SLOWLY STRIPPING Boudoir Bombs hel s Discuss Burlesque
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The Communicator | October 19, 2011
news&politics
“First Monday” Lecture Series Bridges the Gap Between Professors and Students Max Fowler
On Oct. 3, the College of Arts and Sciences held its first “First Mondays” lecture. The series is intended to bring students closer to the research their professors are doing. Dr. Carl Drummond, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said to the student audience, “This lecture series is intended for you, primarily.” The speaker for this first lecture, Dr. Suin Roberts, a German and international studies professor, spoke to the crowd on the matter of immigrants and their portrayal in media. Specifically, Roberts focused upon the hidden meaning behind language that might often be overlooked. The audience had a diverse make up, ranging from students of all classes to other professors interested in hearing the speech. The lecture hall was packed full of students, with almost the entire audience staying the entire length of the talk. They seemed to prove their interest by asking a considerable amount of questions afterwards. Roberts had a specific hope for her lecture, “What my hope would be, would be to sensitize the students to language in general but specifically in media … there’s always an agenda that is in the forefront of things,” she said.
She intended for her lecture to open the minds of the listeners to the fact that words might hold a deeper meaning and might even have something wrong just lying underneath the surface. Roberts had praise for the series of lectures in general as well. “The turn out today was great … I do think this is a great venue for the students to get to know their teachers,” she said. She was excited about the fact that the lectures gave students a chance to connect to their professors’ research, an opportunity not provided in the classroom. The idea of a lecture series in general drew positive support not only from Roberts but also the students present. Junior history major Cory Lautzenhiser was very pleased with the lecture and the idea of the series as a whole. “It’ll be a positive for the student body…I think its focusing on things closer to us that we don’t get in class,” he said. Freshman history major Shawn Burns said he didn’t think the lecture series would particularly drum up interest. “But I would recommend it,” he said. While he said he was personally pleased with the idea of the lecture series, he was uncertain others would agree.
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Upcoming Events Wednesday, Oct. 19 The Fort Wayne City Council-at-Large Debate. Audience members must be seated by 6:45 p.m. for live TV coverage. NF 101.
Thursday, Oct. 20 Dr. Lesa Vartanian, IPFW psychology professor, will be discussing near-death experiences as part of the University Religious Forum. 12 p.m., Walb 222-226.
Monday, Oct. 24 Sigma Xi is holding a panel discussion on IPFW undergraduate research. Free pizza. 12 p.m., Kettler 246. Safe Zone presents “Killing Our Kids with Love: The Conflict between LGBT Youth and Communities of Faith,” by IPFW alum Rev. Roland Strangefellow. 7 p.m., Walb Ballroom.
Wednesday, Oct. 26 The UC2 series airs President Lyndon B. Johnson’s 1965 speech to Congress about voting rights. A panel discussion will follow. 12 p.m., Walb Ballroom.
