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SOFTBALL
‘Skip’ enjoys final run with Salukis Softball assistant to retire after 21 years with team STILE T. SMITH Daily Egyptian Last weekend’s final home series for the SIU softball team did not only mark the final time four seniors would play in Carbondale. It also marked the final time Mark “Skip� Cosgrove would coach at SIU. Cosgrove, in his 21st season as a member of the Saluki softball coaching staff, announced he would retire following this season. Cosgrove said it was tough to decide when to retire, because no matter when he decided it was time to leave the program he would be leaving a group of players behind. “It took me almost a year to make the decision, and I really labored over it,� Cosgrove said. “Whatever senior class it would have been, they’re all great kids.� Cosgrove, a 1974 graduate of SIU, also spent 29 years at SIU’s Plant and Service Operations, where he coordinated the university’s ADA compliance projects. He earned his bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences in 1974 and then received a master’s degree in outdoor recreation in 1986. Head coach Kerri Blaylock said Cosgrove has been a huge key to the success of the softball program.
DAN DWYER | DAILY EGYPTIAN
Assistant softball coach Mark “Skip� Cosgrove walks through the Saluki dugout Saturday during an 8-5 victory over the University of Northern “He’s not only just a colleague, but a good friend of mine,� Blaylock said. “He’s been so instrumental in this program’s success, everything from coaching to doing the little things that nobody sees, to being just a good guy who listens to me
vent sometimes.� Blaylock said it would be weird not to see Cosgrove in the dugout with her next season. Cosgrove became an assistant coach under Kay Brechtelsbauer a season before Blaylock came on board.
Iowa at Charlotte West Stadium. Cosgrove will end his 21-year stint as assistant coach on the Saluki softball staff at the end of this season. During his time with the Salukis, Cosgrove has helped the team achieve a 708-337-2 record. Cosgrove primarily worked with the outfielders during most of his tenure with the Salukis. Senior right fielder Katie Wil-
son said she built a ton of memories with Cosgrove, who was the outfield coach during her first three seasons at SIU. Please see SKIP | 8
BASEBALL
Two .500 teams meet up in interstate rivalry
Salukis riding five-game win streak RAY MCGILLIS Daily Egyptian The Salukis will attempt to push their record above .500 for the second time this year at 6 p.m. today against the University of Illinois in Champaign. The Fighting Illini (20-20) beat SIU, 5-4, earlier this season at Rent One Park in Marion. Head coach Dan Callahan said the team played with little emotion through the first seven innings in its previous game against Illinois this year. “I didn’t like the way we played in the last game,� Callahan said. “If you were to walk into the ballpark in the eighth or ninth inning in
that game, you would say, ‘That team came to play.’ We need to play with more intensity and a little more fire under our rear-ends earlier this time and not suddenly decide to turn it on at the very end.� That loss began a five-game losing streak for the Salukis (2222) — the longest for the team this year. Since the skid, the Salukis have won six of their last seven games. Callahan said it has been a “tale of two teams� in the last three weeks for the team, but it has shown a sense of resiliency. Please see BASEBALL | 8
DAN DWYER | DAILY EGYPTIAN
Freshman Nick Johnson slides safely back to first base after a pick-off attempt by an SIUEdwardsville opponent during the Salukis’ 7-3
victory Friday at Abe Martin Field. The Salukis play the University of Illinois at 6 p.m. today in Champaign.
2
Daily Egyptian
News
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Council to vote on water rate hike NICK JOHNSON Daily Egyptian The City Council has a proposal to raise the city’s water rates for commercial and residential customers from $3.19 per 1,000 gallons to $3.35 on its agenda today. The 5 percent rate increase will go toward funding a number of capital projects such as the relocation of a waterline, construction of a new storm water basin and other improvements in the waterline system, City Manager Allen Gill said. Costs of maintaining the system have also gone up since the council approved a 5 percent rate increase last year, Gill said. “Past studies have shown that the city is on the low side on our rate structures,” Gill said.
