it should be put on a lower setting; a concession that only the students in the building with the alarm have to evacuate, similar to the fire drill system in Ellicott Complex; better safeguards to prevent false alarms; and newer cooking appliances. While some of these claims may be impossible for authorities at URH&A, students haven't heard any response to them and are growing tired of the authorities' seeming ignorance of the constant interruption to residents' lives. Without information from the URH&A, students are left to draw their own conclusions about the cause of all of these alarms. On the 'People in Govs…' Facebook group, the creator has posted information on how people can avoid setting off the alarms. Topping the list are admonitions to avoid leaving items cooking on a stove or in an oven. Long showers that produce excess steam and smoking are also listed as main causes. URH&A could not be reached for a statement on this issue. Meanwhile, students worry it is deterring people from choosing to live in Governors. 'I know I am considering staying at home next year, simply because I live close and the fire alarms are really annoying to deal with all the time,' said Johnson. E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com

New CFA exhibit to demonstrate transmutable architecture

A new exhibit opening this week at the CFA promises to challenge ideas about what a building can do. Reflexive Architecture Machines, to be presented Feb. 9 until Mar. 20 on the second floor of the UB Art Gallery, will display research conducted by the School of Architecture on how common building materials like wood, plastic and rubber can be adapted to respond to their environment. The exhibit centers around the development of 'responsive materials,' which change their shape based on certain environmental characteristics. Though this is expected to a small extent with most industrialized materials – for instance, when wood warps from water damage – Reflexive Architectural Machines takes advantage of familiar materials' natural responses. The gallery will display several prototypes of how this can work. This exhibition will include research by Omar Khan, assistant professor of architecture and co-director of the Center for Architecture and Situated Technologies. His project called 'Open Columns' is a series of non-structural columns made from flexible composite urethane elastomers that rise and fall according to the level of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air. These columns respond to an electronic CO2 sensor in the vicinity and change the level of enclosure in a room by altering ceiling height based on the number of people in that room. When CO2 levels are too high, the ceiling is lowered to encourage people to disperse. The exhibit will not only show 'Open Columns' in action in the UB Art Gallery, but will also offer two video feeds, one live and the other prerecorded, of the columns in different locations. The live feed will be from the Buffalo Arts Studio (BAS) in the downtown Buffalo Tri-Main Center, so that attendants can see the magnitude with which the columns can alter their shape. Also presented by Khan is what he calls a 'Gravity Screen,' an organized mesh of two different elastomers which stretches based upon the weights attached to the bottom. The screen is designed to remain strong while being stretched into an endless number of configurations. In architecture, such screens could be used to alter the acoustic quality of a concert hall, for example. 'Warped,' an experimental plywood partition by Matthew Hume, adjunct professor of architecture at UB, is another exhibit that will be included at Reflexive Architecture Machines. It is a series of walls, columns and arches made from plywood shingles that are manufactured so that they warp in a particular way when exposed to moisture. Water vapor twists and bends the wood, opening up gaps for ventilation. The plywood shingles must be riveted together in a specific way to maintain integrity during warping. These experimental configurations of relatively common materials threaten the understanding that buildings are nothing more than static containers by demonstrating an ability to sense human presence and respond to it. More information about Reflexive Architecture Machines can be found at the UB Art Gallery website www.ubartgalleries.org. E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com

