The
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Cauldron csucauldron.com
MONDAY | February 11, 2008
The
THE
STUDENT
N E W S PA P E R
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CLEVELAND
STATE
UNIVERSITY
SINCE
1929
Valentine’s Day Now and Then The Melting Pot
What Super Delegates Mean to You
News
SGA Updates: Elkins Out, Who’s In?
Culture
Gee’s Bend an Excellent Opening to Black History
Sports
Vikings Remain Undefeated At Home, Squeeze Past Panthers
>> PLUS
The Cauldron Bullhorn What Kind of Gas Do You Buy?
The
This Week
Volume 106, No. 5
For the Students...By the Students
Editorial Staff: Andrea Mitchell, Editor-In-Chief Laura Dynda, Managing Editor Jayson Gerbec, Advertising Manager Katie Shoemaker, Advertising Rep. Ebony Cash, News Editor Ilona Westfall, Culture Editor Nick Camino, Sports Editor Steve Thomas, Layout Editor Michael Quintero, Cartoonist Brian Thomas, Distribution Manager Anne Werner, Business Manager
Staff Writers: Emily Ouzts, Mark Jablonski, Faith Larraine, Jamie DuBois, Mark Katzbach, Christopher Enoch, Reid May, Scott Arko, Andrea Cervenak, Gary Typerstone, Robert Ivory, Sabrina Peacock, Roman Verzub, David Edwards, Whitney A. Foster
Contributing Writers: Dave Orzechowski, Shanette D. Buford, Dan Hollowell, James Kneblik
The Melting Pot The Cauldron reserves the right to edit letters for space and clarity. All entries must include your name, year-in-school, and daytime phone number for verification purposes. All entries must be submitted by Friday at 5 p.m.
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Contents
www.csucauldron.com
cauldroneditors@hotmail.com www.myspace.com/csucauldron
F e b r u a r y
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T he Melting Pot
Culture
What Super Delegates Mean to You Super Tuesday Outcomes The Cauldron Bullhorn
CSU Chic Gee’s Bend an Excellent Opening to Black History Are They Worth a Listen? 10 New Bands To Check Out…Part 2 Valentine’s Day Make You Want To Puke? Music Reviews
Contact Us:
Cleveland State University 4th Floor Cole Center Cleveland, Ohio 44115 (216) 687-2270 / (216) 687-5155
Ilustration by Michael Quintero
News Cleveland State is now a Confucius Institute University Library to host Autism Speaker SGA Updates: Elkins Out, Who’s In?
Feature Valentine’s Day: Now and Then
Sports Vikings Remain Undefeated At Home, Squeeze Past Panthers Sloppy Play Keeps Win Away Heat, Suns Complete a Blockbuster; Should Cavs Follow Suit?
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The
Cauldron Bullhorn Compiled by Laura Dynda
Topic:
Is there a particular brand of gasoline that you buy? Do you believe that one brand is better than the other?
Kathleen Faulkner Senior
Nope, [I buy the] cheapest! No.
Christine Sottoriva Senior
Valerie Mackey Mobile Campus Staff
I take the bus, and use the U-Pass.
I buy Giant Eagle gas. But the stations are not near me! Other than that I buy the cheapest
Monika Botsch Junior
I buy the cheapest. If I have rewards for Giant Eagle, I buy there. Otherwise no preference.
Matt Ruple Freshman
Ginny McKenzie Freshman
I feel BP gas is watered down and eventually ruins your engine. I prefer Sunoco.
I go to BP or Shell and I [use] mid-grade or high grade (octane).
Have an idea for the next Bullhorn? Drop us a line at
www.csucauldron.com
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What Super Delegates Mean to You Story by Chris Enoch
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s the race for the Democratic nomination progresses this election year, it becomes more and more apparent that this is not a typical contest between two typical candidates. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are anything but. In fact, the race for this nomination seems more like a general election. This is due in part to the fact that the Democratic nominee will be in a favorable position to seal the deal and take back the White House. Furthermore, this contest looks so close the Democrats may have to wait until their convention (just like the good old days) to get their man (or woman) for the job. So how will the eventual nominee pull this whole scheme off ? Obviously these two candidates aren’t going anywhere soon and seem to be dividing state delegates, of which either candidate needs 2025 to win the nomination, right down the middle. With Clinton and Obama matching each other delegate for delegate (Obama has a small lead), the true kingmakers this election may just be the elusive super-delegates of the Democratic Party. Superdelegates,of whomthereareapproximately 800, make up 1/5 of the total delegates. These party officials are free to lean their delegate status to endorse and vote for one candidate or another. Regardless of how many delegates are awarded to candidates based on the outcomes of the nation’s primaries and caucuses, the super-delegates get to have their say- and their vote is worth as much as a whole county of voter’s votes. Most people tend shrug this off. Super-delegates are just another part of the nomination process right? Wrong.
Superdelegates represent p a r t y interests, not the interests of the people (those voting/ caucusing). T h e concept of superdelegates came to fruition after the upstart campaigns of former Sen. George McGovern and Jimmy Carter. After these Democratic Party outsiders secured the Democratic Party nominations in 1972 and 1976 respectively, party officials cooked up a way to return pivotal power to the Democratic insiders aka Democratic Senators, House Members, Former Democratic Presidents and Vice-Presidents, and Democratic National Committee members. Famed political scientist Rhodes Cook has stated super-delegates were brought about as a "firewall to blunt any party outsider that built up a head of steam in the primaries. Institutional representation of this kind determining the Democratic nominee is nothing short of an invalidation of the people’s true will. Nondemocratic selection of this kind would be akin in principle to the Supreme Court split decision (54) that determined the appointment of our much admired 43rd President. One could imagine that super-delegates would flock to the more establishment-based, Washington-insider candidate at any and all times. However, while Hillary Clinton certainly has an institutional
4 advantage, Obama supporters shouldn’t be the only ones biting their nails. If, in this whole nomination process, Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama has more elected delegates, but is refused the nomination due to willful super-delegates, legions of supporters of the losing candidate will be more than a little bit furious. Voter contempt could cause many to stay home in November or even switch their vote to John McCain or (maybe) Mike Bloomberg. Prospective contributors may just sit this one out, and enthusiastic volunteers will suddenly lose their fire inside. In essence, the Democratic base gets cut in half, and while Republicans may stand to gain from this outcome, America, sadly, loses out. Being fair and figuring the best candidate for the role of President are just two responsibilities of an American citizen in our electoral system. This year, there should be one more. Americans, Ohioans, and Clevelanders in general should be encouraged one way or another to pressure the local super-delegates, representatives in all facets of government, to vote for the candidate their state ends up backing. This would create a more level field for any candidate in the mix, and would bring renewed impartiality back to the Democratic nominating process. After all, in electoral politics, fairness isn’t everything. It’s the only thing.
