The first shot of the game was a three-pointer made by Ashley Moyer, which was one of many throughout the game. Moyer’s score was followed by two more from Dominique Stroman, with an assist by freshman Mashira Newman. Newman also assisted Jenna Craig with the next two points before she began her turn at the net.

Newman came on strong. The first shot she sank was assisted by Stroman, which brought the score to 11-0 three minutes into the first half. Then the Mountaineers started scoring.

The first two baskets made by Mansfield were from senior Mallory Moore, followed by a three-pointer by Nicole Pender.

Newman shot a three-pointer, assisted by Moyer, and then Stroman made a shot herself, but was then fouled, resulting in two points.

Craig then began her rule of the court. She made four straight shots, one of which was a free-throw. Moyer made another perfect three-pointer. Coming off a rebound shot, Green received two free-throws. Jessica Beswick grabbed two points with the assist from Aiesha Bellamy.

However, arguably the best shot of the game came at the end of the first half. With just one second left on the clock, the ball was passed to Moyer. She raced the clock, got to half court and made an amazing shot bringing the Marauders lead 15 points.

Throughout the first half Newman played man-to-man defense very well. She stuck to her opponent and never left them alone. As lead scorers, Craig, Stroman, and Moyer were on the top of their games in the first half. The score was 37-22 at halftime.

The second half of the game was the strongest for the Lady Marauders. Head Coach Mary Fleig said during the second half “We stepped our game up. We stepped up to the plate; to our level.”

Stroman began the second half with a basket assisted by Newman. Mansfield could not overcome the dominance of the Marauders on the court during this half. Craig caught her own rebound, and shot again with the swish of the basket. She then missed a jumper, but that was rebounded by Moyer. Stroman came in with a good jumper, and then Moyer made another three-point basket. Three minutes into the second half, the Marauders were in the lead by 22 points.

Then Mansfield was finally able to score. Tegan Atallah made a jumper. Then a war began between the two teams. Raquel Green made a jumper with an assist from Stroman. The Mountaineers then retaliated with a three-point basket by Atallah, but that did not discourage the Marauders. Stroman stomped on them with a jumper assisted by Newman. Then Mallory Hafer of the Mountaineers scored a three-point basket. Out of nowhere MU’s Emily Balogh came up and shot a perfect layup, but the war was not over.

Moyer came in with one of her three-pointers, bringing the score to 53-30 with a little over 12 minutes to go in the second half.

Manfield’s Moore, came back with a two-point basket, trying to catch up to the unstoppable Marauders. Gabrielle Styles made a basket, taking the Marauder lead back. With just over 10 minutes left in the second half, Stroman made a good layup bringing the Marauders to a 57-31 lead.

Craig came through with two more back-to-back shots. Green made a basket, which made the score even more spread out. The Marauders took the lead by 30 points, 61-31.

Julia Stevenson did not let that break the Mountaineer’s spirit, however. She pulled off two points with the assist of Nicole Pender, but Green was not having that. She came through with a perfect layup, bringing the Lady Marauders to a 30-point lead yet again.

Stevenson was fouled by Green, which gave her two foul shots that upped Mansfield’s score, but it was not enough. Monica Newman stepped into the game and brought the Marauders back to their 30 point lead.

Lady Marauder Miesha Cousins was then fouled by Stevenson which landed her two foul shots. The Mountaineers were enraged. Hafer shot a 3-pointer with the assist of her sophomore teammate Meredith Hafer. Carrie Shefey came into the game and shot through the Mountaineers defense and landed a layup. Less than a minute later she got a jumper, bringing the Marauders into a 33-point lead, 71-38.

Mansfield was not happy. Senior Hafer scored a three-pointer, but Mountaineer Emma Lacey fouled Raquel Flemings, bringing the Marauders back to a 31-point lead.

The last basket of the game did nothing. Flemings fouled Syndee Reeves, and that shot landed the Mountaineers a final score of 42 points. Their total was nowhere near the Marauders who left the Mountaineers in the dust with a 72-42 victory.

