VOL. 88 | NO. 16
EST. 1933
HIRING NEWS REPORTERS, JOIN THE TEAM AND APPLY ON PIN. GSU.EDU TODAY!
COLLEGE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS RESPOND TO POLITICAL EVENTS PG. 04
STUDENTS REFLECT ON WHAT HISTORIC OSSOFF & WARNOCK WIN MEANS TO THEM PG. 06
Independent, impactful & impartial
NBA & COVID This past summer, The NBA’s Board of Governors made the decision to put profit over the health and safety of its players. (The opinions of our writers do not represent the opinion of our organization as a whole.)
ILLUSTRATION BY MYAH ANGLIN | THE SIGNAL
@gsusignal
georgiastatesignal.com
BLOTTER JAN. 14
Crimes at the W
EDITORIAL NEWS EDITOR Mary A. Brassfield signalnewseditor@gmail.com ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR Vacant OPINIONS EDITOR Kenneth Lockett III signalopinions@gmail.com ASSOCIATE OPINIONS EDITOR Vacant ARTS & LIVING EDITOR Jada Jones signalliving@gmail.com ASSOCIATE ARTS & LIVING EDITOR Isa Cordona SPORTS EDITOR Andrew Freedman signalsport1@gmail.com ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR Erik Indrisano COPY EDITOR Miro Georgiev signalcopyeditor@gmail.com PRODUCTION PRODUCTION EDITOR Monique Rojas signalprod@gmail.com ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION EDITOR Myah Anglin PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO EDITOR Matt Siciliano-Salazar signalphoto2@gmail.com ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR Vacant DIGITAL DIGITAL EDITOR Caitlin Whisby signalmanaging@gmail.com ASSOCIATE DIGITAL EDITOR Vacant VIDEO EDITOR Andre Walker signalvideoeditor@gmail.com ASSOCIATE VIDEO EDITOR Vacant PODCAST EDITOR Timo Clark THE SIGNAL BUREAUS ALPHARETTA BUREAU CHIEF Vacant CLARKSTON BUREAU CHIEF Chris Bryant DECATUR BUREAU CHIEF Vacant DUNWOODY BUREAU CHIEF Vacant NEWTON BUREAU CHIEF Vacant ADVERTISING STUDENT MEDIA ADVISER Bryce McNeil bmcneil1@gsu.edu BUSINESS COORDINATOR Wakesha Henley whenley@gsu.edu PERIMETER STUDENT MEDIA ADVISER Zoana Price zprice@gsu.edu ADVERTISING The deadline for all advertising is 5 p.m. on the Tuesday prior to the desired issue of publication. Ads must be printready and in PDF format; files must be delivered via e-mail at signalmarketingmanager@gmail.com. Please visit our website at www.georgiastatesignal. com/advertise for more information, including rates and payment methods. MISSION STATEMENT The Signal shall provide, in a fair and accurate manner, news of interest and significance to the Georgia State community and serve as a forum for the expression of ideas of members of that community. Furthermore, The Signal shall provide an opportunity for students to pursue experience within a professional newspaper environment. The Signal shall also provide truthful and ethical advertising of interest to the Georgia State community. COVERAGE REQUESTS Requests for coverage and tips should be subwmitted to the Editor in Chief and/or the relevant section editor. SUBMIT LETTER TO EDITOR Letters must be submitted to the Editor in Chief via e-mail and must include the text of the letter in the body of the message. Letters should be 400-500 words maximum. The Signal will allow longer letters, but only in rare circumstances. Letters must include the full name(s) of the writer(s) and include their year and major. If the writer is a faculty member, they must include their title and department. Letters will be fact-checked prior to publication. The writer may be obligated to make changes to the letter for publication. Letters will be edited for grammar, clarity, length, factual accuracy and adherence to The Signal’s policy. The Signal reserves the right to modify and/ or reject letters at the discretion of the editorial staff. DISCLAIMER Opinions and Letters to the Editor expressed in The Signal are the opinions of the writers and readers. It does not reflect the opinions of The Signal. OFFICE INFORMATION The Signal Student Center West, Suite 250 P.O. Box 3968 Atlanta, GA 30303 Phone: 404-413-1620 Fax: 404-413-162
A Georgia State student was the victim of criminal property damage at the W parking lot at 1:13 p.m. Case is active. JAN. 16
Early bird gets the damage?
At 5:02 a.m., a Georgia State student was the victim of property damage on J Parking Deck. The case is still active.
NEWS BRIEFS
EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Brooklyn Valera signaleditor@gmail.com MANAGING EDITOR Sharayah Davis signalmanagingeditor@gmail.com MARKETING MANAGER Franky Huang signalmarketingmanager@gmail.com
JAN. 18
Hank wouldn’t approve
A Georgia State student was the victim of a robbery on Hank Aaron Drive at 8:11 p.m. The Atlanta Police Department is handling the active case. JAN. 20
Thieves never finish first, period
At University West, a Georgia State student was the victim of larceny at 4:43 p.m. Case is still active.
JAN. 20
Luck had nothing to do with this Georgia State police arrested a non-Georgia State offender for criminal trespass at 60 Luckie Street at 11:20 p.m. The case was exceptionally cleared. JAN. 20
Is this common?
A non-Georgia State offender was arrested for criminal trespass at the University Commons at 11:36 p.m. The case was exceptionally cleared.
LOCAL
NATIONAL
GLOBAL
The “Home Run King” has passed away
Donald Trump second impeachment trial date set
39 immigrants found suffocated to death
Baseball great and civil rights activist Hank Aaron passed away Friday. The media reported that Aaron died peacefully in his sleep. He was 86 years old. Atlanta officials opened up Truist Park to allow fans to view Aaron’s statue for the weekend. The Atlanta United and Atlanta Falcons will retire his No. 44 jersey for the 2021 season. Aaron held the most celebrated record in sports history for more than 30 years after hitting 755 home runs.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced the schedule late Friday after reaching an agreement with Republicans. The House will transmit the impeachment article against Trump late Monday, with initial proceedings Tuesday. The Senate aims to begin the trial the week of Feb. 8. If convicted, Congress could ban Trump from holding public office ever again. A two-thirds majority vote of senators – 67 of the 100 members vote – is required to convict the president.
Four U.K. men were arrested for the murder of 39 Vietnamese immigrants, who suffocated in the back of the container truck while crossing the border from Belgium to England in 2019. Gheorghe Nica and Ronan Hughes, were sentenced to 27 and 20 years, respectively. The third member of the operation, Eamonn Harrison, who towed the trailer, was sentenced to 18 years behind bars. The driver Maurice Robinson who found the migrants dead, was sentenced to 13 years.
