2012.03.07

The future of your education is at stake Education’s heavy hitters discuss what Walker’s school budget cuts mean for learning at all levels. OPINION | 5

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Wednesday, March 7, 2012

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Voter ID law halted with injunction Judge orders hold on controversial bill until trial, allows for old rules in primary Leah Linscheid City Life Editor

Katie Slavin Herald Contributor A Dane County judge placed an injunction on the highly controversial voter ID law until further notice.

Dane County Circuit Court Judge David Flanagan, who signed a recall petition against Gov. Scott Walker, wrote in his order that Voces de la Frontera and the Milwaukee branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, who brought a

lawsuit against Walker and the Government Accountability Board, adequately demonstrated the likelihood of irreparable harm from the voter ID bill.

Flanagan ordered that the requirement of photo ID for voters not be enforced, pending the trial of the case.

As a consequence, voters who head to the polls for the presidential primary in April will not be required to vote under the provisions of the voter ID law.

According to Mike Mikalsen, spokesperson for Rep. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, the injunction is not a surprise for Republicans in the Legislature.

“We fully anticipated that Judge Flanagan was going to wait until the most opportune time to issue

UW lobby day held sans reps Julia Jacobson Herald Contributor Student representatives from the University of Wisconsin System gathered at the Capitol Tuesday, calling on legislators to take more action on education initiatives and participate in more dialogue with the UW System.

The “#WI Need to Talk” hearing featured 40 students from 10 UW System schools addressing the top education priorities of the students.

According to United Council secretary Beth Huang, students were not able to attend scheduled meetings with some legislators, who were either on the floor or in caucus throughout the day.

The first and most common complaint addressed at the hearing was Gov. Scott Walker’s $250 million in cuts to higher education, with an additional $46.1 million said to be on its way.

“Despite these debilitating cuts, the state continues to ask for more from the UW System,” United Council Vice President Dylan Jambrek said. “This is a time when tuition continues to climb 11 percent every budget cycle and student loan debt has surpassed credit card debt in the country.”

Jambrek also noted that at the end of the biennium, Wisconsin’s limitations on tuition increases are set to lapse. As a result, the Board

of Regents will be able to set tuition prices to any amount.

Huang said tuition had not only increased a few thousand dollars since her freshman year, but she has also seen a decline in educational quality, with only half of UW’s undergraduate instructional courses being taught by faculty.

“At UW-Madison, we don’t simply have the problem of growing class sizes. We have the problem of shrinking class sizes,” Huang said. “Many students are prevented from taking courses due to restrictive class sizes, and then they are put on waitlists.”

Huang said because of this, students can’t take classes required for their majors, and as a result may have to pay tuition for another semester or year.

As a returning student and previous business owner, UW-Fond du Lac student body president Geoff Murray said his university’s accessibility attracted him to the campus.

He said since many students have families, have to work and want to maintain decent grades, an affordable institution is key.

“Education isn’t just about getting a better job, or getting ahead in life. It’s about being a better person,” Murray said. “As we raise the prices of education, it’s getting more difficult for students to do that.”

UW-Marathon County

LOBBY DAY, page 2

such an injunction so that the voter ID law will not be in effect for both the April election, and potentially the recall elections,” Mikalsen said.

Mikalsen added that Flanagan’s signing of a recall petition exhibits the partiality of the judge’s order. Mikalsen called Flanagan’s decision “disgraceful.”

Flanagan wrote in his order that testimony from University of Wisconsin

political science professor Kenneth Mayer provided “competent, well-founded, entirely credible and persuasive” reports that stated burdens created by the voter ID law fall disproportionately in a heavy way on the elderly and members of racial minorities.

As a result of this testimony and other evidence of irreparable harm, Flanagan placed the injunction on the law.

The case is one of four lawsuits filed against the voter ID law, including one filed by the League of Women’s Voters.

A Monday court decision

by Dane County Circuit Judge Richard Niess allowed the lawsuit filed by the League to proceed because the organization demonstrated standing to bring the suit, despite arguments made by Walker and the GAB that the law did not sufficiently harm

Jan. 2012

Feb. 17th

First election with new voter ID law

League of Women Voters files lawsuit againt voter ID law

State Dept. of Transportation allows ID receipts as proper voter ID

Feb. 21st

the plaintiffs.

In court documents obtained by The Badger Herald, Niess wrote that League president Melanie Ramey had standing because she demonstrated that she had a “personal interest in the controversy.”

He also wrote Ramey would be threatened with future injury, because she would continually be required to

VOTER ID, page 2

Dane County judge rules League of Women Voters appropriate party to file suit

March 5th

March 6th

Dane County judge bars enforcement of law for Apr. 3rd general elections SOURCE: JSOnline

Skippity do!

Madison community members skip rocks across the melting Lake Mendota off the Memorial Union Terrace Tuesday after temperatures peaked in the mid-50s. Following a weekend of continuous snow, Madisonians were grateful to pull their shorts out of their closets.

Rebecca Hoevel The Badger Herald

City revamps student inclusion Plan would make ALRC position permanent, aims to expand input on alcohol issues Leah Linscheid City Life Editor Members of Madison’s City Council introduced a resolution to create a permanent position for University of Wisconsin students on an alcohol review committee in an effort to further open discussions between students and city officials.

Ald. Shiva Bidar-Sielaff, District 5, and Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, both

sponsored the resolution, which will change the current student position on the Alcohol License Review Committee to be a permanent, non-voting role.

ALRC is comprised of voting members and technical advisers, who do not vote but instead represent an organization of citizens with a legitimate interest in the committee.

Technical advisers include representatives

from the Dane County Tavern League, Madison Police Department, the Associated Students of Madison Student Council and UW faculty.

Currently, a sunset clause requires the ASM student position to be reaffirmed every three years by the City Council, or it will be terminated.

Resnick said the proposed resolution would provide an incentive to students to take part in city

committees.

“Making it a permanent seat gives it more stability and makes students want to stick around,” Resnick said.

He also emphasized the importance of initiating student involvement in city affairs, saying with 55,000 students in Madison, the student demographic makes up approximately 15 percent of the city’s population.

STUDENT, page 4

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An end to an era is approaching Matt Hintz The Badger Herald

Students from 10 UW System campuses gather at the Capitol Tuesday in hopes of meeting with legislators to discuss important issues for students in Wisconsin. Some students were only able to meet with staffers.

Madison officials will not renew a permit for the local Occupy movement to hold its space

Track & Field sends 6 to indoor NCAAs

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Led by multi-event guru sophomore Japheth Cato, Badgers prep for championships

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Protesters at a January rally push against a contentious mining bill that was sent back from the Senate Tuesday for further consideration. The bill would streamline the mining process in Wisconsin, but opponents have contended the legislation would be harmful for the environment.

Heavyweight pulls out of heated mining bill proposal Company promising $1B in funding backs out amid frustration with Senate rejection Mike Kujak State Legislature Editor A mining firm abolished its $1.5 billion mining project in Iron and Ashland counties late Tuesday night after frustration with the Senate’s rejection of a mining bill that would streamline regulations.

Gogebic Taconite, LLC President Bill Williams issued a statement after the Senate session Tuesday that said GTAC is ending plans to invest in a Wisconsin mine.

The statement thanked the individuals who supported the company’s efforts, but said the company could not justify moving forward.

The statement said the Senate’s rejection of the mining reforms sends a “clear message” that Wisconsin will not welcome iron mining.

“So be it,” Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison said in reaction to the news. “I think if we’re going to pass a mining bill, we have a long way to go. We didn’t have a good mining bill in the first place. It takes the pressure of people trying to do it the right way.”

The news came hours after legislators voted to send a contentious bill that would streamline the mining process in Wisconsin back to the Organization Committee, after rejecting several proposed amendments to the bill and failing to find a compromise.

Fighting back tears throughout his testimony, Sen. Bob Jauch, D-Poplar, said he was disappointed by the body’s decision not to add

his amendment to the bill.

“Many have been conflicted in northern Wisconsin,” Jauch said.

“There are those who want the mine and economic improvement but do not want to see the process suppress the DNR’s ability to define the quality of life in the state.”

Jauch said all three proposals turned down by the Senate would have promoted bipartisan compromise, streamlined the mining process and protected the public voice.

Sen. Dale Schultz, R-Richland Center, who helped Jauch form the amendments, was also persistent in saying that a bipartisan compromise could be reached on the bill.

“Today is not the day for this compromise; we just rejected it, but my door remains open,” Schultz said.

A first-generation college student himself, Reese said UW-Marathon County provides him with a rigorous curriculum and high quality education that he would not be able to find elsewhere.

Student protests against education cuts have received attention from several Wisconsin legislators.

In a statement released following the students’

hearing, Reps. Sondy Pope Roberts, D-Middleton, and Fred Clark, D-Baraboo, released an updated “Save the Schools” budget proposal.

Based on Democratic legislators’ budget projections, the plan would give an additional $356 million to Wisconsin education and increase funding for 85 percent of public schools, according to the statement.

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LOBBY DAY, from 1 student Ian Reese advocated for the support of two-year UW System campuses, which he said are often overlooked in the budget process.

Reese said for many Wisconsinites in rural areas, two-year campuses are the only way they can afford an education, particularly in the liberal arts.

VOTER ID, from 1 renew her photo ID form in order to vote.

According to League of Women’s Voters member Andrea Kaminski, a hearing will be held Friday to determine the future of the lawsuit.

UW political science professor Donald Downs,

who is an adviser to The Badger Herald, said the voter ID lawsuits may succeed at the district or circuit court level in Dane County because of the perceived liberal nature of the county. However, Downs added the lawsuits may encounter opposition should they reach the Wisconsin Supreme Court

The first candidate to announce a bid against Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch in a potential recall race came forward Tuesday with promises to restore ethics to Wisconsin government.

Seventy-year-old Ira Robins, a private investigator from Milwaukee, filed papers with the Government Accountability Board to run against Kleefisch Tuesday morning.

He said if elected, his focus as lieutenant governor would include restoring accountability, honesty and integrity to Wisconsin’s government.

“I want people in our government to be held accountable; I want to return honesty and integrity to our government, and it’s quite a challenge, but it can be done,” Robins said.

Robins said he made his decision to run against Kleefisch because no one else has “stepped up to the plate.” To date, no other candidates have shown serious intention to join the race.

“Nobody else was doing it,” Robins said. “It’s a dirty job, and I’ll take a beating in the media. … But it’s got to be done, and I’ve got the experience, the knowledge and the guts to do it.”

Robins said his 49 years as a police officer, private investigator and investigative consultant will provide ample experience to take the position as Wisconsin’s lieutenant governor.

