President of Towson Searching for New Opportunities

 

By Corey Klar

 

Balt. MD- Towson University has blossomed in to a large, diverse school in recent years, and could give most of it’s thanks to current president Robert Caret. Although happy, Caret is seeking to move on in his quest to improve higher education. Caret may leave his position as president of Towson University to become the next president of the University of Massachusetts.

Caret is considered to be a leader for the position and is only competing with a few other top candidates. Porvost Meredith Hay, from the University of Arizona is also in line for the job, according to bostonherald.com on Sunday.

In an interview with the Towerlight, President Caret stated, “Suffice it to say that after 16 years in two successful presidencies, I am contacted by institutions and firms inquiring about my interest in a search they are conducting. On occasion, I may have conversations with them; however, I am extremely pleased with the work we are doing and the successes we’ve achieved at Towson University.”

This is not the first time that President Caret has been presented with such an opportunity In 2006, Temple University named Caret one of the top finalists in their search for a new president. Before that, Caret served eight years as the president of San Jose State University in California.

“Unsolicited on my part, I was recently contacted by a headhunter with an invitation to come, listen and talk about the presidency at Temple University. Admittedly, it is an enticing opportunity. Temple University is a research extensive campus with a budget approaching $2 billion. Towson is still the right place for me and I informed Temple of that decision days ago. I plan on being here for many more years,” he said.

President Caret graduated from Suffolk University in Boston in 1969 and received his doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of New Hampshire in 1974. Along with all of his feats and accomplishments that he has overcame at Towson University, President Caret has longed desired to return back to his hometown.

Content and proud of his accomplishments at Towson University, Caret will not reveal that he is pondering leaving any time soon. In 2003, Caret became the 12th president of Towson University, He was a faculty member, dean, executive vice president, and provost at Towson for 21 years before leaving for San Jose State.

Later this month, according to the Towerlight, The University of Massachusetts’ board is expected to announce their list of finalists for the position of president at the end of the month. President Caret will be part of that prestigious list of candidates.

Baltimore Basketball Legend Lands With Spurs

 By  Corey Klar

 

Baltimore, Md.- Gary Neal was a Baltimore legend in the gym and on the streets. His ability to put the ball into the basket and his stone cold shooting, are still heard on the streets of Baltimore. Hometown fans felt complete sorrow when they did not hear their hometown basketball hero’s  name on draft night in 2007, but little did people know it would make Neal in to the player and man that he is today.

Gary Neal led his hometown Aberdeen High School to a 21-4 record and a Maryland State Class A championship his junior year. Neal averaged a triple double per game at Aberdeen. Later, Neal transferred to the more competitive, Calvert Hall High School. Neal played his senior year at Calvert Hall, with the likes of future NBA draft pick, and former Miami basketball star Jack McClinton. He and McClinton led Calvert Hall to a 22-9 record.

After impressing scouts with his tremendous array of shooting skills and his incredible work ethic, Neal was recruited to play collegiate level basketball at the University of LaSalle, in Philidelphia. Neal was a stud at La Salle. He averaged 18.3 points in two seasons. Neal was the All-Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year in 2003 and was named to the All-Atlantic 10 Second Team in 2003 and 2004.

It was after his second season at LaSalle that controversy hit. That summer while working at a basketball camp, some of the counselors began drinking and was accused of undressing a woman as she was throwing up. She testified that Neal and another LaSalle player raped her.

After Neal was acquitted of the charge, a scandal was transpiring at La Salle. Billy Hahn and John Miller, two basketball coaches were accused of a cover-up. The two coaches were eventually forced to resign as a result of that case, and because the program was not in good shape, Neal was not permitted to return.

Neal still had the talent to compete at the same level, but because of the rape charge, he  did not have many options. Neal took out loans to enroll at Towson University near his hometown of Baltimore. He had to pass various interviews as well as work harder to make up for his character issues. He averaged 25.3 points as a senior at Towson, and set 14 records his senior year. His first shot at Towson was a three pointer, as well as his last shot. While raining down threes in the CAA, many were optimistic about Neal’s chances of making it to the NBA, despite his past mishaps.

It came draft day in the summer of 2007, and nobody heard Gary Neal’s name called. It was a sad day for Neal and a sad day for Baltimore.

Gary did not give up. He immediately went overseas, playing one season and splitting time between Turkey and Spain. After another allegation for partying, Neal was released and then began to play in Italy, where he began to shine in front of scouts. Gary  lead Serie A in scoring while on Benetton Treviso and scored 19.4 points per game, before getting released. Neal then played at a high level with Spanish powerhouse  FC Barcelona .

After a three year stint in Europe, Neal kept working hard in the summer, and constantly playing basketball at a high level.  His hard work led to a face to face interview with one of the most respected NBA coaches of all time. Spurs coach, Gregg Poppovich.

