The Aquilian - February 2023 - Vol. 84 No.4

Caleb Williams ‘21 Soars to Historic Heights

By: Billy Cannon ‘24 Editor

The Heisman Trophy has long been the most prestigious award in college football, with 85 winners since 1935. Only one player has ever won the trophy twice, Ohio State running back Archie Griffin in the 1970s. Now, one of Gonzaga’s own has done the same.

On Saturday, December 10, with a plethora of Gonzaga students gathered on campus to watch the ceremony, Caleb Williams ‘21 was awarded the Heisman Trophy. He beat out fellow

quarterbacks Max Duggan of TCU, Stetson Bennett of Georgia, and CJ Stroud of Ohio State. Williams received 2,031 votes, beating out Duggan by 611 votes. He is the first player from the DMV, let alone Gonzaga, to win the Heisman.

After transferring from Oklahoma, Caleb excelled in his first year at Southern Cal. In 14 games, he threw for 4,537 yards, good for fourth in the nation, as well as 42 touchdowns against just 5 interceptions. He also rushed for 382 yards and 10 touchdowns, cementing himself as

not only a passing threat but a rushing threat. Not only did he win the Heisman, but he also won the Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award, awards also given to the best player in the country. He was named a first-team All-American and won Player of the Year Awards from both CBS Sports and the Associated Press. He led the Trojans to a Pac-12 championship berth, but they fell to the Utah Utes in the championship game, at the same time falling out of contention for the College Football Playoff. USC faced off against AAC champion

Tulane in the Cotton Bowl and ultimately lost against them, finishing the season ranked 12th in the nation.

Although Caleb and USC ultimately fell short of their playoff aspirations, it is undeniable that Caleb had one of the best seasons in recent memory. Although he is not eligible to declare for the NFL Draft, some in the football community have already raised talks about his case to be the #1 overall pick in 2024.

Most impressive of all is that Caleb did all this as a sophomore. He became

the eighth player in the history of the Heisman trophy to win the award before his junior year, and will return to school next year in an effort to become the second player to ever win the award twice.

There has never been any debate that the WCAC has been a source of athletic talent at the highest level. Gonzaga itself has produced multiple professional athletes at all levels, including several NFL players. However, we have never seen an athlete of this caliber before.

By: Brendan Rohde ‘24 Contributor

Bring Back Reading Day Gonzaga’s Phone Policy: A Response from Student Services

For Gonzaga students, exams are some of the most stressful times of the school year. The one-ish week period we all dread that comes at the end of the semester. We all spend different amounts of time studying and working on projects for our midterms and exams on the days leading up to the exams themselves. While the two review days are built into our end of semester schedule, one noticeable absence is also present on the schedule: Reading Day.

Much to my dismay, when exam schedules were unveiled this year, this day dedicated to helping students review was gone. The format of the day was simple: at 8:30 the day started. Students could come and go to any of their classes and receive help with studying or a project or just review. There was a lunch break in the afternoon and then the studying would resume. The day would come to an end at 2:20, with exams beginning the next day. Last year, as a sophomore, I took full advantage of reading day. I remember going to all of my classes at least briefly to shore up weaknesses and review the material from early in the semester or to put the finishing touches on a project. But I am not the only student who benefited from this day. My cousin described it as a stress-free, study hall

type day where he could review with his teachers in a serious manner before exams and was not confined to the normal class schedule. This sentiment aligned with most of the feedback I received from other students about Reading Day: it was useful to those who took advantage of it, and those who didn’t could have a calming day before the storm of exams.

But a fair and just analysis would also include the perspective of the teachers who make this day happen. I talked to a couple of teachers about this, who had different perspectives on the matter. Mr. Freeman, who teaches WZAG and Communications Design, talked about how he found it helpful for the students to finish projects and assessments on this day. He also said that when he did not have students, he was able to get a lot of grading done at the end of the semester. In contrast, Mr. Scott, who teaches AP Economics, talked about how he felt the day was less productive because although it may have been helpful for other classes, his students did not usually come in for Reading Day. He felt that it was not necessary to use a day on this.

So after trying to understand what people thought about Reading Day, I think that it should be brought back for next year, albeit with ample consideration on its structure and schedule.

By: Mr. Ian Wuertz, Mr. AJ Cerra, & Mr. Jonathan Ruano Office of Student Services

After reading Daniel Colucci’s article about our office’s phone searches, the other Assistant Deans and I had a few thoughts.

1. This is great. A lot of Jesuit teaching involves questioning authority, and indeed this is how real change is made in the world.

2. We realize that a lot of what we do in our office might seem shady to those not directly involved. Sure, but that’s all about protecting the privacy of those directly involved. And...

3. Nobody in the office was interviewed for the article (besides Mr. Cerra’s “accountability” soundbite), which would have greatly improved and provided context for the original op-ed.

Mr. Cerra suggested that we write up two responses. The first being a bit where we take a red pen to Daniel’s article and copy edit it. And the second being this article you’re reading now, where we explain our process a little more and respond to some of the points Daniel made. Obviously, we’d never actually do the red pen bit, but we’d love to talk a little about what the deal is with the phones.

On the sixth page of the 2022-23 Student-Parent Handbook, tucked neatly beneath the 10 Standards of Behavior, our phone policy is laid out with perfect clarity:

“Gonzaga reserves the right to confiscate, search, and review any items brought onto campus, with or without the student’s prior knowledge, including but not lim-

Editor-in-Chief

Jackson Baldrate ‘23

Managing Editor

Luke Gormsen ‘24

Editors

Tim Barloon ‘23

ited to: backpacks, electronic devices and vehicles. Gonzaga also reserves the right to retain any confiscated items until Gonzaga, at its sole discretion, determines that an investigation is complete. Finally, Gonzaga reserves the right to remand any confiscated items to appropriate authorities at its own discretion or at the request of legal counsel and/or law enforcement.”

It’s pretty cut and dry. And since every student is required to sign the handbook in agreement with the rules, policies, and guidelines, we could, in theory, take every student’s phone and never give it back. Of course, this would be ridiculous.

Taking a phone and searching a phone are completely different. We take phones all the time, for any number of reasons. The most common, however, is only to ensure that a student returns to our office at the end of the day to serve JUG. A phone search, however, is a rare thing, and it all depends on the case in question. Most of the time, we’re not going to look through a phone. It sucks, none of us like to do it. However, when we hear reports of academic dishonesty, drug and alcohol abuse, violence and fighting, bullying (cyber or otherwise), etc., it’s our job to investigate it.