He added he plans to surround himself with non-partisan experts “with no political motives” to aid him with decisions.

“I’m not a politician, which makes me ideal for the position,” Robins said of his experience.

Still, University of Wisconsin political science professor Kenneth Mayer said Robins’ lack of political experience could prove to be a downfall in his potential campaign against Kleefisch.

Mayer added a potential recall election for the lieutenant governor

because of the current conservative majority of justices.

Mikalsen said he was hopeful the lawsuits would fail and cited a U.S. Supreme Court case that pointed to such an outcome, Crawford v.

Marion County Election Board, which ruled Indiana’s similar voter ID

position would be much less popular than the gubernatorial election and Senate recall elections slated to likely take place.

“It’s pretty difficult for political amateurs to win elections, unless they are well-known and unless they are able to dedicate a lot of money to their campaign,” Mayer said. “And the lieutenant governor race is going to be a real side-show to [the other recall elections].

What happens to the lieutenant governor is not going to make much difference one way or the other.”

Robins said he will not accept campaign donations and plans to fund his race entirely on his own, citing special interest money as a major source of corruption within politics.

Robins also said as lieutenant governor, he would work to restrict legislators from passing legislation that would benefit the special interests that contributed to their campaigns.

“You can’t stop people from donating to legislators, but you can stop the Legislature from working to benefit those people,” Robins said. “That special interest money would be much better served to take care of veterans and their families, or cancer, or anything that would be more beneficial than supporting these crooked politicians.”

Robins also addressed the issue of collective bargaining rights of unions and said Gov. Scott Walker and Kleefisch handled the situation improperly.

He added he would work to restore collective bargaining rights if elected.

Walker, Kleefisch and four Republican senators have been targeted for recall. If the state elections board determines enough signatures have been collected, a recall election for all six politicians will likely be held in early summer.

Neither Walker nor Kleefisch’s staff returned calls for comment as of press time.

law was constitutional.

Flanagan also cited the Crawford decision in his order, writing that it could not be applied in the case of Voces de la Frontera, because this case is founded on a statute of the Wisconsin Constitution that expressly guarantees the right to vote.

Downs said plaintiffs in each voter ID lawsuit will be expected to differentiate their case from the Crawford decision to win.

“It’s up to the plaintiffs in this case to show why the Wisconsin law is unconstitutional after the [U.S.] Supreme Court upheld Indiana’s law in 2006,” Downs said. “That is what the case is all about.”

Gubernatorial candidate Kathleen Falk spokesperson Scot Ross said if elected in the potential recall election against Walker, Falk would work to overturn the voter ID law.

Ross added after three years of investigation by Republican Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, there have been less than 20 improper votes out of 3 million that were cast in 2008.

“This bill makes it harder for legal voters such as seniors, students and minorities that don’t have the necessary identification to vote,” Ross said.

“Republicans may say there is all this voter fraud, but fact is there have been less than 20 cases of improper votes.”

The Badger Herald | News | Wednesday, March 7, 2012

3

Occupy movement looks to future with permit’s end City will not renew permission to use public grounds, says neighbors uneasy Camille Albert Reporter Despite a permit expiration date set for the end of April, members of Occupy Madison have no plans of relocating their protests from their current site on East Washington Avenue.

According to Mayor Paul Soglin’s spokesperson Katie Crawley, there is no chance for a renewal of the

protesting permit allowing Occupy Madison to reside at its current location, and the city will not be accommodating requests for additional space.

Crawley also said the property the organization currently resides on will be needed for storage, so it is not possible for them to stay any longer than April.

Ald. Bridget Maniaci, District 2, said Occupy Madison is free to organize however they choose, but the city does not want camps to be permanently set up on public property. The city’s goal is to redevelop those properties in a timely fashion, she added.

Maniaci also said she does not expect trouble to arise from the removal of Occupy Madison because the city has been working collaboratively with them for several months and there has always been the expectation that the organization will have to leave in April.

According to Occupy Madison member Stephen Kafganski, the organization does not currently have any plans to move to another location. The members of the movement might stay at their current site after the deadline passes because there is nowhere else for them to go, he added.

“Moving takes a lot of

energy,” Kafganski said.

“There was a pretty strong feeling that this was gonna be the last move back in October, and I don’t think there’s a lot of sympathy for finding a different site.”

Maniaci said the organization will be fined if they do not clean up their site in April, and they are expected to leave the lot in a better condition than they found it.

According to Maniaci, there is not a pressing demand from the neighborhood to remove the organization, but she said they have had a negative impact on the block and its community.

“There are some people in the neighborhood that have been unhappy, but I think it’s hard to determine if the people they’re unhappy with are at Occupy Madison or at the Porchlight Shelter across the street,” Crawley said.

Crawley said the city has gotten calls from citizens both against and in support of Occupy Madison.

Members of the organization have known the deadline for the property for a while, but the dayto-day management of providing things like heat and getting people together comfortably has been more of an immediate concern than finding somewhere

to relocate, Kafganski said.

Despite the lack of future plans to move, he said the organization will most likely continue to exist after the deadline.

Occupy Madison does not have a single mission, but wants everyone to have his or her voice heard, according to Kafganski. It has been a challenge for the organization to get as many diverse voices as possible and to continue to stay together, he added.

Kafganski said the organization hopes the city will be more aggressive with helping individual problems, including homelessness, after experiencing the movement.

Super Tuesday leads to nail-biting duel Romney walks away on top, Santorum’s resurgence leaves doubts on competitor’s ability to win David Espo The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Mitt Romney squeezed out a win in pivotal Ohio, captured four other states with ease and padded his delegate lead in the race for the Republican presidential nomination but was forced to share the Super Tuesday spotlight with a resurgent Rick Santorum.

“I’m going to get this nomination,” Romney told cheering supporters in Massachusetts,” pointing particularly to his growing delegate totals.

On the busiest night of the campaign, he scored a homestate win in Massachusetts to go with primary victories in Vermont and in Virginia — where neither Santorum nor Newt Gingrich was on the ballot. He added the Idaho caucuses to his column.

Ohio was the big win, though, and the closest contest of all as the Republican rivals battled for the chance to face Democratic President Barack Obama in November.

Santorum countered crisply, winning primaries in Oklahoma and Tennessee and the North Dakota caucuses — raising fresh doubts about Romney’s ability to corral the votes of conservatives in some of the most Republican states in the country.

Ohio was the marquee matchup, a second industrialstate showdown in as many weeks between Romney and Santorum. It drew the most campaigning and television advertisements of all 10 Super Tuesday contests and for good reason— no Republican has ever won the White House without carrying the state in the fall.

After trailing for much of the night, Romney forged ahead in a count that stretched past midnight. With votes tallied in 99 percent of the state’s precincts, he led by about 12,000 out of more than 1.1 million cast.

Gingrich had a victory in his column, too — his first win in more than six weeks. The former House speaker triumphed at home in Georgia, but a barrage of

attack ads by a super PAC supporting Romney helped hold him below 50 percent and forced him to share the delegates.

Texas Rep. Ron Paul pinned his hopes on Alaska as he scratched for his first victory of the campaign season.

Santorum waited until Oklahoma and Tennessee fell into his column before speaking to cheering supporters in Ohio. “This was a big night tonight,” he said.

“We have won in the West, the Midwest and the South, and we’re ready to win across this country.”

In all, there were primaries in Virginia, Vermont, Ohio, Massachusetts, Georgia, Tennessee and Oklahoma.

Caucuses in North Dakota, Idaho and Alaska rounded out the calendar.

Romney picked up at least 183 of the 419 Super Tuesday delegates at stake. Santorum gained at least 64, Gingrich 52 and Paul 15. About 100 remained to be allocated, and Romney and Santorum appeared in line for many if not most of them.

That gave the former Massachusetts governor 386, more than all his rivals combined, a total that included endorsements from members of the Republican National Committee who automatically attend the convention and can support any candidate they choose.

Santorum had 156 delegates, Gingrich 85 and Paul 40.

It takes 1,144 delegates to win the nomination at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., this summer.

The split of the states ensured that the most turbulent Republican presidential campaign in a generation would continue.

Already, the candidates were looking ahead to the next contests, Kansas and Wyoming caucuses on Saturday, followed by Alabama and Mississippi primaries on March 13.

Restore our Future, the super PAC that backs Romney, disclosed a near$1 million investment for television ads in Illinois, the next big-state primary on the calendar, on March 20. The

The Associated Press

Romney supporters wait for the primary results to trickle in from Boston Tuesday night. Their candidate pulled through with a home-state win, but faced defeat in Oklahoma, Tennessee, North Dakota and Georgia. organization is already airing commercials in Mississippi and Alabama, as is a group that supports Gingrich, although at lower levels.

Ohio Republicans were a party divided, based not only on the popular vote but also on interviews with voters as

they left their polling places.

Santorum outpolled Romney among Ohioans with incomes under $100,000, while Romney won among those with six-figure incomes and up. Romney won among working women, Santorum among women who do not.

4

The Badger Herald | News | Wednesday, March 7, 2012

UW weak in Pell Grant recipients, ed spending Report shows strongsuits in graduation rates, financial aid Kelsey Ryan Herald Contributor A higher education report released Monday ranked the University of Wisconsin “best” for areas including a graduation rate of 49.7 percent and “worst” for items including a low number of Pell Grant recipients.

In the Chronicle of Higher Education report, the university raked “best” in six-year graduation rates, four-year graduation rates, completions per 100

students and student aid per recipient.

The two “worst” categories consisted of educational spending per completion and the number of Pell Grant recipients.

“With two exceptions, I’m delighted,” Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Paul DeLuca, Jr. said. “[The rankings] reveal everything we’ve been trying to do.”

These successes are achieved by UW’s ability to intervene when students find themselves struggling, he said, adding that UW has revamped its entire student advising program to better help students when they are having problems.

He said to this end, UW has made available programs like First-Year Interest Groups, which help ensure first-year success, along with many other intervention programs. Last year, UW achieved an overall six-year graduation rate of 83 percent and a four-year graduation rate of 49.7 percent.

In addition, UW has a 23.9 student completion rate per 100 students, higher than the national average, and an average student aid of $5,885 per recipient.

Still, when the Chronicle examined UW’s educational spending per completion, it ranked UW as one of the “worst” for spending $92,402 educationally per

completion of a bachelor’s degree. DeLuca said he thinks this is misleading because it does not factor in the money spent toward professional programs.

Senior Policy and Planning Analyst at the Office of the Provost Clare Huhn agreed.

“The (misleading) conclusion you could come to is that Madison is very wasteful with its money,” Huhn said.

