Have you ever thought about being an on air talent for college radio? Bearcast, The University of Cincinnati’s Student Internet Radio Station, is holding auditions at the end of February! If you are new or returning, we welcome you!

For new DJs you will need to bring:

- Your UC ID, winter class schedule, and 5 time slots that you could broadcast in. Each time slot is 2 hours and shows are scheduled from 10am to 2am.

- An idea for a show! It doesn’t have to be perfect, just have an imagination.  Your show can be all music, all talk, or a little of both, just be sure you have a clear direction.

- A personality.  On air talent has to be able to keep the listeners attention!

- You don’t have to be in Electronic Media to have a show on Bearcast, you just have to be a UC student!

For returning DJs you will need to bring more information than previous auditions. You must bring:

- A full show description, written in 3rd person — (This is what you would put on the website. It’s an overview of what someone would hear on your show)

- Your winter quarter class schedule, UC ID, and 5 time slots that you want.

- Potential Segments for your show — (This is radio. You show should have some sort of structure to it to keep listeners entertained. For example, if you are auditioning for a sports specialty show you could do a re-cap segment on college basketball for the previous weeks. Or you could have a music segment focused on remakes. Be innovative.)

- Set list of potential first show music, or topics of talk — (A set list of music that you would play on your show OR a list of topics that relates to your show)

- Liners in between music OR list of topics of talk elaborations — (Liner example: Welcome back listeners! You just heard Kids by MGMT, next up is College by Blink 182, you’re listening to bearcast. If you’re auditioning for a talk show, elaborate on your topics and be prepared to talk about them. Be original.)

Times:

Monday Feb. 27 : 3pm-5:30pm

Tuesday Feb. 28 : 2pm-5pm

Wednesday Feb. 29 : 3pm-5pm

Thursday Mar. 1 : 3pm-5:30pm

Friday Mar. 2 : 12pm-3pm

Saturday Mar. 3 : By appointment

Auditions will be held in room 2217 Mary Emery Hall. Please set aside 30 minutes for your audition. Also, please DO NOT wait until the last minute to audition. If these times do not work for you or if you have any questions, email programming@bearcastradio.com and we will set up a time that does work.

Stephanie Bowman

Programming Director of Bearcast Radio

programming@bearcastradio.com

The NBA is a like a corny magic act, a lot of smoke and bang, but no real substance. College basketball is like David Blaine, a lot of smoke and bang, but the magic is real. OK, so maybe not completely. But even as it stands, people still don’t always give college basketball a chance. Maybe its because certain schools seem to get the best players year after year. Maybe its because fans wait with held breathe for polls that don’t change a thing. Maybe its because the best players to step onto college courts are often gone after a year. Whatever the flaw may be, college basketball is still much more entertaining.

Take the Duke at North Carolina game. Carolina is up by two with 7 seconds to play. Duke’s Austin Rivers (son of the great Celtics coach Doc Rivers) dribbles up the backcourt, rushes past the screen, looking for the open man. He sees his moment of opportunity with 1.2 seconds left on the clock. The ball leaves his hands, the backboard turns red, the ball goes in, nothing but net. The camera pans over the student section, still as stone, some students littered around are actually crying. CRYING. Getting a college guy to tear up takes a lot of work, as much work as making a game winning buzzer beater. Save the UNC fans, if you didn’t get goose bumps watching that shot go in, you need to check your pulse. Furthermore, if you ever see an NBA fan crying after a regular season loss, please let me know.

But even with all the excitement with the great teams of the nation matching up, there are still those hold outs that prefer NBA to NCAA. First off, there is certainly more talent on the court during a Heat-Celtics game than any NCAA game (Kentucky playing or not). But the NBA doesn’t play defense, players get fouled out after six fouls rather than five, and regulation lasts eight minutes longer. With college basketball you better gear up for forty minutes of heart-pounding, gritty basketball where in some cases, Anthony Davis, defense can be more exciting than offense.

I don’t want to take anything away from the NBA; I guess the reason I’m so biased is that I never grew up watching it.  But I did grow up watching Sesame Street, yet I’m not still tuning into that one every week. True the NBA has a lot of sparkle and pizzazz, but so does your little sister’s Bedazzled jeans, and you don’t want to try those on.

