Is God wearing Red?

Ithaca, NY-Cornell University’s underdog basketball team’s recent win into the NCAA Sweet Sixteen has left the streets of Ithaca red and some citizens turning to a higher power. Cornell’s sports, Big Red, gained national attention when their basketball team made history beating out two higher ranked teams, University of Wisconsin 87-69 and Temple University 78-65. This would be the first time in over ten years an Ivy League has gone this far in the basketball championships.

Tomorrow Cornell faces the much-acclaimed University of Kentucky in Syracuse, and long time Ithacan resident Shannon Ivory has lit a candle with red in mind.

“I was a cook over at the university for years, I fed some of those boys,” he says. Ivory is a devout Christian and huge college basketball fan and after the Temple game Friday he found himself turning to God for the final push.

“They need to be healthy,” he said with his fist clenched, “they are doing so well.”

Lighting candles is a popular practice in the Anglo-Catholic churches where people show a connection with the person who the prayer is being offered to. Ivory said the candle was lit for protection and good health for the boys on the team.

Religion has played a part in college sports for years. Institutions like Notre Dames, Loyola, and Georgetown has historically exuded Catholicism in their athletics. Subtle signs of religion appear in the field an on the stands. A quick pregame prayer, a sign of the cross, rosaries, all have been present at major sporting events. Many fans and teammates call upon a higher being.

The Rev. Robert Foote, of the Trinity Lutheran church in Ithaca and a member of the Cornell United Religious Work, has first hand experience dealing with sports and the Devine spirit.

“We always pray for the teams to be free from injury,” he said. He finds many athletic teams bring the element of faith into games due to “the numerous unknown variables,” that might occur.

The Rev. Foote reveals a personal quandary about the up coming game.
“I am a bit conflicted my alma mater is Ohio State University and Steve Donahue [Cornell’s basketball coach] is my neighbor,” he said. Before Donahue left Foote informed him should the two teams face off, Cornell would have his support. “Both team colors are red, so it’s okay,” he said.

Andre Wilkins, senior point guard for the Cornell basketball team is proud of his team. “It’s amazing, our good work is finally being notice,” Wilkins said.

“We’ve been working hard since sophomore year, our team clicks,” adding, “we have that chemistry.” Before each game the boys in red gather in a close huddle, the Chaplain Dave Jones blesses the team. Immediately following the underdogs jump around, hollering and hooting. Wilkins explains, “We’re getting excited, we’re turning on.”

Years of practices, months of training, summers at basketball camp and possibly the words from the Chaplain have supplied the team with the skill and energy used to defeat their opponents.

A fine line can be crossed when dealing with religion in sports. The Interim Chaplain James K. Boodley of Ithaca College’s Muller Chapel said, “It is nice to be connected to God. But I don’t encourage those to pray for victory.” Glorifying God is the crucial element in the Christian and Catholic faiths. When praying before a game “hoping that God is on your side is childish,” Boodley says, “It sounds like magical thinking.”

Long time Syracuse fan, Ivory has included Cornell in his prayers. “I’m not praying for Cornell to win,” he said, further explaining, “it’s about how hard those boys worked, I want them to be free of illness and have the lord’s protection on the road.” Ivory’s good-natured excitement towards the game Thursday has him saying, “Kentucky is set to win, but Cornell’s pretty strong; it is anyone’s game.”

Ithaca Community is aware of Cornell’s achievements. The Rev. Rick L. Bair of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America at Cornell said, “there was a significant amount of people wearing red [Cornell] and orange [Syracuse] during service on Sunday.” The reverend noticed that during a time of historical sporting events residents of the Ithacan area will display their pride even in God’s house.

“Steve Donahue is on board as a coach, he understands what really matters,” the Rev. Foote said. Knowing how far this underdog Ivy League team has come, the reverend talks of Donahue’s concern for the boy’s lives. “What’s important is making their lives rich.”

Continuing to astound sportcasters and diehard fans alike, the Cornell basketball, ranked No. 12, has defeated team after team. Whether it is from the hard work the team has utilized or a little help from the big man upstairs, Cornell basketball has become a crowd favorite.

Hockey is plunging into deeper waters

Hockey is plunging into deeper waters
Rachel Stokes

Razor sharp skates, a cold arena and men checking each other violently into the boards define hockey, right?

Wrong. Think again.

Now think swimsuits, snorkels, fins and astounding lung capacity.

“Think hockey without the ice,” states the New York Underwater Hockey website.

That’s right. Hockey is plunging into deeper waters.