Councilman Joel Fritzler said he doesn’t expect any council opposition to the increase. The water and sewer fund is separate from the general fund, which provides payroll and community organization funding, Fritzler said. “As costs goes up, we have to raise the rate at the user fee,” Fritzler said. “It goes back into water and sewer services.” The city has budgeted a water rate study for the summer that will look at costs of operation for the water and sewer system, the cost of projected improvements that will be needed in the next 20 years and how to best obtain those funds, Gill said. The city will also look at alternative rate structures and compare its own with other communities, he said. In other business, the council
plans to recognize two Carbondale Community High School seniors as Mayoral Scholarship recipients. The $500 scholarship is given each May and is awarded to middle and high school students who go above and beyond expectations through role modeling and community service. The scholarships are partially funded by ticket revenue from the State of the City Address luncheon earlier in the year. Additionally, four Carbondale locations — 601 W. Walnut St., 808 W. Walnut St., 705 W. Main St. and the Varsity Center for the Arts— will be presented with the city’s 2010 Historic Preservation Awards.
Nick Johnson can be reached at njohnson@dailyegyptian.com or 536-3311 ext. 263.
The Weather Channel® 5 day weather forecast for Carbondale, Ill. Today
Wednesday
Thursday
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82° 58°
86° 60°
85° 63°
72° 47°
66° 47°
0% chance of
0% chance of
10% chance of
50% chance of
10% chance of
precipitation
precipitation
precipitation
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precipitation
Reaching Us
About Us The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of Southern Illinois University Carbondale 50 weeks per year, with an average daily circulation of 20,000. Fall and spring semester editions run Monday through Friday. Summer editions run Tuesday through Thursday. All intersession editions will run on Wednesdays. Spring break and Thanksgiving editions are distributed on Mondays of the pertaining weeks. Free copies are distributed in the Carbondale, Murphysboro and Carterville communities. The Daily Egyptian online publication can be found at www.dailyegyptian.com.
Mission Statement The Daily Egyptian, the student-run newspaper of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, is committed to being a trusted source of news, information, commentary and public discourse, while helping readers understand the issues affecting their lives.
Copyright Information © 2010 Daily Egyptian. All rights reserved. All content is property of the Daily Egyptian and may not be reproduced or transmitted without consent. The Daily Egyptian is a member of the Illinois College Press Association, Associated Collegiate Press and College Media Advisers Inc.
Publishing Information The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Offices are in the Communications Building, Room 1259, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901. Bill Freivogel, fiscal officer.
Phone: (618) 536-3311 Fax: (618) 453-3248 E-mail: editor@dailyegyptian.com Editor-in-Chief: Diana Soliwon ........................ ext. 252 Managing Editor: Lindsey Smith ......................... ext. 253 Editor-at-Large: Madeleine Leroux ................... ext. 262 Campus Editor: Jeff Engelhardt ........................ ext. 254 City Editor: Nick Johnson ............................ ext. 263 Sports Editor: Stile Smith ................................ ext. 256 Features Editor: Derek Robbins ......................... ext. 273 Voices Editor: Jennifer Butcher ...................... ext. 281 Photo Editors: Julia Rendleman & Edyta Błaszczyk ...................... ext. 270 Design Desk: .......................... ext. 248 Web Desk: ............................... ext. 257 Advertising Manager: Carrie Galle ............................. ext. 230 Business Office: Brandi Harris .......................... ext. 223 Ad Production Manager: Mandy Daly ............................ ext. 244 Business & Ad Director: Jerry Bush ................................. ext. 229 Faculty Managing Editor: Eric Fidler ................................ ext. 247 Printshop Superintendent: Blake Mulholland ................... ext. 241
Corrections In the Monday edition of the Daily Egyptian, the article “Residents: DD programs needed” should have said Officer Barry Bayles. The Daily Egyptian regrets the error.