The San Antonio Spurs are the poster boys of the NBA. They are always considered to be well run, and free of controversy, which is why it was surprising that the Spurs were so interested in somebody coming off of a rape charge. With the Spurs, you get an opportunity to play basketball at the highest level in the NBA, with a first-class organization and great veterans.

“Coach Pop is tough; he’s direct, but he’s fair,” Neal told rotoworld.com. “He tells you what he expects and what he doesn’t want. I couldn’t ask for more than that.”

Neal, who was not going to let his life be affected by one mishap, was determined and confident that he was going to make the Spurs, after the interview with Coach Poppovich. This summer the Spurs decided to place Gary on their Las Vegas Summer League roster, which meant this was Gary’s first shot to make an NBA roster. And he did not disappoint.

The 6-foot-3 guard  put on one of the greatest shooting displays by anyone who has every stepped onto the floor of a summer league court. He owned the opposing guards night in and night out, and proved himself to be worthy of wearing one of the most respected uniforms in the NBA. After a few injuries in the beginning of the season, Neal got his chance to be inserted in to the rotation.

Neal is currently playing 13 minutes a game, shooting 50 percent from behind the 3-point line for the Spurs this year. He is even becoming viable options for fantasy basketball owners looking to beef up their three point shooting percentages.

His teammates say Neal is determined, hard-working, and reserved, and understands that there is a light cast upon him he knows this is his opportunity to shine.

“You go through something like that and it’s a life-altering situation,” he said to draftexpress.com. “It makes you appreciate everything that you might otherwise have overlooked or taken for granted “If things had gone different, I might not be here. It makes you appreciate your family, people who always believed in you, and now other people who are willing to believe in you and expect you to live up to their standards.”

The Spurs found a hidden gem, and a talented player in Gary Neal, by giving him a fair chance, the Spurs will make Neal a better man, as well as a better basketball player. The match is perfect. The Spurs breed hard- nosed players as well as pure shooters, and Gary Neal fits the Spurs mold. Neal overcame the adversity of rape charges to  became the first Towson men’s basketball player to reach  the NBA level.

Workout

Rugby Club Finally has Answers

     On September 23, The Towson Rugby Club as well as the community at
large, lost a unique home-bred student athlete. Abe Cahan. Abe who was
a Junior philosophy major here at Towson, loved the Orioles and a week
before his death, attended an Orioles game in Fenway Park in Boston.
The father and son returned early from their trip to Boston, so that
Abe would be able to make his classes the next morning. After being
nervous about his son, because he was not able to get in touch with
Abe for a few days, Cahan’s father went to his apartment and found him
dead. The cause of death for Abe has now been determined to be heroin
intoxication, according to the office of the chief medical examiner of
Maryland.
     Cahan graduated from Towson High School in 2008, he played baseball
and football. His father said he was a big sports fan, and did not
mind jumping right in to club rugby. He was a fan of both the Ravens
and Patriots said his father John. Abe liked New England teams only
because he was born in Vermont, but the family moved when he was only
in kindergarten. Rugby was not a sport he played regularly before he
came to Towson, but he loved football and he thrived on contact. Rugby
seemed like a natural fit.
     “We didn’t see him much this year and we have no idea why. We just
like to think he was busy with work or school as anything else,” rugby
coach Don Stone said Sept. 25, in a report by the Towerlight on the
death of Abe Cahan.  Stone later said that “We’re kind of surprised by
this because it’s not something I think any of us would have looked at
him and thought. It’s a cautionary tale for any college student …
these guys think they’re indestructible. Even when they dabble in
things, there’s a risk and there’s a danger and I think Abe’s a
cautionary tale in that regard and something I warn my boys about to
try to use as a lesson. A sad one, but a lesson nonetheless.”
      The Police were called to Cahan’s Towson Woods apartment at 1:43
p.m, and were initially told that he collapsed due to cardiac arrest.
That same report by the police after his father found him face down on
the floor of his apartment, was that foul play was not suspected in
his death, according to Baltimore County Police spokesman Mike Hill,
in a statement released just days after his death. Abe was not a
suspected drug user by his family or his friends, but actions leading
up to this incident suggest that there was some signs signaling a
difference in behavior, such as not being at team practices as often
as he was in recent years.
     Cahan was a large part of the Towson’s Men’s Club Rugby team.  He
attended roughly half the club’s practices and games in their spring
season, but as of the fall he had only watched or played in a few.
Whether it was the struggles of college workload, or a drug use that
nobody knew about, it is a big loss for the Rugby team. The team has
honored Abe at every game since his passing. They have since moved up
to number 7 in the nation. All of the teams entering the  Rugby
semifinals this weekend are ranked top 15 Division II rugby clubs in
the nation

Towson Studens Choose Favorites In Election

Towson students have seen multi- colored and multi- purposed ads around the community for quite some time, and have definatly taken notice. ” I love Kamanetz! The purple sign! ” Towson freshman Leor Fidler said.  It may not be the best thing, that students now a days, can recall the color of ads more frequently than they can undercover one of the candidates real political message. I guess that is what campaigning is all about. Getting the votes of the people, and if color coordination is the way to drill a message in to the heads of students, than make your ads colorful!

