Christmas Village in Philadelphia, via wikimedia commons
It is no secret that many of us Christmas-lovers begin decorating, celebrating or holiday shopping once the clock hits 12 a.m. on Nov. 1. It is also no secret that this subject may be a little touchy for some people out there! Many like to begin their Christmas festivities in early November, while others follow the tradition of waiting until after Thanksgiving to kick off the Christmas season. Personally, I can testify that at the point of drafting this article, I have yet to hear any holiday music on the radio or in retail stores, but a beloved Christmas tree and decorations are all set up at my job.
Philadelphia visitors and residents are usually aware of and enjoy checking out the Christmas Village every year, located in LOVE Park right off of Arch Street. Walking through the crowd of shoppers to peruse through all the vendors and small businesses is a must-do tradition for Philly locals. Upon the choice to open the village on Thanksgiving Day following the parade in the morning, it may influence the local public to start celebrating after their huge dinners on Thursday night.
Perhaps Mariah Carey’s YouTube video entitled “Mariah Carey – IT’S TIME!!,” featuring a background of snow falling and her biggest hit “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” tells viewers that Carey begins celebrating right after Halloween, as the video made its premiere on Nov. 1.
As students at La Salle, we may be curious as to what side of the equation the University is on. Do La Salle leaders and officials take their time enjoying the autumnal Thanksgiving season filled with turkey and mashed potatoes? Since a poster saying “La Salle University wishes you and your family A Blessed Christmas” was put up on the blue bridge on Nov. 15, they have made their standpoint on the debate noticeably clear.
Ultimately, this debate undermines the importance of cherishing both holidays. Whether you choose to deck the halls in November or patiently wait until the arrival of December, the joy and gratitude that these celebrations and traditions bring is what really matters, right? Nonetheless, whether you’re spreading holiday cheer like confetti or patiently waiting for the last bite of stuffing to disappear, let’s agree on one thing: the real winners are the ones who embrace the laughter and love that comes with the holiday season, regardless of whether the mistletoe is hung up over the Thanksgiving table or the Christmas tree.
We as humans are stressed, overburdened and time-constrained. The seventy foot long to-do list that seems to grow with no end has overstayed its welcome. Demands are countless, from work and school to house chores. It can feel like something always needs doing. Time to relax and destress seems like a commodity worth more than gold.
Yet, when does one have the time? After a long day out and about, you get home at 6pm, make dinner, wash the dishes and finally have a chance to watch a movie,“relax” by 7:30. Is it really relaxation? Stress still stews in the mind, leaving you unable to fully enjoy that comfy couch.
There is a remedy, a way to enjoy the lovely couch to its fullest potential. That being meditation. Meditation comes in various forms, yet some forms can be more time consuming than others. The stereotypical idea of meditation involves an empty mind and stillness for long periods of time, which can be hard to practice during busy days. If relaxation is a commodity, why spend it doing nothing? Immersive meditation solves this issue by being practicable during tasks, even on the busiest days.
This form of meditation turns the most mundane and boring tasks, like cleaning dishes, into an opportunity to experience serenity. When immersed fully in a task, the mind focuses solely on the present action and no external thoughts arise. From this focus, the mind experiences mental clarity, peace and a sense of refreshment. Practicing this form of meditation is best with simple tasks, like doing dishes. Complex tasks require greater effort, which increases the chance of stress, defeating the point of meditation.
Achieving meditative immersion in a task can seem difficult, but it is doable with the right practices. Two simple practices are controlled breathing and sensory focus. Breathing techniques increase focus and reduce stress according to Berkeley. Practicing breathing technique is as simple as controlling your inhales and exhales to 2 second intervals. Sensory focus is the concentration on how the senses perceive the task at hand. For example, while washing dishes hear the water rushing from the faucet, feel the sponge suds up cleaning the dishes.
These practices help keep the mind immersed in a task. Intruding thoughts will have little room to distract from meditation with the mind occupied.
Meditation provides multiple benefits, and its impact varies by person. Common long-lasting benefits are: better mental well-being, improvement in focus, stable emotions, an increase in creativity and better sleep, according to Mayo Clinic. Next time you are doing chores, practice immersive meditation and see how you feel after. It costs zero extra time for an immeasurable benefit, a healthier mind.
