Travel Call Episode 5: Rhode to Greatness

The Faux Friar: If you could only use one city's history to tell the story of the entire United States, Providence, RI would be a good one. It's one of the oldest cities in New England, dating back to the early 1600's, and has experienced the highs and lows of American history with great intensity. 

Downtown Providence, RI

There's plenty of history you can still experience to this day by just walking down the streets of Providence, namely along Benefit Street, where you can find an impressive collection of colonial homes harkening back to pre-Revolutionary America. Rhode Island has the most graveyards per square capita of all the 50 states (source: Haunted Rhode Island), and you can come across the final resting places of several famous Rhode Islanders. In Providence's Swan Point Cemetery, you can meet literary luminary H.P Lovecraft, famous industrialist George Coby, Civil War general Ambrose Burnside, and a litany of former Rhode Island governors and United States Congress members. 

For all of the city's history, Providence College itself is relatively new. It was founded in 1917 by the Dominican Order, hence the use of "Friars" as the school mascot. Between the Dominican Order's important place in the city's educational history, and the fact that Providence is the most Catholic city in the United States, Providence has a deeply religious history. The name itself is a biblical reference to "God's merciful Providence."

Many famous religious figures have presided over the pews of Providence. Yet, one of the most famous priests in Providence's history...wasn't even a priest at all. In fact, he wasn't even a real person. This is the story of the fictional Father Fagen, whose plea to set a young man free from prison led to the rise of one of America's most ruthless mob bosses. 

Beneath the easygoing manner of Raymond Patriarca was one of New England's most brutal and prominent criminal masterminds. He operated his criminal empire out of the "Coin-o-Matic" vending business on Atwells Avenue in the heavily Italian Federal Hill district of Providence, crafting a tasteful resume that included gambling, pimping, theft, extortion, armed robbery and prostitution. 

Mugshots of a young Raymond Patriarca.

One of Patriarca's most crucial allies in the early days of his criminal empire was one Dan Coakley, who served on the Massachusetts Governor's Council during the tenure of Governor Charles Hurley. Coakley was known for bribing district attorneys to drop charges against his criminal allies, at least until he was disbarred. Nevertheless, his position on the Council allowed him to argue for the pardons of criminals of ranging notoriety even after his disbarment, which Governor Hurley would sign, no questions asked.

When Patriarca was arrested in 1938 for participating in an armed robbery of the Wallbank Jewelry Company in Brookline, MA, Coakley wrote a petition asking for the young man's pardon. He called the young man "virtuous," and claimed he had a mother to take care of. Supporting his claims were notes of support from three different priests. One, a Father Sixtus Brambilla, said he signed it with the belief that Patriarca had only committed minor offenses. Another, Father Phillip Guarino, didn't even know who Patriarca was. The third was from a Father Fagen, who was supposedly Patriarca's priest in Providence. The only problem is, Father Fagen didn't exist. He was named after the infamous antagonist from Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist. 

The petitions worked, however. Patriarca only had to serve 84 days of a three to five year sentence. By the time a special House committee discovered Coakley's ruse, effectively ending his political career, Patriarca was at the height of his influence on New England's criminal underground. Like all empires do, however, Patriarca eventually fell. He began facing significant legal challenges in the 1960's and 70's. In one landmark trial in 1972, one of the prosecutors was Buddy Cianci, whose rise to prominence as the mayor of Providence on a wave of populist politics and his antics behind the scenes in his personal life served as a precursor to the rise of Donald Trump. 

As for Patriarca, his legal troubles mounting and health declining, he would pass away in 1984 from a heart attack. Sadly, his legacy has led to his native Federal Hill becoming a major criminal hotbed that still remains so to this day. Just last summer, the area went viral after an armed robbery of a young couple spending a night out on the town was captured on video. The hope for elected officials in the area is that the "challenges" this neighborhood faces are able to work themselves out. 

Source: New England Historical Society

Amica Mutual Pavilion

Friartown: If there's anything that can bring the many different boroughs of Providence together, it's the Providence College Friars Men's Basketball team. The fanbase for the Friars is a passionate one, akin to an eclectic blend of the Syracuse Orange fanbase and the Bills Mafia. That's the beauty of having a sports team in a small city or a town; it seems to amplify the zeal the locals have for their team.

Rhode Island is home to four division one basketball teams, and while the state's diminutive size makes it easy to root for all of them, the Friars get the most attention. They're in a Power Five conference, for one thing, and they've got some success to show for their efforts, including seven appearances in the NCAA tournament in the past decade and a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2022. 

One of the keys to the program's recent success is Ed Cooley, who took the helm in 2011 after a moderately successful stint as the head coach of the Fairfield Stags. A Providence-native himself, Cooley quickly went to work rebuilding a program that hadn't made a tournament appearance since 2004, and that hadn't advanced in the tournament since its Elite Eight appearance in 1997. 

The Friars shocked the NCAA establishment in 2014 when they won the Big East Conference tournament despite finishing the regular season with a mediocre 23-12 record. They earned the #11 seed in that year's NCAA tournament, and despite bowing out in the first round, Cooley and the Friars had demonstrated that they weren't a team to mess with.

Coach Ed Cooley. His tenure at Providence saw a successful rebuild into a Big East power, but his departure to Georgetown made him the most hated man in Rhode Island.

In 2016, the Friars again made the big dance, this time as a #9 seed, holding off the USC Trojans in the first round of the tournament 70-69 for their first tournament win in almost 20 years. The team's 2021-22 campaign was the big leap forward Ed Cooley and the Friars were looking for, as they claimed the Big East regular season title for the first time in program history and earned a #4 seed in the NCAA tournament, making it all the way to the Sweet Sixteen before bowing out to eventual champion Kansas. The Friars would make the tournament next year as well.

