CC looks to take down the Pilots - Detroit Catholic Central High School

Issue, September 9, 2008, Volume 100
Detroit Catholic Central High School
Girls,
Girls,
Girls!
Election `08
Coverage
Details on
page 2
page 4 for
photos
CC looks to take down the Pilots
Dave Cobb `09
Managing editor
The Boys’ Bowl is the biggest football game
in the Prep sports regular season.
This year, the Shamrocks face DeLaSalle,
which is returning experienced and talented
athletes.
“They bring back a lot of experienced players,” said senior captain Nick Landry, “but we
match up with them pretty well in key areas.”
With much more speed than last year, CC’s
quickness will, Landry added, “Take the Pilots
out of the air for good.”
So far this year, the Shamrocks have been
the smash-mouth team they typically are by
dominating the ground game.
Their leading rusher is Anthony Capatina
`10 with 160 yards and two touchdowns.
Junior Niko Palazeti has rushed for 126
yards and three touchdowns.
Quarterback Sam Landry `10 has completed
5 of his 11 passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns.
Senior receiver Kam Leiter leads the team
with three receptions for 67 yards and one
touchdown. Joe Snyder also has a 21 yard
touchdown reception.
The Brick Wall D has been tenacious thus
far, allowing only 14 points in two games.
The defense has forced five fumbles and
has six interceptions. Brandon Williams has
two of the six. Leiter, Steve Harding, Josh
Kyles, and Justin D’Agostino each have one
interception. John Savakas has recovered two
fumbles. Williams, Harding, and Mike Kinville each recovered one.
In the season opener, the Shamrocks beat
Detroit Southeastern 35-14. In Southeastern’s next three games, they scored nearly 120
points. This says a lot about our defense.
Next, CC shut out St. Thomas Aquinas
51-0. The Shamrocks did not hesitate to break
this game open, scoring 44 by the 3rd quarter.
After three games, the Shamrocks’ record
stands at 2-1.
The only difference between this team and
the legendary teams from the early 2000’s (the
only ones to win three State titles in a row)
is confidence. This year’s team has the talent
to beat anybody in the state. They just don’t
know they can -- yet.
Boys’ Bowl
History
• Fr. James Martin’s vision:
best team in
Michigan vs.
best team in
America
• CC Shamrocks
face Fr. Flanigan’s Boys’
Town from
Nebraska
• First Boys’
Bowl game
played in 1944
• Over 40,000
fans attended
• Game was
held at Briggs
Stadium (Tiger
Stadium)
• First Boys’
Bowl Assembly held
after Mass and
school-wide
parade
• Boys’ Town
rivalry ended
in 1959
• New rivals
emerged as
CC challenged
such schools
as Detroit
Cathedral,
DeLaSalle,
and Brother
Rice
Senior receiver Kam Leiter’s reception sets up CC’s first touchdown of the year.
photos by Rossi
Starting Line-up
for Boys’ Bowl 2008
Offense
Tight Ends
Right Tackle
Defensive Ends
Right Tackle
Joe Snyder
Mike Kinville
Khaled Mheisen
Joe Snyder
Niko Palazeti
Butch Herzog
Left Tackle
Steve Harding
Kam Leiter
Josh Kyles
Brandon Williams
Left Tackle
Quarterback
Sam Landry
Nick Landry
Left Guard
Center
Anthony Capatina
Niko Palazeti
Matt Nicholas `10
Staff writer
500,000 pilgrims. 170 nations. One city.
Welcome to World Youth Day 2008, held in
Sydney, Australia.
We’re back to school now, and friends ask
me how my summer vacation was. Well,
“sweet” is a word, and “awesome” is a word,
but these words just don’t cut it.
My vacation was sweet and awesome and
a lot of other words too that can’t quite capture the amazing-ness (is that a word?) of the
whole ordeal.
No, no. “Ordeal” isn’t the right word, either. “Adventure” maybe. Or “epic journey.”
Or “pilgrimage.” Yeah, that’s the word.
What was it about Sydney that made it so
amazing? Was it being able to see the Southern Cross at night? Was it tenting out on a
frosty rugby field? (It was winter there, by
the way.) Was it tasting Australian foods like
lamingtons, or Vegemite? Or dipping my feet
in the Pacific Ocean? Or meeting the Pope?
These things were all great, but what made
them amazing was the people who shared it all
with me. There were, of course, the other 26
pilgrims from Holy Family Parish from Novi
who travelled with me.
But there were also the other half-million
people from all over the world who stayed in
Sydney with us.
“There were pilgrims from the Cook Islands, Tokelau, and Detroit surrounding us
in the cold tents every night,” said Emily, a
junior at Novi High, “It was amazing to see
people that could live just cities away, or continents away.”