It’s that time of year again! The leaves are turning and the weather’s getting colder, which can only mean pumpkin, apple and cinnamon flavors have taken over Starbucks! Below is a subjective guide as to which drinks are a trick, and which are treats this fall!
1. Pumpkin Spiced Latte
– Description: “Espresso and steamed milk with pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg flavors, topped with whipped cream.”
– Price: $5.95
– Nutrition Facts: 390 calories, 50g sugar
– Rating: 6.5/10
– Rationale: This was my first ever pumpkin spiced latte, and I was slightly disappointed. I had expected much more from the drink, as I have heard raving reviews about it, but enjoyed it, nonetheless. It had less flavor than anticipated, but enough pumpkin to get me in the fall mood! Would definitely have again but it wouldn’t be my first choice.
2. Apple Crisp Oat Milk Macchiato
– Description: “Layered flavors of apple, cinnamon, oats and brown sugar harmonize with Starbucks® Blonde Espresso Roast, creamy oat milk and spiced-apple drizzle to create a delicious apple crisp you can sip.”
– Price: $5.95
– Nutrition Facts: 320 calories, 29g sugar
– Rating: 8.5/10
– Rationale: Absolutely loved! Smelled like apple pie baking in the oven and tasted just as good. I’m usually not a warm coffee fan, but the apple flavor mixed with the creamy oat milk made it perfect! I’ve ordered this one multiple times and plan to order again!
3. Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte
– Description: “A blend of black tea infused with warming spices and milk, topped with pumpkin cream cold foam.”
– Price: $5.95
– Nutrition Facts: 460 calories, 66g sugar
– Rating: 4.5/10
– Rationale: Very unimpressed. I only got this drink in a small sample cup, but even then it was WAY too sugary. The flavor was delicious, but only for a sip or two until the sugar became nauseating. If you like super sweet, I recommend perhaps a tall, but wouldn’t go much larger than that. Would never order beyond a sample, which is unfortunate because I generally love chai.
4. Iced Apple Crisp Oat Milk Shaken Espresso
– Description: “Layers of Starbucks® Blonde Espresso, spiced apple flavors and creamy oat milk.”
– Price: $6.25
– Nutrition Facts: 180 calories, 21g sugar
– Rating: 3/10
– Rationale: Strong taste of the espresso didn’t mix well with the sugary taste of the apple-cinnamon flavoring. The apple resulted in a bitter flavor that wasn’t as appetizing as expected. As a fan of oat milk shaken espressos, this was quite surprising, but I would definitely choose the apple crisp macchiato instead.
5. Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
– Description: “Cold brew sweetened with vanilla-flavored syrup, finished with pumpkin cream cold foam and a dusting of pumpkin-spice topping”
– Price: $5.25
– Nutrition Facts: 250 calories, 31g sugar
– Rating: 7/10
– Rationale: I don’t like my coffee too bitter, so I rarely get cold brew. However, I was willing to try something new with the pumpkin cold foam and vanilla flavoring and it did NOT disappoint. It was much less sweet than the pumpkin spice latte but still maintained a festive flare that would absolutely get me to order this drink over and over again.
Final rating: If you’re going to Starbucks to buy a festive fall drink, I believe an apple crisp macchiato is the way to go! Although if you’re looking for a more “health-conscious” option, the pumpkin cream cold brew is a close second!
*Note all pricing is for grande sizes only and doesn’t include tax. All descriptions were taken directly from https://www.starbucks.com/menu/featured/. This list is not exhaustive and there are other seasonal drinks not included, as well as food options that are worth a try!
Bears. Bears eat salmon. Lots of salmon, but not always the whole fish. They most prefer the skin and other fatty parts, sometimes discarding the rest of the fish, per NPS.gov. Why? Bears eat fattier foods to consume calories that are nutrient dense for preservation.
Humans eat salmon. Lots of salmon, but not always the whole fish. Many eat salmon filets, but discard the skin. Why? People eat less fatty foods to avoid excess calories, purposefully or incidentally missing out on nutrient-dense foods.