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Super Tuesday Outcomes Story by Reid May
Romney drops out; McCain all but secures nomination
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hen John McCain’s approval ratings dropped to a 10.4 percent average in early September few believed he could still secure the presidential nomination. On Super Tuesday the Senator from Arizona came one step closer to doing just that. A dominant victory, coupled with Mitt Romney’s end of campaign announcement, has thrown McCain into the Republican driver’s seat. According to CNN he has 714 delegates—477 short of the nomination—with Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee [181 delegates] a very distant second. “I think we must get used to the idea that we are the Republican Party front-runner,” said McCain on Super Tuesday, “and I don’t really mind that one bit.” Despite superior finances, Romney won only seven states—175 delegates—on the day. His total delegates stand at 286, well behind McCain. However, the former Massachusetts governor was expected to stay in the race. “As of this early a.m., it was a go,” said one of the sources. Romney’s withdrawal makes Huckabee the last Republican contender. While a win seems well out of reach at this point, Huckabee’s campaign remains enthusiastic about upcoming primaries. He will likely target conservative voters who feel McCain is too liberal for the nomination. This criticism hasn’t hit McCain’s campaign hard. While the Senator continues to answer to allegations that he isn’t a true conservative, his delegate totals have skyrocketed. His support stands at a multi-poll average of 43.4 percent—the highest for any Republican candidate so far. It is hard to fathom McCain’s success based on his standing in polls from as early as two months ago. A CNN opinion poll in December 2007 found McCain’s approval among registered Republican’s to be a slim 13 percent. Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, and Mitt Romney stood at 24, 22, and 16 percent respectively—and it was near unthinkable that McCain over take all three to win the nomi-
Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama
nation. But he seems to have done just that. McCain didn’t have the most money, or the most conservative values yet at the end of the primary season, it is almost guaranteed he will be the nominee. And on the Democrat’s side of things… Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama continue to remain just inches away from one another. On Super Tuesday, Clinton secured 790 delegates, while Obama added 767. Obama won greater number of states, but Clinton got the big ones—including New York and California. Neither candidate was able to significantly declare himself or herself the winner…although both made reference to Super Tuesday as a victory for their campaign. It appears the Democrats may head to the convention without a clear nominee, a scenario some in the party fear. On a side note, Obama has out-fundraised Clinton significantly in the past month. While Clinton’s campaign continues to lead, Obama was able to raise 32 million dollars in January alone—a record for a single month in a presidential election year.
Clinton’s camp became concerned when they were only able to raise 13.5 million in January; so much so that Clinton loaned 5 million dollars of her personal finances to the campaign saying, “We intended to be competitive and we were, and I think the results last night prove the wisdom of my investment.” Clinton has raised more than 100 million dollars to date. However, of the 37 million she has on hand, the campaign intends to keep 20 million set aside for a general election run. That puts the pressure on the campaign to add more funds now. Part of Clinton’s solution is an online challenge to raise seven million dollars in 72 hours. Success will bolster her finances for the next series of primaries and help prepare the campaign for March 4th— when it reaches Ohio, which means exciting news for Cleveland State. As of Friday, NBC has declared that Clinton and Obama agreed to a debate at Cleveland State University on Tuesday, Feb. 26, after turning down a request from CNN to debate on the 27th. Details including time, location, and ticket distribution have yet to be released, but no doubt the administration will have the university looking its best by the end of the month.
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Cleveland State is now a Confucius Institute Story by David Edwards
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hinese ambassador to America, Zhou Wenzhong announced in a speech on Jan. 18 that Cleveland State University would be recognized as a Confucius Institute. The Honorable Zhou Wenzhong, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the US, said in his speech that the Chinese government will give Cleveland State $120,000 or more in order to train potential Chinese language teachers. According to James McLoughlin, dean of the College of Education and Human Services, the money could be used to establish an international school, prepare teachers, assist teachers in searching for a job, help companies do business in China, and facilitate exchanges between students and
SGA Updates:
Elkins Out. Who’s In? Story by Mark Jablonski Political Science Dept. Changes Hands
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tarting next fall, Associate Professor David Elkins will go from being the “caped crusader that [he is] today,” to once again being an ordinary faculty member of the Political Science Department. That’s when Elkins’ term as chair of the department – a position he’s held since 2003 – comes to an end. Elkins, who earned his Ph.D. at the University of Kansas, has been teaching at Cleveland State since 1991. He described the chair position as a “voluntary, temporary, part-time job.” “I realize that the sense of being chair is more profound than perhaps it should be,” he said. “Think of it more of being the chair of a committee . . . like being a manager.” Among other duties, a department chair is tasked with promoting faculty morale and creativity, recommending faculty promotions and dismissals, and overseeing the department’s budget.
“We’ve never had any problems with the budget,” Elkins said. “I think that we’ve handled our budget responsibly and appropriately, and we’ve met our obligations.” According to Elkins, the Political Science Department has a budget of around one million dollars, most of which is “bound up,” leaving the chair with little discretion over the allocation of funds. During his term, Elkins has never had to dismiss any faculty members. “[Because] you’re so
teachers, and China. According to International Relations professor Qingshan Forrest Tan, currently Cleveland State does not offer intermediate levels for Chinese like other courses in the modern language department. In addition, unlike the other languages, the faculty that teaches Chinese is only part time compared with its linguistic counterparts. Although the new partnership with Cleveland State and the Confucius Institute may seam like a great bargain, Jocelyn Chey, visiting professor from the university of Syndney professor who works in the Chinese department and specializes in Australian-Chinese relations, is a little skeptical. Chey is concerned that Confucius Institutes might wield too much Continued on Page 8
very careful in the hiring process, it’s unlikely that you get to that point,” he said. But that doesn’t mean that he’s never faced any challenges in the personnel area. “The most difficult thing that any job like this has...is dealing with people,” he said. “Because people are flawed, people are challenged [and] they’ve got complex lives, it can create challenges . . .it’s part of the nature of being a manager.” Has he had to make any tough calls when Continued on Page 8
New s F e b r u a r y
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Cleveland State to Host Democratic Party Debate Story by Andrea Mitchell
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he Democratic Party primaries are the hottest of the hot topic in today’s news. Luckily for Cleveland State University this publicity juggernaut will spread some of its clout on the university during its scheduled Feb. 26 debate.