Just as it seemed Providence was hitting its stride, however...the unthinkable happened. In March 2023, Ed Cooley announced his shocking decision to take the head coaching job at rival Georgetown. George Mason head coach Kim English was hired to replace him.

The narrative for the Hoyas is almost the complete opposite of the Friars. One of college basketball's most storied programs, D.C.-based Georgetown boasts 31 NCAA tournament appearances, with more than half of those during the 70's and 80's, and the 1984 national championship. Their rivalries with Big East powerhouses Villanova, UConn and Syracuse were must-see television. 

In recent years, however, Georgetown's prestige has cratered. Between fall 2021 and the writing of this blog, the Hoyas have only notched three wins in conference play. Their last tournament appearance was 2021, thanks to a Cinderella run to the Big East tournament title, but that's really been the only bright spot for this once-mighty basketball program in the last decade.

The arrival of Ed Cooley at Georgetown instilled hope in their fanbase that he could put together a similar rebuild to the one he did at Providence. The move was met with heavy criticism from Providence media and Big East pundits, however. He cited family as one of the factors for his move, as his daughter had recently graduated from Georgetown, but that wasn't gonna be enough to stymie the hatred of the Friar-faithful. They would turn out in full force when the Hoyas came to town on January 27, and gave Cooley the worst homecoming treatment you could imagine, with chants of "F--- Ed Cooley" raining down from the student section.

An angry fanbase, the return of a prodigy, a Big East rivalry game with both teams needing a win, on a cool Saturday in the Ocean State...it had the makings of an instant classic.

Victory Rhode: In the opening minutes of the contest, it seemed like Georgetown had the edge over the Friars. They were winning more rebounds on both sides of the ball, and making their possessions count. By the first media timeout, the Hoyas held a 9-7 lead, and Friartown was holding its collective breath.

Some theatrics from the team's leading scorer, junior Devin Carter, helped Providence regain the lead. At the 11 minute mark, Carter took a full court pass from Corey Floyd Jr. and slam-dunked it in quick succession to give Providence their first lead. It was a remarkable thing to watch, the kind of play you might see the Harlem Globetrotters pull off, but Carter would do something even more remarkable three minutes later. This time, he took a pass from Jayden Pierre and performed a rare reverse dunk, putting the ball over his head and slamming it to help the Friars build on their lead. 

Meanwhile, despite continuing to win the rebound game, the Hoyas were allergic to the net, going scoreless for five minutes even after a timeout from Cooley. By the end of the first half, it was Providence 37, Georgetown 33.

You could find these shirts with Ed Cooley's face on them throughout the crowd in Friartown.

As the second half wore on, however, it was clear that Georgetown wasn't going to lie down and take a loss. In the waning minutes of the half, the Hoyas went on a 14-3 run on the back of two consecutive three-ball possessions. At one point, they took a brief 67-66 lead. Once again, Carter came through. A dazzling three-ball put the Friars back on top, and he followed it up with a game-sealing layup with a flagrant foul on top from the Hoyas. Carter would also net four more points for the Friars in the final minute of play, and would handle the ball at the end to give Providence the 75-69 win.

Coach Kim English, who took over following Cooley's departure from Providence.

In the end, it was clear that two things were true for the Providence faithful: Ed Cooley was the devil incarnate, and Kim English was the future of the program. Even though Providence isn't as successful as they were only a couple years ago, English demonstrated that the Friars are still in good hands, while Cooley still has a lot of work to do with the struggling Hoyas. Friartown let everyone on the court know what their favorite language was (English), and serenaded Cooley one final time with boos and a chorus of "F--- Ed Cooley."

The Shameful Return of Child Labor

It's been a while since I've tackled a current event of note, but I felt this particular issue needs special attention. The issue in question feels like a symptom of a larger problem, a sign that society is regressing rather than moving forward. That issue is child labor.

No, you didn't climb into the DeLorean and travel back a century. Child labor is back. In fact, it never went anywhere. A McDonald's franchise restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky made headlines earlier this week when they were caught employing two 10-year-old children. They were unpaid, and reportedly worked until 2 am. 

To be fair, the franchise in question claimed that these kids were the children of the restaurant manager, and they had no idea it was going on. This was only a nugget of a larger finding, however, that found several McDonald's franchisees in the Midwest were employing as many as 300 minors in violation of federal labor laws. 

Again, this isn't the 1910's. People aren't sitting on flagpoles, or wearing coonskin caps. This is happening right now.

A Brief History of Child Labor in the States

Over a century ago, the American economy was struggling, while the Industrial Revolution was in full swing. This unique and contrasting set of circumstances resulted in an economy desperate for workers, while low and middle-class families struggled to put food on the table. In desperate times, humanity tends to channel the ancient primates we evolved from, and throw whatever it can at the wall to survive. 

Photo by Lewis Hine

Child labor was the solution of choice for a floundering American society. Many parents would put their children to work as soon as they could walk or grip things, removing them from school so that they could provide for their families. We're not talking delivering pizzas or bagging things at the grocery checkout either: these kids worked jobs that were dangerous even for adults, like in coal mines or oyster shucking plants, for the absolute bare minimum. 

In 1900, one in five children aged 10-15 were working. That's not to say kiddos younger than 10 didn't work, though. In many places of work, physical attributes were more important factors to employment than age or experience. Photographer Lewis Hine, whose photographs were instrumental in informing the public of the evils of child labor, interacted with several child laborers under age 10, including a young oyster shucker named Rosy. Rosy reportedly worked from 3 am to 5 pm at her factory in Dunbar, LA on a regular basis. She was only 8.

