UNIVERSITY PRESS
The Newspaper of Lamar University
Vol. 95, No. 14 February 7, 2019
Year of the pig Lamar celebrates Chinese New Year Olivia Malick UP managing editor
Tuesday marked the beginning of the Chinese New Year, a festival celebrating the start of the Lunar calendar. This year is the year of the pig, the twelfth Chinese zodiac animal of the Chinese calendar. “Chinese New Year is an opportunity for families to reunite and stay together,” Jing Zhang, LU assistant professor of computer science, said. The Lamar office of global diversity and inclusive excellence, in association with the Chinese Association of Southeast Texas, will host a Chinese New Year 2019 Celebration, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday, at The Event Centre in downtown Beaumont. The festival will feature performances of traditional Chinese dances and songs, as well as Chinese cuisine. “In China, especially in northern China, we have dumplings, a traditional new year food,” Zhang said.
There are a lot of Chinese students and faculty here in Southeast Texas, Zhang, who is a co-coordinator for the event, said. “We want to have something to celebrate, to make Chinese people here aware that we have a party here and can find something interesting to do together,” he said. Sponsors include programs from Lamar, Texas A&M, ExxonMobil and many different companies, Zhang said. “We’re working together to make something,” he said. Zhang, who is from Xian, said that like New Year’s celebrations that follow the Gregorian calendar, participants stay up until midnight to welcome the new year by setting off fireworks. UP photo by Cade Smith “I remember a lot of things Jennifer Boje, Houston senior, is served Chinese cuisine in Brooks-Shivers Dining Hall, Tuesday. The event was part of LU’s about the fireworks from when I celebration of Chinese New Year which is celebrated for 15 days in February. was a child,” he said. “We do the fireworks to scare away the monZhang said. for 15 days. During the festival, own symbolism. ster, Nian.” Chinese New Year, referred to red envelopes are exchanged, “The pig is cute, and I think The name Nian means “year” in Chinese, and it is tradition to as the Spring Festival in mainland often containing money, meant to many families want to have a scare the monster with fireworks China, is the most important fes- bring good luck and ward off bad so that the new year may be safe, tival in Chinese culture and lasts spirits. The year of the pig has its See NEW YEAR page 2
REDtalks to address creating connections
‘Gap in the Visual Narrative’
Abigail Pennington UP contributor
Building relationships and creating connections are skills that play a key role in a successful career. To make sure that students have the skills they need, Nechele McClinton, assistant director of residence life, will present the REDtalk, “Creating Connections,” Wednesday, at 3 p.m., on the sixth floor of Gray Library. Admission is free and open to all students, faculty and staff, Kelly Williams, LU Success and REDtalks coordinator, said. This REDtalk is going to help students develop personally and also professionally,” she said. “The focus is going to be on helping students learn techniques that they can use to build relationships with other people, whether they are a leader here on campus or looking to be a leader in their future career.” McClinton said she came up with the REDtalk after reading books about personal and professional relationships. “I came up with this by reading books emphasizing
UP photo by Abigail Pennington
Spindletop Gladys City Boomtown Museum opened the exhibit “Spindletop Stories: African American Oil Workers,” Jan. 31.
Boomtown Museum hosts exhibit of African American experiences, history Claire Robertson UP staff writer
The Spindletop Gladys City Boomtown Museum opened the exhibition “Spindletop Stories: African American Oil Workers,” Jan. 31, featuring the contributions of African Americans during the Spindletop oil boom. In 1901, oil was discovered at Spindletop. Found at a depth of
1,000 feet and blowing 100 feet in the air, oil flowed from the Lucas Gusher at a rate of 100,000 barrels a day. “This transformed the city of Beaumont and helped kick start the modern petroleum industry,” curator Hannah Colletti said. The population of Beaumont increased from 10,000 to 50,000 after the discovery of oil.
Because Beaumont’s infrastructure was limited and boomtowns grew around the oil fields, including Little Africa, which was a settlement that included a high African American population. Ednesha Cook researched the Little Africa boomtown during See SPINDLETOP page 5
the importance of building those relationships in your personal and professional life,” she said. “The goal of this talk is to give students the tools to build these relationships that will assist them in being great leaders in their field of choice.” Students who attend the presentation will learn the “seven steps” to creating and building relationships. “The seven steps are, commit to win, open up to opportunities, notice what’s needed and do what’s necessary, navigate by your purpose, execute ethically, challenge your challenges, transcend beyond your best and connect to the ‘be’ attitudes,” McClinton said. The REDtalk will focus on personal and professional development, Williams said. “If you’re looking to learn about developing relationships with others, you’re looking to learn more about being a leader, or you’re looking for something that is related to professional development this would be the REDtalk to go to,” she said. Topics for REDtalks are proposed and presented by See CONNECTIONS page 2
President Trump gives second SOTU address Olivia Malick UP managing editor
President Donald Trump’s gave his second State of the Union address, Tuesday, after it had been delayed from January due to the historic 35-day government shutdown. Trump called for unity across party lines and he outlined the accomplishments of his administration in the past year, as well as laying out a plan for what he hopes to accomplish before the 2020 election. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took her place behind Trump
alongside Vice President Mike Pence. Pelosi, like all the female Democrats, wore white as a nod to the Suffragette movement. One the main focuses of the night was the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Europe in World War II. Three soldiers who served on D-Day were guests of the president and Melania Trump. The president also recognized the 50th anniversary of the moon landing and said, “In the 20th century, American saved freedom, transformed science, redefined the middle class, and when you get down to it, there’s nothing anywhere in the world that
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can compete with America.” Trump moved on to his hopes for the rest of this century, namely strengthening the middle class, making communities safer, and deepening the faith and culture of America. The president talked about “bridging old divisions” and avoiding political stalemates. Trump moved on to the economy and stated that his administration had created 5.3 million new jobs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that only 4.9 million jobs have been added since Trump took office. The president said that 5 mil-
lion Americans are no longer on food stamps, but the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program shows that only 3.5 million Americans are no longer on food stamps. The president said that African American, Hispanic American and Asian American unemployment figures are at the lowest recorded levels. Trump briefly mentioned the Republican tax cut, as well as the elimination of the individual mandate of “Obamacare,” which has yet to be repealed. He also
www.lamaruniversitypress.com
See SOTU page 2
Cade Smith, Bonham senior, watches the State of the Union address, Feb. 5.
www.twitter.com/UPLamar
QUOTE OF THE DAY
INSIDE
Thursday, February 7, 2019 University Press
CONNECTIONS students, faculty and staff, Williams said. “People submit proposals, and I review them and plan out the schedule based off of that,” she said. “We do have some specific topics that we
NEW YEAR
—Friedrich Nietzsche
from page 1 have narrowed down for REDtalks, including academic success, health and wellness, personal development, and career and professional development, so they all have something to do with
one of those topics.” REDtalks will accept proposals for the fall 2019 semester after spring break and an email reminder will be sent out through campus announcements, Williams said.