Underwater hockey is a relatively new sport, where players struggle for a weighted puck while submerged under as much as 10 feet of water. Ice hockey players brandish extremely long sticks, but their underwater counterparts handle a much smaller tool. In order to manipulate the three-pound puck, underwater players employ a wooden stick that is typically no bigger than 12 inches.

Along with the stick, an underwater hockey player’s essential equipment includes a mask, rubber fins and a snorkel.

“You wear the fins to help you go up and down,” says Maki Inada, an assistant professor at Ithaca College and avid underwater hockey player. “And you wear snorkel gear so that when you’re at the surface you can still breathe but still watch the play that’s going on at the bottom,” Inada says.

The objective of the game is essentially the same as ice hockey. Each team strives to accumulate more goals than their opposition. A team scores by guiding the heavy puck into the opposing team’s goal. However, these pucks will never find their way into a submerged net.

“If you’re a poor man’s team you have little PVC tubing that just sort of marks off the goal,” Inada says jokingly. Regulated and tournament game-play is more intensive, however. “The regulation goal is a metal trough and you have to get the puck into the trough,” she says.

Six players are in the water for each team at any given time, but there are no goaltenders to keep watch over the goal.

“There’s no goalie, because no one can stay down,” says Inada. “There’s usually three forwards and three backs that rotate through, defending the goal,” Inada says.

Teamwork is the most essential part of an underwater hockey game, and also one of the most rewarding, according to Inada. “The thing that I really love about underwater hockey is that it’s a team sport,” she says.

“Success– putting the puck in the goal trough at the bottom of each end wall — this ultimately depends on teamwork, since no one can hold her breath forever,” the USA Underwater Hockey website states.

Inada echoes this sentiment, saying, “You have to be able to communicate with your teammates and pass [the puck] off to them, and get the passing communication going even underwater.” She says that this aspect is very challenging but also says, “I just find it really fun.”

Underwater hockey provides an outlet for myriad people to excel yet still have a good time. The New York Underwater Hockey website says that any person is welcome to play on one of their co-ed teams, regardless of their experience. Inada also emphasizes that almost anyone can play underwater hockey.

“It’s targeted to anybody; young, old, big small,” Inada says. She says that it’s nearly impossible to tell who would be successful in the sport, and almost prophetically adds, “The water equalizes all kinds of things.”

Even so, it takes practice to thrive at underwater hockey. There are numerous drills that teams use during their intense practices. These drills work not only to help with swimming and submerging, but also condition the players’ lungs. To make things more interesting, each drill’s name is an acronym that refers to the way the player completes it.

“We call them BOGDATs, which is an acronym for ‘Breathe Once, Go Down And Touch,’” Inada explains. She also says that the team swims lengths as, “HUHOs and HOHUs, which are half under [the water] and half over, or half over and half under.”

These athletes also practice to perfect their puck handling. According to Inada, one important move is referred to as a flick. With this technique the player propels the puck up to five feet by forcing it up and off of the bottom of the pool.

“You rotate the puck up on its end,” Inada says. “Basically it gets air and can now fly much further,” Inada explains.

Underwater hockey has only been around since the 1950s, according to Inada. She says that the sport is growing in popularity, but many people are still unaware of its existence.

“Most people have never heard of it,” Inada says. “You can kind of test if people are paying attention to your conversation if you say, ‘Oh yeah, I play underwater hockey,’ if they don’t respond to that you know they’re not paying attention. But if they’re like ‘What!?’ then you know that they were paying attention.”

The following for underwater hockey in the area is growing, due in large part to Inada’s work with New York Underwater Hockey. The team practices twice a week in Cornell’s Teagle Pool, and always welcomes interested players.

Hockey Holds it’s Breath

Gabrielle Waldvogel

Twelve athletes clutch the metal ledge of the 8-foot deep pool, legs contracted ready to spring. A 3-pound pink puck is dropped into the pool as a barrage of splashes explodes into the air. The swimmers tunnel down into the depths of the pool and the game of Underwater Hockey has commenced. Plunging for the puck, the swimmers serpentine across the pool floor propelled forward by yellow and black flippers. Equipped with snorkels, goggles, mask and foot-long sticks, the athletes enjoy a competitive and wildly fun sport.

The world of Underwater Hockey, or UWH, is small but it is strong. Founded in the 1950’s by the British Navy, the sport has gained a small but loyal contingent of athletes. The sport is most popular in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and Japan. The game first came to the United States in the 1970’s. Currently there are only 50 teams or organizations that play underwater hockey, and only one team in the state of New York. This team plays out of Teagle Pool at Cornell University.

