TUESDAY, SEPT. 15, 2015
Canine minister
IDS
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INDIANA DAILY STUDENT | IDSNEWS.COM
‘AND FIGHT WE WILL’ IU’s Sigma Phi Epsilon chapter rallies around mentor, Phil Cox, as he battles cancer By Annie Garau agarau@indiana.edu | @agarau6
Hanging above the stairs that descend into Sigma Phi Epsilon’s entryway, bold red letters read, “Fight like Phil Today.” As each fraternity brother passes underneath them, they smack their hands against the words, hoping to live out that message. More than 30 years ago, a young Phil Cox lived in this same IU house. Sitting on the floor eating Dominos pizza, the fraternity’s future national president likely had no idea a tribute such as this would someday hang in his honor. He couldn’t have known then the extent to which his Sig Ep membership would change his life, that it would provide him with a career, a family and an unshakable support system through his toughest battle. * * * When the doctors first told Phil he had cancer in February 2013, he had only two questions: Would he be healthy in time for Conclave, Sig Ep’s national gathering, and would he lose his hair? “Yes. And oh hell, yes,” a doctor replied. Since then, Phil’s life has been a tumultuous journey of very high highs and the lowest of lows. He went through chemotherapy for the cancer that had crept into his throat, his signature red hair fell out, his clothes began to look baggy. He went into remission, he was elected grand president of the fraternity, he started eating again. Five months into his presidency, the cancer came back with a vengeance, claiming half of his tongue, most of his remaining body fat and his ability to swallow. It’s been more than a year and a half since he’s had one bite of food. Domino’s commercials now make him cringe. “To see the pain he goes through on a daily basis and never complains about, it’s incredible,” said Phillip Cox, Phil’s son. “He never makes me lose hope. He always has his game face on and looks at everything like just another step on the road to recovery.” Though Phil is still fighting the disease with an experimental shock therapy, doctors guess he has months left to live. In August, he was awarded the Order of the Golden Heart, Sig Ep’s highest honor. “It represents a lifetime of volunteering,” Phil said, chuckling. “Maybe they thought my life was about over.” SEE PHIL, PAGE 5
BARI GOLDMAN | IDS
To honor the outgoing national president, Sigma Phi Epsilon brothers made a sign that hangs in the fraternity.
FOOTBALL
Wilson gives defense attention By Taylor Lehman trlehman@indiana.edu | @trlehman_iu
IU Coach Kevin Wilson spent the practice week after the Southern Illinois game giving extra attention to the defense. He said he did some extra yelling too. The result of that extra attention was a reduction in total yardage surrendered, from 659 yards against SIU to 406 against Florida International Saturday. Wilson credits this change to an adjustment of defensive aggression. “We told them that being aggressive was not the solution,” Wilson said about the defense. “It was a part of the equation, but it wasn’t the total solution. We still need to communicate. We still needed to adjust. We still need to come over and clean some things up. Just being reckless.”
He said playing side-to-side and reacting to the offense keeps the defense on its heels and inhibits tackling and plugging holes. Playing vertically and attacking gaps is the reason they kept FIU to just 123 rushing yards and pressured the quarterback throughout the entire game, he said. Tegray Scales returning Sophomore linebacker Tegray Scales was suspended for the first two weeks of the season for undisclosed reasons, and his absence has been felt in the middle of the defense, as IU defensive coordinator Brian Knorr called him the “most athletic linebacker” on the roster. Sophomore linebacker Marcus Oliver has played in place of Scales for the first two games. He has recorded fumble recoveries in both games and applied pressure on FIU
quarterback Alex McGough, forcing him to throw the game-sealing fourth quarter interception to freshman Jameel Cook. His positive play has earned him playing time, Wilson said — even with Scales back on the field. “(TJ Simmons) is playing good, so you need those guys,” Wilson said. “You need them all. Marcus is a good player. T.J. is a good player. That’s why we moved (Greg) Gooch (to bandit). You got Tegray back in the mix, who maybe is the best of all of them.” Dominique Booth Sophomore wide receiver Dominique Booth, who has not caught a pass this season and hasn’t seen the field in the first two games, has suffered an injury that dates back to SEE DEFENSE, PAGE 5
Editor’s note: reporter Annie Garau has personal ties with the family of Phil Cox.
Plan commissioners approve Echo Park By Lyndsay Jones jonesly@indiana.edu | @lindsayjonesy
The Bloomington Plan Commission approved another residential development project Monday, despite a public comment forum that pleaded it to do otherwise. Echo Park, a project brought to the commissioners by petitioner H.M. Mac Property, is projected as a multi-family residential area on the south side of town. The property will be a mix of studio and one -to-three person bedroom units, totaling 148 units when completed. The plan commission met Monday evening to consider the changes the petitioner had made since a previous meeting on Aug. 10 — namely doing a lighting study and a traffic study to see the effects the units would have the nearby intersection of Walnut Street Pike and
Winslow Road. Since Echo Park will be constructed near Sunny Slopes neighborhood, several residents came to the meeting to express concerns with the upcoming construction of Echo Park. “I am the president of the Sherwood Hills Homeowners Association,” David Keppel said. “I am also a cyclist and a pedestrian. I am not going to speak for or against the petitioner’s request, because we are not immediate neighbors. What remains true is that as a pedestrian and a cyclist, the greatest risk to my life is getting killed at the intersection of Walnut Street Pike and Winslow.” The traffic study H.M. Mac Property initiated concluded traffic volume on the streets near Echo SEE ECHO PARK, PAGE 5