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Page 6 THE WALRUS November 2010 POINT and COUNTERPOINT Qdoba Owns Chipotle It's difficult to put the Qdoba experience into words; the atmosphere of the restaurant itself, the cheeriness of their employees, and more importantly, their luscious burritos. Through the years, Qdoba has proven itself as the apex of Mexican style chain restaurants, and with fame, comes shameful mockery and distasteful knockoffs, the most popular of which is the moderately new Chipotle. Chipotle attempted to take the Mexican style chain restaurant scene by storm, but before it could get its feet of the ground, it was eclipsed by the far superior burrito super power that is Qdoba. When will they learn? The Qdoba experience starts to hit me as soon as I set foot inside the restaurant. With lights dimmed, and soothing music echoing in the background, I start feeling comfortable and at home, ready to scarf down some delectable burritos. Next thing I know, I am at the counter, where I am greeted by an enthusiastic employee with the words, " Welcome to Qdoba, what can I get for you?" As I gaze up at the menu, my eyes widening with excitement, all I hear from the employee is, " Hey, are you ready to have the best damn burrito of your LIFE!?!?" I respond with an enthusiastic " Why yes I am!" as I rattle off my order to the employee. I watch as they steam the tortilla too perfection, scoop the fresh and delicious white rice onto the soon to be burrito, along with the organic black beans, the tender grilled chicken, the tangy salsa verde, and the cheese and guacamole to top it all off. In the words of Aly and Aj, proclaimed Disney teeny boppers, " Every inch of me is like whoa". Like whoa is right. I can already feel that flawless combina- By Bobby Wright ‘12 tion of chicken and vegetables sive grunt from behind the counter. By Chris Stadler ‘12 gracing my pallet, but there's more. At the end of the counter there is an assortment of baked goods to enjoy for dessert; a nice brownie or perhaps a chocolate chip cookie. I pay for my purchase, the total being a mere eight dollars and seventy five cents, and stroll over to one of the tables to sit down and enjoy my food. Once at my table, It's just me and my 8"x 3" manwhich. I take my first bite of the perfectly rolled burrito and sit back in my chair. It can't get any better than this. At Qdoba, you have an infinite selection of tasty treats to choose from. One may find themselves asking, " Do I want chicken, steak or pulled pork in my burrito?" or possibly, "Should I get guacamole or sour cream...or both?" or maybe even, " Am I ready for the fiery habanero salsa?" Qdoba lets you make these choices yourself, and no matter what you may decide, it's guaranteed to be delicious, all at a competitive price. In opposition to Qdoba stands a wretched establishment which defiles the world of Mexican style chain restaurants: Chipotle. Chipotle's slogan is, " Chipotle: gourmet without the attitude." However, I believe it should be changed too, " Chipotle: gourmet without class or dignity...or taste for that matter" Upon entering Chipotle, I was thrust into an eerie environment, very similar to that of an abandoned warehouse or my grandmothers creepy, unfinished basement. The lighting is nearly non existent, and it lacks any sort of ambience music, so you are left to listen to the sounds of you and your peers breathing and chewing, certainly some gross noises. As I tentatively walked up to order my food, I am greeted by an aggres- Startled, I give my order to the employee. She scoops a white, sticky collection of goop they call rice into the unsteamed, stale tortilla, and from there proceeds to load it with cold, tough chicken, soggy black beans, and a gross, soup sauce which could barely pass as salsa. Then, she mashes the burrito into an unholy abomination of spoiled ingredients. I make my purchase and walk uncomfortably back to my table. I unwrap the wet, soggy sack of chicken and vegetables and take a bite. Chewing, I am reduced to tears as the putrid horror fills my mouth. And there I sat, facedown in my food, weeping. Simply put, Chipotle truly lacks integrity. The employees show no passion for their work, they clearly don't care enough about their restaurants to make sure the quality of their ingredients is up to par, and to top it all off, the food is gross, not to mention overpriced. They are truly a disgrace to the restaurant industry as a whole, and, with all things considered, Chipotle remains inferior to the supreme champion, Qdoba In conclusion, Chipotle shouldn't feel too bad about itself. Many chains have tried to imitate Qdoba's impeccable style, taste, and overall atmosphere, but all have failed. No other chains seem to be able to capture the true essence of traditional Mexican style cooking that Qdoba recreates so well, and because of this, Qdoba remains unchallenged as the pinnacle of burrito joints across the country. Because of this Qdoba deserves to have a new slogan a la White Goodman from the hit movie Dodgeball: a True Underdog Story: "Qdoba: we're better than you, and we know it!" Republicans Seize House By Tom