“We started out rocky, but we had fun with it. It was a good win for the seniors.” Forward Aurielle Mosley said. The win also gave the Lady Marauders even more confidence, “This game got us pumped. We’re ready for Tuesday. This game got us motivated,” said freshman guard Jessica Beswick.

The Marauders have a playoff game this coming Tuesday. “It felt good to finish [the PSAC] East. We have to come ready for Tuesday. It’s going to be a tough playoff game,” Sheffey said. The Marauders face as of yet an unnamed opponent on Tuesday night at home court in Pucillo during the PSAC quarterfinals.

Related posts:

1. Women’s basketball continues stellar season, PSAC division leaders: Lady Marauders battle to become ranked 24 nationally in Division II This season, the Millersville women’s basketball team has been on...
2. Mens Basketball loses to Mansfield The men’s basketball team's latest loss to Mansfield Saturday, was...
3. Men’s basketball loses final game of 2010 season to Mansfeild Mountaineers The Marauders once again came up short losing 76-68 in...

Millersville has high hopes for its team in the competition and is looking to overcome a season full of adversity. The team finished with an overall dual meet record of 4-13-1 which was much worse than they anticipated being by the season’s end heading into the year. Especially, after losing only two starters from last year’s roster and finishing the 2008-2009 campaign with a winning dual meet record. However, to put blame on the Marauder wrestling team is a little more than unfair.

The Marauders had to battle a slew of injuries which led to numerous forfeits in the majority of their matches this season. Millersville saw some of its most experienced wrestlers such as junior Mike Greck, senior Jeremy Brooks, junior Dave Morey, senior Phil Santee, and senior Sean Reed fall to injury. The most damaging loss, however, came two weeks ago with the untimely passing of junior Raymond Bennett.

“The wrestlers intend to dedicate their upcoming post-season competition for Ray,” Brooks explained. Bennett finished as a qualifier for the NCAA Championships last season and finished the year with a strong 20-15 record. To put it lightly, his services will be severely missed, not only as a passionate teammate to the wrestling team, but as a friend and comrade to many on Millersville’s campus.

The Marauders’ best chances at placing as many members on their roster start with seniors Jarrett Hostetter and J.J. Lester, and redshirt sophomore Shane Smith. Millersville will also be without the services of senior Jeremy Brooks who battled injury this season and was a national qualifier last year.
Hostetter, a two-time national qualifier in the 157-pound weight class, took a red-shirt last season. He picked up from his 34-win, 2008 form this year, and currently sits with an impressive 21-5 record. Hostetter still wrestled in open tournaments last season and posted a 26-5 record in those matches. Currently, he has a remarkable career record of 125-44.

Smith, another national qualifier from last year, looks to return to the big stage again this season after posting a 21-7 record thus far. Smith finished last season with a 32-15 overall record and has a career record of 69-29 during his time spent at Millersville. Millersville is also hoping experience will pay off for senior J.J. Lester who has posted a 13-16 record through this point in the season.

Millersville is also looking to get some more production from their freshmen who have filled in and played a valuable role for the team this year as they suffered through numerous injuries. What is also important is how much experience the younger wrestlers are getting this season as they prepare for the next few years of their career. Normally they would not have nearly as many matches under their belts as freshmen, but because of extenuating circumstances, they have had to play a major role for the team this season.

No matter how the Regionals play out the Marauders should do nothing but play the rest of their season out with their heads held high. To say it has been a difficult 2009-2010 campaign is an understatement.

Related posts:

1. Wrestling team falls again: Injuries force wrestlers to forfeit The Marauders hosted their last dual match of the season...
2. Wrestling faces a string of tough losses Senior wrestler Jarrett Hostetter notched his 97th career win on...
3. Wrestling continues to struggle in competition Even after winning their seventh straight match against city rival...