If you are a lover of the NBA (meaning you probably love WWE: Smackdown too) I have nothing against you, and furthermore this article was not written to call out your evil ways and covert you to the college arena. After all the satire has settled, I still respect the NBA. I respect a forty-year-old man trying to run up and down a court because they told him he was good 15 years ago. I respect not wanting to play defense because it requires too much effort. I even respect that fact that watching an NBA game is a lot like watching a ping-pong match. All and all, the NBA just isn’t for me. I would much rather stick with NCAA basketball, a place where the best players play with it all, play in their prime, and play to have fun.

I will be the first to admit that I am not the biggest fan of Chris Brown’s music. I find it unoriginal, trite and predictable. This of course is not a crime; it is simply a matter of preference.

Beating the daylights out of another human being (say, your girlfriend), however, is a crime. In 2009, Chris Brown beat Rihanna so savagely that she landed in the hospital. Rather than react with outrage (as many of my friends and I did), the media and other celebrities went silent, then hesitantly uttered statements that ranged from noncommittal (“how can anyone know what really happened?”) to a sort of hesitant defense of Chris Brown (Mary J. Blige: “They’re both young and beautiful people, and that’s it.”). Legally Chris Brown is on probation through 2014, but it seems that his fans and his peers are willing to declare his debt paid to society long before that.

Now Chris Brown is slated to perform at the Grammys, and the question being asked (most well-articulated in the hellogiggles.com article listed below) is why on earth is everyone okay with this? The message the Grammys is sending is something along the lines of, we do not really care what the man does to the women in his life, as long as he is young and beautiful and his record sales are good. Women do not matter; they are inconsequential next to the greatness of this man and his career.

This sort of double standard is nothing new. Think of Lindsay Lohan. The girl has been vilified and ridiculed for goodness-knows-how-long. Of course she has made bad decisions. Her decline in popularity and rise as an object of derision is a testament to that. But my point is that if Lindsay Lohan was a young man constantly in and out of rehab, more people would be tripping over themselves to make excuses for his reckless behavior, as they have done for Michael Fassbender and Nicholas Cage. Never heard of their domestic abuse charges? Not surprising.

Remember Charlie Sheen? “Tiger blood” and all that? He made the same mistakes as Lindsay Lohan. Instead of being shunned and spat upon like a total disappointment, he was treated like an eccentric, like someone you simply shake your head at and mutter bemusedly, “oh, Charlie.” At this point he has risen to some sort of mythical status, a cocaine-snorting hooker-banging utterly masculine force of nature. And what is Lindsay Lohan? A Jeff Dunham joke—Achmed the (skeletal) Dead Terrorist’s disguise when passing through security at the airport is to pop up and yell, “helloooo! I’m Lindsay Lohan!”

We have an unfortunate tendency to put famous people on pedestals. When they fail to live up to our private expectations, we are left scrambling to understand why. This is not to imply that we should make more excuses for female celebrities who make bad decisions—but rather that we should require all celebrities, the people we look up to, to own their actions. To take responsibility for what they do. And, should they fail to do this, the institutions that support them should not continue to do so.

I will not be watching the Grammys this year.

Sources:

http://hellogiggles.com/im-not-okay-with-chris-brown-performing-at-the-grammys-and-im-not-sure-why-you-are

http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/45223583.html

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-04-16/gossip/29461313_1_domestic-abuse-critical-acclaim-tmz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEI5js4RCpc

Last weekend a tightly packed crowd gathered around the stage at The Underground for the Battle of the Bands finals. It’s clear to see that The Underground’s Battle of the Bands is becoming a big jumping off point for local bands trying to get their name out. The 4 bands battling for the first place prize all come from a different genre and made for an interesting night. After a performance and judges critique of each band, the Loveland hardcore band, Achilles Descent, emerged as the victor. They took the stage a final time to wield a giant check to the number of $4,000, just one of the many things they took home as prizes.

[Show as slideshow]

Last Week

• @ #19 Marquette, L, 95-78
• vs. Providence, W, 81-66

This Week

• Saturday, vs. Seton Hall, 4:00 p.m.
• Thursday, vs. #18 Louisville, 9:00 p.m.

The Good

• The Bearcats quick start in conference play has fizzled out. However, they still hold an 8-5 record in the Big East.
• They have two road wins over teams ranked in the RPI Top 25 (at Georgetown, at Connecticut).
• The ‘Cats 3-3 record over RPI Top 50 teams is solid.
• The selection committee will also look highly upon UC’s 6-4 road record overall.
• UC is also well rated in the advanced metrics ratings. The Bearcats are 41st in the Pomeroy Ratings, 45th in the Sagarin Ratings, and 49th in the LRMC Ratings.