Hoff ‘11 Senior Editor In addition to two wars, one from which we are withdrawing, a bad economy, critics in every direction, and everything else that comes with being President, Barack Obama now has a new Speaker of the House sitting over his left shoulder. On Tuesday, November 2, the Republican Party captured the House of Representatives, taking their number from 178 to 242 (out of 435), easily securing the majority. Now, we wonder what the 112th U.S. congress holds. Of course, the incumbent president almost always loses House and Senate seats in the off-election years. But 64 seats? The sweeping change in majority? Now we wonder if progress is possible, both from our President and his Congress. The last time the House changed hands after a President’s first two years was 1994, with Bill Clinton. In fact, Clinton had lost senate seats because he had failed on an attempt for Health Care, the bill which Obama finally put through the House earlier this year, though it was never as comprehensive as he originally wanted. Clinton turned to the economy, a field in which he excelled. He worked through bipartisan efforts, but one must wonder if such effort is possible today. During Obama’s presidency, Republicans have stood strong against anything and everything our federal leader has suggested. The Health Care bill consisted of zero Republican support, as 60 democrats in the senate passed the bill three weeks before Scott Brown took Paul Kirk’s (St. Seb’s graduate) interim Senate seat. It seems like progress will be unattainable because of the steadfast hatred for each other’s party. But, maybe the opposite will happen. Maybe, with a Senate still in Democratic control (53 seats, including the two liberal independents), a House in Republican control, and a president who knows he needs bipartisan compromise, our politicians will realize that progress is in high demand. In fact, one could even think in the following terms: “Who are Republicans in Congress going to stand strong against? Themselves?” Suddenly, they’re not clustered together in every filibuster possible, as they actually have control in the House of Representatives. There is no more super majority which can push through an all-Democratic Senate Bill. If such collaboration were to happen, wouldn’t that be better for the country? Now, it seems that our main two political parties hate each other more than Bird’s Celtics and Magic’s Lakers. How long can that work? With the recent elections ushering in a change in power, it seems that collaboration is the only option. The Executive and Legislative branches can’t stay divided just for the sake of division. But what could happen? Well, hopefully an economic solution. Democrats and Republicans tend to be the most divided on how to collect and spend the government’s money, but, if they can reach an agreement on a plan to get us out of this recession, only good will come for us now and in the future. Yet, there is more that we learn from the elections in 2010. First, the Tea Party. What to say about it? This branch of the Republican Party seems to have done more good for Democrats than bad. Just ask Harry Reid. The Democrats’ Senate Majority Leader was assumed to be in his final two months of Congressional Service. Instead, he pulled out a win, and almost every political analyst feels that a traditional Republican with half a clear message would have taken Reid’s spot. Christine O’Donnell couldn’t ride her broom into the Capitol Building, even though the Delaware spot seemed like free seat for Republicans. The Tea Party could be Obama’s best friend. His thoughts: “The Republicans may be divided in two years? Nice! Joe Biden would be so happy that he might swear on national TV (again). Want to know the last time that a divided party cost itself the election while a democrat was the incumbent? 1968. RFK had died, and there were riots within the Democratic Party, even outside of its own Convention. The Republicans won because of RFK’s death and his divided party. The Tea Party vs. Traditional Republicans 2010 (sounds like a Supreme Court Case) may be the deciding factor in 2012, and Obama isn’t going to weep like a baby if the Republicans help his cause by creating a rift. And, lastly, we have to focus on Massachusetts. Deval Patrick retained his executive status in The Commonwealth, defeating Charlie Baker and Tim Cahill. He won because of our state’s wellbeing. Massachusetts is above the national average – and close to the top – in many categories, such as graduation rate, state deficit, and employment rate. In other news, there were two binding questions on our ballots which both could have gone either way and affected our lives directly, Questions #1 and #3. (Question #2 never had much of a chance of being overturned.) With Question #1, our alcohol tax was repealed after being implemented in mid 2009. Our citizens voted that the declining Massachusetts alcohol sales and their lighter wallets warranted the law’s repeal. However, that vote only puts us back to 2009, and does not restrict Massachusetts’ overall welfare, unlike Question #3. Knocking down our sales tax from 6.25% to 3% would have