Sproles is an interesting case. He certainly is dynamic, but it’s hard to say what the market is going to be for 5 feet 6 running back. Thomas Jones is expected to be cut by the Jets this week. The emergence of Shonn Greene and the expected return of back Leon Washington, coupled with Jones being due a $3M roster bonus made him expendable. I could see Jones landing in Cleveland, Tampa Bay or Detroit.

The final back who was given his walking papers was Brian Westbrook. Westbrook as most know has been plagued with concussion problems. This could scare many teams away, but I, like many, believe he still has enough left in the tank to be a big contributor somewhere. Now on to defense.

Defensive Line (DL); Julius Peppers (UFA) Peppers is likely the biggest prize available in free agency this off season. There has never been a doubt about his athletic abilities, but it has been his effort that has been questioned. Peppers became disinterested with playing in Carolina, leading to a slip in his performance. He claims that he is going to take his game to a whole new level at the age of 30. Whoever lands this high profile pass rusher better hope so because they are going to break the bank. New England, Chicago and Philadelphia are rumored destinations.

Aaron Kampman (UFA): While his struggles since being moved to outside linebacker in the 3-4 set were slightly overblown, there is no denying Kampman’s production has slipped. In nine games he picked up three and a half sacks, a far cry from the 37 he registered in the previous three seasons. Kampman is on the down side of his career and the knee injury he suffered in 2009 will make teams very leery of him. I would look for him to return to rush defensive end in a 4-3 scheme.

Jason Ferguson (UFA): In a year that looked like there would be many high end interior linemen available, it turned out Ferguson was the best of the bunch. Vince Wilfork, Casey Hampton, Ryan Pickett, and Aubrayo Franklin were all franchise tagged by their respective teams. There are too few quality nose tackles available to let them test free agency. Ferguson is far past his prime but is still a serviceable nose guard. Teams transitioning to the 3-4 could use his services. Buffalo could potentially bring him in or Miami could retain him.

Linebacker (LB); Karlos Dansby (UFA): Dansby was arguably the best player on an average Cardinals defense. Dansby can play any scheme and can play any position at linebacker. These two facts coupled with the fact he is immensely talented will get him a contract somewhere. The Cards choose not to franchise so he is free to go wherever he wishes. Miami and the Giants could be great fits for the supremely talented linebacker.

Keith Bulluck (UFA): Bulluck has been a mainstay on the Titan defense his whole career. Bulluck is a who professional that any young player can learn a lot from. It would be strange to see him in a different uniform. Tennessee general manager Mike Reinfeldt has stated that they wish to retain Bulluck.

Defensive Back (DB); Dunta Robinson (UFA): The Texans have parted ways with their former first round pick. They elected not to slap a franchise tag on Robinson, making him the premiere cornerback available this offseason. Robinson has been inconsistent for Houston and really struggled last season. Free agent corners have had a history of signing lucrative contracts and often being overpaid. Robinson seems poised to carry on those trends.

Darren Sharper (UFA): The veteran safety has been inconsistent in his time Minnesota but he came up with a fantastic 2009 campaign for the Saints. Sharper tied for the league leads in interceptions with nine and set a record in intercept yards with 376. Though Sharper is a gambler and is pretty poor in run support, he is a certified ball hawk. I would be surprised if the Saints let him go.

Antrel Rolle (UFA): The Cardinals had no interest in paying Rolle a $4M roster bonus so they decided to part was with the University of Miami All-American. Rolle will be eager to test the free agent waters this offseason. Arizona is still planning on trying to sign Rolle to a long term deal, but like with many young defensive backs, teams will often over pay. I could see the Giants or Dolphins breaking the bank on him.

Related posts:

1. NFL trade discussion The 2010 NFL free agency frenzy begins March 1 and...

Female: Raquel Green
Q: What is your major?
A: “I am majoring in History because I am a critical thinker. I am a very detail-oriented person and like to think outside of the box. My ideal job would be to travel the world and do research related to African-American history.”

Q: How long have you been playing basketball?
A: “I started playing when I was 13, in sixth grade.”

Q: How did you become involved with basketball?
A: “I grew up in a city, so basketball was always everywhere. I also lived right beside a basketball court, so every day when I went outside it was right there. Playing sports runs in my family, but I am the first female to play basketball.”