On the home front the fact that this debate is being held at Cleveland State is huge news for the university. Where typically Cleveland State University is greatly overlooked in Ohio against the massive Ohio State University, this debate finally gives it the recognition its been looking for. When contacted after the approval for the debate President Schwartz said, “This is very important for
Cleveland. It matters for the University a great deal as well. We will do anything we can to promote this region.” All in all tickets appear to be very hard to come by. It also looks like staying away from campus on Feb. 26 isn’t a bad idea due to the expected droves of media, voters, politicians, etc. that will be showing up to support their candidates.
Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have accepted an invitation to debate at Cleveland State from NBC. Obama has said that his focus while in Ohio will not primarily be focused on the debate, but instead on meeting with voters. After Clinton and Obama practically split the Super Tuesday vote in half the Ohio Primary now plays an even bigger role in what the final decision will be. With this Clinton was advocating for another debate before the Ohio Primary on Mar. 4, and got her wish with the announcement of the Cleveland State Debate. Ohio has always been the determining state for presidential elections. Whatever way Ohio votes, is usually the way the nation votes. This being said, it seems that the Democratic Party nomination is going to go to whichever candidate takes Ohio. However, there still seems to be a lot of controversy over where Ohio is going to fall between these two big names. In all the Cleveland State Debate will be sure to shed light on this.
University Library to host Autism Speaker Story by Andrea Mitchell
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iving with a child who has been diagnosed with autism is one of the most difficult experiences a parent can endure. I can say this from experience because I was raised with a brother who was diagnosed at a young age with autism. On Tuesday Feb. 12 speaker Debra Chwast will give a speech about raising her son who was diagnosed with autism. Chwast’s speech will be the commencement of the spring program Cleveland State University Common Reading Experience. Chwast will be telling the story of her son Seth Chwast. Seth was diagnosed with autism; however, he found he had the ability to paint large oil paintings. These paintings are not only exceptionally beautiful, but inside of them is a glimmer of hope for other parents who have an autistic child. Seth began painting at the age of 20 after he
took an oil painting class at the Cleveland Museum of Art. His work has been widely accepted and even featured on NBC’s Today show. Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability. Today one in every 150 children is born with autism. There is a 10-17 percent annual growth of diagnosis, as well. The disability has gained more publicity over the past decade as it has become better researched and detected. However, with the commonness of the disability growing so is the cost. Each year 90 billion dollars is spent on those living with autism. Chwast’s speech will be held on at noon on the first floor of the University Library. Her presentation is entitled “Turning Darkness into Light: Pain, Bliss, Autism.” The speech will be a ‘brown-bag lunch’ event and is open to all Cleveland State faculty, staff and students.
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Confucius Institute Continued from page 6
power. “I have concerns about CI’s that become involved in university undergraduate or postgraduate degree courses and research programs,” Chey said. “I believe that universities must guard their academic independence and when they receive corporate or government funds they should establish ground rules for any funded programs.” Chey is not alone in his criticism. In a 2007 declassified intelligence report by the Canadian security intelligence service, Canadian officials said they would be suspicious of Chinese ambitions to establish Confucius Institutes as a form of soft power and would be watching Chinese operative activities. The report acknowledged euphemistically “China was making an attempt to win the hearts and mind of the world.” Tan recognizes Chinese use of soft power, and referred to it as the “the goal of internationalization of the curriculum.” Still, the large impact China has in the world is hard to overlook. In his speech to the City Club, Wenzhong said that China is the second largest contributor to the worlds GDP (13.8%) and that 1.3
billion dollars worth of goods are exported to China from Ohio alone. Wenzhong also tried to confront the controversy surrounding outsourcing American jobs overseas. “Some people accuse China of taking away American jobs by exporting them to the United States, but the fact is U.S. unemployment rate in recent years have been around 4.5% making it the lowest unemployment rate in U.S. history.” Wenzhong also took the opportunity to remind Ohioans that Ohio State University had 1,000 Chinese students and that in 1979 Ohio was the first state to have relations with a Chinese state. After the Honorable Zhou was finish with his speech, he visited Ohio governor Ted Strickland. Strickland emphasized Ohio’s strong agriculture sector. Strickland also told Wenzhong at the Detroit Auto show about Ohio’s manufacturing history to China-based Company BDY. Tan said the monetary aid would greatly help facilitate the need for Chinese speakers. As it stands now, Cleveland State does receive some funds from philanthropic institutions to
promote Chinese culture. For example, The John A. Chao scholarship offers students the opportunity to study at China or Taiwan and also offers students from Taiwan or China to study at Cleveland State. The scholarship works to bring Chinese students to Cleveland State. “It will help improve global image of China,” Tan said about the new partnership. “It will help to promote awareness of Chinese culture.” The titular leader, from which the institution was founded, is a Chinese philosopher circa 500 B.C. In one of Confucius’s most well known works, Analects, Confucius is noted as writing “At fifteen. I had my mind bent on learning.” Confucius education plays an important role in Chinese tradition. Religious Scholar, Michael Molley once wrote in his book, experiencing the world religions and said, “Confucius valued education because it transmitted the lessons of the past into the present.” Currently the Confucius Institute, which was established by the minister of education, has more than 70 institutions worldwide.
ees and is pending approval by the Ohio Board of Regents. The program is targeted toward students interested in a career with “international and global linkages,” and will combine both social science and business courses. Elkins said that the transition between chairs is “seamless,” and that there are many “very talented and capable faculty here in the department, and I’m confident that one of them will step forward to be the next chair of the Department of Political Science.”
tives he had in mind for the department, Govea said no. “I guess I’m not much of a believer in that ‘vision’ stuff,” he said, “So I’m going to spare this department that kind of agony.” Lieske declined an interview with The Cauldron regarding his interest in the position, saying only that Professor Qingshan Tan had nominated him. Lieske has taught at Cleveland State for nearly 28 years, and worked for the Department of Labor during the Ford administration. Govea and Lieske will be interviewed this week by department faculty, who will rate the candidates as either “acceptable” or “unacceptable.” Those ratings are then sent to Dean Sadlek, who will make the final decision. While the office of department chair is contested this year that is not always the case. Elkins said that when he sought the position it was “mainly because nobody else was going to do it.” He received a unanimous vote of “acceptable,” and then-Interim Dean Earl Anderson was left with a rather easy decision. “[The dean] had to make a choice between no one and me, and he chose me,” said Elkins.