DeLuca said a vast amount of money goes toward graduate school programs including training veterinary students, Pharm.D. students and nurse practitioners.

Therefore, he said in comparing UW to other Wisconsin institutions

without professional programs, UW appears to spend significantly more money than schools like UW-La Crosse, which does not have graduate programs to spend money on. “[The survey] is not allowing for a like-to-like comparison,” Huhn said.

The Chronicle also found fault in the number of Pell Grant recipients UW houses, which DeLuca called a “chronic problem” for the university.

The survey showed that 14.6 percent of UW undergraduate students receive Pell Grants.

Nationwide, UW ranks in the second percentile of all 4-year public colleges for

Pell Grant recipients.

Of several causes, Huhn said she thinks this low number is caused by the small number of students admitted with low household incomes. Enrolling more students of low household incomes would increase the amount of Pell Grant recipients at UW, she said.

Still, DeLuca said he believes the low number of Pell Grant recipients is caused by the fact that students are not aware of the possibility of getting Pell Grants.

“That’s an internal problem, not an external,” DeLuca said. “We’re not applying for enough Pell Grants.”

Senate contends changes to state’s W-2 programs Proposed bill would strip alleged system abusers of benefits, could hurt families Mike Kujak State Legislature Editor A bill banning individuals from intentionally abusing a state employment program passed in the Senate Tuesday, despite critics who warned the bill would have negative consequences for the offender’s family.

According to Wisconsin’s Department of Children and Families, the Wisconsin

Works (W-2) program is available to parents of minor children whose family income is below 115 percent of the federal poverty level.

Each W-2-eligible individual meets with a Financial and Employment Planner who helps the individual develop an employability plan, according to the program’s website.

State law currently allows the W-2 program to permanently deny benefits to anyone who intentionally violates rules on three separate occasions. The new legislation would establish six- and 12-month funding bans from the program for

first and second violations.

The bill passed 18-15, with Sen. Jim Holperin, D-Conover, voting with Republicans in support.

Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, said the bill would have negative consequences on the family members of the person accused of potentially abusing the W-2 system.

“Under this legislation, if you’re accused, you lose,” Erpenbach said. “No hearing, no trial, no nothing; you lose the benefits. This will guarantee that when a parent intentionally steals from the taxpayers, his entire family is out the door.”

Erpenbach sympathized

with the author’s reasoning for drafting the bill and said if there actually is an intentional violation, it should be dealt with.

However, he said the state already pays investigators to seek out fraud in the community and he would not encourage the Senate “plowing ahead” on improper legislation.

Sen. Rich Zipperer, R-Pewaukee, said the rhetoric being used to discredit the bill was “preposterous” and the floor needed to take a step back and look at what the bill actually does.

“The worker [at W-2] makes a determination

if they believe there was intent. That worker makes a referral to an investigative agency who makes the final decision,” Zipperer said.

Zipperer added the critics of the bill were actually arguing for an incentive for the individual to abuse the system, even if it was not their original intent.

He said if benefits continued to flow to the family, after a report of fraud or abuse, the state would be in turn paying the rent of those who committed the violation.

During the floor session, Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, defended a proposed amendment that would

change the bill so funds would not be stopped until after the state conducted an investigation and hearing.

“Politicians are not cut off from benefits until a court issued a decision. Those in extreme poverty should get the same chance,” Risser said.

Risser said the bill may also be unconstitutional as it does not allow for due process and a chance for the defendant to be heard.

Rep. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, said an investigation is conducted before the funds are cut and that 30 days after the request of denial, the individual may request a hearing to challenge the claims.

Assembly considers changes to recall election proposal Dems urge against bill to prohibit challenges unless official breaks law Sean Kirbky State Politics Editor Legislators took the first steps toward amending the state constitution’s stance on recall elections several hours deep into a legislative session Tuesday night.

In a bipartisan vote, all 59 Republican representatives and one Democrat voted for an amendment, which, if passed in the

next legislative session and supported in a public referendum, would require an elected state official to be charged with a crime or violate a state ethics code before being recalled. Peggy Krusick, D-Milwaukee, was the only Democrat to step outside party lines.

Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, said the constitutional right to recall was put in place in the 1920s by late Senator Bob La Follette and other progressives because they saw the need to have a better check and balance by the public on politicians.

“We are not a unique class above the constitution

or above law, but we are accountable to our bosses, which is the public,” Pocan said. “This constitutional amendment tries to change that balance from the public electing us and being our bosses to somehow protecting our status, our elite status as elected officials.”

He said since the introduction of the recall election process to the constitution in 1926, recall elections had been used only four times until last year. He stressed the ability to trigger recall elections giving the public a method of holding politicians accountable.

However, Rep. Robin

Vos, R-Burlington, said that legislators and the public have a right to amend the constitution when problems arise.

Vos said he talked with many concerned citizens throughout the state who want to change the rules governing recalls. He said politicians should not be recalled for political elections because that is what elections are for.

“What we’re talking about today is a bill that will fix a problem,” Vos said. “All across the state, we have heard from people who have said recall statutes should be rewritten.”

He said the public will still have the right to recall

STUDENTS, from 1 Bidar-Sielaff also expressed her support for the proposed resolution and the benefits it would provide to ALRC. “[The resolution] would bring a general sense of what student constituency is thinking about to the committee, what their priorities are, asking new questions, and just bringing a new perspective and value to the discussion in general,” Bidar-Sielaff said.

their politicians. He added the public will also have the final say over the bill.

However, Rep. Chris Danou, D-Trempealeau, repeated that this is a state constitutional right and politicians should not tamper with it.

“If you don’t like it get out of this business. This is a tough business; you can be recalled,” Danou said. “If you can’t handle the heat, then get out of the kitchen.”

Rep. Paul Farrow, R-Pewaukee, said it was his constituents who asked him to write the amendment and it was not motivated out of a desire to help politicians keep their jobs.

“We are trying to bring

The resolution was referred to ALRC and Common Council Organizational Committee meetings for further comment in the coming weeks before it returns to City Council for a final vote. Both Resnick and Bidar-Sielaff said they do not expect the resolution to be met with opposition.

Another student appointment will be made to the Housing Committee in the near future, according to

a sense of stability to the system,” Farrow said.

“Currently, we’re looking at a recall season. There will be 15 elections. Prior to this, there were four statewide. And only one person was recalled.”

The Assembly also passed a number of resolutions earlier in the day, including one commending the work of Ralph Bruno, the creator of the cheesehead hat.

Only a few lawmakers donned the hat to make a speech for the occasion, which included placing a hat on the head of Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald, R-Horicon, who promptly removed it.

Resnick. He said Mayor Paul Soglin has pushed for the inclusion of students in city committees so their voice can be better heard in discussions of issues relevant to them.

“We want to take the thoughts of students on campus and other schools, like Edgewood and MATC, to show Madison does value the student voice,” Resnick said. “I think this is the first time in several years that we’ve seen this renewed energy to include students.”

Editorial Page Editor Taylor Nye oped@badgerherald.com

5

The Badger Herald | Opinion | Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Opinion Gov. Scott Walker has cut more than $834 million in public funding to take effect over the next biennium. This represents an overall decrease of 7.9 percent to school funding. In this opinion section special edition, columnists discuss the historical context of one of the largest cuts in memory, as well as explore its ramifications for the future of education.

Elitism does little to improve education It is a terrible understatement to say that the last year has been tumultuous for Wisconsin public higher education. We have witnessed a crisis of finance, politics and leadership. However, we can’t claim to have been blindsided, since this crisis was decades in the making and partly our own doing.

Over the last 40 years, Wisconsin decided to send its kids to college, but neglected to decide how to pay for it. Instead, families turned to the government-subsidized public sector, established when far fewer high school graduates went on to college.

As enrollment expanded, the costs grew — partly because there were simply more students and partly because expectations rose. Families clamored for the University of Wisconsin to be an accessible, affordable version of Harvard University — but few wanted to pay the taxes to support it.

So UW stayed the course, keeping entering classes about the same size and educating as usual for several decades, all while competing to become a globally recognized research powerhouse. In effect, because the university did not change to accommodate demand, metaphorical gates — even a moat — sprang up around it. And the crowd just outside the gates grew louder. “What’s happening at that place?” they began to wonder. “A place that thinks my kid isn’t good enough?” “Who are those professors, complaining about their $70,000, nine-month salaries?” “Why should we support them?”

Arguably, today’s UW leaves as many people of Wisconsin behind as it embraces, and it does so because it is pursuing other justifiably important interests. But the way it does this, as political scientist Katherine Cramer Walsh documents in a recent WISCAPE paper, comes off as unfeeling, elite and disengaged. The message sent by many proud alumni, faculty and administrators doesn’t help — UW’s practices are allowed, they said, “because we are different, and we are the best.”

In perpetuating that kind of talk, UW makes a critical mistake. We are not different — we are Wisconsin. We are only as much “the best” as we help the people of the state to be the best. We are not doing our job if we do not, every year, communicate with the people of Wisconsin about why it is essential that we continue to do our job well — and what accomplishing that requires. That kind of communication is not a series of op-eds or robocalls but regular two-way conversations where, as Walsh points out, we are actually listening.

In a time of declining real income for many families and strong demand for college among very smart kids, we have no choice but to keep costs down and open our doors wider. At the same time, we are obligated to change the terms of the debate about taxation in this state — to help all residents understand why an investment in public higher education is among the most costeffective decisions we can make. Doing this requires that we stop acting like Wisconsin public higher education is all about UW. It’s time to sit down with the people of this state, listen to their needs and find ways to meet them. That’s the only way to rebuild a future for public higher education. Either we do it now, or we should move over for the forprofit colleges and universities like Phoenix, Kaplan and DeVry, who are eager for the business. Make no mistake about it — they’re on the way.

Sara Goldrick-Rab (srab@education.wisc. edu) is an associate professor of educational policy studies.

Defunding, privatization threaten public schools Public education currently stands under twin towers of threat — de-funding and privatization. This is consistent with a conservative agenda to eliminate many public programs — including public education.

In Wisconsin, school districts have been under strict limits on their revenues and spending since 1993. These limits have not kept pace with the natural increases in the costs of everyday things like supplies, energy and fuel. So every year, local school board members and administrators have had to cut their budgets to comply with spending limits. Throughout these years, school boards and administrators have done an admirable job of managing these annual cuts, but taken together, reductions in programs and staff have had a significant and very negative impact on our schools and the education they can provide to children.

Unfortunately this year, these same districts have received the largest single budget cut in Wisconsin history. For example, high poverty aid was cut by 10 percent during a time when poverty in children has increased in Wisconsin. As a result, schools are cutting programs and staff.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction data, the cuts in 2012 are greater than the two previous years combined. These cuts will be compounded when next year’s

cuts come due.