hamstrung anything and everything that runs on government money. Public schools? Try teacher cuts. Roads? Hope you like potholes. Parking tickets? Well, to account for the lost revenue, those may have risen to $100 for parking one inch too close to an intersection. New speeding ticket fines? I don’t even wanna know. But this decision tells us <strong>something</strong> about the Commonwealth’s citizens. In many states, the voters would have looked at the tax cut at face value, and simply voted for it with no second thought. Here, we like to assume that we’re smarter than everyone else (we are), but it is interesting to note that our citizens look beyond the face value of a question, especially one that is binding. I’m not saying that keeping the taxes the same was right, because that is one’s opinion, but it is fascinating to note that our voters decide more on logic and less on instinct than expected. Special thanks to Mr. Cleary for his help in making sense of all this political stuff. And, just so you know, he feels that the next two years in American politics could be the most interesting period in a long time. So enjoy it. Because they will. Chipotle Dominates Qdoba For those of you who do not know me my name is Chris Stadtler, and for those of you who do know me, maybe this is where the problem lies. Why is this stone handed ratoncito telling me about which Mexican food to eat, especially in this economy, you might be asking yourself. But, let me stop you right there and bring us back to an airport, as I and Bobby Wright, writer of the pro-Qdoba article, waited to depart from Washington D.C. and end our class trip. I asked Bobby Wright about our impending Walrus articles. He responded, by saying, that he simply “had no idea what to say.” That should be your first thought. Bobby Wright really does not know what he’s talking about, but let the kids play and lets take the battle to the Walrus. The time has come, after all, to talk of many things: of burritos and tortillas and bean men, of lettuce and kings. Anyway I will stop talking about Bobby right there, for risk of bullying. Facts are Chipotle is just a better restaurant, as I have discovered over the course of multiple dining experiences at both places. The first facts that should be considered are the back grounds of Chipotle and Qdoba. Founder of Chipotle, Steve Ells, dedicated himself to using fresh ingredients and creating healthy foods. Health.com often praises the quality. Qdoba on the other hand is owned by Jack in the Box, which is nothing more than a bad fast food chain with a creepy mascot who looks like a snow man trying to sell hamburgers to little boys and girls and yet we wonder whats wrong with our youth. It’s public figures like Jack. He’s the type of creature that makes you want to pull an Oedipus say good bye to the eyes or run to Nepal to take refuge with the Supreme Master Godangel. The atmosphere of Chipotle is far superior, also. Everything is sleek and simple with a metallic and 21st century edge, even the menu boards, which won’t confuse anyone. Qdoba just does not have that visual theme to distinguish itself with, unlike most other successful restaurants. Comparing Qdoba and Chipotle’s atmospheres is like comparing a normal room at St. Sebastain’s to Mr. Wu’s room. Mr. Wu has an entire town on his chalk board, complete with a Panera Bread and a Burger King Gas Station, while the typical teacher’s room has books. Despite the importance of Qdoba’s questionable origins and lack of an atmosphere, the crux of this debate lies within the quality of the food. Both restaurants offer a similar menu with burritos, quesadillas, and tacos. In all of these products lies the tortilla. My opponent will most likely try to make some low jab about how Chipotle’s tortillas are poor, but I won’t sink that low. A tortilla is a tortilla and there’s no way around it. Both Qdoba’s and Chipotle’s are nearly identical, so settle down. Burritos are the most popular dishes at Qdoba and Chipotle, so they will be addressed first. The rice and beans for burritos are far different, as the rice at Chipotle is fresher, with more of that lively cilantro citrus flavor. Chipotle’s pinto beans are also more flavorful, as they’ve been prepared with some bacon too. Chicken, the most popular meat for a burrito, is the best at Chipotle. It is marinated far better and is of a far better quality, compared to the shrapnel that is served at Qdoba. Chipotle also has braised carnitas, barbacoa, adobo-marinated and grilled steak for their burritos and tacos, compared to far more basic options at Qdoba. Both places, also, offer a similar number of salsas, ranging from spicy to hot. While the salsas are fairly even, Qdoba does have a few that just don’t make the cut, such as the verde and the rather soupy pico de gallo. Overall, Chipotle’s burritos and tacos are simply tastier, along with their wide variety of burrito bowls and fajita burritos. Furthermore, one question that is often overlooked is where are the ingredients coming from. As you can see and taste at Chipotle, they are coming from family farms that avoid the artificial hormones and harmful