Trotters treat

Alumni Arena opened its doors for the Harlem Globetrotters Friday night, and families from throughout the Buffalo-Niagara region flooded its gates. They piled into the stands to watch the zany, often theatrical and always-hilarious athletes put on an unforgettable show. The audience knew it was in for a treat from the start. Before the players even set foot on the floor, an emcee got the crowd involved in a shouting match. One side of the stands screamed, 'Globe' while the other section replied with 'Trotters.' By the time the two teams – The Harlem Globetrotters and the Washington Generals – were ready for warm-ups, Alumni Arena had reached full capacity with over 6,000 fans in attendance. It was a lively crowd consisting of mostly families from around the area. Many parents had seen the Globetrotters when they were younger and wanted to share the show with their children. Troy Mezzio, a 39-year-old father from Cheektowaga, decided to bring his family after seeing an advertisement. 'We heard about the event through a television advertisement,' Mezzio said. 'I grew up with the Globetrotters when I was a kid. We used to watch them on television all of the time, and seeing them live for the first time was great.' His children loved the show, too. His daughter Michelle, 11, loved all of the slam-dunks and his son Daniel, 7, enjoyed all of the props that they used. Whether the Generals' head coach was hypnotizing one of the Globetrotters with his spiraled umbrella, the players were giving the ref an eye exam where he read the letters 'I-M-A-F-O-O-L,' or the athletes were chasing each other around with buckets of water and splashing fans in the front row, the entire night was action packed and full of laughs. Before the game, the Globetrotters honored Bulls great Jim Horn (1951-55), who is the second leading all-time scorer here at Buffalo. After his college days, Horn joined the Harlem Globetrotters and played with them for a number of years. Playing for the Washington Generals was another former Bull, Brian Addison. Addison came in as a transfer from Monroe Community College in Rochester, NY and played at Buffalo for two seasons. The Harlem Globetrotters had an 83-game winning streak on the line and were trailing late in the third quarter. Thanks to some fantastic dunks and lackluster defense by the Generals, the Trotters battled back and came away with a 75-72 victory. After the game, the players stuck around to sign autographs, further pleasing the fans that already had an exciting night. 'I remember going when I was a kid,' said Sandy Stock, 36, of Clarence. 'I figured that my daughters would really enjoy it so I got some tickets and [the Globetrotters] didn't disappoint. I enjoyed all of it and my kids thought it was a really fun show.' Other parents had also seen the Globetrotters when they were younger and wanted to share the experience with their family. 'I saw [the Globetrotters] when I was a little girl,' said Dawn Watson, 40, of Niagara Falls. 'I don't remember where I saw them, but it was somewhere in Buffalo and it was definitely a lot of fun.' Chances are that Watson and Stock saw the Globetrotters at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, or as most used to refer to it, The Aud. The arena was knocked down in 1996, but it held a maximum capacity of 18,000 people and sported many major league events. The parents weren't the only ones who had a good time. '[The performance] was amazing,' said Spencer Watson, 14, of Niagara Falls ON. 'I've never seen anything like it before and I had a great time. Their ball handling was incredible, especially Scooter's.' Many fans came down from Canada to see the show and, according to Dawn Watson, it took more time to find a parking space than to get across the border. 'Getting into America was the easy part,' Watson said. 'It was the parking that was horrible. We were looking for a half-an-hour to find a parking spot.' There weren't too many college students at the event, most likely because it is more of a family outing. Despite the traffic getting onto campus, the fans were all smiles by the end of the night. The Globetrotters grabbed the audience's attention early, and kept fans entertained throughout the night. Whether they were running their infamous three-man weave, dancing to Michael Jackson, or playing football on the basketball court, there was never a dull moment. E-mail: andrew.wiktor@ubspectrum.com

The new decade?