At the same time that we, as a state, have cut our spending on public education we have increased our spending on private education. This is consistent with a conservative agenda to privatize public education. Methods of privatization include “choice,” vouchers and private charters.

“Choice” may sound good, but in the end the private school is the one exercising the “choice.”

Private schools select students based on academic ability (or absence of disability), ability to pay, disciplinary record, language and their own corporate interest, rather than taking all students and providing them the best quality education they can.

Destruction of public education would be a disaster for our country. There are certain public institutions — courts, legislatures, and schools — that must remain public to serve a democratic society. Through public education we are able to actively participate in a democratic society — to be informed voters, to run for office and to serve on a jury. What happens to our democracy when we have a system of education where the focus is on private rather than the public’s interest?

Julie Underwood ( junderwood@ wisc.edu) is the dean of the School of Education and a professor of educational leadership and policy analysis.

Walker’s cuts actually beneficial to education Education is very important in our community, but when the government must make cuts, it too must follow. Our state has just begun to recover from a heavy spending period due to former Gov. Jim Doyle’s wasteful projects. As such, education is faced with the sins of the father and must shoulder the cuts with the rest of the sectors. As Harry Truman once said, “Nobody can ever convince me that government can spend a dollar that it’s not got.”

Thankfully, Gov. Scott Walker’s reforms have saved school districts as well as saving the state from financial collapse. One fact that stands out to me is Walker is allowing more open enrollment to occur to better accomodate students. Walker has also helped education by implementing reforms that will allow us to avoid an economic meltdown that Doyle had us surely heading for. In just one short year, Walker turned our $10 billion of debt into a surplus.

In tough economic times like this, Wisconsin must also fight against the poor national economy and the expensive measures Obama has put into place. Despite a floundering national economy, Walker and Wisconsin can help schools whenever possible. While we as a state cannot afford to spend a huge amount of money on everything we want, education has still been allowed to thrive despite a hard past, debt and a terrible national economy. While a lot of cuts require us to tighten our belts and move on, we can still benefit as we correct Doyle’s mistakes.

Vincent Borkowski (borkowski@wisc.edu) is a junior majoring in neurobiology

After budget cuts, school board needs priorities The activism of University of Wisconsin students has changed the face and direction of our city. From Mayor Paul Soglin, whose leadership in the anti-war and civil rights movement on campus presaged a history-making career in public service, to the teaching assistants and UW students who were the very first to march in opposition to Gov. Scott Walker’s actions last February, we need your connection to the issues that face our city.

On April 3, you will have the opportunity to vote in the Madison School Board election, and I would appreciate your vote. I am honored to be endorsed by the Teaching Assistants’ Association; Leland Pan, who is running for County Board; Mayor Soglin; Supervisor Analise Eicher and a growing list of more than 250 elected officials and community leaders.

Let me tell you a bit about why I’m running and what issues the Board faces.

Public schools face unprecedented challenges. Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum recently called public school systems “anachronistic.” Walker’s budget contains the biggest cut to education in Wisconsin history.

Here in Madison, the Board of Education faces many significant issues: an upcoming budget with a multi-million dollar deficit; children of color, often living in poverty, who do less well in school and graduate at

lower rates and a difficult transition from collective bargaining agreements, which Walker eliminated, to a personnel “handbook” that will define our relationships with teachers and staff.

When our schools face multiple challenges, board members must have the backbone to focus on what is most effective in helping all children learn and achieve. We must prioritize initiatives that provide the biggest bang for our buck. When there are hard choices to be made, we owe it to the children we serve to engage in respectful debate in order to find solutions.

I approach my work on the board from many perspectives: as a parent, businessperson, taxpayer and advocate for public education. I will continue to fight against assaults on public education, whether they are attempts to privatize public education or ones that demonize teachers.

My belief in the power and importance of public education comes from my own experience as the grandchild of immigrants, as the daughter of working-class parents, as the mother of a child of color who attended Madison schools and as a businessperson who sees firsthand the connection between strong public schools and a community’s ability to attract businesses and families.

The achievement gap in our school is not acceptable. It has been, and will continue to be, an issue our entire

community must confront. Starting early helps reduce this gap, which is why I advocated for 4-year-old kindergarten. I created the new parent engagement coordinator position because parents are critical partners in education. I supported the introduction and expansion of the successful AVID/ TOPS initiative. I advocated expanding summer school programming so students have more opportunities to be in a learning environment.

I supported our high school reform, designed to strengthen college and career readiness for our students.

We must also work collaboratively and respectfully with our teachers and staff to move from collective bargaining agreements to a “handbook” governing employee-district relations.

Walker has given districts the option to unilaterally impose conditions; that is counter-productive. We must negotiate, develop and adopt as policy a handbook both the district and teachers can live with. It will be a complex process and we must start now.

My commitment to public education, Madison’s 27,000 students, our outstanding teachers and staff and to staying in the fight for good public schools are the reasons I am running for re-election. I would be honored by your vote on April 3.

Arlene Silveira (arlene_silveira@ yahoo.com) is a member of the Madison Board of Education.

Your Opinion · Send your letters to the editor and guest columns to oped@badgerherald.com. Publication is based on space and takes into account relevance and quality. Letters should be sent exclusively to the Herald. Unsigned letters will not be published. All submissions may be edited by the Herald for length and style. Reader feedback on all articles and columns can be posted at badgerherald.com, where all print content is archived.

To place an ad in Classifieds: Roshni Nedungadi rnedungadi@badgerherald.com 257.4712 ext. 311

6

The Badger Herald | Classifieds | Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Classifieds ASO to using wine flavored whip cream for sexy time, it tastes like ass.

SO to the guy that ran to help the man in the wheel chair who dropped his coffee thermos as he was about to cross the street. You made me smile and feel good about the world.

SO to Thirsty Thursday.

I’m glad we were reacquainted last night, my old friend. Its been too long.

SO to craisins. Seriously. Just...shout out to craisins.

ASO to not having enough room in my fridge for my dairy products, where am I supposed to put all my cheese and yogurt and milk? SO to being from Wisconsin SO to that moment when you walk out of your bedroom and hop in the shower without the worry of being bit by a rabid bat. Exterminator: 1 Bat: 0 ASO to actually having the most embarrassing walk of shame in my life down the busiest road in Madison. SO to all the people who got to witness this.... I hope you had a good chuckle.

SO to the guy who just snuck up on his friend and scared the shitout of him. I am impressed by both your dedication, and the fact that you resemble a velociraptor when you are creeping up on someone. well done.

ASO to actually walking into the glass wall while trying to exit 333 East Campus Mall today. SO to the sole person nearby, an older gentleman who calmly

flipped his newspaper, with absolutely no change in expression, for allowing me to pretend it didn’t happen.

SO also to not breaking my nose.

QSO: are they ever gonna change Buckingham U. Badger’s profile pic?

It’s like, we get it... your head’s flat SO to wearing blankets to frat parties HSO to convincing a bunch of people last night that our friend was Patrick Kane’s (chicago blackhawks) younger brother!!! DSO to the starstuck guys that kept trying to get a picture with him.

SO to the University Book Store commercial with the little kids singing On Wisconsin.

Fucking adorable.

SO to Jurassic Park, “Life will find a way” SO to the dude walking down Mills with about an inch of snow piled on his afro...take some advice from mariah carey and “shake it off” bro!

SO to Gretchen, I’m sorry I laughed at you that time you got diarrhea at Barnes & Nobles. And I’m sorry for telling everyone about it. And I’m sorry for repeating it now.

ASO to the girl googling Nicholas Cage in the library.... whyyyy.

SO to being a Badger.

ASO to my parents who said they wouldn’t pay for a 6th year of undergrad work just because I don’t want to leave UW. SO to Lord of the Rings music making everything you do a thousand times

more epic. It makes washing dishes feel like you’re slaughtering thousands of orcs!

SO to beards: making men look grizzled since before civilization. DSO to snowdusted beards: making civilized men look like yetis since the atmosphere learned how to form solid precipitation.

SO to the kid walking back from class this morning sporting his Chem goggles as ski goggles while also donning a Ninja Turtle backpack!

SO to the Cheez-It on the sidewalk on University. You looked really soggy. Rest in peace.

DSO to the pickle on the sidewalk on University. You didn’t look soggy at all. Enjoy the snowstorm!

SO to the sexy men in business casual at the stem cell research and legal issues presentation last night. stay sharp, stay smart.

ASO to my sandwich. You taste funny, but as far as I can tell, nothing in you has expired yet.

SO to the world championship cheese contest for being at the same place as our nursing conference. Goodbye nursing conference and hello cheese!

SO to still thinking of the alligator eating the bigger number when I see a greater than or less than sign DSO to 1st grade, I miss nap time HMFASO to people with the sniffles. BLOW YOUR FUCKING NOSE BEFORE I RIP IT OFF YOUR FACE

MORE SHOUT-OUTS >>

The Badger Herald | Classifieds | Wednesday, March 7, 2012

EMPLOYMENT

FOR RENT

BARTENDING! $300/day potential. No experience necessary.

Training available. 18+ ok. 800965-6520 ext. 120

LARGE 3BR. 409 W. Dayton.

New kitchen, free laundry in apt. New LR carpet/ hardwood floors, central air, furnished, porches. $1350. 835-2637

Do you love working outdoors, are able to work in a fast paced environment and have great customer service skills? The Henry Vilas Zoo is hiring 30-40 individuals for the upcoming summer season. Positions are available in the gift shop and food service areas. If you are interested and would like to fill out an application please come to our job fair on March 9th and 10th 10am- 4pm in the Visitors Center at the zoo.

7

FOR RENT

Spacious four bedroom near Kohl Center. Newly remodeled with loft and large porch. Laundy, heat, and water included! Parking available. Call 235-7753

FOR RENT

SO to overhearing “I was exhausted, so I used Red Bull instead of water to make coffee this morning. Right now I can see noises.” You, sir, are my hero.

STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM. Paid Survey. Takers Needed in Madison. 100% Free to Join.

Click on Surveys.

HSO to getting handed a flier for “extreme midget wrestling” BY midget wrestlers today on State! Only in Madison...

FOR RENT Large 2 bedroom apartment across from Camp Randall. 38 N. Breese #5, New Kitchen, Hardwoods, Larger Bedrooms, includes HEAT. Please visit tallardapartments.com for pictures/ layout. 608-250-0202.

PARKING

Large 2 bedroom flat at 518 S. Mills. Large Bedrooms, LR and DR, hardwood floors, large front porch. Please visit tallardapartments.com for pictures/ layout.