NEWS
January 26, 2021
WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/NEWS
Georgia rioters arrested for involvement in Capitol riots Political Science professor shares ‘scary’ drive through D.C. during attack LEAH LI Staff Reporter
O
n Jan. 6, thousands of Trump supporters raided the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. The riots came after Trump delivered a passionate speech encouraging them to “save America” and stop an allegedly fraudulent election. The violent rally led to five people’s deaths, including a Capitol Police officer who was seriously beaten by the protesters. Many Georgians attended the riots on Capitol Hill. According to Fox 5 Atlanta, one of the four protester deaths was a 34-yearold woman from Kennesaw, Georgia, who died because of an unspecified “medical emergency.” A man from Cleveland, Georgia, was arrested for saying he wanted to kill House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. ABC states that he texted his friend, saying he would go to D.C. with weapons with intent to harm the speaker. The “zip tie guy” shown in social media posts is a 30-year-old man who once lived in Fulton County. He was also arrested for unlawful entrance to the Capitol that day. By Jan. 7, police arrested 69 protesters. The New York Times states that, as of Jan. 12, the F.B.I. has found 170 people that committed crimes at the Capitol. This identification process continues at the time of writing. The violent riot shocked many people. An article from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution states that Atlanta attorney Gerald Griggs said nobody thought the rally “would ever go this far.” Many people commented that the politically charged rally was another sign of racial injustice. According to the Atlanta JournalConstitution, many Black Atlantans compared the reactions to the pro-Trump protest and Black Lives Matter protests last summer. A couple of Atlanta racial equality advocates expressed similar opinions in that article. Writer Sherri Daye Scott said this rally is not for the American dream but white supremacy. Atlanta Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce also said there would have been more “guns ablaze and fires ablaze” if those protesters were Black. There are many opinions about the riots within the Georgia
He was a signatory of a letter written by the Southern Political State community. “My first thought of this violent riot is Trump encouraging Science Association. his supporters to do that, which is a threat to our nation’s According to the letter, the rally represents “profound dangers democracy,” Jeffrey Lazarus, an associate professor in the to democracy and the freedoms that permit scholarly inquiry Department of Political Science, said. and expression of knowledge.” Robert Howard, another professor in the Department of Moreover, he also signed an open letter with over 1000 other Political Science, was in D.C. when the riots broke out. political scientists asking the U.S. Congress, Vice President Mike His grandson was in a daycare six blocks away from the Pence and the Cabinet to either impeach Trump or invoke the Capitol, and his son-in-law got a text saying to pick up his son as 25th Amendment, which provides for the temporary transfer soon as possible because the rioters broke into the Capitol. of presidential powers to the vice president in the event the “It was very scary to drive into this to pick up,” Howard said. president is incapacitated or impeached. “We could not go the normal route and went a back way.” Howard is the executive director of the Southern Political Science Association, and he supervises a conference every January. This year, the conference took a drastic turn. “My staff came in to stay at a hotel near the White House on Jan. 7. I was unable to meet them to run our ‘war room,’ and they could not go out for almost two days,” he said. From his professional view, Howard thought the incident was “unlike One Georgia State professor who was in Washington D.C. during the PHOTO VIA UNSPLASH anything any of us have riot that took place on January 6th shares his personal experience. ever experienced.”
President Biden and VP Harris sworn in Mask mandate and rejoining Paris Agreement
GRAPHIC BY BROOKLYN VALERA | THE SIGNAL
XX Staff
MARY A. BRASSFIELD News Editor The inauguration is the formal ceremony that marks the start of a new presidency and shows Americans the peaceful transfer of power. In normal circumstances, the inauguration would see hundreds of thousands of people crowding around to enter the city, hotels completely booked and security everywhere. This year, due to COVID-19 regulations, that didn’t happen. Joe Biden’s team limited the number of people at the event to reduce the number of people potentially catching the coronavirus. President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were sworn in at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 20 at around 11:30 p.m. Harris made history by becoming the first Black female vice president of South Asian descent. President Biden is still pushing his aggressive first 100 days in office agenda with signing multiple executive orders on Friday, his first full day in office. His first executive orders include actions to impose a mask mandate on federal
property and rejoin the Paris Agreement. President Biden also spoke of his first 10 days in office, which will roll back key policies established by his predecessor. He pointed out multiple crises the country is now facing, including the coronavirus pandemic, climate change and racial inequality. “There are moments in our history when more is asked of us as Americans,” Biden said, who also unveiled a bust of Martin Luther King Jr. that now sits in the Oval Office. “We are in one of those moments now,” he said. Former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton were in attendance, even coming together to create a video message for their successor and all Americans. “That us three presidents, two Democrats and a Republican, could come together is a sign that Americans can overcome anything if they work together,” the three said in the video. Meanwhile, Donald Trump was not in attendance, making him the first president in 150 years to miss his successor’s inauguration.
NEWS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021
4
ILLUSTRATION BY MYAH ANGLIN | THE SIGNAL
Capitol riots, future of their party and election response College Democrats and Republicans responsd to recent events in the U.S. SHARAYAH DAVIS & MARY A. BRASSFIELD Managing Editor & News Editor
A
fter a period of political turmoil, including riots on Capitol Hill and heated presidential and Senate elections, college Democrats and Republicans discuss what they wish to see from the new administration. On Jan. 6, the Georgia State Young Democrats released a statement on Instagram, congratulating John Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock on their Senate wins, expressing disapproval of the Capitol attacks and warning students of domestic terrorist groups arriving in Atlanta. “It is a bittersweet day for Americans today. One mourns while one rejoices … Emotions are high but know that your safety is of utmost importance. Stay safe, Panthers, please,” the post stated. Georgia State Young Democrats Finance Director Ndubuidi Onwumere said that the organization was “appalled” at the events on Capitol Hill. “What should’ve been an exciting day quickly became a black eye in American history,” Onwumere said. “We’re relieved that none of the members of Congress were harmed as the insurrectionists intended to.” However, Onwumere noted that the event did not surprise him, citing the “vile rhetoric” the Trump administration spread about Congress, the press and other Americans for the last five years. “Trump spent nearly the entire run-up to Election Day … pushing a lie to his … supporters that … a presidential election will be stolen from them and then continued … with the lie after he lost. I don’t have a problem envisioning what happened happening,” Onwumere said. After the official presidential election results, many Republicans felt their party was wronged and decided to take action by organizing the Jan. 6 “Save America Rally” in Washington, D.C. At the rally, things quickly got out of control when protesters stormed the U.S. Capitol and began looting Congress members’ offices. “We are saddened that it got to the point where people felt they couldn’t trust the system of our great republic,” Chairman of College Republicans at Georgia State Timi Jafojo said. “If both parties worked together to ease people’s concerns, [then] maybe it wouldn’t get to that point,”
Onwumere also noted Trump supporters’ presence on social media, planning the attack between Biden’s projection and certification ceremony on Jan. 6. “The FBI, if they [don’t have one], needs a TikTok account because I saw all the ‘wait til the LIBS find out about Jan. 6’ and ‘Civil War Part 2’ posts days in advance,” Onwumere said. Jafojo said that the organization “follow[s] President Trump’s lead in condemning political violence and not tolerating it.” There have been several passionate suggestions from both sides on how they want this country to move forward and what they’ll like to see with this next administration. Jafojo wants Biden to unite the country but also says that Democrats’ recent decisions aren’t helping, believing that the expulsion of Republican senators and the conviction of former president Trump will not aid in that goal. “To me, that doesn’t sound like [a call] for unity; it’s [a call] for submission,” he said. “To heal the country, they need to tone down their rhetoric so [that] people on the right don’t think Democrats hate them.” According to Onwumere, the Young Democrats and College Republicans have not discussed unity or the future following the 2020 presidential and Senate elections. “I will say this from where I stand: The GOP needs to decide what side of history they intend to be on,” he said. Ossoff and Warnock’s runoff wins are significant for the Young Democrats for two reasons: Their victories make them both the first Democrats elected to the U.S. Senate from Georgia since 2000 when Zell Miller assumed office; Warnock is the first Black senator in Georgia’s history. Onwumere called them “historymakers.” “We’re glad that they now have an opportunity to create meaningful legislation that can help the people of Georgia and the nation as a whole,” he said. The Young Democrats are “elated” after the recent Senate and presidential wins, with Onwumere calling the last four years a “nightmare” for racial minorities, immigrants and the LGBTQ community because of former president Trump’s “divisiveness, actions and rhetoric.”