The Bad

• UC is currently rated 89 in the RPI, according to realtimeRPI.com. No teams have received an at-large bid to the tournament with an RPI of 70 or lower since 2004.
• UC’s non-conference strength of schedule is rated 330 out of 344 NCAA Division I teams.
• Three losses to teams ranked outside of the RPI Top 100 aren’t helping the Bearcats argument for inclusion. The November 19 loss at home to Presbyterian (RPI 249) is an eye sore, as are losses at Rutgers (RPI 139) and at home to St. Johns (RPI 144).

The Outlook

• Last week’s result did not hurt or help the Bearcats Case. UC missed a chance at a tournament bid-sealing win at Marquette, but dropping a game against an RPI Top 15 team on the road isn’t a killer. The ‘Cats held serve at home and beat Providence. The Bearcats have two opportunities at quality wins this week when they host Seton Hall and Louisville. Seton Hall is a bubble team and Louisville is ranked in the Top 25 of the RPI. If UC wins both, it could move into lock territory. Losing both would be a major deterrent to its tournament chances.
• According to the The Bracket Project, an internet bracket projection database, the Bearcats are included in 31 of the 60 bracket projections they’ve collected. The Bearcats average seed in those projections is 12, however they are listed as one of the first four teams left out of the field. Clearly, the ‘Cats have some work to do.

The Weekend Rooting Guide

Because of the Bearcats position on the bubble, it wouldn’t hurt for some other teams close to their position to lose. Listed below is who you should be rooting for this week, in order to help the Bearcats.

Saturday, February 18

• Wake Forest at Miami, 1:00 p.m., ESPN3.com
  • Root for: Wake Forest
  • Last week, Miami dropped two close games to ACC leaders Florida State and North Carolina. Losing to awful Wake Forest would kill Miami’s tournament hopes.

• Florida State at NC State, 1:00 p.m., ESPN3.com
  • Root for: Florida State
  • NC State blew a 20 point second half lead at Duke on Thursday night. They have a golden opportunity to pick up a huge win against the 21-ranked Seminoles.
• Oklahoma at Iowa State, 1:30 p.m., ESPN3.com
  • Root for: Oklahoma
  • Iowa State is still looking for a signature road win. They lost at Baylor on Monday. The Cyclones must beat Oklahoma at home to remain on the bubble.
• Tennessee at Alabama, 1:30 p.m., ESPN3.com
  • Root for: Tennessee
  • Alabama has had a tumultuous past two weeks. They’ve suspended four top players and lost two straight games. The Crimson Tide desperately needs to beat Tennessee.
• Arizona at Washington, 3:00 p.m., FS Ohio
  • Root for: Toss Up
  • Both teams find themselves on the bubble and both teams would be hurt with a loss. Either result will likely mean the same thing for UC.
• Saint Joseph’s at George Washington, 4:00 p.m.
  • Root for: George Washington
  • Saint Joseph’s is a marginal bubble team and most likely will need to win out to have any shot at an at-large bid. Losing at GW would end their tournament hopes.
• Fordham at Saint Louis, 4:00 p.m.
  • Root for: Fordham
  • Saint Louis is on solid footing right now, however a loss to Fordham would be a disaster.
• Texas at Oklahoma State, 4:00 p.m., ESPN3.com
  • Root for: Oklahoma State
  • Texas needs any road win it can get and can’t afford a loss to average OK State.
• Illinois at Nebraska, 5:00 p.m., Big Ten Network
  • Root for: Nebraska
  • Illinois owns wins over Michigan State and Ohio State, however still finds itself on the bubble. Losing to Nebraska would not be good.
• Dayton at Xavier, 8:00 p.m., CBS Sports Network
  • Root for: Dayton
  • Xavier’s tournament hopes would be all but dashed with a loss to the Flyers. Dayton can work its way back on the bubble, but it’s a long shot at this point.

Steve Bohné is the Bearcast Sports Director.

Top Movies of 2011

Drive

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Albert Brooks, and Brian Cranston

Widely overlooked, Drive was my favorite film of the year.  In a very busy year for Ryan Gosling, this was his best work.  While rocking quite possibly the greatest jacket of all time, Gosling plays a passionate yet silent and mysterious stunt man/get-away driver.  Drive is a refreshingly unique and edgy film that packs a punch, or should I say, a kick to the face…

Beginners

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Melanie Laurent, Christopher Plummer, and a talking dog

While many will see Beginners as a typical silly rom-com with dreamy Ewan McGregor, it is far from that.  Happy, sad, funny, beautiful, clever, sweet…do I really need to go on?  Featuring McGregor as he searches for a love that he won’t push away, a homosexual (and fabulous!) Christopher Plummer as McGregor’s father, and a confused Melanie Laurent as McGregor’s love interest, Beginners chronicles the history of all types of                                                                                                                love.  Oh, and there’s a talking dog!