It's bad enough that greedy adults and desperate families robbed 1.5 - 2 million children of the fun and exuberance of childhood, but many employers were routinely abusive to the kids. You can read all about it in Child Labor in America. Many workplaces had whipping rooms for children who were "lazy." Children caught giggling or horsing around had their wages cut...because God forbid a kid acts like a kid. 

If the abuse from adults didn't do the children in, the work itself would. Children working in places like canning factories constantly cut themselves on the machines, and even adults working similar jobs would admit it was difficult to avoid such a painful consequence of the work. The intense hours resulted in sleep deprivation, and there are cases of children nodding off and falling into their machines. Since many factories and mines were poorly lit and ventilated, a litany of health problems plagued child laborers from ear and eye infections, to breathing problems.

Though the federal government would make attempts to curb child labor in the 1910's, the practice would endure well into the 20th Century. The New Deal featured many reforms aimed at establishing a national minimum wage and reducing the amount of children employees.

The Great Regression

Child labor might have ebbed considerably in western countries, but is still a sad reality in many third-world countries with weak economies. UNICEF estimated in 2020 that 1 in 10 children ages 5-17 around the world were being subjected to child labor. Half of these children worked, and continue to work, in hazardous environments. 

In 2017, it was reported that as many as 75,000 children were employed in factories, hotels, workshops and more in Pakistan. Studies conducted in Mexico, Brazil, and Kenya have shown that 25-30% of workers on farms that produce cocoa, tea, tobacco and other crops are under 15 years old. 20 million child workers around the world are employed in industrial settings such as cigarette and garment factories. This doesn't even scratch the surface on the child labor that goes into keeping our global supply chain rolling. Let's just say, a lot goes into making that phone you love. 

So, third-world problem, right? Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case anymore.

At least four Alabama auto parts suppliers were nailed late last year for sponsoring child labor in their plants. Migrant children, in particular, often find themselves in the crosshairs for exploitation, driven by desperation to support their families back home and a lack of support from the services and programs meant to help them, which have broken down due to the influx in demand. 

A recent New York Times story examined the lives of several child laborers, and confirmed that the practice is very much alive and used by some of our favorite brands, including Ben & Jerrys, Whole Foods, and Ford. At least 13 Packers Sanitation Services meat processing plants have been implicated in a federal investigation for employing children in dangerous settings.

In the meantime, governments that are supposed to be opposing these practices support them instead. In Arkansas, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed into law new pro-child labor legislation in March, making it so children younger than 16 no longer need a work permit before they can start a job. I'll let the picture above tell you how the kids feel about that one. As of this writing, Iowa lawmakers are awaiting a signature from Governor Kim Reynolds on new legislation that would allow 14- and 15-year-olds to work two additional hours per day when school is in session, from four to six hours.

The Ultimate Cradle-Robbers

So...what's the big deal?

States across the U.S are modifying child labor laws to address a shrinking labor force. In other words, it's an indirect result of the Great Resignation, as people leave businesses and jobs that are toxic or exploitative for greener pastures. 

In other, other words...kids don't have the ability to push back against exploitation like adults do, so let's put them to work instead. 

As McDonald's grapples with the negative press around some of their midwestern franchises, other fast food restaurants are grappling with an increased push for unionization. Unionization efforts have been seen in franchises such as Chipotle, Taco Bell and, yes, even McDonald's. Starbucks, a chain famously associated with left-wing politics and sensibilities, has practically declared war with their staff over unionization. They closed restaurants where unionization had been successful, and fired workers who were leading unionization efforts. Nevertheless, the CEO of Starbucks would eventually be forced to step down in March as the negative press became too much to overcome.

You see, adults are "difficult." But kids? They can talk back, but they can't fight back. 

While these new child labor policies are presented with innocent language that makes it sound like the kids want to work, what many fear they actually are doing is making it easier for companies to take advantage of disadvantaged children, specifically those who don't have parents or guardians to look out for their wellbeing. The result is a cradle-robbing unlike anything we've ever seen.

Childhood is a time of exploration, joy, and camaraderie. When I was 10 years old, I was still trading Pokémon, sledding, making whirlpools, and riding bikes with the other neighborhood kids. I can count on one hand the amount of times I was awake until 2 am, and that was usually a treat. It wasn't because I had to be, cleaning tables and making food for the kinds of people that populate fast food restaurants at all hours of the night. 

I get it: the adult world isn't super-fun right now. Fears of inflation, war in Europe, a flailing healthcare system, political squabbling... The adult world is rough right now. That's no excuse to drag the kids into it.

Travel Call Episode 4: Pirates of the Caro-ballin'

Houston Cougars vs. East Carolina Pirates

Site: Minges Coliseum

Location: Greenville, NC

Date: February 25

Edward Teach, AKA Blackbeard

Pirates of the Carolinas: In the formative years of the United States, it wasn't easy to be a colonist. In the north, harsh winters, untamed wilderness, and complicated relationships with Native Americans certainly kept things interesting. That isn't to say life was any simpler in southern states, where they had their own host of problems. One of those was piracy.

Men and women looking for an escape from their restrictive economic and social conditions were the most likely to turn to piracy. Others were forced into it. Some infamous names that come to mind include Mary Read, who was kidnapped and forced into piracy (only to find she was pretty good at it!), and Henry Morgan, who became a pirate after being captured and taken to Barbados (and who Captain Morgan is named after).

There were also several notable pirates who came from privileged backgrounds. Anne Bonny comes to mind, who adopted a pirate's life to escape from an arranged marriage, or the legendary Blackbeard, who became a pirate, "retired" to become a farmer with his wife, before the call of the sea beckoned him back. For many, piracy was less about seeking "booty" and wreaking havoc, and more about escaping the confines of a highly class-based society. 

