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The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Thursday, March 28, 2024

Senate confirms new U.S. top telecom regulator

Sophomore Brendan Koh earned medalist honors at the Rhode Island College Spring Invitational this past weekend, playing at the par-72 Valley Country Club with a two-day score of 154. Koh, who shot a 79 on the first day and a 75 on the second, finished 10-over-par to beat out 82 other golfers and  claim the title honors."[Koh's] putting was a little shaky," assistant coach George Pendergast said. "But his high-end play was just so precise that he made seven or eight birdies." Koh led a strong Tufts team that placed fifth out of 17 teams. The host, Rhode Island College  took first place overall. Its highest individual finish coming from sophomore Jonathan Cooper (81-74), who tied Tufts freshman Owen Elliott (79-76) with a score of 155. RIC senior Tim Leigh rounded up the top four with a two-day score of 156 (78-78). After the Jumbos' NESCAC hopes eluded them last fall following a sixth-place finish in the Sep. 28-29 competition at Bowdoin – leaving them two spots away from qualifying – Koh's win could be the motivation the team needs for next fall. "I know it [has] been more than six or eight years [since a Tufts player has won an individual tournament]," senior captain Kenny Alperin said. "It hasn't happened since I've been here." This win is also individually significant for Koh, who sees it as validation for himself and his coaching staff. "Let's be real - I should have been benched [this past fall], but [the coaching staff] never benched me," Koh said. "They put me in the starting five, and I'm glad their confidence in me has paid off. My poor performances in the past, if anything, were a reminder and motivation to do better the next time. That [motivation] coupled with the amount of confidence my coaches showed me. I really appreciated [their support]." After the first round of play, Tufts stood firmly at the sixth spot overall with a score of 334, trailing first-place Endicott College (318), and second-place RIC (320). Bill Hutchins from Husson was in the individual lead after shooting a 75 on Friday, while Koh's 7-over-par score of 79 was tied with teammate Elliott for fifth individually after the first round. Despite Koh's strong showing on the first day, the possibility of winning his first individual college tournament never really crossed his mind. When Koh finally realized that winning was possible, however, he started feeling the pressure. "On the second day after the first six holes, suddenly I look at my scorecard and realize I'm two under par - I'm doing really well," Koh said. "When I realized that, I kind of psyched myself out a little bit."Koh was able to overcome the pressure of the situation and finish the round with a 75, four strokes better than his previous day's score. Tufts improved its overall position on day two, sliding up a spot to fifth overall behind Koh and Elliott's strong showings. Tufts' score of 334 (the aggregate scores of its four best players) was three behind fifth-place Johnson & Wales (331) after Friday. On Saturday, the Jumbos improved by 10 strokes, with a score of 324. Their tournament total score was 658, 26 strokes behind RIC's score of 632.Additionally, the rain and 40-degree temperatures over the weekend helped the Jumbos, who were better prepared for the weather than their competitors. "I've always told my guys – get ready for this golf tournament like you're going skiing," Pendergast said. "As [Elliott] went from one hole to the other, I took his bottle, which had ice in it, and got him hot water. A lot of these other kids were wearing golf shirts, and a nylon windbreaker. They were frozen." The team, who took a spring break trip to Scottsdale, Ariz., to prep for the spring season, also benefitted from the additional playing time. "We took eight kids out to Arizona, and it helped that they played four [or] five solid rounds of golf going into the spring season." Pendergast said. "Many of the other colleges in the area hadn't played at all, so we had a leg up on that one."The team has traditionally had problems training in the offseason, especially with the winter weather in New England, which is not ideal for sports like golf that require large outdoor courses. Pendergast acknowledged that finding alternative spaces for the players to practice their swings and their techniques is still a work in progress. "We have a hitting net upstairs in Tisch where the squash courts are [located], and on the day of the tournament we went to the driving range over in Lexington," Pendergast said. "But we're still working on [finding training spaces]. Two or three courses that we usually play at won't be open [until] April 12."The spring break trip to Arizona also increased the team's comradery. While players' chemistry is important in most team sports, it plays less of a role in golf - where five players play individually, often completely isolated from their teammates. 12

Sophomore Brendan Koh earned medalist honors at the Rhode Island College Spring Invitational this past weekend, playing at the par-72 Valley Country Club with a two-day score of 154. Koh, who shot a 79 on the first day and a 75 on the second, finished 10-over-par to beat out 82 other golfers and claim the title honors.

"[Koh's] putting was a little shaky," assistant coach George Pendergast said. "But his high-end play was just so precise that he made seven or eight birdies."

Koh led a strong Tufts team that placed fifth out of 17 teams. The host, Rhode Island College took first place overall. Its highest individual finish coming from sophomore Jonathan Cooper (81-74), who tied Tufts freshman Owen Elliott (79-76) with a score of 155. RIC senior Tim Leigh rounded up the top four with a two-day score of 156 (78-78).

After the Jumbos' NESCAC hopes eluded them last fall following a sixth-place finish in the Sep. 28-29 competition at Bowdoin – leaving them two spots away from qualifying – Koh's win could be the motivation the team needs for next fall.

"I know it [has] been more than six or eight years [since a Tufts player has won an individual tournament]," senior captain Kenny Alperin said. "It hasn't happened since I've been here."

This win is also individually significant for Koh, who sees it as validation for himself and his coaching staff.