“We’re excited by our federal trifecta, but we understand that the election was just the first step and that there is plenty of work to be done at all levels of government,” Onwumere said. Republicans and Democrats have discussed the issue of COVID-19 relief in both presidential and senate debates. “We need to open the country back up in a safe and responsible manner; right now, small businesses are being destroyed; according to CNBC, 60% of small businesses have been permanently closed,” Jafojo said. Jafojo also says Biden hasn’t been fully transparent with many promises he made that contributed to getting him elected. “I’ve already seen them breaking promises of getting the pandemic under control; Joe Biden has recently come out and said [that] ‘nothing can change the trajectory of the [COVID-19] pandemic over the next several months’ after campaigning on getting the virus under control,” he said. Biden signed two executive orders on Friday, one of which would increase federal food assistance and streamline the delivery of stimulus checks to stabilize the economy without Congressional aid. While Biden does have an aggressive agenda in place for his first 100 days, it will take help from both sides of the aisle to get it accomplished. In the next administration, the Young Democrats hope to see COVID-19 relief, such as economic relief bills, unemployment benefits and vaccine funding. They also hope to see the federal minimum wage increased to $15 per hour and legislation recognizing and slowing the effects of climate change. “Additionally, and probably the easiest of all, is a presidential administration that acts like a presidential administration — none of the Twitter beefing, facts-denial, etc.,” Onwumere said. “We need an administration that means to work for all people, not just its base.” Looking toward the future, both the college Democrats and Republicans hope to work with their respective parties to help mend Americans’ trust in democracy.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021
5
THE SIGNAL
Georgia State Institute for Biomedical Science Researchers discovered a drug that suppresses COVID-19 transmission.
PHOTO BY MATT SICILIANO-SALAZAR | THE SIGNAL
Researchers discover oral drug to block SARS transmission Professors still encourage proper mask usage to avoid virus entering brain LEAH LI Staff Reporter
G
eorgia State Institute for Biomedical Science Researches recently discovered an oral drug called MK-4482/EIDD-2801 that can stop the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the human body within 24 hours after infection. Dr. Richard Plemper, a distinguished university professor at Georgia State, discovered this with his group. According to Georgia State News Hub, they initially found this drug is effective in killing the flu virus. He said this drug “could be game-changing” because no other oral drug discovered can suppress the SARS-CoV-2 transmission so quickly. In his research, published in the journal Nature, Plemper found that the drug “has broad-spectrum activity against respiratory RNA viruses.” It also “lowers the amount of shed viral particles by several orders of magnitude” after the infected animals have had the oral drug, which significantly suppresses virus transmission. Plemper’s team used ferrets to test how this drug works to block virus transmission. Dr. Robert Cox, a postdoctoral researcher in his team, said this is because ferrets usually don’t show severe symptoms despite spreading COVID easily, which is similar to how COVID spreads among young people. According to doctoral student Josef Wolf, the co-lead author of this study, the treated ferrets didn’t get infected, while all those receiving the placebo were infected in the same cage with the ferrets that carry the virus. Therefore, if interpreting these data from a human’s perspective, this drug can stop the virus transmission from COVID-19 patients 24 hours after receiving the treatment. In other words, as the Georgia State News Hub states, they will be “non-infectious.” Currently, MK-4482/EIDD-2801 is in clinical trials to further test its effectiveness. According to Georgia State News Hub, the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases funded Georgia State researchers to do this study. Since COVID-19 vaccines are not available to everyone, reducing transmission is very important, as this can effectively reduce the number of people getting infected. The Washington Post states that in addition to the PfizerBioNTech vaccine and Moderna vaccine that are already in use, scientists are developing over 200 experimental COVID vaccines. However, to end the COVID-19 pandemic with only a vaccine may not be possible because the SARS-CoV-2 virus
can mutate quickly. People have identified more than 10 different COVID variants around the world. Therefore, it’s not clear whether the vaccines can protect everyone against COVID forever. This mutating condition is similar to the flu. The WHO holds a meeting every February to predict which flu virus strain will most probably circulate during that year’s flu season to enable vaccine manufacturers to produce enough vaccines for people. However, forecasts are not 100% accurate, as the virus quickly mutates. The flu may have already changed some of its patterns by the time vaccines are ready for use. Hence, the CDC states that seasonal flu vaccines only have an effectiveness rate of between 19% and 60%. Also, since the flu virus mutates each year, people need to receive flu shots each year. No vaccine can protect people against the flu forever. As a result, Baozhong Wang, another professor at Georgia State Institute for Biomedical Sciences, is trying to develop a vaccine effective against any COVID variants and other coronaviruses that share similar genetic traits. Wang told Georgia State University Research Magazine that a vaccine effective to any COVID variant is “the ultimate countermeasure against the pandemic,” although few researchers focus on this. Coronaviruses attack and enter human cells by using their spike proteins to approach the cell’s surface. Hence, destroying the spike protein is the essence of an effective vaccine. First, Wang researched the flu. Current flu vaccines only fight against the head of the virus’s surface protein. Therefore, he tested targeting the inner part of the surface protein that is the same in all flu viruses. According to Georgia State University Research Magazine, these vaccines “have shown great potential in inducing broad immune responses, protecting the recipient against all flu viruses.” Wang thinks the same approach in his studies on the flu can also develop a universal vaccine for COVID, i.e., targeting the proteins commonly shared in all coronavirus strains to enable the body to develop immunity to all those viruses. Many COVID patients died because their immune system developed a severe overreaction called “cytokine storm” when fighting against COVID, which severely hurt their bodies. Thus, a successful vaccine should not only strengthen people’s immunity against the virus but also ensure public health overall.
In addition to the medical researchers, computer scientists are also studying COVID-19. Juan M. Banda, an assistant professor in the Georgia State Department of Computer Science, had analyzed over 700 million COVID-related Twitter data since March 2020. Georgia State University Research Magazine states that the data he analyzed “provided insights” on how people’s lives give impetus to the pandemic’s development from many perspectives such as travel, diagnoses and treatment. Banda did this research with Gerardo Chowell, a professor in the School of Public Health. Chowell said the data could enable researchers to study various subjects, such as how COVID-related misinformation spreads, how the difference of geographic areas affect the spread of COVID, and how social distancing contributed to controlling the pandemic. Different from how medical scientists study COVID, Banda said instead of focusing on medical fields such as infection rates and deaths, he is analyzing these data to understand things like how people get information and what they think about the government’s measures on the pandemic, which tells people about the pandemic’s effects from another perspective. Banda thinks researchers can gain foresight from these data to develop systems that can perceive transmission in communities to prevent potential pandemics. Although most COVID-19 symptoms are respiratory illnesses, Georgia State researchers found that the virus can also hide in the human brain. According to WSB-TV, lead researcher Dr. Mukesh Kumar, an associate professor in the Department of Biology, told them they discovered from their research on mice that the virus might like to hide in the human brain even after the person tests negative. He said the virus favors being in the brain because “there is no immune response” in the brain, making it safe for viruses to hide. In the brain, viruses can hurt the central nervous system, which causes typical symptoms of loss of smell and taste. He also noted that many people who recovered from COVID “have some sort of brain dysfunction.” As a result, he emphasizes the importance of covering the nose with a mask to prevent the virus from entering the brain through the nose.
ARTS & LIVING
WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/ARTSANDLIVING
January 26, 2021
Students celebrate historic Senate win Senator-elects restore hope for young voters DEENA KAYYALI Staff Reporter
A
Singer/songwriter David W. Jacobsen describes the artistic process, song meanings and historical parallels in his newest album, “POTUS.”