In the Monday edition of the Daily Egyptian, the story “Chancellor Goldman receives farewells after 26 years” should have said Goldman began his career at SIUC in 1980 as the dean of the College of Human Resources. The Daily Egyptian regrets this error.
In the Monday edition of the Daily Egyptian, the story “FBI surveillance of SIUC during 1970 riots unveiled” should have said J. Edgar Hoover. The Daily Egyptian regrets this error.
Study Break
Daily Egyptian
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
The Duplex
10
&URVVZRUG
Across 1 Common URL ender 4 Make chocolate milk, e.g. 8 Wisdom teeth, e.g. 14 For each 15 Volkswagen subsidiary 16 Trapped by routine 17 With 50-Across, South American shocker 19 Pet’s home away from home 20 Roger Clemens has won it seven times 22 Opposite of post23 Fuss 24 Contingencies 27 Tammy Wynette classic 32 Corp. bigwig 33 Confident 34 Cuttlefish pigment 35 Tear to shreds 37 First commercial carrier to use the Boeing 747 40 Well-done, as toast 41 On the ocean 43 The Berenstain Bears live
in one 45 Actor Marvin 46 1618-’48 conflict 50 See 17-Across 51 __ kwon do 52 1 or 66, e.g.: Abbr. 53 Sunny color 59 Steal, as cargo 62 Ghost story setting 63 Criticize harshly 64 “Up and __!” 65 Dogfight winner, perhaps 66 Tightened (up) 67 Confessional revelations 68 Ballet step
Down 1 Cartel that added Angola in 2007 2 Count (on) 3 Earl known for tea 4 Ion and Vue, in the auto industry 5 Appeared 6 Hippie’s “Understood”
Monday’s answers
7 Costa __ 8 Operetta with Nanki-Poo and Yum-Yum, with “The” 9 Burdensome 10 Finish a flight 11 Prince Valiant’s son 12 Regret 13 Letters on a Cardinal’s cap 18 Nightclub in a Manilow song 21 Manner 24 Savanna grazer 25 Snow White, vis-à-vis the queen 26 Rattler, for one 27 Get really hot 28 Throat tissue 29 Lingerie support item 30 “Fiddler on the Roof” matchmaker 31 Wine choice 32 Slatted box 36 Berlin article
38 Altar in the sky 39 Little John was one of them 42 Embassy diplomat 44 Regards highly 47 Pulled hard 48 Vote in favor 49 Whip mark 53 Musical based on Eliot poems
Horoscopes
By Nancy Black and Stephanie Clement
Today’s birthday — This year you can use your dreams to amplify personal power in your social life and career. Dreams provide a rich source of symbols and archetypal characters to spice up your writing and conversation. Record them and note their subliminal potency. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 7 — Because you’ve done your homework, your sales pitch strikes just the right note. You convince with practical observations that show you understand your audience. 1
2
3
4
Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold boarders) contains every digit 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk.
Monday’s answers
Taurus(April20-May20)—Todayisa6—Social activities are on today’s agenda. Some travel may be required for you or a guest. Consider comfort over speed. Confirm all reservations.
54 Some TVs 55 Himalayan legend 56 Quantum event? 57 Shamu, for one 58 There are contiguous pairs of them in 20-, 27-, 46and 53-Across 59 FDR’s last VP 60 Rocks for a Black Russian 61 Yr. starter
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 5 — Consideryourpartners’needsearlyintheday.Once they’re taken care of, allies will help you identify opportunities and choose which to pursue. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) —Today is a 7 — When you begin work today, soften the focus in order to perceive subliminal images. Then move on to practical matters and communicate with simple language. Scorpio(Oct.23-Nov.21)—Todayisan8—You get a chance to flex your creative muscle while convincing your partner that you’re on the right track. Communication strengthens the foundation of your ideas. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 6 — You wake up with the desire to stay home with family. There’s work to be done, and you probably need to get to it.Take off early.