“Anyone can submit a proposal and we like to have a variety of presenters,” she said. For more information, visit lamar.edu/redtalks.
from page 1
baby in the year of a pig so their baby can be very healthy and it can be strong,” Zhang said. Zhang, who has been a Lamar faculty member since 2014, said that there is a long tradition of celebrating Chinese New Year on campus and he hopes it will continue to grow. “I think this will be the 27th year the tradition is being held,” he said. “They used to have the celebrations in the Setzer Student Center, but we had to find another place. We chose the Event Centre because it’s bigger and we can bring Chinese food in there. We did it there last year and it
SOTU
Page 2
“In family life, love is the oil that eases friction, the cement that binds closer together, and the music that brings harmony.."
was very successful — it’s against university policy (to bring other food) on campus and we want traditional Chinese food, not just from our dining halls. We have four Chinese restaurants supporting this celebration that will provide the food.” Imelda Wicks, executive director of diversity, inclusive excellence & training, said celebrating different cultures representing the Lamar population benefits the entire community. “Lamar University is very diverse — what we want to do is not only celebrate cultures, but at the same time create an
environment of inclusiveness where everybody feels proud of their heritage, and proud of who they are,” she said. “We can represent what we have in our community — a diverse and global population.” Planning for the event began last semester with help from the Chinese Association of Southeast Texas. “Four percent of our student population identify as Asian, and four percent of our faculty and staff identify as Asian, so we reached out to those individuals in the community for them to help us plan an event where we ask how they’d like to celebrate
Chinese New Year,” Wicks said. “We started brainstorming what would be meaningful. I had some ideas, but I wanted to hear from the LU community of what has more value to them and how would they like to celebrate their culture.” Zhang said that he hopes students are able to learn about Chinese culture and have a good time and continue to attend for years to come. The Chinese New Year celebration is RSVP only. Contact Reality Boutte at 880-1732, or visit lamar.edu/chinesenewyear. Rachel Hellums contributed to this story
Kardashian West. The biggest topic of the night was immigration. Trump said that, “Republicans and Democrats must join forces again to confront an urgent national crisis.” There are eight days left for Congress to come to an agreement on the wall to avoid another government shutdown. Trump invited families of people who have been killed by illegal immigrants to assert the necessity of the border wall. Trump maintained his views on stricter border control and when Republicans stood up, Democrats stayed seated. The House chamber shouted, “USA, USA, USA,” multiple times during the evening — arguably the most
when Trump noted that more women are serving in Congress than ever before. It was one of the few moments of visible bipartisanship. The high number of white-suited Democratic women applauded his remark. Trump said that his administration is dedicated to women’s economic success and touted new family leave policies. Trump announced that he and Kim Jong-un will meet Feb. 27-28 in Vietnam. Trump denounced socialism while pledging his support for the Venezuelan interim president, Juan Guaido. Trump talked about American troops in the Middle East and the fight against ISIS. Two of the Trump’s guests of the evening were Holocaust
survivors, Judah Samet, who also survived the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh last year, and Joshua Kaufman who was liberated from the Dachau concentration camp by American soldiers. In a State of the Union first, the chamber sang “Happy Birthday” to Samet, who turned 81. Trump closed his speech — the third longest SOTU at one hour and 25 minutes — by saying, “We must keep America first in our hearts. We must keep freedom alive in our souls… God bless you, and God bless America.” Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams gave the Democratic rebuttal. For more analysis, visit the UP website.
from page 1
talked about cutting regulations on businesses, stating that his “administration has cut more regulations in a short period of time than any other administration during its entire tenure.” Special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe was a hot button issue of the night. Trump called it a “ridiculous partisan investigation.” He said that there could not be complete bipartisanship in the legislature as long as there was an investigation happening. Trump talked about the criminal justice overhaul that gained bipartisan support in Congress. He mentioned guest Alice Johnson, whose sentence was commuted in June after the president met with Kim
NOTICE
The University Press can be read online at www.lamaruniversitypress.com. Advertising rates can be found on the site, along with practically all information that a person might be looking for.
CALENDAR Feb. 7
Department of Theatre & Dance presents: ‘The Birds’ Studio Theatre 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Feb. 8
SURF Panel Discussion Sixth floor, Gray Library 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Feb. 9
Spindletop Gladys City Boomtown Museum presents: ‘Linotype: The Film’ Spindletop Gladys City Boomtown Museum 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Feb. 9- 10
Department of Theatre & Dance presents: ‘The Birds’ Studio Theatre Sat. 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sun. 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Feb. 10
Chinese New Year Festival The Event Centre, Downtown Beaumont 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Feb. 11
Student Lecture: ‘Can’t Stop the Water: Isle De Jean Charles & Native Americans’ Landes Auditorium 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Feb. 13
LU Men’s Basketball vs. Northwestern State Montagne Center 7 p.m.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
INSIDE
Thursday, February 7, 2019 University Press
CONNECTIONS students, faculty and staff, Williams said. “People submit proposals, and I review them and plan out the schedule based off of that,” she said. “We do have some specific topics that we
NEW YEAR
—Friedrich Nietzsche
from page 1 have narrowed down for REDtalks, including academic success, health and wellness, personal development, and career and professional development, so they all have something to do with
one of those topics.” REDtalks will accept proposals for the fall 2019 semester after spring break and an email reminder will be sent out through campus announcements, Williams said.
