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New England Revolution Eliminated from CONCACAF Tournament

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(Photo of the Boston Globe) “New England Revolution player fight for ball.”

Nicholas Ewing
Connector Editor

In their second matchup against Club América on Tuesday, April 9, the New England Revolution was eliminated in the 2024 CONCACAF Champions League. The Revolution climbed their way to the quarterfinals for the second time in three years, then lost 9-2 goals in aggregate in two matchups against América. CONCACAF is North America’s version of Europe’s Champions League, in which the top 27 best clubs in North America, Central America and the Caribbean compete.  

In February, the Revolution defeated Club Atletico Independiente from Panama 4-0 in aggregate. The Revolution had a clean sheet in both matchups, having scored 1-0 in their first matchup and 3-0 in their second matchup. In March, the Revolution defeated Alajuelense of Costa Rica 5-1 in aggregate. The Revolution scored 4-0 in their first matchup and both teams tied 1-1 in their second matchup.  

Club América won the tournament seven times, last winning it in 2016. Had Revolution defeated América, then the Revolution would have made its first appearance in the semi-finals. At Gillette Stadium, the New England Revolution faced off against Club América on Tuesday, April 2. The Revolution took a beating in their own home as América won 4-0. The Forward for América, Henry Martín, scored the first goal in the pairing at 16’. Forward Alejandro Zendejas scored at 24’ and the defensive back Cristian Calderón scored at 64’. The final goal of the game had gone to América when Mid-fielder Brian Rodríguez scored at 90+1’. It was a disappointing night in Foxborough as the home team left the game with no goals. In the next matchup, the Revolution would need to score more than four goals to qualify for the semi-finals, but América would not let that be. 

The second matchup in this pairing was at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Tuesday, April 9. The Revolution lost to América 5-2. The Mid-fielder for América, Diego Valdés, scored at 21’, followed by three more goals by his teammates; Julián Quiñones at 34’, Henry Martín at 45+3’, Alejandro Zendejas at 57’ and Brian Rodríguez at 76’. Knowing the game had already been lost and there was no way for the Revolution to overcome an 8-goal deficit in aggregate, they played on. Finally, Giacomo Vrioni scored the Revolution’s first goal in the pairing and in this game at 65’. Vrioni followed up on his own goal by scoring again at 90+2’. 

It was exciting for soccer fans from New England to watch the Revolution progress so far in CONCACAF. They made a surprise entry in the tournament back in September and defeated the top teams in the continent. However, Club América put the New England Revolution to shame in two games of the quarterfinals proving their dominance. The head coach of the Revolution said in a post-game interview with the media that Club América was one of the best teams he had ever faced in his career. While coaching for other MLS teams, he commented how good the Mexican clubs are, but América was on another level. 

Club América will play against CF Pachuca in the Semi-finals starting their first of two matchups on April 23. The New England Revolution may be eliminated from CONCACAF, but they are still in the middle of the MLS regular season. Last Saturday, April 6, the Revolution defeated Charlotte 1-0. Their next three regular season matchups are on April 13 against New York City, April 20 against Toronto and the much anticipated Inter-Miami matchup on April 27. The game against Miami will feature the Argentine World Cup champion Lionel Messi and his two former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Luis Suárez.  

 

Former MA Justice Lowy visits UMass Lowell

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(Photo courtesy of flickr) “Justice David Lowy being sworn in.”

Michael Makiej
Connector Staff

On Friday, April 12, 2024, a packed classroom of students waited in Coburn Hall for one of the school’s most exceptional guest speakers to date. Former Justice David Lowy of the Massachusetts State Supreme Judicial Court spoke with students about his life and career, followed by a Q&A and a catered lunch. 

Lowy has deep roots in Massachusetts. Growing up in Peabody and graduating from UMass Amherst, he went on to attend law school at Boston University, receiving his juris doctorate in 1987. He is both the first and only member of the Supreme Judicial Court in Massachusetts to have received his undergraduate from the UMass system.  