608-250-0202.

DOWNTOWN/CAMPUS PARKING: Above and Underground Parking located on Spring, Mills, Randall, Orchard, Fahrenbrook.

Flexible terms, great rates. Call 255-3933 or johne@jsmproperties.com today!

ASO to all the leggingwearing biddies that take the bus just to the top of Bascom. Your legging-covered bum would probably appreciate the exercise.

SO to smiling. Smiling’s my favorite.

SO to Confetti Cake Poptarts. You taste like your dough was

projected out of a unicorn’s horn straight into heaven where it was baked by the sun in a meadow full of puppies, then sent directly to the grocery store shelves.

ASO to freshmen who describe themselves as “technically having sophomore standing.”

Nobody’s impressed.

You’re still a fucking freshman.

SO to the gorgeous ass weather we have today! ASO to the glorious melting of snow that keeps dripping on my head from the top of buildings as I walk around campus. (:

SO to my guy friend who told me that I look like Legolas when I wear riding boots around. The bonds of our friendship are way stronger than anything forged in the fires of Mount Doom.

SO to the girl in front of me at Fresh Market that bought fourteen boxes of pizza rolls and the homeless guy behind me with only a six pack of natty ice.

SO to the guy transporting a step-ladder via his moped today.

Impressive.

SO to the warm weather.

DSO to dogs.

ArtsEtc.

ArtsEtc. Editor Lin Weeks arts@badgerherald.com

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The Badger Herald | Arts | Wednesday, March 7, 2012

BRO KNOWS MOPEDS

Max Hoel fixes up vintage rides for Madison’s scooter crowd

Kevin Kousha

ArtsEtc. Staff Writer University of Wisconsin freshman Max Hoel can easily be seen in a crowd. His short, wiry figure is almost always complimented by one of his snap-back hats, brim up, straight out in front. With his septum piercing and pair of plugs, he is difficult to miss and easy to remember.

Despite his stand-out appearance, he doesn’t emanate the air of an entrepreneur. Yet over the last few months, that is precisely what he’s become.

Hoel has a history of swapping out cars, working on one project, moving to another. Usually, the conversation is littered with affection and the occasional grumble of disdain for certain cars he’s owned. If BMW or Volkswagen were women’s names, the discussion could easily be mistaken for a rumination on exwives.

USUALLY, THE CONVERSATION IS LITTERED WITH AFFECTION AND THE OCCASIONAL GRUMBLE OF DISDAIN FOR CERTAIN CARS HEʼS OWNED. IF BMW OR VOLKSWAGEN WERE WOMENʼS NAMES, THE DISCUSSION COULD EASILY BE MISTAKEN FOR A RUMINATION ON EX-WIVES. The first was a BMW 325iX. “That was my first car; I was 17 at the time.

I started fixing it out of necessity,” Hoel recalls. Soon, however, the story takes a classic turn. “After a while, I was just working on it for the hell of it. I couldn’t stop.”

He’s no stranger to working on other people’s cars, either. Within 30 minutes of talking, the conversation will likely turn to some telling story: the transmission swap on his friend’s Saturn, the headaches it caused, the money he’s still owed. Some people seem to have a one track mind, and Hoel is one of those people.

Like any gearhead, the draw of a motorcycle proved irresistible. In typical fashion, Hoel picked up a used bike that didn’t run as his first project. Even now, he continues to work on it alongside his other projects. This would prove be the first step in motorcycle maintenance that would culminate in the creation

Photos by Matt Hintz The Badger Herald

UW student Max Hoel and friend Alex Heyworth operate their start-up mechanical service Bropeds from an off-campus barn. The two do repairs as well as custom work. of Bropeds.

“I see people riding around on newer mopeds, and it’s just sad,” Hoel observes. “No life to them, no fun.” Like many car enthusiasts reminisce about the feel of driving an older car, Hoel prefers the feel of an older moped to a new one.

Hoel and his friend, Alex Heyworth, hatched a scheme to find vintage mopeds and refurbish them, eventually reselling them. Heyworth, Hoel’s high school friend, is a fellow gearhead. They hope to also accept

projects from owners of mopeds who need work done. Hoel reckons, “The market’s here, and there’s no shop dedicated to vintage mopeds in Madison. We just have to get our name out.”

Down the line, they hope to gain the advanced mechanical skills to heavily modify some projects however they like. “A new TIG welder isn’t cheap,” Hoel explains, “but eventually we’ll be branching out from primarily doing restorations to chop jobs and crazy

mods.”

While the pair has extensive mechanical knowledge of both bikes and cars, they enjoy working on old mopeds. Their simplicity allows for easy maintenance, repair and modification. In comparison to their newer counterparts, vintage mopeds barely have anything to them.

Yet much like the cars built 30 or more years ago, their construction is sturdy and reliable. With such simple designs, many are still capable of working today and require only

normal maintenance. Despite their tiny engines, their weight is also miniscule, giving them surprising pickup and gas efficiency.

And the bikes have some novelty, too. Many people ride motorcycles for a certain “stripped-down” feeling, and the old mopeds are, in a way, “stripped down” as well. Watching someone ride one, or even stand by one, can sometimes be comical.

Some are dwarfed by the height of even an average-sized human being. Yet at the same time, they are functioning and functional and can get from point A to B. Granted, that route can’t really have any major highways.

Bropeds is a fairly new business venture. Hoel and Heyworth started the Facebook page this year. Their “shop” is really a barn. The two are also full-time students, Hoel at UW, Heyworth at UW-Milwaukee. The work is done in their spare time.

It certainly isn’t a rags-to-riches story, either. The “business” is currently a record of their personal projects and exploits, rather than catalogue of past jobs. “When this gets going” is a common refrain.

Occasionally, they write a post about a prime Craigslist or eBay find with dreamy words. They often try to find someone else to pay them to pick up and work on it. Sometimes, they even post the work of other shops in the same line of business, in pure admiration.

But the scheme does have promise. Many of Madison’s students can be seen riding on mopeds that have seen multiple owners and little maintenance. While Bropeds is also in the business of customizing old mopeds, they also bring old ones back to life, or modify them to make them more comfortable and usable.

The mopeds are so light that some get upward of 80 miles per gallon, and their age adds to their appeal, instead of taking away from it. While they may not make it past Wisconsin’s borders, the little bikes can get around town just fine. And while taste is a matter of preference, the mopeds definitely have their own style, one that many enjoy. “They’re light, fun, a little out there and worth it,” Hoel explains confidently.

Style aside, there’s also a simple function of cost. Even with tracking down the right moped, and finding the parts online and through swaps, many of the quotes the pair has given are cheaper than a used moped from a newer year.

It’s doubtful that Madison will become a swarm of vintage mopeds.

Yet Bropeds might find their own niche. Already, despite putting up the Facebook page only a few months ago, Bropeds is generating some interest. Somewhat like fishermen, Hoel and Heyworth are getting their first few curious bites.

In the meantime, Hoel will likely keep working on his various projects.

Whether through Bropeds, odd jobs or his own ventures, Hoel will keep his hands busy, and greasy as well.

Comics

Hump Day Does Not Mean You’re Getting Laid Tonight Noah J. Yuenkel comics@badgerherald.com

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The Badger Herald | Comics | Wednesday, March 7, 2012

WHAT IS THIS

SUDOKU

HERALD COMICS

PRESENTS

S

U

D

O

K

U WHITE BREAD & TOAST

toast@badgerherald.com

MIKE BERG

NONSENSE? Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.

What? You still don’t get it? Come, on, really? It’s not calculus or anything. Honestly, if you don’t know how to do a sudoku by now, you’ve probably got more issues than this newspaper.

TWENTY POUND BABY

DIFFICULTY RATING: All attempts to combine sexy time and homework deemed “failures.”

HERALD COMICS

PRESENTS

K

A

K

U

R

O

baby@badgerherald.com

STEPHEN TYLER CONRAD

YOURMOMETER

LAURA “HOBBES” LEGAULT

C’EST LA MORT

PARAGON

yourmom@badgerherald.com

HOW DO I

KAKURO?

I know, I know. Kakuro.

Looks crazy, right?

This ain’t no time to panic, friend, so keep it cool and I’ll walk you through. Here’s the low down: each clue tells you what the sum of the numbers to the right or down must add up to.

Repeating numbers?

Not in this part of town.

And that’s that, slick.

paragon@badgerherald.com

The Kakuro Unique Sum Chart Cells Clue 2 3 2 4 2 16 2 17

DIFFICULTY RATING: Wednesday: the week’s least sexy day?

CLASSIC MR. WIGGLES

Possibilities { 1, 2 } { 1, 3 } { 7, 9 } { 8, 9 }

3 3 3 3

6 7 23 24

{ 1, 2, 3 } { 1, 2, 4 } { 6, 8, 9 } { 7, 8, 9 }

4 4 4 4

10 11 29 30

{ 1, 2, 3, 4 } { 1, 2, 3, 5 } { 5, 7, 8, 9 } { 6, 7, 8, 9 }

5 5 5 5

15 16 34 35

{ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 } { 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 } { 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 } { 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 }

6 6 6 6

21 22 38 39

{ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 } { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 } { 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 } { 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 }

7 7 7 7

28 29 41 42

{ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 } { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 } { 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 } { 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 }

8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44

{ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 } { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 } { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 } { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 } { 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 } { 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 } { 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 } { 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 } { 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 }

www.neilswaab.com

NEIL SWAAB

CLASSIC MADCAPS

HERALD COMICS 1

2

3

4

pascle@badgerherald.com

RYAN PAGELOW

RANDOM DOODLES

PRIMAL URGES

random@badgerherald.com

ERICA LOPPNOW

primal@badgerherald.com

ANDREW MEGOW

MODERN CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT

THE SKY PIRATES

COLLIN LA FLEUR

DENIS HART

mcm@badgerherald.com

skypirate@badgerherald.com

PRESENTS 5

6

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8

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CROSSWORD

Lysacek 32 Resulted in 35 Run out of 17 18 19 town on ___ 20 21 22 36 Drives home, as runs 23 24 25 26 27 28 38 “Back in 29 30 31 32 33 Black” band 40 Personal 34 35 36 37 38 bugaboo 41 Bow-toting 39 40 41 god 42 43 44 45 44 Prospector’s find 46 47 48 49 50 51 45 Brand of 52 53 54 55 56 57 movable collectibles 58 59 60 61 46 Soda brand 62 63 64 65 66 67 since 1905 47 7-Down and 68 69 70 others 71 72 73 48 Whizzes 50 Without muss or fuss Puzzle by Elizabeth C. Gorski 53 Ranch in When this puzzle 33 Vietnam-era informally orchestra “Giant” protest org. is completed, the 68 Slowly, on a 13 Tatters 55 Java or C++ 10 circled letters, 34 Meriting a score 18 Pro ___ whiz “Q.E.D.” read from top to 69 *Valentine (for now) 56 Hostess ___ bottom, will spell 37 Article in rap sentiment 21 Drink brewed Balls titles a name associated 70 “___ it my naturally 60 Units now with 39-Across.