Gemini (May 21-June 21) — Today is an 8 — Your intuition is right on the money concerning career matters. Everything turns out brilliantly, so pay attention and take action.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 7 — Deliver each message with dignity and compassion. Your desire to convince others requires no coercion.
Cancer (June 22-July 22) — Today is a 5 — You or your partner may have waited forapprovalfrom a distant associate. Now you see opportunities everywhere. Advantageous outcomes are a given.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 7 — A powerful person in the group offers an assignment that leads to a nice self-esteem boost when you see your name on the final result.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 6 — Put yourself in the driver’s seat at work. Leadership is essential to making deadline. Promise nothing unless you plan to deliver soon. Focus on integrity.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) —Today is a 6 —The boss has a very specific agenda. You see broader opportunities but need to stick with the program. A lot is accomplished in a short time.
THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME
Unscramble these four Jumbles, one letter to each square, to form four ordinary words.
EYAPE
Score
to
©2010 Tribune Media Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
IDDEC PEESLY VOALAW Answer:
NEW BIBLE Jumble Books Go To: http://www.tyndale.com/jumble/
by Mike Argirion and Jeff Knurek
Now arrange the circled letters to form the surprise answer, as suggested by the above cartoon.
TO
“
” (Answers tomorrow)
Monday’s answers
Jumbles: JOUST FANCY PAYOFF UNSOLD Answer: What the runner ate before the big race — “FAST” FOOD
4
News
Daily Egyptian
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
SAVE THE LAST DANCE
STEVE BERCZYNSKI | DAILY EGYPTIAN GENNA ORD | DAILY EGYPTIAN
Chris Miller, 29, poses for a portrait Sunday at Harbaugh’s Cafe. Miller said he grew up in Carbondale and has been back in the area for
around five months after finishing a nine–year military career in which he was awarded a Purple Heart.
Local veteran gets national spotlight
¶¶S
Cristina Enea, a junior from Elk Grove studying speech communication, spins during the Southern Illinois Dance Company’s last show of the semester Saturday at Furr Auditorium. The show consisted of 15 dances, including one by their artistic director, Donna Wilson. Furr Auditorium is home to SIDC and is in need of several expensive renovations. “We spend four to five nights in there a week,” said Sarah Fader, the company’s public relations chair. “The seats fall out on you, the paint is peeling off — it needs help.”
OOPS! WANTS STORIES HEARD
ome people pass this off as an environmental message. It’s not. This is about national security. It’s about young men and women that we all know getting killed.
Recognition extends from military to wind turbines
DEREK ROBBINS Daily Egyptian Chris Miller is out of the military, but through a national advertising campaign he said he hopes to inform citizens about soldiers’ needs. Miller, a senior studying law at Open University in Milton Keynes, United Kingdom, was born and raised in Carbondale and graduated from Carbondale Community High School in 1999. From there, Miller joined the Army, where he received the Purple Heart award. Miller got out of the Army in 2008 and then joined Operation Free and votevets.org, both organizations comprised of former military personnel concerned with climate change and looking for alternatives to fossil fuels. Through Operation Free, Miller was selected to be part of a national advertising campaign, which ties U.S. dependency on foreign oil to funding Iranian terrorist activities Miller said he was glad to be a part of the campaign. “I feel good talking about it,” Miller said. “Some people pass this off as an environmental message. It’s not. This is about
— Chris Miller Open University senior national security; it’s about young men and women that we all know getting killed.” Miller got involved in the campaign because he has seen the damage that can be caused by giving foreign countries more money, he said. “In the ad I talk about a new weapon insurgency used in Iraq, an EFP, an explosive form projectile,” Miller said. “I have seen its effects many times. Three days before this soldier was supposed to go home, an EFP went through one side of the truck, through the seat, through him and got lodged in the driver’s seat. This was pretty much the last mission he was supposed to go on, and he got killed by one of those things.” An EFP is a type of weapon designed specifically to penetrate armor, Miller said. Miller earned his Purple Heart by experiencing an improvised explosive device, not an EFP, he said. Improvised explosive devices are usually made out of artillery rounds or grenades and are not used in typical warfare methods, he said. Miller said he was on a combat mission when a suicide bomber drove a truck into the side of his vehicle, causing shrapnel damage to his face and neck. Miller said he was lucky. “It was a huge explosion. I was just fortunate that the major chunks somehow missed me,” Miller said. “I spent a couple of days recovering,