IPFW Professor Travels, Aids Education in Kosovo Jessica Geyer
Photo courtesy of Indiana University
While fall break was spent by many professors grading exams and reading papers, Dr. Robert Nowak, associate professor of science education at IPFW, undertook a project with an international spin. He traveled to Kosovo as part of the Basic Education Program. The project in Kosovo is in tandem with the United States Agency for International
Development and the Kosovo Education Center. It is meant to help the education system there modernize. Nowak worked with teachers to bring their classrooms into the 21st century in terms of both technology and the role of teachers and students. Though his last trip to Kosovo lasted 16 days, Nowak only stayed for a week. “They would prefer to have me staying longer,” he said. However, he had a conference to attend in America as well as classes to teach. Nowak is the only American in Kosovo as part of this project. It will also be his third trip there. In addition to that, he has also traveled to Macedonia as part of the Macedonia Primary Education Project. “I was originally chosen because of my work in the state in project-based learning … they enjoyed my work,” said Nowak. Some of the work Nowak did in Kosovo was holding a workshop for teachers. “We train our teachers to be next generation leaders,” Nowak said. In turn, he added, “the teachers prepare the students in the workplace of tomorrow.” In addition to the workshop, there was a classroom renovation project aired on national television in Kosovo. “I’m really excited about the classroom makeover,” said Nowak. “It’s going to be a little
bit unique.” As part of this side of the project, classrooms “that are in need of a modernization” were transformed from bare to equipped with technology and other resources. Though the primary goal of the project is to aid education in Kosovo, it also strengthens the relationship between it and the United States. “Wherever we can establish global stability … it serves the US well,” Nowak said. Helping the country, which has only been internationally recognized for three years, educate its citizens helps them compete in the economy which in turn “strengthens our international ties and relations.” The governments of Kosovo and the United States are already strong. “Kosovars love Americans,” Nowak said. “There’s a main boulevard called Bill Clinton and there’s a big bronze statue of him.” “They aspire to have the opportunities we as Americans have,” he added. For Nowak, the trips he has taken overseas are rewarding. “I’ve made some wonderful friends,” he said. Also, “It helps me become a more effective teacher.” Nowak said he encourages any student, especially those in the field of education, to consider projects like this overseas. “A greater understanding of the planet on which we live can be learned through teaching,” he said.
The Communicator | October 19, 2011
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Occupy a Clear Set of Goals Staff Editorial
The Occupy Wall Street movement is working through its fifth week, despite attempts to have the protesters removed from parks in New York City’s financial district. These protesters have now been joined by individuals throughout the US and various international cities. There can be no doubt that the protestors have a resolve that is fueled by their sense of injustice. However, a clear sense of direction is something this leaderless movement lacks. The protesters of New York released their “Declaration of the Occupation of New York City” on Sept 29, in response to critic’s claims that the movement has no vision. The manifesto states, “…our system must protect our rights, and upon corruption of that system, it is up to the individuals to protect their own rights, and those of their neighbors….We come to you at a time when corporations, which place profit over people, self-interest over justice, and oppression over equality, run our governments.” It goes on to cite anger over improper use of bailout money, discrimination, inequality and oppression on the part of corporations as grievances. The problem is that the Occupy Wall Street movement, embodying the many silenced arguments of the 99 Percent, has not limited itself to a purposeful goal, and while this means that many Americans, fed-up with every perceived injustice imaginable, are willing to join the protest, just as many are reluctant to commit themselves to such a volatile movement. The majority of US citizens agree that there is a problem and it needs to be fixed, but not all of those people believe that camping out on Wall Street is going to do that. The world is watching, and those who are protesting should use that attention before they lose it. The first step should be to separate themselves from those who are co-opting their movement. The images of sex and drugs that the media has painted for the public are undermining
opinion
the intentions of those who are protesting because they are actually fed up with corporate greed and injustice. The next step is to make sure the right people are getting the message. Corporations have an obligation to listen to their stockholders. If none of the individuals involved with the Occupy Wall Street movement are stockholders, who is to say the bankers and investors on Wall Street will listen or care what those camped out in Liberty Plaza or any other city have to say? If the movement is fedup with corporate lobbying and unfair practices, they need to take their issues to Congress and make legislators listen to them. That is where the power of change lies - in those who make the laws that govern corporations. And the most important part is having a plan. It’s one thing to complain about a problem, but an entirely different one to come up with a list of solutions. If you don’t tell legislators how you want them to change something, chances are the changes they make will be unsatisfying. If the government has a responsibility to listen to the people, then the Other 99 Percent should realize that they have the responsibility to clearly articulate to the government what they want to Dissent by Alysen Wade and Jessica Geyer