There may be a few things to learn from bears. Most importantly, if you have errands to run after you make porridge and tidy your bed, you should lock your door… Still, there are more notes to take, specifically, eating animal fats and not being scared of doing so!
Sure, bears hibernate. They sleep for half of the year and need that extra fat, and yes, I think we all may be a little jealous. However, a surplus of animal-based fats when opportunity strikes may be a good idea. Plus, who is going to turn down extra bacon?
Fats are macronutrients that contain nine calories of energy per gram; proteins and carbohydrates contain four calories per gram. They store energy in the body, absorb nutrients and create hormones, according to the British Heart Foundation. There are three relevant types of fat: monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated. Animal fats come in polyunsaturated and saturated forms.
Polyunsaturated fats are commonly referred to as “good” fats due to their ability to maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Saturated fats have a less stellar reputation, commonly attributed to heart disease from overconsumption, according to MedlinePlus. Despite reputation, both fats come in many forms, housing dense variations of nutrients. Some nutrients found in animal fats are vitamins A, D3 and B12. These nutrients, like many others, play roles in maintaining the body’s health.
So, fats contain energy and play a role in bodily health. Yet, in excess they can be unhealthy. Why would anyone then consume excess fats? It is for the same reason those bears hibernate, except less extreme. Consuming animal fats in place of excess calories from other sources provides extra energy for later use and is a rich source of nutrients that the body can either use or store.
Everyone misses a meal once in a while. It is understandable in this busy world. The decrease in energy that comes with it may not be as forgiving. Next time you are faced with eating animal fats, act as a bear would, and eat some extra. You will get nutrients for maintaining health, and maybe the next missed lunch may not be so brutal with that extra energy from last dinner.
Over summer vacation, I worked as an educator at the Wissahickon Environmental Center in Wissahickon Valley Park. One of my favorite experiences from the job was participating in a week-long Ecology Camp in August. Founded by Tony Croasdale and Susan Haidar, my supervisors,, this educational camp is for children ages 11-14. We visited and learned about a different type of ecosystem found in the Delaware Valley each day. For this article, I will share my memories from this fun week.
On day one, we visited Dixon Meadow Preserve in Lafayette Hill, PA. There, we took a tour led by wildlife photographer Troy Bynum. On the tour, we saw some cool things including a European hornet, a Carolina mantis egg capsule and a beautiful, male blue grosbeak. Bynum informed us that a pair of blue grosbeaks bred here over the summer. Additionally, we saw two bobolinks fly over before leaving.
European Hornet, via Sean Bradley
On day two, we visited Whitesbog Village, a cranberry farm in the Pine Barrens of NJ. This place is historically significant because in 1916, agricultural specialist, Elizabeth White, developed the world’s first cultivated blueberry. Today, many of her testing fields remain. There, we went on a guided tour of the farm and testing fields. Additionally, we saw plants and wildlife, including Virginia meadow beauties, a Fowler’s toad, an eastern musk turtle and a Tersa sphinx moth caterpillar.
Virginia Meadow Beauty, via Sean Bradley
On day three, we visited The Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor, NJ to learn about the wildlife in the bay and in the surrounding marsh. There, with guided assistance, we got to go in the bay wearing waders to catch marine invertebrates using a seine net. Some invertebrates that were caught and released included Atlantic blue crabs and glass shrimps. Afterwards, we went on a guided walk through the marsh. Along the way, we saw laughing gulls and fiddler crabs. Lastly, before leaving, we explored the aquarium in the nature center.
Laughing Gull, Via Sean Bradley
On day four, we visited Tannersville Cranberry Bog in Tannersville, PA, which is unique for being the southernmost boreal bog east of the Mississippi. The bog formed from retreating glaciers about 13,000 years ago. Its unique distinction allows it to be home to many boreal plants like tamarack and black spruce, as well as cool plants like the carnivorous purple pitcher plant. Additionally, we saw an amazing diversity of fungi on the hike to and from the bog. While leaving, we saw a broad-winged hawk land on a telephone wire.
Tamarack and Black Spruce growing in the bog, Via Sean Bradley
Finally, on day five, we visited John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, which is the largest remaining freshwater tidal marsh in Pennsylvania. There, we explored the woods and wetlands and saw cool things like swamp rose mallow. Afterwards, we headed back and thus concluded Ecology Camp.