After passing the BAR, the former justice worked as a law clerk for Judge Harrington in the Massachusetts Federal district court. A year later he was working at Goodwin and Proctor, a major multinational law firm based in Boston. He recounted several stories about different job interviews and unexpected opportunities which arose during his extensive career, including the SPLC and later as deputy legal counsel to then Governor Bill Weld. 

Lowy credits his hiring to his willingness to reach out and take risks. After repeated rejections and countless scheduling issues with the Governor’s office, Lowy took the initiative, going directly into Boston and waiting for hours in the lobby to try and secure an exclusive spot. His ambition was rewarded, and he worked under Governor Weld for five years. 

Had Lowy been unwilling to wait, he would not have met his future wife, Virginia Buckingham, who at the time was working as the Governor’s Deputy Press Secretary. They now have two children, both of whom are currently attending law school. 

In 1997 he was appointed by Governor Weld for his first judgeship at the Ipswich District Court, eventually working his way up to the highest court in Massachusetts in 2016. In that time, he presided over several famous cases, including Philip Chism, a Danvers student who killed his teacher.  

As a member of the Supreme Judicial court, Justice Lowy continued to oversee significant cases, such as a 2018 decision regarding opioid abuse and its impact on parole violation. 

During his time as a judge, he also had a career as an educator and law professor, teaching classes at New England Law, Suffolk Law, and Boston University Law. Now, after retiring from his judgeship in February of this year, Lowy is eager to share his wisdom with another generation of future lawyers. He advised his audience on the importance of mentorship, saying, “I would tell my law class, that they work for me for a year, and I work for them for the rest of my career. It is important to have a mentor, to find a mentor, and then to someday become a mentor.” The former judge wants to pay forward the many opportunities he was given because of his mentors, among which he named Judge Harrington. 

Currently, former Justice Lowy works as general counsel for the UMass President’s office, overseeing legal affairs for the entire UMass university system. It was this new connection which was able to help bring him to UMass Lowell for this event. 

To close out his talk, Lowy stressed the importance of preparation as the most essential aspect of a good lawyer. “If you want to know the three most important things about being a great lawyer. Number One. Preparation. Number Two. Preparation. Number Three. Preparation. You have got to want it, you have got to be hungry,” he said.  

Associate professor of Legal Studies, Walter Toomey, said he was happy that so many students with legal aspirations were able to have this experience to cap off the end of their semester.  “He’s obviously a prestigious figure in the Commonwealth so its wonderful to give our students here studying, legal studies, criminal justice and other law related fields, the opportunity to hear from people like him.” 

Confessions of an online student

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(Photo courtesy of: Champlain College Online) “Online school offers a completely different view of college.”

Elsie Netherton
Connector Contributor

My name is Elsie Netherton, and I am a graduating senior here at UMass Lowell. Since 2020, I have only taken online courses, mostly in English, for a variety of reasons. In the beginning, classes were not offered in person due to the pandemic, but after moving to Minnesota to be with my partner, I couldn’t have shown up to class even if I wanted to. In total, I have 20 UMass Lowell online classes under my belt, and several more from other programs. In this brief article, I want to reflect on some of the difficulties in being an online student, share some of the tricks I have learned, and shed some light on this hidden half of our school. Online school presents unique challenges that may help prepare us for the ever-changing world of post-COVID capitalism, but it’s not for everyone, and it comes at the cost of the typical college experience.

Several of my friends went the software development route in school and have ended up working remotely for companies. Another friend is an online therapist, and I have been working online for a non-profit to help new immigrants and refugees learn English. Undoubtedly the skillsets for online school and online work overlap, especially with regards to technological fluency. Understanding how to use Zoom, Outlook, Teams, and all the other online productivity staples is essential in today’s post-pandemic world, and online school does a good job of honing those skills.