Maki Inada, founder of the New York Underwater Hockey team, explains that the athletes have a unique opportunity that most other sports players do not have. “This sport is really great because you can go practically anywhere in the world and play with their national team.” Inada has made plans to play with the Japanese team. Since the sport is off the radar, serious athletes with hopes of making it to the national level must travel far and wide for games, scrimmages and tryouts.
Meghan Pressley, 27, is a member of the US National Women’s UWH team. Pressley has been playing the game since 2004 in Gainesville, Fla. By 2006, she represented the United States in the UWH World Championship in South Africa. “I travel a lot to compete, and I have to train a lot on my own in between those practices. I don’t feel like we are at a disadvantage because in every country it is the same way.”

Inada and Pressley established the Ithaca team in 2008. “It originally was created as a grad student group, but with advertising though Cornell, and Craig’s List the team expanded,” said Inada. “Currently we have 20 ‘regulars’ who range from beginner to national team members,” adds Inada. “The thing that I love about underwater hockey is that the water really equalizes people. Anyone can be good at it, and everyone can enjoy it,” said Pressley.

The sport of Underwater Hockey is a noncontact sport. “It is a challenging sport, but not a dangerous one. There is no checking or foul play like is other water sports like water polo. Water polo is a dirty sport,” explains Inada. In the realm of water sports, underwater hockey is to water polo what day is to night. Building community and relations replace the brutal competitiveness found in the chlorinated pools at water polo matches. These bonds are made with people from all over the state, country, and world.

Lori Bushway, president of the Cornell UWH team explained how currently the UWH National Organization is looking to expand. “The fan base is small because it is not a huge spectator sport, but once you get a few interested people in the water, they are hooked.” The team at Cornell often scrimmages itself to prepare for games. “It’s always fun to see people of all different shapes and sizes and ages play with each other. Everyone has a great time,” adds Bushway. The team also travels to Lowell, Massachusetts, Rutgers, NJ, and Canada for games. Once a year the team gets the chance to compete in the tanks at Sea World in Orlando, Fla. “It’s such a fun time down there,” explains Inada with a smile. “The marine mammals go crazy, they love watching us play!”

According to Bushway, colleges are the best places to start under water hockey teams. “The students who get involved really find that it is something they can take with them wherever they go.” However, Bushway adds that convincing colleges is the hardest part. “I have been trying to get a team started at Ithaca College, but the schools says there is no room for another intramural sport…Plus there is no open times to practice in the pool,” said Inada.

“I believe that if more people knew about this, the number of players would skyrocket. It is such a fun sport for anyone who is looking for a good workout, and good company,” announced Pressley.

Sammy’s vs. Domino’s

Local and Corporate Pizzerias
February 24, 2010 by bredurn
Ithaca, NY-Competition is rising due to the recession forcing several Ithaca businesses to close. Local stores like Sammy’s Pizzeria are up against corporate chains like Domino’s Pizza in using new tactics to attract customers.

The struggle to stay afloat in a costly and competitive Ithaca market has left stores like Juana’s Café, Ithaca Books, Mulberry Knoll, Smoothie Hut, and Beyond the Wall either to close or relocate away from the Ithaca Commons. Businesses are introducing new promotions and items in order to garner the strongest retention rate and attract new customers. Ithaca’s Mom and Pop shops strive to keep local businesses alive, and to drive out corporate competition.

As of Oct. 1, 2009 Sammy’s Pizzeria opened a joint store called Sammy’s Italian Buffet & Grill. A commercial found on Sammy’s website shows customers the new and improved family dinning restaurant.

“The whole nine yards, walk-ins, catering, delivery, take out, and we’re great for parties” Same Chafee, the general manager said.

At the center of the restaurant rest two large, brightly lit, dancing water fountains accompanied by the sound of chirping birds. Scene of an Italian vista cover the walls while a constant firework show takes place above. The brochure boasts “best lunch deal in Ithaca.”

Donna Holmes, a stay-at-home mother of two, recently decided Sammy’s Italian Buffet is in the rotation for Friday night family dinners. She found flyers for the restaurant at the Sammy’s Pizzeria in the Commons.

“It’s cheap, great pizza. What else do you need?” she said shaking the Parmesan cheese shaker over her son’s pizza.

“There are 22 different types of pizza at the buffet,” Asya Abramyan tells customers upon arrival. “The dessert one is my favorite,” she confesses seconds later.

Even with Sammy’s new Italian buffet, they still face competition from chain pizzerias. In 2002, Domino’s Pizzeria had their grand opening attracting many customers, and since then have used standard business tactics such new deals and promotions to keep up with the public. Recently they have added several new items to the menu and have introduced a new promotional deal of a medium pizza with two topping for $5.99.