And that’s all we do, investigate the case at hand. We’re not looking through your notes, closely examining your diary entries or ideas for a freestyle rap. We know how to find the evidence we need, and we do so efficiently. We don’t care that there’s videos of you goofing around in the halls with your buddies. Believe it or not, we were all also 16 year olds. Even to-

Billy

Cannon ‘24

Daniel Colucci ‘23

Abram Cutler ‘23

Max Diaz ‘24

Teddy Friesz ‘24

Sam Galupo

Andrew

Will

day, there’s about 50 videos of me trying to get a hole in one in Wii Golf (which you’ll all be glad to know I finally got) and a bunch of notes that contain ideas for short stories I’ll maybe write but will probably never get around to.

What we do care about, however, is when we see evidence of a student not acting in accordance with the Gonzaga Standards of Behavior or when a student is acting in a way that is dangerous to themselves or others.

On the wall of Mr. Churchwell’s office, there’s an enormous decal that says, “Excellence Expected.” That’s what our duty to you all is, to help you maintain the level of excellence demanded by not just our office, not just your parents, but also by the history of Gonzaga College High School.

And just as our approach differs from the approach set forth in 1821, our approach differs for each student and their individual needs. The details of the specifics of how we tackle each case that comes through our office is privileged information, not gossip that everyone on Eye Street has a right to.

Trust that we are not an office of corrupt detectives, scouring through every phone in the school in a dark room with one lamp on in the corner while a cigarette burns away in an ashtray and a student is sweating it out in an interrogation room. This isn’t some noir story. Our office is called “Student Services” for a reason. We’re here in service of the student body, to ensure that you walk down St. Al’s in a white tux as the best version of yourself that you can possibly be.

‘23

Lavella ‘24

Prisco ‘25

Jackson Brewer ‘24 Moderator: Dr. Harry Rissetto

Gonzaga Basketball Midseason Update

By: Owen Kent ‘24 Contributor

Gonzaga Basketball has been the cause of lots of talk this season throughout the DMV and the country. Games and players have been receiving coverage on many social media platforms. The team started hot with a 12-0 record, climbing all the way to 5th in the national rank-

By: Ryan Scott ‘26 Contributor

On the night of November 19th, a man with an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun walked into Club Q, an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs, opened fire and killed five people, and injured 25, at least 17 of whom were shot. The shooter has been identified as 22-year-old Anderson Lee Aldrich who was taken to a hospital after being arrested and treated for injuries sustained while being subdued by several clubgoers. When the sound of gunshots filled Club Q, Richard Fierro, an Army veteran, did everything he could to stop the shooter from hurting people. Fierro, whose daughter’s boyfriend was killed in the shooting, saved lives and put a quick end to the shooting. Fierro commented, “I went to war. All my comrades went to war with me, and we went to fight for the freedoms of the people in this country. And those freedoms include loving who you want to love, being with who you want to be with, doing what you want to do, and achieving your dreams and goals, whatever they may be.” For 21 years, Club Q had been a safe space for LGBTQ people. No one will ever feel safe again in Club Q, which is indefinitely closed. This attack on a queer club raises concerns throughout the entire country on controversial topics, especially because this massacre happened during Transgender Awareness Week and on Transgender Remembrance Day. LGBTQ people are a vital community in our nation, and this recent shooting is only one example of how many LGBTQ people live in fear every day and have to hide their identity for their own safety. As a community united, we must do everything we can to over-

ings on MaxPreps, the highest ranking Gonzaga has achieved in recent memory. Currently, the team has an 18-4 record, still ranked 19th in the country, with 3 tough losses in a row, all to strong opponents.The game vs PVI has been the biggest game of the season so far. Gonzaga students packing the stands on a Friday night for the big

game against the number 1 ranked team in the country. The team went into the game strong led by a young core, with 3 sophomores starting vs the top-ranked team in the country. Sophomore Nyk Lewis took the spotlight with his finishing touch and threepoint shot. Ultimately, Gonzaga fell losing the game 7057, as it had two opponents

that night: PVI and the refs. It seemed that no calls were going Gonzaga’s way as the game went on. Coach Turner ended up getting his second technical foul and getting ejected for arguing the calls. However, this team, full of talent, is looking to gear up toward the last stretch of the season and playoffs after that. The team is look-

Club Q Shooting

come hate in all its forms. We must work together to prevent a cowardly act of hate like this one from ever happening again. Particularly in our Catholic Ignatian school community, we are called by God to be more loving, accepting, and inclusive towards ALL people regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, and personal expression. Each innocent person murdered at the hands of anti-LGBTQ violence left behind an entire life with family members, friends, memories, dreams, and a future.

Derrick Rump was 38. He was a bartender at Club Q. “He was an awesome guy,” said one of his friends, “He was one of the sweetest, funniest, quirkiest smartasses you’d ever want to meet.”

Daniel Aston was 28. He was a trans man and a bartender at Club Q. “He lit up a room, always smiling, always happy and silly,” said his mother.

Kelly Loving was 40. She was a trans woman and had moved to Colorado just one month before the shooting. “She was loving, always trying to help the next person out instead of thinking of herself,” said her sister.

Ashley Paugh was 35. She left behind a husband and an 11-year-old daughter. Paugh worked at Kids Crossing, a local foster care organization, and labored to find loving homes for foster children, including working

with the LGBTQ community to find placements. The shooter “took away the most beautiful soul from our family and many others over this ignorant, hateful, despicable act. She was the best aunt, mother, sister, wife, cousin, and niece, anyone could ever ask for,” said one family member in a social media post. She had a “huge heart” and “meant everything” to her family.

Raymond Green Vance was 22. It was Vance’s first time at the club, and he was there to celebrate a birthday with his family. “Raymond was a kind, selfless young adult, with his entire life ahead of him,” his family said. “His absence will leave irreparable heartbreak in countless lives.”

An Interview With A Gonzaga Unity Club Leader I had the privilege of interviewing Sam, a senior at Gonzaga and a leader in Unity Club.

Q: What can we do as a school to prevent hate in our community?

A: As someone who considers themself to be relatively open as a queer student, it's very prominent that the reason homophobia and transphobia exist at the school and remains prevalent is because of the lack of education and exposure that students receive regarding LGBTQ topics. I often hear certain things being referred to as "gay"

and students tend to use that word in a derogatory manner or in a manner to put down other students, but when asked why that certain thing is considered "gay" they are unable to give a response. The faculty especially does a great job at being allies for students at the school, whether it's with posters or in their speech, they ensure safety among the student body. I think that embracing the idea that everyone is unique and has their own characteristics and their own way to dress or present themselves is one way the school can minimize hate. Another way is speaking up. It's so common that a student wants to speak up against homophobia or transphobia or any form of hate, but they back down because they're scared of how people may react or judge them. Assuring students that speaking up against hate is okay will allow students to be less afraid in the future.

