News

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Basketball starts season practices in 'Prime Time' style

The UB men's and women's basketball players opened their seasons on Friday to all the usual fanfare of open scrimmages, shooting contests and a night of fan-oriented fun, but unlike last year's Midnight Madness, this year just didn't have the, well, madness the athletics department was hoping for.NCAA rules used to state that teams were only allowed to start their first practices of the season before midnight on a certain date, which at many colleges led to the Midnight Madness tradition.But a change in the rules now allowed the practices to start earlier.

Schedule

Nothing to Report

Students make up for lost meals with hurricane relief

Ben Sargent Cartoon: 10.17.05

"'Rent' soundtrack too perfect, too soon"

Like a movie rendition that steals passion and imagination from the book, the movie soundtrack to "Rent" steals the emotion from the original Broadway show soundtrack.Back in 1996, when "Rent" hit Broadway, the play became one of the biggest fads in the New York City area.

Scoreboard

Nothing to Report

"Music lost, nothing gained"

Possibly for the first time, video didn't kill the radio star. But that's because the members of The Sun aren't radio stars yet.After producing two EPs and opening for bands such as the Flaming Lips, Ambulance LTD., RX, Hot Hot Heat and Ok Go, The Sun should know to stick to music.Instead of the normal CD that listeners can buy and play instantly, The Sun decided to make "Blame It On the Youth," their debut album, a full-length DVD of music videos.The DVD contains a mix of videos ranging from Weezer-like dramas to simple tapings of performances.

Whose home is UB Stadium?

By ANTHONY SYLOR and JENNIFER GILLANSports EditorsJudged by EVAN PARKER PIERCEManaging EditorThe recent success of the UB men's soccer team has raised the question in the Spectrum office over what UB team truly owns UB Stadium.

"If it ain't raining, we ain't training"

In late fall and early winter in Buffalo, Mother Nature starts to play games with the weather, forcing UB athletes to continually battle the elements along with their opponents and creating a stormy challenge for every outdoor sport.The characteristic wild temperature fluctuations and rash snow and wind make for an uncertain sports forecast, and each sport has its own enemy."Wind for rowers is awful," said Rudy Wieler, the head coach of the rowing team.

Ben Sargent Cartoon: 10.14.05

Bleak adaptation of 'Illuminated' blights book

Since his role as Frodo Baggins in "Lord of the Rings," Elijah Wood has grown three feet for Liev Schreiber's new film "Everything Is Illuminated."Woods also seems to have grown as an actor.

Indian SA brings annual dance event to Harriman Hall

Bright, energetic music plays throughout the room. Dancers smile as they perform Gardi, Hubo and Tippani - exotic movements part of the dance - and people join in the organized dance that is Gharba.This atmosphere can be found on Saturday Oct.

'Thumbsucker' definitely doesn't suck

Adolescence sucks. It's filled with tumultuous times when teenagers struggle to identify who they really are.The recently released "Thumbsucker," written and directed by Mike Mills, portrays this notion through a story about one such adolescent, Justin Cobb, played by Lou Taylor Pucci ("Personal Velocity"). Justin goes through his senior year of high school trying to figure out himself, his family, the mysteries of the opposite sex, all while trying to curb the thumb-sucking addiction he's had since childhood."Thumbsucker" follows the style of most modern independent films like "Garden State" and "Napoleon Dynamite," in which an involved plot takes a backseat to examination of the characters and their relationships with one another.

Prettier than an infected heroin hole

For a guy as pretty as Jared Leto, one wouldn't expect him to be the front man for a band as hard as 30 Seconds to Mars.Believe it.

Sidelines

Idbihi among top in MACMen's basketball hasn't started its season yet, but junior forward Yassin Idbihi has already begun to collect pre-season acknowledgement in the Mid-American Conference.Idbihi was named to the pre-season All-MAC East team, along with members of the Akron, Ohio and Kent State basketball teams.

Common drops out of Fall Fest lineup

Fall Fest lost one of its headlining performers last Friday when Common withdrew from the "Touch the Sky" tour to take a movie role.The announcement was made Tuesday only hours before the tour opened in Miami, though the rapper did perform in the opening show.

Schedule

W. SoccerFriday: at Toledo, 4 p.m.VolleyballFriday: vs. Ohio, 6 p.m.M. SoccerFriday: vs. Bowling Green, 7 p.m.Cross CountrySaturday: at Penn.

Weekend in Buffalo: 10.14.05

A taste of med school

For a lot of people medical school is just a dream. Requiring top grades, a healthy bank balance and dedication to studying hard for many years, only a lucky few see their dream realized. The University at Buffalo's School of Medicine offers an alternative to a full medical degree, in the form of the Mini Medical School.

Defenders of UB spirit

Right before almost every commercial break during every NFL game, the camera always pans to a cute young cheerleader, shaking her pom-poms in the name of team spirit.Whether watching cheerleaders gives the male sports fan added inspiration to cheer for his team, or he just likes seeing a beautiful girl do splits, handsprings and flips, there is no denying that cheerleading has become a valuable part of the game experience, if not a tradition on the field.Unfortunately for the men and women of the UB cheerleading team, the time, hard work and athleticism that goes into making flips and leading cheers look easy isn't always appreciated.