And, of course, I met new people -- people
from all over the world -- like Sarabeth from
Georgia, Lawrencia from the Cook Islands,
and Raylyn from Western Australia.
No matter how cold the weather, no matter
how many toes were lost to frostbite, there’s
no place like Sydney. For two weeks, Sydney
was home for everyone.
“I was surrounded by people I had never seen before and will probably never see
again,” said Kate, a freshman at GVSU, “People from Korea, Italy, Jamaica, Columbia, and
other countries.”
And, as this 14-day celebration took place,
there was no animosity among people of different countries. Pilgrims from Egypt, Israel,
Iraq, Pakistan, India, and even Burma joined
hands, emphasizing our unity in the Church.
As Lawrencia from the Cook Islands told
me, “We are all family here!”
Center
Justin D’Agostino
Runningback
Butch Herzog
Mike Still
World Youth Day down under
Right Tackle
Jeff Sherman
Fullback
Eric Alamat
Right Guard
D-backs
Khaled Mheisen
Halfback
Jeff Sherman
Runningback Anthony Capatina dangles the defender in CC’s rout against Detroit Southeastern.
Defense
M
Right Guard
Mike Kinville
adej
Fast
Facts
Most toilets flush in E flat.
The average woman consumes about
6 lbs. of lipstick in her lifetime.
The Chicago Cubs haven’t won the
World Series in 100 years.
Morgantown becomes the largest
city in West Virginia when WVU
plays a home football game.
A golfball has 360 dimples.
By grade 12, you will have been in
school for 17,000 hours.
2 Editorials
McCain Versus Obama in 2008
Daniel F. Wardle `09
Staff writer
T
his year’s election offers us the
a challenging question: Do we
choose the safe, easy route,
or do we go out and actually
vote?
Of course we vote, but for whom? Barack Obama offers an exciting agenda, but
will it work? Can he get it done? John McCain offers 20 years of Senate experience
and a maverick attitude. He has rock- solid
foreign policy expertise, and a youthful
running mate with more judicial experience than either candidates.
McCain emerged from the recent Republican National Convention his old maverick self. He will no longer compromise his
values to garner conservative votes. His
main goal is to fight for an ethical government, reaching across party lines to get
things accomplished (because the Republicans have no hope of reaching a majority
in the House of Representatives). He is a
friend of freedom, enemy of terror.
John McCain has a solidly conservative agenda for the economy. He offers a
chance to re-live the Reagan era (a time
of inflation, stagnant growth, and debt).
He tells us he can create jobs and turn the
Spectrum Poll
Which political issue do you
perceive as the most important
in the upcoming November 2008
Presidential Election?
Brett Harrison `09
Guest writer
economy around. One McCain-Palin ad
points out that Obama will not be able to
help the Detroit auto industry because he
refuses to allow offshore drilling, a move
that would lower gas prices and spark auto
sales. Obama gives the liberal explanation
that “What I will not do, and this has always been my position, is to support a plan
that suggests this drilling is the answer to
our energy problems.” Come on, now. Everything must done to get cars out of the
showroom. If drilling is not part of the solution, is it part of the problem?
McCain has a solid plan for victory in
Iraq: Stay the course. The surge is working. Allow it to continue and Iraq will be
able to maintain order itself. Obama offers
us a “timeline for withdrawal.” You cannot put a timeline on freedom. You have
to let it spread its wings when it’s ready.
John McCain will also do more to win the
War in Afghanistan. He is a friend of wiretapping. He sees it as an essential tool for
fighting terror. I honestly agree with the
current President’s domestic surveillance
policy. It does save lives and we are in no
way inconvenienced.
70% Economy
9% Cost of Energy
8% National Security
8% Pro Life / Choice
3% Immigration Policy
2% Environmental Concerns
L
ike it or not, Barack Obama
is possibly the most exciting
leader in American politics
in the last 30 years. His message and masterful speaking style capture
crowds of thousands in a way reminiscent of JFK. Despite all this excitement,
many only know Barack Obama the way
he is portrayed in the media. The purpose
of this article is to cut through all the internet rumors and smear campaigns and
get to the core of his record.
Obama was raised in Hawaii by a
single mother. He worked hard in school
and attended Columbia University and
Harvard Law School. He then spent
years working as a community organizer
on the South Side of Chicago, where he
established job training programs for the
unemployed and helped kids break their
drug addictions and get back into the
classroom (a fact that the Republicans
found absolutely hilarious at their convention).
After several years in the Illinois state
legislature, Obama was elected to the
United States Senate in 2004. He reached
across the aisle to work with Dick Lugar
(R-IN) to pass a law that tracks loose nuclear weapons in the former Soviet Union. He
was the primary sponsor of a 2007 law that
exposed the federal budget in order to help
curb pork-barrel projects.