“Anyone can submit a proposal and we like to have a variety of presenters,” she said. For more information, visit lamar.edu/redtalks.
from page 1
baby in the year of a pig so their baby can be very healthy and it can be strong,” Zhang said. Zhang, who has been a Lamar faculty member since 2014, said that there is a long tradition of celebrating Chinese New Year on campus and he hopes it will continue to grow. “I think this will be the 27th year the tradition is being held,” he said. “They used to have the celebrations in the Setzer Student Center, but we had to find another place. We chose the Event Centre because it’s bigger and we can bring Chinese food in there. We did it there last year and it
SOTU
Page 2
“In family life, love is the oil that eases friction, the cement that binds closer together, and the music that brings harmony.."
was very successful — it’s against university policy (to bring other food) on campus and we want traditional Chinese food, not just from our dining halls. We have four Chinese restaurants supporting this celebration that will provide the food.” Imelda Wicks, executive director of diversity, inclusive excellence & training, said celebrating different cultures representing the Lamar population benefits the entire community. “Lamar University is very diverse — what we want to do is not only celebrate cultures, but at the same time create an
environment of inclusiveness where everybody feels proud of their heritage, and proud of who they are,” she said. “We can represent what we have in our community — a diverse and global population.” Planning for the event began last semester with help from the Chinese Association of Southeast Texas. “Four percent of our student population identify as Asian, and four percent of our faculty and staff identify as Asian, so we reached out to those individuals in the community for them to help us plan an event where we ask how they’d like to celebrate
Chinese New Year,” Wicks said. “We started brainstorming what would be meaningful. I had some ideas, but I wanted to hear from the LU community of what has more value to them and how would they like to celebrate their culture.” Zhang said that he hopes students are able to learn about Chinese culture and have a good time and continue to attend for years to come. The Chinese New Year celebration is RSVP only. Contact Reality Boutte at 880-1732, or visit lamar.edu/chinesenewyear. Rachel Hellums contributed to this story
Kardashian West. The biggest topic of the night was immigration. Trump said that, “Republicans and Democrats must join forces again to confront an urgent national crisis.” There are eight days left for Congress to come to an agreement on the wall to avoid another government shutdown. Trump invited families of people who have been killed by illegal immigrants to assert the necessity of the border wall. Trump maintained his views on stricter border control and when Republicans stood up, Democrats stayed seated. The House chamber shouted, “USA, USA, USA,” multiple times during the evening — arguably the most
when Trump noted that more women are serving in Congress than ever before. It was one of the few moments of visible bipartisanship. The high number of white-suited Democratic women applauded his remark. Trump said that his administration is dedicated to women’s economic success and touted new family leave policies. Trump announced that he and Kim Jong-un will meet Feb. 27-28 in Vietnam. Trump denounced socialism while pledging his support for the Venezuelan interim president, Juan Guaido. Trump talked about American troops in the Middle East and the fight against ISIS. Two of the Trump’s guests of the evening were Holocaust
survivors, Judah Samet, who also survived the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh last year, and Joshua Kaufman who was liberated from the Dachau concentration camp by American soldiers. In a State of the Union first, the chamber sang “Happy Birthday” to Samet, who turned 81. Trump closed his speech — the third longest SOTU at one hour and 25 minutes — by saying, “We must keep America first in our hearts. We must keep freedom alive in our souls… God bless you, and God bless America.” Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams gave the Democratic rebuttal. For more analysis, visit the UP website.
from page 1
talked about cutting regulations on businesses, stating that his “administration has cut more regulations in a short period of time than any other administration during its entire tenure.” Special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe was a hot button issue of the night. Trump called it a “ridiculous partisan investigation.” He said that there could not be complete bipartisanship in the legislature as long as there was an investigation happening. Trump talked about the criminal justice overhaul that gained bipartisan support in Congress. He mentioned guest Alice Johnson, whose sentence was commuted in June after the president met with Kim
NOTICE
The University Press can be read online at www.lamaruniversitypress.com. Advertising rates can be found on the site, along with practically all information that a person might be looking for.
CALENDAR Feb. 7
Department of Theatre & Dance presents: ‘The Birds’ Studio Theatre 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Feb. 8
SURF Panel Discussion Sixth floor, Gray Library 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Feb. 9
Spindletop Gladys City Boomtown Museum presents: ‘Linotype: The Film’ Spindletop Gladys City Boomtown Museum 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Feb. 9- 10
Department of Theatre & Dance presents: ‘The Birds’ Studio Theatre Sat. 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sun. 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Feb. 10
Chinese New Year Festival The Event Centre, Downtown Beaumont 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Feb. 11
Student Lecture: ‘Can’t Stop the Water: Isle De Jean Charles & Native Americans’ Landes Auditorium 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Feb. 13
LU Men’s Basketball vs. Northwestern State Montagne Center 7 p.m.
OPINION
3 UNIVERSITY PRESS Thursday, February 7, 2019
Can we cancel ‘canceled culture’?
If you’ve been on the internet for at least a day, chances are you’ve heard of someone being “canceled.” Canceling someone entails no longer supporting that person or their craft and can also result in people losing their jobs. Sometimes it’s for something serious, like when Roseanne Barr compared Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to former President Barack Obama, to an ape. But more often than not, people are being canceled for small mistakes that all humans make at some point. This “canceled culture” breeds an overwhelming sense of uneasiness where people are afraid to make mistakes or afraid of mistakes they made years ago.
Commentary
Olivia Malick UP managing editor
UP graphic by Olivia Malick
The most recent example of this is comedian Kevin Hart — he stepped down as this year’s Academy Awards host after tweets and comments made almost 10 years ago. The comments were homophobic and deplorable — whether they were jokes or not, they weren’t funny. But Hart apologized in a sincere manner and made a genuine plea for forgiveness and said that he is a changed person. So, should Hart be vilified for the rest of his career for these comments? I disagree with what he said as much as the next person, but it’s important to give
UPeditorial
Diversity is important, embrace it
Lamar University is above average in overall diversity, according to collegefactual.com. The campus boasts various ethnicities and ages which contributes to an environment where students can learn more about the world around them. The office of global diversity & inclusive excellence is hosting a variety of events celebrating the different cultures represented by Lamar. On Feb. 22, Lamar University will recognize the achievements of African American students who’ve excelled academically at a reception, 7 p.m. at the MCM Elegante Hotel. To RSVP or for more information, visit lamar.edu/bhmreception. For Women’s History Month, Lamar is recognizing the important contributions that women have made at LU by presenting the Inspirational Woman Award. Everyone is welcome to nominate a student, faculty or staff member. The nomination deadline is March 22. TO nominate someone, visit lamar.edu/inspira tionalwomanaward. The recipient will be awarded at a reception at 11:30 a.m., March 28. In April, the department will offer the LU Safe Zone Ally Training program, a campuswide initiative designated to increase understanding, awareness and sensitivity on the issues of the LGBTQ community. For more information on dates and locations, visit lamar.edu/lgbtqsafezone. We have a diverse campus and it’s important that we learn about the cultures surrounding us so that we may become more aware and knowledgeable of our colleagues. Regardless of what some may say, diversity is a good thing — it allows us to be opened to different life experiences which in turn creates one’s own new experiences. Lamar is also home to people from many different countries and students have the opportunity to form bonds across borders. Participate in these events — support fellow Cardinals in creating an inclusive learning space that celebrates different cultures.