Q: What has been the highlight of your season (so far)?
A: “Beating California University was the highlight of my season. We lost to them three games in a row during the playoffs last year, so I was glad to beat them this season.”

Q: What are you looking forward to for the remainder of the season?
A: “My goal is that we will not only be able to make it farther than we did last year, but to also try and win PSAC.”

Q: Besides playing basketball, how do you spend your free time?
A: “In my free time I enjoy relaxing, traveling, and spending time with my family. I especially like traveling with my family. Somewhere I’ve always wanted to go is London and I am hoping to go there after graduation.”

Q: Do you follow basketball professionally?
A: “Not really, it is very seldom that I watch professional basketball, but I do sometimes watch men’s college basketball. I don’t necessarily have a favorite team; I just like to watch good games.”

Q: Who is your favorite player?
A: “I don’t have a current favorite player, but a past player and someone I admire was my middle school AAU coach, Yolanda Laney. She was like a second mother to me because she not only helped me on the court, but off the court as well. She made sure I kept up with my school work and taught me things other than just basketball, like important life lessons.”

Q: What do you plan to do after you graduate?
A: “Right after I graduate from Millersville in the spring, I plan on going to graduate school. I would like to go to either Temple or Howard University for my masters in either Sports Management or History.”

Male: Miles Gallagher

Q: What is your major?
A: “I have two majors: One in History and another in Government and Political affairs.”

Q: How long have you been playing baseball?
A: “I’ve been playing for as long as I can remember. I started playing t-ball in elementary school and I have been playing ever since then.”

Q: How did you become involved with baseball?
A: “My dad tried to keep me and all my brothers active. He never pushed me towards one sport, but I enjoyed baseball so I continued with it. I tired just about every sport but in high school I ended up choosing to stick with baseball and basketball.”

Q: What has been the highlight of your season (so far)?
A: “It’s still really early in the season, so it’s hard to tell what will end up happening. Winning this past weekend really helped and definitely boosts our morale from losing the prior weekend.”

Q: What are you looking forward to in the remainder of the season?
A: “The team has really matured after our first weekend and we have a lot of talent back, so I have high hopes for this season. Right now we are focusing on getting into our PSAC games and are just going to take it game by game. I’m hoping we will win PSAC again, like we did two years ago, and then try our best to make it to regionals.”

Q: Besides playing baseball, how do you spend your free time?
A: “When I’m not playing baseball I spend my time studying and hanging out with friends. I normally don’t have too much free time so I spend most of it just relaxing and getting sleep.”

Q: Do you follow baseball professionally?
A: “Yes, I have always been a baseball fan. I really enjoy watching the Phillies.”

Q: Who is your favorite player?
A: “Growing up, my favorite player was Michael Jordan (for basketball and then also baseball). I admired him for his winning attitude and leadership skills.”

Q: What do you plan to do after you graduate?
A: “I am taking a constitutional law class right now and really enjoy it, so I am thinking about going to law school after I graduate from Millersville. I’m planning on taking a year off to study for the LSAT and find a job to help build my resume before pursuing law school.”

Related posts:

1. Behind the Desk: Dr. Bill Dorman Q: If you weren’t a communications professor what would you...
2. Women’s basketball continues stellar season, PSAC division leaders: Lady Marauders battle to become ranked 24 nationally in Division II This season, the Millersville women’s basketball team has been on...
3. Athletes of the Week This week we have selected sophomore Mike Seibert as the...

Although Saturday was mostly a day spent qualifying for races that would occur the next day, the men’s team came away with 10 points and the women earned one.

Sophomore runner Elicia Anderson placed eighth in the women’s 5,000 meter run whose 17:50.81 time earned her team one point towards the day’s total. Senior James Boyer duplicated Anderson’s results in the men’s race, although he finished with a faster time of 15:10.66.