SGA Updates Continued from page 6
dealing with the faculty? “Sure those happen all the time; but I’m not going to tell you about it,” laughed Elkins. Although the chair is essentially the head of the department, Elkins is quick to point out that he works very closely with all faculty members. “A chair is somebody who has one foot in administration and another foot as a regular faculty member,” he said. “Anything that I do, I work with my colleagues to accomplish.” Having one foot in the administration means working closely with the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Gregory Sadlek, whom Elkins said he has had a remarkably good relationship with. Sadlek told The Cauldron that Elkins has done a “truly outstanding job” as chair, and is “a man of sound judgment [who] has been exceptionally conscientious and generous in the performance of his duties.”\ As his term comes to a close, Elkins said he’s happy with the direction the department has taken, pointing to the development of the new Masters of Global Interactions program, which was approved by the university’s board of trust-
Prospective Successors So far, two members have expressed interest in the position of chair: Associate Professor Rodger Govea and Professor Joel Lieske. Govea came to Cleveland in 1978 from New York, having earned his Ph.D. at Syracuse University. In his thirty years at Cleveland State, Govea has taken on a number of responsibilities, including negotiating on behalf of the faculty union. He has also served as President of the Ohio Conference of the American Association of University Professors. When asked if there were any special initia-
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Valentine’s Day Then and Now Story by Andrea Mitchell
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hen we think of the month of February we usually think of red roses, heart-shaped boxes of chocolate and colorful cards with romantic sayings inside. The holiday Valentine’s Day brings with it the celebration of love and passion for couples. The overly commercialized holiday causes dread for some and yearning for others. While some don’t like the concept of not having a lover to spend the day with, others are not bothered by the idea at all.
Many have come to view the entire day as a ‘Hallmark Holiday’ that is celebrated simply to make money. Still despite the skeptics and the haters, each Feb. 14 couples gather from all over the world to spend time (and money) on their love. The History Valentine’s Day can be traced back to Christianity with its proper name being Saint Valentine’s Day. The holiday is both a Roman and Christian tradition, which started out with pagan rites on the ides of
February. Some believe that the holiday started out as the pagan Lupercalia festival in ancient Rome. The Lupercalia festival was their official beginning of spring and a time for purification. The festival was a fertility festival that was dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture. In an effort to Christianize the pagans, it is believed that somewhere around 270 A.D. the church began the observance of Saint Valentine’s Day in the middle of February
Still despite the skeptics and the haters, each Feb. 14 couples gather from all over the world to spend time (and money) on their love. to coincide with the pagan festival. However, the story of the actual Saint Valentine is a mystery. There may have been several Saint Valentines, but it is known for certain that the man was a Christian martyr. The first legend of Saint Valentine comes from a priest who lived in the third century in Rome under Emperor Claudius II. Claudius II passed a law that soldiers could not marry because he believed that single men fought better than those who had wives and families. It is believed that the priest Valentine thought Claudius’ law to be unjust and therefore decided to still marry young lovers in secret. When the government officials found out they arrested and killed the priest sometime near the middle of February. Another tale of Saint Valentine is that of the same priest who was imprisoned, but fell in love with a young woman. While in prison he sent letters to his beloved, which he signed ‘From your Valentine.’ This expression developed to be used in Valentine’s greetings to this day. Valentine’s Day became popular around the seventeenth century in Great Britain. Throughout the eighteenth century it was a common practice for friends and lovers to exchange tokens of affection or romantic notes. Modern Valentine’s Day Today over an estimated one billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent every year. Women purchase a total of 85 percent of all valentines. Valentine’s day is celebrat-
ed mostly in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France and Australia. The holiday rakes in huge profits for card and candy companies all over the globe. And while many love to receive the gifts of affection, there are still many that feel the holiday is a waste of money. Valentine’s Day, while rooted in romance, is also a reminder of lack of romance. The statistics show that women are the primary buyers and suppliers of the holiday’s presents. This means that men, who do participate in the holiday, still aren’t the ones who spend the most money on it or feel the same attachment to the celebration. The other lack of romance comes from those who don’t have that special someone to spend the day with or those couples who aren’t in a place to celebrate love. These individuals still have to push through the day laden with cutesy decorations and proclamations of love. However, those celebrating “National Singles Day” instead of Valentine’s Day don’t cramp the style of the many who go out to spend money on flowers, candy, jewelry, lingerie and whatever else they believe reminds their lover they care. Hollywood and Romance Each middle of February sees its fair share of box office tearjerkers to remind us of the upcoming holiday. Despite what some believe about the roots of love, the idea still banks huge money. People love to see couples push through the trials and tribulations of their romance to go on and spend the rest of their lives together. Old classics such as An Affair to Remember even incorporate Valentine’s Day into their plot as symbolic in the course of their affection. This February movie romance seekers can look forward to the releases of Caramel, Over Her Dead Body, Fool’s Gold, Definitely Maybe, and Step Up 2, The Streets. Cleveland and Valentine’s Day So what can we Clevelanders expect to do for our loved ones on the upcoming holiday? Well for starters there is the romantic dinner for two. There are all sorts of romantic hot spots in Cleveland; you just have to know where to find them. Parallax in Ohio City is rated as “unparalleled chic, exquisite seafood” by City’s Best. Located in Ohio City, the restaurant is a hopelessly romantic date. Another romantic destination is One Walnut, a restaurant in Cleveland that offers
contemporary food in a setting made for starry-eyed lovers. However, if your budget is not in the wine-and-dine arena White Castle is taking reservations. White Castle’s annual Valentine’s Day Dinner includes candles and a waiter. If you’re interested in wooing your lover at the popular hangout for the four a.m. wasted and/or stoned crowd you can call your local White Castle for more information. In Cleveland we are lucky enough to have the famous Malley’s Chocolates right in our backyard. The chocolate factory founded in 1935 boasts its famous decadent creations all year round, but on Valentine’s Day chocolate covered strawberries are the must have. This year the Valentine’s Day favorite is going for $16.45 a box. Other boxed chocolates range in price from $4.25 to $36.95. If you’re also looking for that special card for your loved one the American Greetings Company is headquartered in Cleveland with store locations all over the Cleveland area. In these cards you can find the adoring poems for your lover or the comical slapstick that still will put a smile on anyone’s face. Cleveland State University even catches the Valentine’s Day spirit each year with the annual Valentine’s Day dance sponsored by Campus Activities Board. Students can attend the event that includes dinner with their current flame or bunch of best friends on Feb. 16. Roses are Red, Violets are Blue In the end we all have the need to show those we love that we care. Valentine’s Day, while grossing huge profits, still gives people the chance to slow down and say ‘I love you’ to their special someone. Or perhaps the day is overrated and not important, but even still, like any other holiday it is what you make of it. So whether you have a special someone or you are your own special someone this year, the treat of roses, chocolate and love poems is still something to acknowledge.