thanking God for what I got, given how huge of an explosion it was. I returned to duty two days later.” Communications Director of Operation Free David Solimini said Miller was the kind of person he was looking for to be a part of the advertising campaign. “Chris is smart, articulate and fun to work with,” Solimini said. “He’s exactly the type of (soldier) who is being killed in Iraq and now Afghanistan by Iranian-created weapons. Every day we don’t pass clean energy legislation is a chance we pass up taking away 100 million from Iran.” Solimini said he feels Miller’s story is relatable and can help people appreciate Miller’s time in the military. Miller’s wife, Hannah Seyffert, said the ad campaign was something that made Miller happy. “That’s what he wanted to do; he wanted to get involved in politics and be a part of something that can have influence,” Seyffert said. “He was excited to go to Washington and meet people.” Seyffert said Miller plans to continue to be involved with politics. “He really loves doing that; it’s what he always wanted to do,” Seyffert said. “He’s not the type of person to just sit around and watch.”
Derek Robbins can be reached at drobbins@dailyegyptian.com or 536-3311 ext. 273.
JESS VERMEULEN | DAILY EGYPTIAN
Jonquil Curry, a junior from Chicago studying radio-television, portrays a “bitter chick” Monday in the Student Center as Arlicia Ketchum, a sophomore from Chicago studying English, plays the role of “gold digger.” Curry and Ketchum, along with three other members of OOPS! Entertainment were promoting “1 Women Show,” which focuses on different types of women and their stories. “We shouldn’t judge people because of the way they act, because we don’t know their story,” said Donald Chamberlain, a sophomore from Carbondale studying paralegal studies. The show premieres Thursday in the Student Center Auditorium.
SIUC’S ‘TALENTED TENTH’
ISAAC SMITH | DAILY EGYPTIAN
Brandon Williams, an SIUC alumnus, leads a closing chant of “peace” after presenting awards Sunday during the Talented Tenth: SIUC African Awards Ceremony in the Student Center Ballroom A. The “Talented Tenth” was an essay written by W. E. B. Du Bois, where he described the likelihood of one in 10 black people reaching their full potential and becoming leaders in their community through furthering their educations. Williams handed out certificates of appreciation to all African RSOs. “I wanted everyone to know they are appreciated,” Williams said.
8
Daily Egyptian
SKIP CONTINUED FROM
12
“We joked with him (during senior day) saying, ‘Oh, you graduated too,’” Wilson said. Cosgrove served as an assistant coach for SIU’s regular-season Gateway championship in 1991, as well as its Missouri Valley Conference titles in 2004 and 2005. He was also a part of all six of the Salukis’ NCAA Tournament teams in 1991, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. Cosgrove, who is the last Saluki assistant to coach under both Brechtelsbauer and Blaylock, the only two head coaches in the history of the softball program, said the consistency of the coaching staff has been a key in the program’s success. “I’ve coached with Coach B, Kerri, Buddy (Foster), Gary Buckels, and now Christy (Connoyer) and Jen (Sewell), and that’s all the coaching staff since the program began,” Cosgrove said. “It’s important that you have consistency for the kids’ sake and the program’s sake.” But Cosgrove said he knew it was his time to step aside and give someone else an opportunity to get into coaching. “There’s a lot of young female athletes out there that want to get into
¶¶I
t took me almost a year to make the decision, and I really labored over it. Whatever senior class it would have been, they’re all great kids. — Mark “Skip” Cosgrove Assistant coach
coaching,” Cosgrove said. “They need an opportunity. I don’t know what Kerri’s going to do, whether she’ll bring somebody in or not, but … I’ve had all the fun for 22 years, so I’ll let them start having some fun.” Cosgrove said he does not have any expectations for the team heading into the final weeks of the season. “I’ve never been one for a lot of glory-seeking and accolades and recognition. That doesn’t matter to me,” Cosgrove said. “Probably the best rewards I’ve gotten over the years were the vicarious rewards where two or three … years later somebody will come back and say, ‘Do you realize what you did for me?’ That’s the best reward there is.”
