Jukebox the Ghost is a piano-rock band from Washington, D.C. who doesn’t have a huge following, but attracts niche audiences. The band consists of three members, Ben Thornewill (piano & vocals), Tommy Seigel (guitar & vocals) and Jesse Kristin (drums & select vocals). The three guys combine to produce incredibly rich vocal and instrumental tracks that you can absolutely rock out to. On Oct. 9 at Union Transfer in Philadelphia, I had the wonderful experience of attending Jukebox the Ghost’s final date of their Fall 2021 tour.

The night started not with Jukebox but with their opening act, Canadian funky rock band, Fleece. I hadn’t listened to any of their music prior to the concert, so I was a tad skeptical. However, when they appeared on stage and told us, “We’re Fleece, and we’re going to rock your socks off,” I was more than excited.

And Fleece did not disappoint. They did, indeed, rock our socks off with funky guitar riffs, Bee Gee-esque vocal tracks and surprise jam sessions and tempo shifts in the middle of some songs. During one slower song, they asked us to put our cell phone flashlights on. The stage lights dimmed, and the band was completely illuminated by our cell phones.

I still am listening to Fleece on repeat today. They were outstanding.

Jukebox then took the stage. With anecdotes, clever banter, audience interaction, songs from their 2008 album and new, unreleased music, Jukebox the Ghost put on a show and made me remember how good concert life could be. Faithful fans and first-time fans (with masked faces) danced and sang without care, finally getting the chance to overcome the COVID concert hiatus.

There were a couple of standout moments for me as a six-year fan of the band and a two-time attendee of Union Transfer’s venue.

Chiefly, hearing new music before it’s even released is always a treat, especially when fans know that artists have been working diligently on projects during COVID. Not being on tour calls for more family time, yes, but also for more writing, recording and editing. When Jukebox the Ghost performed “Million Dollar Bills,” one of their not-yet-released COVID-project songs, fans didn’t sing; they didn’t know the words, of course, because the song was brand new. This was a phenomenon that was interesting to hear at a concert attended by fans of a band. The band wasn’t being accompanied by a sea of voices singing along. Fans got to hear the band purely for their instrumentals and vocals, as if they were listening to the song on Spotify.

This concert marked the second time I attended Union Transfer for a concert. Both were Jukebox the Ghost concerts. Union Transfer is a personal, intimate venue that has dynamic acoustics and ideal house lighting. The main room is small enough that fans can pack in and still get good sound, but large enough so that the same sound doesn’t drown out everything around you.

Concerts post-COVID can seem like a scary thing. Over a year ago we were being told to stay in our homes because going to the grocery store is even too dangerous. Luckily for music fans, advancements in health and policy have made society feel a bit better about bringing live music back. Union Transfer required proof of vaccination and use of masks for all in attendance of the show. I didn’t see one person violating the rules, so I felt particularly safe to be in a crowd of 600 people.

I would recommend Jukebox the Ghost to anyone who appreciates a bit of existential dread in songwriting, incredible piano playing and fun, energetic guitar riffs. I would recommend Union Transfer to anyone wanting to see a more niche band in concert. I’d say Jukebox the Ghost and Union Transfer harmonize well, but not better than Ben and Tommy’s voices in “Jumpstarted.”

Eastern University Women’s Golf has been through a whirlwind. We started the season with five players, cut to three by our first tournament. We didn’t even have a head coach.

One of two problems was solved on Wednesday, Sept. 15. Bridget McLaughlin, Assistant Pro at St. Davids Golf Club, accepted a position as the head coach of EU Women’s Golf. McLaughlin joined the team with much excitement and anticipation.

I spoke with McLaughlin that fit perfectly in our player-coach relationship and practice schedule. During practice on the front nine holes of St. Davids golf club, I asked McLaughlin a question on each of the nine holes we played. Nine holes, nine questions.

Hole One: If you could play a round of golf with any professional in the game, who would it be and why?

“I would say Nelly Korda. She’s the number one professional on the LPGA Tour. She’s super consistent, it’s cool to see her process, and she stays really level-headed.”

Hole Two: What is your favorite club in your bag?