Editor..........................................Cassandra Jenkins Managing Editor...............................Olivia Malick Photo Editor......................................Noah Dawlearn Staff ............ Cade Smith, Sierra Kondos, Vy Nguyen, ......................Abigail Pennington, Rachel Hellums, .............................Cheyenne Ard, Claire Roberston, ...............................Morgan Collier, Tiana Johnson, ..................................................................Scott Sayre Business Manager .......................................An Vo Advisors Andy Coughlan and Stephan Malick Member of Texas Intercollegiate Press Association
people another chance when they make a genuine effort to do better. If we don’t allow room for some mistakes, how are people supposed to learn? Education is the weapon against ignorance, and people have to be shown what they’ve done and how they can be better. Sometimes people apologize for the sake of saving face and they don’t do so well *cough, Kevin Spacey, cough.* It’s worth noting when someone does own up to their mistakes without blaming other people and showing a drive to do better. There are actions that don’t
deserve forgiveness, but the comments that Kevin Hart made are not as serious as actual crimes being committed, and by focusing so much on what someone said a decade ago, we lose sight on what is happening in the present. Hart should not have to face more repercussions than someone like R. Kelly, who has been accused of running an underage sex cult. Both actions are horrible, but it’s safe to say one is worse than the other and only one person — the wrong person — is facing the consequences. Celebrities are human, too —
they make mistakes. If we cancel someone after every mistake they make, there will be no one left. We’ve all said or done stupid things that we wouldn’t do now because we’ve changed. The only difference is that maybe our mistakes don’t live forever on the internet. Imagine losing your job today for something you said in high school — imagine how ridiculous that would feel. There’s nothing stopping any random person on the internet from exposing another, whether they be famous or not. People can choose to cancel whomever they’d like but if you’re looking for a flawless person with no baggage, it’s not going to happen. People need to establish boundaries on what they can and cannot accept in a person, but no one is going to be mistake-free. This trend is just that — a trend, but it can have very negative effects on someone’s life. We all make small mistakes and don’t deserve to pay for them for the rest of our lives. When we fail, we learn and then we don’t make those mistakes again. We just have to let some things go and accept when people genuinely want to do better, and help them succeed in that process.
Lessons in parenting
The summer I graduated high school I became pregnant with my son, Gabriel. In the nine months that followed, I had time to think about what kind of mother I wanted to be. This was my second decision as an adult, following the decision to raise him on my own. Since he would be raised in two different households, I wanted his father, Nathaniel, and I to stay friendly in front of our baby. It meant a lot to me that Gabriel had the right to love both his parents unconditionally, and not feel like he had to pick one
Commentary
Sierra Kondos UP staff writer
over the other. My decision stemmed from my own upbringing, and how my mom and dad used my siblings and me in the front lines of their divorce war zone. Their war, where my siblings and I were always on the losing side, fizzled out with lingering bitterness as soon as we became adults. At that point in our lives, we had the right to tell them that it was a betrayal to make us pick sides and condemn the other parent, and to lose decades of the opportunity to learn to love and grow from them like children should. A parent’s relationship with their ex-spouse is not the same kind that they share with their babies — and we were denied that parental relationship. I never wanted Gabriel to think that I would betray him, especially in the way that I was. I told Nathaniel that exact thing, and it was something he agreed with wholeheartedly. In the years that followed, Nathaniel and I fought constantly over trivial things. On one occasion, Nate brought Gabriel home with a short haircut, cargo shorts and flip flops. I cried because I knew Gabe felt more like himself with his long hair, jeans and cowboy boots.
Sometimes we fought over big issues, like Nate taking Gabriel to Ohio, where he worked most of the year. I had custody but I did not want to limit my son from seeing his father, so we came to an agreement. For a week or two at a time, my toddler would travel to Ohio with his dad. It was also hard to let my toddler travel so far away, I always thought, “He will be too far away from me if anything were to happen.” But I knew Nathaniel well and I trusted him with our son. We were both determined to put our son first. It wasn’t always easy. When we fought, it was always over the phone with a lot of screaming and hanging up on each other. It was a difficult relationship to maintain out of the ear shot of our child, but we had to make it work for Gabriel's sake. And not every conversation was a fight — we grew up as best friends before becoming lovers, knew each other’s character, and did not dismiss the fact that we were both good for our son. It was a balancing act for us both. Gabriel had the opportunity to love us equally the way I wish I could have loved my own parents. My upbringing experience shaped my views as a new mother, leading me to put my son’s happiness first.
UP editorial cartoon by Monica Trevino
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Individuals who wish to speak out on issues should send a letter fewer than 400 words in length to Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 10055, Beaumont, TX 77710, or drop letters off at our office in 202 Carl Parker Building. The writer’s name, address, telephone number and ID number must accompany each letter. Letters received without this information cannot be printed. Letters may be edited for length, grammar, style and possible libel. Opinions expressed in letters are not necessarily those of the UP student management. Letters by the same writer on the same subject will not be published. Poetry and religious debates will not be published.
