Volume 8 Issue 4, February 2010 - The Heschel School

Page 8 Helios Volume 8 Issue 4 February 2010
Photograph by Victor Weberman
Finishing 2009 With A Bang
By Victor Weberman
On December 16, 2009, 14 students,
2 coaches, an athletic director, and a
chaperone boarded a plane to Memphis, Tennessee,
to embark on a path to victory. After
a fantastic win against archrival Flatbush,
the Heat members were feeling good, and
looking forward to the Third Annual Cooper
Yeshiva H.S. Invitational. This tournament
hosted 16 teams representing several states
from across the country.
To take home the trophy, one school
had to pull off four wins in four days, no easy
task. Heschel, the #4 seed in the bracket, was
set to face #13, the Stern Hebrew H.S. Storm
from Philadelphia. Heschel gave the Storm
everything from stifling defense to a mass of
three pointers, winning 48-26.
Their next opponent was the #12 Cooper
Yeshiva H.S. Maccabees from the host city,
Memphis. In the first half, Heschel struggled
to score as effortlessly as in their first game,
and found themselves with a small lead. But
Heschel came out with a big second half
and emphatically clinched a final four berth,
winning 40-22. At this point the Heschel defense
allowed an average of 24 points in two
games, while Senior Captain Daniel Kasman
was averaging half of that on his own. Captain
Jack Liechtung, a senior, advanced to
the semi-finals of the 3-point shootout. Cocaptain
Ezra Ellenberg corralled double digit
rebounds in both games.
After the conclusion of the game
against Cooper Yeshiva, it was time for
Shabbat and candle lighting for Hanukkah.
All schools attended services at the local
synagogue, and then went to dinner at the
homes of Cooper Yeshiva High School families.
Many houses hosted students from more
than one school, which allowed students to
By Ari Kramer
Is it acceptable for athletes to take
steroids to enhance their performance?
“Definitely not. It tarnishes their career,”
commented Heschel Athletic Director Larry
Rispoli. “Health-wise, they put themselves
at risk. I believe in the days of
[Babe] Ruth and [Lou] Gehrig.”
The majority of Heschel students—as well
as most of America—shares Larry’s sentiment.
If you take steroids, you cheat.
For that reason, Heschel’s baseball fans
tend to have an aversion to Mark McGwire,
a former Major League Baseball
player who admitted on January 12 to using
steroids throughout his 16 year career.
Baseball fans had been skeptical
of McGwire’s strength for years. How
could they not be? The slugger smashed
a league-best 49 home runs in his rookie
season of 1987. Nine years later, he led the
league again with 52 long balls. In the seven
years between, he hit 225 home runs.
Most Major Leaguers cannot hit
49 or 52 home runs in a year, but plenty
have eclipsed those totals. Therefore, the
suspicion didn’t peak until 1998 when
learn about different regional traditions. This
was one of the more special parts of the tournament
as it is not that often that a teenager
growing up in Greensboro, NC, shares a
Shabbat meal with someone from Manhattan
and another kid from Memphis, TN.
All teams attended Saturday morning services,
and after some more inter-team bonding,
Heschel squared off against a familiar foe, #2
Ramaz. Ramaz killed Heschel’s 2-3 defense
with leads of 8-0, 11-2, and as big a lead as
17-4, all in the first quarter. Heschel finished
out the half with an 18-3 run, putting them
ahead by two, courtesy of threes from Juniors
Mani Schlisser and David Yitzhari, and tough
drives with beautiful finishes from all three
senior captains. The Heat never relinquished
the lead for the remainder of the game. Heschel
got one back in this cross-town rivalry,
winning 52-40.
Heschel’s final obstacle was the #7
Ben Lipson Hillel Hurricanes of Miami, FL,
who had just knocked off #3 HANC in their
semi-final matchup. In the first half, the game
went Heschel’s way for the most part, but the
team could not find a way to make a run and
bust the game wide open. The Heat did just
that in the second half, however, due to the
great shooting by guards Liechtung, Kasman,
Schlisser, and Yitzhari. To keep this great
run going, Kasman nailed a 30 foot, 3-point
jumper as the third quarter buzzer sounded.
The game ended with a double-digit lead
(55-42). After handshakes and congratulations,
the Heat was awarded with a colossal
trophy. Individual awards went to Ellenberg,
who was elected to the All-Tournament team,
Liechtung, who received a 3-point shootout
trophy, and Kasman, who received the Most
Outstanding Player award for the entire tournament.
Steroid Issues Cycle the Bases
McGwire shattered Roger Maris’ longstanding
single-season record of 61 home
runs by hitting an otherworldly 70 dingers.
In 1999, McGwire sent 65 pitches
over the fence. The slugger missed close to
half of 2000 and 2001, but he still managed
to hit 32 and 29 home runs, respectively.
In the spring of 2005, McGwire
and several other players appeared before
the House Government Reform Committee
to discuss the use of steroids in baseball.
McGwire, when asked if he played
“with honesty and integrity,” said he was
not there to talk about the past—which basically
meant he did not want to answer the
question because doing so would require
him to admit to taking steroids.