“Seven-iron. I’m pretty confident with it, I know it’s going to be solid most of the time, and I use it for a lot of approaches into the green.”

Hole Three: How do you approach providing solutions to players with mental and physical game struggles?

McLaughlin says that alleviating physical struggles are often a bit easier than alleviating mental ones. “Every player is a unique individual that reacts and responds to different situations in different ways.”

Hole Four: What are your favorite pre or post-tournament snacks/meals?

“During golf, Clif bars and Gatorade Zero, and post-round I love a good hot dog or a burger.”

Hole Five: Do you have any superstitions? If so, what are they?

Blisters are a golfer’s worst nightmare. “I don’t have any superstitions, but I have to wear nice Bombas socks. Otherwise, I get blisters, and it makes the rest of the day really uncomfortable.”

Hole Six: How has golf become such a big part of your life?

After being burnt out from ice hockey and softball growing up, McLaughlin decided to play golf in college. After finding a love for golf and graduating from McDaniel College with a degree in Business Administration, she found a place in golf retail and then in PGA leadership.

Hole Seven: If you could have a dinner party with three other people, who would they be and why?

“I’m going to go a little corny and say, my wife, my mom, and my sister,” McLaughlin answered.

Hole Eight: What is one timeless piece of advice you can give to any golfer?

“No one cares how bad at golf you are,” she said. She reminds players to focus on their own games because everyone is likely doing that already.

Hole Nine: What is one timeless piece of advice you can give to any athlete?

“Have fun. You will probably not have everything figured out until the sport you’re playing doesn’t matter, so just enjoy it.”

In the peaceful town of Centerville, “a real nice place,” the undead cause the unexpected. When the earth is thrown off of its axis because of polar fracking, the world is thrust into the zombie apocalypse.

Adam Driver, Bill Murray, Chloë Sevigny and Tilda Swinton headline this comedic cast in a Jim Jarmusch zombie flick that depicts the ghouls in a gruesome, graphic way. But subtle (then not-so-subtle) breaks of the fourth wall, hysterically dry lines and downright “what is going on?” moments keep the movie as light as a zombie movie can be.

Driver, Murray and Sevigny portray Centerville police officers that are tasked with keeping the town safe from the undead. Chief Cliff Robertson (Bill Murray) is an intelligent, rational and sympathetic officer that has his fair share of emotional outbursts. Officer Ronnie Peterson (Adam Driver) is perhaps the most collected protagonist, content in the apocalypse ending badly who also provides deadpan and dry comic relief.

Officer Mindy Morrison (Chloë Sevigny) embodies how any civilian would act in the face of this kind of danger. She’s grossed out, always on the verge of tears and eventually succumbs to emotion when she joins her zombified grandmother to become undead.

Zelda Winston (Tilda Swinton), the new owner of Centerville’s funeral home, is a samurai-wielding warrior that casually fights off the zombies that she needs to but then retreats to her alien spaceship in the end. An alien spaceship is just one of the several “what is going on?” moments in the film.

“The Dead Don’t Die” features one of the freakiest portrayals of the undead. On the surface, they looked as stereotypical zombies usually look. Green skin-toned, lame-limbed and mumble-mouthed, the ghouls looked as zombies are usually pictured. The R rating becomes a factor, though, when the true nature of the undead is shown: the cannibalistic attacks on living humans. This aspect of the film is definitely not for those with a weak stomach; there is no lack of blood and entrails.

Jarmusch, known for casting Adam Driver in his films, made another stellar choice in Driver for his role. Ronnie’s dry one-liners, like “I’m thinkin’ zombies” and “a little Class A (baseball)” could only be pulled off by Adam Driver. But if the audience is willing to appreciate the dry humor in the film, supplemented by Bill Murray, it’ll have some viewers chuckling.

“The Dead Don’t Die” not only breaks the fourth wall, it demolishes it toward the end of the film, but this break is alluded to in the beginning. At the end of the film, Ronnie hits his continuous “this is going to end badly” line. Cliff finally gets frustrated and asks Ronnie how he’s so sure that this is going to end badly. “I know because I’ve read the script,” Ronnie says, “Jim gave me the whole script.” “He only gave me our scenes. I never saw a complete script,” Cliff replies. Cliff expresses frustration with Jim (Jarmusch), which only makes the fourth wall break funnier.