In the women’s 4×800 meter relay, the efforts of freshmen Sarah Mulvey, Michelle Blum, Kate Rhue, and junior Emily Francisco landed the quartet in tenth place. Although they did not earn any points, they posted a respectable time of 10:00.22.

In the same event, the men’s squad came in 11th with a time of 8:13.26. The four men represented every class standing. Senior Nick Sperry began the relay followed by junior Jeff Rafach, sophomore Andrew Mussleman, and freshman Seth Hibbs.

Millersville’s Stephen Kyle Boyd came in first in his group for the men’s long jump, but his 6.76m jump was not enough to earn any Marauder points. His sophomore teammate Jorrell Nugent won four points with his impressive jump of 7.01m.

In the women’s distance medley Mulvey, Chrissy Savage, Blum, and Francisco ran to a top 10 finish and a time of 13:11.27. Meanwhile, the men came away with five points in the distance medley. Mussleman, Jack Scanlin, Rafach, and Hibbs posted a time of 10:24.89 in the event, which brought them to fourth place.

The final day of the event was an exciting one for the Marauder teams. The men earned an additional point on the day and the women brought home three.

Sophomore Zac Kohler’s eighth place finish in the men’s heptathlon contributed one point to the men’s total. Of the seven events that compose the heptathlon, Kohler had top ten finishes in five.

In her 800 meter run, Mulvey placed fourth in her heat. Her time of 2:27.23 was a mere 7.10 seconds away from earning points for the Lady Marauders.

Running in the slightly shorter 3,000m distance run, Anderson brought in the Lady Marauders only scoring time of the day by earning three points with her sixth place finish. Her time of 10:11.00 was enough to set a new school record. The previous record of 10:13.50 was set by Kellie Boozer and had been untouched since 1991.

Joshua Foulds and Boyer competed in the same event for the men’s team. They finished 15th and 21st respectively.

Overall, the Lady Marauder’s four points brought them into fourth place. The men fared slightly better, earning 10th place along with 11 points.

On March 12 through 13, the two teams will travel down south for the Coastal Carolina Invitational.

Related posts:

1. Track and Field has excellent performance at Bucknell Winter Classic Men’s and women’s indoor track and field competed at the...
2. Track On Feb. 6, men’s track and field traveled to New...

Despite the disappointing ending to their season, senior Jason Blake made sure to end his career at Millersville with a bang. Blake scored a career high of 23 points in Saturday’s game. He also added seven rebounds to his game totals.

The Marauders got out to a slow start and faced a nine point deficit early in the game with 13:01 on the clock. Mansfield continued to rally against the struggling Marauders, stretching their lead to double digits with 7:27 remaining the in the first half.

Mansfield was able to hold on to their lead over Millersville for the remainder of the first half, even seeing a 15 point lead before Millersville’s Alen Ahmetovic made a lay-up with one second left in the first half, cutting the Mansfield lead to 13.

As the two teams got under way for the second half, Mansfield was able to keep a hold of their lead until senior Palmer McDurfee made a lay up with 14:22 left in the game, which started a 12-3 run for the Marauders. During the run Blake added a key three point shot to help bring the motivation in favor of the home team.

With 11:03 remaining on the clock Millersville was able to cut the Mansfield lead down to only three points. However, Mansfield was able to expand on their slim lead going up by as much as 15 points with only 3:55 left in the game.

Millersville made a strong run with only a few minutes left in their season, making another impressive run scoring eight unanswered points. The run cut their deficit down to seven with a score of 69-62 with 1:43 remaining in the game.

Although the Marauders made a valiant attempt to close the gap further, Mansfield proved too strong to stop. The Marauders came within five points with 52 seconds remaining in the game, on a lay-up by McDurfee, but Mansfield held on and finished the game up by eight points with a final score of 76-68.

Blake led the scoring with 23 points. Sophomore Mike Seibert also added 13 and Ahmetovic added 10 points.

With the win Mansfield was able grab the number one seed in the PSAC tournament in the Eastern Division. Millersville failed to make a playoff bid this season. In Fred Thompson’s 12 seasons as the head coach for Millersville, the team only missed the playoffs five times. This is also the second straight losing season for the Marauders.