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BUNI

madcaps@badgerherald.com

MOLLY MALONEY

15

26 Intersected 27 Grapefruit choice 29 *Managed ___ 31 Coeur d’___

16

59 “Give me an “In Bloom” example!”

10 Overly 62 Oscar winner romantic Tatum 11 Places for 64 “You’re fired!” rites speaker, 12 Wrote for an

Get today’s puzzle solutions at badgerherald.com

Hoops America Editor: Brett Sommers | sports@badgerherald.com

10

The Badger Herald | Sports | Wednesday, March 7, 2012

CONFERENCE TOURNEY TIME

Big East

Big Ten

Big 12

The Big East Tournament should be just as interesting this year as UConn’s improbable five-wins-in-five-days feat last year. Syracuse might be the favorite thanks to a 30-1 record, but Marquette, Notre Dame and Georgetown look to be viable opponents. The Golden Eagles hope to get just their second crack at the Orange.

It seems possible that any of the top eight teams in the Big Ten could steal this tournament, which only makes sense for the best conference in college basketball. The three-way tie for the regular season title could also be avenged, or might a Badger or Hoosier team that was so close all season surprise?

Just about every game that included two teams out of Kansas, Missouri or Baylor, was a great, down-to-the-wire finish. With a weaker lower-half of the Big 12, the conference tournament should afford us a couple very entertaining games to decide the tournament champion. But favorites, beware Iowa State and K-State.

NUMBER OF THE WEEK

3

The number of teams that tied for first-place in the Big Ten, after it looked like Michigan State might have it locked up a week ago. With Ohio State’s victory over the Spartans, MSU, OSU and Michigan get to share.

NATIONAL RANKINGS Associated Press Top 25 1. Kentucky (63) 2. Syracuse (2) 3. Kansas 4. UNC 5. Missouri 6. Duke 7. Ohioo State 8. Michigan St. 9. Marquette 10. Michigan 11. Murray State 12. Baylor 13. Georgetown

14. Wisconsin 15. Indiana 16. Wichita State 17. Florida State 18. SDSU 19. Creighton 20. UNLV 21. Temple 22. Florida 23. Notre Dame 24. Gonzaga 25. Iowa State

TEAM OF THE WEEK

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

After being relatively invisible at Northwestern earlier in the week, Buford stepped up his game and ruined what Michigan State’s hopes of an outright Big Ten title. Buford led the Buckeyes with 25 points and nailed the game-winning basket from the top of the key to nudge the Spartans past MSU, 72-70.

NAISMITH WATCH 1. Thomas Robinson, F, Kansas 18.0 ppg, 11.9 rpg, 1.1 bpg 2. Anthony Davis, F, Kentucky 14.4 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 4.7 bpg 3. Kevin Jones, F, W. Virginia 20.0 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 1.1 bpg 4. Draymond Green F, Mich. St. 16.2 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 3.5 apg 5. Doug McDermott, F, Crei.

23.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.1 apg

CONFERENCE POWER RANKINGS

1.

Big Ten — The Big Ten turned out to be so talented and challenging, not even an 18-game conference season could determine a single champion. Any B1G teams that make the NCAA tourney should be tough enough to beat anyone.

2.

Big East — Who will emerge as the beast of the East after conference tournament, and what will it tell us about the true caliber of its teams? Perhaps not much. The Big East looks great right now, but it has fooled us in the past.

3.

Big 12 — The Big 12 seems to have narrowed its field of national title contenders from three to two: Kansas and Missouri.

Momentum could be a big deal for any Big 12 team looking to do real damage in the NCAAs.

4.

ACC — One of three power six conferences to determine its regular season champions on the final weekend of the season, making for entertaining basketball. But four 4-12 teams? That is a bit week for a conference expected to be so talented.

5.

SEC — Kentucky officially wrapped it up, the only undefeated conference schedule in Division I college basketball, a full six games ahead of secondplace finishers Florida, Vanderbilt and Tennessee. The rest of the conference can’t compete.

Team

Conf.

Overall

UNC Duke Florida St. Virginia NC State Miami Clemson Maryland Va. Tech WF Ga. Tech BC

14-2 13-3 12-4 9-7 9-7 9-7 8-8 6-10 4-12 4-12 4-12 4-12

27-4 26-5 21-9 22-8 20-11 18-11 16-14 16-14 15-16 13-17 11-19 9-21

BIG EAST

Trey Burke Michigan Wolverines

William Buford Ohio State

14. Georgetown 15. Indiana 16. Wichita State 17. Florida State 18. Saint Mary’s 19. Florida 20. UNLV 21. SDSU 22. Creighton 23. Notre Dame 24. Temple 25. Gonzaga

ACC

The Tar Heels were able to overcome the demons that killed them when they lost at home to Duke a month ago. Jumping out to a 24-point lead at halftime, UNC stole the ACC regularseason title from the Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

North Carolina got strong play from its starters, with all five players scoring in double-figures.

TOP PERFORMANCE

1. Kentucky (31) 2. Syracuse 3. Kansas 4. UNC 5. Missouri 6. Duke 7. Ohio State 8. Michigan St. 9. Marquette 10. Murray State 11. Baylor 12. Wisconsin 13. Michigan

FINAL REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS

North Carolina Tar Heels

With two road games to go, Michigan needed two wins to have a shot at a share of the Big Ten title. Because of Burke, the Wolverines fulfilled that dream. The freshman guard scored 21 points complemented by five assists at Illinois and had 19 points in Happy Valley.

USA Today Top 25

Associated Press

Detroit turned heads during their Horizon League Tournament Championship run, upsetting top-seeded Valparaiso Tuesday night for an automatic tourney berth.

Contenders, pretenders of March March Madness is here! Finally, the most exciting time in college basketball has arrived, and in just four days the NCAA selection committee will narrow down the 338 teams in NCAA Division I basketball to the 68 best and most-deserving teams in the country. Let the bracket pools begin and the productivity of the workplace decrease to its lowest levels of the fiscal year as endless streams of cubicle occupants rush to click CBSsports.com’s “Boss Button” as the man walks by.

We already have seen fantastic postseason basketball. In four conference championship games Monday night we witnessed three overtime periods and a combined 13-point margin of victory for the winners. The three-point tying baskets were flying, the pressurepacked free throws dragged on and the lucky winners had their tickets to the Big Dance punched.

So with the seeds yet to be assigned and the 25 brackets that will inevitably be color-coded, sorted by eventual champion and plastered to your bedroom wall still to come, Hoops America will give you its Contenders, Pretenders and Dark Horse teams in the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

Contenders Let’s take a quick look at the projected No. 1 seeds: Kentucky, Syracuse, Kansas and North Carolina.

All deserve to be on the contenders list by virtue of outstanding regular seasons, but there are a couple concerns to consider when deciding whether to pencil each one in all the way to the Final Four.

Kentucky: The Wildcats play arguably the best defense in the country and have a Player of the Year candidate in Anthony Davis, but the ‘Cats are young. Three freshman and two sophomores start for Coach Calipari and Cal has had young talented teams in the past that stumbled near the finish line.

Also, don’t forget about the league that Kentucky hails from. The SEC is one of the weakest of the power six conferences, and getting used to a weak schedule could spell doom.

Syracuse: The Big East took a back seat to the toughness and depth of the Big Ten this year, but the East was still a beast. Watch closely how the Orangemen play in the Big East tournament this week to help determine if they can make it all the

way to New Orleans. 30-1 is quite an accomplishment, but Syracuse has played a lot of close games down the stretch. While that may prove they can win the close games, if Syracuse cannot close come March, look for the Syracuse Orange to roll home early this year.

Kansas: A wild card of No. 1 seeds if you can have one. The Jayhawks have one of the top big men in the country in Thomas Robinson and a dynamic point guard in Tyshawn Taylor. The two split a majority of the time with the ball, and the duo can be turnover prone at times. Taylor averages almost four TOs per game.

That gives a team with a strong fast break a chance against KU. North Carolina: Earlier in the year, Hoops America questioned UNC’s toughness and whether they had the makings of a national champion. If the ACC Championship-clinching win over Duke means anything, they have it figured out. That aside, mental lapses do occur, and depending on which Kendall Marshall shows up in each game could determine how far the Tar Heels can go.

Now for a few other legitimate contenders: Missouri, Marquette and Michigan State.

Missouri: The Tigers have had a fantastic season, surprising many.

Missouri is skilled, athletic and has experience on their side. Teams may have trouble matching up with Missouri’s four-guard lineup led by senior guard Marcus Denmon, who averages 18 points per game. Don’t forget that the Tigers shoot nearly 40 percent from three as a team, making them a lethal threat for a Final Four.

Marquette: Badger fans, it’s not a coincidence that Marquette came to the Kohl Center earlier in the season and beat the Badgers; the Golden Eagles are better. Marquette has one of the most talented guardforward pairs in the country in Darius Johnson-Odom and Big East POY Jae Crowder. If you haven’t heard about DJO yet, you will. The senior guard averages more than 18 points per game, and senior forward Crowder averages more than 17.

Michigan State: This is a quick and dirty prediction. Tom Izzo goes to Final Fours. He has a Player of the Year candidate. It’s hard to pick against him.

Pretenders

The pretenders in this year’s dance are Baylor, Ohio State and Georgetown, all three of which are projected as a three seed or higher.

Ohio State: Too inconsistent and having lost three of their last seven, the Buckeyes could be looking at an early exit after a promising first half of the season. The Buckeyes’ secondleading scorer William Buford is a perfect example of the team’s inconsistency. Buford’s had scoring totals of 4, 24, 6, 17, 15, 6 and 25 in his last seven games. OSU can’t be counted on.

Baylor: The Bears struggled against the top two teams in its own conference. They are long and athletic, but a team that boasts defensive prowess could give Baylor problems.

Georgetown: The Hoyas have had some suspect losses this season, i.e., West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Seton Hall. It could be the rigors of a strong conference schedule, but a deep run seems unlikely.

Dark Horses And now everybody’s favorite category: Dark Horses. There seems to be an abundance of Cinderella possibilities this year, but three that stand out are Iowa State, Wichita State and Creighton.