Almost five years later, McGwire
confessed. “After all this time, I want to
come clean. I was not in a position to do
that five years ago in my congressional
hearing, but now I feel an obligation to
discuss this,” McGwire stated.
Although he confessed, McGwire
Derek Jeter: The Last Iconic
Figure in the World of Sports
By Brandon Bell
The number of role models and exemplary
figures in the sports world is decreasing rapidly.
The numerous allegations of Tiger Wood’s affairs
and other unlawful acts have stunned the sports
world in the past few months. Woods is arguably the
most prolific golfer in the history of the sport. Due to
his misbehavior, his career is ruined.
As the number of male athletes participating
in immoral and corrupt behavior increases,
few athletes remain who embody the characteristics
that enable them to perform well on and off the field.
Throughout his career, Derek Jeter has remained untainted
and has proven to be a hero for all.
As the shortstop for the New York Yankees,
Jeter is the ultimate team player. This was a
career year for Jeter in regards to his performance on
the field and his achievements in the community. To
acknowledge his success, Jeter was awarded the 2009
Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year award. Since
its inception in 1954, Sports Illustrated has annually
presented the "Sportsman of the Year" award to "the
athlete or team whose performance that year most
embodies the spirit of sportsmanship and achievement."
Jeter won a record fifth World Series Championship
in 2009, passed Lou Gehrig’s team record for
hits, won his fourth Gold Glove Award, and he won
his fourth Silver Slugger award as the premier hitting
shortstop in the league. These outstanding awards
hold extra meaning due to Jeter’s age and conclusion
of his career.
As captain of the Yankees now for several
years, Jeter has displayed a tremendous amount
of leadership. His humility and his devotion to his
sport make him a favorite among all baseball players.
Jeter also captained the U.S. team in the World Baseball
Classic. Bud Selig, the commissioner of Major
League Baseball wrote to Jeter saying, “You have
attempted to downplay the effects steroids
had on his power. “There’s not a pill or an
injection that’s going to give me, going to
give any player the hand-eye coordination
to hit a baseball,” said McGwire in an interview
with Bob Costas.
Everyone knows, though, that
steroids aren’t known for improving handeye
coordination. “They make you bigger,
stronger, faster,” added Larry, undermining
McGwire’s implied claim that steroids
didn’t help him hit home runs.
McGwire’s timing is also suspicious. Why
did he decide January 12, 2010 was the
proper time to confess?
Just a few weeks before McGwire
admitted to using steroids, the Saint
Louis Cardinals, his former team, hired
him as Hitting Coach. Perhaps the organization
wanted him to come clean. However,
wouldn’t it have made more sense
for them to encourage him to do so before
they hired him?
The more likely reason for McGwire’s
confession was to improve his chances
represented the sport magnificently throughout your
Hall of Fame career. On and off the field, you are a
man of great integrity, and you have my admiration.”
Elan Holtz, a senior and a Red Sox (rivals of the Yankees)
enthusiast, said, “Although I greatly dislike the
Yankees I have nothing but respect for Jeter. He plays
with nothing but class, he cares about his teammates,
and he is one of the few athletes today who doesn’t
care about the money--only winning. I don’t like him
as a Yankee, but I love him as a baseball player.”
Michael Jordan, the legendary basketball player and
worldwide superstar had this to say about Jeter, “The
dude’s a class act. New York has a special athlete and
an even more special person.”
In today’s sports world, sportsmanship
and integrity are losing importance. A stat-obsessed,
self-absorbed sporting culture is becoming the norm.
This era’s athletes seek stardom and fame, while ignoring
the ethics of hard work and respect.
Jeter is a modest star who represents these
forgotten values. He is a superstar athlete who only
cares about winning, not the stardom and fame that
come with it. Never has Jeter been involved with a
lawsuit, accusation of rape, arrested for DUI or any
other crime. He is a role model not only for how to
Illustration by Andrew Udell
play the game of baseball, but also for how to be an
upright individual. He supports many charities and
humanitarian causes.
Adam Bresgi, a senior and Yankee fanatic,
said, “Since I was four, Derek Jeter has served as a
role model. He does everything right. It's that simple.
He is good-looking, charismatic, a powerful leader,
the captain of the greatest baseball team in history.
What more could you ask for?”
of being elected to the Baseball Hall of
Fame.
Less than a week prior, the Baseball
Hall of Fame conducted its annual
voting process. A player needs 75 percent
of voters to check his name on their ballots
in order to be elected. In his fourth year
of eligibility, McGwire garnered votes on
only 23.7 percent of the ballots. He has
never received more than 23.7 percent.
Now that he has acknowledged he did
something wrong, voters might judge him
differently. While other suspected steroid
users have stayed in the closet, at least
McGwire has emerged.
Just because McGwire has taken a step that
many others are yet to take doesn’t mean
he is worthy of attaining Hall of Fame
status, though. “I don’t think he would’ve
been a Hall of Famer without steroids.
His best years were with steroids,” commented
senior Andrew Statsky. “It probably
[helps his Hall of Fame chances] but
it shouldn’t.”