Some, however, would achieve some truly legendary feats. Henry "Long Ben" Every earned the moniker "Arch Pirate" for never being captured, despite launching some of the most improbable and daring pirate attacks in history. Thomas Tew was one of few pirates who successfully completed the "pirate round," or circumnavigated the globe. 

North and South Carolina were both considered pirate hotspots, with so many prominent port cities and fair weather year-round. The colorful characters above and so many more sea dogs made their mark in both states, whether on foot or by establishing fleets off their shores. Charleston, South Carolina was perhaps the favorite port of call for pirates, but North Carolina earned a reputation as being the most pirate-friendly state. Governor Charles Eden, who served his office from 1714 until his death in 1722, profited quite handsomely from the activities of his pirate friends, including Blackbeard and "gentleman pirate" Stede Bonnet. It's believed that he even performed Blackbeard's wedding!

Greenville, NC

As a result, piracy raged in North Carolina throughout the 18th Century, a time period considered the "golden age of piracy."  Greenville, NC was one such city affected by piracy in its infant days, due to its proximity to the coast.

Nevertheless, Greenville enjoyed a solid economic foothold thanks to its highly profitable tobacco industry. When that economy dried up, the city reinvented itself again. Today, it is best known for its education system (East Carolina University) and booming healthcare industry. 

Minges Coliseum

Walking the Plank: The purple and yellow Jolly Roger of East Carolina is an intimidating sight for visiting schools...if you're playing baseball or football, that is. The baseball team has sailed to the NCAA Regional Tournament on 25 different occasions, and super-Regionals on three occasions. The football team might not be as storied as other teams in the NCAA, but 63 Pirates have gone on to play in the NFL, and they have made headlines with upsets of ranked teams in bowl games. 

Unfortunately, the men's basketball team has not had the same level of luck. In a state that is loaded with storied basketball programs, like Duke and North Carolina, East Carolina is the red-headed stepchild (think Steve the Pirate from Dodgeball). A measly two NCAA tournament appearances in 1972 and 1993 are the length of the Pirates' legacy in the sport. If you're looking for a bright spot in East Carolina's postseason record, perhaps their CIT championship win in 2013 will satisfy that. If you put all of East Carolina's trophies in a treasure chest, though, it would be light and easy to transport.

In the past few seasons, East Carolina has finished towards the bottom of the AAC standings. Nevertheless, the Minges Coliseum is always full on game night. Then again, considering how small it feels compared to other major college basketball venues, that might not be too surprising. That was the first thing that stood out to me when I entered the arena: how intimate it was. Minges is not a coliseum in the Roman sense; it's like the kind of place you would see a pirate pit fight (except much cleaner, obviously). The small size actually lends itself well to the home field advantage, and it was LOUD all night.

Swashbuckled: Despite a raucous crowd and a spirited effort, the then-#1 seeded Houston Cougars made quick work of the Pirates. Houston's defense and rebounding was so suffocating, the Pirates' only chance to score was at the free throw line. 

By halftime, the Cougars had blocked more shots (five) than the Pirates had even made (three), and led 36-19. 

A three-pointer from Jaden Walker gave the Pirates a little life, bringing the score to 50-35 Houston, but that was as close as East Carolina would get. The Pirates made sure to dunk every time they scored, in an attempt to keep the crowd engaged...but every time the Pirates scored, the Cougars would bounce back quickly. 

When it was all said and done, the Cougars left the Pirates in the dust with a final score of 76-57. 

It was the Marcus Sasser show for the Cougars, who put up an impressive 22 points. Tramon Mark added 20 points for the Cougars, while J'Wan Roberts had 17 points and 12 rebounds. 

Travel Call Episode 3: The Toothpaste Team

Holy Cross Crusaders vs. Colgate Raiders

Site: Cotterell Court

Location: Hamilton, NY

Date: February 18

Hammin' it Up: It's hard to find a genuine college "town" these days. It feels like many of them have become cities or centers of industry. Even Burlington, VT, where I went to school and which is ranked towards the top of best college towns, feels like a city. Any "town" with its own public transportation system or commercial airport isn't a "town" anymore.

Hamilton, NY has done everything in its power to maintain that "college-town" status. The village comprises a scant 2.9 square miles, with storefronts and architecture straight out of It's a Wonderful Life. Instead of your typical antique stores and diners (although, you can find them here), however, Hamilton enjoys a cosmopolitan business district with Indian restaurants, bookstores, art galleries, and even a movie theater. Hamilton truly unites the quaintness of a small town with the worldly vigor of a college town.

Hamilton and the surrounding communities in Madison County have been a part of my life since I was born. Both my parents grew up there, and we would visit at least five or six times a year to meet up with their old friends and extended family. 

I remember my grandpa's house on Crow Hill in Madison, located where Crow Hill Road bends and heads back down the hill in the heart of miles of farmland. You could see all the way to Morrisville from his back deck, and enjoy the view with the calm swishing sounds of the windmills that dotted the hill in the background. For dinner, we would chow down at the Pizza Pub in the outskirts of Hamilton, which I maintain to this day makes the greatest pizza on the planet (and I've been to both Brooklyn and Italy, mind you). 

After my grandpa passed, the land would become ours, and we built a cabin in the woods behind his home. In the summer I would bike up and down the road, and explore the rolling hills of farmland. In the winter, the region's legendarily heavy snowfall and cold would coat the trees in sugary snow, and cover roots and shoots in membranes of ice.

In many ways, Hamilton and the surrounding towns are like a second home to me. You might understand, then, why Colgate is my favorite Division I basketball team.