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY DAVID W. JACOBSEN
History repeats itself in ‘POTUS,’ the neo-folk album
Musician David W. Jacobsen writes album about former presidents JADA JONES Arts & Living Editor
W
hile the U.S. hurtles through significant historical events, singer/ songwriter David W. Jacobsen stops to recount the lives of obscure and notable U.S. presidents in his newest album, “POTUS.” Jacobsen wrote songs about Herbert Hoover, Richard Nixon and Chester Arthur. Each piece is sung from the first-person perspective to give the listener an intimate look into the lives of previous commandersin-chief. “It’s sort of a history project with a humanizing aspect,” Jacobsen said. “These people were actually alive with thoughts and feelings even if they were deplorable human beings.” “Shanties,” the ninth track on the album, is from 31st President Herbert Hoover’s perspective. The song follows Hoover complaining about Depression-era shantytowns, or “Hoovervilles,” taking his name. Jacobsen explained that he chose to write a song about Hoover instead of 32nd President Franklin D. Roosevelt because “that’s what you’d normally expect.” The two presidents held office during the Great Depression, but one was widely popular, and the other was hated by
many. To stay on brand, Jacobsen wrote a song about Hoover. Jacobsen likes to focus on the “worst” presidents in U.S. history and tells their life stories before, after or in office. Jacobsen started writing songs about history after stumbling across the historical songs sung by Scottish singer Al Stewart. “It started largely as a joke,” Jacobsen said. “I wrote a song about Rutherford Hayes to play off the Jimi Hendrix song ‘Purple Haze,’ but I didn’t know anything about Rutherford Hayes other than he had a funky-looking beard. Then I learned about him and realized he was awful.” Despite writing “POTUS” five years before its 2020 release, Jacobsen noticed parallels between some of the presidents he wrote songs about and former President Donald Trump. Jacobsen wrote a song about Nixon’s impeachment and resignation, titled “Effective at Noon Tomorrow.” Trump took office after Jacobsen wrote the song, making the old saying “history repeats itself ” eerily accurate. “[Recently] I’ve been playing the Nixon song a lot, hoping it would mean something,” he said. “I wrote it before Trump was elected. Though I
didn’t write it for that purpose, I’ve been playing it a lot.” Jacobsen also sees similarities between Trump and the 21st U.S. president, Chester Arthur. “On the commentaries about some of these figures like Chester Arthur, he was this fat, corrupt New Yorker with no political experience and had no business being in office and unexpectedly became president,” he said. “When Trump took office, I thought, ‘maybe he’d be like [Chester] Arthur.’” But Jacobsen makes one distinct difference between the two. “Chester Arthur wouldn’t have been on Twitter,” he said. “POTUS” features 11 tracks, with the leading track, “1799,” being a parody of Prince’s song “1999.” Although Jacobsen intended some songs to be humorous, he also wants his listeners to learn something new after listening to his album. “I’d want people to take away [some more] knowledge about American history. I try to express how these guys would have felt, but overall it’s got an element of history with a little bit of humor,” he said.
s the result of two historic elections in 2020, Georgia officially turned blue. Both the presidential and senate runoff elections resulted in favor of Democratic candidates, and a new era begins in the state. The last time Georgia elected a democratic senator was in 2000 when Sen. Zell Miller served his term until 2005. Since then, Republicans have represented and governed Georgia. As U.S. Senators-elect Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock swear into office on Jan. 20, they will represent the needs of Georgians through their terms. While their victory may disappoint some Georgia voters, others are optimistic for the changes to come. With both men in office, there comes an undeniable shift in Georgian policies: introducing progressive views, such as affordable health care and climate reform, and higher racial diversity and representation. The progressive shift is not concerned solely with government offices. Diversity in voter turnout has increased during the last election. According to a Pew Research Center analysis, the number of Latinx, white, Asian and Black registered voters increased by roughly 380,000 voters compared to October 2016. The change in voter demographics has not gone unnoticed. Like sophomore Zora James, many young Georgians are thrilled, exhibiting a sense of pride and empowerment from the election results. “The results of the runoff election indeed showed that there is
power in the Black vote,” she said. “I think we all understood that flipping the state wouldn’t be easy, but it was possible. As a Black woman, seeing the first Black senator from Georgia win gives me hope for progress.” Sophomore Ayoola Makinde spoke of his newfound feelings of optimism when he saw the election results. “I do personally think the runoff election has sparked an attitude change, and it’s sort of like a fresh breath of air,” he said. “Even though there may not be big changes in the immediate future, I do feel like change is and will happen. I see it as a sign of hope.” Junior Kinnede White spoke on the excitement of change, especially being a Black and Mexican woman raised in Georgia with influences from both cultures. “For me, it’s a chance to rebuild,” she said. “It’s a chance to restore all the damage that has been done to the mentality of people, particularly in Georgians’ views of different race and minority issues, like the Black Lives Matter movement.” To people of color and minorities in Georgia and across the country, the change in power positions is more than just new governmental leadership; it is the beginning of repair and support. “Since there have been so many misconceptions from our president, that mindset trickled down to the states,” White said. “This is an opportunity for people to build a different perspective. I see the hope of change from Warnock and Ossoff, one that numerous people haven’t seen in a long time.”
ARTS&LIVING
TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021
7
LGBTQ representation at Georgia State
Professors and graduate students’ experience in academia ISA CARDONA Associate Arts & Living Editor
T
he need for the recruitment and representation of the LGBTQ community in academia is becoming more acknowledged, and the community has created their own space in the field. Jessica Fisher is an agender transgender woman and graduate student at Georgia State, pursuing a doctorate in sociology and a graduate certificate in women’s, gender and sexuality studies. She believes that representation matters in her field due to the proximity of the subject matter to the LGBTQ community. “Their voices being in the room, in the editorial review boards and things like that are going to help shape the best curriculum, the best scholarship and better departments and so on,” Fisher said. “If you don’t have LGBTQ people in the room or at the table, then that’s going to be noticeable.” Fisher is a “proud assistant with the Office of Diversity Education Planning” but has also faced some issues with Georgia State regarding funding. “There’s a lot of lip service paid to this idea that this work is valuable to the campus community and the culture of the university, [but] it doesn’t show in the pocketbook,” she said. Astronomer and Georgia State professor Todd Henry has seen massive changes during his career because no one was “out of the closet” when completing his undergraduate. “I’d like to think I was part of a group of people who helped people become more comfortable with [being out]. But certainly society overall just became more comfortable,” Henry said. “Now you do see quite a presence [and] we have an entire committee devoted to LGBTQ people in astronomy.” Henry says that throughout his career, the astronomy program and its faculty members have been very supportive but he can’t
say the same for Georgia State administration. While the Georgia State community is diverse and welcoming, the administration has a history of equality issues, and some are still not resolved. Before the historic 2015 Supreme Court ruling that granted same-sex marriages equal rights and protection, Henry could not get health benefits for his partner through the university. “You don’t get any points for doing the right thing because you were forced to do so,” he said. “I give Georgia State no points for ‘fixing the partner benefits problem’ because they had the power to do things, and the president and the [former] provost chose to do nothing.” Still, the community creates a lot of positivity and outreach from within to make academia more inclusive and accessible. Henry helped create and chair a committee for the American Astronomical Society called FAMOUS, which grants funds for astronomical meetings, and outreach to underrepresented scientists. Susan Talburt, a Georgia State professor in women’s, gender and sexuality studies, has been open about her identity throughout her entire career. When entering the academic world, she followed “her interests and heart,” even if it wasn’t the most well-known or accepted field of study. . Talburt shares advice to help the up-and-coming professionals within the community who feel uneasy about the future and how their identities will influence their careers. “Don’t compromise your values and don’t hide,” she said. “You spend a whole lot of time and a whole lot of years in your working lives, and if you present yourself as something you’re not or if you’re engaged in things that you’re not interested in, it’s going to be deadening. So follow your heart.”
Many organizations have had a rocky road in their transitions online, but greek life organizations continue plans for upcoming spring recruitment.