Unfortunately, many students may find online school to be difficult, not for the content of the class, but for the medium in which the material is presented. Motivating oneself is immensely challenging for many students, even when the classes are in person and you have a good relationship with the professor, but when everything is online, it can feel impossible to get anything done. There isn’t really an easy fix for this, and I certainly don’t have it all figured out. When speaking with friends who work online for a living, they expressed similar struggles with motivation. It would seem the human brain isn’t actually designed to spend copious amounts of time trying to pay attention on Zoom.

So, if it’s hard to pay attention on Zoom, is it easier to make friends? The answer almost certainly won’t surprise you. According to former online student and Connector editor-in-chief Riley Fontana, online school, “was the most isolating thing ever,” and I couldn’t agree more. There is a certain level of superficial interaction expected in many online classes, especially in the Discussion Boards that can at times feel worse than silence. Some good discussion is had, but many students contribute the bare minimum to the assigned discussion and otherwise do not engage. In order to make connections outside of designated discussion forums, Riley Fontana says, “Don’t be afraid to go on zoom and message someone directly to become friends”. It may sound scary, but there’s no chance for connection unless you put yourself out there. You can’t rely on someone else making the first move, so if you want to make a friend, you must take some risks!

In my opinion, students who are fresh out of high school, and are looking for a typical college experience, will likely be disappointed and turned off by the challenges of studying online. It is very difficult to make friends with students or professors, and the coursework is extra

challenging as you will have very little motivation to complete it. However, the flexibility of online school is a major asset, and should not be overlooked. Students who work, have families, and have already made friends in their local spaces may find online school to be a vital tool on their journey towards graduation and professional development. Its not a perfect system, and there is lots of room for improvement, but ultimately, having more options for education is never going to be a bad thing.

2024 Stanley Cup Playoff Preview

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(Photo courtesy of theSource.com) “Player holding Stanley Cup after they won the title.”

Riley Fontana
Connector Editor

It’s official, the Stanley Cup Playoff race has officially begun. 16 teams have clinched their spots at a chance for the coveted cup. With three spots remaining open, fans have high hopes for their favorite teams to claim one as soon as possible.  

As of April 12, 2024, the teams who have clinched their spots are the New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes, Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lighting for the Eastern Conference. For the Western Conference, the Dallas Stars, Vancouver Canucks, Colorado Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets, Edmonton Oilers and Nashville Predators are competing. At this point in the season, it’s hard to tell who will take the cup, especially with how many teams have a reputation for choking in the second round.  

By far, the strongest competitors are the Boston Bruins, who have been having an incredibly hot season and are generally one of the best teams each season. Many sports betting websites are saying the Colorado Avalanche is a great bet and won back in 2022. Having several cup wins is not always a sign a team will come out on top, especially with newcomers to the league, the Vegas Golden Knights, taking the cup last season.  

Right now, there is mostly speculation about the strongest cup contenders, but there are a few teams who deserve it more than others, especially given how much the same teams win. Out of the teams currently slotted for the playoffs, the following teams have never won a Stanley Cup: the Florida Panthers, Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets and the Nashville Predators. Other teams have not touched the cup in over 20 years, but their team names are etched into the silver for eternity.  

Out of the four teams that have never won a Stanley Cup, the most satisfying to see win would be the Florida Panthers, who have lived in infamy for a few years. The Panthers have always struggled to be a good team, and being located in Sunshine, Florida, a city that does not value hockey, makes it even harder for them to thrive. They are one of the laughingstocks of the NHL no matter how hard they try to prove themselves as a decent hockey team.  

The Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets would also make a satisfying win. A Canadian team has not won since 1993 when the Montreal Canadians brought it home. Canada is the home of hockey as a sport and many fans will take a win from any of the seven Canadian teams as a win for the nation. The Vancouver Canucks are one of the longest-standing NHL teams without a cup, so a win for them would be historic and end a centuries-long slump.  

The NHL is a league where the same teams win the Stanley Cup repeatedly, so hopefully the 2024 playoffs bring in a new champion. The playoffs officially begin on April 20 and, until then, there is plenty of hockey to watch as teams battle for a wildcard slot.  