” I think his name was Marks, I know by the green sign. My friend snapped a photo of it on her phone, because it was the same last name.” said Senior Lexie D’Adamo.

Further proof that students have recognition from color and appeal of ads.

There is a fear among political advocates, that students do not know enough about their candidates in a certain area. Towson students, at least the small sample that I observed, only knew about their candidates from their ad’s that they see on TV or in the streets. This means their strategies are affective, but are people really voting for the right people?

Corey Klar. Sounding Off.

Local Student, Becomes Local Hero

Thomas Evans, a hero to his community.

Thomas Evans was 18 years old. He was a high school jock who lifted weights, and played football. He knew that his strength and bulky build could help him out with girls and help with his self confidence, but little did he know that it would save lives.

He was suddenly a hero,  recognized by everyone.  In the frigid winter of 2007, in Bellmore, NY, Thomas did a service that can never be measured. He saved lives.

The three brothers that lived next door to Tommy, were attempting to walk to a Dunkin Donuts that morning, which was only about a block away. The ice covered the streets more than they expected. The boys quickly realized that they were in for danger,when the ice began to crack beneath them. Before they knew it, Thomas was already sprinting for them.

” I wouldn’t call me a local hero, more like a good person”, he says.
” If I was helpless, I would hope someone would save me too”
” I needed to do something”
Evans’ life changed, when his mother woke him up from a nap because she heard screams. He was startled, but still found it easy, to quickly come to his senses. Thomas went out in his boxers. Feeling no nervousness and adrenaline pumping in his veins, he pulled them out one by one.

The feelings of thanks and recognition, will always feel good for Thomas, but “nothing is better than the feeling of saving a life” and to help others, that’s what makes Thomas the kind of person that he is. A hero.

Thomas appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres show, and recieved recognition from media outlets such as FOX5 NY and Newsday. Thomas also recieved honor from the New York Knicks at halftime of one of their home games, for his heroic efforts.

Celebrated as a local hero, and saluted for his brave efforts, Thomas strives to help others and continue making a positive impact on his community.

Towson Rugby Game This Weekend

 

Towson Rugby Club. Looking to finish strong and win big, for their fallen brother and teammate, Abe Cahan. They stand strong and mentally ready for the rest of the season.

After a rough month of mourning a loss  of a teammate and close friend, the Towson Rugby Club, will be taking on Salisbury at Burdick Field this Saturday at 1 pm, in a true test of emotional and physical strength. Our cross state rivals, will travel to Towson, to take on one of the most focused teams in the conference, as Towson plays for their fallen friend Abe Cahan, in an effort to dedicate this season to him and pull out some victories.

Towson Rugby has only suffered 2 losses between their A and B squads, in their last 7 matches. They hope to ride with the cheers of the Black and Gold, and win the rest of their matches out to secure a spot in the playoffs. The Towson University campus is behind the rugby team, as well as Abe’s family. This should be a hard- faught, physical match so be ready to see some hard hitting and passionate teamwork.

BLACK OUT

September 25 2010.

Circle the date on your calendars folks. Our powerhouse rivals come to town, for  Towson University Rugby Team’s first match against its in division opponent, University of Maryland. The game will be played under the bright lights of Burdick Field, starting at 6:30 pm.  Remember, this is a black out, so wear some black, Towson gear and get ready for a physical match. Go Towson!

Towson University Rugby Team, Back In Action.

Towson University Men’s Rugby is back in action for another season. Coming off of a hard fought, winning season in which they won the Rocky Gorge Cup, as well as the Rites to Spring Tournament within their Union. Towson competes in the Potomac Rugby Union, a member of the Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football Union. Towson’s division includes: Loyola, UMBC, Johns Hopkins, UMD, Navy, Salisbury, Georgetown and St. Mary’s College.

After the first few weeks of practices under their belts, the Towson University Rugby team, traveled to Howard county to play the Rocky Gorge Football Club.  They are a bunch of hard nosed guys that gave us the test we need to face our division 1 opponent, University of Maryland, next week.  Granted three of our best players were on the sidelines, we lost the match. The Rugby team will try and piece things together before they play a more important game, and their first true test for their A team.

The Towson University Rugby Team is always looking for new participants, so come on down to Newell Field,

Practice days and times are as follows: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 3:30-6:00pm