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23, 2017
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COVER
Photo courtesy of Mike Cimon Photo by Meg Taylor Bronson Photography
TABLE OF CONTENTS VOL. 83
NO. 17
FEBRUARY 23, 2017
NEWS
OPINION
BY JENNA MANTO PAGE 3
BY FAITH PONTI PAGE 17
AXO event aims to foster talk about domestic violence
Chance the Rapper kicks down doors for indie rap
Students create high-intensity workout company
BY BROOKE NAEKERTS PAGE 4
Nursing program ranked top in state BY ARDEN IGLEHEART PAGE 5
Self compassion: The best midterm study tactic
BY ANDREW FOERCH PAGE 18-19
Butts out for Trump: Don’t stoop to his level BY INDIRA MOOSAI PAGE 20
Russian contacts spell end for Michael Flynn
Christina Frederick is Miss Caribbean Pageant winner
BY BILL DELEHUNT PAGE 21
BY LUCIANA PAZ PAGE 6
A+E
SPORTS
Renaissance Festival comes to the Bay area
Rettig makes UT men’s basketball history
BY VERONICA GRAY PAGE 8
BY ELENA DE ALFREDO PAGE 22
Perspective: 2017 Academy Awards movie nominees
Spartans swim strong at SSC Championship
BY FRANK CALO PAGE 9
BY KATELYN MASSARELLI PAGE 23
Perspective: 2017 Academy Awards actor nominees
All-Star Game breaks another points record
BY JACOB TRASK PAGE 10-11
BY SIMON BRADY PAGE 24-25
Batter up: UT Baseball takes on Phillies at 1:05 p.m.
COVER
BY DEVON CONWAY PAGE 26
Remembering Hannah Cimon BY KATELYN MASSARELLI PAGE 13-15
UT Hockey wins SCHC Championship BY KIMBERLY CONROY PAGE 27
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NEWS
Students create high-intensity workout company
Photo by Harsh Rokad/ The Minaret HIIT ME UP: From left, Monty Berrow, Bryan Tissot, and Bay Downing pose in Boombox Fitness’s St. Petersburg location. These students started BoomBox Fitness, a high-intensity interval workout company founded for “young professionals, entrepreneurs, and people who are really motivated,” according to Berrow.
Jenna Manto Contributing Writer jenna.manto@spartans.ut.edu Thirty minutes. That’s all it takes for BoomBox Fitness instructors to teach a high-intensity interval workout, otherwise known as HIIT. When the elevator reaches the top floor of Station House, participants walk out onto the roof to a turf-covered platform. Fairy lights are strung above the area of the workout space, and standing on the platform one can look out across the cityscape during the workout. Monty Berrow, a junior international business and entrepreneurship major, began BoomBox Fitness in the summer of 2016 alongside his fellow friends and fitnessenthusiasts Bay Downing and Bryan Tissot. Both Downing and Tissot are also junior entrepreneurship majors. Downing and Berrow are also a part of UT’s soccer team. They all come from extensive fitness backgrounds as well. “We’ve experienced workouts all around Europe and
New York and different places in America and we wanted to bring an efficient and fun workout to the Tampa community,” Berrow said. Berrow also said that BoomBox Fitness helps to support their lifestyles and get them through college financially, and hopefully after college as well. On Feb. 18 at 10 a.m. BoomBox Fitness held one of their first workouts at their new location in St. Petersburg. While they were originally located at Skyhouse in Channelside, classes are now offered at their rooftop location at Station House, a multi-purpose building that focuses on building a community as a “progressive and hip epicenter for businesses and entrepreneurs from all walks of life,” according to the Station House website. Station House offers amenities such as coffee and tea stations, rooms for guests to hold events, and a co-working space and business club for networking. “This is the right type of community,” Berrow said. “What we want is young professionals, entrepreneurs, and people who are really motivated. We just thought this would be a great value addition to their community and a good fit for our image.”
While UT students have the option to visit the new gym on campus, Berrow said that they should come to BoomBox Fitness because they can get a great workout in a short period of time. “It’s more efficient. It’s a half an hour workout,” Berrow said. “There’s people in the community who are businessminded, who can be great contacts for when they leave and it’s just a great community. Everyone becomes friends from it and it’s just a whole enjoyable experience where it’s more than just a workout, it’s a great way to connect with other people.” Kardelen Ozsoy, a sophomore sport management major who works for BoomBox Fitness, said that she loves working there. She had previously worked out with the owners before working for BoomBox Fitness. “Great atmosphere, good workout,” is how Ozsoy describes it. All new-comers get their first class free; after that it is $20 per class or $120 for unlimited monthly classes. They also offer discounts for students and Station House members. BoomBox Fitness welcomes anyone of any experience level to take a class.
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NEWS
AXO event aims to foster talk about domestic violence
Photo by Kate Beeken/The Minaret PAINT THE TOWN: Students pose at Alpha Chi Omega’s Throw Paint Not Punches event on Feb. 16. The event was held to spread awareness for domestic violence and to make the topic more approachable to talk about.
Brooke Naekerts Contributing Writer brooke.naekerts@spartans.ut.edu Alpha Chi Omega hosted a Throw Paint Not Punches event to raise awareness for domestic violence on Feb.16 in Plant Park at 5:00 p.m. The event raised over $100 for the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay’s sexual assault services. The importance of the event was to highlight the issue of domestic violence in America and how to help those experiencing it in their relationships. The event was set up as an obstacle course in Plant Park. There were about 150 people in attendance ready to throw paint at each other and every fraternity and sorority on campus was represented. Elizabeth MacLean, a junior communications major and Vice President of Philanthropy of AXO, opened the event giving a speech about the severity of domestic violence today. In her speech, MacLean said that on average, every minute 20 people are abused by their partner, meaning that every year, about 10 million men and women are physically harmed in a relationship.
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MacLean also stated that not all abuse is physical. Forty-eight percent of women and 48 percent of men have experienced some kind of psychological abuse from a partner, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. This can include humiliation, controlling behaviors, embarrassment, isolation from friends or family, or breaking down their self-worth. Even several students who weren’t part of Greek Life attended the event. “This event was a great way to gather a variety of people to participate in a fun and worthy cause,” said Kate Kiely, a sophomore advertising and public relations major and member of Delta Zeta. “Paint Fight was a great way to spread awareness about domestic violence while also teaching us how to deal with certain cases and help those who might be experiencing an abusive relationship as well.” Once the event got rolling, everyone participating got covered in multiple patches of paint from their heads to their toes. There were multiple obstacle courses for attendees to participate in. Some courses consisted of blindfolded races, bucket tosses, paint tag and target frisbee. “It was really cool to see so many people come out and
support this cause,”said Daryl Last, a junior elementary education major and former member of Alpha Chi Omega. “I loved that this event made light of the situation -- it is hard for some people to talk about a topic like this; you never know who might be going through abuse.” Making domestic violence a more approachable topic was one of the things that were addressed during the event. Many people involved in relationships experience domestic violence every day and don’t know who to talk to or how to talk about it, according to the National Coalition on Domestic Violence. “I think it is important to address serious issues like domestic violence,” sophomore business management major Matt Pennacchio said. “Anyone can be a victim of abuse -- at any age, and I think that it is something that people should know how to talk about and get advice on how to fight against it. AXO’s event was a genius way to spread awareness and raise money for a cause that happens to millions every day.”
NEWS
Photo by Julia Albini/ The Minaret SAY “AHHH:” Madi Soto and Caitlyn Keville, both sophomore nursing majors, use a dummy to practice checking a patient for a stroke. The university’s nursing program was ranked best in Florida by registerednursing.org, reflecting the 100 percent passing rate the school has held for the past four years.
Nursing program ranked top in state
Arden Igleheart News Editor arden.igleheart@theminaretonline.com
For the first time, UT’s nursing program was ranked best in the state by registerednursing.org in early February. The ranking was based on the passage rate for the National Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), as well as how many students took the exam. UT’s passage rate has been 100 percent for the last four years, compared to the state’s rate of 84.57 percent, according to the Florida Board of Nursing. Last year, 48 UT graduates took and passed the exam. Suzanne Collins, BSN program director and associate director of nursing, cites several reasons as to why the program prepares students so well for the NCLEX. One is the fact that UT’s program is an integrated program, which means that each class builds on the material from the class before it. Collins also credits the program’s use of Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) tests, a system of exams based on the NCLEX-RN that students take after completing each nursing class to evaluate their progress. The ATI tests course-specific skills, as well as critical thinking, which according to Collins is a crucial skill for success on the NCLEX. Emily Vannay, a junior nursing major, said that one reason she thinks students do well on the NCLEX is because it is easy to form relationships with professors in the
program . “They work really hard to make it an environment where we feel free to ask questions and make the mistakes we need to make now, versus making them in the future,” Vannay said. Jeff Mahoney, ‘16, graduated from the program and is now a nurse at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. The recent ranking was only based on how students did on the NCLEX, and Mahoney said that while that is the only fair way to rank a nursing program, there are many aspects of being a nurse that aren’t tested on the NCLEX. The only way students can excel at practical skills is through experience or through watching excellent nurses, Mahoney said. “You’d have to go and watch that nurse and how they go about those skills,” Mahoney said. “The skills actually come with time. You’re going to graduate nursing school and still not be perfect at putting in an IV.” The nursing program is known for its rigour, but despite this, it has a 94.5 percent retention rate. Some students, while wishing they could have more of a social life in college, said that the difficulty of the program prepares them mentally for something that isn’t on the NCLEX -- coping with the stress of being a nurse. Nurses can work 12 or 13 hours a day with shifts during the middle of the night or early in the morning. “That’s something that I’ve also heard commented on before, is that UT nurses just seem to get it better and they cope with it better,” Mahoney said. “No matter how strong
you were in nursing school, it’s going to be hard. You’re going to feel like, ‘Was I right for this?’ at one point.” Paige Nelson, a sophomore nursing major, said that the competitive admission requirements might contribute to the high NCLEX passage rate because the school accepts only students who can pass. Students apply to the program after completing 10 prerequisites. They must have a 3.25 GPA or higher and have received a C or better on all prerequisites. Students must also write a personal statement about why they want to be a nurse. Director of Nursing Carol Botwinski said that admission is selective, but not to the degree that students think it is. The program typically receives 70-80 qualified applicants for 60 seats. Nelson actually likes that UT’s program is selective because she enjoys being among a group of students who are intelligent and passionate about nursing. She also said the selectivity contributes to the good reputation of UT’s program and thus makes graduates more employable. The program’s employment rate for graduates during one year is 100 percent. Collins believes that this ranking has already helped UT attract more nursing students and will continue to do so. “Parents have talked to me, and prospective students that come around with admissions, and we go on tour, they all have heard of that,” Collins said. “And I think the ranking is one that parents and families check before they start doing their college visits.”