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY SIGMA NU
Greek life navigates online recruitment for spring
Virtual Greek life recruitment succeeds at Georgia State JANELLE JAMES Staff Reporter
T
he online switch has been difficult for many clubs and organizations. Some decided that taking a break would be the best course of action, and others, like Greek life, have continued operation. Greek life at Georgia State comprises four councils: the National Panhellenic Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, Interfraternity Council and National Multicultural Greek Council. All councils had to operate online and social distance for the first time during 2020’s fall recruitment. Greek life students have had to learn how to pitch their organizations more than ever to continue their appeal to gain new members. Now that it’s spring, these students are ready to take what they learned from the online fall semester and bring it to their new spring pledge classes. Some Greek organizations received smaller pledge classes due to the online shift, while others pledged more new members than they had in person. National Multicultural Greek Council sorority Sigma Sigma Rho had the opportunity to bring in one of their larger pledge classes despite being entirely online. President Ishani Patel spoke about her excitement for the organization’s future due to its recruitment success. “I want to be able to make this sorority the best that it can be, and this is just another chance to be able to do that,” Patel said. “I feel pretty confident
about spring recruitment, especially since now we know what to expect after this past fall.” Many students may question
“
Online or not, in the end, you’re going to meet people that are going to bring out the best of you.
”
— JUSTIN KIM
Recruitment Chair of Sigma NU
whether they should join Greek life if all memberships and event opportunities continue to be online. Recruitment chair Justin Kim of Sigma Nu shared what he would tell students considering joining the fraternity. “I would tell them it’s worth it because it is essentially the same thing,” Kim said. “Online or not, in the
end, you’re going to meet people that are going to bring out the best of you.” Highlights of Greek life, such as the constant flow of events, have to be done more creatively than before. Previous popular occasions like formal events, date nights, new members getting a “big” sibling, and so many more events had to adapt to the circumstances. Several organizations have had the chance to take a step farther than being only online to hosting safely social distanced events. Brenda Cruz, Zeta Tau Alpha’s social chair, describes how her sorority plans to move forward in creative ways. “Last semester, the social chair actually came up with the idea of doing a drive-in movie, which was very creative and safe,” Cruz said. “I plan on finding more creative ways to make socially distanced events.” As Greek life and many other organizations continue to stay afloat and gain new initiates online, it’s up to the individual whether they choose to join during this time. Sometimes the need for adjustments can bring out the best within an organization that couldn’t happen if the circumstances hadn’t changed. Situations can still blossom during what can seem to be a setback, and organizations will continue to have the chance to be creative and make history.
This Week’s Spread: OPINIONS & S WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/NEWS
The NBA is putting profits over players’ lives How the NBA isn’t handling the pandemic very well ANDREW FREEDMAN & KENNETH LOCKETT III Sports Editor and Opinions Editor
O
n March 11, the entire basketball world froze. The NBA decided that their player’s health was more important than profits. Well, until June, when the NBA Board of Governors decided to resume the league in sunny Orlando, Florida. When the Orlando Bubble concluded in October, many were astonished that there were zero positive COVID-19 cases among the 22 teams and thousands of Walt Disney World and NBA employees. The Los Angeles Lakers spent over 100 days isolated from the real world, battling their way to a 17th championship in franchise history and finally rejoicing with their families. Almost as if the season never ended, the Orlando Bubble made the league near $2 billion in revenue. But then came the 2020-21 season, and the harsh reality set in. Players, coaches and personnel were back home and not safely separated from society in their hotel. Even commissioner Adam Silver expressed cautious optimism, saying, “[I’m] optimistic about improvements in February … after we get through the darkest days.” Players can no longer enjoy meals together or gather at the hotel pools with teammates and other friends competing on opposing teams. The luxury of traveling the country quickly became a hassle as Sharpies were exchanged for hand sanitizer. COVID-19 quickly gripped the league as a new wave and new variants of the virus took the nation
by storm. The harsh reality even tackled oncehealthy players. If you have been on sports Twitter over the past few weeks, you will notice a typical headline: “NBA team quarantined after playing the [Washington] Wizards.” The Boston Celtics were just the latest team to see a COVID outbreak after facing the Wizards. The league met this pattern with a massive lockdown of the teams, including but not limited to prohibiting non-team guests. The season just started and is already at risk of facing the previous season’s fate. In addition to the Wizards, several other teams are postponing games after not meeting the required eight-players to compete in a game. There are even players who are re-contracting the virus that has taken over 400,000 lives in the U.S. so far. Last week, the NBA canceled the Atlanta Hawks matchup with the Suns and two other games due to contact tracing. The situation got so out of hand that on Jan. 13, the league forced everyone to quarantine for two weeks, effectively shutting down the season. All to prevent another bubble for the league.
It seems like, every hour, an NBA insider reports another positive test and another team ineligible for their next game. So why not just wait until everything gets resolved? Why risk putting many players and coaches and their families at risk — and let’s be completely clear, these are ordinary people, just with unusual jobs — when an end may be near? It all comes down to money. If the NBA did not finish last season, they would have lost $1.5 billion, Forbes estimates. The Orlando Bubble saved the NBA and everyone’s finances, from the players to the owners. The owners and players make ludicrous amounts of money, though? Why would they not be in favor of taking a break? Some players do not have the same financial security as LeBron James or James Harden, both of whom will make up to $30 million. Many players live paycheck to paycheck, just holding on. You also have to factor in all the staff with
SPORTS the league, each team and the arena’s and the bills that the arenas have to pay. A single disruption, a single slowdown, could send everything spirling. But as bills are being paid off, lives are on the line — not just the players’ and staff but their families’ and those of the people they are around. The situation is dire, and players like NBA vet and current Oklahoma City Thunder George Hill frankly just don’t want to follow the regulations.The league is really trying to save its pocketbook by pushing for a vaccine. The NBA says it isn’t going to force players to receive the vaccine, but they recently released an ad with Hall of Famer Kareem This disease Abdul-Jabbar that encouraged fans is not the to take the vaccine and announced he would take it as well. cold. It is not However, that doesn’t negate the flu. You the fact that the league is playing can’t just play catchup as superstars like KarlAnthony Towns of the Minnesota through this Timberwolves tested positive after on a whim. losing his mother and six other
“
At the time of this story’s publication, 13 games have been postponed since the start of the season. And as the cases pile up and the list of postponed games continues to grow, the league continues to doubt a game shut down. Mostly because the players don’t want to play in a bubble. But that comes at the risk of their lives and others around them. That is the underlying issue: — ANDREW FREEDMAN where do we draw the line in terms of profits? COVID-19 has Sports Editor left many Americans jobless and homeless as businesses continue to close. But the businesses that affect the bottom line of the wealthy haven’t stopped. Movie and music studios continue to pump out content as theaters and venues go out of business. Major sports such as the MLB, NBA, NFL and even WWE continue to hold events, putting their profits above their athletes’ lives. And it seems as if few of these athletes care. It has even affected college teams as Georgia State’s basketball team had to postpone games. It’s going to come down to someone in the upper reaches of the game to die before the league takes serious action. It’s going to come down to someone like Jame to step up and say enough is enough. Or
”
better yet, it’s going to take him catching the virus and being confined to a hospital before the league takes action. This disease is not the cold. It is not the flu. You can’t just play through this on a whim. This is a virus that has claimed nearly half a million lives in the U.S. alone, at the time of writing. This is a virus that shut down the world for almost a year. Sadly, the NBA continues to act like it’s not a big deal. They continue to act like the lives of their players are not at risk. Sure, they may have instituted protocols, but you can’t wear a mask and play basketball. For every second they are playing their games, living their passion, their lives are at risk. All it takes is one infected person in the bathroom taking their mask off. Suddenly, the entire building could be infected because who wants to wear a mask while using the bathroom? I hope it doesn’t come For every to a player second they dying because are playing the NBA is putting their games, profits before living their health.
“
passion, their lives are at risk.