He even worked with John McCain to
pass ethics reform. The fact that Obama
has such an accomplished career in only a
few short years must come as a surprise to
many Americans who have been told by the
Republican mud-slinging-machine that he
has done nothing.
Obama has supported a bipartisan compromise bill that includes more drilling,
incentives for alternative energy, and a
windfall-profits tax on the oil companies.
His tax plan will bring cuts for 95% of all
Americans while raising them on the largest corporations. He supports a phased
withdrawal from Iraq and redeployment to
Afghanistan, is in favor of civil unions for
same-sex couples and is against the death
penalty.
So after all this only one question remains: Can America elect its first black
president?
Yes, we can!
Features: New Teachers 3
CC expands with ten new teachers
Mr. Gismondi
is a guitar collector.
His favorite is a Gibson
Les Paul Standard.
Mr. Leonard
is not that into video
games. The last time he
played, it was Pac-Man.
Mr. Schulte
enjoys shopping at
Kohl’s.
Mr. Herman
Ian Weichbrodt `11
Staff writer
A new year under way.
Another chance to learn.
Another chance to see the occasional lost
freshman who has no idea which class is
next.
But this year’s frosh aren’t the only ones
traversing our halls for the first time. Ten new
teachers also learning their way.
One isn’t exactly new to our school. His
name is Mr. Leonard and his son Andy is a recent CC grad. Mr. Leonard has been a teacher
for five years. Before that, he was associated
with the FBI. Now, instead of conducting federal investigations, Mr. Leonard is teaching
theology. When asked what was the coolest
thing he had ever done, he declared, “It’s classified.”
Mr. Bedard isn’t new to the CC family, either. He’s an alum from `96 and has taught for
six years. Being a math teacher isn’t the coolest thing he’s ever done. He’s lived the dream.
He has scuba dived in the Great Barrier Reef.
Our newest Spanish teacher, Ms. Carion,
is a 2008 graduate from U of M, Ann Arbor.
This is her first teaching post, and she has been
particularly impressed with Shamrock spirit.
Attempting to fill the shoes of Senor is not
an easy task for anyone. Although Senor was
actually a matador, Ms. Carion has at least
seen the running of the bulls in Pamplona.
Mr. Gismondi really doesn’t have a prob-
A+
lem expressing himself. As an English teacher
he definitely has the proper vocabulary. He
would much rather read than, say, shop. “I
would rather stab myself in the shoulder with
a fork than go shopping,” he said.
Mr. Gismondi has a unique skill: He’s
a guitar player and his band has opened for
Black Label Society in front of two thousand
people.
Mr. Klesko, a first year teacher in the theology department, is actually a candidate for the
rank of Brother in the Order of St. Lazarus, a
group that originated as a Leper hospital. He
said, “So, yes, I am a Knight, which is pretty
awesome.”
He’s also not afraid to admit that he’s recently engaged.
The English department has added experience by bringing in
Mr. Griffin, who has
been teaching for a total of nine years. He isn’t exactly new to the
CC family, either; he’s a `96 grad.
Other than returning to his Alma Mater, Mr.
Griffin is especially proud of completing the
2004 Detroit Marathon. With nerves of steel
from his skydiving experiences, he’s obviously not afraid to jump out of a plane. So
he’s not likely to be afraid to discipline sophomores, either.
Mr. Ryan is certainly a person with a diverse background. Before he was a teacher, he
had a 20 year stint as the president of Mechanical Dynamics, Inc. He’s not only authorized
to fly small aircraft, but he is also a licensed
scuba diver, avid sports photographer, tennis
fan, and skier. Last year, he taught at Rice, but
he split from there as soon as he could.
With his 20 years of experience, Mr.
Schulte is easily the veteran of this group. After his two decades in front of the class, he
says, “CC is the finest school I’ve ever taught
at.” He obviously has taste. However, he did
admit: “I had the opportunity to take a private
tour of the White House – only four people
in the group!” During the Bush Administration? Well, so much for
taste.
Ms. Levens is our
resident tech expert
among the new teachers. She lives and
breathes computers. Even her cookies have
chips -- chocolate chips, that is. She’s been
teaching computer courses for ten years.
When asked about the coolest thing she’s ever
done, she said “I beat expert on Guitar Hero
III (okay, just kidding).”
A 1998 alumnus, Mr. Herman has returned
to CC for the third time. He’s come out of
retirement more times than Michael Jordan. A
fan of videogames, Mr. H’s ultra-fav (or the
“grooviest,” as he would say) is Super Mario
Galaxy. He, too, is teaching in the theology
department.