Stile T. Smith can be reached at ssmith@dailyegyptian.com or 536-3311 ext. 256.
Sports BASEBALL CONTINUED FROM
12
“In past years, we’ve made some solid late runs as we head into the tournament,” Callahan said. “Hopefully, what we’ve done in the last seven games is indicative of what’s to come. There’s no way to predict that, but I like some of the things we’ve been doing recently — offensively, defensively and sometimes on the mound.” The Salukis lead the conference with 497 hits so far this year, and with three more, the team will have 500 or more hits in a season for the 15th consecutive year. SIU is second in the Missouri Valley Conference with a .309 team batting average — 0.09 behind Indiana State — and ranks in the league’s top five in 10 other offensive categories. Through 44 games this year, SIU has hit 43 homers. Senior catcher Tyler Bullock has 10 homers this season and 27 for his career, tied for fourth alltime at SIU. Sophomore first baseman Chris Serritella led the league in
¶¶H
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
opefully, what we’ve done in the last seven games is indicative of what’s to come. There’s no way to predict that, but I like some of the things we’ve been doing recently — offensively, defensively and sometimes on the mound. — Dan Callahan head coach
home runs until Saturday, when Evansville junior third basemen Cody Fick hit his 13th of the year at Creighton. Serritella, however, has an active hit streak of 15 games heading into Champaign. Serritella has batted .433 at the plate during the streak, which is the longest at SIU since Bret Maugeri put together an equivalent streak in 2008. Taking the mound for SIU today will be the team’s only returning senior starting pitcher from last season, left-hander Jimmy Cornell. Cornell (1-3) has struck out more batters than any Saluki pitcher so far this year (32), but has walked a team-high 27 batters. In his last start, Cornell was shelled for seven runs off six hits
through 1.1 innings. SIU holds a 27-22 advantage in the all-time series against the Fighting Illini, but the Salukis have played at Illinois only three times in the last 10 years and won only once. “We hate to put any more importance on a midweek game against Illinois as opposed to SEMO or Murray State,” Callahan said. “But I think that down deep, it is a bigger game.” The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. today under the lights at Illinois Field. The Weather Channel forecast predicts temperatures to be in the low to mid 70s with no chance of precipitation.
Ray McGillis can be reached at rmcgillis@dailyegyptian.com or 536-3311 ext. 269.