Swamp Rose Mallow, via Sean Bradley
It has been a pleasure sharing this article with you, and I hope you enjoyed reading it.
It’s that time of the week again. The fridge is empty, and you need to save a few dollars. Let the grocery scavenger hunt commence. You start your three-part journey at your favorite grocer to get pantry essentials and cheese. Then you head to the grocery store with the supposed “best” prices on meat in town, at least according to all their advertisements. Ending the journey, at the store with the cheapest produce. Wait, the cheap produce spot’s cheese and meat is cheaper than your last two destinations, yet you already got overcharged.
All the effort spent maximizing grocery value is wasted. You still end up sacrificing your first-born child and three fingers from your dominant hand, for groceries… How can someone possibly know the best food deals without becoming some sort of price prophet, an oracle cursed to search for the fairest groceries of thy land?
Maybe there is a solution. A remedy to gluttonous groceries demanding your monthly budget. The price prophet we the people need! A localized price catalog showcasing the lowest and average price for America’s most purchased groceries.
A magical list of the cheapest and average price for groceries sounds great, but how could it actually work? Local governments would take the helm of this project and localize grocery price catalogs by their respective county. The catalog could be updated monthly or actively track prices with the help of artificial intelligence . The catalog could feature 50 of America’s most purchased groceries. Each product would have the cheapest price in the county along with that price’s location, and the overall county price average.
Tracking prices by county keeps shoppers informed on prices in their communities, without the necessary workload. Once produced, the catalogs would be posted online for ease of access. Shoppers could check the catalog for cheapest asparagus in the area before their grocery journey, or even see if that asparagus bundle at their local grocer is a fair deal or overpriced.
Price catalogs inform consumers on current prices. Informed consumers make educated purchases, ideally getting themselves the best spending value. Apply this to groceries, customers save money during their shopping, either to spend elsewhere or afford higher quality foods.Shoppers have more to gain than just fair prices with a grocery catalog. It’s free advertising.Product research, aka checking the price catalog, is the second-largest motivator in purchasing decisions, even more so than company driven marketing, according to McKinsey Quarterly. Free exposure in a catalog dedicated to customer research, simply by offering the best prices. It sounds like a recipe for low price competition in the grocery industry, driving down the costs for all.
The dream to stop getting screwed over by the grocery industry exists – but will it happen? Demand catalogs and beat the grocery gambit.
It has come to my humble attention that certain people are unhappy with what I have written in the past about a certain team on campus who went 15-19 (7-11 in conference) in the season and failed to make it out of the A-10 tournament. While I must admit that some of the comments I’ve made have been harsh, I have never made a statement that has not been true. My job as the editor for the sports section of TheCollegian demands that I write about what I see and share it with the world. If the teams had not lost as many games and demonstrated their sub-par talent, I would’ve not written any of the articles I did. In other words: If you do not like my work, simply be better at the sport you have been playing for your entire life.
That being said, I believe it is important for the student body to hold our “representatives” (whether you like it or not, sports teams serve as representatives of our school) accountable for their shortcomings and failures. Just as I would expect one of y’all to hold me accountable for my articles, I hold others accountable for their mistakes. Without further ado, here is a recap of the Men’s basketball team’s horrific 15-19 season.
Week 1:
The basketball team was off to a putrid start against the Villanova Wildcats on the road. The (then ranked) no. 16 Wildcats were heavy favorites to win, coming from a spectacular 30-8 season where they made it to the Final Four of the March Madness tournament, where the eventual national champions, the University of Kansas, defeated them. On the other hand, the Explorers were coming off of a lousy 11-19 season under head coach Ashley Howard, whom Fran Dunphy replaced in the offseason. The Explorers were off to a terrible start, down 37-23 at halftime. At no point in the contest did the Explorers hold the lead, and Villanova was able to cruise into an easy 81-68 win over the Explorers.
However, this first losing streak was short-lived for the Explorers after they managed to beat out the Wagner Seahawks at home with a 77-69 win. This was the home opener for the Explorers and a crucial win for the squad.