“American Horror Story: Delicate” is anything but its namesake

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(Photo courtesy of: Men’s Health) “Emma Roberts and Kim Kardashian star in “AHS: Delicate”.”

Riley Fontana
Connector Editor

“American Horror Story: Delicate” has returned for the second half of its season after a hiatus due to the writer’s strike, and with the way the season is going, their writers are still away. Fans had hopes that maybe the writer’s strike would kick “Delicate” into the gear they knew “American Horror Story” to be capable of, but sadly it has not.

Fans as a whole have not been pleased with Ryan Murphy’s “American Horror Story” since season eight titled “Cult”, but each season does have die-hard fans. So far two episodes have aired of the second half of the twelfth season of the previously beloved horror show, and the downfall continues.

The latest season “Delicate” plays with themes seen in previous seasons, mainly the thought of giving birth to the devil. As a premise for a horror-based show, this concept could be really good, if “American Horror Story” had not done it twice already. In season one “Murder House” where Vivien gets pregnant and a goat is seen on her sonogram and later in season eight “Apocalypse” this baby is revealed to be the antichrist himself. Having already done this storyline makes “Delicate” feel tired and unoriginal.

With all of the seasons of “American Horror Story” being interconnected somehow there are ways writers can save this season, but since they are a total of seven out of nine episodes deep, this does not seem like a path the showrunners are going to take. Each episode has been laying out more backstory and confusing mythology for the characters. People are being haunted, stalked, murdered and more for no apparent reason it seems. Each episode also contains flashbacks to centuries ago with witch-like characters experiencing terrible births, but these memories hold no stakes for the modern characters.

The season follows Anna Victoria Alcott and her husband Dex basically going through their pregnancy. It becomes clear that Anna is struggling with the pregnancy and Dex has some dark history from his ex-wife. Nothing is connected and there has not been any actual horror so far. All the characters are famous rich people, which makes them incredibly unrelatable to the audience, and none of them show remorse for the things they do. Anna has hurt several people due to her hormones and does not seem to really care, as long as she is still in the running for an Oscar.

One thing that kept “American Horror Story” fans coming back each season, no matter how bad, was the returning cast. This season only boasts one: Emma Roberts as Anna Victoria Alcott, the struggling actress. Stunt cast alongside her was Kim Kardashian as Siobahn Corbyn who serves as Anna’s publicist and Cara Delevinge as Ivy, a seemingly very important character with limited screen time and lines. This season brings nothing, not even actors, that fans have come to expect from “American Horror Story”.

This season is just another nail in the coffin for a once groundbreaking horror show. With three episodes left for writers to make any sense of the past season, it is clear to see why viewership of “American Horror Story” has been declining. Renewed for a season thirteen, fans can only hope for a story that actually makes sense.

Overall Grade: F

Softball goes 0-2 in doubleheader

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(photo courtesy of Sarah Mahannah) “Isabella Quintanilla swings at incoming pitch.”

Sarah Mahannah
Connector Editor

The River Hawk softball team (6-19, 1-4 America East) had a rough time against the UAlbany Great Danes (18-7, 7-1 America East) in their home opener, losing both games in the doubleheader on Wednesday, April 9 at the Riverview Field.  

Senior Cayla Tulley acquired an RBI single and a walk when the River Hawks lost 9-1 during the first game.  

Sophomore Giana LaCedra was the starting pitcher during game one and got one strikeout during her 3.1 innings on the circle. Freshman Olivia DeCitise took over the mound and stayed there for the remainder of the game. DeCitise allowed two hits and threw two strikeouts. 

During game two, graduate student Ryley White pitched the first 5 innings and grabbed five strikeouts before junior Jen Slanovec and DeCitise came in for relief. Slanovec finished with three hits and one run allowed. 

The Great Danes started game one off strong by loading the bases with a walk and two singles. They would take the lead after junior Victoria Vilarchao was hit by a pitch and sent her teammate Jordan Nastos home.  