The opinions that appear in editorials are the official views of the University Press student management as determined by the UP Student Editorial Board. Opinions expressed elsewhere on this page are the views of the writers only and are not necessarily those of the University Press student management. Student opinions are not necessarily those of the university administration. ©University Press 2018
Page 4
Thursday, February 7, 2019 • UNIVERSITY PRESS
‘ALREADY UNDER WATER’ Student lecture to focus on Native American climate issues Sierra Kondos UP staff writer
The Center for History and Culture of Southeast Texas and the Upper Gulf Coast will host a student lecture event, “Can't Stop the Water: Isle De Jean Charles and Native Americans,” presented by awardwinning filmmaker, Rebecca Ferris, and Albert Naquin, Chief of the BiloxiChitimatcha-Choctaw tribe. The documentary will be followed by a discussion of a community fighting to save its culture as its land washes away. The event will be held on Feb.11, on the 8th floor of the Mary and John Gray Library, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The event is free and open to students and faculty. “We will begin the event with a screening of the documentary,” Brendan Gillis, assistant director for the Center for History and Culture of Southeast Texas and the upper Gulf coast, stated in an email interview. “The film introduces
some of the people who have lived on Isle De Jean Charles and explains the ecological disaster that is unfolding there. After this, we will invite Chief Albert to share an update on the ongoing situation and open up the floor for a discussion. This will give our students an opportunity to ask questions.” Gillis said that this is the first attempt to hold events that focus on our region's Native American heritage as well as environmental concerns along the gulf. “When we started doing a little bit of exploratory research looking for possible speakers, Chief Albert's advocacy and eloquence on behalf of his people quickly grabbed our attention. The film "Can't Stop the Water" has won several awards, and this is such an important issue that we immediately reached out to Naquin and Ferris to invite them to Lamar University.” Gillis said he invited Chief Albert to share the experiences of his tribe who has lived for generations on
Isle De Jean Charles with members of the Lamar community. “Native Americans are integral to the history and culture of our region, and it is important for our students to hear their stories,” he said. “The problems associated with climate change — not least the issues of sea level rise, are already affecting many of us who live along the Gulf Coast. Gillis said in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, those native to Southeast Texas are well aware of the increased risk for similarly destructive storms. “Over the next few decades, it will be up to residents of coastal communities to figure out how to respond to the displacement of families in lowlying areas,” he said. “This is an urgent social, political, and cultural issue, and one that we need to be talking about now.” Gillis said The Isle de Jean Charles Band has the dubious distinction of being the first "climate
refugees" in the United States. “ percent of their traditional tribal land is already under water,” he said. “The federal government issued a $48 million grant to help resettle this community, part of a landmark experiment in climate policy, but recent developments have thrown this tribal resettlement into disarray. Traditional Chief Albert Naquin, a well-respected tribal elder and indigenous rights activist. We hope that everyone who attends our event will continue to follow this
unfolding crisis, and one of the questions I plan to ask Chief Albert is how those of us at Lamar can help with his efforts to serve his community.” Gillis said he sees this opportunity to inspire aspiring historians and filmmakers. “I also hope that seeing this great film and having the opportunity to talk with some of the people who made it will encourage Lamar students to get involved in public history or journalism. Documentary films and oral histories can be great outlets for us to
make a difference in our region. I think the faculty at Lamar do a great job helping students develop some of the skills they need to identify and share compelling stories. “ I really hope that hosting this kind of event will inspire someone in the audience to start asking big questions, to start filming a documentary, to interview someone in their family, or even just to start building relationships with other people in our community.” For more information visit www.isledejeancharles.com.
Kiel to present ‘Found Objects’ lecture, Monday Cheyenne Ard UP contributor
Dennis Kiel, director of the Dishman Art Museum, will present a talk at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, 12:30 p.m., Monday, about “The Art of Found Objects: Enigma Variations” exhibition. “The Art of Found Objects,” which is on display through March 3, includes an expansive array of artwork by numerous artists from Texas, Louisiana and Colorado who used found
objects and materials. “Taking an object made for one thing and using it for another — that’s the fascinating part,” Kiel said. Robert Bunch, guest curator and author, took the title of the exhibit from his book, “The Art of Found Objects: Interviews with Texas Artists,” and chose artwork featured in the book. Artists featured in the exhibition include Steve Brudniak, Marilyn Lanfear, Angelica Paez, Ward Sanders, Kelly Sears, Charles Dellschau, Forrest Bess,
Clyde Connell, Maudee Carron, Felix “Fox” Harris, David McManaway, Bert Long, Jesse Lott, Vernon Fisher, Mary McCleary, Jonathan Rosenstein, Trenton Doyle Hancock and Dario Robleto. “The longer you stand in front of a work of art, the more you’re going to discover, the more things you’ll see that you had no clue were there,” Kiel said. Kiel said he recommends viewers spend time with the art and think about what is going on, and to go beyond finding the
narrative. “There’s not always a narrative and that’s when you have to bring in your own narrative,” he said. The art is intricate and not right there in your face, Kiel said, adding that he enjoys the way fact that it makes one think. “There’s a lot of mystery involved in a number of the pieces, so I’m going to try to concentrate on that (in the talk),” he said. Kiel plans to relay some of the art back to his specialties in photography, he said, and make per-
sonal connections to art. He encourages students to branch out and come see the exhibition, because it has something for everyone. “Brudniak and Sanders are interested in science,” he said. “There is a lot of science, and Ward Sanders has a lot of literary influences. Their works can attract a lot of different types of students.” The talk is free and open to the public. For more information, visit amset.org.
UNIVERSITY PRESS • Thursday, February 7, 2019
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Math Lab receives upgrade
The Lamar University Math Lab recently received a makeover as the lab space expanded for student access. The new space includes a state-of-the-art classroom that holds a glass writing board where students can write and solve equations that make for easy cleanup. It also expanded in technological advances and appearance up-
grades receiving new computers and a fresh coat of red paint. The room now also includes a space for athletes to record their tutoring hours after missing classes for games and practices. As well as a new scheduling computer where students can log in and see their online progress and track their tutoring schedule.
Ketone Hawkins, Health and Science major from Baton Rouge, left, and Darien Wilson, Houston junior, right, work on homework in the new mathematics lab on the second floor of the Lucas Engineering, Jan. 30. UP photo by Noah Dawlearn
SPINDLETOP
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her senior internship at the Spindletop Museum in 2015. “One of the most interesting things was finding newspaper articles about Little Africa,” Cook said. “They were trying to make a living, and the newspapers covered their hardships and how they had to endure racial prejudice, and people coming into the town and looting. It was interesting but at the same time heartbreaking.” At the time of the boom, African Americans were working in the lumber industry and owned land and businesses, but were limited in what they could do at Spindletop. “African American workers were not allowed to work on the rigs,” Colletti said. “They often did work like haul materials, clean tools and repair tanks. But the higher paying positions were reserved for white men.” When curating the exhibit, Colletti had trouble finding photographs of the African American oil workers. “The written information was definitely there, but the visual confirmation was not.” she said. “There’s a gap in the visual narrative.” Two half-brothers, Ozan Blanchette and Usan Hebert, are featured in the exhibition. Blanchette and Hebert were involved in building the community and establishing schools. “They were land owners who sold large portions of land to fellow oil workers that went on to become modern day Pear Orchard,” Colletti said. David Hebert, the second great grandson of Usan, sponsored the ex-
hibit and contributed to the research. In 2015, David Hebert read an article in the Beaumont Enterprise about an African American oil workers exhibit at the Spindletop Museum. “I created a family day,” he said. “I brought my father, my uncle, my cousin — we came here and we were like, ‘We want to see the exhibit.’” When David and his family arrived, the exhibit did not yet exist. Inspired by his familial connections to the topic, Hebert agreed to being on the advisory council of the exhibit. “I was gonna do whatever it took — if it meant offering funds, materials or artifacts,” he said. Hebert donated a band directors uniform from Hebert High School from 1955 that he was given during the recent merger of Ozen High School and Central High School to create Beaumont United. “I think everyone who lives in this community has a personal connection to this story,” Colletti said. “It is a story worth telling. We learn in history. A lot of the time, the main narratives are written by the majority and the smaller narratives fall to the wayside, but they are just as important to the overall picture.” “History does not preserve itself — we have to do it,” David Hebert said. The Spindletop Stories exhibit is open until June 30. Admission is free for LU students, and general admission is $5. For more information, visit www.spindletop.org, or call 880-1750.