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NEWS
Photo courtesy of Miss UT Caribbean Pageant/ Facebook CARIBBEAN QUEENS: From left, Miss UT Carribbean Pageant delegates Nhari Bryant, Christina Frederick, and Jalen Means pose at the contest after Frederick was crowned the winner. Frederick is from the U.S. Virgin Islands, and is a member of the UT Caribbean Dance Troupe.
Christina Frederick is Miss Caribbean Pageant Winner Luciana Paz Contributing Writer luciana.paz@spartans.ut.edu
Christina Frederick, a senior criminology major from the U.S. Virgin Islands, became the Miss UT Caribbean Queen 2017 at the Miss UT Caribbean Pageant and won a $500 scholarship on Feb. 19. Frederick was left in tears of happiness as she won badge after badge for Miss Popularity, Most Cooperative, Promoter Award, Best Creative Swimwear, Best Island Promotion, Best Talent and Best Evening Wear. This is the fourth year the pageant was hosted by The Caribbean Dance Troupe. It is made up of six categories: introductory speech, creative swimwear, island promotion, talents, question and answer, and a pre-pageant personal interview. The competitors were evaluated on grace, dignity, movement and position of composure. Participants were also judged on enthusiasm and nonverbal communication, as well as speech and creativity. “The mission of the Miss UT Caribbean Pageant is to promote and showcase the beauty, talent, and intellect of young Caribbean women of the University of Tampa and
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to increase self-confidence, public speaking skills, and creativity for future endeavors,” De’Quan Browne-Schmidt, a UT graduate student and founder and chairperson of the pageant, said. Since October of last year, Frederick had a challenging journey; from preparing for an interview to rehearsing choreography and speeches day after day. She was able to overcome these obstacles and claim her crown. “I am very proud of myself for this accomplishment and very grateful for the award. I am honored to be receiving this [title] and scholarship,” Frederick said. “I am everything Caribbean; I love my Caribbean Islands. To be a representative of the Virgin Islands in the United States is a big role; everyone looks up to me and when they see me, they see the Virgin Islands. I feel like I am promoting my island more in my school and Tampa community.” Frederick prides herself in being a member of the Caribbean Dance Troupe, the National Society of Leadership and Success and the Success Scholars program. She described herself as fun-loving, while at the same time emphasized she was focused on graduating this semester. “I plan to go into law school, or to start right after I graduate, [investigation] in a crime scene or forensics unit for the local police department. It has always been an
interest of mine,” Frederick said. “I grew up in a household with law enforcement, so it has always stuck with me and I find it very interesting.” Frederick said that the reason she initially chose to enter the pageant was outside motivation that pushed her to run. “It was mostly my family and friends. I was like, if they have faith in me, I should have faith in myself,” Frederick said. Frederick had many supporters at the pageant. Among her supporters was her best friend, Kimesha Barnes, a senior in Florida A&M University majoring in physical therapy, who also partakes in pageantry. Barnes explained that pageantry takes one out of their comfort zone and that showcasing one’s talents and abilities to an audience takes a lot of self confidence. “These pageants make you step out of your box. It challenges you, it teaches you how to get back up every time,” Barnes said. “Christina embodied these values; it has a lot to do with her culture, our culture. We are always taught no matter how hard it gets, keep going, keep pushing.”
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A+E
Renaissance festival comes to the Bay area
Veronica Gray Contributing Writer veronica.gray@spartans.ut.edu
Hear ye, hear ye! Come one, come all to the 39th Annual Bay Area Renaissance Festival. Meet King Henry VIII and Queen Catherine Parr in the village of Fittleworth and join the festivities with a lively cast of characters from nobility to peasants to fairies and mermaids. The festival has live shows, games and activities, heckling characters, and a wide range of food and drinks to try. The first thing I was greeted with was a sense of time travel. Once I stepped through the gates, everything I saw, minus a few uncostumed patrons, were styled from the Medieval Era, from the vendor booths to the signs pointing towards the nearest “privy.” I was thrust into the action as soon as the gates opened Photo by Leah Foreman/The Minaret with a Village Dance hosted by characters and GOOD MORROW: Vendors gather around the audience at the Renaissance Fair to show guests how to havee fun in Fittleworth. Activiother performers I continued to see throughout the ties consist of trying to throw a knife or axe , learn how to shoot an arrow and a crossbow and joining in a sword fight. day. Throughout the rest of my time in the village, characters such as the village dancers, the court are also a few manpowered rides or games to check members and even some guards interacted with me as which was extremely encouraging in the hopes of finding the perfect costume. There is were a few stands out including a large barrel rope swing and some fake a common villager as I passed by. around to help either braid hair in a Renaissance jousting. There was also an activity titled Medieval A slightly embarrassing example of these fashion or add a pair of pointy ears to finish off an Combat Training where you can learn to wield a interactions took place after I purchased a turkey leg elven or fairy costume. Food vendors were also not in sword or knife from professionals for free. Shows to eat. I had walked by some guards and stopped to short supply. are constantly happening all across the village where watch them interact with some of the other patrons Food and drinks at the festival ranged from stands you could catch dancers, live music, or several types when they took notice of me and immediately jumped with turkey legs and soda to meal plates and beer. The of comedy shows to enjoy while resting your feet. I into action. They talked with each other about how food stands were great places to grab some on-thehappened to catch a comedic acrobatics show after I it was unfair of me to be eating in front of them and move food including corn on the cob and turkey legs. had wandered around. Even before the performance “arrested” me by having me stand in a square they had I personally tried the turkey leg after finding it highly had begun the acrobats had started acting out their drawn in the dirt. Have no fear, the princesses stopped crazy characters, which included having one of the by and had them release me, of course after the guards recommended by the festival. The quick meal was a perfect fit for the day and the smoky flavor the meat female acrobats named Orange climbing up in a tree had me sing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” with my had was excellent, which made spending the cash that over some of the audience members. It was a silly little mouth full of turkey. The festival vendors also got in much more worth it. There were other stands with show, but it was definitely fun to watch. on the act. With each passing stand there were a few tacos or chili or other foods to try as well, which I Even though my time at Fittleworth is over for different calls from the tents, vying for the business thought was a clever way for them to appease as many now, I look forward to my next visit. The festival of those nearby. Those working the tents as well as of their patrons as they could. There were also places has something to offer every time with a new theme the different activities dressed and acted as the other like Pirates Galley where you pay a set amount of highlighted each weekend the festival is open. Future characters had in the rest of the festival. money for your choice of meal and Pepsi product and themes include Pirates & Pets and Time Traveler The vendors at the festival are not your typical fair get to sit in a tent to enjoy your meal. As for alcoholic weekend with special events each weekend. You could vendors. A majority of these vendors sold wares that beverages, there were a few pubs and taverns located have tea with the queen, or enjoy another ale tasting at were specific to being part of the Renaissance theme, around the festival that I passed by. The festival even Henry’s Happy Hour. For couples, there is a package from leather work to hand made corsets and jewelry features a Pub Crawl for patrons to join each weekend. for Renaissance Romance which includes two general tents. I was able to view a few of the really amazingly (Note: Pub Crawl costs extra and must be purchased admission tickets and a gourmet lunch. There are also done works up close in a vendor tent that sold hand separately from admission tickets) special balls after the festival closes for the day on two crafted leather accessories. The detailing the creator Apart from the food and the vendors, the festival different occasions for those looking to continue the went into these pieces went all the way down to the also has activities for everyone. There were a few renaissance fun. (Please note: some of these packages moving pieces of a buckle on a belt they had crafted. stands where I was tempted to try my hand at may not include general admission tickets) There were also several tents for those who are looking throwing a knife, axe, or throwing star. Near those The Bay Area Renaissance Festival is open rain or to get a henna tattoo or face painting. Some of my stands is a tomato throwing stand with one annoying shine every weekend, Saturdays and Sundays, from favorite tents had beautifully made cloaks as well as heckler who had made quite the show in trying to get Feb. 18-Apr 2 10 a.m.-6 p.m. in Tampa by USF and amazing costumes I could have purchased to dress me over to the stand. There was also a place where MOSI. the part while at the festival. The sizes, I found, had a wide range from children’s sizes to plus sizes in adults, you can shoot a bow and arrow or a crossbow. There
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A+E