The Adventures of Tintin

Featuring: Jamie Bell, Daniel Craig, and Andy Serkis

Perhaps it is my childhood love of the Tintin series that helped push this to the upper echelons of my list, because I’m certain it has nothing to do with the fact that this is one of the best animated films I have ever seen…Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson make the magic of Tintin come alive with brilliant animation as they stick unbelievably close to the original story.  It also features a talking dog…

Honorable Mentions of 2011

Chances are you (and the Academy) missed these movies too.  If that’s the case, add them to your mental queue!

Melancholia

Featuring: Kirsten Dunst, Charollete Gainsbourg, and Kiefer Sutherland

I think you can judge by the title of this film that it is not a happy story. Kirsten Dunst is really creepy and Kiefer Sutherland, for once, is a wuss that you will come to absolutely hate.  While it features the most beautiful cinematography of the year, Melancholia can leave you feeling incredibly empty.  Sounds fun, right!?!

Shame

Featuring: Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan

Don’t let the threat of male genitalia being wagged in your face scare you away from this movie.  Or maybe that will get you interested…either way, go see this movie!  Michael Fassbender is great as an unfulfilled sex addict who has his unique way of life interrupted when his sister comes to live with him.  Again, not the most uplifting movie, but great acting.

Attack The Block

Featuring:  John Boyega, Jodie Whittaker, Nick Frost

A refreshing and fun movie, Attack the Block is the Girl Talk of 2011 movies.  Its Boys N The Hood meets Pineapple Express meets Independence Day. Featuring lots of aliens, weed, and grimy British accents, this film caters to just about every desire you could want in a movie.

Albert Nobbs

Featuring: Glenn Close

LOL!!!  This is my pick for most gag-able trailer (and possibly movie?) of the year.  Every time I see this trailer, all I can do is chuckle.  Sinead O’Conner’s contribution is equally laughable.  We’ll just leave it at that.        

Let me just start with saying, if you’re at all easily offended, I highly recommend you avoid this movie (not that this is difficult, as it will have a very limited release in theaters, so you’ll have to get in On Demand or through iTunes). If you enjoy some offensive and less-than-subtle humor, then this movie is more for you. If you’re already a fan of Tim and Eric, then you pretty much know what is in store for you during this movie. With help from several familiar faces, like Zach Galifinakis, Jeff Goldblum, John C. Reilly, and Will Ferrell, Tim and Eric are transported from their usual 11 minute television show fame to a feature length (93 minutes) movie.

The problem, however, is that Tim and Eric seem to work best in short bursts, an entire hour and a half of their material would most likely wear on all but the biggest fans. The movie just seems to stretch on after awhile, only briefly broken up by obscene acts they couldn’t get away with on television. I usually don’t mind offensive humor, but one scene in particular (you’ll know if you watch it) was somewhat cringe inducing, but that’s what Tim and Eric do, and true fans will, at the very least, appreciate this movie for what it is. This is the movie Tim and Eric set out to make, and they’ve mentioned several times that they were pretty much given full freedom on what they could do. If you’re a fan, see it. If you don’t like Tim and Eric, steer clear. If you’ve never seen their material before, check out their show before investing in the movie.

As Daniel Radcliffe’s first post-Harry Potter film, “The Woman in Black” shows a different side of everyone’s favorite teenage wizard. Many fans of the Potter series may be surprised by just how creepy this thrill ride can be. Though the overall story and atmosphere harkens back to a very retro horror feel, it keeps things modern with its fair share of jump scares. This may be it’s biggest flaw, however, as the creators of this movie must have felt that jump scares were necessary to keep the old fashioned horror-fest relevant, and I personally don’t think the film needed to use these cheap techniques to remain interesting. The atmosphere and story alone were all that were necessary.

Without going into spoiler territory, this movie harkens back to older horror writers like Lovecraft, in that it takes a normal character into a creepy town fool of people that constantly seem to be hiding something. While the plot doesn’t always come together, most audiences won’t care about these small hindrances, because the ride is both fun and frightening. I recommend seeing this in theaters, unless you get scared easily, then you might want to wait until it comes out in stores.