fats. To put it simply Chipotle is food cooked with integrity. Founder Steve Ells set out on a goal to create a fast food restaurant with good ingredients and even better tasting food. Although McDonald’s is the largest stock holder of Chipotle, McDonald’s had to sign an agreement upon purchasing the company to continue to uphold the high standards that Chipotle began with and they have succeeded thus far. I smell a change in the Mexican fast food business and Chipotle is going strong, especially when compared to the likes of Qdoba. Randy’s feeling the heat, first with the Vikes and then the Titans, after leaving the New England Patriots Randy Moss: Feeling Regret? By Ryan Wolfsberg ‘13 During the month of October, Randy Moss was traded by the Patriots, waived by the Vikings and was picked up by the Titans. This was an unprecedented spectacle of transition for a single player in the National Football League. The football star described his personal circumstances as an “emotional roller coaster.” An emotional roller coaster ride indeed, that was self-caused. Now that the dust has begun to settle in New England, there is an interesting question to ponder -- does Moss regret leaving the Patriots? Randy Moss, a fan favorite, will go down as one of the best wide receivers to ever play in the National Football League, but he will also go down as a person who continually says exactly what is on his mind to the media when he should not. Coming into the year at the age of 33, Moss was entering the final year of his contract and was expecting a multiyear contract extension. Rather than quietly and professionally negotiate with the team’s management, Moss instead chose to express his negative feelings to the media. During a post game press conference, Moss went on a tirade about his contract situation and said, “I've already shown that I can play still at a high level at age 33. To be offered a contract after this season is over, that would be a smack to my face.” He followed by saying, "I am a little older and understand the nature of the business — the older you get the more your skills supposedly diminish, but I think I am getting wiser in how to use my physical skills. That's the frustrating part when you put so much heart and desire into things and feel like you are not wanted." But, according to Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe, Coach Bill Belichick approached Moss during the preseason about starting discussion over a new contract extension. Interestingly, Moss replied by saying that it was not the right time and that they would talk after the season. It seems that the animosity between Moss and the Patriots was escalating to irreparable levels and at the end of the day Moss found himself in an unfortunate situation and was let go. Moss ended his career with the Patriots following the game against the Miami Dolphins where he was ineffective. He will be remembered as one of the all time best receivers for the Patriots as he set a Patriots franchise record with 1,493 receiving yards in 2007 and also set team records for receiving touchdowns (23), overall touchdowns (23) and points scored by a non-kicker (138). Moss’s next destination was to Minnesota where he would play for the Vikings. On his much anticipated return to New England where he would play against the Patriots on October 31, 2010, Moss was ineffective and caught just one pass. The Vikings would go on to lose the game 28 to 18. Interestingly, Moss gave hugs to Patriot’s owner, Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, and also spent time talking and laughing with them and many of his former teammates. He did not look like a man who has any animosity towards the Patriots. Moss’s post game interviewing was very telling when he said, "I miss the team. It was hard for me to come here and play. I just want to be able to tell the guys that I miss the hell out of them, every last helmet in that locker room. I don’t know how many more times I am going to be up here in New England, but I am going to leave the New England Patriots and Coach Belichick here with a salute. I love you guys. I miss you.” Moss actions and comments that day may help answer the question, does Randy Moss regret leaving the New England Patriots? Many believe the answer is yes. If Randy Moss could do it over again with the Patriots would he behave differently? Unfortunately, we will never know. The talented but controversial player’s stint in Minnesota lasted a mere several weeks, four games in all. Once again, Moss went off on several rants to the press complaining about and criticizing the Vikings coaching staff. Shortly thereafter, he was released from the Vikings. Moss is currently playing for the Tennessee Titans. The Moss saga continues. As for New England, the team has moved on without him but Moss will undeniably be missed. Time will tell if the Patriots can win without their former star receiver.