Week 2:
The Explorers opened week two at home at the Tom Gola arena, where they faced off against (Division II) Queen’s University N.C for the play-in game of the Jersey Mikes Jamaica Classic. Unsurprisingly, the Explorers were able to beat this Division II basketball team and punched in their ticket to travel to Jamaica to continue playing.
The Explorers then traveled, via a private charter jet, to Jamaica (whilst the women’s basketball team traveled commercial to Alaska for a similar tournament). While in Jamaica, the Explorers faced off against Wake Forest University, whom they “surprisingly” lost 63-75 to. This loss placed the Explorers within the loser’s bracket. Whilst in the Loser’s bracket, the Explorers faced off against Georgetown University and “surprisingly” lost 62-69. This means the Explorers traveled (again, via private jet) to Jamaica and were unable to win a single game.
Weeks 3-7:
Weeks 3 and seven were, in my opinion, uneventful and, honestly, really boring to watch. The Explorers went 4-5 during these weeks, winning against Binghamton University, Penn (surprisingly), Bucknell, and Howard. The Explorers lost to Temple, Drexel, Cincinnati, Lafayette, and VCU.
Weeks 8-10:
The Explorers welcomed the New Year with a 77-75 OT win over Rhode Island at home. This win came from the backs of Sophomore Guard Khalil Brantley and Junior Guard Jhamir Brickus, who combined for a total of 42 points (29 and 13, respectively). This win put them at 1-1 in A-10 games. After this, the Explorers traveled to Massachusetts, where they barely managed to beat UMASS 78-77.
This win streak was short-lived, however, after the Explorers managed to lose five separate games in a row, losing to Fordham, Saint Josephs, Saint Louis, Davidson, and Rhode Island, whom they lost to after a missed dunk from Josh Nickleberry allowed the Explorers to lose by 2 points. I suggest reading more by reading my previous article Sports Commentary: Late Missed Dunk Costs Explorers the Win Over Rhode Island.
Weeks?? (I honestly ran out of inspiration to continue writing the article at this point and no longer wish to count weeks) aka the rest of the season
The Explorer’s losing streak came to an end after defeating George Washington at home. The Explorers used this momentum to go on a five-game winning streak. Defeating St Josephs, St. Bonaventure, Massachusetts (again), and Richmond.
However, this winning streak came to an end after losing to George Mason 66-70. The Explorers then went off to lose every game left in their season, losing to Duquesne, George Washington, Dayton, and the 10-20 (4-14 in conference) Loyola Chicago during their own senior night. The Explorers were unable to defeat a 4-14 team at home for Senior Night. Let that sink in.
A-10 tournament run
In the first round of the A-10 tournament, the Explorers faced off against Rhode Island University for what would be the third time these two teams met this season. The Explorers were able to outperform their previous A-10 tournament runs, finally making it out of the first round of the tournament. In the second round, the Explorers faced off against Duquesne, whom they managed to defeat 81-70. Their Cinderella run was cut short by the #3 team in the A-10’s, Fordham University, who easily defeated the Explorers 61-69. The Explorers reached the quarter-finals of the A-10 tournament for the first time since the 2015 season.
So that their entire season is perfectly recapped for your enjoyment and satisfaction. Although outperforming their previous performances, the team failed to live up to expectations. The team played sub-par against teams with low-level talent and was wiped out by nationally ranked teams. The team failed to create any kind of momentum and even failed to have a winning season. Why should we celebrate the fact that the team reached the quarter-finals? Is their one and only job not to win games? Do they not practice week in and week out in order to win and still fail to do so? The basketball team is able to convince everyone that they are accomplishing something but fail to make any kind of postseason run. Players are putting up numbers but are failing to win games. The fact that this is La Salle’s best season since 2015 despite the team failing to be above .500 speaks volumes about the ineptness and incompetence of the athletic department and the players on the basketball team.
Editor’s note: If you wish to communicate with me about anything written in my articles, feel free to contact me carrascoe1@lasalle.edu as I will not respond to any other form of communication.