Q: How are Unity Club members feeling after the shooting?

A: We discussed the shooting in one of our meetings and many of us felt a little uneasy about it as a whole. Seeing as it was not the first act of hatred towards the LGBTQ community, everyone was concerned and questioned whether or not it's safe to walk into a bar such as the one in Colorado without the fear of a shooter approaching. It was also reported that

ing to bounce back with big games coming up against St Frances and two games vs St John’s, the 15th-ranked team in the country, playing them at home on February 16th. There is no doubt this season will continue to be an exciting one.

after the shooting the shooter identified as a non-binary, and this could cause some of our members to tense up and wonder if identity is being weaponized. Overall, we felt that an open discussion was necessary and wanted to raise questions about how we felt as a community.

Q: How does the shooting affect the LGBTQ community in our school?

A: Some students at Gonzaga who identify as LGBTQ might not be out, or they may be in the closet. There are only so many people at Gonzaga who have comfortably shared who they are and how they want to present themselves, so I can only speak on behalf of so many students, but I can say that this may cause uneasiness among students who have not come out and whether or not they want to come out knowing this even happened.

Q: What are some of the current activities of the Unity Club?

A: We've done a bunch of stuff this year! We've worked with Mr. Duffy to create some rainbow wings out of paper feathers, we had two Gonzaga POC Alumni who also identify as queer come to speak to not only members of the Unity Club, but also members of ONYX, LASO, and AAPIC. Mr. D came and talked about Harvey Milk, who was a queer politician in San Francisco. We're also working on getting merch for the club! We hold meetings every Monday in Dooley Hall Room 303 at 2:30 and discuss issues in the queer community and issues at school, or we just chill and have a good time together. It is a very welcoming community and we accept everyone! The club acts as a safe space for our queer students and allies at Gonzaga.

2023 Film Awards: An Update on the Oscar Race

By: JP Howard ‘24 Contributor

With this year’s fall film festivals having already wrapped up and a slew of holiday season releases still to be seen, it’s time to speculate on how the films of 2022 will fare in this winter’s awards season. Following last year’s infamous Will Smith-Chris Rock slap, this awards season is sure to generate abundant publicity, so here is a guide to navigating the upcoming season and an in-depth analysis of this year’s frontrunners for the top prizes at the upcoming Oscars ceremony.

Steven Spielberg’s auto-biographical drama The Fabelmans seems to be the definitive frontrunner for the Best Picture prize. Despite an abysmal performance at the box office (earning only $4 million domestically on a $40 million budget), the film won the coveted People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival this past September. This award has, in recent years, become heavily correlated with receiving a Best Picture nomination, as all of its winners since 2011 have gone on to be nominated for the top prize at the Oscars. This, combined with Spielberg’s outstanding track record within the Academy, seems to be a surefire nominee for Best Picture, in addition to several other categories. Spielberg himself yields a great narrative for a Best Director win. Given that the film is an autobiographical account of the filmmaker’s life, its promotional campaign leans heavily on the fact that this movie is a passion project for the beloved filmmaker. The awards campaign for The Fabelmans mirrors that of 2018’s Roma, an acclaimed retelling of events from filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón’s childhood; Cuarón would go on to receive the Best Director Oscar for the film, a feat Spielberg may very likely achieve (for the third time) very soon. All signs seem to point to The Fabelmans and Spielberg being undisputed frontrunners in their respective categories.

Despite its strengths, several factors pose a threat to The Fabelmans’ path to victory aside from its poor box office numbers. For starters, the film appears vulnerable

in the acting categories at the Oscars. As the actors’ branch of the Academy is its largest branch, the Best Picture win usually requires at least one acting nomination for the film (although there are notable exceptions to this with films like Parasite and Slumdog Millionaire). Michelle Williams, who plays a fictionalized version of Spielberg’s mother in the film and has received four Academy Award nominations to date, has controversially chosen to campaign for Best Actress despite a limited amount of screentime in the film. While she was hailed as the Best Supporting Actress frontrunner when the film premiered in Toronto, her chances of winning or even being nominated for Best Actress appear shotty in a year full of gargantuan performances in the category (Tár’s Cate Blanchett, Everything Everywhere All at Once’s Michelle Yeoh, and Till’s Danielle Deadwyler, to name just a few). Additionally, no consensus has formed as to who should be nominated among the film’s Best Supporting Actor bids, Paul Dano and Judd Hirsch. Reactions to Dano’s performance have been positive but not ecstatic, although many consider the actor, who has given acclaimed turns in films like There Will Be Blood, Little Miss Sunshine, and this year’s The Batman, to be overdue for his first Oscar nomination. Hirsch, who is a previous nominee in the category for 1980’s Ordinary People, only has about eight minutes of screen time in the film despite relatively strong reviews for his performance.

If Universal, the studio behind The Fabelmans, fails to push one actor for the award over the other given the lack of a standout supporting turn in the film, then both could slip through the cracks when nominations are announced, which would bode poorly for the film if Williams fails to make it into Best Actress as well.

Preying on The Fabelmans’ weaknesses is A24’s Everything Everywhere All at Once, an absurdist genrebending comedy about generational trauma and nihilism. While the film’s premise ventures far from typical Oscars fare, few films have Everything Everywhere beat this year in terms of acclaim.

It also helps, of course, that the film was a global box office success, becoming distributor A24’s first film to surpass $100 million at the box office. Unlike The Fabelmans, the film seems to have a few secured acting bids, with its Best Supporting Actor contender Ke Huy Quan being widely deemed the frontrunner of the category. Additionally, the film’s lead, Michelle Yeoh, will (after being unrecognized by awards bodies for a career in film that spans nearly four decades) likely receive her first Oscar nomination in Best Actress and seems to be seriously gunning for a win as well. Additionally, the film’s Best Supporting Actress bids, Stephanie Hsu and Jamie Lee Curtis, have strong chances at nabbing their first nominations as well, although (like with The Fabelmans) there seems to be some confusion as to who A24 should actively push in their campaign for the category.

working the campaign trail in the past few weeks through frequent appearances on latenight talk shows. With wins in Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress under its belt, along with a likely Best Director nomination for Polley, the film could very well claim the Best Picture prize by the time the Oscars roll around.