A few of CC’s new teachers
(Clockwise) Mr. Bedard, Ms. Carion,
Mr. Klesko, Ms. Levens (and fans),
and Mr. Griffin.
notes that his all-time
favorite sports team is our
very own Shamrocks.
Mr. Ryan
has hiked the Great
Wall of China.
4 Homecoming Court
2008 Homecoming Court
Bianca Pomponio
Jenna Mizzi
Katie Conely
Carly Francavilla
Kelly Cubr
Melissa Torok
Six girls with spirit, intelligence, and good looks
Scott Sansovich `09
Editor-in-chief
The Boys’ Bowl assembly is easily the most
climactic event in the entire school year.
Sure, the Drive is huge, but it cannot compare to the bombardment of the senses that is
the assembly.
The crashing of cymbals. The clapping of
hands. The jostling of shoulders. A month’s
worth of high-fives. The overwhelming sight
of the signs. The artistic power of the mural.
The hilarity of the videos. The chemical smell
of full-body, blue and white, war paint.
And, oh, what’s this? The sweet lingering
scent of perfume. It alone is enough to make a
frosh weak in the knees.
Of course, these ladies are out of his league,
but we’ll let him dream, with his little heart
pitter-pattering all the way up to his failure of
a pick-up line.
Better luck next time, buddy.
And since we can’t rely on this little guy to
carry on a conversation with any of the members of this year’s Homecoming Court, we’ve
done the work for him.
Just a day after they received the good news
of their acceptance onto the Court, we summoned them back to the school to get these
lovely pictures taken and to ask them a few
questions.
While a little timid at first, the six girls did
not fail to express their excitement about being on the Court.
We asked some mundane questions, I have
to admit. “What’s your favorite color?” we
asked.
Most replied either pink or blue (none of
whom replied with orange). Smart move.
Mercy junior Jenna Mizzi, however, offered an intriguing answer. “Lavender,” she
said. Well, that sounds. . . clean -- an adjective
to which most sophomores cannot relate, let
Editors-in-chief
Spectrum
Staff
Scott Sansovich
Edwin David
alone spell. She is on the Quiz Bowl team and
loves to knit. Hmm, I wonder if Mr. Jones
would like a new knit purple sweater?
Speaking of intelligence, the Court has been
blessed with brains as well as beauty. Kelly
Cubr `10 is a member of Mercy’s Science
Club. She’s also a sweetheart. She volunteers
at her church and loves spending time with her
family.
Mercy senior Bianca Pomponio, who, thank
God, looks nothing like her twin brother Joe,
has visited Berlin with her synchronized figure
skating team. She’s been training for 14 years,
hoping to participate in the Olympics.
Melissa Torok, a senior from Ladywood,
enjoys showing horses, a commitment that
takes up much of her time. This beautiful girl
no doubt thanks herself everyday that she is
dating someone very, very special: me.
Carly Francavilla, currently dating our own
Jamie Morris, in an active commercial model,
who has worked countless hours in Chicago.
Managing Editor
Staff Writers
Dave Cobb
Nick Guerriero
Shane Joychan
Rahul Kodali
Steve LaRouere
Matt Nicholas
Neil Nypaver
Matt Thompson
Richard Thompson
Ian Weichbrodt
John Worth
Photographer
Anthony Thibodeau
Associate Editor
Daniel Wardle
She has lettered in two varsity sports, is in the
Techno Club, figure skates in ice shows, and
is running for Human Relations Council at
Mercy. How could she possibly have enough
time to take all those pictures of herself and
Jamie and post them online?
Most of the girls participate in a sport, but
Mercy junior Katie Conely plays in three:
cross country, skiing, and lacrosse. She also
is a member of the Pro-Life Club at her school
and works as a lifeguard.
Perhaps the most impressive trait is their
dedication to service, both in school and in
their communities.
Lastly, we asked the girls about what they
thought to be the best aspect of Catholic Central football. With one exception, they showed
their admiration for the spirit of the student
section. Make it loud, boys. That’s what the
women want.
Advisor
Mr. Petrovich
Q: “What do
you like most
about CC
football?”
A: Melissa
Torok: “Scott
Sansovich.”
(Um, I don’t
play football)
-- Scott
5 Boys’ Bowl
A blast from the past
Phobia hangs
with his posse
Phobia `29
Ghost writer
The other day, before school started, when
a case of the midday munchies brought me to
my favorite Tim Horton’s spot, I, Phobia, had
a little blast from the past.
Imagine my surprise as I went through the
double doors, an apple fritter and iced cappuccino on my mind, spying none other than the
legendary posse of greatness: Messers. Scheuermann, Madej, Maestro, Jimbo, and Senor
Bartolome. So, I thought, this is where old CC
teachers go to die . . . I mean dine.