If any of you are familiar with my work, you will know I am an avid hater of the Men’s Basketball program at La Salle. While I must admit that some of my comments against the team are due to a personal vendetta against the program and the Athletic Department, none of my comments nor my negativity against the basketball team have ever been misplaced. I have seen this team fail to live up to their hype for three years in a row, and I feel confident that the basketball team will continue this downward spiral long after I leave 20th and Olney.
Because of this avid hatred, I never fell for the “Our Men’s team is actually good this year” lies that have been floating around campus all season long. I said from day one the team will continue to disappoint all season long, no matter who they bring in to coach and what second-hand talent from other schools they manage to trick into coming to La Salle. Slowly but surely, the Men’s team has continued to prove me right about my hatred for them, and I would be remiss not to admit that their failure brings me joy.
It is hard to exactly place when the hype train for the basketball team began. Still, I believe it began around January, when the team managed to pull an enormous upset and beat Rhode Island 77-75 in overtime. The team continued to grow this hype when they managed to beat UMASS 78-77 on the road. Considering both schools’ success in previous years, these two wins were significant, and it seemed like the men’s teams might be actual contenders for the A-10 championship. But if we look at the current rankings, Rhode Island is second to last place (we lost to them during our second face off), and UMASS is only one spot above them. After these two wins, the men’s team went on a (I must admit, somewhat impressive) 5 win streak, putting the team at the cusp of being one of the top teams in the conference. The only thing the team had to do was either defeat George Mason, Duquesne, or George Washington. This was when the school started pushing the narrative that the men’s team was good and could compete against big teams. I, however, was not convinced about their ability and told multiple people to “just wait” and assured people that “the team will fail soon enough, you just have to give them time.”
To the surprise of very few people, the team did, in fact, fail. They failed to win against George Mason on the road, stop Duquesne from putting up 91 points at home, and failed to at least stop George Washington from putting up 92 points on them on the road. The Explorers dropped from one of the top contenders in their conference to number ten within the A-10’s, once again proving their talent is nothing more than bottom tier. If you recall the article I mentioned early, you’ll be able to remember that the Athletic Department praised the improvement of the experience for the athletes and team that remained after the Title IX fiasco. Yet, it seems that the athletic department only wanted to make the experience better for the basketball team rather than give actual funding to other teams, and the results of which can be seen in the results from not only the basketball team, but also all of our other sports. No single team that remains on campus had a winning season (none even went above .500), and the teams that are currently active are failing to produce any form of momentum or winning streaks. The men’s team has two regular season games left, one on the road against Dayton (currently ranked 3rd in the A-10s) and their senior night against Loyola Chicago (currently ranked last in the A-10s), meaning the best record the team can finish with is 15-16 in the season, a game short of being .500 . I must admit, I would not be surprised if the men’s team managed to lose both games in the season, pushing themselves even further down in the A-10 rankings.
My opinion doesn’t matter. And it should not matter.
This is not some form of self-deprecation. And it isn’t me begging for compliments.
If I am scrolling on TikTok, I typically end up face-to-face with the video of a 20-something white man with a beanie and a mustache who regurgitates either some of the blandest or most rancid opinions about movies. How these men present themselves is essentially all the same. Probably mass produced in a factory somewhere. They ooze pretentiousness. State their opinions as matter-of-fact. They feel their perspective is the most important in the world. That they need to drown out anyone else who could be speaking in the vicinity.
And that’s the thing with a lot of men and “filmbros” in these spaces. They always attempt to drown out the voices of women and present themselves and their opinions as the end-all-be-all. I’m sorry, buddy. Please do not lecture me on how great that Quentin Tarantino movie is. I do not care, and nothing would ever make me want to hear your opinion on it.
What I am trying to say is that you need to discount male voices.
I am not an exception to the rule. There is no exception to the rule. No matter how much work a man can do, they will always in some way contribute to or reap the benefits of patriarchal systems of power.
I do not want to be viewed as an exception to the rule. I want you to know that it is all men. There is no exception. The men that state that it is not all men should be held suspicious. The same even can be said for the men that can admit that it is all men.
I have known men that see their female friends have left a room and think that it is okay to make sexist jokes that would have otherwise not been tolerated in the presence of those women. They are part of the problem.