“The Dead Don’t Die” is a horror comedy perfect for anyone who loves dry humor and isn’t afraid of some gruesome zombie depictions. The fourth wall breaks and appropriate casting allow for comedy in a movie that would otherwise only attract a niche audience.

 

Sources: IMDb, “The Dead Don’t Die”

“Midway upon the journey of our life, I found myself…” in a college dorm room watching a video lecture about Dante’s “Divine Comedy.” Yes, these haunting, yet compelling opening lines are from Dante’s “Inferno”—minus the college dorm room part.

Baylor University’s Honors College has partnered with Eastern’s Templeton Honors College and other schools across the country to bring fans of the “Divine Comedy” together. Self-proclaimed as “the world’s largest Dante reading group,” 100 Days of Dante is bringing readers of the 1300s poet together for a 100 day journey through the classical narrative. The project also includes schools such as the University of Dallas, Gonzaga University, Biola University and Whitworth University.

From Sept. 8, 2021 to Easter 2022, various teachers passionate about the “Comedy” will provide lectures for each canto in “Inferno,” “Purgatorio,” and “Paradiso.” They are covering three cantos a week (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) with videos to complement each one. Readers are encouraged to enjoy the cantos of the “Divine Comedy” at their own pace, watching the videos when and if needed.

“For our project, we decided to move at a slightly slower pace, hopefully to allow everyone more time to enjoy reading each canto,” Hilary Yancey, 100 Days of Dante Project Manager, said in an intro video by Baylor Honors College.

Along with providing ways to access the videos, 100 Days of Dante also has a translation of the text on their website. This makes reading the “Comedy” even more accessible if you don’t have a copy or don’t want to buy one. However, if you prefer a certain translation (I’m reading the Mark Musa, Penguin Classics translation), you are encouraged to read what you are comfortable with and will enjoy.

Eastern’s Templeton Honors College has been asked to take part in the 100 day event, with various professors asked to contribute canto videos to walk readers through interpretations of the text. For many, this is a chance to revisit the classic poem not only with one professor, but with several.

“If you or anyone has wanted to (re)read the “Comedy” and be taken through it by thoughtful guides (like Mr. P, Dr. Cary, Dr. Smith, Dr. Boyer, Dr. Anika Prather, etc.), now is your chance,” Dr. Williams, Dean of Templeton Honors College, said in his “Dean’s Weekly” email sent to members of the college.

Gaining insight from professors of different schools is a valuable experience as well. Dr. Ralph Wood, Dr. Fred Sanders, Dr. Jane Kim and Dr. Theresa Kenney are some of the other guides that were highlighted thus far.

If you are interested, you can subscribe to the “100 Days of Dante” email list, where you will receive Canto videos every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. 100daysofdante.com has a “subscribe” button that pops up after the “Welcome” screen as soon as you enter the site. If you want to watch the videos through their website, they are all archived as each video comes out.

It’s never too late to begin reading the “Divine Comedy” and follow along with the videos. The cantos are short and easy to read, and the flexible structure of 100 Days of Dante makes catching up a breeze. “Abandon every hope, all you who enter” this dark and mysterious Inferno, and read some Dante!

Sources: Baylor Honors College, “Dean’s Weekly,” The Divine Comedy (Penguin Classics), 100 Days of Dante

Eagle Road “kept its name” after Eastern University Men’s Soccer beat Cabrini for the eighth contest in a row. Even though the Eagles had to cross the street for this contest, the lack of home field advantage didn’t stop the boys from rallying past the Cavaliers.

With an electric crowd behind them at Edith Robb Dixon field, the Eagles overcame two one-goal deficits in their rivalry win. One of these goals came in the early minutes of the game, where an Eastern player attempted to deflect the ball away from the goal. The ball took an unfortunate bounce into Eastern’s net, resulting in an own goal.