“Local pizzerias aren’t really our competition. In Ithaca, it’s Papa Johns,” said Leah Internicola, Domino’s general manager.

“Our busiest days are Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday,” said Internicola. There is a spike in sales during the school year, but sales tend to be regular throughout the year. They have also won several awards for having record-breaking sales within the past several months.

Sammy’s new dining establishment has not hindered Domino’s sales. Internicola explains, “Domino’s in Ithaca has been mentioned at several meetings, we’re doing really well.”

With these bigger businesses dominating the market, Ithaca may soon become Generic Town, USA. The recession has put an immense amount of stress on locally owned stores to fight against them. Some stores like Sammy’s have been able to adjust to the change in economy, but others were not so lucky. The pizzeria is located in the Commons and has maintained their spot since 2001. In the years to come, Ithacan will see either the return of Mom and Pop shops or be run over with mega-marts and restaurant seen in every other town.

The Secret Lives of Delivery Guys

The winter in Ithaca is as harsh as it is long. The frigid winds and blundering snow drives locals to shack up in the comfort of their homes. Only the bravest of the brave embark into the frosted tundra. For the rest of Ithaca, snowy nights mean pulling out the take-out menus and ordering in. The roads, while caked and matted with ice and snow are still being traveled upon even in the worst conditions by men and women all with a singular goal in mind: to deliver dinner to hungry Ithacans.

Jim Renolds, manager and deliveryman at Rogan’s Corner in Ithaca has been transporting subs, sodas, and everything in between since the opening of Rogan’s Corner. The deli and mini-mart that is Rogan’s Corner opened for business over three years ago, and continues to grow exponentially. Renolds explains since their popularity has grown, so has the risks deliverymen face when carrying food to the customers. “The biggest issue is the snow. Tip wise, you tend to get better tips when the weather is bad, but what it comes down to is whether or not the trip is worth a few extra bucks,” said Renolds.

As far as customer trends are concerned, Renolds sees a large percentage of customers are students from Ithaca College. “A hard part for us is to get around the college, but nothing compares to the back roads of Danby.” According to Renolds, the roads in the town of Danby are poorly plowed, and lack streetlights. This makes for a perilous drive for the deliverymen and women. “I have had drivers get stuck out there…while turning around. It’s a pain to try to get them out of there, and is an overall hastle. I don’t like putting my drivers in bad situations like that,” said Renolds shaking his head slowly.

When talking about his customers, Renolds described them as loyal, and fair. “We normally get calls from the college, and we have a lot of regulars but a lot of quirky customers… people dressed or not dressed at certain times.” He added with a chuckle. “And we have one customer where the guy refuses to touch a driver’s hand or the bag unless he sets it on the ground, he sets his money on the ground, and once the driver is back in the car will he pick up the bag…he is definitely an interesting one.” Renolds told with a smile.

However, not all deliverymen speak so positively about their experience with customer service. John Andrews, a driver for Insomnia Cookies, a late-night dessert shop, begged to differ. “The worst thing about delivering during bad weather is when people only tip you a quarter, 75 cents, sometimes even less than that, which is zero.” He said as he rubbed his glistening forehead with the back of his hand. “When you are risking your car and yourself you don’t find out how much the customers tipped you until you look at the receipt and realize whether it is cash or credit.” He added somberly. Many customers order from take-out restaurants online from Campusfood.com. With that option, a customer can pay via credit card online with the option of including tip money. Andrews explained that before his job at Insomnia Cookies, he worked as a taxi cab driver.

Andrews has only been delivering since November. He stopped driving taxis when he realized how his company took advantage of college students especially on the weekends. “I quit driving that taxi because I didn’t like how the students were getting ripped off. They charge them way too much money. “ Andrews explains that the taxi companies would charge the students individually rather than collectively regardless of the size of the group that needs to be shuttled. “I didn’t make a lot of money working as a cab driver because I didn’t have the heart to charge my customers those kinds of rates. It just didn’t sit right.” Added Andrews with a deep sigh.

As far as the amount of drivers needed, according to Renolds, Rogan’s Corner has had to increase their number of drivers from two to four or five. The busiest times for Rogan’s Corner tend to be between the hours of 5 pm and 11 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. “It gets tougher in the winter because the orders pile up as fast as the snow is…we have drivers that as soon as it begins to snow refuse to deliver. I try to get a core group of local drivers to stay year-round, they know how to handle the snow.” Renolds said motioning to the window.