November 2010 THE WALRUS Page 7 College Hoops Preview By Mickey Adams ‘13 With each passing day, as the weather becomes colder, and the football season comes to an end, the eyes of the collegiate sports world shift to basketball, and many of those eyes will be focused on one team in particular. The Duke Blue Devils are looking to become to repeat as National Champions for the first time since the Florida Gators did it in 2006 and 2007, and they seek to become the first Blue Devil team to repeat since 1991 and 1992. Winning another championship will not be an easy task for Duke, who lost 3 of their starters from last year’s team, but as always, Coach Mike Krzyzewski, fresh off winning a gold medal for Team USA in the Fiba World Championships over the summer, has his team focused, motivated, and hungry for more success. Aiding Coach K in the process are returning stars Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith, who were both part of the championship team, but Singler insists that repeating isn’t their goal, as Duke is a new team and winning another championship would be part of a new journey: “It’s not in our mind to go back-to-back. It’s just to win another national championship.” The Blue Devils, a traditionally disliked program, have a huge bull’s eye on their back every year, but even more so now after they were ranked as the preseason number one team in the country. One of the teams seeking revenge on the Blue Devils is the Butler Bulldogs, the team that Duke beat in last year’s championship. Gordon Hayward, Butler’s best player who achieved fame for missing his half-court heave at the buzzer, bolted for a luxurious life in the NBA, but did not leave behind a lack of talent. The Bulldogs return many key players, but unlike last year, they will not be able to surprise anyone. Also surprising a lot of people last year was the lack of traditional powerhouses in March Madness. Indiana, North Carolina, UCLA, Arizona, and Connecticut all missed the tournament for the first time since 1966, when Texas Western won the championship and inspired the storyline behind the movie, “Glory Road”. All five look to rebound with Cross Country/Seniors Continued from Page 8 was fifth for the team in 21:19 for 83rd place. Warner and McCarthy were 85th and 92nd with times of 21:25 and 21:49, both respectively. Racine and Vietze ran together the entire race finishing with times of 22:10 and 22:11, respectively, for 163rd and 165th overall. The last race of the season for the team was Division III NEPSTA Championship race at Governor’s Academy. The Arrows raced some ISL teams and some other smaller school teams from around New England at this race. Many runners were inspired by the thought of not running again for a whole year and ran season and life-time personal record times. W. Adams led the Arrows with a fifteenth place finish in a time of 18:04, fast enough to earn him All New England honors. Spencer was close behind in 17th in 18:15. Murphy finished strong in third for the team in 47th place in 19:11. O’Connor was next in 19:27 for 51st place, and A. DeMatteo ran 19:41 for 60th place. Haley finished in 69th in 20:12. Sullivan a restocking of talented recruits, but the team with the best chance to restore its former glory is North Carolina. After struggling through an embarrassing season in which they were snubbed from the March Madness Tournament, North Carolina, landed the country’s best freshman, forward Harrison Barnes. The Tar Heels will thrust a lot of responsibility on Barnes, who was the first freshman to ever be selected to the preseason All-American team, a major feat considering that Barnes had not played a game in college at the time of the selection. Across the rest of the country, every team is gearing up to make a run at the title. Ranked right below Duke is the Michigan State Spartans. After earning a spot in the Final Four last year under the coaching of Tom Izzo, the Spartans return reloaded and ready to claim the top spot in the country, which they will have a chance to do on December 1st, when they face off with Duke in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge. Michigan State will be challenged for the Big Ten by the likes of Ohio State, who hope to find a replacement for Evan Turner, last year’s National Player of the Year, and the Purdue Boilermakers, who look to bounce back after their star, Robbie Hummel, re-tore his ACL and will be out for the rest of the season. Also scattered throughout the Midwest are Big 12 powers, Kansas State and Kansas. The Kansas Jayhawks lost a lot of star power after Northern Iowa shocked them in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, giving Kansas State, lead by guard Jacob Pullen and his thick beard, a chance to claim the title as the best team in the state of Kansas. Despite the occasion gifted team west of the Mississippi River, the true talent and depth comes from the East coast. Duke and North Carolina have already been mentioned, but there are many other teams ready to gain glory in March. Top 10 teams Pittsburgh Panthers, Villanova Wildcats, and Syracuse Orangemen will once again be competing for the Big East Title. Also rounding out the loaded Big East conference is the West Virginia Mountaineers, who The B’s look to return to the glory days of Bobby Orr as they open a brand new season. rounded out the Varsity race in 71st place with a