The team has a lot of work in the off season, but the team will have some key players back next season including Seibert who has proved a vital member of the team this season.

Related posts:

1. Mens Basketball loses to Mansfield The men’s basketball team's latest loss to Mansfield Saturday, was...
2. Men’s basketball triumphs over Bloomsburg Huskies in OT game: Win pivotal for struggling team Millersville men’s basketball head coach Fred Thompson posted his 200th...
3. Women’s basketball continues stellar season, PSAC division leaders: Lady Marauders battle to become ranked 24 nationally in Division II This season, the Millersville women’s basketball team has been on...

Millersville was able to sweep the series against the Tigers of Salem International. On Saturday Millersville took both games of the double header, winning game one with a score of 11-0.

The Marauders had an impressive day on the mound led by senior Ryan Stauffer who only gave up two hits in his six innings in game one. With the pitching staff in top form, the offense was able to showcase their talent at the plate.

The Marauders quickly gained an early lead scoring two runs in the first inning. Junior Ryan McCormick started the game with a lead off double and later scored. McCormick would add three more hits, going four-for-four with two RBIs.

Millersville ultimately put the game out of reach in their half of the fifth inning. The Marauders scored eight runs on seven hits and only left one man on base. Millersville would score once more in the sixth inning when junior Derek Kline scored on a sacrifice fly by freshmen Ryan Chesler, bringing the final score to 11-0.

In game two the Marauders continued their domination on the mound led by senior Forest Mengle. He only allowed four hits in another shutout victory against the Tigers.

Millersville once again came alive early in the game as the team scored once in the first inning and then adding eight more runs in the second. The Marauders scored at least one run in every inning except for the sixth.

McCormick also continued his impressive day at the plate going two-for-three, making his two game total six-for-seven at the plate. Senior Miles Gallagher also had an impressive game at the plate going three-for-four and adding four RBIs in game two. McCormick and Gallagher were two of six players for Millersville who had a multiple hit game.

Millersville finished the series on Sunday with another impressive win, shutting out the Tigers 11-0. Kline stepped on the mound for game three and picked up his first win of the season. Kline spent five innings on the mound, only giving up five hits. Junior Corey Phelan led the Marauders at the plate, hitting three-for-four.

With their three straight shutout victories the baseball team made history over the weekend. Since game stats started being recorded in 1957, no Millersville team has had three consecutive shutout games. The Marauders outscored the Tigers 38-0 in the three game series.

Millersville is now 3-4 on the season. The team will travel back to North Carolina one more time March 6 through 9 to face Chowan for a three game series as well as Saint Augustine’s College for a double-header on March 8, and Barton on March 9 for another double-header.

Related posts:

1. Men’s basketball loses final game of 2010 season to Mansfeild Mountaineers The Marauders once again came up short losing 76-68 in...
2. Baseball team optimistic about upcoming season With the start of the 2010 baseball season just two...
3. Lady Marauders dominate Mansfield Mountaineers On Feb. 27, the Lady Marauders faced the Mansfield Mountaineers...

Led by Dr. Jill Craven, Associate Professor of English and Film Studies, and Associate Director of Psychology Dr. Shawn Gallagher, “Cuckoo’s Nest” was shown in high-definition on the big screen and provided the audience members with a very accurate view of the everyday happenings in a mental institution.

The film was highly entertaining without a dull moment. Jack Nicholson gave an outstanding performance as R.P. McMurphy, an involuntary resident who pretends to be insane. The chemistry between each cast member (Danny DeVito, Christopher Lloyd, Brad Dourif, Will Sampson, and Louise Fletcher as the overly-strict Nurse Ratched) made the film engaging and believable.

From fascinating group therapy sessions, frustrating card games, and raucous parties late at night, McMurphy brings life to the ward, and aggravates Nurse Ratched on a regular basis. He pushes every button he can to challenge her, and is regarded as a hero among the patients. He also sees himself as “a marvel of modern science.”