Hearing clinic to offer screening for tinnitus Olivia Malick UP managing editor
More than 50 million Americans have experienced ringing in their ears, a condition called tinnitus, in their lifetime, according to a national health study performed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tinnitus Awareness Week runs through Sunday and the speech and hearing department is offering informative material about how to diagnose, treat and prevent tinnitus, today, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the speech and hearing clinic. “Tinnitus affects about 1 in 5 people,” Lilian Felipe, assistant professor of speech and hearing, said in an email interview. “Tinnitus isn’t a condition itself — it’s a symptom of an underlying condition, such as age-related hearing loss, ear injury or a circulatory system disorder.” There are two kinds of tinnitus — subjective tinnitus is tinnitus only the affected person can hear, which is the most common type of tinnitus. Objective tinnitus is tinnitus a doctor can hear when they do an examination. This type of tinnitus is rare. “Tinnitus can be triggered by a variety of different causes, and it varies dramatically from person to person,”
Felipe said. “A number of health conditions can cause or worsen tinnitus. A common cause of tinnitus is inner ear cell damage. Tiny, delicate hairs in your inner ear move in relation to the pressure of sound waves. This triggers ear cells to release an electrical signal through a nerve from your auditory nerve to your brain. “Your brain interprets these signals as sound. If the hairs inside your inner ear are bent or broken, they can ‘leak’ random electrical impulses to your brain, causing tinnitus. Every person living with tinnitus hears a unique sound. The sound can be a low or high frequency, and its volume and pitch may change over time, with the severity varying from person to person. “Those with acute tinnitus may struggle to sleep, focus at work, or communicate with others. In such cases, treatment plays a crucial role in helping an individual regain control of his or her life.” Felipe said that the first step toward tinnitus relief is scheduling a consultation with an audiologist. For more information, contact the department of speech and hearing sciences at 880-8338.
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Thursday,February 7, 2019 • UNIVERSITY PRESS
Pathway to success English language program to host open house, Tuesday Tiana Johnson UP contributor
Lamar University will host its first Pathway Program Open House, 10 a.m.to noon, Tuesday, in 106-A Montagne Center. “It used to be TIEP, Texas Intensive English Program, and most people are familiar with that,” Cynthia McCartney, Pathway Program director, said. “When that program ended, this program took its place, and we are just wanting to have an open house so that people can visit, come by and see what we have here.” The Pathway Program is designed to aide students with an English language barrier. “We work with the students, mainly international, that have kind of a language hold on English and we provide instruction to help them,” McCartney said. “The courses are specifically designed to help bring them up to the English proficiency level that they need to succeed at the university.” The open house will offer information about the program. “It’s more for information because this program is relatively new,” McCartney said. “We want to ensure people are aware of it. They need to know what we have and what we offer here.” Assistant director Alex Monceaux said he hopes for a good turnout. “The more people that come and ask questions, the better informed commu-
UP photos by Noah Dawlearn
Paris Clark, above, League City business and French major, does her homework in the language lab in the Maes building, Tuesday. Andrea Sierra, below left, Bay City industrial engineering and Spanish major, prepares her tutoring materials in the language lab at the Maes building, Tuesday. Juan Martínez, below right, Dayton French and Spanish major, practices his English-language skills through a computer program in the language lab at the Maes building, Tuesday. nity we have,” he said. “People who are on campus may have friends or family that need language instruction, but if they don’t know the university offers it then they can’t talk to anybody about it.”
Students in the program will leave with an improved grasp on the English language, Monceaux said. “We offer classes to get their skills up so they can be successful,” Monceaux said. “Once you leave the program, we expect you are able to perform linguistically on an academic level equivalent to an American student.” Students can sign up for the program during the open house. “They could sign up for a course when they come in and show interest,” Monceaux said. “We could say, ‘OK, we have these courses available.’ They could then be registered, but the courses wouldn’t start until after spring break. It’s a big process but you could definitely start that process.” Light refreshments will be served. For more information, visit www.lamar.edu/events, or call 8807511.
Finding fun in found objects Art Museum of Southeast Texas to host free Family Arts Day Morgan Collier UP contributor
The Art Museum of Southeast Texas will host its winter Free Family Arts Day, Feb. 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is centered around AMSET’s current exhibition, “The Art of Found Objects: Enigma Variations,” which focuses on art made from random objects such as paper or buttons. “It is designed in a way that allows parents to come out and enjoy the exhibition, and kids to come out and enjoy the family day with a hands-on related art experience,” Andy Gardner, museum curator of education outreach, said. “Family Day allows you to come in and get a
unique experience so kids can become comfortable within the museum environment, and we hope this event plants a seed to art lovers of all ages. “The hands-on art activities typically relate back to the exhibition which is all about found objects, so we’re basing our activities around found objects. It’s taking different objects that are everyday objects that you would normally throw away, then placing them and creating a piece of artwork — very similar to the way the artists have done in the exhibition, which is taking a normal object then reinventing and creating it to represent something else.” Gardner said that among the activities offered will be creating a shadow box, a button col-
lage, decorating Mardi Gras masks, face painting and live entertainment, along with complimentary cookies and punch and a concession stand serving ballpark-style food. “The key thing about the family day and the hands-on art experience, they are fun but there is an educational component to each art activity,” he said. “Each one is going to require the kids to problem solve, space management, identify story lines — beginning, middle and ending — because that is needed for the piece to be completed.” The pieces in the “Found Objects” exhibit include a chair made out of paper, a collage with everything from googly eyes to Juicy Fruit gum wrap-
pers, and a large button collage, Gardner said. “Artist have also taken pieces and made them mechanical, where you have to look deeper into them,” he said. “There are about 30 pieces, but each one has their own personality.” The exhibit has a wide variety of pieces, Gardner said, but people tend to gravitate towards the chair and dress that are made of paper. “When people find out what these pieces are made out of, it opens your eyes to a new way of seeing things,” he said. “There’s a piece for everybody to enjoy.” Kara Timberlake, museum public relations coordinator, said the piece she gravitates towards is the button collage. “Every time I look at it, I see
new things that I didn’t see before,” she said. “That is one of the things that is so neat about this exhibit.” Gardner said Family Days at AMSET have been around since 1996 after the museum committed to being a family museum. “The education program reverted into becoming a community service program, and Family Day is just an extension of us reaching out to our community,” he said. “Our Family Days are designed to be culturally diverse, to look like and to service our community — and that is something the museum prides itself in.” For more information, visit amset.org, or call 832-3432.