Supporting Actress. With four acting nominations for the film looking very possible, as well as likely nominations in Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for McDonagh, I would not be surprised if Banshees made a strong play for Best Picture this season.

Also posing a strong threat at the top prize is Sarah Polley’s Women Talking, a slow-burn drama following a group of women in an isolated colony and their troubling experiences with the colony’s men. The film, based on a 2018 novel of the same name, has received rave reviews for its direction and writing, being declared the frontrunner in the Best Adapted Screenplay. Additionally, the film (unlike The Fabelmans and Everything Everywhere All at Once) has decidedly provided equal campaign attention to the film’s standout performances, Claire Foy and Jessie Buckley, who seem poised to share nominations in the Best Supporting Actress category. Foy, herself seems to be the early frontrunner in the category herself and has been actively

Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees of Inisherin, an acclaimed deadpan Irish comedy-drama, has also found itself in the Best Picture conversation. McDonagh’s last film, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, performed exceptionally well with the Academy, ultimately taking home the prizes for Best Actress for Frances McDormand and Best Supporting Actor for Sam Rockwell. The film seems poised to receive a handful of nominations in some of the major categories, including Best Actor for Colin Farrell. Farrell has gained lots of traction to win the award in the past few weeks; while Brendan Fraser was deemed the undisputable frontrunner for his emotional turn in Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale after its premiere at the Venice Film Festival this past summer, Fraser’s film has been unexpectedly met with a lukewarm critical response, ultimately paving the way for Farell’s potential win in the category. Additionally, Brendan Gleeson, a former collaborator of McDonagh’s who has gained significant acclaim for his work in the film, has solidified himself as a likely nominee for Best Supporting Actor. His co-star Barry Keoghan, also being campaigned in Best Supporting Actor for his equally acclaimed turn in the film, may find himself along with Gleeson in the category if the performers in The Fabelmans ultimately end up slipping through the cracks.

Kerry Condon, who has been deemed the film’s “scene stealer” in a nuanced supporting turn, will likely find herself nominated for Best

While the aforementioned four films seem to be the decided “locks” in the Best Picture category, several films compete to fill up the category’s other six slots.

Damien Chazelle, the Oscarwinning director of Whiplash and La La Land, finds himself back in the Oscar race with Babylon, starring Margot Robbie in a critically acclaimed lead performance. While early reception to the film has been fairly strong overall, the film has alienated some with its bizarre tonal shifts and excessive runtime, which may end up hurting the film as it enters a wide theatrical release this Christmas.

Top Gun: Maverick, perhaps the definitive blockbuster of this past summer, seems a likely nominee for Best Picture, being widely embraced by critics, audiences, and the film industry alike. As the Oscars have received steadily declining ratings over the past few ceremonies, it may prove to be a smart move for them to nominate the Tom Cruise-led blockbuster if its potential Best Picture nomination stirs up interest in the ceremony. Baz Luhrman’s Elvis, another bonafide summer blockbuster, may be on the way to a Best Picture nomination as well, with its star Austin Butler garnering significant buzz in the Best Actor category. Todd Field’s critically revered Tár seems a strong contender for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay nominations, in addition to its star, two-time Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett, potentially coming for her third Oscar win in the Best Actress category.

While the state of the Oscar race remains mostly unknown at this point and all of these predictions are subject to change, these films seem to be the ones making the most noise in terms of their awards prospects. 2022 has proven itself to be an excellent year in film, so I, for one, am very excited to see how the Oscar race shapes up this winter.

Classified Docs Bring New Controversy

By: Michael Bicksel ‘25 Contributor

In the last month, multiple batches of classified documents have turned up in President Biden’s private offices and Wilmington home. The subject of those documents remains unknown, but they broadly pertain to American foreign policy, with focuses on Iran and Ukraine. The time periods in which those documents were produced is also unknown, though they appear to be from Biden’s time as vice president, specifically from around 2013 to 2019. The total number of documents, at the time of writing, is in the teens.

Many in the media are comparing this new debacle to the recent raid of former President Trump’s Mar-aLago estate. There are, of course, a handful of key differences. Trump retained hundreds of documents,

while Biden retained less than twenty. Biden handed over the documents immediately, while Trump returned some, but not all, of his documents. The FBI conducted a raid to retrieve Trump’s documents, while lawyers without proper security clearance stumbled upon Biden’s.

Before jumping headover-heels into conspiracy theories, left wing or right wing, it’s worth consulting the law books to see where things stand. So, what does the president need to do to declassify information? First, he must identify the information as being worthy of classification, and second, he must communicate that he is moving to declassify. Those two general rules-of-thumb come from Executive Order 13526, the most recent executive action dealing with declassification procedures, which was issued in 2009 by President Obama. Theoreti-

cally, the president need not follow such procedures, as there is some precedent for “waiving” a preexisting executive order without publicly repealing it. That said, it has never been done or argued in court.

Aside from the actual declassification procedure (which, for the record, neither Trump or Biden followed), the looming concern remains the president’s duty to the American people. Under the Constitution, the president must fully and faithfully execute the laws of the United States. To breach that duty, one must establish some wrongdoing on the part of the president, or mens rea (“guilty mind” in Latin). The Constitution is vague on what that wrongdoing could be, so the Espionage Act of 1917 provides the legal framework. It says, in so many words, that public officials cannot intentionally

try to harm the United States or its citizens. That’s a pretty high bar, and, while Trump and Biden were (recklessly) negligent, there’s nothing in the record to show that they wanted to harm the American people (for reference, Biden seems genuinely to have not known about any of the classified documents, and Trump, despite what some conspiracy theories have alleged, seems to have kept classified documents as momentos or trophies from his presidency).

So where does that leave us? To be frank, it’s a legal gray area we’ve never explored. Neither Trump nor Biden followed declassification procedures, but neither intended to aid American enemies. They were both grossly negligent, but that’s not enough to convict them under existing law. The closest we come to that theory is strict liability, the lowest

level of mens rea, which says that someone need not know that they are committing a crime to be guilty. The problem is that it remains in its infancy and is used mainly for low level traffic violations and rape cases. No serious lawyer has tried to apply strict liability to this case. So will either Trump or Biden face any repercussions? My guess is probably not. Unlike regular citizens, the president is the classification authority—he need not gain clearance to view or declassify documents. So long as that’s the case, there’s not much the DOJ can do. There are two concurrent special counsel investigations into the respective cases, and only time will tell what they find. But until something— anything—proves that either Trump or Biden intentionally retained classified materials, there’s just not much that they can do.