time of 20:14. The Arrows finished with 190 points in seventh place at the race – an huge improvement over last year’s ninth place finish. In the Junior Varsity race, P. DeMatteo and M. Adams led the Arrows team with finishes in 35th and 36th place with times of 20:44 and 20:49. McIntyre and Kelly were next in 38th and 42nd place with times of 20:52 and 20:56. Warner had a great race to finish in the fifth Junior Varsity, 46th place, in 20:58. Having five runners within 14 seconds and ten places of each other, is the pack running Coach Jenkins was hoping for all season long, and he happy to finally see it executed in the last race of the season. Fachetti and Scotten were the next runners in the JV race in 69th and 72nd place with times of 21:55 and 22:05. Vietze was next in 83rd overall place in 22:08. McCarthy was next in 89th overall place in 22:29. Racine finished his Cross Country career with a strong race for 90th place in 22:30. Every runner on the team dropped at least two minutes off advanced to the Final Four of last year’s tournament, and the always steady Georgetown and Marquette. Come March, the Big East could land six or seven teams in the sixty-four team March Madness Tournament, but as they do each year, the rigor and wear and tear that comes with playing a top team each game, as the Big East teams will come conference play, could serve to erode and tire many teams, preventing them from making deep tournament runs. Heading down to the Southeastern Conference, top teams Florida and Kentucky will headline the action. Florida is looking to emulate its success from years past, when they repeated as National Championships, and Kentucky, assuming they can field a team of at least five academically eligible, properly recruited players, should be tough to beat. Kentucky’s elite incoming freshman, Enes Kanter, has already been ruled ineligible for receiving illegal payments in his Turkish League, and their other star recruit, Brandon Knight, is being investigated for academic reasons. Having covered all of the major conferences in the country, I will now look for a mid-major gem. Last year, Butler surprised everyone in their unlikely run to the National Championship Game. This year, Gonzaga, Temple, Brigham Young, and San Diego State are the only teams from non-major conferences to be ranked in the top-25. Nevertheless, despite the plentiful talent dispersed throughout the country, the Duke Blue Devils are the favorites to win the title. Everyone is picking Duke. The ESPN experts, the coaches, and fans all over the country like to Duke to repeat. Man of wisdom Mike Hoff says, “Unless they have some injuries or anything like that, Duke has to be the favorite to win again.” But, there is still a season to be played and games to be won, and come March Madness, nothing can be taken for granted. As the days pass and as the year wears on, solid teams will become contenders and one contender will be glorified in what promises to be a fast-paced, exciting 2010-2011 season of college basketball. their time from the first race of the year to the last race of the year and some dropped almost five minutes off their times. Through minibus rides and team dinners, the runners came to know and like each other by the end of the season, making the time spent together memorable and exciting. Cross Country may not seem like the best sport available in the fall season, but it is a great time for anyone who joins. Ask anyone on the team this year and they will tell you the same. The more friends you have on the team, the more manageable tough practices become and the more enjoyable your time spent with them will become. Grab a friend and join the team next season; you won’t regret it. Congratulations to the 2010 team and many thanks to Coach Jenkins and Coach Keefe. Thanks are also in order for the many parents and friends (such as Lou Heck ’11), who supported the team throughout the season. Their contributions of team dinners, race day snacks, and good humor were much appreciated during this highly successful cross country season. Cruising Celtics Look Fresh By Sam Racine ‘11 Bruins Start Well out of Gate ing, which includes much more the Bruins recover from their rash of By Michael Hoff ‘13 movement than would the typical injuries, expect Seguin to slide over, butterfly-style goalie, such as Rask, After the most monumental collapse the sport has seen in with his production increasing in the would use. After off-season surgery, process. this mobility has been on full display. 