The Power of a Smile: During this year's NCAA preseason, I tuned in to Colgate's game against the Auburn Tigers. As you would expect any guarantee game to go (a game where big conference team plays a team from smaller conference to give them exposure, in exchange for an almost guaranteed win), the Tigers dominated the Raiders from the opening buzzer. I ended up paying more attention to the crowd, and what the announcers were saying. One of the posters being held up said "who names a team after a toothpaste?"

I don't expect a random fan of an SEC team to know anything about a team's history from the Patriot League, where every school is above the Mason-Dixon line and is ranked near the bottom in Division I in conference strength. Incidentally, they happen to be right. 

Initially known as the Baptist Education Society of the State of New York, the university now known as Colgate went through a few iterations before adopting the name from William Colgate, who in addition to being a trustee at the school founded the Colgate-Palmolive Company. Which makes Colgate toothpaste.

Fans who attend Colgate basketball games have many reasons to show their smiles. The Raiders have had the Patriot League on lockdown, winning every single regular season title since 2018. Regular season titles are a nice little asterisk for teams in power conferences, but in smaller conferences, they carry a lot of weight. Especially in the Patriot League, which is one of the few conferences where every tournament game is hosted by the higher seed, including the championship game. It's a lot easier to contend for a conference title in front of your own fans than on the road. 

Not to mention the Patriot League is a one-bid league, meaning only one team will go on to postseason play. You could go undefeated in the regular season, beat some power teams in the preseason, and dominate everyone leading up to the conference championship game...but if you lose that game, your season is over. No NCAA tournament appearance. No NIT, or CIT, or SHIT. 

Cotterell Court is one of the most intimidating gyms in the northeast to play in. It's small, cramped, and hot on the night of a big game, but that doesn't stop the student section from creating havoc beneath the hoop. And with a team that shoots as many threes as Colgate (as of this writing, they lead the entire NCAA), it's hard not to get hyped with them. The players are well-coached, selfless, and have unique personalities. It's a great place to catch a basketball game, and typically pretty cheap too.

You Speak My Langel-uage: Colgate coach Matt Langel has transformed the Raiders from a B+ program in the Patriot League to one of the most feared teams in the northeast since arriving in Hamilton in 2011. In the 2021-2022 season, he became the winningest head coach in school history. Since 2018, the Raiders have been 86-34 overall and an astounding 54-12 in league play. Typically, in a smaller conference, a team will get hot for a couple years at a time as good players come through, then regress a bit. Colgate has been dominant for five seasons now, and they don't show any signs of slowing down.

The 2022-2023 iteration of the Raiders are veteran-heavy, with fifth-year senior Tucker Richardson leading a starting five of four seniors and true-freshman Braeden Smith. I mentioned already that the Raiders are the best three-point shooting team in the country, but they can be just as dangerous in the paint. They pass quickly and seamlessly, and sometimes, in the case of the monstrous Jeff Woodward, they just force their way to the hoop. 

February 18 happened to be senior night for this veteran squad, and the senior ceremony seemed to take longer than the warmup. For the visiting Crusaders of Holy Cross, the toughest challenge of the regular season loomed large. Despite having a storied history in college basketball, dating back to the 1940's when they made two Final Fours and won the national championship in 1947, the Crusaders have slumped in recent years. Their last Patriot League crown was in 2016, and since then, they haven't finished above fifth in league standings.

The last time the Crusaders and the Raiders tangled in January, however, the Raiders only escaped with a six-point win. 

It looked like Colgate had brushed the cobwebs off after that narrow win early, soaring to a 25-9 lead by the time the clock read 11:32. Holy Cross just couldn't contain the shooting of seniors Tucker Richardson and Oliver Lynch-Daniels, who each recorded a pair of three's. 

Freshman guard Will Batchelder was up and down the court on offense and defense, sinking a pair of three's and a calm two-pointer to help the Crusaders close the gap a bit, but the Raiders would still cling to a 46-40 advantage at the half. 

The second half was all Colgate. Though the Crusaders forced the Raiders to play tough, putting a few in foul trouble in the process, Colgate just kept finding the hoop. So much so, in fact, that by the final accounting, the Raiders had flattened the Crusaders 96-73.

Travel Call Episode 2: Bing Bong

 

Albany Great Danes vs. Binghamton Bearcats

Site: Binghamton Events Center

Location: Vestal, NY

Date: February 11, 2023

The Historic Binghamton Railroad Terminal. (Flickr)

Rolling Green Hill Zone: The City of Binghamton has seen a number of costume changes over the years. In the early days it was considered a transportation Mecca, sitting at the convergence of the Lackawanna, Delaware, and Western railroads, with the Chenango Canal connecting the southern tier with the Erie Canal to the north. 

As a result of all this traffic, the city became a major manufacturing hub, especially for cigars. In its heyday, Binghamton was considered the second-largest manufacturer of cigars in the country. Later, the city would be known as a hub for high-tech and defense firms. IBM was one such notable company founded here, and the flight simulator can also claim Binghamton as its birthplace.

Hard times struck following the conclusion of the Cold War, as the tech and arms wars ebbed. In recent years, Binghamton has re-emerged as a city grounded in healthcare and education, thanks to Binghamton University. The city has earned the moniker of "Valley of Opportunity;" an idol to capitalism, entrepreneurial spirit, and reinvention.

Today, Binghamton is a "city" that almost feels like a quintessential upstate New York town. Nestled in the region's renowned emerald valleys, the city has found a way to unite industry with nature. There's a little bit of something for everybody. Historic estates such as the Phelps Mansion Museum inform us of the city's history and growth, while outdoor escapes like the Chenango Valley Park draw us in to the southern tier's natural beauty.