6
Features
Daily Egyptian
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
‘Super Street Fighter IV’ worthy addition to franchise
DEREK ROBBINS Daily Egyptian Title: “Super Street Fighter IV” Developer: Dimps and Capcom Publisher: Capcom Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360 ESRB Rating: T (13+) Score: 4.5 out of 5 For players looking for a fight, “Super Street Fighter IV” is the best fighting game on the market. “Super Street Fighter IV” serves as an add-on to 2008’s “Street Fighter IV.” The title adds 10 new fighters as well as new gameplay modes for
a reduced price tag of $40. Very little has changed since the original “Street Fighter IV,” so those who purchased the original might find the $40 a bit steep, but it’s worth the money. “Super Street Fighter IV” is a traditional two-dimensional fighting game. The characters have 3-D models, but all the fighting takes place on a 2-D plane. It is a fairly easy game to pick up, and those who haven’t played a “Street Fighter” title since “Street Fighter II” hit arcades can easily jump back in. The title adds 10 new fighters, which brings the roster to 35 characters. This is massive for a fighting
game and adds new balance to the gameplay. Certain characters must adapt new strategies for the new characters, which adds replay value. There are also new gameplay modes added into “Super Street Fighter IV.” Fans of the old-school “Street Fighter” titles will be happy to see car breaking and barrel busting mini-games. These are fun diversions but are mostly just there for the nostalgia bomb. The really interesting new gameplay modes all involve online play. There is an endless battle that allows the player to keep playing through a rotating group of eight players. There are team battles,
which allow players to work cooperatively and an option to watch other uploaded battles. The watch mode is very handy for new players or those looking to improve with a certain character. While this seems like a lot of new content, some players may still be thrown off by the release of this game. Dating back to “Street Fighter II,” Capcom has released add-ons to its various “Street Fighter” titles, only adding a few tweaks; it’s become expected. Several genres of games release sequels with less additional content than this title and charge full price. Yes, “Super Street Fighter IV” does
not try to disguise itself as a sequel, but the number of characters added drastically changes the gameplay and as fans of fighters know, that is the most important aspect. For those who never took the jump and bought “Street Fighter IV,” “Super Street Fighter IV” is an absolute must-buy. The additional content as well as the reduced price tag makes this a bargain. “Super Street Fighter IV” is the definitive fighting game of this console generation. Derek Robbins can be reached at drobbins@dailyegyptian.com or 536-3311 ext. 273.
‘A Nightmare On Elm Street’ nothing more than a nightmare TRAVIS BEAN Daily Egyptian “A Nightmare on Elm Street” Directed by: Samuel Bayer Starring: Jackie Earle Haley, Kyle Gallner, Rooney Mara, Katie Cassidy, Thomas Dekker Runtime: 95 min. Rated: R Score: 1.5 out of 5 The slogan for “A Nightmare on Elm Street” is “never sleep again.” But getting killed while sleeping would be a lot more enjoyable than sitting through this movie again. Why? Because the audience wants to see a horror film and this is nothing
G
etting killed while sleeping would be a lot more enjoyable than sitting through this movie again.
but a phony: a mirage of what horror films once were and a representation of how bad the genre has become. Practically a shot-for-shot remake of the original 1984 classic, the new “Nightmare” follows a group of students whose dreams are haunted by Freddy Krueger. Freddy has a beef with these kids for turning him in for his sick, child-molesting past which ultimately led to his execution. Donning a leather glove reinforced with knife blades, he takes his aggression out on the teenagers by killing them in their dreams. Sounds ridiculous, but the original movie made it work. The way to
make a crazy concept work is to not hold back. Go over the top. Make it sick. Offend people. The new “Nightmare” does none of this. Minus some cursing and an occasional flashback to the original, the film never gets in the viewer’s face. There are long stretches where little happens and the plot does not progress. Freddy has a twisted background and is an extremely interesting villain, but his story is lazily thrown together in the last half hour. The rest of the movie involves teenagers falling in and out of dreams and running from Freddy. There are moments of brilliance,
such as when Jesse (Thomas Dekker) watches Kris (Katie Cassidy) rise into the air, screaming in her sleep. Her chest is slashed and blood spatters the wall and Jesse. She then falls back into the bed and there is a shocking silence. One reason this scene works is the music. It does not press on the viewer. It is quiet and chilling but intense at the same time. The score can dictate how the viewer feels, but too much of it becomes a burden. The fact that the film must go out of its way to cause a reaction shows the script could not do it. With nothing to be scared of, the movie becomes nothing more than a psychological trip. But it fails at this as well. Where are the intense side effects of sleep
deprivation? The mental instability? The depression? The slurred speech and tremors? It is missing, partly because of the lifeless acting from the C-list cast, but also because of the poor writing. The only redeeming factor is Jackie Earle Haley’s performance of Freddy. Haley is developing a reputation of playing abnormal characters and this will only add to his rpsump. Be sure to grab some popcorn or an ICEE when seeing “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” It may be the only enjoyable part.
Travis Bean can be reached at tbean@dailyegyptian.com or 536-3311 ext. 273.