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SPORTS
UNIVERSITY PRESS Thursday, February 7, 2019
TIME TO EARN IT LU softball embraces ‘championship mindset’ for new season Cassandra Jenkins UP editor
The LU softball team left their 2017-18 season in a disarray. The season saw many ups and downs as they battled through a strenuous year, ending Southland Conference 11-16, losing the last four games and their head coach. This year the team is embracing new traditions, a new schedule and a new head coach — Amy Hooks. “Beaumont’s just been open arms,” Hooks said. “They have welcomed me and let me get settled in, and the team has responded really well to the different coaching style I’ve brought and some of the changes I’ve made. It’s been pretty smooth and I’m getting really excited to see all the hard work they’ve been putting in transition onto the field.” Hooks said she has embraced some of the team traditions but has also started to implement some of her own. “Some of the things we’ve kept, is that we do competition on Thursday in the weight room between the red and black team,” she said. “Our fitness coach does some kind of fun competition and they have their championship chain they wear to whoever wins. Some of the things we’ve changed is that we’ve embraced a championship mindset — it’s been our kind of motto. We talk about being champions on the field, in the classroom and in the community. We try to embrace that word everyday of being a ‘champion.’ The more you hear it, the more you feel like you belong, the more you are going to be a champion and that’s what we keep telling our athletes.” Hooks said she tries to find a balance between pushing the team, but also letting them have fun. “I’m hard on them, but I also know that this is a game and they do it because they love it, so we have fun with it,” she said. “Yesterday, in practice, we had a hitting competition at the end. We broke into two groups and it was just a fun, friendly competition, but they still got to compete, and they were all laughing and cutting up. I push them when they need to be pushed and I love them when they need to be loved on.” Hooks said a major goal is to ensure that the seniors have a final season to be proud of. “I want to send these seniors out on a high note, because they’ve given a lot to this program,” she said. “Everybody in the community, and in the softball world, has said this is the rebuild year since it’s my first year as a head coach. I said it from day one, and I say it to the seniors every day — I’m not trying to rebuild. This is their last go-round, they have no other chance and I want to send them out on a high note. “I want to get back to that tournament
and I want to have a chance to win that conference tournament, and they have totally bought into it. They push themselves every day and they push the underclassmen as well.” The team consists of five seniors, including second baseman Kelly Meeuwsen, infielder Savana Guidry, utility player Maddy Myers, pitcher Julia Voluntad and first baseman Taylor Davis, along with several underclassmen. Hooks said her seniors have been leaders throughout the whole process. “We have five seniors and each of them lead in their own way,” she said. “They are all in different positions. Some of them are quieter than others and they lead by example and with their work ethic. Others are a little more vocal and they push the team when they need to be pushed. Then again, they like to cut up and they have really fun personalities as well. They all kind of lead differently and it’s really cool to see them step up. Where one might lack, another one succeeds, and to have five different ones do that, you feel like you are in good hands.” The team has become like family, making the coaches jobs easier, Hooks said. “We haven’t even played our first game yet and that locker room is loud,” she said. “The music is blaring, they are giggling and laughing. I asked my staff, ‘They know it’s just a practice day?’ But, that’s how hyped they get. They are always interacting with each other. We have some big personalities all over the board, but they are fun to be around — it makes our job easier to be able to go out to practice and be able to teach these young athletes.” Hooks said she is excited to start the preseason, which kicks off with a tournament in Conroe, Friday, with Wisconsin, Nebraska, Omaha and Texas Tech. “I’m kind of throwing them into the fire right at the beginning,” she said. “We are facing some big schools and that’s the way I like to schedule. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a schedule when I got here so we had to put a lot more of those bigger schools than we would typically schedule right at the shoot, but we talked about that, too. We are throwing you in the fire and we need to grow from these games, win or lose.” Hooks said she likes to think of the season in three’s in order to keep the girls focused on the goals in front of them. “We have the preseason which is going to be really tough,” she said. “Then the conference season is another phase which will be long because the Southland Conference is getting more and more competitive. The last phase is the post season, the tournament run and the NCAA tournament. When you break it up like that, it doesn’t seem so long and spread out, you take it in strides and make it goal specific for that phase of the season.”
UP photo by Cassandra Jenkins
Utility player, Kimberly Mattox, practices hitting inside the batting cage during practice at the LU Softball Complex, Jan. 30. The team is ready for the start of the new softball season, and Hooks said she can’t wait to see them compete. “We talk about competing a lot,” she said. “I want them to be successful. I want them to taste success. We keep telling them that we are going to have ebbs and flows. We are going to have down time during the season, and we’ll have some high times. So, it’s all about how we are going to handle that. “The team went through a lot last year, but they have put that behind them since day one. This is a clean slate and a new season, and that’s the way we want to approach it. We want to get back to the tournament. We don’t even want it to be a
question about whether Lamar is going back to the tournament or not. They belong there, and I want them to know they belong there. “We want to do something that’s never been done at Lamar, and that’s winning regular season conference and win the tournament. If we could do both of those that would be great. If we could do one that would be great, but that’s what we are trying to build here and that’s what I want them to know.” Lamar plays Wisconsin, Friday, at the Scrap Yard Tournament located at 29607 Robinson Road in Conroe. First pitch is set for 11:30 a.m. For a complete scheduleand ticket prices visit lamarcardinals.com.