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Scene from Gee’s Bend
Gee’s Bend an Excellent Opening to Black History Month
all the way to the 21st century. By doing this we see a lot of different parts of African American history, including racism. Gee’s Bend is a story for the entire family to enjoy, as well as those of races other than African American.
they can do anything. They are not only able to transition their characters from young to old, but they are also able to mix comedy as well as drama.
Michael Bloom, the Cleveland Playhouse Artistic Director, says, “Gee’s Bend represents the kind of event we dream of producing: a deeply moving story about an extraordinary group of individuals that has great resonance in our community.”
Gee’s Bend is performed on the Baxter Stage in the Cleveland Playhouse. The audience is seated surrounding the stage which allows everyone to get a good view of the stage and the actors. The set is very simple, featuring only a few props that can make the transition into any setting needed. The subtle pieces of colorful fabric on the floorboards of the stage help contribute to the theme of the show; which is how a simple quilt can add so much to the history of a family.
The cast of the show, all members of the Actors’ Equity Association, Story by Whitney A Foster show great talent as ee’s Bend, a true story based on well as versatility in their roles. The entire cast is the world famous quilters of made up of four people, but you quickly forget Gee’s Bend, Alabama opened on the small number once the play gets started. February 6th. This historical piece The actresses playing two sisters, Sadie (Erika follows the character of Sadie from the late 1930s LaVonn) and Nella (Shanesia Davis), both show
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Playwright Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder says, “The characters in the play Gee’s Bend are meant to be a composite of the women I have talked to and read about. The play is not solely about the quilts, but rather, the quilts become the backdrop of a much bigger story.”
The show is going to be a definite success, proven by the full house on opening night. It will run until February 24th. Show times will be at 8 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays, Saturday matinees at 3 p.m., Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. There will also be a weekday matinee on February 14th and an early evening performance at 7 p.m. on Tuesday February 19th. Ticket prices start at $10.00. For single tickets call 216-795-7000 ext. 4, or visit www.clevelandplayhouse.com.
Valentine’s Day Make You Want to Puke? Shoparooni’s Anti-VD Better Off Dinner offers an alternative
Story by Ilona Westfall t’s not an accident that the VD in Shoparooni’s Anti-VD Better Off Dinner stands for Valentine’s Day and venereal disease. Steve Brown, who along with his wife Marlee Brown, owns and operates the store Shoparooni in Cleveland’s Waterloo neighborhood, hates Valentine’s Day with a passion. “Our general view about Valentine’s Day is that it’s almost as appealing as syphilis,” he says. The only way the couple celebrates is with a yearly contest to see who can get what Brown describes as, “the crappiest, worst, most insulting gift,” for the other. Prior years resulted in gifts of stuffed gorillas that hug each other and a book containing lyrics to 70s power ballads. “Some pretty brutal stuff,” Brown shudders. With his wife out of town for Valentine’s Day this year, Brown wanted to do something that was an alternative to the nauseatingly sappy typical holiday events. He asked himself where he would want to be if he were a single, average Joe looking for something to do. “The answer is drunk as hell, eating a decent
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meal, in the company of other people who are drunk as hell, watching a good movie.” Thus, the Anti-VD Better Off Dinner was born. The fun starts at 8 p.m. this Thursday with a large scale viewing of the 80s movie Better Off Dead via projector. The classic movie stars John Cusack as Lane, a teen who gets dumped and tries unsuccessfully to kill him self with hilarious results. The dinner menu is taken directly from the movie’s famous scene where Lane’s mom serves dinner while a French foreign exchange student is over. So, partygoers can eat “fronch” toast, “fronch” fries and a salad with “fronch” dressing, catered by The Cleveland Supper Club, right along with the characters. The dinner is BYOB (don’t forget your ID) and cooler space will be provided. The event is scheduled to be held in a vacant storefront next door to Shoparooni’s quirky confines (the store sells everything from Kidrobot’s Munny toys and stuffed mustaches to knee-high socks with headphone
wearing monkeys and bags that look like astro-turf). If there is an overwhelmingly large turnout it will move to the nearby “Blue arrow building” so named for the giant light-up blue arrow on the front. As if dinner and a movie aren’t enough, the $15 ticket price also gets you a “mystery fun box,” containing a surprise valued between $8 - $18. Just think of how much a traditional Valentine’s dinner would cost! Tickets will be available on the day of the event but Brown recommends purchasing them ahead of time in order to ensure they have enough food. If you show up later and there’s no food left, tickets will be “heavily discounted” and you’ll still get a mystery box. As for what’s in those boxes? “You’re either going to find love or you’re going to find venereal disease.” Tickets can be purchased online at www.shoparooni.com or call 216-383-3633 for more information.
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Every Avenue
Are They Worth a Listen? Story by Faith Larraine
Just a little bit North from here, something new and interesting happened. Something was created and has grown into something with potential. This band has some entrepreneur experience along with some rough patches. But soon enough they would be discovered and all their hard work and dedication would be honored. So with all these trials and tribulations, one particular question is raised. Are they worth a listen? Band of Choice: Every Avenue 10 Reasons Why You Should Listen to Every Avenue 1. Entrepreneurs: Every Avenue formed in 2003 and actually self-released their self-titled album later that year. That’s pretty impressive for new comers. 2. Signed: In summer of 2007, the band was finally signed to Fearless Records. Not only does their record label have an edgy title, but they also have other punk bands signed to their label, such as Mayday Parade and A Static Lullaby. 3. Sounds like: The lead singer has a similar voice to Patrick Stump and the band has a very familiar resonance to the complete Fall Out Boy sound. I think we can all remember how amazing Fall Out Boy was when they first started out. 4. On Tour: The boys are on the Male Whores Open Sores Tour right now with one band I can call a favorite of mine, All Time Low. This tour also consists of Mayday Parade and the amazing band Just Surrender. 5. Down To Earth: After every set that the boys play, they always make an effort to have one-on-one conversation with their fans. Some bands simply leave the stage and
refuse to interact, but this just goes to show that these boys really do care about their fan base. 6. Mark Hoppus: You remember this guy right? Hoppus used to be in Blink-182 but is now a part of the fantastic group +44. Well, Hoppus has a blog on I-tunes titled Hi, My Name is Mark and you can download songs from it. Every Avenue’s song Where Were You has had 150,000 downloads from Mark’s I-tunes. One, it’s amazing that Mark even has that song on his I-tunes because…well…it is Mark. And 150,000 downloads is a pretty sweet number. 7. High Energy: These boys have been noted to be pretty intense live. They have a thing called the “pump jump” that literally makes the crowd go wild. A picture of the pump jump can be found on the band’s Myspace and the locations on the Internet. I must say…the pump jump really gets those boys some airtime! 8. Free-ness: The band is offering a free t-shirt to anyone who pre-orders their debut full length album Shh! Just Go With It, set to be released February 19. 9. Diary: Want to know what the boys are up to while they are on tour? You can always go and check out their new tour diary on purevolume.com. 10. Appearance: Every Avenue will be appearing at the Agora Ballroom with Between the Trees and Charlotte Sometimes on February 25. 10 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Listen to Every Avenue 1. Album titles: This band has some really stupid album titles. Their first EP was simply titled AH! and now their debut album is going to be titled Shh! Just Go With It! They seriously couldn’t think of anything better than that? 2. The Look: What a bunch of dorky looking band members. Not one of these boys could be classified as a hottie…not even the drummer. And the drummer is always the hot one! 3. Haircuts: All the boys have those emo depress-o hair-