To begin, I will agree with the statement, “However, a clear sense of direction is something this leaderless movement lacks.” This seems to be the biggest point of contention among nonsupporters, yet for those involved in the movement it is less a problem and more an invitation to garner support and consensus. The first stage in any movement or social awakening is dispelling horizontal hostility. This requires taking stock of the fact that you have more in common with your fellow man or woman than you do not, and coming to appreciate him or her as your equal. Thereby creating a collective system, people may become aware of the dominating and discriminatory forces that are the actual causes of oppression. The second stage requires building consensus. In order for there to be a truly democratic process, it is necessary to gauge opinions and work towards
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setting major goals. The more people join the movement with positive solutions, the more viable options for implementing social change may be discussed and eventually agreed upon. To date, there are many means to ending the corporate greed and inequitable policies that have contributed to so much suffering. Some suggestions include breaking up monopolies, ending the federal reserve and making it illegal to provide public funding for private lobbyists. All of these solutions (and others) will continue to be compiled as a formula for change presents itself gradually and organically by true democratic consensus. To assert that the movement is “volatile” suggests discord and chaos. Rather, I would like to draw attention to the amazing organizational and systematic process that has been constructed and consented upon by most of the ‘Occupy’ movements that are taking place in cities all over the United States. According to the New York City General Assembly website, General Assembly is an “open, participatory and horizontally organized process through which we are building the capacity to constitute ourselves in public as autonomous collective forces within and against the constant crises of our times.” This system has sought to eliminate inconsistencies and has successfully provided thousands of ‘Occupiers’ a forum for which to raise their concerns/proposed solutions. I agree with the statement, “many are reluctant to commit themselves...” It is difficult to want to join a movement with no clear plan of action. However, if no one adds their voices to construct the plan, there will never be a plan to enact. This is why the movement needs physical people representing their interests (which are admittedly numerous and varied) at this crucial moment in time. Yes, the world is vigilantly watching and scrutinizing the ever-expanding ‘Occupy’ movement. Major media corporations seek out the less articulate, the vagrants, the vandals, the druggies and sex addicts to depict the movement in a negative light. It is unfortunate that these
Continued Online
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C A RE ER
CORNER Christina Mosteller Hall
Career Corner: Career Assessments! Need help answering the question, "what do I want to do as a career?" Well, a career assessment can give you an indication of which jobs match your personality type and which careers you may have an aptitude for right now. You do need to remember that the test results are only an indicator and should not be relied on as an absolute assessment of which career is best for you. Several career assessments are available to help IPFW students and alumni learn about personality, measured interests, and preferences for various work environments. These assessments can help you understand how your interests, skills, and work values
relate to different occupations. We offer the following career assessments: FOCUS (Free for students and alumni) FOCUS is a self-paced, online career guidance tool used to assist you in selfassessment and career exploration. Users of FOCUS learn to make more realistic decisions about their goals and plans, how to self-manage their careers and the importance of adaptability in these times of change. Self-Directed Search The Self-Directed Search (SDS) is an instrument designed to help you organize information about your interests and abilities. After you complete the inventory, you will be able to see how your interests and abilities connect to occupations and fields of study. Myers/Briggs Type Indicator
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) helps determine your preference for gathering information and making decisions. The MBTI recognizes these preferences, allowing us to interpret and realize how we can effectively work together. Strong Interest Inventory The Strong Interest Inventory (SII) helps you make career decisions by identifying your likes and dislikes. It compares your choices, analyzes them, and makes a general summary of possible career choices based upon your responses. This allows you to plan your career direction and determine which path is right for you A meeting with a career counselor will help you determine which assessments and resource are right for you. Contact Career Services, 260481-0689.