Perspective: 2017 Academy Awards movie nominees Frank Calo Contributing Writer frank.calo@spartans.ut.edu The 89th Academy Awards will be airing Feb. 26. The granddaddy of all the awards shows, it’s Hollywood’s biggest night where they award the best in the film business. Each year, one movie always seems to have the momentum. Last year, it was Spotlight, and the year before that it was Birdman. Both films won Best Picture. This year is no different as La La Land is the overwhelming favorite to win most of the major awards from Best Picture to Best Actress in a Leading Role. La La Land is directed by Damien Chazelle and starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. It has won Best Picture and racking up the awards at every award show it has been nominated from the Gold Globes to the British Academy Awards. The film was nominated for a whopping 14 awards. It’s a record that is shared with Titanic and All About Eve. So going into Sunday’s awards show, many believe it will take mbook in Vegas have the odds of La La Land to win Best Picture at one in 12, meaning if you bet $100, you win $8. Other betting sites and sportsbooks had La La Land also as the favorite. The lowest I saw was four to one odds. It’s a shame, however, because it doesn’t deserve to win. Don’t get me wrong, La La Land is a very good movie. It’s no Crash–and I recommend if you haven’t seen it that you do– but it still does not deserve all the awards it is expected to receive on Sunday. Before I get into why it shouldn’t win most of the awards it is nominated for, I will say there is one that it definitely deserves: Best Directing award. Chazelle is a fantastic director who debuted with the markedly better Whiplash two years ago. It was another film that was up for Best Picture when it came out and more deserved to win that year than La La Land is this year. As it was much tighter film with a more original story and better performances. However, Chazelle should win Best Director as the film is shot beautifully and the directing is what makes the film standout. Without Chazelle’s direction, this film would have been your run-of-the mill musical. Despite Chazelle’s guidance, I don’t believe La La Land deserves any other major awards. The biggest reason, however, that La La Land doesn’t deserve the awards it is expected to win is that the competition it’s going against in most of the categories is just stronger. For the best acting categories, Stone is the favorite for actress and Gosling, while not the favorite for best actor, wouldn’t surprise anyone if he clinched the win. Both should not win because of the people and performances they are going against. They both give fine performances. I enjoy Stone very much in the film, but Ruth Negga (Loving) and Natalie
Portman (Jackie) both deserve it more than Stone. Both Negga and Portman tackle important historical figures with Portman taking on Jackie Kennedy and Negga portraying Mildred Loving. They both give a performance of reverence and bring everything they have to their roles, something that Stone doesn’t do for La La Land. She gives a fine performance and makes the most out of her role, but doesn’t reach the levels of Portman or Negga. The worst part of the nominations, however, is that the actual Best Actress Performance isn’t even nominated, most likely because Meryl Streep had to get her annual nomination.Amy Adams gave a great and emotional performance that is much better than Stone, and I would argue better than any other nominee, in Arrival. For Gosling, he has an uphill battle because of Casey Affleck, who should win for his reserved, but emotional performance in Manchester By The Sea. However, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Gosling wins, though his performance is the weakest of all the actors nominated, especially with Washington giving a great performance in Fences. The one category that La La Land deserves to win the least, but most likely will win because of the hype, is Best Original Screenplay. It’s coming off winning the same award at the Golden Globes, but the script is probably the weakest part of the film. It’s a story we have all heard before about two people in Los Angeles down on their luck that fall in love with each other. The only thing different, without giving it away, is part of the ending, but doesn’t really make up for the rest of the script. It’s a story told many times before and essentially the movie just says “look how great Los Angeles and Hollywood are.” The Academy loves to award themselves, which is another reason why the film is likely to win so many awards. The film’s completion is going against much tighter and original scripts.
Manchester By The Sea should claim the award for its dark, but original story. It also has the best written and acted scene of the year between Affleck and Williams. That scene alone is written better than anything from La La Land. For the biggest prize of the night, Best Picture, again, La La Land, is likely to take home the crown because it has won in every award show it has been nominated for. It’s not the best picture of the year, and by a long shot. For the nominees, Manchester By The Sea, Moonlight and Hell or High Water are all much better written, acted, original and deserving films for the award. The only thing that La La Land has over these three is the directing and score, but it’s very close. Moonlight should win for the great performances (there is not one bad performance in the film) and tells the story of a young African American kid growing up and dealing with a drug addicted mother while living in the slums of Miami, but takes that story in a much different direction. La La Land is not even the best musical of the year. That award goes to a little Indie film out of Ireland and my favorite film of the year, Sing Street. It’s a shame that it wasn’t nominated for one award. The story is something original set in Ireland in the 1980s, and follows a young kid in high school who starts a band. The music is much better in Sing Street than La La Land. La La Land is the throwback to 1950s musicals like Singin’ In The Rain and Oklahoma. So people love it and Hollywood loves it. La La Land will most certainly come away with the most awards on Sunday. It will win Best Picture, and if it doesn’t, and the Academy decides to surprise us, no one will be more shocked than me. Don’t be mistaken, La La Land is a well put together movie and enjoyable, but, the competition it’s up against in most categories are just better films.
Photo Courtesy of La La Lands/Facebook LA LA: The musical featuring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone has already reached a record only shared with the legendary Titanic and All About Eve. Individually, Stone is nominated for Best Actress, and Gosling is nominated for Best Actor.
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Perspective: 2017 Academy Awards actor nominees
Photos Courtesy of Disney Parks/Youtube IT’S ON: Casey Affleck is up against Denzel Washington, Ryan Gosling, Viggo Mortensen and Andrew Garfield for Best Actor at this year’s Academy Awards. Affleck and Washington are who fans are butting over when it comes to the massive impact their acting had in 2016’s modern film industry.
Jacob Trask Contributing Writer jacob.trask@spartans.ut.edu Until November, 2016 was summing up to be an extremely lackluster year for film. Superhero and Pixar films dominated the box office with underwhelming summer blockbusters. Films like Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad got terrible reviews, making fans incredibly skeptical about DC’s cinematic future. Kid’s movies like Finding Dory, Zootopia, and The Secret Life of Pets were some of the most liked films of the year. The year simply seemed like a bust until the critically acclaimed came to the rescue in the fall. Eight of the nine Academy Award nominees for Best Picture were released in November and December, including favorites Moonlight, Manchester By The Sea, and La La Land. The end of the year was littered with stellar films and an abundance of memorable performances, making this year’s race for Best Actor n intriguing. Over the last few years, we’ve seen little uncertainty of who would win the Oscar for Best Actor. Daniel Day-Lewis won for Lincoln in 2012. Matthew McConaughey beat out Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance in The Wolf of Wall Street in 2013 with his performance in Dallas Buyers Club. Eddie Redmayne’s depiction of Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything deserved the award in 2014 and DiCaprio rightfully got his first win last year for The Revenant. The winners have gone somewhat by the books, but this year, movie lovers find themselves with some interesting competition going down on Oscar
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FEB.23.2017 THE MINARET
night. It’s the classic tale of seasoned, veteran superstar versus the unassuming underdog. It’s the Rocky Balboa vs. Apollo Creed of the film industry. It’s Casey Affleck vs. Denzel Washington. Casey Affleck and Denzel Washington have had a massive impact in the abrupt turnaround of 2016’s film quality. Affleck’s role in Kenneth Lonergan’s extremely depressing drama, Manchester By The Sea, is easily the best of his career. He haunted audiences with his authenticity and relatability as a single man dealing with the death of his brother. Washington’s role as Troy Maxson in the cinematic recreation of the 1983 Broadway play Fences is equally as powerful. With the help of a fantastic supporting cast, he put on what may be his best performance since Training Day, if not the best of his career. It seems that the other nominees for Best Actor shouldn’t be much competition. Viggo Mortensen is nominated for an impressive performance in Captain Fantastic and Andrew Garfield for Hacksaw Ridge, but neither performance has received near as much attention or acclaim. Hypothetically, Ryan Gosling could sneak up and snag the win for his work with Emma Stone in the widely loved La La Land, but the Oscar should go to one of these two men. They both deserve it, and here’s why. AFFLECK
Casey Affleck’s rise to Best Actor consideration is one of the more humble stories among the Hollywood elites. Since the mid-nineties, Casey has worked under the shadow of his older brother Ben Affleck, who won the Oscar for Best Screenplay with Good Will
Hunting in 1998 and has been one of Hollywood’s biggest stars ever since. Casey stayed under the radar with a handful of roles in the early 2000s, appearing in the American Pie franchise and Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Eleven and Ocean’s Twelve. His biggest success came in 2007 when he played the role of Robert Ford in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. He received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, but lost to Alan Arkin in Little Miss Sunshine. Over the next eight years, Affleck saw some action, making his directorial debut with the disputed documentary about Joaquin Phoenix’s rap career titled I’m Still Here. He had small roles in movies such as Tower Heist and Interstellar. All the while, his brother was dominating Hollywood. Bottom line, Casey Affleck is the underdog, which is why this was the perfect time for him to make Manchester By The Sea. Lonergan’s self-written and directed film centers around Lee Chandler, a single man in his late 30s who learns that his brother has died of a lasting heart condition and he must handle the logistics. The movie follows Lee over the next few months as he travels back to his hometown of Manchester, searches for new living arrangements for his nephew, and deals with a mysterious past that haunts him. Through interactions with family-friends and his ex-wife Randi, we learn of the horrible tragedy that scarred Lee and pushed him out of the place where he grew up. The movie is incredibly sad and dark, but its authenticity and endearing characters are absolutely the movie’s redeeming quality. Affleck is simply fantastic. His portrayal of hopelessness in the face of
A+E ultimate tragedy is one of the most believable acting performances of the decade. He fits perfectly into the New England culture that is displayed in the movie, and has unbelievable chemistry with his supporting cast, including Lucas Hedges and Michele Williams. Simply put, his performance is one for the ages and is definitely worthy of an Oscar win. WASHINGTON