Me? I went to an arcade. In the outskirts of Binghamton is Robot City Games and Arcade, which operates as both a new and classic video game seller and a classic video arcade. With over 100 machines, including pinball machines dating back to 1974 and favorites such as Defender and Robotron 2084, Robot City Games is a great way to step back in time and have a little fun while doing so. 

The Stevens Square Building. (Flickr)

The Power In-Vestaled in Them: Binghamton has also earned its reputation as a hub for sports fans, in large part to the university bearing the city's name. Originally called the Colonials, Binghamton University competed in Division III athletics until 1998, when it moved up to Division II. One year later, the University would vote to move up again, this time to Division I. They would also adopt the Bearcat as their new mascot. 

Binghamton officially moved into Division I in 2001, joining the America East conference. Since then, the Bearcats have seen a mixed bag of success across many athletic disciplines. The baseball team has made five NCAA tournament appearances, including last year, and won six regular season titles. The rugby team is the class of the America East, having won several conference championships over the years.

Then, we have the men's basketball team. Their sole NCAA tournament appearance in 2009 is unfortunately marred by scandal. After defeating the UMBC Terriers in the tournament championship that year 61-51, the Bearcats would earn a 15 seed and challenge number 2-seeded Duke. They hung tough with the Blue Devils and their legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski, but would ultimately go down 86-62. 

Despite an early-round loss, there was optimism that Binghamton basketball was only getting started. That was, until October 2009, when it was discovered that the university had compromised admissions and academic standards in order to strengthen its men's basketball team. The scandal would force head coach Kevin Broadus to step down, and put the Bearcats in a slump they have never truly recovered from. Binghamton has failed to accrue a winning record in overall and conference play since 2009, in one of college basketball's most depressing droughts.

Their 2022-2023 campaign, however, has shown some promise. Though they are 11-13 overall, the Bearcats have amassed a 7-4 conference record, and as of this writing are sitting in the second position in the America East standings. 

Dr. Bai Lee Court at Binghamton Events Center.

Falko Punch: What makes this Binghamton team so special is its veteran presence. There are only two underclassmen on the team (sophomore Matt Solomon and freshman Masud Stewart), with the rest of the team being anchored by juniors, seniors, and fifth-year grad students who have played at the highest level for years. It is this synergy that has led the Bearcats to their best season in over a decade, and close wins over power teams in the conference like Bryant, UMass Lowell, and NJIT. 

On Saturday, February 11, the Bearcats challenged the Great Danes from Albany.  Once upon a time, the phrase "why not us?" was closely associated with the Albany program. The Great Danes nearly became the first 16 seed to knock off a 1 seed, when they nearly defeated the UConn Huskies in the first round of the 2006 tournament. Despite a fair amount of tournament appearances in the 2010's, the Great Danes have fallen off in recent years.

2022-23 has been an especially rough go for the Great Danes from the state capital. As of this writing, they sit at a miserable 6-21 overall record, and 1-11 in the conference, last place. A team hungry for a win is a dangerous one, however, and the Bearcats would witness that almost right off the bat against their in-state rival. 

The Bearcats would be kept off the scoreboard for the first 3:30 of action. By the first media break with 15:16 on the clock, Albany had soared to an early 10-2 lead, largely on the back of Rochester-native Gerald Drumgoole Jr. Aggressive in the paint as he is on defense, Drumgoole Jr. was the first to score for the Great Danes, kicking off a 6 point scoring run while buoying a tough defense that kept the white-hot Bearcats far away from the basket.

Binghamton quickly adjusted, however, and with 6:20 showing on the clock, Bing's Armon Harried would steal-and-score to tie the game at 20. Albany and Bing would trade scores from there, but the home team wouldn't get their first lead until a little over one minute left, when Dan Petcash calmly drained a three to put the Bearcats up 32-31. Despite a slow start, the Bearcats would survive the first half up 35-33.

The back-and-forth continued deep into the second half, with Binghamton and Albany both finding pockets of scoring and trading the lead. With 1:30 left, however, it looked like Albany had dealt the decisive blow when Drumgoole Jr. hit a crucial three to put the Great Danes up 63-59. The pressure was on for the Bearcats, but we all know what pressure makes.

That diamond turned out to be Jacob Falko. A clumsy foul from the Great Danes put Falko to the line, where he drained both free throws to bring the Bearcats within two. With the seconds counting down, and the Great Danes attempting to drain the clock, he made a bold steal and made a break for the basket, where he was fouled a second time. Once again, Falko drained both. 

63-63, with 16 seconds to go. Albany would fail to make a basket, and the game went into overtime. Perhaps inspired by their clutch comeback, the Bearcats would dominate the overtime period. They limited the Great Danes to only three points, while scoring on every possession to down the Great Danes 80-66. 

Binghamton shot up into second place in the standings with the win, while Albany's difficult season continued. 

Travel Call Episode 1: What Does the Fox Say?

Canisius Golden Griffins vs. Marist Red Foxes

Site: McCann Gymnasium

Location: Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY

The Historic Hudson Valley: You don't need me to tell you how beautiful the Hudson River Valley is. There is an entire art movement dedicated to this slice of New York geography; let that sink in.

    Marist is one of two (technically three) division one basketball schools located in the Hudson Valley, and the only one that can really claim to be on the Hudson River. From the parking lot of the McCann Gymnasium, you can look out over the Hudson Valley. Honestly, it's so breathtaking you'll almost feel guilty for having to go inside.

    Both the Mid-Hudson Bridge and the Walkway Over the Hudson stretch over the horizon, and across the river the twinkling lights and stately homes and churches of the town of Highland are visible. After the game, a merchant vessel came chugging through, carrying an untold amount of goods to New York City. For a moment, I felt like I stepped back to a simpler time (until I pulled out my smartphone and took a picture of it, realizing how many emails I hadn't opened).