Sitting around a table of rich mahogany
laminate, these epic legends were engaged in
a heated discussion on the great athletes of the
past.
Mr. Madej said, pointing his finger, “Let
me tell you something. The world will never
know such athletic prowess and pure skill as
that of Joe Dimaggio. He was one baaaaaaad
dude.”
Maest replied, “C’mon, Joltin’, Mays was
the greastest. But, my precious, let’s roll the
dice of Jesus to find out who’s right and who’s
just an American Hero.”
Scheuermann, going off on a Hellenic tangent, replied, “In the noble verses of Pindar
. . .”
“Did’ya just say Pinhead, Bob,” Jimbo interrupted.
“No, James,” said Mr. Scheuermann in a
condescending tone. “I’m referring to the
epic poet Pindar, who in his Olympian Odes,
which were quite the thrill, wrote of the --”
It was then that I noticed the bulging
duffle bag at the feet of Mr. Madej, stuffed to
the brim with squealing freshmen that he was
eager to use as ammo for his late night dwarftossing extravaganza.
Mr. Scheuermann, the great deity of education, exclaimed, “You know, Joseph, back in
the 5th century BC, the festivities of dwarftossing were actually quite the feat, achieving
the Greek ideal of balancing both the mind
and the body.”
“That’s absolutely right, Bob,” Jimbo
chimed in, recalling his knowledge of ancient
Greek life.
Mr. Madej, enthralled by the new knowledge he had just gained, decided it was time
for a little pre-toss warm up as he
grabbed the smallest looking frosh out
of his bag and hurled him through the
double doors into oblivion.
Of course, this was much to the dismay of Senor, who cried out, “C’moan,
mayne, why you do dat?”
Maest seemed to be having a blast,
listening attentively, but who never really looked up from the “special websites” on his laptop.
“Oooh, you know dese verbs?” Senor asked, while leaning over Maest’s
shoulder.
Rossi responded with: “Senor, let’s
take a look at the clock. What time
is it? Yes, my son, it’s time to listen
to the Maestro. And you need to get
away from my desk.”
This went on all morning. I couldn’t
help but wonder half-aloud why the
Fab Five bothered to meet every single
school day of the year if all they did
was argue.
Jimbo overheard me and blurted,
“Hell, I don’t know.”
Dear Editor,
Dear Editor,
claims to
teacher who
My son has ahis teacher has traded in
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l
ai
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n
ai
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tic competitio s each day
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gym. He goes life. His teacer doesn’t
fearing for his; he enforces it. Is his
teach Englishbeing hampered? Is there
education is can be done?
anything that
I am a freshman here at CC. I love
the spirit at the school, but I’m getting
a little tired of always being treated like
a little brother. My teacher, Mr. Polzin,
said that I had to be 5 feet tall to take
a math test. My mommy said I’m fine
the way I am. Will I ever be tall enough
to pass this class?
Grendel’s Mom
Four-foot Frosh
The Assembly
Nick Guerriero `11
Staff writer
Dear Editor,
My son has a gr
While being stuffeeat fear of the dark.
terday in the seni d into a locker yesheard that during or hallway, he oversembly, the lights the Boys’ Bowl asIs this true? Are ot would be turned out.
her children afraid
the dark?
of
The end of September means many things
around Catholic Central.
We’re getting up earlier. Sports and their
grueling practices are under way. School is in
full swing. And deficiencies have been sent
home. On a lighter note; however, it is also
time for Boys’ Bowl.
This is the most anticipated time at CC during the Fall. It is the official “Welcome Back”
to school after a great summer. A week of
festivities closes with an exciting assembly
and is followed by a weekend of football and
dancing.
Boys’ Bowl begins a number of “firsts” here
at school. Homecoming is the first formal
dance of the year. It is also the first time the
freshmen experience the first of four years of
amazing pep assemblies.
In short, Boys’ Bowl undeniably sets the
Mommy in Milford
P.S. He’s also afra
id of loud
noises.
providing
cable television
high speed internet
digital phone
tone for the rest of the year.
All across the school, the spirit can be seen.
From the signs in the gym to the eating contests in the cafeteria, CC fever is contagious.
Who can forget the signs, skits, and inspiring mural at the first major assembly of
the year? The main event of the Boys’ Bowl
weekend; however, is the football game.
Last year, our team came out strong and met
the challenge, defeating the highly favored Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Eaglets at home. After
a very good showing against Detroit Southeastern and St. Thomas Aquinas, the team
looks ready to take on the Catholic League.
The famous Boys’ Bowl assembly gets our
football team hyped to battle whichever poor
team stands in its way. Last year, fresh from
a great Boys’ Bowl victory, the Shamrocks
proceeded to make a deep run into the state
playoffs.