Chinese Spy Balloon House Speaker Elections

By: Jackson Baldrate ‘23 Editor-in-Chief

Last week, the Pentagon revealed that it has been tracking a “high-altitude surveillance balloon” that was spotted over the mainland United States on Wednesday.

A senior U.S. defense official said that they have “very high confidence” it is a Chinese spy balloon. The balloon has been floating for an extended period of time over the United States, specifically in Montana, which is home to many of the United States’ nuclear missile silos.

It appears to be an escalation of Chinese surveillance efforts of the United States, which have become increasingly common in recent years. However, this balloon is notable because of how much time it has spent in U.S. airspace. Though the United States did not shoot it down over land,

citing the potential threat to citizens on the ground, a U.S. fighter jet shot down the balloon over the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday.

The Chinese government responded by expressing regret for the incident. They claimed that the balloon was used for civilian research and had simply gone off-course. However, this claim has been met with much skepticism from military leaders and members of the United States government. This incident has escalated the already-high tensions between China and the United States. Since the discovery of the balloon, Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed his trip to Beijing that was supposed to take place this week. Additionally, the Pentagon announced that they are tracking another Chinese surveillance balloon floating over Latin America.

By: Will Prisco ‘25 Editor

History has been made several times throughout Joe Biden’s time in the Oval Office. For example, Kamala Harris was sworn in as Vice President, making her the first woman and person of color to hold this office. In addition, the unprecedented war in Ukraine as well as the nation’s rapid recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic are sure to be events that make the history textbooks in the coming years.

On a more sober note, however, the recent Speaker of the House elections emerged as an unparalleled event in recent history that will affect the House’s function in the next two years. On November 8, voters provided America with a new Republican lead House of Representatives for the 118th Congressional term. Although this was a victory for the GOP, their new majority is limited to 10 seats, as there are 222 Republican members and 212 Democratic members.

The first action of a new Congress is to elect a new Speaker of the House. This is an extremely important task, as the Speaker of the House is second in line to the presiden-

cy, after the Vice President. The Speaker also controls all the legislation brought to the House floor and oversees the committees. Typically, the Speaker of the House is a member of the majority party, in this case, the Republican caucus. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), emerged as the frontrunner for this job, as he was formerly the House Minority Leader in the 117th Congress, during which Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), served as the Speaker of the House.

A majority of votes in the House are needed to provide Congress with a Speaker. In this case, since there are 435 members in total, Kevin McCarthy needed 218 votes to become Speaker of the House. However, due to the razor-thin Republican majority, Kevin McCarthy could only afford to lose 4 votes from his party and still become Speaker, as all 212 members of the Democratic caucus nominated Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), to succeed Nancy Pelosi.

The task of electing Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker proved to be an extremely difficult one. A small faction of the GOP referred to as the House Freedom Caucus, declared publicly that

they would oppose Kevin McCarthy for Speaker unless he agreed to a list of carefully crafted demands. These included reinstating the “motion to vacate the Chair” rule, a policy that allows a single member of the House to call a vote of no confidence in the Speaker. Other demands included more time to analyze and debate bills as well as placing certain members on select committees.

While Kevin McCarthy agreed to most of the Freedom Caucus’ requests before the Speakership elections, he still came far short of the 218 votes needed, as he received only 202 in the first round. The voting continued for another 14 times before Kevin McCarthy finally achieved the job he had been vying for the last decade. This was the first time since the Civil War Era in the Speaker elections surpassed more than one ballot.

The American people can see that 118th Congress is off to a rocky start, as the new congressional term promises to be one of intense drama and politicization between the Democrats and Republicans as both parties gear up for the 2024 presidential election.

Invasion of Ukraine

By: Anderson Bishop ‘25 Contributor

February 24 will mark the one year anniversary of Russia invading Ukraine, which occurred just over 7 years after Russia invaded Crimea in February 2014. Since then, over 42,000 people have died, nearly 54,000 have been injured, and approximately 14 million people remain displaced, having fled to escape the violence and destruction occurring in their home country. However, despite the atrocities and hardships they have endured, the people of Ukraine have stayed strong and resilient even with the constant threat of danger.

In particular, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has remained a symbol of strength and a beacon of hope amidst the rubble of his once-thriving cities. At the start of the war, the United States offered to assist in the evacuation of President Zelenskyy as Russian tanks rolled across the border. Zelenskyy refused, choosing to remain with his people. He became a global sensation when he said, “The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride.” Since then, he has, without fail, addressed his nation via video every night. Always wearing his now iconic green t-shirt, he speaks with quiet strength to bolster the spirits of his

country’s men, women, and children.

The invasion spurred tremendous global outrage over Russia’s actions. International support for Ukraine quickly emerged and has remained strong across social media; “#IStandWithUkraine” and “#Ukraine Strong'' trended across social media platforms merely hours after the first news of the invasion. Washington D.C.-based celebrity chef José Andrés, known for providing humanitarian aid to those in need after disasters with his foundation, World Central Kitchen, was quick to respond to the Ukrainian crisis. WCK began serving meals to refugees less than 24 hours after the invasion began and quickly surpassed 600,000 meals daily. Many countries also played key roles in aiding Ukraine over the past year; the United States alone has committed over $27 Billion in military aid.

When Russia first invaded Ukraine, many experts predicted that the Russians would overrun the country in a matter of days. Nearly a year later, Ukraine retains most of its territorial integrity and has regained some areas that Russia once occupied. There is no sign of the war’s end, and yet, the people of Ukraine have proven their resilience and strength time and time again.

Groundbreaking Nuclear Fusion Reaction

By: Enzo Bunag ‘25 Contributor

In December 2022, scientists in California made a huge breakthrough. Achieving what has never been achieved before, scientists were able to create a nuclear fusion reaction that produced greater amounts of energy than the amount of energy necessary to start the reaction.

To provide some background information, a nuclear fusion reaction refers to the chemical reactions occurring within the sun, in which two hydrogen atoms fuse together to form a helium atom. This fusion reaction is what provides the extreme amounts of energy from the Sun that help to provide Earth with a climate and temperature adequate for sustaining life. This

contrasts with the more wellknown nuclear fission reaction, in which large amounts of often hazardous energy are released through the division of an atom’s nucleus.