    A number of historical landmarks are less than half an hour away from campus, including the home of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Vanderbilt Mansion, and Historic Huguenot Street. 

    

I only had time for a short visit to FDR's crib, which offers perhaps the best view of the Hudson Valley. In addition, there is a museum detailing FDR's life and presidential achievements. It puts into perspective just how much one man can handle. FDR took the reins of a nation reeling from the Great Depression, and carried the nation on his back through the entirety of the most devastating war in world history. He did all that, while battling the debilitating effects of polio. Regardless of your opinions on his policies, I think most Americans can agree that FDR is an indelible part of our nation's history and legacy.

Marist-ed Development: McCann Arena is just one part of the James J. McCann Center, a 140,000 square foot facility home to many of the Red Foxes' indoor sports, athletic department offices, and fitness centers. The Arena itself is a throwback to when it was built, as the wooden paneling along the wall would indicate.

    The title banners along the wall tell the story of the Marist basketball program, and it is pretty clear that the women have seen far more success than the men. The women have won 13 MAAC Regular Season Championships and 11 MAAC Conference Tournaments. Ten of those tournament championships came between the years of 2004 and 2015, demonstrating their stranglehold over the MAAC. In their eleven NCAA Tournament appearances, they notched five wins and one Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2007. 

    The men have picked up four regular season titles, two with the MAAC (2002, 2007) and two when they were in the Northeast Conference (1986, 1987). Their two NCAA tournament appearances (1986, 1987) came when they were still in the Northeast; they have never won a MAAC tournament championship. They saw the most postseason success in the 2007 NIT, when they defeated Oklahoma State by a slim 67-64 margin before losing to NC State in the second round by the same amount, 69-66. 

    So far, their 2022-23 campaign doesn't suggest they'll break out of this 15-year slump. The Red Foxes are 8-14 overall, and 4-9 in the conference. Coming into this game, they were struggling through a five game losing streak. 

Better Home and Gardner: The good news: Canisius has also been struggling. At 5-18 overall and 3-10 in the conference, the Golden Griffins' hopes have gone the same way as Buckbeak almost did in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: to the chopping block. Coming in, the Golden Griffins were in the midst of a four game losing streak. The only bright spot for the Golden Griffins was their last win before the losing streak: a shocking 66-62 mid-January win over conference-favorite Siena. In their previous bout, the Red Foxes had marched into Buffalo and clipped the Griffins by a score of 76-58. 

Even if you aren't familiar with the Red Foxes or the MAAC at all, it doesn't take long to figure out who the star is for Marist. At 6'11, with flowing, Fabio-esque brown hair, redshirt senior Patrick Gardner captures the attention of the room. And defenses.

It was pretty apparent from the word go that Canisius was focusing on Gardner. Whenever he got the ball, the Golden Griffins would swarm him like flies to an elephant. This never really seemed to bother him, however, and even as the Griffins hampered him in the paint during the first half, he kept his cool and found the hoop more than anyone else on the court. By the time the final buzzer sounded, he would rack up an impressive 29 points, and probably would've scored more had the Griffins not focused so much on him. He scored the final five points in the first half for Marist, who entered halftime with a respectable, but not insurmountable, 33-26 lead.

What was also noticeable was the difference in coaching styles. Third-year Marist head coach John Dunne could be heard all the way across the gym, as could his assistant coach Dalip Bhatia when the Red Foxes were on defense. By contrast, Reggie Witherspoon quietly observed his team from the Canisius bench. During timeouts, he let his players talk it out before he would break the circle with his own observations and game plan. 

By the waning minutes of the second half, it was clear that the focus on Gardner was beginning to get to him, even as he sank nearly every free throw from the fouls committed on him. Canisius' Jacco Fritz, in particular, was proving to be the most annoying. The former MAAC All-Rookie, now in his senior year with the Golden Griffins, had been standing across from Gardner for four years, and wasn't about to back down. Even when he didn't have the ball, Fritz clung to Gardner, and their hand-fighting was becoming noticeable. 

In the meantime, Canisius' Jamir Moultrie stepped up big time for the Golden Griffins, with 14 points and a pair of three pointers, leading a spirited comeback effort. In total, the Golden Griffins would outscore the Red Foxes 26-13 in the final 11 minutes of play. 

With 3:37 left in the game, and with Canisius beginning to rally, Gardner's frustration seemed to boil over. He elbowed Fritz a bit too hard in his push to the hoop, which was all the official needed to turn the ball over. Moultrie would capitalize on the offensive foul with a three point swish. With 3:00 on the clock, the score was now only 64-59 in Marist's favor. 

It seemed like Marist had driven the nail in the coffin when freshman Isaiah Brickner hit a clutch three-pointer. Moultrie would quickly and calmly respond with a three of his own to keep the score within five, now with 1:36 remaining. A foul was committed on Marist's Kam Ferris, giving him a chance to bury the Golden Griffins at the free throw line. Instead, he missed both shots.

Jordan Henderson, the Golden Griffins' leading scorer that afternoon with 17 points to his name, would then drain an impressive three with two Red Foxes applying pressure. This would bring Canisius within two points of Marist's lead, 67-65, with 1:06 left. This would be the closest Canisius would get.

Any good team knows to put the ball in the hands of their playmakers After the timeout, and without a moment's hesitation, Gardner boldly charged down the court and up to the hoop with a quick layup, as if taking a walk in the park. Canisius would come up short in their next possession, and in the final minute both Gardner and Brickner would be fouled, sinking both of their respective free throws to effectively put the game on ice.