cuts, except they haven’t dyed their hair black yet. They all have brown/blonde hair for the time being. But this band is supposed to be different than the others. So why do they look like everyone else? 4. Special: There is really nothing special about their song lyrics that would be worth listening and trying to find the deeper meaning. So, as a fair warning, don’t waste your time. 5. Michigan: Let’s stretch this con out a bit, okay? They are from Michigan. The Ohio State rivals, which is the University of Michigan, obviously are from Michigan as well. I’m guessing that if these boys did indeed watch college football, they would not be rooting for Ohio State. Therefore, they are lame. Yeah…that was a little too far stretched. 6. Govaere: Michael Govaere, the drummer, is trying to look like a badass with his snakebite lip piercing and his gauged ears. But you know what…he doesn’t. He still looks like a dork. 7. The sound: I did say before that they sounded like Fall Out Boy. And, if I am not mistaken, they have been noted in previous interviews that they have been trying to take their stance as the new Fall Out Boy. Here’s a question…why don’t you try making something original and stop trying to copy something that is clearly more advanced than you? 8. Tickets: They only cost $8.00. I wouldn’t even waste that much money on them. Well…live music is never a waste unless they cancel and you can’t get a refund. It’s a great low price…but this band just might not be worth it. 9. Other Bands Other Labels: Sugarcult and the Plain White T’s used to be a part of Fearless Records as well. They both either left or were dropped from the label. I’m not too sure if this label is trustworthy or knows talent when hey see it. 10. Nutshell: Have a listen, just to listen. Take a chance on them because every band deserves a chance. But, as fair warning, you probably will be disappointed.
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10 New Bands To Check Out…Part 2 Story by Dan Hollowell
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ello and welcome to the latter half of your ten new music obsessions. Hopefully, last week’s “Part 1” persuaded you to visit the Myspace pages of some, or maybe even all, of the first five up-and-coming bands. In case you didn’t pick up a copy of last week’s Cauldron or have been stricken with short term memory loss, I will remind you that your ears should now be familiar with the likes of Sparks The Rescue, The Maine, Bring Me The Horizon, Enter Shikari, and A Skylit Drive. My sincere hopes are that at least one of the prior struck a nerve and are now being played in heavy rotation. But just for good measure, this week’s issue offers five more bands for to you to be blown away by. I noticed that last week’s entry had mostly fast-paced, hard rock, and I thought to myself, ‘Dan, you’ve got to bring the people a little diversity.’ Don’t get too excited, I’m not offering some hip new country or techno group, ‘cuz that’s just not my thing. That said, I do have a band for those who are into a more mellow, laid back kind of rock. For those of you who dig anything from Death Cab For Cutie and The Fray to U2 and Radiohead, you need to check out Pilot Speed. This Canuck quartet released the full-length Into the West on Sept. 19, 2006 via Wind-Up Records. Since then, the band has flown under the radar, touring very little and appearing on a couple of soundtracks, including the recent Kevin Bacon flick, Death Sentence (which happens to be how I found out about them). Their most recent activity was a brief Canadian touring stint with MuteMath, and no more-recent updates were found regarding the band’s future plans. Nevertheless, if you are in need of some quality ‘chill’ tunes, you definitely need to check out the track “Alright” from that movie, as well as “Barely Listening” from the band’s album. Okay, so now that I have been fair to those who perhaps are not such fans of hardcore and pop-punk, I must return to my own personal genres of interest; what I know best, if you will. Although my own list of ‘choice tunes’ goes on for miles, atop that list you shall find Trustkill Records’ Memphis May Fire and their debut self-titled EP. Bringing flatout, dirty, southern-style metal straight out of
Dallas and ready to rule your music world, Memphis May Fire have a truly vibrant 2008 ahead of them, kicking off a tour with A Skylit Drive (last week’s issue) to wrap up the winter months. After that, the boys plan to hit the studio in the spring for a fall release of their debut full-length. Fans of A Day To Remember or Maylene & The Sons Of Disaster are sure to love MMF’s brutal breakdowns and catchy, sing-a-long choruses. So do yourself a favor and pick up their ‘tide me over’ EP to prepare you for that full-length later this year. “It’s time to do more than just stare at the ground,” boasts There For Tomorrow’s vocalist Maika Maile on the opening track to the band’s EP, Pages. Now before you get too excited, I’d like to inform that TFT doesn’t bring anything too new to the current poppunk scene, but that doesn’t change the fact that they have assuredly perfected what they do. The Orlando foursome self-released this EP, and it is a drastic improvement upon its predecessor, the 2004 full-length Point of Origin. Comparable to the likes of So They Say, All Time Low, or The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, you definitely need to give these guys a chance, if nothing else, just to switch up the ‘who’ on your playlist, although they won’t necessarily change the ‘what,’ if you catch my drift. As have a couple of bands on this list, There For Tomorrow have made their own tribute to the rap/R&B world, as they have posted a cover of Omarion’s “Icebox” on their Myspace page, where you can also check out their originals, “Pages” and “Taking Chances.” So the next time you’re commenting on profiles of people you don’t even know, show this band some love. Senses Fail is one of my favorite bands of all time. They are amazing guys, and above all, their music dominates. That said, there are bands that do what SF does in respectable fashions as well. Take Ice Nine Kills for example: A hardcore vibe with dark undertones (blood, guts, and graves galore) and intricate, melodic choruses makes for a successful recipe. The stand-out track on their The Burning EP, however, is not one of those hard tracks, but an acoustic-driven song called “What I Should Have Learned In Study Hall.” It’s an emotional song about losing love to life on the
road, and I think that, more than any other song in the INK catalogue, this song is precisely why you need to know about these guys. It shows that even the hardcore guys have feelings, and they can be hurt by some girl who left you for the Rocky Mountains. Don’t look now, but these guys are on their way to the top. Will you be one of the ones who can HONESTLY say that you knew them before they were big? I’m giving you the chance to do so, and the choice is yours. But you’ll be sorry if you don’t. So what do you think? Do you have room for one more? I know, your iPod only has three gigs of available space, but, chances are, if you’re reading this, you’re a Cleveland State University college student who has some free time on their hands. Well, just in case you whittle some storage room out on that stocked hard drive of yours, you should fill it with some Signal The Escape. Not to be confused with Sparks The Rescue from last week, this Connecticut five-piece has a driving, innovative sound, as they combine some of the best parts of pop-punk, emo, and hardcore and enmesh them together to form something downright tasty. They have become somewhat known for their track “Maudlin” (a great candidate for word of the day, look it up) and the remixes that have come from the original version. With parts Halifax, Hawthorne Heights, and Story of the Year (and no, those bands do NOT sound the same), these guys put a nice twist on scene standards. “Let go of all your preconceived notions of me, and let me set the record straight.” I think that about wraps it up: let their EP, These Scars are Just the Beginning, speak for itself. You’re still reading? For Pete’s sake, I am only a man. I have given you all that was promised over the course of the last two weeks. What more do you want from me? Okay, don’t tell my editors, but I’ll throw a few ‘bonus’ bands your way, but if this gets me in trouble, so help me…Okay, in addition to the aforesaid ten, you might want to check out Driving East, We Shot The Moon, The Secret Lives Of The Freemasons, Settings, With Blood Comes Cleansing, The Sophomore Attempt, or Cry Of The Afflicted. Okay, I’m cutting you off, and I’m fresh out of namedrops. Happy listenings!