Later, UAlbany furthered its lead with a grand slam from Wendi Hammond, which would make the score 5-0 going into the second. The River Hawks would stay scoreless and in the third Vilarchao had a RBI double to bring the score up to 6-0.  

At the top of the fourth, Albany was able to score three more runs after bases were loaded. Petrella was able to run a single into right-center, and Mitros and Petty could run home. These would be the final runs for the Great Danes.  

The score would be 9-0 before the River Hawks’ first run would happen. Unfortunately, the mercy rule would be applied due to the score being 9-1 and the game would end after five innings.  

The second game was at a standstill for the first five innings; But when the Great Danes were at bat, things would change. They had two outs but would hit a ball to right field, and with that, get two runs. During the next pitches, the runner on first was able to steal second and third base after the pitcher fumbled. Luckily, after this, Isabella Quintanilla caught a ground ball at second and made a quick throw to first, getting the batter out and ending the inning.  

During the sixth inning, Lowell would go scoreless again, but graduate student Maddi Petrella would hit to right field and take first. After Petrella, Vilarchao scored a homerun out of the park and brought herself and Petrella home, bringing them up to 7-0. 

After this, Lowell swapped White with Slanovec. She would send a batter to first after hitting them with the ball. Although they tried to fight to score, their hits would not be powerful enough and would allow a home run in the seventh to end up with UAlbany winning the series altogether.  

The River Hawks will be away for the weekend for a series against UMBC before coming home for a doubleheader against Binghamton University on Wednesday, April 17 with games at 1pm and 3pm.  

 

 

Trump Gagged in Manhattan Hush Money Case

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(Photo courtesy of CNN) “Donald J. Trump in court.”

Duncan Cowie
Connector Editor

For the first time in the History of America, there is about to be a former president standing trial in a criminal case. Donald J. Trump is currently involved in multiple cases against him, including Georgia election interference, federal election interference, Mar-a-Lago classified document handling, and the upcoming hush money coverup case.  

The hush money case is about falsified business documents within The Trump Organization to cover payments to adult-actress Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal, who both claimed Trump had had an adulterous affair with them. The Trump campaign allegedly paid large amounts of money to both women in order to attempt to keep the news out of the media for fear of hurting his presidential campaign, while billing them under legal fees for the organization. Keeping records falsely is a misdemeanor, but the prosecution is attempting to prove that he did this to cover up a second crime, in this case falsifying the business documents in accordance with the Trump campaign, to upgrade the charges to a low-grade felony. Trump keeps the stance that while he did pay off these women, it did not have anything to do with the case and that neither encounter even happened in the first place. 

Judge Juan Merchan has issued a gag order on Trump, an order that requires parts of the case to be kept out of the press. According to UMass Lowell Legal Studies Professor Walter Toomey, gag orders can be risky and difficult to maintain due to the amount of scrutiny on them as a limiter of free speech, and get close to what could be called prior restraint. Prior restraint is the idea of the judicial system suppressing material that would be published in the press, and while the First Amendment does not free the publisher and author of any consequences, it does allow them to post it in the first place with no restrictions on what can and cannot be said.  

Professor Toomey states that gag orders were tested under the Nebraska Press Association vs Stewart case and that they are only found constitutional if “public dissemination harm[s] the fair trial, [if] it is the least restrictive, and whether it is the most effective way to achieve the effect.” The typical consequence of breaking a gag order is admonishment, fines, or jail time. When it is against an individual it is usually fines, which Trump has been hit with when breaking gag orders in the past, for a total of ten thousand dollars. 

On March 26, Judge Merchan gave a gag order to Trump that prevented him from making public statements on the witnesses, the prosecutor, the court staff, and all their families. Trump very quickly challenged this by posting an article with a picture of the judge’s daughter on his social media site, Truth Social, on March 28, condemning her for working at a democratic consulting firm and claiming she had posted photoshopped pictures of him in prison. Judge Merchan then expanded the gag order on April 1 to include his own family and the family of the district attorney. 