Iowa State: The Cyclones played strong, beating Kansas and Baylor during the regular season. The Cyclones have a trio of 12-point scorers (including La Crosse, Wis., native Scott Christopherson) and a good mix of youth and experience that will be a tough out for anybody in the first or second round.

Wichita State: It‘s hard to consider No. 16 Wichita State a dark horse, but coming from the Missouri Valley Conference, they are. Despite a good ranking, nobody expects the Shockers to hang around with the big boys, but with the shooters this team has, don’t be surprised if they make a run. Senior guard Joe Ragland has made 57 of his 114 three-point attempts (50 percent).

Creighton: The Bluejays are a mid-major with a legitimate Player of the Year candidate that is only a sophomore. Doug McDermott is a name everyone will know a few years from now. Son of Creighton’s head coach, McDermott could singlehandedly lead Creighton to multiple wins in the tournament behind his 23.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.

3 POINTERS

1 2 3

March 1, Florida State forward Bernard James was ejected in the Seminoles’ 63-60 victory over Virginia when he kicked guard Joe Harris while both players were on the ground. James, a sixyear military veteran, sent a three-paragraph letter to Virginia coach Tony Bennett, saying he was embarrassed by his actions, remorseful for the incident and hoped Harris recognized it was out of character, according to an Associated Press report.

In his first game back on the bench coaching since Feb. 3, UConn head coach Jim Calhoun coached the Huskies to a 74-65 win over Pittsburgh Saturday. UConn has had a lot of problems this season, but the most prominent right now is the fact that they sit ninth in the Big East standings at 18-12 (8-10). Can Calhoun raise up the Huskies and will them to another run through the Big East Tournament gauntlet?

Several teams are experiencing new, or at least rare, heights. Washington won just its second outright Pac-12 regular-season championship since 1953. The Huskies finished with a 14-4 conference record and will be the No. 1 seed in the Pac-12 Tournament that begins today. Harvard clinched its first NCAA bid since 1946 along with its first-ever Ivy League title. South Dakota State also clinched its first-ever NCAA berth with a 52-50 overtime win over Western Illinois in the Summit League Championship game.

Team Syracuse Marquette ND G’Town Cincinnati S. Florida Louisville WVU Seton Hall UConn Rutgers St. John’s Pittsburgh Villanova Prov.

DePaul

Conf.

17-1 14-4 13-5 12-6 12-6 12-6 10-8 9-9 8-10 8-10 6-12 6-12 5-13 5-13 4-14 3-15

Overall 30-1 25-6 21-10 22-7 22-9 19-12 22-9 19-12 19-11 18-12 14-17 13-18 16-15 12-18 15-16 12-18

BIG TEN Team

Conf.

Ohio State 13-5 Mich. St. 13-5 Michigan 13-5 Wisconsin 12-6 Indiana 11-7 Purdue 10-8 N’Western 8-10 Iowa 8-10 Minnesota 6-12 Illinois 6-12 Nebraska 4-14 Penn State 4-14

Overall 25-6 24-7 23-8 23-8 24-7 20-11 18-12 16-15 18-13 17-14 12-17 12-19

BIG XII Team Kansas Missouri Baylor Iowa State Kansas St. Texas OK. State Oklahoma A&M Texas Tech

Conf.

16-2 14-4 12-6 12-6 10-8 9-9 7-11 5-13 4-14 1-17

Overall 26-5 27-4 25-6 22-9 21-9 19-12 14-17 15-15 13-17 8-22

PAC-12 Team

Conf.

Overall

Wash.

California Oregon Arizona Colorado UCLA Stanford Oregon St. Wash. St. Ariz. State Utah USC

14-4 13-5 13-5 12-6 11-7 11-7 10-8 7-11 7-11 6-12 3-15 1-17

21-9 23-8 22-8 21-10 19-11 18-13 20-10 17-13 15-15 10-20 6-24 6-25

Team

Conf.

SEC Kentucky 16-0 Florida 10-6 Vandy 10-6 Tennessee 10-6 Alabama 9-7 Miss. State 8-8 Ole Miss 8-8 LSU 7-9 Arkansas 6-10 Auburn 5-11 5-11 Georgia S. Carolina 2-14

Overall 30-1 22-9 21-10 18-13 20-10 21-10 18-12 17-13 18-13 15-15 14-16 10-20

NATIONAL LEADERS Points 1. Reggie Hamilton, OAK 2. Damian Lillard, WEB 3. Doug McDermott, CREI 4. Quincy Roberts, GRAM 5. Shane Gibson, SHU

25.7 24.5 23.2 22.7 22.0

Rebounds 1. O.D. Anosike, SIE 2. Thomas Robinson, KU 3. Jamelle Hagins, DEL 4. Andre Roberson, COLO 5. Kevin Jones, WVU

12.5 11.9 11.3 11.2 11.2

Assists 1. Scott Machado, IONA 2. Kendall Marshall, UNC 3. Jesse Sanders, LIB 4. Vincent Council, PROV 5. Jason Brickman, LIU

9.9 9.6 8.0 7.5 7.2

Blocks 1. Anthony Davis, UK 2. William Mosley, NWST 3. Damian Eargle, YSU 4. C.J. Aiken, JOES 5. Eric Buckner, GAST

4.7 4.0 3.7 3.7 3.4

The Badger Herald | Sports | Wednesday, March 7, 2012

PEAK, from 12 a more confident team.”

Suddenly, UW reeled off four consecutive victories, a game two win against Denver and three straight road games with a sweep over Bemidji State and a game one victory at No. 5 Minnesota, before Minnesota rallied in the third period of game two to halt Wisconsin’s streak Saturday.

“I would argue that we played some good hockey before we had that big game against Denver,” UW head coach Mike Eaves said.

“Everything came together by us scoring five goals and timely goals, but we played well in Mankato [against St. Cloud State]; we could have won both games. We played competitive up at North Dakota and then Denver at home, and Friday we weren’t very good, but Saturday [we won 5-2]. We have been doing good things for a while, and it came together that Saturday against Denver and we’ve been able to carry that on.”

With the drastic change in results, the level of confidence Wisconsin is portraying increased dramatically. Immediately after the fifth consecutive loss, the players appeared to be as low as they had all season. For a team that started the season 1-8-1 on the road, a road playoff series was the last thing the Badgers were looking forward to. Now, they can’t wait.

“The confidence plays a big factor,” Mersch said.

“When we played Denver at home we kind of got a feel for them and what they play like. The win we had against them Saturday night was a big confidence boost for us.”

Sophomore center Mark Zengerle lead the Badgers in points this season and also has been the primary catalyst during Wisconsin’s last five games, tallying 10 points on two goals and eight assists over that stretch.

But it hasn’t been all about one or two individuals.

Seventeen different players

CHAMPIONSHIPS, from 12 Cato is the three seed, his personal best score in the heptathlon is better than the qualifying score for both the number one and two seeds in the NCAA Championships.

“I think, for me at least, the key is to take one event at a time,” Cato said.

“You really can’t think about what’s next without thinking about what’s now.”

After a disappointing finish in 2011 while nursing a sprained ankle, Cato hopes to show that he can meet — and hopefully surpass — expectations.

“Going back, I feel that I need to show everyone that I can be the person that I was supposed to be last year, but couldn’t be,” Cato said.

Grzesiak — who will be competing alongside Cato in the heptathlon — is the only competitor

MCCUE, from 12 is that Rochel played her best ball when Wisconsin’s most dominant post player in Covington was sidelined.

The former Minnesota Miss Basketball winner admitted she felt more confident in her game when forced to step in for the senior, and coaches are hoping that attitude will carry over in Rochel’s third year on the floor.

It’s difficult to predict how much Rochel will add to her arsenal of post moves this offseason, but she proved in 2010-11 that she has the ball skills and shot-making ability (51.1 percent on the year) to be a double-double threat every night. If Rochel can find the confidence to shoot fire off open looks and display a greater sense of urgency on the glass, she can not only fill Covington’s void but also transform into a more dangerous scorer than her predecessor.

Outside of Madison’s very own rendition of the “Big Three,” Kelsey will be counting on a freshman duo that saw

have scored points over the recent impressive streak.

“We’re a pretty close team, and I think everyone has just been playing their part and wanting to win,” Zengerle said. “You get down to the end of the season and start looking and there is no, ‘Oh well. We’ve got next weekend.’ You are playing for your season and playing for your life out there.”

Mersch too has put together a remarkable string of games, scoring eight points, second-most to Zengerle over that time, and says that working on the power play with Zengerle has helped boost the level of his game.

“I think our power play is finding its niche, and I have been playing with Zengerle a little bit, so that obviously helps because he is a point getter and he produces offense,” Mersch said. “Things are just coming together at the right time and not just for me individually. Tyler [Barnes] has a great weekend in Minnesota, Mark almost has 50 points this year, obviously Justin [Schultz] is contributing and has been all season, but things are just starting to come together, and we’re getting some goals and points from our back line guys.

The Badgers have said all season long that they felt like the team was a lot better than their record indicated.

As the WCHA playoffs begin Friday, perhaps Wisconsin’s opening round matchup, Denver, and others will start to recognize that and fear a potential series with the Badgers.

“We have talked since day one about being a championship caliber team,” Eaves said. “Now, there are certain elements that those championship-caliber teams have and we have been pushing for that all year.

We’re closer to that now.

Are we there? Only if we go on an unbelievable run, but that is why you play the game. That is what makes basketball crazy in March, you get the Cinderella teams, and we certainly fall in that category right now.”

on the Badgers who did not automatically qualify for the event. The senior received an at-large berth in the event due to his season best score in the heptathlon, which ranks him 16th nationally.

“I feel that I need to show everyone that I can be the person that I was supposed to be last year.”

Japheth Cato

UW Track & Field Grzesiak holds the second-best score in school history in the heptathlon behind Cato.

He also finished fifth this year in the Big Ten Championships. Grzesiak also has experience at the NCAA Championship level. He finished 16th at the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships in the

significant playing time in their first year suiting up for the cardinal and white. Lacia Gorman, a natural point guard who may find herself in a starting role next fall, won’t be counted on to score, allowing her to refine her role as a distributor.

Lining up alongside two other impressive scorers, Gorman’s ball security should cut down on the 17.2 turnovers per game Wisconsin averaged this year.

The other freshman Wisconsin will need to step up is 6-foot-1 Jacki Gulczynski, who has yet to prove herself a reliable scorer but is the type of athletic, hybrid-guard forward that is a perfect fit for Kelsey’s high-motor system.