Denzel Washington is one of the most famous actors of all time, and one of the most successful black actors in Hollywood. Since 1988, he’s been nominated for six Academy Awards, winning in ’88 for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Glory, and in 2002 for Best Actor for his role in Training Day. This year marks his fifth nomination for Best Actor in his career, and his role as Troy Maxson may just be his best work yet. In 2010, Washington starred in a Broadway revival of August Wilson’s play Fences with co-star Viola Davis. The play did incredibly well, receiving nominations for 10 Tony Awards. It won three, including Best Revival of a Play, Best Actor in a Play (Washington) and Best Actress in a Play (Davis). Three years later in an interview with Empire, Washington expressed his desire to star in and direct a film adaptation of the play. In January of last year, production of the film went underway. Washington made sure that the movie stayed true to August Wilson’s original script, showing Troy Maxson in everyday life in 1957 Pittsburgh. The film acts as a character study, consisting of numerous rants by Troy in which he speaks of stories and life lessons that turned him into the man he is. All around him are his family and friends, who are constantly stuck listening to his babbling. The decisions he makes over the course of a year largely affect his family, and we see how he deals with the consequences. It’s as if this movie was brought down from the gods for Washington. Its structure is absolutely perfect for him to completely immerse himself in the role, and he does just that. Washington’s portrayal of Maxson is hauntingly on-point, and brings us right back to 1957. His constant enthusiastic monologues seem to go on endlessly, but never lose the audience, whether it’s a heated scene between Maxson and his son, or a playful, light-hearted scene with his wife Rose. The movie takes a hard left turn with its heavily dramatic conflict in the middle, and that is where this performance is solidified as one of Washington’s best ever. When needed, Washington’s poise and sheer talent completely takes over this film, immersing the audience in a powerful display of emotion. At times, his performance is shockingly good, and his development of Maxson’s character is a masterpiece. The film was absolutely a success for Washington, and could serve to be his best film of all time. His performance will be remembered for a long time as one of the best Broadway adaptation performances, and it surely locks him down as one of the two
favorites for Best Actor. As of right now, Hollywood is quite uncertain of who will win the Oscar for Best Actor. The internet has been buzzing with criticism of Affleck, based on allegations of sexual assault in 2010. Apparent incidents occurred on the set of I’m Still Here, but they were resolved later on that year after Affleck denied all claims. Some are up in arms about his nomination, and want the Academy to change its policies. Many are comparing his situation to that of Nate Parker, who’s rape allegations are said to have affected the reception of his film ,The Birth of a Nation. The Academy will give the award to the Actor they think had the best performance, as they do every year, regardless of the buzz and controversy that happens on Twitter. The Birth of a Nation was a flop, and Nate Parker’s performance was lackluster, which is why he did not receive a nomination.
If Affleck wins, there may also arise controversy over the recent Hollywood race issues. Many think this year should see more black actors winning awards, and it would make perfect sense with Denzel’s performance. The last few years worth of acting awards have gone mostly to white actors, bringing more attention to the desire for diversity. The thing that is being judged is the performance, not the color of someone’s skin. At the end of the day, the people voting need to look at Lee Chandler and Troy Maxson and decide which character was portrayed better. Although a Denzel Washington win would be a great for black Hollywood, a Casey Affleck win would be great for the underdog. With two stellar performances, the race will be incredibly tight. We’ll find out Feb. 26 at 8:30 p.m. ET who will take the crown as the best actor of 2016.
Photo courtesy of Fences Movie/ Facebook DUO: Denzel Washington stands with co-star and on-screen lover Viola Davis at the premiere of their 2016 drama, Fences. Originally playing the same couple on Broadway and earing 10 Tony Award nominations, Washington wanted to turn the script into a movie.
THE MINARET FEB.23.2017
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DIVERSIONS ON CAMPUS
OFF CAMPUS
FEB 24
FEB 23
Reeeves Theater 8:15 p.m. Free
Amalie Arena 87:30 p.m. $18+
Movie Night: Passengers
FEB 25
Softball v. Florida Tech
UT Softball Field 12 p.m. Free
FEB 26
Wind & Jazz Ensembles
Falk theater 2-4 p.m. Free
SUDOKU
Lightning v. Flames
FEB 25
Big Bay Beer Fest Raymond James Stadium 1 p.m. $10+
FEB 28
Twenty One Pilots Amalie Arena 7 p.m. $129+
websudoku.com
COLORING CORNER
STUDENT SUBMISSIONS
HE NOSE SOMETHING' IS UP What did the right eye say to the left eye? Something smells between us. - anonymous, senior
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printablesatozteacherstuff.com
FEB.23.2017 THE MINARET
IN REMEMBRANCE OF
HANNAH CIMON (1994-2017)
Photo courtesy of Mike Cimon
COVER
Photo courtesy of Hannah Cimon/Facebook WITH HONORS: Alumna Hannah Cimon (far left) celebrated her May 2016 graduation day with a few of her closest friends (left to right) Michelle Keesee, Kristin McKenna and Emma Bennett. Cimon graduated with a degree in public relations and communications.
Katelyn Massarelli Head Copy Editor katelyn.massarelli@theminaretonline.com Hannah Cimon never liked the weather in Laconia, New Hampshire, according to her father, Mike Cimon, but she loved the weather in Tampa. She loved the palm trees and the sun, he said. This was largely why she spent her four years at UT and stayed in Tampa after graduating in May 2016. “[UT] was an important part of her life,” Mike said. “She loved campus; loved the professors. She graduated with honors.” On Feb. 17, though, Hannah was found dead at the edge of West Parking Garage in the grass. Campus Safety blocked off the parking garage at 8:41 a.m. while the scene was investigated by the Tampa Police
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Department (TPD). TPD reported no foul play and tentatively ruled her death as a suicide. “None of us saw it coming,” Mike said of his daughter taking her life. “I’m somewhat in denial because this is so out of character for her and just the worst possible thing. I don’t understand and it’s too difficult to comprehend.” Hannah was the youngest of Mike’s four children at 23 years old. Her siblings and step-siblings loved her and had a tremendous bond, according to Mike. He said it was difficult for all of them when they learned of their sister’s passing. The family has received a lot of support on social media. Mike says his extended family has flown into New Hampshire from out of state. “We’re all just trying to get a laugh in and smile every now and then,” Mike said. At UT, Hannah studied public relations and
communications. Lisa Brock, adjunct professor in the communications department, stood out to Hannah most in her four years at UT, according to her father. “In my first class, she appeared as a shy, early junior but in her writing — it was a writing course — she unveiled her big dreams and her willingness to work for them,” Brock said. Hannah wanted to do meaningful work and didn’t want to be ordinary, according to Brock. Hannah took another course as a senior. As the owner of Brock Communications, Brock took Hannah on as an intern for her company. “I was a mentor and she was a willing mentee,” Brock said. “She sought feedback and was serious about being a young professional. Since she worked for a client, I often got feedback and she was working very hard and learning so much.” After Hannah graduated from UT, she accepted a
COVER position with Positive Coaching Alliance of Tampa Bay (PCA), according to Mike. He said she was fired from the company recently and also received a DUI in August 2016. Mark Sakalosky, Executive Director at PCA, released this statement: “Everyone at PCA who worked with Hannah Cimon respected and admired her. The details of her employment with Positive Coaching Alliance are confidential. Our heart goes out to Hannah’s family.” Hannah’s friend, Devon Nestel, a senior graphic design major, has fond memories of her friend. She said Hannah was filled with energy and that it was difficult not love her when they first met in 2015. “You could sit around in sweatpants and do absolutely nothing but have the best day ever because Hannah would keep you crying with laughter over the most simple things,” Nestel said. “Hannah was so perfect. Sunshine, really. She is family to [our friends], the most beautiful soul anyone would be lucky to know and love.” Hannah’s friend Kristin McKenna, ‘16, said every memory she shared with her friend was a happy one. McKenna said Hannah never failed to lift their moods. “Hannah is the person who, without a doubt, would bring a smile to any of our faces, no matter how we felt in that moment,” McKenna said. “She has a way of connecting with people that I don’t think any person on Earth will ever be able to do in the same way. She is the kind of friend that people only wish they could find. And I will always use present tense because although she may not be physically with us anymore,
she will always be one of my best friends. That will never change.” Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. and is the third leading cause of death from ages 1024, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Counseling services at Dickey Health and Wellness Center don’t offer services for alumni, but Connie McCullough, counseling services director, would encourage anyone to check their mental health resources page at https://www.ut.edu/counseling/ resources. She would also encourage alumni to consider local resources like the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay. “Transitional times are always tumultuous — reflect back to entering college,” McCullough said of post graduation life. “Students need to establish support and knowledge of resources as they start any transitional period.” Stephanie Russell Krebs, dean of students, encourages any students in need of counseling to reach out to Dickey Health and Wellness Center. She urges students to familiarize themselves with campus, local and national resources on suicide prevention and recognize the signs. “If you do happen to lose a friend or loved one to suicide, consider looking into ways to make their life and death have a helpful meaning to others,” Krebs said. “Avoid falling into the judgmental trap that suicide is selfish. The person who commits suicide is in extreme pain, and the friends and loved ones they leave behind are in extreme pain. Avoid feeling angry
Photo courtesy of Hannah Cimon/YouTube FAMILY TIME: Hannah shared this photo in a video entitled “Where We Love Is Home” made for a course at UT. In the photo, a young Hannah (far right) watches a baseball game with her mother, Ellen Cimon, and her brother, Alex Cimon.
and guilty. Instead, look at the ways of fighting and preventing that pain.” Hannah’s father reflected positively on Hannah and said she was loved by many. “We had a strong relationship and I loved her very much,” Mike said. “I would have done anything for her. Hannah was a special and happy person.”