Arts&Entertainme Music Movies
Theater
e h T Gloves are
Off
With roots dating back to the early 18th century, the art of burlesque has been blossoming in Fort Wayne over the past year. As local troupe the Boudoir Bombshells approach their first anniversary, they discussed criticisms and reflected on how shaping the burlesque community has impacted their lives. Burlesque is most commonly characterized by theatrical, often satirical elements and exaggerations of the female form. Early incarnations of American burlesque were an offshoot of the Victorian era, and evolved into more risqué styles. Today, it is a genre of variety show typically involving comedy and striptease. Burlesque maintained a strong presence in American culture throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Its influence on film and literature was significant, but by the 1950s social crackdown of public nudity and negative stereotypes of led to a gradual demise. Following nearly three decades of virtual obscurity, a new generation of burlesque began to crop up in the 1990s. This proved to be a fervent revival of millennial proportions. Modern manifestations—often termed “neo-burlesque”—have taken on significant updates while giving wink and nod to a sensational past. Neo-burlesque can encompass traditional elements of vaudevillian performance while opening the stage up to a no-holds-barred spectacle of mixed gender, age, race and shape. Popularized in the cabaret theaters and festivals of major cities across the country, a few Fort Wayne ladies sought to make their brand of artistic expression valid in the community. In November 2010 the Boudoir Bombshells began implementing and practicing to take the stage for their first performance in March 2011. With names like Sugar Darling, Goldie Glitteratti, Jezabel Gingersnap, Lacey Punch, Cherie Chevelle, Vivien de Light, Lorna Lockheart and Annabelle Lee, the troupe sought a return to more classic elements of the 40s when burlesque was at its peak. Co-manager for the troupe, Sugar Darling cheeckily calls their performances, “a misfit variety show.” The Bombshells have been performing at various bars in the area and have become accustomed to making the most out of every performance. Co-manager Jezabel Gingersnap said the group chooses the venues in which they perform “very carefully." Gingersnap is not above “banging down doors to get bookings,” according to Darling. “Skipping around [to various venues] helps us be more easy going and connected with a wider audience,” said Gingersnap. She recalled a particular performance where the girls made due with a makeshift greenroom behind the dumpster of a biker bar. “That was the worst case scenario, but we definitely learned from that.” Top priority for the Bombshell brand is keeping it classy. “We are professional businesswomen,” said Comanager Glitteratti. Darling noted that a large part of their process is damage control and keeping a positive outlook on how the troupe is portrayed. “The Fort Wayne mindset sometimes includes a lot of people grumbling, but we wanted to draw in everyone...we've even done charity work,” said Glitteratti. Still, the “art of burlesque” has not been met without criticism. Former IPFW student Julie Peebles expressed
BOUDOIR BOMBSHELLS CELEBRATE A YEAR OF LOCAL BURLESQUE
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her concern with local burlesque by stating, “I am offended that I go into a bar with my husband and our friends- a reputable establishment- where this troupe has booked themselves as a 'band' and proceeds to strip onstage instead of playing music.” Peebles has seen two burlesque performances and believes that “it's a way for unlicensed facilities to get nudity into their establishments.” Scarlet Fever, another local burlesque troupe whose members were not available for comment, has undertaken a running show at The Cabaret—which according to the venue's website, is a “Premier venue for luxury adult entertainment." This could lead to a blurring in lines between burlesque and stripping. Other members of the community see a danger in the intrinsic objectification of female bodies participating in acts of striptease and performance meant to eroticize. Women's Studies scholar Dawn Kennedy, expressed her view of burlesque when she said, “It encourages the male gaze by objectifying women. It turns the focus onto particular parts of the body, namely the breasts and hips.” Admittedly, Kennedy has never witnessed a live performance of burlesque, but her question to those involved in this type of entertainment was, “why do you need to stand on a stage and whip your boobs around to feel good about yourself?” The Boudoir Bombshell ladies addressed these criticisms by acknowledging that their organization has not been without scrutiny, especially with a brand that is sponsored by adult novelty store, Boudoir Noir. Firstly, the girls pointed out that they clearly advertise their shows as burlesque entertainment, not musical performances. Secondly, they noted the contrast between burlesque
and stripping: “There's a differe said Glitteratti. Darling also innocently descr as “a little random naughtiness shows include everything from hula-hoops to whatever creative can come up with. Darling shared a complime male newcomer who exclaimed th another strip club again because of entertainment the Bombshell to some girl swinging around a out. All of the Bombshells ag burlesque has boosted their se said, “it's my way of saying 'you c in a sassy way.” Glitteratti said objectified,” and Gingersnap said constructivly: “I'm more in charg an adult. … You're not living up t You're only living up to the best yo the only person you have to impr Indeed, the Bombshells had relate about their last year perfo an audience demographic of abo that the number of show attende though they remain realistic not the provocative nature of burlesq “I think most of us can say t given us opportunities that w possible,” said Gingersnap. “And to the future by taking it one st those steps mean also one glove a
ent
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ysen Wade
ence, we don't take tips,”
ribed their performances s.” She said that their m striptease, music and e endeavor the dancers
ent she received from a hat he would never go to e he enjoyed the nuances ls provided, “as opposed a pole,” Darling pointed
greed that performing elf-confidence. Darling can look but don't touch' d she feels “glorified not d she interprets criticism ge of myself. I'm more of to anyone's expectations. ou can do and ultimately ress is yourself.” d only positive things to orming burlesque. With out half women they said ees continues to increase everyone will catch onto que dancing. that this experience has we never thought were d we are looking forward tep at at time.” Perhaps at a time.