Junior Pat MacDonell summed up the
thoughts of many CC students, “Boys’ Bowl is
the greatest time around here. People get into
the spirit of the game and it really shows what
CC is all about.”
your community partner
1-866-898-9101
proudly supports
The Catholic Central
Shamrocks
6 Entertainment
“Burn After Reading”:
Classic Coen
Neil Nypaver `11
Staff writer
George Clooney and Francis McDormand play a couple of dimwits in the latest from the Coen brothers.
Taking my seat in the almost empty movie
theater (not many people at the movies on
Monday afternoon), looking like a stud with
my pen and notebook, I fully expected “Burn
After Reading” to be a dopey comedy with
Brad Pitt doing jumping jacks as the main
source of humor.
It was much more complex than I ever expected. In fact, the movie was typical of the
directors’ (the Coen brothers) very clever
use of eccentric characters who can (and do)
stumble into terrible situations without even
realizing it.
The movie really becomes interesting when
very different characters collide in a series of
events that show how even sophisticated people like a CIA analyst and a Princeton graduate can have their lives completely ruined by
an accidental event involving typical American idiots.
The actual plot surrounds the aging CIA analyst, Osbourne (played by John Malkovich),
with an anger management problem. He is
suddenly fired. After an explosive blow up
with his boss, he miserably decides to write a
memoir of his experience at his job (including
what he believes are very important secrets).
His wife’s character is cold-hearted andcould not care less about him. She is secretly
having an affair with George Clooney’s char-
acter. On top of this, she is preparing to divorce him. In the process of retrieving her
husband’s bank accounts for a divorce attorney, Osbourne’s wife accidentally copies his
memoir as well.
The lawyer’s secretary unknowingly leaves
the CD files on the floor of a gym locker-room
where two upbeat but dumb personal trainers,
Linda (Francis McDormand) and Chad (Brad
Pitt) find it and believe they have discovered
top secret CIA information. Things get out of
control when these two dimwits try to blackmail Osborne to pay for Linda’s dream cosmetic surgery.
The previews do not do justice to the movie.
While the characters are certainly funny, the
plot is definitely not. Many scenes contain
dark humor and sudden graphic violence,
which is typical for the Coen brothers (“No
Country for Old Men,” “Fargo,” “Oh Brother,
Where Art Thou”).
The Coens are masters at portraying strange
characters in sometimes shocking yet believable situations. Pitt is hilarious, a half wit
personal trainer who quickly finds himself in
over his head.
“Burn After Reading” is a showcase of
some talented actors caught up in a story with
twists that leave you laughing one minute and
in shock the next.
Overall, it was a very entertaining movie,
but if you’re not sharp, this may not be your
type of film.
This is the fourth annual senior group shot taken by Mr. Rossi since the school moved to Novi.
Brothers’ Club: A behind-the-scenes look
Steve LaRouere `09
Staff writer
Unity, brotherhood, spirit. These are
words that may seem to be tossed around all
the time at Catholic Central. Although we
hear about the unity of the student body on
a constant basis, it cannot be talked about
enough.
In 2003, Mr. Hayes created the Brothers’
Club in order to promote school spirit. Since
then, the Brothers’ Club has grown into the
most attended club in the school.
As Mr. Lewis reads morning announcements on the PA, many students may wonder
what actually happens every Wednesday in
the stage room at these mysterious Brothers’
Club meetings. Being one of these curious
students, I decided to find out.
The next Wednesday morning, I found
myself getting out of my car at a staggering
7:20, at least forty-five minutes earlier than
any sane senior should be entering school.
Surprisingly, I was not the only student getting to school at this time of day. Of course,
I saw Shane Joychan, who had been studying at his locker for at least an hour by now.
But I also encountered football captains, quiz
bowlers, and undersized freshmen all migrating down the hall towards the cafeteria. I decided to follow.
Expecting only a few of my peers to be
in attendance at the meeting, I was shocked
to see an overflowing room of people stuffing their faces with doughnuts and chocolate
muffins. “Free food,” I thought, “there’s
one good reason to wake up fifteen minutes
early.”
Then, a towering figure entered the door,
and the room immediately quieted down. Instead of seeing the usually intimidating Mr.
Hayes we are all accustomed to, he opened
things up by joking around with some of the
sophomores.
After a few minutes of casual conversation,
the club jumped into discussion about purchasing belt buckles displaying the Brothers’
Club crest and organizing a 3v3 basketball
tournament. After deciding on plain silver
for the buckles and an October date for the
tournament, the meeting came to a close.
I looked up at the clock, and it was only
7:45! The club accomplished more than
most do in a few hours and still gave me
enough time to finish the math homework
that I saved to do before the bell.