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Music Reviews Bullet For My Valentine Scream, Aim, Fire Sony BMG 5 out of 5 By Dan Hollowell I could make this an in-depth review, but then you wouldn’t go out and buy this album for yourself and form your own opinion. I will tell you that it is definitely worth your time and money, however as of right now, I feel that Scream, Aim Fire has fallen short of creating the metal epic that was, and still is, The Poison. Nothing beats “Suffocating Under Words Of Sorrow” for me, plain and simple. I think if you’re a true head-banger in today’s era, then B4MV’s first full-length effort is pretty much biblical, if I may, but that should not discredit the quality of this new release. With songs that are all around a little faster paced and rooted a bit in classic 80’s metal, I think this is an interesting tweak of style. The drumming is still perfect and the guitar work is simply breath-taking at times. The title track and corresponding video are absolutely astounding, and the first couple of tracks are definitely above most anything anyone else is putting out right now, not to mention that the album’s third track, “Hearts Burst Into Fire” is already a candidate for rock ballad of the year in my books. I’d love to catch a live show from these guys to see the physical energy that they put into the songs off of this album, as I get a sense that these songs were crafted with touring in mind. I’m giving the album a five out of five rating because, let’s face it folks, B4MV are as good as it gets, but I personally am sticking to the original; The Poison.
CSU Chic by Andrea Cervenak
Name: Jevon Cooper Age: 28 Major: Graphic Design Style Icons: Pharrell Williams, Gwen Stefani, and Andre 3000 Favorite Clothing Store: H & M Favorite Fashion Magazine: “I don’t look at magazines for fashion. I look at television. But I do read Cosmo.” Favorite Decade of Fashion: “I’m looking to the future.” Fashion Philosophy: “If you don’t look at yourself in the mirror for at least two minutes…it’s not good.” Jevon is wearing Levi Straus jeans ($42), a zipped up sweater from Marshalls ($18), Lugg boots from Champs ($62), white t-shirt from H&M ($5), American Eagle coat ($25).
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Early Deficit Too Much for Vikings to Overcome
Sloppy Play Keeps Win Away Story by Nick Camino
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he last time the Cleveland State men’s basketball team squared off against Wright State on the Raiders home court in Fairborn, Ohio, the Vikings fell behind early, but came back to make it 65-63. They won it in an exciting and inspiring fashion in the waning seconds when senior forward Kevin Francis hit a miracle three-pointer to save the then hottest team in college basketball. Some thought the magic carpet ride would never end. Thursday night at the Wolstein Center deja vu appeared to once again be in the arena as the last time the two teams squared off on Jan. 12. What a difference two weeks makes. This time poor offensive play, coupled with sloppy execution kept the Vikings from grabbing sole possession of second place in the Horizon League Conference with a 55-49 defeat. The loss snapped an eight game home winning streak for the Vikings. It was the team’s fifth straight loss in conference play. And for the team who at the beginning of January was doing the “unthinkable”, playing good basketball, has suddenly stopped playing the same caliber. Thursday night it didn’t help Coach Gary Waters’ squad that Wright State came out shooting six-of-seven from the field with a perfect three-of-three from behind the three-point. This put the Raiders up 15-2, all in the first five minutes of the first half. After their second time out, Cleveland State cut the lead to 15-12 with great defensive play and back-to-back three pointers by sophomore Joe Davis and junior forward J’Nathan Bullock. Nonetheless, this did not even begin to resemble the team who defeated the No. 11 team in the nation Butler, and a very solid Valparaiso team just three weeks before. Despite attempts by the Vikings to constantly cut into the Raiders lead, Wright State guards Vaughn Duggins and Todd Brown combined for 24 points to shutdown Cleveland State any time the forest green and white tried to make it close. Even with Cleveland State playing sub-par, which has unfortunately become a pattern of late, Wright State only led 30-24 after the first half. But early fouls on the Vikings and superb
three-point shooting by Cooper Land (66 percent) in the second half enabled the Raiders to win their sixth game in a row and a game that was not as close as the final score entailed. Wright State felt very fortunate to get out of Cleveland with a victory, Raiders head coach Brad Brownell said. “This is a good Cleveland State team, very strong and athletic,” Brownell explained. “This was a win our team got because of contributions from everybody.” The same obviously could not be said for the home team, and their coach is very aware of it. “I am very displeased with our performance,” Cleveland State head coach Gary Waters said. “We were missing every open shot we got and we didn’t execute the way we needed to,” he added. “I think we can come back though, but we need to make adjustments and do a better job.” Despite losing five games in a row, Coach Waters knows that during these times his team needs to resurrect their pride. With eight contests left before postseason play begins, the Vikings need a lot of it to muster up, to put the ship back on the track they began the season on. CHECK IT OUT: What to watch for: This week I will be traveling to Indiana to cover both men’s basketball games on Thursday and Saturday. Thursday night the men take on Valparaiso and
Saturday afternoon they will try and defeat now No. 10 Butler again, this time on the Bulldogs home floor. Check out both games’ re-caps next week, along with some interesting highlights on my trip. I hope to provide a run-down of my entire experience while staying in Indiana in a column, and I will attempt to track down Bryce Drew, the assistant coach from Valparaiso who hit one of the most famous shots in the history of college basketball and ask him a few questions. What to listen for: Friday night I will join Kevin Keane on WTAM 1100 via telephone to talk about Cleveland State basketball on his show Sportsline. The show will air from 7:00 P.M.-10:00 P.M. on The Big One. Hopefully we will be talking about a win over Valpo and then previewing the Vikings vs. No. 10 Butler, which will take place Saturday with tip-off at 2:00 P.M. Also, check out every week on WTAM 1100, “The Gary Waters Show”. It is Cleveland’s chance to talk Cleveland State basketball with Coach Waters who is in studio. The show airs Monday’s or Tuesday’s 7:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M. depending on when the Cleveland Cavaliers play. Andre Knott hosts the show, and each week I do a Player Profile segment to familiarize Cleveland with the Viking players. Every week a different Cleveland State player joins me; it’s always a new adventure. Give a listen, and call in to Coach Waters asking him about the lockdown defense they play.