The post-discussion led by Dr. Gallagher changed the audience’s perception of the definition of insanity. Is a person written off as crazy because they take risks, they hurt themselves or others, or because they “freak someone out?” If a homeless person refuses shelter, are they regarded as crazy?

Dr. Walter Freeman introduced the transorbital lobotomy, using ice picks up through the eye and into the brain, to stabilize patients. He was viewed as a hero because people finally had control over their family members and patients. Dr. Freeman wanted to bring order to institutions, so he used ice picks and mallets to potentially fix a patient’s brain and take away their initiative. Judging by the end of “Cuckoo’s Nest,” it certainly does nothing for the patient and leaves them with very few basic abilities.

In 1941, Dr. Freeman performed a lobotomy on Rosemary Kennedy which went horribly wrong. Kennedy was left with unintelligible speech and infantile mentality, which left her staring blankly for hours at a time. With the introduction of Thorazine in the 1950s, Dr. Freeman quickly found his practice to be irrelevant- the drug could now stabilize patients without the use of a lobotomy. Dr. Freeman’s medical license was revoked after one of his patients died from a lobotomy. Today, lobotomies are used as the very last resort; obviously drug use is less deadly.

Dr. Gallagher also discussed reasoning for someone to be labeled as crazy. If one tells another they are crazy, will they internalize it and believe it? How do people know what amounts to mental illness or normalcy? Will the doctors and nurses in an institution just assume mental illness among patients, even if they are perfectly sane?

McMurphy faked his illness in order to escape admittance from the Pendleton Work Farm, thinking the institution would be more comfortable for him. However, Nurse Ratched makes his stay intolerable. She has complete power over him and eventually, McMurphy meets his downfall.

“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” was an insightful film and very true to life in a mental hospital. This film is a necessary view to anyone interested in the psychology field or anyone in need of a good laugh. While the film was hilarious from the opening credits to the end, it provided an insight to a world in which most people shy away from. “Cuckoo’s Nest” should not go unnoticed.

Related posts:

1. Men’s baseball wins three game series After a rough start to the baseball season, the Marauders...

Born in Gary Indiana on August 29 1958, Michael Jackson at 11 started his music career with his brothers in a group called, The Jackson Five. Due to his unique talent, it was evident that Jackson was the star of the group, setting him apart from his brothers. It was shortly after his portrayal as a scarecrow in 1978’s “The Wiz,” that Jackson branched off into his own solo career.

Under the direction of Berry Gordy and producer Quincy Jones, his first establishing album was 1979’s “Off the Wall,” which featured the hits, “Don’t stop til you get enough,” and “Rock with you.” His next album “Thriller” went on to become the best selling album of all time, winning him an unprecedented eight Grammys Awards, spending 37 weeks at number one, and featured a 14-minute short film that revolutionized the world of music videos forever.

Following his chart topping success, came the 1987 “Bad” album, where Jackson introduced us to a more “don’t mess with me,” type persona along with seven top 10 singles. In 1991 “Dangerous” was released, which included the hit single and controversial video for “Black or White.” Five other albums were released after “Dangerous” including his 2001 album “Invincible.”

Aside from his music, Jackson was faced with media scrutiny; with child molestation charges, labels as being “Wacko Jacko,” and claims that he bleached himself to look white among others. All of these accusations, however, were just the media’s way of bringing down a successful person. It was not until his death that the media finally realized how much of an impact he had on the world. Let’s put it this way, what other entertainer received as much media attention, an outpouring of grief around the world, and had such an increase in record sales upon his death? Michael Jackson had that much status that he was even capable of stopping the news when it came to coverage on current day issues.

Jackson died June 25 2009, it was later ruled as a homicide. Prior to his death he was working on a new comeback tour titled, “This is it.” With tickets already sold out, the anticipation for his July tour was something sure to go down in the history books. Unfortunately, due to the tragic event the concerts never happened, but thanks to the support of the Estate of Michael Jackson, behind the scene footage of the concert in progress was featured in a documentary that hit theatres October 2009. Fortunately for those who missed the film or for those who wanted to watch it again, Millersville University aired its own viewing this past Feb. 26 at Club de’ville.