The battle was even for a good remainder of the half, but in the forty-third minute, a scoring chance for Eastern arose. Drew Johnson sent a crossing shot past the center of the goal and into the right edge of the box. Gabe Velazquez collected that ball and delivered a strong shot into the left side of the goal. The first half of the Eagle Road Derby ended 1-1.

A little over 10 minutes into the second half, Cabrini erased the tie on the scoreboard and fired a shot past Eastern keeper Diesel Fiore.

But the 2-1 Cabrini lead didn’t last long. Nine minutes later, Ryan Jammes netted his first career goal with a rocket of a shot into the top right corner of the goal.

Later in the half, Emmanuel Hewitt started a play that gave the Eagles their first lead of the game. Hewitt made a strong defensive play to knock the ball loose from a Cabrini defender. Derek Buhrman controlled the ball and passed to Jake Morales, who nailed a shot into the lower left corner.

The Eagles fought hard for the remainder of the half, preserving the lead that won them the game. With Eastern faithful parents, students and friends behind them, the boys overcame a pair of deficits to display their resiliency.

The Battle of Eagle Road dates back to 1982. Since the debut game, there have been 37 contests between the cross-street rivals. Eastern has won 20 of these games, while Cabrini has won 18. The matchups have always been tight, but the Eastern boys seem to be redeeming themselves. Eastern has won the last eight matchups with Cabrini, both at home on Olson Field and across the road on Cabrini’s home turf.

With an immense amount of young talent and potential and several key players remaining, the Eagles will continue to value these energetic wins as their program moves forward.

Hockey analyst, Steve Dangle Glynn titled his book, “This Team is Ruining My Life (But I Love Them).” This title sums up how most fans feel if they are faithful to a team that hasn’t won a championship since before they were born or in their childhood. It’s mentally and emotionally draining when you sit in front of the television, waiting for your team to score that winning touchdown or run, and they come up short every time.

But like Steve Dangle says, he still loves his team. People still tune into the games, purchase tickets and wear jerseys. What prevents fans from abandoning their drought-ridden teams (like the Dallas Cowboys or the Cleveland Indians) and hopping on the bandwagon of a winning team (like the New England Patriots or Los Angeles Dodgers)?

In a blog post, actor, director and writer Kenney Myers gives 10 possible reasons that fans remain loyal to their below-average teams. One of these possible reasons is geography. Fans that are from a certain area or live in a certain area are more likely to cheer for that area’s sports teams. Location facilitates a connection between the city’s sports teams and the fans who grew up or live in that area.

Another reason for fan loyalty is mob mentality. When you get caught up in your favorite team’s fanbase, you become one with the rest of the group. Further, mob mentality transitions into the idea of the team being an extension of yourself. Being a fan of the team becomes part of your identity. If you abandon your team after a long haul supporting them, you abandon a part of yourself. When your team is successful, you feel successful yourself. Likewise, when your team is losing, you feel like you’re losing as well.

Perhaps the largest factor that keeps fans dedicated to their teams is the hope that their team may one day win. Dr. Edward Hirt, professor in Indiana University’s Department of Psychology and Brain Sciences, said, “One of the beauties of sports is that anything can happen on any given day.” Fans have hope that their team signing the top striker in the league will propel them to a championship. Like Hirt said, anything can happen. Whether it be because of luck, skill or strategic management, teams could pull through.

Sports teams draw fans in from all over the world, and usually, fans stay loyal to the teams they choose to follow. Despite those teams being unsuccessful or utterly frustrating to watch, fans keep coming back for various reasons. Fans’ commitments to a team that isn’t doing well is key to the beauty of sports.

 

Sources: Forbes, Headspace, Kenney Myers 

After rumors and years of deliberation, it’s official. Eastern University will introduce football to its athletic department. In an email from the Office of the President, President Ron Matthews detailed the expansion of EU Athletics.

“We will begin team recruiting efforts for the Fall of 2022 and anticipate competing in the NCAA III MAC conference by Fall 2023,” a statement from the email read. EU also said that they plan to work with Valley Forge Military Academy to use and upgrade their facilities, including the football field and locker rooms.