The Communicator | October 19, 2011
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New Storefront Creates Pop Culture Tri-Force Z . B . Smith
Once tucked-away in a quaint office space on the second floor of the North Anthony Shopping Center, Intergalactic Toys has made the move to more spacious digs. The store is now located at 2618 Maplecrest Rd. and completes a sort of spontaneous tri-force of pop culture vendors. Intergalactic Toys, McVan’s Video Game Trader and Books, Comic & Things are now all located within a block of each other. Storeowner Michael Schott has been in business for nearly two years and supplements his shop by also selling online. “Fort Wayne has been a city where we tend to stick to the things that we know and are comfortable with,” said Schott. “I wanted to do something unique that was not over saturated.” Intergalactic Toys specializes in offering an alternative to the selection of Toys R Us or the toy department of a big box store, while still carrying some of the same product. A customer won’t find vinyl figures marrying the highly collectible world of action figures and plush dolls with the unique vision of artists stretching across all disciplines or hard-to-find Japanese imports at these stores. Though, being an upstart alternative can be a very daunting task. “In comparison to the places other stores like mine are located, Fort Wayne is a smaller town and it could be considered a little bit of a risky business to start,” Schott
explained. “Especially in this current economy.” Until recently, area collectors have had to rely on the selections of big box stores like Target, Meijer or Toys R Us to get their fix. Joe Mendenhall has been collecting Star Wars memorabilia since 1997 and has gone to great lengths to acquire hard-to-find pieces. “I have spent numerous nights driving and searching stores from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. to score something right off a pallet,” he said. “Then went home to take a nap, then got to the stores that open in the morning.” To Mendenhall – who estimated his collection to be worth over $12,000 – toy runs are a serious business. “I cannot divulge all of my toy run secrets and tips of success or else I would possibly lose a hard to find figure,” he said. “It can be a real rush when you find a rare item.” But these veteran collectors that have survived on the selections of big box stores for so long, do they have any use for a shop like Intergalactic Toys? Mendenhall seems to think so. “Intergalactic has a massive selection of anything pop culture you can imagine and he smokes a lot of online places in price,“ he beamed, though not without concern. “With this town it is really about word of mouth.” Intergalactic Toys’ new location is sure to garner Schott some attention as he is hosting a daylong grand opening on Saturday, Oct. 29 in celebration of his store’s move to a legitimate storefront. From 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., food will be vended by the likes of Brava’s Dogs, multiplayer-friendly video games will be available to play and a costume party
The Communicator | October 19, 2011
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the nugget
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Students Protest Illegality of Flash Mobs with Flash Mob Zach Crook
Students at IPFW certainly miss people dancing with perfectly synchronized choreography to songs like the late Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” and they miss the massive pillow fights, freezing at a certain time and “silent discos.” “Flash mobs have been used as a way for criminals to organize crime much, much easier,” said IPFW sophomore Turd Ferguson. “People are being arrested left and right for expressing their individualism. Just because of a group of people, everyone else has to suffer for it.” In order to properly protest this act of inhumanity, students organized to do what they felt was right. After fall break, students who knew what was going to happen assembled on campus wearing matching uniforms—white t-shirts and Hammer pants. Students walking about were treated to a revised version of the classic MC Hammer song, “Can’t Touch This.” “We revised the lyrics to protest the way flash mobs have become so taboo,” said Ferguson. “And I couldn’t think of any other way to show people what flash mobs are really about.”