”
— KENNETH LOCKETT III Opinions Editor
ILLUSTRATIONS BY MYAH ANGLIN & PAGE DESIGN BY MONIQUE ROJAS | THE SIGNAL
OPINIONS
WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/OPINIONS
January 26, 2021
Staying organized is stressful but necessary Threats and pressure do not help students to stay organized GABBY MILLER Staff Columnist
O
ILLUSTRATION BY MYAH ANGLIN | THE SIGNAL
It was not a protest: Call the attack on the U.S. Capitol what it is
The pro-Trump raid was domestic terrorism CALLIE MCNORTON Staff Columnist
T
he attack on the U.S. Capitol was the first time such a breach or occupation has happened since the War of 1812. Then, the perpetrators were enemies of the U.S. On Jan. 6, Americans became enemies to their own country. “We fight like hell. And if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.” Former President Donald Trump spoke these words that incited the violence we saw that day. Are they just words? Or do they mean something more? Protesters were given the signal by leaders to attack Capitol Hill. Trump continued to empathize. He used words such as “we love you” and “I know how you feel.” Are they just words? In the wake of a ransacked Capitol, five dead and an electioncertifying congressional session ambushed, what are the words for what happened in Washington? Media outlets nationwide, anyone with social media, used anything from “patriot” to “terrorist.” Many settled on “rioters,” including CNN and Fox News. Admitting these actions were awful is one thing,
but calling it what it is, domestic terrorism, is something completely different. In fact, The Signal was one of the few to call it a terrorist attack. Are they just words? Domestic terrorism is defined as “acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the [U.S.] or of any State, to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion.” Furthermore, white supremacy is the most significant threat, according to Congress. The Capitol siege reeks of white supremacy. The police force had no sense of urgency compared to the brutality of last summer’s Black Lives Matter protests. Individuals who ransacked the Capitol hours before were waltzing around long after the curfew was in effect. The baseless claims of a stolen election are rooted in a conspiracy, perpetuating a culture of distrusting the democratic process and healthcare officials. Most terrorists wore no masks, even though the day before was the deadliest day of the pandemic to date, a pandemic that disproportionately affects people of color.
We can also analyze the words of our former commander-in-chief, who “loves” terrorists and called BLM a “symbol of hate.” Many want to compare the BLM protests of the summer of 2020 to the siege of the Capitol. If you look for a moment at each’s actions, it is clear that one has heart and the other, hate. So, why does it matter if someone calls them both riots or one instead of the other? Domestic terrorist holds a lot more weight in the minds of Americans than rioters. Weaving this language into the conversation is the only way to encourage widespread understanding of the problem. Individuals who want to promote equality and justice will never be perfect but will understand their words’ weight, even if our political leaders and news outlets do not. Words are inciters of violence. Words are weapons of conspiracy theorists. Words are a catalyst for white supremacy to live on. Words are also powerful. Words can create change and understanding, or are they just words?
rganizational skills are a significant factor in living a successful life. Whether for work or school, being organized can help you succeed in the most stressful situations. But no one ever talks about how stressful it is to keep up that kind of lifestyle. When it comes to organization, all people ever talk about is how it leads to future success. No one talks about how stressful it is to maintain an organized life. If you are anything like me, you might feel like you are failing in life because things are not as organized as they should be. Being organized has some perks. According to Organized Transitions, being organized can save quite a bit of time. If you need to get a specific piece of paper you have put away somewhere, keeping organized can help you save time because you won’t spend too much time finding it. But how much time does it take to organize those theoretical papers? Staying organized is not just a method; it is a lifestyle. You have to clean daily, put things away and remember where you put them and why. The upkeep is stressful for many people because they feel pressured into maintaining their organizational systems and feel like a failure if they slip. Some people put too much pressure into staying neat and organized as a result of being threatened. For example, many teachers and professors say that if students want to succeed in their class, they must stay organized. The potential failure to stay organized is intimidating, especially
to students who juggle several courses they want to succeed in. Staying organized is stressful because, if you are used to this lifestyle, there is always this little voice in the back of your head asking you, ‘is my space neat enough?’ For me, I always felt like my space was neat or organized enough. If my work area were not neat or organized, I would feel like a failure because I was always told being contained is the key to success. I would pressure myself into thinking that way because I, like everyone else, was afraid of failure. Part of this organizational lifestyle is finding time to reorganize. Some people put time aside at least once a week to reorganize things. But, sometimes finding the time is challenging because free time is not always available to you. If finding free time is difficult, the last thing you would want to do is waste it by reorganizing. Reorganizing is as essential to some as studying for an exam. It is imperative during these times of final exams. By reorganizing, you could be reviewing old work you did throughout the semester, giving a boost to your final grade. Staying organized is both stressful and rewarding because it can lead to your success or potentially lead to failure. Just because it is stressful does not mean one should not do it, but one should not feel forced or threatened. Teachers, parents, or our peers remind us to stay organized because they want us to succeed. But is it genuinely worth being forced to do it by threats of failure?
OPINIONS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021
11
Pixar’s ‘Soul’ is imaginative and melancholic
‘Soul’ features honest questions about the purpose of life ABIR ODEH Staff Columnist
D
isney released their newest animated film, “Soul,” about the story of a fictional middle school music teacher who dreams of becoming a jazz musician, on Dec. 25 on its streaming service Disney Plus. It is a familyfriendly film that is easily entertaining for children and adults alike. The movie director is Pixar’s first-ever Black codirector, and it features its first Black protagonist. The film’s cast and characters are a feat of diversity and representation. Disney and Pixar’s “Soul” is a melancholy trip through the longings of life. It delves into the questions and subjects that have and may always leave us unsettled, some of which are answered and some of which are left up to interpretation. I appreciated that the film leaves some things up for interpretation because we all have our beliefs about life after death and any preexistence to life. The most memorable parts of the film are not the metaphysical characters and settings but that it dares to acknowledge the purpose of life and mortality. “Soul” acknowledges these heavy subjects while also discussing and portraying passion versus obsession, a career as the litmus test for a life welllived, depression and lack of satisfaction in the life you are living. The film spells out the existential crises and the dread. It presents it to you raw in its most relatable form, as two characters, both of whom we could relate to. Editor’s Note: spoilers up ahead Joe Gardner, the film’s protagonist, is a middle school music teacher with a dream: He aspires to be a jazz pianist, and just as he reaches his goal, he falls to his death deep in the jaws of a manhole. He then finds himself in purgatory as a
metaphysical soul on his way to “The Great Beyond,” except he insists that he isn’t ready to go. Sound familiar? He just got his dream of playing a gig as a jazz pianist, and then, BAM — he’s dead. In his endeavors to avoid cementing his death, he meets another soul, 22, who has never lived and doesn’t want to live. In this metaphysical world, “The Great Before,” souls are mentored to find their “spark” before going to Earth. Some of 22’s mentors included Mother Teresa, Muhammad Ali, Nicolaus Copernicus, Abraham Lincoln, Marie Antionette and Carl Jung. 22 doesn’t have a spark; every one of her mentors failed to help her find inspiration. So, Joe’s assignment is to mentor 22, and like any good mentor and mentee relationship, they both come out of it having learned something—Joe about the values of life’s experiences he takes for granted and 22 the will to live. In 22, we see all of us. We see our pessimism, our obsessions with our flaws and our inability to accept that life is not totally in our control. In Joe, we see that our dreams may not be all there is to life—we learn to let go of the precedence we give to our careers. The message is clear: life is not just a career. The moral is to allow our passions to inspire us, not obsess us, and Joe learns along with us. Jazz music embodies one of Joe’s lessons: You cannot force life. It’s a series of improvisations, and it has to be felt and experienced. To us students, the message is not to restrict yourself to a career’s confines, and don’t forget that our mentors are our experiences just as much as our professors are. So take risks and chances, live each day as if it’s your last and remember that it is okay not to know what your spark is.
ILLUSTRATION BY ROE GASSETT | THE SIGNAL
Are we really the ‘United’ States of America?