LU baseball seeks fresh start with new team Cade Smith UP staff writer
The Lamar baseball team will open their 2019 season, Feb. 14, against Long Island University Brooklyn at Vincent-Beck Stadium. This year’s Cardinals feature 21 returning players, including Cole Coker, Logan LeJune, and Ryan Erickson who were 2018 All-Southland Conference members, and 2017 All-SLC player Robin Adames. Last season, the Cardinals went 19-36 (13-17 SLC) and are looking to improve on that record this year with a 2019 nationally-ranked top-100 recruiting class. “I think we did a lot of positive things in the second half of the year to get this program the way we wanted it,” head coach Will Davis said. “We got a lot of young players and they played well the second half of the year. We had some good momentum towards the end of the year. Obviously it wasn’t the overall result that we wanted but we accomplished a lot.” Compared to last season, the Cardinals are looking to a more versatile lineup in pitching, hitting and speed, Davis said. “This season, I hope that we can put up more wins,” he said. “We have some experienced players which make up most of our team and give us the power we need. In a sense, the team is
brother of Houston Astro’s shortstop and 2017 World Series Champion, Carlos Correa. “People think I have pressure because I am Carlos’ brother, but I play my game and I know my role,” Correa said. “I know the talent I have and what I can do to help the team to go to Omaha. That is what the team is practicing for and working hard for as our goal for the season.” Correa said the Lamar University coaching staff saw his potential. “I chose Lamar because Coach Davis saw something he liked in me and I really appreciUP photo by Noah Dawlearn ated that,” he said. “He went to my practices at Alvin CommuThe LU baseball team practices on their updated state-of-the-art field in Vincent- Beck Stadium, Feb 4. Lamar recently resur- nity College and went to a couple faced the stadium with Fusion Major Play turf in the infield and Fusion XP2 in the outfield. of my games — for me that means a lot. I want to help this team have a winning season. I young because we only have one Quirion, a talented kid who will than we did last year.” senior position player. It is a probably play second base for us, Gutierrez said that he is look- want us to finish first or second team that we will have the bulk and freshman left-handed ing forward to playing with his place and improve on last year’s of for the next couple of years.” pitcher Dylan Johnson who will teammates and showing what he season.” Davis said his goals are to Davis said that he is looking also play a vital role for us.” can do on the field. forward to seeing how the new Among the returning players “I am very excited,” he said. make it to the SLC Tournament players perform, including sea- is sophomore outfielder Avery “We’ve got a great group of guys and the NCAA Tournament. “We try to take it one day at a soned players from Division 1 George who averaged .305 at bat here and the coaches have gotten schools. with 25 hits, including two dou- us really excited for the new sea- time, I know that is coaching “We have players like JC Cor- bles and one triple. son. I have been working really cliché, but it is kind of the way rea, we have another guy by the “I am excited for how this sea- hard and I am expecting to learn you have to take it,” he said. “The name of Jorge Gutierrez,” he son will turn out,” George said. “I new things and grow with this season for us all starts with us said. “Gutierrez is a switch-hit- am looking forward to getting team. I am most looking forward beating UIL Brooklyn, and right ting catcher from Texas A&M back on the field with my team- to playing Texas A&M because I now we are focused on just them and he should be a starter for us. mates and us coming together transferred from there and know and it will prepare us for the sea“We have several new guys this year. I feel that the veterans the guys there. It is a very fun son as a whole.” First pitch against LIU Brookthat will be making an impact. on the team and the new players stadium to play in and I have We have a Canadian kid that are mixing well, and our chem- played a lot of games there, but lyn is set for 6 p.m. Admission is free for students, $5 for adults came to us from Clarendon istry is through the roof. I think not from the visiting side.” Community College, Anthony we will have a much better year Newcomer JC Correa is the and $3 for children.
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Thursday, February 7, 2019 • UNIVERSITY PRESS
SUPER BORING? TRY SUPER EXCITING
UP photo illustration by Cassandra Jenkins
Patriots win in Super Bowl LIII proves ‘D’ wins championships COMMENTARY Scott Sayre UP contributor
It’s the biggest game of the year. A game that people look forward to. Millions of people from all over the world watch. A game to determine the National Football League champions. There was a problem though. It was the lowest scoring Super Bowl in the history of the game, which led to the Twitterverse calling it the dreaded B-word — boring. However, the people calling the game boring missed the key parts that made the game exciting. This Super Bowl was a defensive masterpiece. The game also set history with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick winning their sixth championship together. The Patriots and Rams are two of the
league’s most exciting teams to watch. Each likes to put up points. Super Bowl LIII was predicted to be one of the highest scoring games, but it turned out to be the complete opposite. The Patriots beat the Rams 13-3, a score that would put most fans to sleep if it were just a regular season game. If you like watching high scoring football, then yes, this game was boring. There weren’t many big plays. There was only one touchdown. The ball was punted on almost every possession. But looked at as a showcase of defense, the game looks very different. Defense is a skill that often gets overlooked in the modern game, but this Super Bowl showed how important defense is to a championship team. I used to hear the saying, “Defense wins championships,” but I never really understood it. I mean, the offense scores the majority of the
points, but the defense is really the key factor in most games — it showed during this one. With two teams having such amazing offensive firepower, it is hard to imagine having a score so low, but the defensive execution was impressive. Both the Patriots and the Rams constantly put pressure on the quarterbacks. The ball had to be released quickly every time it was snapped. That led to either poor throws or fantastic coverage. The wide receivers had trouble finding space up the field to catch the ball. The defenses were tight — and they had to be in order to stop offenses like the Patriots and Rams. The Patriots defense was the key to their victory. Nothing is more exciting than seeing history being made. Both Bill Belichick and Tom Brady have had amazing careers, and they go into the record books
with their sixth Super Bowl win together, tying the Pittsburg Steelers for the most Super Bowls in history. It is hard to imagine a team winning six Super Bowls, but it is even harder to imagine that the coach and the quarterback would remain the same for all six. It is an accomplishment that will live on in the history books for eternity, and we got to watch it happen. So, let online trolls and pundits continue to talk about how low scoring the game was, continue to mention that it was boring to watch. Let them be disappointed that the Patriots won the Super Bowl again. I am going to remember that this was a game for the record books. I will remember that this was some of the best defense ever played. I will be grateful that I was alive to experience Super Bowl LIII.