Photo courtesy of Devon Nestel FRIENDS: Hannah’s family and friends remember her as someone who made everyone around her smile. Senior Devon Nestel said it was easy to love her.
Photo courtesy of Aly Swezey INTERNING: (Left to right) Hannah, Sarah Moore and Aly Swezey worked together at Brock Communications. Adjunct professor Lisa Brock led the internship.
THE MINARET FEB.23.2017
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OPINION
Self compassion: The best midterm study tactic
Photo Courtesy of Harsh Rokad/The Minaret DON’T STRESS THE TEST: Midterms week is one of the most stressful times in a college student’s career. Before losing sleep to cram for a test, take time to praise yourself and recognize your achievements.
Faith Ponti Contributing Writer faith.ponti@spartans.ut.edu I’m floating through that messy, chaotic mid-semester lull, and I don’t quite feel like a human as much as I feel like a robot that is mass-producing mediocre essays and halffinished assignments. It’s that Spring-semester-hump most of us are familiar with; all the assignments and projects that seemed a safe distance away are looming on the horizon, you’re running out of pens (where the hell do they all go?) and you’re averaging six hours of sleep a night and four cups of coffee a day. You’ve stopped wearing real clothes to class, you can’t find your hairbrush so you’re attempting to rock the same baseball cap everyday, none of your socks match and you tend to eat a balanced meal of Cheetos and celery sticks for most of your lunches. You feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day, not enough days in the week and not enough weeks left to get everything done that needs to get done by the end of the semester. You’ve got a massive hill to climb, and all you can think to yourself is, “why can’t D’s get degrees?” There are times when passing your classes seems impossible. You’re thinking that there’s no way you’ll be able to complete every project or study for every exam, and eventually, you start beating yourself up for taking too many naps or for not having three brains and eight arms with which to get everything done. You get down on
yourself for being confused during lectures or turning in a few assignments late. You start wondering whether or not you’re smart enough to actually attain your degree, and begin considering alternative career paths (magic school, anyone?) I have absolutely felt that way every single year of my collegiate career; however, I have successfully survived seven semesters of midterm panic, with each one becoming easier and easier to manage due to one gem of a lesson that I’ve learned and polished each semester. It’s not how to create the perfect flash card or how to read at lightning speed. In reality, it’s something that doesn’t have to do with academics at all. It’s self-compassion. Even though I’ve learned better study tactics and time management skills throughout the years, the ability to be kind and to go easy on myself has been my saving grace. At some point during college, I stopped viewing my inability to be the perfect student as a fundamental flaw in my makeup, and instead recognized my imperfections as inherently and beautifully human. I realized that taking four or five classes while working part-time is not easy, and I was obviously going to struggle through some things. Of course I was going to miss a lecture or two to finish a paper for a different class. Of course I was going to forget to write something down in my planner and miss a small assignment. And of course I wasn’t going to get a perfect score on every exam. I’d been holding myself to a truly impossible standard. So, if I got a less than perfect score on an exam, I started congratulating myself for doing the best I could do given
the time constraints. If my head started to hurt from staring at a computer screen for too long, I started letting myself take tea breaks. And if I didn’t do something perfectly the first time around, I started trying to learn from my mistakes instead of beating myself up for making them in the first place. I started recognizing myself as a human, instead of a student, first. And god, did that do wonders. The panic attacks decreased as my tea intake increased. I started giving myself grace and forgiving myself for being a human. When I take a class now, I consider it a success if I leave the class having actually learned what I was supposed to learn. Some of the most impactful classes I’ve taken didn’t translate to A’s on my transcript, and for some of the classes I got A’s in, I can’t tell you one thing I learned. You can leave college a fully competent, experienced individual even if your GPA isn’t squeaky clean. You deserve to be here, even when you feel like you’re drowning. You’re allowed to make mistakes. You’re allowed to be confused. Just take a lot of deep breaths, and do your best. Get enough sleep when you can, but when you can’t, try to love yourself a little extra the next day. Treat yourself after working hard. Forgive yourself after messing up. Show yourself the kind of compassion you would show your best friend. You’re a student, but you’re a human first. Remember that during the next couple of weeks. Spring break is right around the corner; you can do it, you magical human.
THE MINARET FEB.23.2017
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OPINION
Chance the Rapper kicks down doors for indie rap 18
THE MINARET FEB.23.2017
Photo Courtesy of Chance the Rapper/Facebook
OPINION Andrew Foerch Opinion Editor andrew.foerch@theminaretonline.com “Let’s do a good ass job with Chance three, I hear you gotta sell it to snatch the Grammy,” Chance the Rapper rhymes on “Ultralight Beam,” the introductory track to Kanye West’s album The Life of Pablo. Like Babe Ruth pointing up to the center-field bleachers at Wrigley Field, this was Chance preemptively calling his shot. Feb. 12, rap’s favorite independent artist followed through in major fashion, winning the Best Rap Album Grammy for Coloring Book, a project that sold exactly zero physical units – something no artist has ever done before. In addition to Best Rap Album, Chance took home Grammys for Best New Artist and Best Rap Performance, winning three of the seven awards he was nominated for. Coloring Book, Chance’s third solo project, was released without a label cosign on May 13, 2016 to Apple Music before spreading to other streaming services on May 27. Physical copies were not produced, and fans were never charged for the music. Coloring Book is, by definition, a mixtape; that’s what makes its Grammy victory so groundbreaking. For 58 years, the Grammys ignored mixtapes and other forms of unsold music. Before the mid-2000s, free, independent projects just weren’t valuable in helping artists break through to mainstream stardom. Ten years ago, if an artist wasn’t signed to a label or producing physical copies of their music to sell, it’s unlikely they would ever reach this level of success. In a 2014 interview with Rolling Stone, Chance discussed how the explosion of his excellent sophomore mixtape Acid Rap begged the question, “Cause I didn’t sell it, does that mean it’s not an official release?” Perhaps, he said, he might never drop a for-sale project. “Maybe I’ll just make my money touring.” Three years later, he’s reached the top of the rap game by doing exactly that. In fact, since he hasn’t released a traditional album, Chance hasn’t made a single cent from solo project sales in his entire career. When Coloring Book came out last May, streamingexclusive releases still weren’t eligible for consideration by the Grammy association. The industry already had an answer for Chance’s question: an unequivocal “no.” If physical copies weren’t sold, the project apparently didn’t deserve attention from the awards institutions. Today in the Soundcloud age, however, self-managed projects and mixtapes have become just as well crafted and just as far-reaching as traditional albums. With massively acclaimed projects like Drake’s So Far Gone, Wiz Khalifa’s Kush & OJ, Joey Bada$$’ 1999 and more, independent mixtapes have been established as a powerful way for emerging artists to build a loyal fan base and a professional reputation. Rappers like Drake, A$AP Rocky, Curren$y, Action Bronson, Migos and more have launched consistent and lucrative careers following this business model. In rap music particularly, direct and free distribution from artist to fan has become the norm. So why aren’t these mixtapes considered for awards and recognition alongside the rest of the music industry? For over a decade, the Grammys have paid no attention to free music. In a time when streaming has become the most popular method of music consumption (according to a 2017 Nielsen Report), it felt counterintuitive for an institution supposedly honoring the year’s best music to ignore streamonly work, especially in a genre so deeply influenced by
Photo Courtesy of Chance the Rapper/Facebook BLESSINGS: Chance’s “Coloring Book” mixtape made history as the first free project to be nominated for (and to win) a Grammy. The rapper took home three awards which sets precedent for other independent and label free projects to be recognized at the Grammy level.
streaming services. Artistic merit and musical celebration shouldn’t be based on whose single went platinum first or who was on Billboard 200 for the most consecutive weeks – it’s the same reason the fourth Transformers sequel doesn’t deserve Oscar consideration despite grossing over $350 million. If a project is truly masterful, the artist should be recognized whether they had the label attention necessary to market it as a professional album or not. Thus, Coloring Book’s victory is a sweet one for the new digital era of music and for independent hip-hop; a sign of possibility and optimism for the hopeful kids of rap releasing self-made songs and nonprofessional projects for free online. Chance’s soulful mixtape first made history just two weeks after its release, when it became the first streamingexclusive project to ever chart on the Billboard 200. Billboard’s formula equates 1,500 song streams from an album to one equivalent album “sale.” Coloring Book initially charted at No. 8, with 38,000 album sales – approximately 57 million total song streams. Immediately, the project was in talks among hip-hopheads as one of the year’s best releases. With Grammy season approaching after the summer, the technicality preventing Coloring Book from being considered due to the conditions of its release felt like a direct snub. The project was (is) overwhelmingly popular, and delivered some of the year’s best songs, such as “No Problem,” the catchy hit featuring 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne that would rule radio waves for the subsequent months. Passionate fans drafted social media posts and blog articles chiding the Grammys for falling so far behind the times and for once again ignoring noteworthy rap music outside of the top 40. Petitions went viral. The rap
community wanted to see Chance get some deserved recognition for his hustle. On Dec. 6, nominations for the 2017 Grammy Awards were revealed alongside the announcement of a categorical rule change to the awards procedures. Beginning that year, streaming-only content would be eligible for consideration by the Grammy association. Finally. As the new rules state, “Any album released physically, via download or streamed, is eligible. It must be streamed by a service that has a full catalog (multiple artists, not just one), has existed for at least one year and has a paid subscription option.” In theory, this suggests that a platform like Soundcloud, which just launched subscription service “Go,” could see releases eligible for Grammy consideration next year – a huge step in legitimizing the market for independent rap, amateur or professional. Seeing as the announcements were made in tandem and that Coloring Book was the only stream-exclusive album to earn a nomination, it seemed logical that the rule-change was a direct result of the project’s success. The Grammys claimed this was not the case, and that the rule change would have gone into effect anyways. Nonetheless, Coloring Book still feels like the defining factor, the single moment when the industry changed for good. Chance has adopted a true independent agenda, answering to nobody but himself and releasing music on his own terms – he’s the perfect spokesperson for the indie movement. He’s been a pioneer, leading the way for authentic independent yartists like Russ, Mick Jenkins and Run the Jewels. In any case, Coloring Book’s victory is a step in the right direction for the Grammys and an indication that independent, organic hip-hop might finally receive the commercial success it deserves.