To the editor,

The message of a King

Martin Luther King Jr. may be 42 years deceased, but Dr. Cornel West showed Friday night that King's teachings are everlasting. West reiterated King's messages throughout UB's 34th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration Event at The Center for the Arts. Those in attendance nodded in agreement as West preached the word of Dr. King during a one-hour lecture, followed by a 50-minute question-and-answer session with the audience. West hit upon a bevy of topics affecting America today, but it all came back to Dr. King and one existential idea. 'Learning how to die means what? You're forced to examine assumptions and presumptions you had,' West said. 'It's called education, and Brother Martin learned how to die.' He began the lecture by thanking the Buffalo community and UB's leaders, from President John B. Simpson to SA President Ernesto Alvarado, for making this event possible. To Simpson, West is one of the best individuals to speak of King's legacy. 'The annual Martin Luther King celebration has been a profound and important commemoration at UB, and Cornel West is a charismatic man who is ideally suited for this event,' Simpson said. Sherryl Weems, Director of UB's Educational Opportunity Center, agreed that West's credentials made him the right man for the event. 'Brother West has a complex mind and safeguards a complicated soul,' Weems said. 'My favorite reflection of his: you can't lead the people if you don't love the people. You can't save the people, if you don't serve the people.' After acknowledging the people that made the commemoration possible, West saluted King with a simple, but heartfelt message. To West, King should be remembered for what he was: a fighter for the quest of unarmed truth. 'We love you Brother Martin, we need you, we will never forget you,' West said. 'You will never undergo the process of Santaclaus-ification.' King was one of the figures that helped West learn how to die. Now a 56-year-old author and Princeton professor, West was a child filled with rage who, according to him, was destined for jail. At one point, he hit one of his teacher's and was kicked out of school. But things turned around. King and many others inspired West. In high school, West began to read and fight for Civil Rights, and a few years later, he was a 17-year-old Sacramento kid traveling the length of the United States to attend Harvard University. West mentioned how King's quest and his objection to the Vietnam War weren't popular, but King wanted to bring everyone together. 'Anybody that is serious about the quest for unarmed truth must be willing to pay the price,' West said. 'King had the same disapproval rates as George W. Bush. When he came against the war, everyone was against him. Black folks were against him.' West's appreciation of King showed during Friday's lecture. West spoke of King's life as a normal child as a point to inspire those that they can succeed. '[King] wasn't always Martin Luther King Jr.,' West said. 'He was once little Martin just running around the fields of Atlanta.' He made this point to show that progress could be made. West believes some progress was made with President Barack Obama's election in Nov. 2008, but people were blindsided by the change rhetoric Obama spilled in his speeches. Even though West campaigned for Obama during 67 events, he won't be sold until he sees results, and right now he's entirely skeptical of Obama. 'I told him, ‘I'll break-dance in the night [if you win], but I'd wake up the next day as his critic,' ' West said, 'He was seduced to those tied to the strong and the ones with money.' This abidance to powerful Americans has left many problems unsolved, including many problems affecting poor African Americans. Part of West believes that Obama has alienated these people while in office. 'I believe in the rule of law. How come no torture [overseas] is investigated, but Jamal on the corner with a crack rock is prosecuted to the fullest extent,' West said. 'President Obama needs to be protected, but also needs to be corrected.' The most powerful messages were made during the question-and-answer portion. Concerned Western New York citizens voiced their worries in their questions and sought West for help. Topics including education, the dying breed of young African American teens, and unconditional love were mentioned. On the topic of poor Americans of all races getting together in peace, West said that this is as important as ever. According to him, America sends the wrong message to these people, leaving them with little to no hope for the future. It's up to Americans to forego individual differences and come together for change. 'Everyday people are too little to rescue, but big companies are too big to fail. We fail, and it's ok, but the banks don't fail,' West said. 'We need grassroots organizing, not Astroturf connecting.' According to West, these examples are driving down America. There are not enough examples of success, and no positive role models to inspire youths. Until this changes, motivation will be lacking. 'If you witness wise examples, it equals wise judgments,' West said. 'When you see concrete examples of compassion, they become contagious.' But whatever the topic, whatever the issue, it was all reverted back to Dr. King and his messages. As King gained inspiration from President Abraham Lincoln and abolitionists in the 19th century, modern Americans can use King's words towards the movement of what's right. 'Martin Luther King Jr. is not an isolated individual to put on a pedestal; he's a wave in an ocean,' West said. E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com

West to speak at UB

Dr. Cornel West, professor of religion and African American studies at Princeton University, will be speaking at Center for the Arts on Friday as part of UB's 23rd annual Distinguished Speakers Series.

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To the editor,