This is not the first time scientists have been able to successfully create a nuclear fusion reaction, but the notable thing about this breakthrough is that every nuclear fusion reaction prior always required more energy than it released, causing previous reactions to be inefficient at releasing sufficient amounts of energy. However, this nuclear fusion reaction managed to create more energy than it consumed, making it a milestone in potential uses for nuclear fusion energy.

To create this reaction, scientists in the Lawrenceville Livermore National Lab-

The Decline of Tesla

By: Joey Bunag ‘25 Contributor

Tesla—not the 20th century scientist, but the selfproclaimed pioneer of the electric car and the famous global conglomerate. From producing generators, solar panels, and the famous ecofriendly electric car, Tesla and their founder, Elon Musk, have truly become household names all around the world. Today, both Tesla and Musk continue to receive the same amount of attention they received in the past, although in a much more critical and negative manner than before.

Tesla’s 2022 stock performance was one of the worst of the year. With a 69% decrease in their stock price over the course of 2022, it can safely be said that 2022 was an absolute disaster

for Tesla. But what brought about such a dismal performance? Well, many different circumstances contributed to Tesla’s current situation, but their performance can largely be owed to Musk’s management of Twitter, a larger tech company decline, and more competition.

Four months ago, Elon Musk engaged in one of the biggest deals of 2022: buying Twitter. However, the way in which Musk has managed Twitter for the past few months has drawn much criticism from the public. Using his newly bought social media giant, Musk has posted divisive memes, reinstated numerous offensive accounts, stopped paying rent for Twitter’s offices, and cut Twitter’s staff in half. Not surprisingly, Musk’s suspect actions have

caused the public to detest Musk and turn away from his companies and products, Tesla included. Additionally, Musk may have had a role in bringing down his own company. His acquisition of Twitter drastically increased the company’s debt, so in order to resolve this, Musk sold billions of dollars worth of Tesla stocks while they were on the decline, therefore decreasing confidence in the company and causing other investors to do the same.

Tesla’s dismal performance can also be credited to a larger decline in the tech industry. Tesla, although they are known for their vehicles, is categorized as a technology company, and their specific industry has been hit particularly hard over the past year. To put it into perspec-

oratory in California blasted a small diamond crystal containing hydrogen atoms with 192 lasers. The lasers destroyed the crystal, allowing x-rays to pour into the hydrogen that was contained inside the crystal. This reaction applied large amounts of pressure on the hydrogen atoms, eventually resulting in the release of neutrons, signaling a fusion reaction. Although the reaction consumed 2.05 megajoules of energy, the reaction was able to release 3 megajoules, about 1.5 times more than it consumed. Although they will not happen in the near future, the success with the fusion reaction could mark future uses for fusion reactions, such as a clean energy alternative to fossil fuels for society.

tive, Apple, Amazon, Meta, Tesla, and Alphabet all lost a total of $3.7 trillion over the course of 2022. Based on the down-performance of so many technological giants, it can be safely inferred that the whole technology industry is on the decline, and it wouldn’t be unreasonable to think that Tesla is a part of that broader movement as well.

Finally, the last major reason for Tesla’s decline is the increase in competition. Back when Tesla was founded in 2003, they were the only company with the goal of making electric cars. However, with the ushering in of newer technology and the worsening of climate change, electric cars have begun to capture the attention of numerous other compa-

nies, such as BYD, a Chinese electric vehicle company that sold nearly 3 times as many vehicles as Tesla. Moreover, companies like BYD sell their cars at cheaper prices than Teslas, which continue to be extremely expensive for many, thus making these other companies more appealing to budget-minded consumers. Overall, Tesla’s 2022 performance can be credited to Musk’s machinations, the decline of the tech industry, and stiffer competition. Tesla executives and investors will have to hope that 2023 is a revival year for the failing company, and that they can regain some of the global status and praise that they once so often received.

Premier League Midseason Recap

By: John Mahler ‘24 Contributor

The Premier League has been full of surprises this season with Fulham, a promotion team, currently in 7th, to the surprise of Liverpool and Chelsea sitting at 9 and 10, respectively, in the table. The biggest shock however is probably Arsenal sitting in first with the clear favorites, Man City in second, so today I will go over what the EPL title race is shaping up to look like and my predictions.

The top 6 are Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspurs, and Brighton. Man City and Arsenal are most definitely the two favorites to win the title but you cannot count out the clubs like Manchester United and Newcastle. Manchester United has been in very good form recently, winning the last 12 games at home, so there is still a chance they could win the title. Newcastle has made some very good signings and is surprisingly in third place in the EPL with

only 1 loss the entire season.

With Manchester City winning the title last season and making a very good signing of Earling Haaland, they were the favorites to win the title, but Arsenal has made a surprising rise to first place in the league. Arsenal has a very impressive 50 points way through the EPL season and if they can keep up that pace then they will certainly win the title. However, it might not be that easy because Arsenal still has to play Man City twice, Liverpool, and Chelsea. If they are able to win both games or one of the games first Manchester City then they will most likely be able to win the EPL title as well. Therefore Manchester City must be focused on the two games first against Arsenal as they will be the deciding factor as to who wins the World Cup.

Now for my predictions–I think that Arsenal will be able to win the EPL title because they have an amazing 50 points halfway through the season and have made

some good signings recently. Arsenal also have played extremely well throughout the season, and Manchester City just got rid of their star left-back or right-back, João Cancelo.

By: Luke Essig ‘24 Contributor

The Premier League is the most intense soccer league in the world. Teams fighting for a spot in the Champions League, Europa League, or to even win the entire competition. But there is not a chance for glory for every team, however. The three teams that are at the bottom of the Premier League table at the end of the season are relegated to the second tier of English soccer, the Championship. Teams battle to avoid the relegation zone for entire seasons at a time, but this season in particular there are plenty of teams who could end up down playing second tier soccer next season.

The current relega-

tion zone consists of AFC Bournemouth in eighteenth place with 17 points, Everton in nineteenth place with 15 points, and Southampton in twentieth place also with 15 points. Bournemouth, with four losses in their last five games, take on surprising sixth place Brighton and Hove Albion. Everton have won only one point out of a possible fifteen from their last five games and take on high flyers and top of the league Arsenal next, in newly appointed manager Sean Dyche’s debut for the team after firing legendary Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard from their manager role. Southampton, who have only won four games this season, play eighth place Brentford. Led by free-kick master James Ward-Prowse, Southampton’s team is full of potential, but they seem to not be able to put it together. The young core of center back Armel Bella-Kotchap, midfielder Romeo Lavia, and forward Samuel Edozie may

help them stay up.