‘Civil war’ is trending, and many wonder what America’s future holds ALYSSIA HARDGE Staff Columnist
O
ver the past four years, America has become more divided than ever. But with a new year and a new president, can we truly recover? Frankly, no. We will forever be divided.
“
Let’s begin to listen to one another again, hear one another, see one another, show respect to one another.
— JOSEPH BIDEN
”
President of the United States
Maybe instead of trying so hard to reunite a country that was never one in the first place, we should start accepting our differences and
learn how to live with them together. Whether it is race, age or sexuality, the division between generations is one of our biggest problems. In the beginning, our country was started by rebels, breaking away from Great Britain. They started from nothing and decided to build something. In many ways, modern Americans are exactly the same: They are not afraid to break away from tradition and stand up for what they believe. If America wants to recover, the youth is truly the answer. The younger generation lives on social media. The very same generation that took the idea of a Ratatouille musical and made it happen during a pandemic, the same generation raised by narcissistic parents and the same generation that lives afraid of going to school because a school shooting is now more common than teen pregnancy. So, as we live on the brink of a civil war, many believe it’s going to be just like the war of 160 years ago, complete with guns, bombs and fights. In reality, if we were to have a civil war right now, it would be protests, petitions, movements and debates. The foundations of the U.S. are freedom, peace, equality and war. No one wants to talk about it, but we have been divided from the beginning. We were built from the outcome of a war. So, what if we started another one?
Given the events of 2020 and the beginning of 2021, many people have gone to social media to express their feelings about the possible civil war. It has happened before; history is bound to repeat itself, so why not now? I am just trying to shine some light on what might happen if we don’t start accepting each other very soon. In his Inauguration Address, Joe Biden said, “Let’s start afresh, all of us. Let’s begin to listen to one another again, hear one another, see one another, show respect to one another. Every disagreement doesn’t have to be a cause for total war.” Biden addressing the country as a “divided nation” says a lot about this past year. Biden’s presidency might be the first step in creating a newly united nation, not fixing the old one. A nation where we can celebrate our differences while understanding that not everyone wants to be celebrating, where we don’t just desire change but make it happen. Whether a civil war breaks out this year or in 100 years, it won’t be because of a certain former president’s mistakes or because two generations can’t agree on anything. It will because our country was built to be divided. The world isn’t just black or white anymore. We either start looking at the grey areas, or we might as well begin enlisting.
SPORTS
January 26, 2021
WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/SPORTS
From siblings to teammates, meet the Holloways Kamree and Kelsee Holloway share the soccer field together MEADOW BARROW Staff Reporter
I
magine playing the sport that you love and getting the opportunity to play that sport at a higher level on a Division 1 college team. Now, imagine doing that with your sibling right there with you. Siblings competing on the same team are a rare sight to see. Surprisingly, several pairs of siblings play together at Georgia State. Kamree and Kelsee Holloway, sophomores on Georgia State’s women’s soccer team, are just one of those pairs.
Taylor Hosendove and the GSU Women’s Basketball team pause activity for a week following positive COVID-19 tests.
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY GSU ATHLETICS
Gene Hill’s team out for vengeance this year
Women’s basketball continues strong campaign after hiatus JASON RICHBURG Staff Reporter
F
ollowing a two-week-long absence to open 2021, Georgia State’s women’s basketball squad returned, and in dominant fashion. The team swept Coastal Carolina, winning both games, 73-55 and 6555, earlier this month. With this being the second COVID-19 outbreak among the team — the first came back on Dec. 30 — head coach Gene Hill talked about precautionary measures the team will take to prevent another outbreak. “We are stressing the importance of social distancing whenever possible to make contact tracing easier if there is a positive test,” Hill said. Hill also noted that the team would keep following their fantastic athletic training staff protocols and keep testing three times a week. Before the pause, Hill’s women held a 4-3 record, including four wins in their last six games. Those wins featured an exciting overtime victory against Tennessee State, blowout victories against Furman and Life University and a hard-fought win against Western Carolina. In both games, redshirt sophomore guard Taniyah Worth led the way
offensively with 17 points in the first game and 16 points in the second.
“
If we continue to work hard in practice and execute well in games, I know we can compete with the best in the conference.
”
— GENE HILL
Women’s Basketball Head Coach
On the defensive end, junior forward Taylor Hosendove held it down with seven total steals.
The Panthers’ bench also provided a much-needed spark with a combined 53 points between both games, with sophomore guard Moriah Taylor hitting a total of eight threes off the bench. Hill said he is extremely proud of how his team handled these tough couple of weeks and how they competed out on the court against a tough Coastal Carolina team. “It can be difficult to come back after a lengthy break like we had, but the team responded well and earned two challenging road wins,” Hill said. With conference play heating up, Hill has high expectations for this young Panthers team for the rest of the season. “If we continue to work hard in practice and execute well in games, I know we can compete with the best in the conference,” Hill said. The team has a lot of potential, as they are currently sitting second in the Sun Belt behind Arkansas State. Their next set of games will come on Thursday when they travel to Mobile, Alabama, to take on the South Alabama Jaguars in a two-game series on back-to-back afternoons.
one to keep persisting. “My sister always motivates me,” Kamree said. “When I’m not having the best game or practice, she’s there to talk to me and help me get out of my own head and do better.” Playing with a sibling is a unique experience that has its own set of pros and cons. “It is just like having a best friend with you,” Kelsee said. “The only con [about playing with my sister] I can think of is the way people compare us. [It] can be pretty annoying.” Helping improve each other’s performance on the field is another significant pro. Learning tips and tricks from one another can be quite easy for the pair, as they both play the same position on the field: defender/midfielder. “We learn from each other and push each other to be our best [on the field],” Kelsee said. “I like to think we bring a fun [kind of] energy to the field.” Not only do these two support each other on the field, but off the field, they are also each other’s biggest fans. “She gives me good pep — KELSEE HOLLOWAY talks on my bad days and helps me keep going,” Kelsee Georgia State said. Soccer Player Maintaining a healthy The two began their relationship off the field is soccer journey about 50 crucial for these two sisters. miles west of Georgia State Having to be in each other’s at Carrollton High School in company most of the time Carrollton, Georgia. allows them to strengthen In 2017, they announced their bond. their commitment to “My relationship with Georgia State and then my sister is the same on the officially made their field as it is off the field,” entrance onto the field in Kamree said. “We get along the spring of 2019. well and encourage each College athletics can other.” be more intense and The two also know what continues to push them competitive than high along their journeys: not the school sports. It can push students to work harder, but glory or the trash-talking or the status of being a it also makes it difficult for student-athlete and getting athletes to get through such free gear. a significant transition in “Talent only gets you so their lives. far. Hard work gets you the But having a close family member with you every step rest of the way,” the sisters both said. of the way can encourage
“
We learn from each other and push each other to be our best [on the field].
”
SPORTS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021
13
Fight or flight: the Falcons’ newest coordinators Ragone and Pees as offensive and defensive coordinators AARON WILSON JR. Staff Reporter
W
ith Arthur Smith as head coach and Terry Fontenot officially named as general manager, what lies ahead for the Atlanta Falcons? Smith and Fontenot will have a great deal of power when it comes to free agents, draft prospects and shaping the roster as a whole. However, there are other organizational choices to be made that come first, such as filling out the assistant coaching staff. When an organization performs poorly, the head coach takes most of the blame. Sports fans (and NFL fans, in particular) have seen that offensive and defensive coordinators are far from immune in the blame game. With that in mind, the individual coaches, offensive, defensive and positional coaches all matter as Smith looks to balance the future with the present. Smith will likely call plays, which, to Falcons fans’ relief, avoids a Kyle Shanahan situation where the offense takes a drastic step back in an offseason.