I have known men that try to hide their actions behind feminist theory and posturing themselves as progressives. These men should understand that whatever façade they put up will never be genuine until they can speak to and atone for how their words and actions have promoted misogyny. At the first sign of trouble, these men will often retreat back into the systems of power they pretend to oppose staunchly. Know that they too are still part of the problem.
I have known men that fashion themselves as misandrists and then use this title as a defense for their objectification of women. These men state they hate all men and think this position means they could never possibly be perceived as a misogynist. Meanwhile, their constant treatment of women as objects of sexual desire reinforces the fact that they are either lying or should especially hate themselves. Know that they are very much part of the problem.
And if you are a man reading this and feel rage thinking that I could be talking about you, look inward. Examine why you feel these attributes might apply to you. If you have to wonder whether one of these previous broad archetypes are describing you, then understand that you are probably part of the problem. And know that I am not an exception either. It is all men. All men have upheld these oppressive misogynistic systems in at least one way or another throughout their lives.
Read this. But take whatever I say with a grain of salt. What I have to say does not and should not matter. You can listen to me if you want. But really you should listen to a woman instead.
On Jan. 28, 2023, the La Salle Explorers (7-12, 2-5) faced off against the Rhode Island Rams (7-13, 4-4) on the road for the second and last game against Rhode Island of the season. The two teams previously faced off on Jan. 7, 2023, where the Explorers won 77-75 in overtime. The Explorers, however, failed to repeat the same outcome and, after blowing a 40-29 halftime lead, eventually failed to close the game.
The Explorers were off to a hot start at the beginning of the game, where they took an early 8-2 lead over the Rams, with the help of three-pointers coming from Andres Marrero and Sophomore guard Khalil Brantley. The Explorers and the Rams continued to trade blows with one another, culminating in a 15-13 lead for the Rams with 11 minutes left in the first half. The Explorers, however, had not played their strongest hand yet, and after subbing in Senior Josh Nickleberrry, went on an 8-0 run. The Explorers continued their offensive strides and pushed their lead to 35-25 with 3 minutes left in the first half. After a steal and layup from Brantley, and an offensive rebound from Daeshon Shepherd, who proceeded to kick the ball out to Brantley, the Explorers were able to take a 40-25 lead. The Explorers went into the locker room leading 40-29.
The second half is where the game fell apart for the Explorers, as it seemed like their performance in the first half managed to overinflate their egos. The Explorers were able to extend their lead to 14 points three separate times. This, however, was not enough to seal the game away for the Explorers. In the game’s last four minutes, the Explorers failed to score any points for three minutes straight while also failing to make any defensive stops against the Rams. At one point during this drought, Nickleberry was able to get a takeaway, running away with the ball. Nickleberry, however, failed to score the wide-open basket and gave a defensive rebound for the Rams, who were able to convert the rebound into points, bringing them to 64-64. The Rams maintained this momentum and finished the game with 72 points while only allowing 70 points. The following graph, provided by ESPN, showcases the probability of the Explorers winning the game.
As one can see, the Explorers were heavy favorites to win at various points throughout the game. The Explorers, however, once again failed to perform. A lack of discipline both on the offensive and defensive side of the ball led to the Explorers having 13 separate turnovers throughout the game. In addition, there is no excuse for a D1 Basketball player, much less a Senior, not to be able to finish a dunk. Nickleberry’s late dunk miss would’ve given the Explorers the two points necessary to force overtime. The fact that he leads the team in points speaks volumes about the ineptness of this team on offense. This only shows the irreversible damage that Ashley Howard’s failure during his tenure as head coach has caused La Salle. His inability to properly recruit any worthwhile talent, coupled with an irresponsible and ineffective athletic department (Brian Baptiste has been detrimental to La Salle sports) has created a ripple effect that still affects the Basketball team.
Josh BRICKelberry
The Explorers now only have ten games left in the season, all of which are in-conference, to make any form of a postseason run, something I consider impossible for this team. I do not believe La Salle has the required talent or necessary aid from the school to make any form of sound in the postseason. Once again, the basketball team helps prove the foolishness and dullness of the La Salle Athletic Department and, most importantly, its director.
Next up, the Explorers will face off against George Washington University for National Girls & Women in Sports Day.
The La Salle Collegian 