Laura Rosenbaum
Actuarial science major Greg Walsh missed an exam in his analytical geometry and calculus course Tuesday. But according to Walsh, he had much bigger concerns. “Primarily, I’m concerned with not dying,” said Walsh over the sounds of continuous mouse-clicking and sword-clashing. Walsh is an avid League of Legends player. The match was started with the best of intentions, but when a game that Walsh expected to last a mere 20 minutes stretched into an hour-long campaign, there seemed to be no other option than to continue. “I had to leave a game the other day because my Grammy came to visit,” he said. “I didn’t want to get banned for leaving too many times, so I didn’t see any alternative.” “I told him he should probably drop from the game and go to class,” said a friend of Walsh’s, also in the midst of a campaign. “He doesn’t seem too concerned about it.” “It’s fine. I’ve totally got this,” said Walsh as he faced a screen full of opponents. A follow-up interview with Walsh revealed that this particular campaign ended in defeat.
Alysen Wade Over the weekend Andrea Chaff met with her usual study group to finish physics homework. During the interaction, one group member made an unintentional sexual innuendo to which Chaff exclaimed, “That’s what she said!” No one was amused. “I don’t get it,” said Chaff. “They used to always laugh at my ‘that’s what she said’ jokes … everyone knows me for those jokes.” The group agreed that her jokes had reached a pinnacle, but they had simply become annoying. “It’s gone on long enough,” said Chaff ’s study partner, Joel Roob. Chaff quickly retorted with yet another ‘that’s what she said’ antic as soon as Roob finished the sentence. “See …,” said Roob. “We can’t get through anything without Andrea finding some dumb reason to say it.” Apparently, words such as ‘long,’ ‘hard,’ ‘hit,’ ‘touch,’ and ‘down’ have been stricken from the vocabularies of those within earshot of Chaff in attempt to avoid her derisive jokes.
The MusTards
Comic by Ryan Nooe
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sports
IU Recruits Take in Hoosier Hysteria, Hoosier Nation
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By Kevin Bowen, Indiana Daily Student As Tom Crean made his way through introductions Saturday at Hoosier Hysteria, he was interrupted. The normally talkative head coach paused, trying to regain his train of thought as the nearly full Assembly Hall chanted “Ga-ry Har-ris.” After apologizing for interrupting the raucous crowd, Crean continued on with his introductions in what is undoubtedly the biggest recruiting weekend of the year for the Hoosiers. The headliner of a plethora of prospective student athletes was Harris, the No. 25 ranked player in the Class of 2012, according to rivals. com. Many believe Harris is the final piece of one of the nation’s top-ranked recruiting classes. Harris made his official visit to IU this weekend. It was the second of four officials that Harris has planned, having already visited Purdue on Oct. 1 and scheduled to make trips to Kentucky on Saturday and Michigan State on Nov. 5. A crowd of 16,100 at Assembly Hall greeted Harris and the other recruits doing their respective official and unofficial visits. Compared to last year’s season attendance numbers, only nine schools in the NCAA averaged more fans for their games than the people who showed up for the Hoosiers’ Saturday night practice. “If we play as close to as well as you guys cheer, we’ll be cutting down nets very soon,” Crean said. All five commits from IU’s 2012 class took in Saturday night’s festivities. Guests brought in for Hoosier Hysteria included former IU basketball players Eric Gordon
and D.J. White. ESPN’s Bill Raftery emceed the event. Five years ago, it was Gordon in Harris’ place as the can’t-miss in-state shooting guard prospect making a visit to Hoosier Hysteria. The 2007 Mr. Basketball went on to commit to IU, and even though he only stayed for one season, Gordon said it’s always fun to come back to Bloomington. “(There are) not too many fans like Indiana fans,” Gordon said. “They always remember you, and the fans are great supporters here.” Taking a seat in the front row under the north basket, Harris chatted with IU commits Collin Hartman (2013) and Yogi Ferrell (2012) throughout the evening. The official visit to IU comes a night after Harris set a school record in receiving yards (189) at a Hamilton Southeastern football game. Harris has offers from a number of major college football programs, but it is expected he will play only basketball in college and sign his national letter of intent during the fall signing period from Nov. 9 to 16. It was announced Saturday that IU has sold 7,601 of its 7,800 student season tickets allotment. The student section is the largest in the nation, and the 7,601 tickets are 1,500 more than were sold last season. Raftery said he couldn’t believe the support from the Hoosier faithful as fans lined up outside of Assembly Hall hours before gates opened. “The student body has really done a great job of hanging in while they get everything straightened out,” Raftery said. “It’s crazy how basketball is so big here and so important.”