“We’ve got big things planned for this
year,” said an enthusiastic Mr. Hayes. “We
already had Mass at the football stadium, and
plan to host more events of the like. Also,
we have an intramural basketball tournament
in the works for some time in the near future. All of the proceeds that we get from
events like these go to causes related to CC,
like helping pay the tuition for a student who
can’t afford it or helping out a family who
has a sick parent.”
The Brothers’ Club boasts a membership
of over 1,000 students. Most students may
not know it, but meetings are held every
day all around the school. All it takes is one
Shamrock helping another, whether it be with
homework or with a personal matter.
Every Catholic Central student is an official member, whether they wake up early on
Wednesdays or not.
Brothers’ Club
Activities
All-school Mass held in the stadium, Sunday,
August 24th
Intramural basketball tournament
New tutoring program every Tueday in the library -- name your subject
Spring pingpong tournament for juniors
7 Features
Soccer program gives CC reason to cheer
Snyder and Dube lead
team, state
Rahul Kodali `11
Staff writer
At 6-3-3, this year’s soccer team attributes part of its success to team unity. They also give credit to the
CC cheering section, voted #1 in the state by the Detroit Free Press.
The season opening invitational at Forest
Hills Central may be an indication as to how
this years’ varsity tennis team will fare.
Out of the eight participating teams, CC finished 3rd.
The Shamrocks are obviously loaded with
talent. But the only thing that matters is: “Can
they win it all?”
Their first place finish at the Romeo Invitational suggests that when they pull together
they can beat anybody in the state. They furthered this point by easily dismissing 6-time
regional champ DeLaSalle. Defending state
champion Joe Dube `11 and senior captain
Jack Snyder both won their matches in the finals 6-0, 6-0 each.
CC continued it dominance against the Blue
Devils of Grosse Pointe South winning 5-3.
Once again the Shamrocks were led by the
dominance of Dube and Snyder.
Commenting on Dube, Snyder said, “I believe Joe is the best player in the state. No
matter how good of an opponent Joe faces, he
has the ability to break them down.”
The team then took stormed 1st at Essexville-Garber Invitational. They demolished
highly-ranked Midland Dow along the way.
The next test for the Shamrocks was a
match-up against the perennial powerhouse
and the #1 team in the state: Ann Arbor Pioneer.
Pioneer was projected to overpower the
Shamrocks, but not if Joe Dube had anything
to say about it as he toppled his opponent 6-0,
6-1, and CC won the match 6-2.
Dube is undefeated at 15-0.
Tennis
Line-up
#1 Singles
Joe Dube
#2 Singles
Jack Snyder
#3 Singles
Willy Wilson
#4 Singles
Eric Guindi
#1 Doubles
Young Tae Kim
Brandon Kosinski
#2 Doubles
Kevin Hodges
Zach Wisniewski
#3 Doubles
Nick Petrucci
Robbie Guindi
#4 Doubles
Derek Turowski
Patrick Bowers
photo by Mr. Ryan
Tom O’Rourke, class of `52, honored
Olympic cyclist offers insights on
what it means to be a Shamrock
KC Perlberg `10
Staff writer
Whenever a group of alumni converges on
27225 Donoher Drive, the same things happen.
As they make their way down the gymnasium corridor, they marvel at the spectacular visual documentation along the Walls of Fame.
Then they inevitably walk on the crest and
are bewildered at the startled reaction of the
onlookers. But since they are alums, it only
takes a second for the realization to hit.
Such was the scene on Thursday, September 18th, as numerous faces from CC’s present
and past congregated to celebrate the 2nd Annual Hall of Fame dinner.
Sitting in the gym that night was one of
those alumni: Tom O’Rourke `52.
O’Rourke is the definition of an all-purposeathlete, competing in a myriad of sports ranging from speed skating, boxing (at CC), skiing
(in which he earned numerous national and
international accolades), and cycling (which
earned him a spot on the 1952 Olympic team
in Helsinki, Finland).
As a graduate of the class of `52, O’Rourke
belonged to an era of CC history scarcely
heard of today.
To put it in perspective, this year our school
will play its 64th Boys’ Bowl. When O’Rourke
was a senior, CC played its 9th.
“There were 40,000 people at that game,”
recalls O’Rourke, who was part of the last
student body to attend the Belmont Ave. campus and was in the first class to graduate from
Outer Drive.
So, has CC changed much since those
days?
O’Rourke and his good friend Ken Stuligross `54 think not. “It’s not the building,”
Stuligross said. “It’s the school.” They attribute this quite strongly to the Basilians, who
have kept the school alive over the years.
“The Basilians taught me to think independently,” added O’Rourke.
Both grads agree that the location, people,
and traditions of CC can change, but the CC
difference will remain the same.