Trump argues that this is relevant to the case and isn’t and shouldn’t violate the gag order as he was commenting on the political nature of the case and biases the judge might have, but while he hasn’t taken down the post about the judge’s daughter, he hasn’t said anything new about it.  

In this highly political case, it is important the judge stay completely impartial. In an ordinary case, Professor Toomey says attacking the family of the judge would be “Insane,” but this case will be watched and put under a microscope as a historic trial, and while the judge will attempt to issue orders to keep “decorum in the courtroom.” Trump doesn’t have much to lose mouthing off in this trial. 

“Civil War”: A love letter to journalism

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(Photo courtesy of: Esquire) “Kirsten Dunst stars as Lee Smith in “Civil War”.”

Sabine Laurent de Cannon
Connector Staff

Alex Garland’s Civil War premiered across the U.S. on Thursday of last week. The film severely contrasted expectations, as most who had viewed the trailer expected to watch a violently political story—possibly one that exaggeratedly narrated the vigorous Red v. Blue, Liberal v. Conservative, poor v. rich divide of today’s America. Those who went in looking for politics, however, never found it. Garland’s film not only barely mentions the subject, it feels as though it is actively avoiding it.

But this sounds impossible. How can someone expect to create meaningful commentary on a split military, state secession, and treasonous alliances without any real mention of politics? Is it an act of “bothsidesism?” Or, maybe, an effort to combat the labels of being a “propaganda film?” Judging from how the world of the movie manifests itself to the viewer, it is neither of those intentions. Garland simply did not write what did not matter to the core of his story. Apart from the slight nods at one former president, nationalism, and vigilantism, Civil War is not truly about war, social divides, class struggle, or morality—it is about journalism.

The entire screenplay follows a group of four reporters on their journey from New York City to Washington, D.C., where they are on a mission to interview The President of the United States. Played by Nick Offerman, The President is never given a name. He is an untouchable and secluded figure. Clearly meant to represent the antithesis of transparency and truth, The President acts as his own spokesperson while “shooting journalists on the White House lawn,” viewing them as rebels, traitors, and an active threat to his war against the succeeding states.

Joel, played by Wagner Moura, a journalist from Florida, leads the group on their journey as he is determined to speak with the Commander and Chief. Joel is accompanied by war photojournalist Lee Smith, played by Kirsten Dunst, veteran journalist Sammy, played by Stephen McKinley Henderson, and aspiring young photographer Jessie, played by Cailee Spaeny. Throughout their journey, the group encounters active war zones, refugee camps, vigilante groups, and communities that live separately from the looming conflict. Through these starkly different settings, viewers get an insight into the group mentality of the reporters. All except young Jessie are surprisingly detached from the causes and effects of the human suffering, anger, fear, and tension palpable within every person they face. Their interest lies in one thing: documenting everything.

The development of Spaney’s character, Lee’s mental deterioration and Joel’s perseverance, are all poignant testaments to the enduring significance of those who pursue the exposure of truth. The group becomes an homage to the trauma, numbness, and mental sacrifice that come with a dedication to revealing the horrific realities of the world. Though their world is dystopian, the journalists’ obsessiveness and psychopathy for their craft may be Garland’s way of asserting that the commitment to upholding history’s integrity will never disappear—no matter how bad things get. Kirsten Dunst’s character especially is a love letter to journalism. She embodies the current necessity for honesty and bravery over cowardice and propaganda, as well as the personal collapse that may accompany that pursuit.

As the world reaches a political boiling point, Civil War sends a clear, ethical message: News is of the utmost importance, but only if it is treated with the respect it is entitled to. The film is just as much an ode to the unwavering, brave, and sincere people of the press as it is a scorn to those Garland feels are using the field in vain. It is an unnerving, clear-sighted film that came at just the right time.

Overall Grade: B+