The documentary itself was unlike any other I have seen before. It was as if I had a front row seat to his concert, filled with an adrenaline rush that had me at the edge of my seat throughout the entire movie. “This is It,” captured Jackson as the singer he was known to be, and the dancer who everyone dreamed to move like. Even with some of the best young back up dancers, at the age of 50 Jackson still had the moves. Not only that, but the documentary showed how Jackson was a filmmaker, an architect and a creative genius. He did not go for simplicity; he went for going above and beyond when it came to “putting on a show.” It showcased Jackson’s aim to be a perfectionist, paying attention to detail and bringing out the magic in everything.

One of the most talked about segments in the show was “Earth Song,” which was later aired at this year’s Grammy Awards in 3D. It was a song that emphasized Jackson’s efforts to preserve the environment and bring awareness about animal welfare. His message in the song couldn’t have come at a better time, where current environmental conditions are not where it should be. Another one of Michael’s creative approaches was his recreation of “Smooth Criminal,” where he edited himself into a classic film. The recreation of “Thriller” was an incredible approach, with the digital effects, dancing and costumes it was sure to be a crowd favorite during the time of the concert series. I was amazed by all of his ideas, all of his moves, and all of his works. It was exciting to see what could have been, but sad to realize that it never will.

In spite of his death, I have no doubt in my mind that Michael Jackson was smiling down from heaven, proud that all of his fans were able to see firsthand what was considered and anticipated to be an incredible comeback concert. His intent for the comeback tour was for his children to see him as the performer aside from the father figure he was perceived to be. Michael Jacksons “This is it”, was definitely worth seeing, bringing back memories and creating new ones of one of the world’s most beloved entertainers. It just goes to show you that Michael Jackson wasn’t just the “Man in the Mirror”, but he was the man that influenced the world through his magic.

No related posts.

Starting as street performers in New York, these amazing women became the first African-American ensemble to win a classical music competition in the International Cleveland Quartet Competition. As a tribute of their achievement, Marian Anderson allowed the quartet to use her name for the group. Since the 1990s they have performed all over the county and beyond, from the Library of Congress to the Chateau Cantanac-Brown in Bordeaux, France. They have also founded a summer camp for chamber music which is open to veteran musicians and novices alike.

While there were not many people in the audience, it only made the night less formal and more enjoyable. The members of the quartet even invited the members of the audience to stand up and dance if they wanted. “If you feel like dancing there is plenty of room. Indulge and enjoy,” Prudence McDaniel said, getting a few giggles from the audience.

They played music pieces that varied from soft and calming to exciting and energizing, such as “American” by Antonin Dvorak. The most enjoyable part of the performance was not just in the music, but also the musicians as well. They were very animated as they played, to the point it looked like they were dancing in their seats. At one point they even sang along with the audience before they played a piece based on the spiritual song Calvary. They were focused but at the same time they where smiling and enjoying themselves. “We prefer to keep things informal” Marianne Henry said.

Their enjoyment did not go unnoticed by the audience as most of the viewers commented. “They were wonderful, I really like their energy,” said Messel Berati, a freshman who had come to the show. Another freshman, Stacy Grill said, “They really look like they were enjoying themselves.”

While the audience never did take the opportunity to dance with the music, they seem quite content in just listening to the magnificent coordination and talent that the Marian Anderson Quartet. “They are completely moved by their music so much so that it moves the room,” sophomore Heather Becker a said.

Halfway through the show, the Quartet had a question and answer session for the audience and explained their group’s origin, their summer camp and their relationship with Marian Anderson. They also discussed their plan to teach a master class the following day for Millersville students.

The enjoyable atmosphere combined with superb talent made February 22 a night to remember.

Related posts:

1. Freedom Lecture praises Marian Anderson “One of my students asked me who Marian Anderson was....