What does this addition mean for the current Eastern University community? Perhaps the introduction of football at a school with less than 2,000 students will increase enrollment. Football teams are big; the NCAA limits rosters to 110 during the offseason, but teams can have more during the season. This could be advantageous not only for more students to have the opportunity to enroll in college but because more students increases the amount of recognition Eastern would receive. 10 out of 18 institutions in the Middle Atlantic Conferences have varsity football teams. If Eastern were added to that list, it would have the chance to present itself as a powerhouse in the MAC Conferences. With the popularity of college football, Eastern would profit in fame and possibly fortune.

On the contrary, a downside to enrolling more students is the abandonment of one of Eastern’s core selling points: their 10:1 student to faculty ratio. With the addition of not only a football team but students that are more attracted to the school because of the football team, this number might increase to 20:1 or even 30:1. Larger class sizes and less personal attention in those classes could be a result. This would deter students who prefer close professor interaction away from Eastern.

Many students choose Eastern University not only for its small class sizes but also for its small, quaint campus. With the introduction of football and more students, more space will be needed. Parking lots would need to be added to compensate for the influx of recruits and more students, as more students seem to bring their cars to campus every year (and residence parking spots are already fairly limited). Additional housing may need to be provided to compensate for the influx of freshmen, transfers and now new sports members. The campus would go from quaint and connected to larger, busier and possibly louder. 

Additionally, although the facilities at Valley Forge are only three minutes away, students will not be able to walk 5 minutes to Olson Field or the gymnasium to see a game. Students that don’t have cars will struggle to be involved with the student experience at football games because the facilities are off campus. The perk of EU’s fields being so central around campus is that there’s immediate access for students on campus. It’s easy for students to go to games and support their school.

President Matthews stated in his email that EU hopes to be “sparking school spirit, more campus events, increased enrollment opportunities, and different experiences for our student body” with the addition of not only football but cheer, dance and the pep band as well. Whether these hopes will be received positively or negatively by Eastern University’s community is unknown, but the university’s mission of faith, reason and justice must remain moving forward. Despite the changes that may happen to Eastern, the school is still rooted in its core values, which should be upheld and represented by students, athletes and faculty alike.

 

Sources: MAC Sports, Marketplace, NCSA Sports, Office of the President of Eastern University

When I was home for Easter break, I watched a decent amount of television (because college doesn’t allow for much leisure time). I surfed the channels, hoping to
happen upon some kind of sporting event to feast my eyes upon. Eventually, I came across last year’s USA Pickleball Championship.

Imagine playing tennis, ping-pong, and badminton, but all at once. That’s pickleball. And yes, you heard me correctly. Pickleball.

In 1965, three fathers joined forces to create this family-friendly game. During a summer on Bainbridge Island, off the coast of Seattle, Washington, their kids found themselves bored with the usual swimming in a pool, jumping in a lake, playing frisbee or building sand castles. The dads united and invented the growing sport of
pickleball, whose rules and equipment have evolved since. Pickleball is played with a paddle and a plastic ball that has whiffle ball-like holes. Formerly made out of wood, the paddles have evolved to being composed of aluminum and graphite materials.

Pickleball can be played as singles or doubles, and the court’s layout allows for either casual or intense games. The outdoor or indoor pickleball court is the size of a doubles badminton court. It is painted similar to a tennis court, with two service areas separated by a centerline and two non-volley zones that extend the length in front of the net. However, you can absolutely play pickleball on a tennis or badminton court.

So why should we care about this amalgamation of country-club sports? Other than the fun-sounding name, pickleball provides cardiorespiratory fitness, like other forms of physical activity. Specifically, a Western State Colorado University study found that this type of fitness provided by pickleball was great for middle-aged and older adults.

You don’t have to be a middle to old-aged human to enjoy pickleball, though. The game can be played with your college friends to get some casual physical activity into your stressful college life. Try pickleball over the summer; I promise it’s a big “dill.”

Sources: AARP, USA Pickleball

The cheers and claps from the crowd are the most exhilarating sounds an athlete can hear. From smaller claps on the golf course to shouts and screams on the field, athletes thrive on the support of their closest family, friends and fans.

For the majority of the spring season, the Middle Atlantic Conference prohibited all athletic competitions from having spectators. This meant that athlete wouldn’t hear these screams, hear their names being called and numbers being cheered.