It may seem like too much of a “perfect storm” for all these factors to mold into a successful, tournament-bound squad next year. But with three seniors absent, underclassmen are ready for their long-awaited time in the spotlight and will be fully adjusted to their

11

Associated Press

Oakland Athletics’ Jemile Weeks fields a ground ball during a spring training work out. Weeks got the upper hand against older brother Rickie in the Brewers’ 6-0 loss Tuesday.

Brewers blanked 6-0 by Athletics Rickie Weeks suffers crushing spring training loss from brother Jemile Weeks PHOENIX (AP) — Once Jemile Weeks got the ball in this rundown, he wasn’t about to give it up.

Weeks made a diving tag to nab his older brother Rickie in the first inning and finished with two hits in the Oakland Athletics’ 6-0 exhibition victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday.

Oakland left-hander Tommy Milone walked Rickie Weeks to lead off the game but picked him off first. Jemile Weeks was the last player with the ball in the ensuing rundown and chased his brother back toward first before going to the ground for the out, tackling his sibling at the bag in the process.

“He was acting like he was frustrated but he was all right,” Jemile Weeks said. “He just looked at me

decathlon.

The Badgers’ season success has the medley team confident heading into the weekend’s meet.

Even though Wisconsin is the sixth seed, they feel like anything could happen.

“I think we can compete with the best,” Mellon said. “There’s no reason why we can’t finish in the top three. This race is crazy enough where we could win it.”

Byrne knows that the Badgers will ultimately be measured by how they finish. However, he says that the experience of the meet is important as well.

“I want them to walk away saying they gave it their all,” Byrne said.

“What more can you ask for other than to go out and run fast, compete against the best in the country and hopefully have the chance to set a school record along the way?”

young coach’s playing style.

For a Wisconsin program that has only appeared in just one NCAA tournament in the past decade, fans are still hungry for a nationally relevant program.

Averaging between 7,000 and 10,000 fans per game in the late 1990s and early 2000s, students, alumni and other Badger backers have made it clear they aren’t only loyal to the men’s squad.

If this team can contend for a conference title and simply return to March Madness, the Kohl Center will soon be notable for more than men’s basketball and hockey. The tools are present, and with Kelsey’s dedication to rebuilding the Wisconsin women’s basketball program, it won’t be long before the team is stirring up excitement across campus.

Ian is a junior majoring in journalism. Think the Badgers will fare better now that Kelsey has a year of head coaching experience under her belt? Let him know by emailing imccue@ badgerherald.com.

kinda funny and gave me a little smirk.”

Asked if he ever considered throwing the ball to a teammate, Weeks quickly said, “No. Not a chance.”

Milone, one of four players acquired from Washington in the offseason deal that sent Gio Gonzalez to the Nationals, pitched three innings of one-hit ball. He struck out NL MVP Ryan Braun for one of his three Ks. “It was a good feeling to get out one of the best hitters in the game right now,” Milone said, “especially to do it for the third out and walk off the field. I didn’t feel as good as I did the last time but I can’t complain about the results.”

Milone, one of several pitchers in the mix for a spot in the Athletics’ largely

open starting rotation, is proud of the development of the pickoff move he used to get Weeks.

“It used to be just a ‘show me’ move,” he said. “Now it’s turned into, I wouldn’t say a game changer, but it saves innings.”

Braun finished 0 for 2 and is hitless in four plate appearances this spring.

“I can only head in one direction,” he said with a wry smile. “So the overwhelming odds are that I’ll put one in fair territory one of these days.”

Milwaukee starter Yovani Gallardo allowed a hit and struck out four over two innings in his spring debut.

Manager Ron Roenicke has yet to announce his opening-day starter, but the spring schedule points to Gallardo.

“I don’t think it ever

will (get old),” Gallardo said. “It’s one of those things that’s very exciting and everybody’s looking forward to it, both the ballclub and the fans.”

NOTES: Braun received a rousing ovation from the pro-Brewers crowd, a decided change from Saturday when he was heckled loudly by visiting San Francisco Giants fans.

Braun was caught up in a drug case during the offseason and recently won his appeal, overturning a 50-game suspension for a positive drug test. ...

Brewers OF Corey Hart underwent surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right knee. Hart will be out three to four weeks. .

Brewers RHP Francisco Rodriguez pitched the third inning and allowed an unearned run.

Sports Editor Elliot Hughes sports@badgerherald.com

12

The Badger Herald | Sports | Wednesday, March 7, 2012

SPORTS

Seeing red: Badgers finally hit peak Winners of 4 of its last 6, UW heads into playoffs with renewed spark Brett Sommers Statistics Editor

Noah Willman The Badger Herald

Sophomore forward Michael Mersch has complemented the 10 points Mark Zengerle has scored the past five games, scoring eight points of his own with four assists and four goals in that span.

Just three weeks ago, the sun was setting quite early on the 2011-12 Wisconsin men’s hockey season. The Badgers had just dropped their fifth straight game, falling nearly to the bottom of the WCHA cellar with just lowly Alaska Anchorage dangling below them.

After being eliminated from top six contention in the WCHA standings for a first round home playoff series, Wisconsin begrudgingly extended its losing streak to five games, at the hands of Denver in the Kohl Center and hit rock bottom. But apparently new life can be found in the eleventh hour for a team that never quit despite a series of hard-fought battles that failed to yield the positive results the Badgers had been searching for.

“A month ago we were still trying to get home ice,” sophomore forward Michael Mersch said. “I think it was St. Cloud that things kind of fell apart, but we picked ourselves up from them, we realized we were going to have to go on the road and those road wins against Bemidji [State] and Minnesota helped us become

PEAK, page 11

UW sends 6 to NCAA indoor championships Big Ten field athlete of the year Cato headlines Badgers’ qualifying athletes Zach Nelson Sports Writer The University of Wisconsin men’s track and field team’s select few members have been preparing for this upcoming weekend for the entire year. This Friday and Saturday, the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship will be held at the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium in Nampa, Idaho.

The Badgers will send six men to the event in two different events.

The team will send their distance medley relay team composed of junior Zachary Mellon, sophomore Alex Hatz and freshmen Aaron Thompson and Austin Mudd, while sophomore Japheth Cato and senior David Grzesiak will compete in the heptathlon.

“This week is just about staying on our feet, staying healthy, getting sleep and not doing too much,” Mellon said. “The work that needed to be done is already done.”

Wisconsin’s

distance medley team automatically qualified for this week’s championships as the six seed by finishing the event with a time of 9 minutes and 30.86 seconds at the Alex Invitational last week.

Mellon will look to lead the Badgers’ distance medley team with his experience, as he finished 13th in the 800 meter run at last year’s NCAA championships. Mellon also finished 5th in the 800 at the 2010 NCAA championships, which earned him First Team All-American honors.

Mellon has used his experience to give advice to the rest of his team.

“I told them don’t give the other runners too much respect,” Mellon said. “We’re here for a reason. We can run with the best of them. Don’t quit until the finish line.”

Mellon’s experience will be vital if the Badgers want to be successful, as this will be the first trip past the Big Ten championships for Thompson, Mudd and Hatz.

Wisconsin assistant and distance coach Mick Byrne’s message to these inexperienced athletes was simple.

“It’s just another race,” Byrne said. “Put one leg in front of the other, take left-hand turns, get

around as quick as you can and stay on your feet.”

Even though Hatz doesn’t have the experience of Mellon, he has enjoyed success in his short career thus far at Wisconsin. Hatz owns the school record in the mile with a time of 3:58.68, which he set this year at the Tyson Invitational.

Hatz finished fifth in the mile at last year’s Big Ten Championships.

“I’m really excited about it,” Hatz said about the NCAA Championships.

“It’s something I came here to do — to be able to compete at this level. I’m definitely nervous, but it’s a nervous excitement.”

The Badgers highest ranked player heading into the championships is Cato, who is currently ranked third in the heptathlon. Cato also has experience in the NCAA Championships, finishing 15th in 2011, which earned him Second Team AllAmerican honors.

Cato has had a impressively successful year thus far. While Cato owns the school and Big Ten record in the heptathlon, he also won the seven-event affair at the Big Ten Championships this year and ranks third nationally. Even though

CHAMPIONSHIPS, page 11

Photo courtesy of Japheth Cato

Wisconsin sophomore sensation Japheth Cato will compete in the heptathlon at the 2012 NCAA Indoor Championships ranked third. Cato competed in last year’s indoor championships as a freshman, but sustaining an ankle injury a week before the meet limited his abilities.

Returning backcourt starters promising for UW Ian McCue Right on Cue It was a tough opening campaign for first-year head coach Bobbie Kelsey, but fans can rest assured the best is yet to come for the Wisconsin women’s basketball team.

As the Badgers’ season came to a premature

close in an 81-49 loss to Minnesota Thursday in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, it was hard not to feel a tantalizing sense of what awaits UW next season and beyond. Despite finishing the year at 9-20 and tied for ninth in the Big Ten, reaching the NCAA Tournament isn’t a longterm project for Kelsey’s young squad — don’t be surprised if Wisconsin finds itself dancing next March.

Just like she was this season, guard Taylor Wurtz will serve as the proverbial key that jumpstarts the Badgers’ offense. After

putting up a team-leading 16.1 points per contest as a junior, the Third Team All-Big Ten selection (who deserved a spot on the first or second team) flourished in Kelsey’s fast-paced offense and should develop into a true star in her final season on the hardwood.

Also leading the team on the glass with a team-high 7.6 rebounds per game, Wurtz has the athleticism to be a double-double threat every night and should record the first tripledoubles of her career as a senior. Every Big Ten title contender needs a star, and

the dynamic shooting guard will gladly take on that role next season.

Aiding Wurtz in a backcourt loaded with talent is guard Morgan Paige, who in her first year as an everyday starter posted 10 points per game. Although, like her older counterpart, Paige can catch fire from the outside, her most valuable skill is her willingness to attack the rim. The sophomore showed her ability to take over a game in a 29-point performance late this season against Illinois, a game in which she sunk all 11 of her free

throws. As the Marion, Iowa, native continues to grow more comfortable fighting her way through the lane, she and Wurtz will power Wisconsin on the offensive end.

With plenty of talent at the guard spot, the major question surrounding next year’s squad is an apparent lack of a proven post scorer.

Though an understandable reason for concern — UW is losing both Anya Covington and Ashley Thomas, who were both starting forwards this year — there is no shortage of post players with tremendous upside

on Kelsey’s roster. And perhaps the single most critical ingredient to a NCAA tourney appearance next year exists in 6-foot4 forward/center Cassie Rochel.

Rochel, a player just beginning to understand how to use her height around the basket, never developed into a reliable scorer in Kelsey’s first year at the helm. Seeing the court an average of 15.8 minutes per contest, the sophomore scored only 4.3 points per game. Promising, however,

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