35 years, the Bruins made some of Along with Krejci and In his first six games, Tim Thomas the heartache go away with a 6-2 Savard, the Bruins have had to deal posted a record of 6-0-0 with a .50 October. After a bleak showing in the with other significant blows to their goals per game average, along with season opener in Prague, Czech Republic, losing 5-2 against the Coyotes, roster. Top 6 forward Marco Sturm a .984 save percentage. This torrid hasn’t returned from a torn ACL pace was the best of any goalie since the Bruins won 7 out of their next suffered in last year’s Flyers series, the expansion era (1967), and was eight contests. Even without star center Marc Savard, who is still battling and his return is not expected to the best of any Bruins goalie since return anytime soon. Playmaker Tiny Thompson in 1938. post-concussion syndrome from last Marc Savard has started skating Similarly to last year’s playoff series against the Philadelphia, year’s elbow to the head by Penguins with the team, but he still has many cheap-shot artist Matt Cooke, the obstacles in front of him before he the Bruins’ offensive woes reared Bruins averaged 3.5 goals per game is cleared to play. Krejci passed his their ugly head after Krejci went during that stretch, led my newcomer latest neurological test on Tuesday, down in a November clash against Nathan Horton, who leads the team and it appears that his return is near. the Blues with a moderate concussion. Excluding an aberrational 5 with goals and 14 points. This was Although he was a game-time decision for Wednesday’s game against especially encouraging considering goal 3rd period against the Penguins, the Bruins have only scored last year’s league worst 2.39 goals per the Rangers, defenseman Johnny game average, which ultimately led Boychuck was not in the lineup. 8 goals in the 5 games since the to their playoff demise against the Boychuck suffered a broken forearm injury. Because of the head injuries Flyers after David Krejci’s season ending wrist injury. against New York on October 23 and to the B’s top two pivots, rookie Tyler has been skating without a cast in Seguin has seen a bigger role than The biggest reason for the the past week. anyone would have anticipated. Going into the season, the plan was for B’s fast start was the historic pace set General Manager Peter by Tim Thomas. After being signed Chiarelli has not been afraid to hand Seguin to start on the wing, decreasing his defensive responsibilities to a 4-year, 20 million dollar contract out lengthy contract extensions to extension after his Veniza Trophy keep this team’s core together, and and allowing him to ease into the winning 2008-2009 season, Thomas it might prove costly. When Sturm pros at a slower pace. But because became the backup last year after and Savard return to the team and of Savard’s and now Krejci’s injuries, being surpassed by Tuukka Rask, who are placed on the active roster, Seguin had to start to season at center. Although Seguin had a strong led the NHL in save percentage and the Bruins will have to cut almost goals-against-average last season. 7 million dollars off of their salary start to the season (5 points in his Though Thomas’s extension included cap. This means that if the Bruins first 8 games), he has hit a rookie a no-trade clause, the Bruins tries have not made a move before these wall. IN the month of November, everything in their power to trade players are taken off the long-term Seguin saw his ice time decrease him last offseason, no team wanted injury reserve, they will be forced to from 13 minutes per game in his to take on the 5 million dollar cap trade, demote, or even release one first 9 games to now possessing the hit that came with a 36-year old or multiple players to accommodate 3rd least ice time of any forward, backup goalie. Before the start of this the NHL’s rules. Likely candidates behind 4th liners Brad Marchand season though, it was revealed that to be moved include Michael Ryder, and Shawn Thornton. This included the netminder dealt with a chronic who can be demoted to the AHL and a game against the Blues in which hip problem last season, which still be paid his 4 million dollar salary coach Claude Julien sat Seguin for severely hindered his mobility. This without it going against the Bruins all but 1:43 of the 3rd period. After problem was worse for Thomas than cap, and Blake Wheeler, who is still Krejci went down in that game, it would be for many other goalies, young but has disappointed in his winger Blake Wheller was switched for Thomas relies on his mobility for stint in Boston, but he still may hold to second line center, instead of his unorthodox style of goaltend- value to other clubs. promoting Seguin to that spot. Once What’s News in English Premier By Alex Spear ‘11 Senior Editor The English Premier League, otherwise known as Barclay’s Premeir League or the Champion’s League, is the most prominent professional soccer league in England, in Europe, and in the world. Led by prolific clubs such as Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool, the EPL draws attention from every edge of the world. The 2010 season, which initiated in late September, has displayed the brilliance of Chelsea yet again—they were the victors of Europe in the 2009-2010 season. Chelsea has, thus far, totalled an impressive 28 points— comprised of 13 wins—in their camgain. Led by centerback John Terry, the Captain of Chelsea’s football club, and midfielder Frank Lampard, Chelsea bases their game plan around controlling the midfield and attacking from the flanks—a strategy that which forwards Nicholas Anelka and Didier Drogba thrive. Although Drogba, the stalwart, slick, Ivory Coast striker, has gone down with cholera, Chelsea should expect to remain atop the EPL and