Sitting slightly outside the relegation zone are Nottingham Forest, Leicester City, Leeds United, West Ham United, and Wolves. If any of the current three were to escape the relegation zone, the most likely to go down from this group would be Wolves. Tied on points with Bournemouth, they have great players all around but have not been able to get it going this season. They brought in legendary striker Diego Costa and Atletico Madrid striker Matheus Cunha on loan in hopes of kickstarting their attack as they have only netted twelve goals this season, the lowest in the Premier League.

Dueling Views on This Year's Super Bowl

By: Billy Cannon ‘24 Editor

On Sunday, February 12th, the Philadelphia Eagles will beat the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII.

The Eagles boast perhaps the most complete roster in the NFL, aided by the breakout of Jalen Hurts this season after the addition of star wide receiver AJ Brown. Brown’s arrival in Philadelphia has sparked a transformation that saw a 9-8 team last year that was ousted in the first round of the playoffs improve to a 14-3 record, best in the NFC. Even with a subpar running back in Miles Sanders, their elite offensive line led Philadelphia to the fifth-best rushing attack in the league.

Aside from their explosive offensive attack, the Philly defense is best described as flawless. Brandon Graham, Josh Sweat, and Haason Reddick are far and away the best passrushing trio in the league, as all three players were rated as top 20 edge rushers this season by PFF. Darius Slay, arguably the best cornerback in the league, paired with James Bradberry at cornerback form a lockdown corner duo, and CJ GardnerJohnson along with underrated rookie Reed Blankenship complete a superb secondary. TJ Edwards mans the middle, and

the Eagles defense proves almost impossible to penetrate.

Pair this with the fact that Patrick Mahomes won’t be 100% because of his ankle, as well as a banged-up Chiefs receiving corps, and an Eagles victory seems almost inevitable.

Expect Jalen Hurts to run all over the Chiefs defense, a unit

By: Jackson Baldrate '23 Editor-in-Chief

Get ready for a Chiefs victory in Super Bowl LVII.

First, the Kansas City offense remains electric. With two great offensive minds in head coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy, you can be sure that

have the benefit of having the most talented quarterback of this generation in Patrick Mahomes. With two weeks to heal after the AFC Championship, Mahomes’ ankle will be in better shape, and he will be ready to have another incredible performance.

While the Eagles have a stellar offensive line, a Chiefs defensive front headed by Chris Jones and Frank Clark will still get pressure on Jalen Hurts. The Chiefs defense hasn’t been perfect this year, but it’s still a top defensive unit in the league. All it needs to do is give Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense a chance, which it is more than capable of doing.

that aside from defensive tackle Chris Jones isn’t anything special. Brown and DeVonta Smith ought to have huge games, and even Mahomes won’t be able to get anything going against the Eagles’ stout defense.

Besides, the Chiefs offensive line didn’t release a 7-song Christmas album, did they?

the Chiefs will have a solid offensive gameplan going into the game. The receiving core of Marquez Valdes-Scantling, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kadarious Toney, and rookie Skyy Moore has been putting up excellent production all year, and there’s no reason to expect that to change in the Super Bowl.

And, of course, the Chiefs

One area the Chiefs have a major advantage is in Super Bowl experience. Andy Reid has been to three Super Bowls, and Nick Sirianni has never been to a Super Bowl before, even as an assistant coach. As any former coach or player will tell you, experience in championship games is extremely important. Young quarterback Jalen Hurts will struggle against an experienced Kansas City defense, and the Eagles won’t be able to contain an elite quarterback, just like when they faced Taylor Heinicke in Week 10. When it’s all said and done, expect to see the Chiefs hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.

By: Henry Calpin ‘25 Contributor

Over-Performing Teams:

Sacramento Kings: Light the beam!! The Kings are, out of nowhere, third in the Western Conference and first in the Pacific Division. This is mostly due to the duo of Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox. Sabonis is leading the league in rebounds with 12 rebounds per game and has had 6 triple doubles. Fox is averaging 24 points per game, a near career high. With four other players, including their other three starters, averaging more than 12 points per game, this team is set for a playoff run.

Cleveland Cavaliers: The Donovan Mitchell trade was absolutely genius. Mitchell has dropped into the Cavaliers’ system perfectly and they got out to an 8-1 start. Not much has happened since that time other than Mitchell’s 71 point performance. With their defense tied for first in the NBA in defense rating and points allowed, the Cavs can make it to at least the 2nd round.

Under-Performing Teams:

Phoenix Suns: Ever since Devin Booker went down with injury, the Suns have stunk. Chris Paul is getting older and is showing how Father Time is undefeated. Once Booker gets back, the young core of Booker, DeAndre Ayton, and Mikal Bridges. Bridges is having a great season on both the offensive and defensive sides while Ayton is currently averaging a double-double for the season.

Minnesota Timberwolves: The Offseason blockbuster trade that sent Rudy Gobert and a lot back to the Utah Jazz was supposed to make the Twolves into a serious title contender. Instead, they sent away a lot of players and draft picks and now are stuck in a whole lot of trouble with no high draft picks in the next few years.

MVP Candidates:

Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks: Doncic is on a tear this season. He has had 11 games where he scored 40 points or more including his recordbreaking 60-21-10 game. Doncic is currently second in

the league in points per game and fourth in assists. He is also very close to being the 3rd player to average a triple-double for a season.

Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets: Jokic is on a very similar path as Doncic, in that he is also close to averaging a triple-double. He has had 15 triple-doubles this season and is third in assists per game and sixth in rebounds. Jokic is currently chasing his third consecutive MVP season, trying to become the third player to do so along with Larry Bird and Bill Russell, it's not too far of a stretch to think he could get there.

Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers: Embiid is one of, if not the best, shooting big men in the NBA today. Embiid is leading the league in scoring with 33.5 points per game. He has had 7 games scoring north of 40 points including 59 points against the Jazz and a 47-18 game against Jokic. Embiid has come second place to Jokic in the last two MVP races, and he just might win it this year.