Editorials are the opinion of The Communicator. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IPFW, its employees or its student body. A column is solely the opinion of its author. The Communicator welcomes responses. Letters to the Editor must be signed, dated and accompanied by a current address, telephone number and class standing/major or title (if applicable). Letters not meeting these requirements will not be considered for publication. All submissions made via e-mail will be verified by telephone or in person. Addresses and telephone numbers will not be published. Submissions must be typed and no more than 700 words. The editorial board of The Communicator reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, style, and clarity. Letters deemed potentially libelous by the editorial board will not be published under any circumstances.
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The Communicator | October 19, 2011
sports
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Column: Teaching an Old Tradition New Tricks By Avi Zaleon, Indiana Daily Student I’m willing to bet this was the first time in Assembly Hall’s 40-year history that blow-up guitars, imitation Ray Bans and Usher shared the same floor that was once graced by Bob Knight’s airborne chair. Yes, guard Victor Oladipo singing Usher’s “You Got it Bad,” with the rest of the men’s basketball team serving as backup dancers as part of the introduction for Saturday night’s Hoosier Hysteria, was a welcome change. The well-performed R&B act showed me IU Athletics is trying to gradually make IU’s version of Midnight Madness a spectacle that appeals to every member of a 16,100-person audience. And that’s not an easy thing to do. As a Blue Ribbon basketball program so deeply rooted in tradition, Indiana has struggled in past years to infuse contemporary entertainment appealing to a younger generation of Hoosier fans into a season kickoff that is sure to celebrate IU’s pristine past. The three-point shootout and dunk contest preceding the team’s scrimmage have become staples of Hoosier Hysteria and are entertaining at times. This year, sophomore Will Sheehey dazzled a packed Assembly Hall with his slam via a pass he threw off the backboard to former all-state high school soccer-player-turned-IU-guard Daniel Moore. The teammate headed the ball from the far corner of the paint back to Sheehey, who threw it down for a contest-clinching jam.