With their 75-67 win, Marist swept Canisius and ended their painful losing streak. As the sun set over the Hudson Valley below, I left Marist College happy to have seen a great game between two teams that deserve to be much higher up in the standings. 

Why Summer is Now my Least Favorite Season

To most people, summer means the tasting notes of freshly grown farm goods, sunsets that give the sky the colors of cotton candy ice cream, bustling street carnivals under the warm glow of string LED's, and stimulating trips to the links with friends. 

Every season has its ups and downs, but once upon a time summer was the one season you couldn't criticize. It's three months off from school, with no homework, no teachers, no annoying classmates. Who could possibly complain about that?

For most of us, however, once grade school is over summer becomes just another season. The death of summer vacation is a sad checkpoint in the transition to adulthood, which might explain why a slightly higher number of American adults picked spring over summer as their favorite season.

Personally, summer hasn't just become another three month period of the year: it's now my least favorite. I may enjoy a calming, sunset bike ride through Pultneyville or a boat ride around Sodus Bay that concludes with dinner at Skipper's Landing, but compared to the other three seasons summer is just a bit lacking.

Before teachers or anyone under the age of 18 threatens to break my kneecaps, please hear out my main reasons that summer is now my least favorite season:

1. It's Too Hot

When it's cold out, all you need to do is add an extra layer of clothing and presto: you're protected against the elements. The worst that can happen is you bundle up too much, and look like Randy from Christmas Story. 

Cooling off requires you to do the opposite. You can strip down to your wifebeater and short-shorts...but what happens when that isn't enough? Indecent exposure is a misdemeanor in New York, punishable for up to 15 days of jail time. And it may not be against the law, but I really don't need to see your undergarments.

You can go to ballgames and spend half the price of admission on Powerade alone, and you'll still be overheated. A gross layer of sticky sweat will cling to your skin, and there ain't enough Bath & Body Works in the world to stave off the smell.

My point is, it's easier to get warm than it is to cool off. Yeah, being too cold is dangerous, but so is being too hot. It means dehydration, fatigue, and can even lead to heat exhaustion, a potentially life-threatening condition if left untreated. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that more than 1,300 deaths a year can be attributed to extreme heat.

So, being hot is harder to treat and it could potentially lead to life-threatening conditions? To the Arctic, it is.

2. Sunblock, Bug Block, Tick Block...

Thankfully, there are tools in place to prevent us from grappling with the negative effects of excess heat and sunlight. Thing is, that sunblock stuff smells kinda funky, and you have to cover everything with it. 

And if the sun and heat don't get you, the insects certainly will. Mosquitoes, ants, yellow jackets, beetles, flies...it's like an annoying, buzzing paparazzi greeting you the instant you walk outside. 

More subtle, and arguably more dangerous, are ticks. They crawl up your skin, bore in, and suck your blood, and if that isn't annoying enough, they can give you Lyme Disease. Your skin will swell, you'll be fatigued for hours on end, and if you're really unlucky, the lining of your brain will become inflamed. An article in The Nation claims that the number of new cases of Lyme Disease has risen to 476,000 a year. 

Go outside, they say. It's nice out, they say. Having to cover yourself in gross chemicals to do it? Yeah, you can miss me with that.

3. Bad for Mental Health

Alright, you say. Now you're being ridiculous. How can the sun, our main source of vitamin D and the source for so many beautiful sunrises and sunsets, be bad for your mental health?

You'd be surprised. For some of us, including myself, Summer Anxiety is a form of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) that can cause symptoms of anxiety and depression. It's believed that too much sunlight can throw off our circadian rhythm, making it difficult to get as much sleep as we need to. 

If you're struggling with Summer SAD, the good news is it's still manageable like other forms of SAD. Sticking to structure and routine, scheduling some downtime out of the sun, and seeking therapy can help you.

4. Travel is a Bigger Hassle

With the release of our nation's children for summer vacation, family trips become much more common in the summer months. This means clogged interstate highways, overbooked flights, and screaming children at the back of the plane.

It's much harder to plan road trips and arrival times when traffic congestion can break out at any time. Congestion is very difficult to predict. All it takes is one crash or one big truck trying to get back on the highway for a half-hour to be added onto your trip. 

Flying means avoiding the headache of long road trips, but it's kinda like being served a crap sandwich with a little salt, rather than raw. If you haven't seen my last article (which you can read here), you may not know that air travel has never been so chaotic, as pent-up demand has overwhelmed an industry that was forced to cut back significantly due to Covid-19. This has meant hundreds, perhaps thousands, of flight delays, cancellations, and ruined vacations. Add higher fares between the months of June and August to take advantage of demand, and your wallet will be hurting too.

It's much easier to travel in the fall and spring months, when the kiddies are still in school.

5. Few Sports Worth Watching

Winter might be cold and dreary, but it's also peak sports season: postseason football, college basketball, and hockey. The Royal Rumble, the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500, NCAA Conference Championships, and the opening rounds of March Madness all take place in the winter months.

Once you hit late June, sports programming dries up. Okay, there's a weekly NASCAR race and maybe some golf, but what else? The Olympics? Only happens every four years. The MLB? Snore. Preseason football? Meh... There's no college or even high school sports to follow. 

Sorry, baseball fans. I might be the biggest softball fan this far north of the Mason-Dixon line, but that doesn't mean I enjoy sitting through nine innings of a pitcher's duel in sweltering weather. 

6. It Doesn't Mean What it Used To

I touched on this at the beginning of the article. Summer used to mean time off from school, playing Game Boy and reading Goosebumps in the oak tree behind my house, and biking all day around town with my friends.

Now, it means sitting in a cubicle or home office like every other season, only the weather is better, essentially taunting you for having to staying inside. Summer is a kid's season, and when you're an adult, that fact can be very isolating.