Shortstops Get Big Money

By: Michael Kennedy ‘25 Contributor

Trea Turner, 11 years, $300 million: The speedster inked an 11-year, $300 million contract with the Phillies in December, reuniting him with former teammate Bryce Harper in hopes of returning to the World Series. The former National and Dodger is the second most valuable player in baseball since 2019, trailing only Aaron Judge. Lots of that value comes from his baserunning, as he is one of the best in the league. A power increase helped him become one of the elite offensive weapons at the position as well, clubbing at least 20 in the past two seasons. A concern is his discipline, however, as he tends to chase balls outside the zone. His walk rate is also in the bottom fourth of the league, which could become problematic as his speed and power regress. Grade: B+

Dansby Swanson, 7 years $177 million: The Cubs snagged one of the best defenders in the league for a great price. Combining Dansby with second baseman Nico Hoerner gives the Cubs one of the best defensive duos up the middle. Swanson, being an elite defender, doesn’t need to be outstanding offensively to provide value. However, he broke out offensively last year mash-

MLB Previews

By: Sam Galupo ‘23 Editor

1. Houston Astros: While the Phillies put up a valiant effort, Houston proved that they were the best team by winning the World Series in six games. Their roster has no real holes, though they did lose their best pitcher in Justin Verlander to the New York Mets. The ’Stros are the team to beat (again) in 2023, and they top the power rankings going into spring training.

2. Atlanta Braves: The Braves have one of the most balanced rosters in the MLB next year. Their pitching staff includes young stars such as Spencer Strider and Max Fried, while Ronald Acuña and Austin Riley highlight a solid lineup. New addition Sean Murphy should fill the shoes of departed shortstop Dansby Swanson and help the Braves repeat as division champs.

Bronx Bombers are historically synonymous with potent offense; however, the reason the Yankees figure so high on this list is the addition of pitcher Carlos Rodon and a rotation that may prove to be the best in baseball. The Yanks also resigned Aaron Judge, coming off a historic offensive season in which he set the American League single-season record for home runs. They will be favorites to win the AL East, but will need contributions from other spots in the lineup besides Judge and fellow slugger Giancarlo Stanton.

ing 25 home runs and ranking as the 7th-best hitter at his position per wRC+. Swanson is a hitter that has the troublesome combination of lots of strikeouts and few walks. But he consistently hits the ball hard and ranks well above average as a runner. The length of the deal is another plus, as it only runs through his age-35 season. This way, the Cubs will largely avoid the regression shown by players like Miguel Cabrera and Albert Pujols, who both took a nose-dive in their mid to late 30s. Grade: B

Xander Bogaerts, 11 years $280 million: The former Red Sox netted a massive contract with the free-spending San Diego Padres. Of shortstops with at least 1500 PAs since 2019, he is the best offensive player per wRC+. Bogaerts hits the ball very hard and, though he doesn’t hit many homers, mashes doubles.

His defense throughout his career has been obscene, but he was amazing last season. Per stat cast OAA, he went from the 1st percentile in 2021 to the 88th in 2022. It will be interesting to see whether last season was an outlier or if he has truly improved defensively. Something to look out for is how Petco Park affects his hitting stats. Xander is moving from Fenway Park, the 3rd most hitter-friendly venue,

to Petco Park, the 2nd least hitter-friendly ballpark. Trade deadline acquisitions like Josh Bell, Juan Soto, and Brandon Drury slowed down upon arriving in San Diego. Grade: BCarlos Correa, 6 years $200 million: After deals with the Mets and Giants fell through, Correa returned to Minnesota for at least six more years. This contract is interesting as vesting options kick in after his age-33 season. This means he has to hit incentives, like placing top 5 in MVP voting or a certain amount of PAs, to earn the next year of his contract. If Correa gets injured or the shin problem that kept the Giants or Mets away flares up, the Twins won’t be stuck with Correa for too long. This is unlike the other shortstops, as the Bogaerts and Turner deals run into their 40s. Correa is another elite shortstop that crushes baseballs. He posted one of his best offensive seasons last year and consistently hits the ball hard. Correa is also a disciplined hitter at the plate, posting a walk rate in the top 25% of the league. His defense was subpar last year, but it seems to be an anomaly, as he was a perennial gold glove contender beforehand. Correa was also the third most valuable shortstop from 20212022 and the twelfth most in the entire league. Grade: A

3. Philadelphia Phillies: After coming close to winning it all last year, Dave Dombroski signed arguably the best shortstop in the game in Trea Turner, as well as adding pitching and bullpen depth along the way. With Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler anchoring a great rotation, Philly boasts one of the best lineups in baseball, featuring former MVP Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and superstar catcher JT Realmuto. Philly will be without Harper for the first months of the year, which is why they are not higher on this list.

4. New York Mets: The Mets might have been number one on this list if they were able to land superstar Carlos Correa. But that’s just one blemish on an otherwise successful off-season. Though they lost a number of arms, most notably the league’s best pitcher in Jacob deGrom, they were able to add Cy Young winner Justin Verlander. The lineup is almost exactly the same as it was last year, which is balanced but lacks the power of other division rivals like the Phillies and Braves.

5. San Diego Padres: The Padres had a great year, but ultimately fell short, losing to Philly in five games in the National League Championship Series. In the offseason, the Friars added all-star shortstop Xander Bogearts, forming a murderous lineup led by Fernando Tatis, Juan Soto, and Manny Machado. The Padres also have very solid pitching, but the one flaw is a weak bottom-half of the lineup. To win the World Series, they need their superstars to perform.

6. New York Yankees: The

7. Los Angeles Dodgers: That’s right: The team with the best record last year enters 2023 outside the top five. The main reason for this is a lackluster offseason in which they failed to replace departed talent. The Dodgers lost Trea Turner to the Phillies, as well as Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger, in addition to a number of pitchers. The star power of Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Will Smith, and Julio Urias will keep this team in contention, and the Dodgers farm system is always abundant with fresh talent, but this perennial powerhouse will take a step back in 2023.

8. Toronto Blue Jays: Toronto had a disappointing finish in 2022, as they entered as AL favorites but left as firstround losers. In the offseason, they added pitcher Chris Bassitt to an already potent rotation. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. still leads the way in the lineup, but will need more consistent contributions from shortstop Bo Bichette plus a healthy George Springer if they have any chance at winning the division.

9. Seattle Mariners: The Mariners finished second last year in the AL West to the Astros, who eventually eliminated them from the playoffs after three dramatically close games. The Mariners; strength is their pitching, featuring ace Luis Castillo and breakout star George Kirby. The offense mainly runs through Rookie of the Year Julio Rodreiguez, who looks to continue his path to superstardom in 2023.

10. St. Louis Cardinals: The Cards finished first in the NL Central last year and should have no trouble repeating as divisional champs. Their offense is headlined by reigning MVP Paul Goldschmidt, All-Star and perennial Gold Glove winner Nolan Arenado, and new addition Wilson Contreras at catcher. What holds them back, however, is an undermanned pitching staff, which lacks overall depth and a true ace.