It is worth noting Sheehey accomplished all this while wearing retro IU basketball shorts hiked halfway up his thighs. But aside from these memorable moments, Hoosier Hysteria dragged on for me as the usual repetitions of the annual event took hold. Toward the end of the evening, it seemed the crowd agreed with me. People slowly filed out of Assembly Hall before it was through. Hoosier Hysteria isn’t designed just for me, though. Isn’t it for the highly touted recruits taking their official visits to IU? They represent the future of the program. Or maybe it’s for the throngs of Hoosier faithfuls that made Saturday night the bestattended Hoosier Hysteria of the Tom Crean era. Then again, should Hoosier Hysteria be for the students? The mass that makes up the largest student section in the nation and is a mere 199 season tickets away (7,601 of 7,800) from selling out that monstrous Crimson Guard segment? The truth is, Hoosier Hysteria is for all these groups. The tricky part is appeasing all of them. Alumni and long-time season ticket holders are not going to appreciate, much less understand, a live musical act from the Top 20 charts as much as the student body or a high school senior submerged in present-day basketball culture. Conversely, the out-of-state IU freshman and five-star recruits might not be able to identify Keith Smart nailing a game-winning shot as he drifts toward the sideline in the 1987 Championship Game. Regardless of its Hoosier hoops IQ, the diverse group inside Assembly Hall was Part Time Opportunities all there for the same reason and expected to Are you looking to earn some additional cash this school year? Metal Technologies Auburn, LLC (MTA) in Auburn, Indiana is looking for see something that kept team members interested in part time opportunities working in our its interest. production department performing general labor and clean up activities. There needs to be MTA is a well maintained, modern green sand foundry that utilizes some balance between DISAmatic molding technology to produce both gray and ductile iron castings serving the small engine, automotive, medium/heavy truck, the rock show ego-fest compressor and trailer markets. the folks in Lexington put on and a mundane Part Time Production – General Labor opportunities in our finishing snoozer that follows department will typically be needed every other week and normally work less than 40 hours for the week. High school diploma or GED is the same script of intro required. Pay rate is $10.00 per hour (with no other benefits). video, player walkout songs, three-point Part Time Weekend Clean Up – General clean up activities of contest, dunk contest production related equipment and facility following production runs will typically be needed every other weekend (Friday or Saturday and scrimmage. evenings) for 4 – 12 hours. High school diploma or GED is required. Hoosier Hysteria Pay rate is $15.00 per hour (with no other benefits). and IU Athletics as a whole are on its way to Background checks and drug screen are required. Applications are available on-line at www.metal–technologies.com. Qualified finding this medium. individuals should mail completed applications to: I hope to see this metaphoric see-saw Metal Technologies Auburn continue to balance Attention Human Resources 1537 West Auburn Drive with an event that Auburn, Indiana 46706 seamlessly blends the new with the old. Equal Opportunity Employer Who knows? Maybe next year, we’ll see Cody Zeller and Jordan Hulls belting out a duet of Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now.”
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@TheDonsReport Losing Streak Now 10 Games for Volleyball By Aaron Siegal-Eisman, Indiana Daily Student The IU volleyball team had a different script to the same ending. IU volleyball (8-11, 0-8) lost another two games this weekend at home against two Big Ten opponents. After winning eight of the first 10 games this season, the Hoosiers have lost their last 10. On Friday, No. 24 Ohio State (14-6, 4-3) defeated IU in four sets, 25-16, 23-25, 25-12 and 26-24, at University Gym. Emily Danks, OSU junior outside hitter, led both sides with 21 kills and played a crucial role, blocking in the Buckeyes’ front line defense. OSU finished with a .408 attack percentage to IU’s .137. The Hoosiers were led by junior right-side hitter Kelci Marschall with 13 kills and junior outside hitter Ivie Obeime with 10 kills. Senior libero Caitlin Cox recorded 19 digs, as well as one of the IU’s two serving aces in the game. “Our communication was better, our effort was better,” Marschall said. “I think we were a whole lot more aggressive with everything.” On Saturday, the same result was written into the record book, but this loss took three sets. No. 9 Penn State (14-6, 4-3) beat the Hoosiers in three sets, 25-18, 25-16 and 25-21. The crowd showed up with good attendance, even with Hoosier Hysteria the same night. “I was really happy with our crowd, even going against Hoosier Hysteria,” IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said. Marschall had six kills in the game. Junior middle blocker Samantha Thrower also added six kills. “We really made Penn State play hard,” Dunbar said. “Every point was a mini-battle for them.” So far, Big Ten play hasn’t been easy for the Hoosiers, and eight of the next 12 games are against ranked Big Ten opponents. “Every game and every point is going to be a fight,” Marschall said. “The harder we work, the better we get.” Dunbar discussed the game plan to improve at this point in the season. “We need to win the battles in practice,” Dunbar said. “Also, we still need to find that potential, and there are still a lot of games left.”