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Vikings Remain Undefeated At Home, Squeeze Past Panthers Story by Robert Ivory
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t this point last year, Coach Kate Peterson Abiad and the Lady Vikings were stumped. They were going nowhere. Success seemed like a distant place with their 2-8 Horizon League Conference record. But, with a hard fought win Thursday night against the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (11-10, 6-4 HL) 68-58 at the Wolstein Center, they would extend their record to 14-7 and 8-2 in the Horizon League. The win extends the undefeated status at home, and stretches their current winning streak to six games. “When you have a Championship caliber team, you start to win those games when you are not performing [at your best]. I’m just really proud of this team,” Coach Peterson Abiad said after the win. Most importantly, the Vikings look like they have solidified at least a top four finish in the Horizon League, this year. Sophomore Kailey Kein led the Vikings with 18 points and again,
Heat, Suns Complete a Blockbuster; Should Cavs Follow Suit? Story by Reid May
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hen I sat down to write this story, I intended to talk about the trade that sent Shaquille O’Neal from the Miami Heat to the Phoenix Suns for Shawn Marion. I’d have stated the “obvious”—that Phoenix got the raw end of the deal, Miami might win ten more games with Marion than without, and the Cleveland Cavaliers won’t be elite until Danny Ferry makes a trade like this one. But you’ve already heard it—and it’s wrong. This trade actually works for everyone involved. Miami has been terrible this year. They can’t buy a win, the roster is aging, and aside from Dwayne Wade there has been no consistent producer all season. This deal really improves their hand. O’Neal was a great player, but he’s never taken care of himself and he no longer fills the role of a team leader. He needs to move into an environment where he isn’t the first, second, or even third option. Phoenix will allow him to rescind his role, while
made the baskets towards the end of the game when the Vikes needed them the most. “We played really well together as a team. This is a really good win for us, even though we didn’t play our best,” Klein, the Horizon League Player of the Week for the past two weeks, said after it looked like the Vikings were going to let Milwaukee ruin the perfect home record. The Vikings dominated the first half and came out firing with an early three-pointer by Robyn Hoying (five points and seven rebounds) to start the game and would eventually head to an early 7-2 lead. The home side never trailed in the half and extended their lead by 14 with 6:45 left in the half, on a key three pointer by senior Brittany Korth. Dominque Bulter also contributed with 12 of her 16 points in the opening period. Comfortably, the Vikings lead 36-27 at the half. But, Milwaukee would not go out without a fight. As did the Vikings in the first half, the Panthers had the hot hand to begin the second half. Relying on their three point shooters, Milwaukee rolled to a 20-9 scoring streak in the first eight minutes of the half. The Vikings would find themselves without the lead for the first time after a basket and the free throw to make the score 47-45 with 12:18
remaining in the game. The Vikings did not help the cause shooting only 28.6 percent in the second half, and giving up 14 second-chance points for the game. The Vikings found themselves down, but not out. Sophomore Stephanie Crosley, among other Vikings not known for their point production, seemed to get to the free throw line when points were at a minimum. Crosley finished with only three points (all coming from the line), but they were the difference in the end, seeing how the Vikings ended with their last eight points coming from the free throw line. Milwaukee shot desperation threes for the last two minutes of the game, and fortunately for the Vikings, were unable to find a basket when they needed it most. On the other hand, Cleveland State finished with an 18-10 run, and put the Vikings closer to first place in the Horizon League. “A lot of our players stepped up and made shots,” Butler would later add to the win. Cleveland State avenged a 63-52 loss to the Panthers on Jan. 12 in Milwaukee. The win and a Wisconsin-Green Bay win at Youngstown State on Thursday, makes the Saturday, Feb. 9 contest against the Phoenix, a game for first place. A sight the Vikings have been looking forward to for several years.
Miami gets to clear his salary and begin to groom younger players. Marion is one of these up and comers. He’s six years younger than O’Neal, a fantastic defender, and has the great ability to finish on the fast break. The Heat will have a chance to keep him around if they can extend him beyond this year. That would give them a great second scorer, and help lay the foundation for their future. Meanwhile, Phoenix gets the inside presence it desires. While O’Neal may be older, the Suns will surround him with young players—and he won’t be expected to play 35 minutes a night. If their trainers work the same magic used on Amare Stoudemire after his knee surgeries, they can keep O’Neal healthy enough to be solid for 20-25 minutes a night. And even if Shaq doesn’t play every game this season, he still helps in the postseason against the likes of Tim Duncan, Yao Ming, and Pau Gasol. People often forget we’ve seen O’Neal rise to the occasion before. He wants another ring. He’ll still be tough to face in the playoffs. There are also financial incentives. Instead of trying to re-sign an unhappy Marion to an excessive contract [25 million per] at the end of the season, the Suns keep O’Neal at 20 million for two more years, after which his contract will expire and he will likely retire.
Despite substantial media criticism—both organizations got what they wanted, and ultimately the deal makes both teams better in their own eyes—exactly as it should be. Finally, despite inconsistent production from the role players around LeBron James, I am not convinced that Cleveland is out of the running without a big addition before the trade deadline. They have shown the ability to succeed without a second superstar. And in spite of his clamoring for help, James still dominates every night, giving the Cavaliers a great chance for victory every time they take the floor. Not to say the Cavaliers should stop pursing potential trade partners. An addition would still be great for this team. One more reliable player will make it even harder for opponents to throw multiple defenders at James, and the weight of a city won’t rest solely on his shoulders. However, until that happens, I can be satisfied with the Cavaliers in their current state. They may not rival the Boston Celtics in star power, but they still have the best player in basketball—and he’s already shown the world he can do it by himself. Who’s to say that can’t continue?