Even the school colors haven’t always been
the royal blue and white we so proudly don
today. Stuligross revealed that, back in 1952,
the Shamrocks wore the proud blue and gold.
He then entertained his table with a rousing
chorus of the CC fight song from the 1950’s,
which is not the same one we clap along to
today.
What is that CC difference?
O’Rourke explained, “You feel that when
you qualify to come to Catholic Central, you
are at a level above the average person, and,
as such, you’re going to perform at that level.
You will not accept mediocrity.”
He added, “There are no mediocre kids at
this school. They get filtered out. So now,
you’re moving with a crowd that doesn’t think
like the average person.”
This is a fact which O’Rourke claimed,
“. . . forces you to accept the one thing that
comes to the bottom line, and that is: If it’s
going to be, it’s up to me.”
It became evident over the course of the
evening that the above phrase has come to define this Olympian’s life.
To current Shamrocks, he says, “You are
in a position find yourself by being in a place
with firmly-defined principles.”
He also implores Shamrocks to remember
that “right is right, and wrong is wrong. CC
takes the confusion of life and gives you direction. This school establishes a moral compass
by which to live your life.”
So, from a US Olympian at age 17 to a millionaire in the business world, Tom O’Rourke
knows quite well that the marks of a Shamrock are traits that, throughout life, can lead
and prepare one from whatever he may have
to face.
According to O’Rourke, “If there’s one
thing a Shamrock knows when he receives his
diploma, one thing that will follow him his
whole life, it’s that ‘if it’s going to be, it’s up
to me.”
Shamstock: CC’s own
twist on Woodstock
John Worth II `10
Staff writer
On Friday, September 26th,
from 7-11 pm, both the football stadium and the stadium
parking lot will host the first
ever CC Shamstock.
The Dads’ Club will be
cooking up burgers and dogs,
but there will definitely not
be “special” herbs and spices.
This is not, after all, the real
Woodstock.
This Student Council event,
created to replace the bonfire,
is open to all CC students, and
the admission is free.
A flag football tournament,
held inside the stadium, will
kick off the night.
Mr. Duffourc is in charge of
re-introducing the car show of
previous years. (Maybe he’ll
unveil his new, tricked-out
Mini Cooper.)
As always, students will
have the opportunity to showcase their rides, too. This isn’t
going to be just two hours of
the Duff-Mobile circling the
track.
And, oh, did we mention
the food is free?
About 10 pm, DJ Shane
Butwill `10 will crank up the
bass ‘til closing time.
But the highlight of the
evening has to be the live
music.
First, CCB brings back
three grads and Chris Kaszuba.
Next, The Uncalled For
will perform. Their personnel includes seniors Ronnie
Marsh and Evan Garber.
Closing the show will be
The Rising Crisis, which
consists of Shaun Sova,
Buck Neal, Louie Ronayne,
and Scott Sansovich.
This year’s Shamstock
just might put Woodstock to
shame
Live music
provided by:
Cherry Citrus
Beverage
The Rising Crisis
The Uncalled For
8 Spirit
Show
some
spirit!
Brian
Buck
and
Sez:
Seniors Brian Kassa and Buck Neal show their
pride while a four-foot frosh looks on.
photos by Thibodeau
CC student know when to get crazy and when to “show some respect.”
Spirit thrives on
Donoher Drive
Matt Thompson `11
Staff writer
Spirit.
If there is one school that embodies this
word, it’s Catholic Central.
Reaching back to 1928, CC’s rich tradition
is no mystery.
However, the spirit of CC does not live in
the past; it makes new strides every day.
This year, CC’s spirit is thriving more than
ever. After only about six weeks into the
school year, we have already been voted the
best high school soccer cheering section by
the Detroit Free Press and the MHSAA.
New cheers, such as the “roller coaster” and
the “Cen-tral” cheers, have also been a huge
success.
Our incredible football student section has
reached new heights of spirit, with more mosh
pits and body paint than ever.
I guess all this spirit is just driving the girls
crazy, as was made evident at our first dance.
Some waited in line an hour and a half before the dance.
With over 700 girls, feverish with anticipation and squealing in pleasure, we just couldn’t
take them all in at one time.
What a shame.
While CC spirit is always ahead of the competition, our pride is shown through the singing of the Alma Mater after every game.
This year’s freshmen class has been able to
clearly see what CC spirit is all about.
Just wait until Boys’ Bowl, kiddies.
Perhaps, our feelings can be shown only in
poetic verse:
CC pride, 1, 2, 3.
CC pride, do, re, mi.
Our school spirit is evident in many areas including the new spirit shirts and spirit shades.
Over 700 girls from everywhere descended on CC for the first dance of the year.