Beginning April 5, the ban was lifted. MAC allowed its schools to have fans at competitions but also left them the freedom to make their own respective rules on
spectator policies.

Eastern University’s spectator policy allows current students and faculty to attend outdoor events, and each athlete is allowed two tickets for other guests. These two
guests undergo a health screening before being allowed on campus to watch the event. Once the guests are on campus, they must follow social-distancing guidelines and wear a mask at all times. Eastern also asks all spectators to refrain from gathering in large groups before or after the event and sit in the designated areas laid out by Eastern’s game management team.

Aside from the specific yet necessary and helpful guidelines, the return of fans was an occasion that many students and athletes looked forward to since the spring
season commenced. Athletes missed their friends being able to watch them play their sport, and friends missed being able to hype up their favorite athletes.

The men’s lacrosse game on April 7 drew as large a crowd as possible in this pandemic. The Kea-Guffin hill was packed with parents and students, as far down as the auxiliary field. With each goal the team scored in its 12-7 victory over Widener, the crowd erupted in praising shouts and cheers. Accompanied by Olson Field’s goal horn and song, the atmosphere was once again electric.

The game ended with a salute to the fans, as the guys jogged over to the spectators and clapped their hands, cheering in gratitude. They posed for photos and waved to family and friends, and the fans waved back. “I love you, mom!” and “Hey dad!” were yelled up the hill from the field, and back down, “Great game!” and “Love you too!” were returned.

A week later, the softball team took the field against Messiah, drawing crowds down the third baseline on the curb outside Warner Library. Fans got to see a rally in

the second game of the double-header, as Eagles’ softball tied the score at 7 runs in the bottom of the 6th inning.

Unfortunately, Messiah pulled ahead in extra innings, but the fan support behind closing pitcher, Lexi Evelyn, was more than encouraging. Hearing family members and teammates shout, “Like you can, kid!” and “Alright two-six!” made eyes clear and hearts full.

The smallest gestures and phrases make an impression on athletes’ performances. Having a crowd in the stands makes all the difference. With the noise from the fans, a player’s own thoughts are drowned out. All that matters is that moment, that game, that rush, that adrenaline cultivated by the crowd’s applauds and shouts.

Who is the golfer tied for the most PGA tour wins? Who has won the Masters Tournament five times, the PGA Championship four times, and the US Open and the British Open both three times? Tiger Woods is the professional golfer to accomplish these feats and many more. But a recent car accident in Los Angeles might be a bit of a set back in Woods’s illustrious career.

Plagued by multiple back injuries and surgeries, Tiger Woods has been sporadic in his ability to play Professional Golf Association tournaments. Having problems with his back again, he was in LA to host the Genesis Invitational, not play in the tournament. He was involved in a single-vehicle crash when his SUV rolled over on Hawthorne Boulevard. Woods
suffered significant damage to his right leg, including open fractures in the upper and lower sections of his leg and shattering injuries to his ankle.

Considering Woods’ previous history with injury (three left knee surgeries, an Achilles tendon injury, and four back surgeries, just to name a few), this injury makes it hard to believe that Woods will ever be able to return to PGA Tour golf again. Woods is now recovering from home, which provides a hopeful outlook on a potential return. However, with the injury list piling up on Tiger Woods’s resume, it’s
tough to see him winning, let alone playing another PGA tournament.

Former PGA golfer and orthopedic doctor, Bill Mallon, expressed that he believes Woods will be able to play golf again. However, he said that it depends on the ardor of his recovery. If Woods keeps up his health and has a productive recovery, he’ll be back on the course swinging a club and reading putts. “And assuming he plays golf again—meaning
he doesn’t get an infection or severe arthritis in that ankle—I think he can return to the Tour,” Mallon said.

Golf fans around the world will continue to follow Tiger’s recovery in hopes that the legendary golfer will be able to get back in the swing of things for the PGA Tour. Now that fans are allowed to spectate at tournaments (at limited capacity), the golf world would love to see a healthy Tiger Woods back in action.

Sources: CNN, Insider, PGA Tour

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