THE MINARET FEB.23.2017
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OPINION
Butts out for Trump: Don’t stoop to his level Indira Moosai Contributing Writer indira.moosai@spartans.ut.edu
Since the inauguration in January, we’ve seen copious protests against our new president, Donald J. Trump. We’ve seen celebrities take action. For instance, Shia LaBeouf initiated a four-year constant live-stream, titled “HE WILL NOT DIVIDE US.” The project was described on its official website as “participatory performance artwork,” designed to encourage and celebrate peaceful resistance. We’ve seen women’s marches across the country, advocating for policies supporting issues such as women’s rights, immigration reform, LGBT rights and racial equality. On Feb. 13, a new type of protest emerged in Chicago -- an organized mooning at the Trump Tower. The protest was organized on a Facebook event page, presented by a group called S#!TSHOW. The event was titled Operation “Kiss Our Asses, Release Your Taxes!” The facebook group page states: “In 2006, a Maryland state circuit court determined that mooning is a form of artistic expression protected by the First Amendment as a form of speech. Donald Trump doesn’t think the American people want to see his tax returns, so let’s show him that we do in the classiest way possible! Meet at 3:30 PM at Trump Tower, right in front by the riverside. At the crack of 4:00 PM (pun intended), we’ll pull down our pants for a whole 10 seconds and send a powerful message to the Washington elites.” As stated, people believe that Trump needs to publicly release his tax returns, and they want to send the message in the “classiest way possible.” According to The Washington Times, some wrote messages on their rear ends saying “Dump Trump.” Others chanted, “Tell me what democracy looks like! This is what democracy looks like!” and proceeded to expose their behinds. It makes sense, considering that many believe him to be classless and disrespectful. With this logic, shouldn’t we be classless and disrespectful in return? It seems to be the only language he processes. Therefore, sending a message in a demeaning way should catch his attention. It is a funny idea, and I’m sure it caught his attention. However, this means we are changing ourselves and our moral compass to adapt to his presidency; we are stooping down to his level. After the mass mooning, Trump still did not release his tax returns. The chairman of the House Ways and Means, Rep. Kevin Brady, told reporters at CNN that his panel will not ask Trump to release his tax returns as he believes that “privacy and civil liberties are still important in this country.” If there’s one lesson to take away from this, it’s that authority figures are not always the best characters. Sometimes, they aren’t figures to be idolized. We shouldn’t degrade ourselves for him; we should show
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Photo Courtesy of Matthew Robey/Flickr FULL MOON: Hundreds of people gathered in Chicago on Monday, Feb. 13 in an organized mooning of the Trump Tower. This act was a way of protesting the 2016 presidential election and an effort to get Donald Trump to release his tax returns.
him what class is, and why it is something to be admired. If there is something the people want to know, we must spread the message in a civil manner. We are all humans; we want to be treated with respect, and the best way to
gain respect is to give respect. Please, let’s set an example for the America we want to live in.
OPINION
Russian contacts spell end for Michael Flynn Bill Delehunt Contributing Writer william.delehunt@spartans.ut.edu
Retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn resigned from his position as National Security Advisor Feb. 13. He held the position for a record 24 days; the record being that his time was the shortest tenure ever in that office. The last issue of The Minaret enumerated the actions and subsequent lies which got Flynn his walking papers, but the story hasn’t quite ended. It has been well documented that Flynn inappropriately shared classified data in 2010, so it is not difficult to believe he would have an inappropriate relationship with Russian diplomats and high government officials in 2016. Republican lawmakers seem less concerned with Flynn’s actual antics than the newly public nature of those antics. They have called for investigations of the FBI and the intelligence agencies that brought Flynn’s possibly illegal contacts with America’s most dangerous enemy to light. This seems odd, but it’s true. Trump tweeted, “The real story here is why are there so many illegal leaks coming out of Washington?” One wonders what makes this leak illegal. Trump has gone on record, through White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, saying Flynn left office for lying to Vice President Mike Pence, not for his inappropriate conversation with the Russian Ambassador to the United States. This begs the question, why is releasing the transcript of Flynn’s conversation with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak an issue? If he was not doing anything illegal, if he was simply having a conversation to wish the Ambassador happy holidays and there was no release of classified information, then releasing a transcript of that call should not be any more important than one of your calls to mom and dad at Christmas. However, it has been alleged, perhaps Flynn was conducting U.S. foreign policy as a private citizen by discussing America’s sanctions against Russia, discussing secret information with foreign government agents. That would be a criminal action, and letting the public know of a crime involving a man who has access to the most highly classified information within our government is important. Now, which is it, President Trump? Either this was the release of an innocuous phone call, or it was the release of a transcript containing evidence of a crime. If government Republicans think sharing information with Russian spies is important, you wouldn’t know it from some members of Congress. They are much more focused on the leak. CNN reports the following: “I want to hear from the FBI as to how this got out,” Rep. Devin Nunes, the California Republican who chairs the Intelligence Committee, told reporters. “We don’t even know if this is true. We just know this from press reports.” You would think the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee could request a briefing from FBI Director James Comey instead of speaking to reporters. Why wouldn’t he do that? Why are the Republicans so reluctant to investigate Flynn and his relationship with
Photo Courtesy of Gage Skidmore/Flickr YOU’RE FIRED: Retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General Michael Flynn frowns at a campaign rally for Donald Trump in Phoenix, AZ. Flynn resigned last week from his position as National Security Advisor after allegedly sharing classified information with Russian officials.
high ranking Russian officials? There could be several reasons. Perhaps Republican lawmakers don’t want to know what Flynn and other members of Trump’s team have been doing with officials over the past several years. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, former chairman and CEO of Exxon Mobile Oil, has long-standing business ties in Russia. His former company stands to make billions in profits by partnering with Russian organizations to explore near the Arctic Circle. Who within the Trump administration - perhaps starting at the very top of the chain? - could benefit from that relationship? Paul Mannafort, former Trump campaign manager, also had business dealings with Russian contacts and frequently was in contact with Russians during the presidential campaign. He denies any involvement in illegal or nefarious activities. “This is absurd,” he said. “I have no idea what this is referring to. I have never knowingly spoken to Russian intelligence officers, and I have never been involved with anything to do with the Russian government or the Putin administration or any other issues under investigation today.” He added, “It’s not like these people wear badges that say, ‘I’m a Russian intelligence officer.’” That’s exactly the point – high ranking U.S. officials within the government or merely representing those who wish to be should realize any
Russian contact is either a formal or informal agent of Vladimir Putin. But, there is a more troubling reason why the Republican Party is dragging its collective feet in investigating the Trump administration’s connections with the Russian government. Trial attorneys are taught to never ask a question in open court that they don’t already know the answer to. Do certain Republicans within our government already know what is hidden under the rocks of the Trump administration? Is that why they are so hesitant to begin an investigation of Flynn, because they know where it will lead? At the same time, do the Republicans really think this story is going to go away? Is their memory so short that they have forgotten the Watergate hearings and how long they lasted; broadcast every day on all three major networks? It was enough to bring down the presidency of Richard Nixon. The Republicans need to quickly embrace a thorough and independent investigation of Flynn. There is every likelihood more people within the current administration will be investigated. The sooner a detailed investigation is conducted and the truth brought to light, the better for the Republican Party, the Trump Administration and the United States of America. THE MINARET FEB.23.2017
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SPORTS
Rettig makes UT men’s basketball history Elena De Alfredo Contributing Writer elenadealfredo@spartans.ut.edu Senior small forward Austin Rettig became the first nominee in UT men’s basketball history to be a part of the 2017 Dark Horse Dunker Fan Vote Contest, released on Feb. 14.
“It was a surprising feeling being selected, especially because I was notified the day the voting started,” Rettig said. “What I expect to get out of this process is to be able to utilize my marketing degree and apply strategy to boost my likeliness of winning—I am in it for the experience both ways.” In order to be eligible for the Dark Horse Dunker Contest, collegiate athletics administrators must submit the players to participate on this competition. The official
Photo by Sideya Dill/The Minaret
HE’S GOT HOPS: Senior forward Austin Rettig takes the court during the Spartans home game against Barry University. Rettig will look to use his high flying arsenal during the Dark Horse Dunk Challenge.