Flight: Dave Ragone’s fit as offensive coordinator
Ragone’s resume does not stand out from other candidates and, if anything, spells underwhelming results. He spent the last four years as the Chicago Bears quarterbacks’ coach (yes, the terrible Bears’ offense). I don’t intend to drag Ragone, but most of the Bears’ coaching staff don’t have the most outstanding
resumes either, as evidenced by their inability to improve the Bears’ offense recently. Ragone may prove himself to be a great offensive coordinator, especially since he will not call any plays. He has seen how not to run an offense after years of watching Matt Nagy and Bill Lazor. Give him time now that he is the Falcons’ offensive coordinator and will be working closely with Smith.
Fight: Dean Pees’ abilities to transform the subpar Falcons defense
On the opposite end of Ragone, well known defensive coordinator Dan Pees brings loads of potential to a defense seeking an identity through his more than 40 years of experience. Pees retired last year, but before that, he shepherded strong defenses as the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive coordinator from 2012 to 2017 and then in 2018-19 with the Tennessee Titans. Pees boasts two Super Bowls, one with the Ravens in 2012 and one with the 2004 New England Patriots. Pees would bring legitimacy to the defense and help bridge the connection to Smith’s team. He may not have much longer in the league, but hiring him to start a new era and change the Falcons defense would make a solid choice. The Falcons gave Smith a tremendous amount of flexibility to build his staff, and hopefully, he has found a mix that will bring the best out of each position group.
With players ranking among the nation’s best in a variety of categories, the Georgia State Men’s Basketball team’s success is no fluke.
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY GSU ATHLETICS
Panthers Men’s basketball dominates Sun Belt with incredible chemistry
Year two of the Rob Lanier Era is setting the bar high MALIKAI COLLINS Staff Reporter
T
he 2020-21 season for the Georgia State men’s basketball team seemed unlikely over the summer. With little practice and offseason preparation, the Panthers have maximized the time they’ve had together, displaying excellent chemistry on and off the court. Sitting at 8-4, the Panthers are clicking at the right time and making their presence felt as a dangerous team in the Sun Belt. Through the first ten games, the Panthers have showcased everything, from good to bad to even unique.
The Good
The Panthers have averaged 86.5 points per game through their first 10 contests, up from last year’s 82 points per game over their first 10. They also bring four players averaging over 12 points on the season to the table, along with another three players who scored seven. More importantly than just the scoring, the play of Rob Lanier’s team translates to wins. The Panthers outscore their opponents by an average of nine points per game on 48% shooting from the field. On the defensive end, they held their opponents to just 40% shooting per contest. The Panthers have the ninth scoring offense in the country this season behind five different players scoring 20 or more points in six of 10 games this season. “With the starting lineup, we have five guys that can score the ball, especially with [Eliel Nesoseme] underneath, so what happens at times the defense has to collapse, and guys are able to pull the ball out to a guy like
Corey or Justin in the corner,” Associate Athletic Director Mike Holmes said.
The Bad
The Panthers haven’t had many low moments this season, but they have had areas to improve. For one, they have been outrebounded in five of the 10 games played this season. While Eliel Nsoseme and Jalen Thomas average a combined 16.2 rebounds a game, no other player is averaging over 4.5 a game. In both losses, the opposing team outrebounded the Panthers by an average of 18.5 boards. The Panthers are also struggling from the line this season, shooting 61%, which ranks as the 15th lowest in the country. Free-throw shooting is vital down the stretch of close games, and with only two players shooting over 70% from the line (Justin Roberts and Evan Johnson), it can make or break Georgia State from a deep run in at the end of the season.
The Unique
The Panthers had to cram three months’ worth of practice in three weeks because of COVID-19. Then, an outbreak of the virus forced them to miss two conference games just last week. Despite the shortened offseason and, the new-look team plays as if they have known each other for years. The chemistry on and off the court with this team is remarkable. Considering the small amount of time they had to prepare for the season, they have not missed a beat and are playing like they have something to prove.
Among those looking to prove something, second-year Panther Corey Allen is in the middle of one of the best offensive seasons in recent program history. “He has come out and knocked down 32 three-pointers, which, in a normal 30-game year, would be on pace to break a school record,” Holmes said. “The beauty of having a deep team right now is that only one player is averaging over 29 minutes a game, and we have guys that can come off the bench and be productive.” The Panthers have two players that rank in the top-25 of two separate categories in all NCAA Division 1 basketball this season. Allen ranks top-25 in the country for his 54% clip from beyond the arc this season. Nsoseme ranks 17th in the nation for rebounds per game at an average of 10.6. As a team, Georgia State forces the 35th-most turnovers in the nation. They have aggressive defenders that defend the passing lanes well and force opposing ball handlers into challenging situations with traps and switches. The Panthers have been playing lights out this season. They’re not only outsourcing opponents. They’re forcing five more turnovers per game, averaging five more assists than their opponents and doing a better job protecting the rim, as they average two more than their opponents. Currently, the Panthers sit as a projected 13th seed in the NCAA Tournament. They can do some severe damage if they play like the team that has come out firing on all cylinders.
January 26, 2021
THREE BIG THINGS
GAMES SUDOKU
UNIVERSITY
STATE
NATIONAL
Aris Briggs joins Real Salt Lake
Kelly Loeffler close to selling the Atlanta Dream
Brady. Mahomes. Bucs. Chiefs.
After an exceptional three-year career with the Panthers, the former two-time Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year heard his name called in Thursday’s MLS Draft. Real Salt Lake selected Briggs with the third pick in the seventh round, 71st overall. “Aris has been a huge part of our success as a program over the last few years and we are truly excited for him and his next steps,” head coach Brett Surrency said. He joins two former Georgia State players in the MLS Draft over the last seven years and leaves behind a legacy as one of the most successful careers in program history.
After multiple reports, Kelly Loeffler’s time as the Atlanta Dream’s owner seems to have just days left. It started last summer after the Dream owner openly opposed the Black Lives Matter movement. Loeffler also stated on multiple occasions that she believes sports need less, and not more, political activism. “In a time when polarizing politics is as divisive as ever, sports has the power to be a unifying antidote,” Loeffler wrote to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. The Dream have had some unsuccessful seasons, and a fresh start may do them well moving forward.
After months of gambling losses and fantasy football thrillers, reality has set in for NFL fans. The muchanticipated Super Bowl matchup will feature the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs. Each team comes into the game with something to prove. Tom Brady and Tampa Bay will look to capture the franchise’s second championship in history; Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs seek back-to-back titles, something only eight other franchises have done. Kickoff from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay will be at 6:30 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 7.
THE KICKBACK
TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021
GAMES
15
COMIC
Your Comic Should be Here!
UPCOMING EVENTS FRIDAY
Mock Interviews: Employment & Grad School 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Virtual
Eye-Opening Experience 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Virtual
Wellness Walk: with the Counseling Center 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Virtual
Atlanta and the Civil Rights Movement, 19441968 Until June 30 Woodruff Park
Women’s Tennis @ Georgia Tech 5:00 p.m. Byers Tennis Complex
Pop Talks 12:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Virtual
Women’s Basketball @ South Alabama 7:00 p.m. Mobile, Ala.
JAN 30
THURSDAY JAN 29
WEDNESDAY JAN 28
TUESDAY
Big Ideas: What Comes Next for Georgia? 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Virtual
SUNDAY
MONDAY
2020 Vision: A Multi-Media Retrospective of Atlanta’s Collective Resistance 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. 92 Peachtree St SW
Black Light Winter Activation: A Visual Ode to Hip Hop and Black Resilience 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Broad Street Boardwalk
Meditation Monday 12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. Virtual
Men’s Basketball vs. University of South Alabama 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Sports Arena
PRISM: Winter Lights at Woodruff Park (Last Day!) 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Woodruff Park
FEB 02
SATURDAY FEB 01
JAN 31
JAN 26
THE KICKBACK
Hot Wings Hot Topics 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Virtual