"Let's be real - I should have been benched [this past fall], but [the coaching staff] never benched me," Koh said. "They put me in the starting five, and I'm glad their confidence in me has paid off. My poor performances in the past, if anything, were a reminder and motivation to do better the next time. That [motivation] coupled with the amount of confidence my coaches showed me. I really appreciated [their support]."

After the first round of play, Tufts stood firmly at the sixth spot overall with a score of 334, trailing first-place Endicott College (318), and second-place RIC (320).

Bill Hutchins from Husson was in the individual lead after shooting a 75 on Friday, while Koh's 7-over-par score of 79 was tied with teammate Elliott for fifth individually after the first round.

Despite Koh's strong showing on the first day, the possibility of winning his first individual college tournament never really crossed his mind. When Koh finally realized that winning was possible, however, he started feeling the pressure.

"On the second day after the first six holes, suddenly I look at my scorecard and realize I'm two under par - I'm doing really well," Koh said. "When I realized that, I kind of psyched myself out a little bit."

Koh was able to overcome the pressure of the situation and finish the round with a 75, four strokes better than his previous day's score.

Tufts improved its overall position on day two, sliding up a spot to fifth overall behind Koh and Elliott's strong showings. Tufts' score of 334 (the aggregate scores of its four best players) was three behind fifth-place Johnson & Wales (331) after Friday. On Saturday, the Jumbos improved by 10 strokes, with a score of 324. Their tournament total score was 658, 26 strokes behind RIC's score of 632.

Additionally, the rain and 40-degree temperatures over the weekend helped the Jumbos, who were better prepared for the weather than their competitors.

"I've always told my guys – get ready for this golf tournament like you're going skiing," Pendergast said. "As [Elliott] went from one hole to the other, I took his bottle, which had ice in it, and got him hot water. A lot of these other kids were wearing golf shirts, and a nylon windbreaker. They were frozen."

The team, who took a spring break trip to Scottsdale, Ariz., to prep for the spring season, also benefitted from the additional playing time.

"We took eight kids out to Arizona, and it helped that they played four [or] five solid rounds of golf going into the spring season." Pendergast said. "Many of the other colleges in the area hadn't played at all, so we had a leg up on that one."

The team has traditionally had problems training in the offseason, especially with the winter weather in New England, which is not ideal for sports like golf that require large outdoor courses. Pendergast acknowledged that finding alternative spaces for the players to practice their swings and their techniques is still a work in progress.

"We have a hitting net upstairs in Tisch where the squash courts are [located], and on the day of the tournament we went to the driving range over in Lexington," Pendergast said. "But we're still working on [finding training spaces]. Two or three courses that we usually play at won't be open [until] April 12."

The spring break trip to Arizona also increased the team's comradery. While players' chemistry is important in most team sports, it plays less of a role in golf - where five players play individually, often completely isolated from their teammates. 12

Republican Senator Ted Cruz said earlier on Tuesday he had lifted his block on the nomination after meeting with Wheeler and receiving affirmation that the FCC would not pursue new disclosure rules for sponsors of political ads.Some Democrats have suggested that the FCC's existing oversight authority over broadcasters could be used to force TV advertisers to name specific sponsors for each political spot they buy after legislating such rules failed in Congress.

Cruz and other Republicans have urged the FCC to avoid the political matter.

Wheeler was confirmed on a combined vote along with Republican Michael O'Rielly, who had been nominated to fill the fifth and final open FCC commissioner position.



"What excites me about this new responsibility is how we are at a hinge moment of history; the Internet is the greatest communications revolution in the last 150 years," Wheeler said in a statement late Tuesday.

"We must all dedicate ourselves to encouraging its growth, expanding what it enables, and assuring its users' rights are respected," he added.

The telecommunications industry welcomed Wheeler's confirmation, which pulled the FCC from a holding pattern without a permanent leader on several crucial initiatives, including a forthcoming major reshuffling of ownership of airwaves.

"Both individuals bring an abundance of experience and deep knowledge of media, technology and telecommunications that will serve them well as the Commission considers important policy issues," National Cable and Telecommunications Association President Michael Powell, himself a former FCC chairman, said in a statement.

In a statement, Cruz said Wheeler told him that the nominee "heard the unambiguous message" that pursuing the political disclosure efforts would "imperil the Commission's vital statutory responsibilities."

"He explicitly stated that doing so was 'not a priority,'" Cruz said about Wheeler, a telecom industry veteran and Obama adviser. "Based on those representations, I have lifted my hold on his nomination, and I look forward to working with him on the FCC to expand jobs and economic growth."

The FCC has been without a permanent leader since former Chairman Julius Genachowski left in May. It has been working since then under Acting Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn, the first woman to head the agency.

FCC operations, including approvals of new device licenses and acceptance of routine required filings, were stalled by the government shutdown during the first half of October. All but a few dozen of its roughly 1,700 workers were furloughed.

Wheeler has worked at a venture capital firm investing in technology, raised money for Obama's political campaigns and advised Obama and the FCC on telecom issues. He was previously an industry lobbyist, running the National Cable Television Association and then the wireless industry group CTIA.

O'Rielly was a longtime congressional staffer who worked on telecommunications issues. Industry insiders described him as well-versed in the issues he would be addressing.

(Additional reporting by Richard Cowan and Thomas Ferraro; Editing by Mohammad Zargham and Sandra Maler)