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rules state that participants must be in good standing academically and in process to graduate at the end of the 2016-2017 school year. Also, contest members should be players who are 18 years old or older, have completed their eligibility and are legal U.S. residents. Once the potential participants are presented, is the contest’s sponsor, State Farm Insurance, and its administrator, Intersport, Inc., who select the contestants from the options offered. The committee picks the players based upon their skills, academic performance, college career statistics and leadership qualities. Rettig is UT’s co-captain, and is also one of the offensive keys for Tampa as he averages 12.5 points per game (ppg) and 3.1 rebounds per game (rpg), shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from beyond the arc. UT’s communications department followed up Rettig’s flying abilities throughout the years and decided to sponsor him as candidate for this event. “It is our job to identify all of the ways to promote our student-athletes,” Assistant Athletic Director of Athletic Communications Tom Kolbe said. “We provided clips leading up to the official release, which allowed him to be ultimately selected—It continues to be a group effort in terms of promoting the contest and getting out the vote on his behalf.” The Dark Horse Dunk Contests consists of four voting periods, where fans would be able to free vote once per day on multiple devices at the conest’s website. First voting period: From Feb. 14 at 12:00 p.m. to Feb. 21 at 12:59 a.m. The first round includes a bracket with all 16 players selected, arranged in two groups of eight players who are paired up on one-to-one match-ups. The players who finished with the most valid votes from each match-up will be the one who passed on to the next round. Second voting period: There will be a total of eight players who advanced to this round. Fans will be able to vote on the website out of the first-round winners from Feb. 22 at 12:00 p.m. to March 1 at 11:59 a.m. Third voting period: A total of four players will make it to this third round. Individual participants will be featured in the same website where the voting period will be available between Mar 2 at 12 p.m. and Mar 9 at 11:59 a.m. Fourth voting period: Two players make it to this round. The winner will be determined from the player who has the most valid votes between March 10 at 12:00 p.m. and March 17 at 12:29 a.m. The player who ultimately earns the most votes from the last head-to-head match-up will be selected to compete in the State Farm College Slam Dunk & three-point Championships. The best college high-flyers and sharpshooters will participate on this annual event held in the Final Four host city. The contest will be broadcasted live on ESPN during the Final Four Weekend in Phoenix, March 30 at 10 p.m. Rettig is looking to be the second Sunshine State Conference (SSC) representative on winning the State Farm Dark Horse Contest, as guard/forward Yunio Barrueta from Barry University is the reigning champion. “I am always working on my jumping ability, so I guess it is safe to say that I am already working on my dunks,” Rettig said. “I am definitely going to seek advice from other high flyers on my team to expand my arsenal.”
SPORTS
Spartans swim strong at SSC Championship Katelyn Massarelli Head Copy Editor katelyn.massarelli@theminaretonline.com The men’s and women’s swim teams took off for Orlando to compete at the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) Championships Feb. 16-19. Overall, the women finished second with a score of 783 and the men finished third with a score of 659.5. Going into the SSC Championship weekend, men’s head coach Jimi Kiner saw this as the chance to test the waters and see what UT would be up against at the NCAA Championships, which take place next month. For some swimmers, it would be their last chance to compete this season as a Spartan. “The conference is strong and really good competition,” Kiner said. “We’ll be seeing a lot of what’s coming at nationals because it will be a lot of the same swimmers.” On Feb. 16, UT had three individual medalists. Junior Tommy Reminger received third place for the 1,000-yard freestyle, sophomore McKenzie Street placed second for the 200-yard Individual Medley (IM) and senior Marisa Barton won first place in the 50-yard freestyle. The women’s 200-yard medley relay reached second place with a time of 1:43.68. Reminger clocked in a time of 9:16.52 and is excited to see what else he will be able to accomplish before the season ends with nationals. “The NCAA Championship meet is going to be a ton of fun and I am looking forward to every second of it coming up,” Reminger said. Day one ended with the men in fourth place with 140 points, trailing behind Florida Tech, Florida Southern and Nova Southeastern. The women locked in second place overall with as score of 179, right below Nova Southeastern. The second day, the women took over the lanes with Street coming in second place in the 100-yard butterfly, locking her time in at 55.06, a new school record. Two of the women’s relay team placed in the top three with the 400yard medley relay placing second and the 200-yard freestyle relay placing first. The women apart of the winning relay team were Barton, sophomore Brittany Murphy, freshman Megan Waddell and freshman Molly O’Hara. Together the girls locked in their time at 1:33.81 a top time in SSC this year. Being her senior year, Barton was ready to compete and see her teammates and herself swim fast times. She was ready to compete against rival teams like Nova Southeastern and Florida Southern, which her relay team beat. The SSC Championships have only excited her for what’s to come with the NCAA Championships. “I definitely know I need to focus on a couple more things such as coming off the walls,” Barton said. “We will all be ready for NCAAs in a couple weeks.” After day two, the men stayed secure at fourth place with 282 points. The women kept their place at second, inching closer to Nova Southeastern with 408 points. Day three ended with four medalists, one being freshman Sean Rodney placing first in the 100-yard butterfly, securing a time of 1:47.43. Junior Brittany Bayes placed second in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:58.53. Street and sophomore Victoria Horsman placed third in the 100-yard
breaststroke and 100-yard butterfly. The women’s relay team for the 800-yard freestyle relay placed second with an overall time of 7:33.44. Junior Sophie Long, who competed with the relay team, used her races over the weekend as a chance to see where she was in her training and what times she was reaching. “It’s also good practice for NCAAs by letting me practice my racing tactics and it’ll let me know what I have to improve on,” Long said. The day had ended with the men stepping up to third with a score of 471.5. The women kept second place with a score of 604. The last day of the conference, three swimmers placed in their individual meets with Barton and freshman Ethan Harrington placing third in the women’s 100-yard freestyle and the men’s 200-yard backstroke. Street ended the day with second place in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:16.32. The women’s 400-yard freestyle relay placed third with a time of 3:27.22.
The weekend ended with the men coming in third overall with a score of 659.5, trailing behind Florida Southern and Nova Southeastern. The women maintained their second place standing with a score of 783. With the end of this season’s SSC Championships, the training begins for the swim teams next meet in Birmingham, Alabama. March 8-11, the men and women will compete in the NCAA Championships. Senior Martin Hammer,captain of the men’s team, thought both teams competed well through the SSC Championships, especially swimmers who, instead of placing, improved personally. Even through the bad races, it can all be fixed in the few weeks the team has to prepare for nationals, Hammer said. “This year’s team has been the best team in terms of being a fully united team, they have taught me so much, and I wish them best of luck in the future,” Hammer said.
Photo Courtesy of Tom Kolbe
DIVE IN: Senior Martin Hammer dives in the pool during a home match against Nova Southeastern University. The Spartans had a very succesful SSC Championship match, with both the men and women finishing in the top three.
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All-Star Game breaks another points record
Photo Courtesy of Jamaal Al-Din/Flickr PUTTING ON A SHOW: Cleveland Cavaliers’ point guard Kyrie Irving finishes strong at the rim during the All-Star game. Irving is coming off the clutchest shot of his career against the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals and will look to lead his team to another championship.
Simon Brady Contributing Writer simon.brady@spartans.ut.edu The brightest stars of the NBA gathered in New Orleans for the most exciting event of the NBA season this weekend, NBA All Star Weekend. From Friday to Sunday night, a number of challenges and games were on display at the Smoothie King Center. On Friday night the 17th, the weekend kicked off with the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge. This is a friendly exhibition game compiled of the NBA’s most talented first and second year players. The teams are divided by players born in the U.S, and players born in other countries around the world. The World squad outlasted the USA squad in a high scoring affair, 150-141. Denver Nuggets rookie and former seventh overall pick in last year’s NBA draft Jamal Murray took home MVP honors in the game. Murray tallied 36 points, including nine three pointers. The most jam-packed action followed on Saturday night, as three major events took place. The first was the Taco
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Bell Rising Stars Challenge. In this ultimate test of basketball skill, four big men and four guards completed a timed competition that involved ball handling, passing, speed, and shooting, in that order. The participants for the big men were second year player of the New York Knicks center Kristaps Porzingis; four time all star power forward Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans; center Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets; and three time all star center DeMarcus Cousins, formally with the Sacramento Kings, and now a New Orleans Pelican as of last Sunday night. On the flip side, the guards in the competition were the NBA’s second leading scorer Isaiah Thomas of the Boston Celtics, talented one time all star Gordon Hayward of the Utah Jazz, all star point guard John Wall of the Washington Wizards, and second year Phoenix Sun Devin Booker. Porzingis rose above the rest out of the big men, displaying his plethora of skills that make him look like a guard despite standing at 7’3”. For the guards, Hayward set up an intriguing final, consisting of two of the NBA’s most promising young players. In a tight final, Porzingis represented the big men as he defeated Hayward to take home this year’s Taco Bell Skills
Challenge title. Following the skills challenge, some of the game’s top snipers competed in the JBL three-point contest. Of eight total participants, three advanced to the final to compete for the three-point contest title. The five players who came up short of the final were Toronto Raptors three-time all star guard Kyle Lowry, who scored just nine; Portland Trailblazers guard CJ McCollum, who scored 10; Dallas Mavericks guard Wesley Matthews, who scored 11; Los Angeles Lakers guard Nick Young and last year’s three-point champion Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors, who each came up just one point shy of advancing with 18 points. As for the finalist, Cavaliers guard and four time all star Kyrie Irving, Charlotte Hornets guard and one time all star Kemba Walker, and Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon, who ranks 4th in total 3 point field goals in the NBA. Former New Orleans Pelican Gordon proved he had an advantage in being familiar with the gym, as he beat Irving and Walker to win the JBL three-point contest. The final Saturday night event, usually the most exciting of them all in the Verizon Slam Dunk Contest, was rather dull this year. The event had plenty of hype building up to it
SPORTS
Photo Courtesy of Jamaal Al-Din/Flickr ALLEY OOP: Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook talks to the media about his alley-oop slam from former teammate Kevin Durant. Westbrook and Durant have reportedly been on bad terms ever since Durant left the Thunder for the Warriors this past summer, but maybe after that dunk their beef is settled.
because Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon decided to return and participate two years in a row. In last year’s dunk contest, he pulled off many dunks that left the Toronto crowd in awe. This time around, Gordon appeared to be pressing and ultimately failed to give the fans a good encore. He missed his first three straight dunk attempts as he used an Intel Drone to drop the ball to assist in his dunk. The stunt backfired as Gordon failed to advance to the final, disappointing the NBA fans who were expecting an outstanding encore from him.. With Gordon eliminated, the final consisted of small forwards Derrick Jones Jr. of the Phoenix Suns and Glenn Robinson III of the Indiana Pacers. Many fans weren’t familiar with these two young players prior to Saturday night, but after the show they put on I think their names are here to stay. With an impressive double pump dunk while also leaping over two people, Robinson III beat out Jones Jr to claim the victory in the Verizon Slam Dunk Contest. Discussion of changes to the contest’s format has taken place in the
aftermath of the underwhelming dunk contest. The weekend of events culminated Sunday night with the 66th NBA All Star Game. The top 12 players from the western and eastern conference competed in the game. In the juiciest and most drama filled subplot of Sunday night’s game, former Oklahoma City Thunder teammates small forward Kevin Durant and point guard Russell Westbrook played on the courtas teammates for the first time since last season. The two haven’t spoken to one another since Durant signed with the Golden State Warriors this past offseason. Durant chose not to call Westbrook to tell him he was leaving Oklahoma City. A week prior to Sunday night’s game, Durant returned to his old stomping grounds in OKC as a Warrior. In the second half of the game, the two exchanged some heated words trash talking one another. Coming into Sunday night, everyone was on the edge of their seats to see how these two former teammates would interact with one another at the height of their controversy. In the middle of the first quarter, just like old times,
Durant threw an alley oop to Westbrook who dunked it home. A timeout ensued following the connection between the two, and the western conference bench humorously celebrated the play as Durant and Westbrook smiled, enjoying a brief moment as teammates again. Sunday night’s game was also highlighted by multiple broken records. The teams’ combined 374 points was the most in all star game history. This is a trending broken record as it’s the fourth straight year that the all star game point total has been broken. In the first quarter, the teams combined for 101 points, the most points in any quarter in all star game history. And New Orleans Pelicans forward/center and four time all star Anthony Davis’ game high 52 points broke Wilt Chamberlain’s 1962 all star game point record of 42. Davis’ record breaking performance earned him All Star Game MVP. This was certainly a fitting and special honor for Davis, doing it in his hometown of New Orleans.
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SPORTS
Batter up: Spartans take on Phillies at 1:05 p.m.
Photo Courtesy of Tom Kolbe MOW THEM DOWN: Junior right handed pitcher Cody Martin throws a pitch during last year’s exhibition against the Philiadelphia Phillies. Martin was fortunate enough to pitch in last year’s exhibition, as he will look to mow down major league hitters once again this year.
Devon Conway Contributing writer devon.conway@spartans.ut.edu UT baseball is set to take on the Philadelphia Phillies on Feb. 23 at 1:05 p.m. at Bright House Field in Clearwater.FL. UT students are able to purchase tickets on the Tampa Spartans website and can use the coupon code “SPARTANS” for discounted tickets. Tickets can also be purchased on the Philadelphia Phillies’ spring training website. For transportation to the game, UT is offering a 57 passenger bus provided for students. The bus leaves from Martinez Center at 11:30 a.m. Seats are first come, first serve. The game should end around 4:00, and the bus should arrive back to campus at around 5:00 p.m. This year will be the Spartans’ third time playing the Phillies. In 2015, the Spartans became the fourth collegiate team in history to beat an MLB team in spring training, beating the Phillies 6-2. In 2016, the Spartans fell short 8-3.
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The UT baseball team looks forward to the game against the Phillies each year. “It is an honor to play against an MLB team since that’s every baseball player’s dream,” said senior shortstop Kevin Santa. “It gives you an idea of how different the game is at the next level and how difficult it is to hit the ball from a pitcher in the MLB. We just enjoy the moment and we do our best to compete against them.” The UT baseball players experience a change of pace playing the Phillies. They are able to use wooden bats like the MLB players do, compared to using an aluminum bat at the collegiate level, and they get a chance to interact with MLB players. “Last year, we got a tour before the game and we got to meet the Phillies manager Pete Mackanin and the starting pitcher for last year’s game, Jeremy Hellickson,” Santa said. Head coach Joe Urso looks forward to playing the Phillies each year. Urso believes playing the Phillies is beneficial for his team because the experience is unprecedented. “I think it’s every player’s dream to play in the major league and not many players will ever get that chance,” Urso said. “For our players to be treated like major leaguers for
one day, in a major league clubhouse with all the perks that go along with it, I think it’s great for them to see what it’s all about.” The players value the experience they gain from playing an MLB team. “When we play a college team, it’s more like a little crowd and you know most of the people that come to the games,” Santa said. “Against the Phillies, there is a greater amount of people and is the crowd is louder, so every time they cheer, you get the chills and it pump you up, it motivates us. It’s an awesome feeling.” Santa has high hopes for his team against the Phillies in the upcoming game. “I was not apart of the team in 2015 that beat the Phillies, but it is an honor to play for a team that beat an MLB team already, and you never know, maybe it will happen again,” Santa said. After the exciting game against the Phillies, the Spartans are set to take on the Barry University Buccaneers in Miami Shores, Fl in a three game series on Feb. 24 and 25.
SPORTS
UT Hockey wins SCHC Championship Kimberly Conroy Contributing Writer kimberly.conry@spartans.ut.edu After a long season, the UT hockey team has been named Southern Collegiate Hockey Conference Champions. UT claimed the title after big wins over Florida Atlantic University, University of Central Florida and rival University of South Florida. The team entered the tournament at the No. 3 seed, with a SCHC record of 6-3-1. After the win, the team also received a bid to play at Nationals in Columbus, Ohio. The team began bracket in the quarterfinals playing against the Florida Atlantic University Owls, and took the game 5-1. UT scorers included senior Alex Carde (Defense), sophomore Logan Underwood (Right Wing), junior Matt Antonacci (2) (Left Wing), and freshman Greg Silverman (Defense). The team then moved up in the bracket to play the UCF Knights in the semi-finals. After splitting the series with the Knights (winning a 5-4 game in Orlando, followed by a 6-1 senior night loss), the team was ready for revenge. The winner of this semi-final game would not only advance to the championship, but would most likely receive a bid to Nationals, so tensions were high. At the same time, No.5 ranked USF was against No.1 ranked FGCU on the other side of the bracket competing in the semi-finals as well. The team assumed the championship would be a rematch against Florida Gulf Coast University. This wasn’t the first time the two would have seen each other at the championship, FGCU defeated UT last year. But an upset win by USF motivated the team to take the win over UCF.
“It’s a long-standing rivalry. USF gave us our first game when we formed as a team seven years ago and we have played them every year since then. In the past two seasons, we are undefeated against them,” said head coach Stephen Kucera. The Spartans took the semifinal win after six goals to claim the bid to Columbus. Goal scorers included junior Jake Peterson (2) (Defense), Antonacci (2) (Left Wing) , graduate Student Larry Adegoke (Center), and junior Tommy Duddy (Foward). UT was then pitted against USF for a rivalry championship. The team competed for #battleofthebay and quickly took the lead within minutes. From that point, the Bulls were trying their hardest to catch up. High scorer of the game, Antonacci collected his 50th goal of the season, making him third in points in the nation. The team took the game 6-3 and for the first time in history, brought home the SCHS trophy. “Scoring my 50th goal was a great feeling,” Antonacci said. “It is a goal that I set for myself at the beginning of each season. But at the end of the day, the most important part of the season has just begun. everyone that’s playing at nationals has 0 goals and 0 assists.” The Spartans finished with a 9-3-1 record in the SCHS. “Quite simply, I am thrilled for the guys. Especially our graduating seniors who have worked so hard to get to this point,” Kucera said. Not only has the team been accelerating on the ice, but also in the classroom. The team as a whole just completed their ninth consecutive semester with a cumulative GPA of 3.1. Next up they will be headed to nationals in Columbus, Ohio. This is the second consecutive year that the team will be competing for the national
championship. The games will be taking place from March 9-19 at OhioHealth Chiller Ice Rinks and the Ohio Health Ice Haus at Nationwide Arena. “The ultimate goal is to win the National Championship so myself and the team will put that past us and look to prepare for the big tournament in March,” Antonacci said. After this weekend’s regional games, the team will know who is in their pool. During the DII Reveal Show, the Spartans were said to be the only “surprise” to receive an auto bid. This year, the Spartans will be going into the tournament to earn respect from not only opponents, but the ACHA.
S
PARTANS
TANDINGS MEN’S BBALL
16-10 WOMEN’S BBALL
15-9
MEN’S BASEBALL
7-2 WOMEN’S SOFTBALL
8-2 MEN’S LAX
3-1 WOMEN’S LAX Photo Courtesy of University of Tampa/Facebook CHAMPS: UT Hockey poses after winning the Southern Collegiate Hockey Conference Championship. The Spartans finished with an impressive SCHS record of 9-3-1.
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