contend for another championship. The Boston Celtics have come off to a great start this season. There were high expectations for the team to start off strong, and they have certainly filled them. Currently they are 9-3, having lost to the Cavaliers, Mavericks, and Thunder. Unfortunately, these three have all been close games, but I’ll take 9-3 any day. They’ve beaten the feared Heat twice already, despite all the hype of their new “Big Three”. Garnett, Pierce, Allen, and Rondo have really stepped it up so far, helping the Celtics emerge as one of the best teams. Rajon Rondo is averaging 14.3 assists per game and 11.2 points per game. He has by far the most assists per game in the league. He also has a league’s fifth best 2.50 steals per game. Pierce, Garnett, and Allen are averaging 20.6, 15.7, and 17.3 points per game, respectively. Garnett is bringing in 9.4 rebounds per game. Overall, these stats are unreal. The C’s are extremely efficient, and can find a way to win. With Shaq and Jermaine O’Neal starting as the Center position, there’s also a lot of experience on the court. Don’t forget about Glen “Big Baby” Davis, Nate Robinson, and Marquis Daniels, who have played in every game and do a great job coming off the bench. Let’s go back to the Heat. They’re struggling (for their standards) so far, having lost to the C’s twice, the Jazz, the Hornets, and recently they lost a buzzer beater to the Grizzlies. They don’t have that kind of team unity and team experience the Celtics do. It’ll take time for them to get used to the kind of talent. The Celts and the Heat play again twice more in the season, in February and in April, one of the last games of the season. I feel like the Just a win away from the top of the premiership is the Arsenal Gunners, who have compiled 26 points thus far in the season. Arsenal, unlike Chelsea, is built around no superstars, no phenomenons. They perform as an unselfish team. They are built around their altruistic captain, Cesc Fabregas—one of the supreme passers and controllers of the EPL. One of their strikes, Andre Arsharvin, is a menace in the attacking third. Arsenal is followed closely by he EPL’s most historic and traditionfilled club, Manchester United, managed by their famous coach, Sir Alex Ferguson. Manchester United, with 25 points on the season, is the come-back-team of the EPL. United usually begins each game with a slow pace and often ties or finds themselves down a goal and in the hole. And keeping up with United’s ever-so-high standards, a loss to anyone in the EPL is nearly unheard of and a tie is unacceptable. Nevertheless, United always finds their way to battle back to a tie or a win. In a phenomenal match a few weeks ago, United went down 1-nil to Sunderland yet battled back to tie the game going into injury time. In the Heat will mature as the year goes on, but in the playoffs they won’t have that kind of experience to go all the way. There are a lot of questions to be answered. What should Lebron do? Seriously what should he do? I actually hate that commercial, and what Lebron should do is stop complaining, stop making everything about himself, and just play. Anyways, back to the Celtics. They’ve shown they can play, the question is can do this consistently, and if any injuries will slow them down. Rondo hurt his hamstring on Friday’s loss against the Thunder, and isn’t playing against the Raptors, but he’s projected to be back. As long as it doesn’t linger, he’ll be fine. Against the Thunder, it seems like the Celtics took them for granted. They didn’t really score at all in the fourth quarter. The Thunder didn’t have Durant that game, so the Celtics definitely came in thinking it’d be an easy win. Oh well, you can’t expect them to win every game. Overall, the Celtics have shown consistency in their offense and defense. They’ve shown great ball movement and an efficient offense. Let’s hope they can keep playing this way, stay healthy, and eventually take it to the top. 93rd minute, when victory seemed out of reach, United’s own Ji-Sun Park buried a bullet bottom right to seal the deal for United. They are the never-say-never team, and trade rumors of their posterboy Wayne Rooney will not phaze them. With 22 points, one of the fan-favorite clubs named Manchester City is certainly a title contender. Built around their stud, Carlos Tevez, with his bulldog-like approach, City sees to play the ball to Tevez’s feet. City’s young Brazilian forward, Robinho, is on loan with AC Milan for a section of the season. When City regains Robinho, they should be a serious contender. A surprise thus far this season has come from Liverpool, a team that usually stands in the top four in the league. Liverpool recently attained new ownership from John Henry and Larry Luchino, the co-owners for the Boston Red Sox. Liverpool’s defense and goalkeeping, along with a rare lack of scoring, has slowed them down significantly. Fernando Torres and the Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard, the heart and soul of Liverpool and the EPL, are on the rise and should carry Liverpool to the top of the table.
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