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News
Tuesday, February 14, 2012T
From malt shops to fancy dinners
How Valentine’s Day traditions have evolved throughout the years ELISE KONERZA
assistant news editor The lost group, and their take on Valentine’s Day in the 1950s, marked the representation of how we spend the love-aff licted holiday today. Our grandparents idealized romance in the 1950s through the images of bobbysoxers, malt shops and sock hops. Their own form of “courtship” soon became what we know today as, dating. Courtship was first introduced in the 1920s. A male would show up at a woman’s house, present his card and the woman would decide to accept his call through letting him into the house or rejecting with an excuse for why she cannot see him. If she accepted, refreshments and the soft melody of the parlor piano usually accompanied conversation. If you were “going steady” with your boyfriend or girlfriend, you could expect a Valentine’s Day date. The most popular places to go were cheap, yet fun, still ref lected in today’s traditions. The most popular places were ice cream parlors, pizza parlors, drive-ins, bowling alleys, coffee houses and record shops, according to a September 1959 issue of
Seventeen magazine. In the ’50s, it was understood that the male would pay for the date. The concept of Dutch dating, or splitting the bill between the couple, was not acceptable in the 1950s. Today, due to tough economic times, Dutch dating is considered acceptable and used frequently. Orchids seemed to be all the rage in the 1950s for our grandparents. Prices for f lowers ranged from $1.50-$10 depending on the kinds of f lowers. A tuxedo rental cost roughly $10, with carfare, gas and entertainment, the date would add up to about $25-$35 for the male. The same value could not be reached today. Females would spend anywhere from $10-$45 for the dress and accessories. “Necking” and “petting” were two coined terms used by our grandparents during “courtship.” “Necking” was referred to as caresses above the neck. “Petting” referred to caresses below. These terms are no longer used. Handmade gifts and Valentine’s Day cards were appreciated and valued in the 1950s. Mass-produced cards were still a big hit, which could correlate with the commercialism of the modern Valentine’s Day.
The Denim Market For the month of February
• courtesy of donna and bill dirnberger News Editor Megan Kadlec’s grandparents on their wedding day during the era of courtship, sock hops and malt shops.
Today, chivalry still may exist, but only if you find the right guy. A male is expected to spend about $124 on his date, while a female is expected to spend about $79, according to Seattlepi. com. Flowers are still a Valentine’s Day postmark
gift, sometimes accompanied by sweets from their sweet. Valentine’s Day traditions have been handed down through the generations. This romantic holiday borders the line of cheesiness and com-
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mercialism. To avoid the phenomenon that is holiday commercialism, think about making a card for your significant other or going old school and baking cupcakes for that special someone.
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Tuesday, February 14, 2012
News
Singled out
Reporter • Page 3
Cheap Date?
Valentine’s Day without a date Valentine’s Day on a budget MEGAN KADLEC
MADELINE GREENE
news editor
staff writer
This time of year can make any single or unattached person feel partially down. With flowers, candy and plans of romantic evenings being the talk of most people right before Valentine’s Day, I know it is easy to fall into the trap of feeling like you are missing something important. So, if you are single and completely dreading this holiday, I have some tips and ideas for making this Valentine’s Day one to remember. So, while many of your friends who are in relationships will be spending their evening out and about with their special someone, there are still plenty of things you can do in order to enjoy the evening. Try not to spend the holiday alone wallowing in sorrow. Invite your friends over for dinner and a movie. Surround yourself with people you care about. Make a fun dinner from scratch, bake a few sweets and enjoy the company of your friends. There are so many great romantic comedies out, but if you are unsure of what to choose, Valentine’s Day is always a safe choice. Grab a bite to eat and go bowling with friends. It doesn’t partially matter what activity you choose to do, remembering that you do not have to be in a relationship to have fun is the most important thing. Spending a little time outside the confines of your home will
megan kadlec • msu reporter Buying Valentines from a store can provide some elementary school nostalgia as well as showing love to your friends.
be a nice break from schoolwork, and it will allow you to spend time with friends. Have a Skype date with friends from home or even your family. Valentine’s Day is not just about spending the day with your sweetheart. I like to think of it as a day to celebrate all of the people you love in your life. My favorite thing to do is have “Skype Dates” with friends and family who are far away. This allows you to see their face as you talk to them (which is way better than the telephone). Plan a time with friends and family, and you’ll have an instant mood booster once Valentine’s evening rolls around. Want to spread some love to friends and family? Pick up a box of Valentines from the local grocery store. Yep, just like when you were little, you can choose which cartoon character you want
to share with your loved ones. Add a little personal note to remind them that you care and you are sure to make someone’s day. If you have a little bit of extra time on your hands, homemade Valentines are always a fun craft to produce. All you need is a little bit of construction paper and a few markers, and you are set to go. No matter what you decide to do this Valentine’s Day, just remember to spread the love. It’ll make the day feel a lot warmer for those who don’t have a sweetie pie to share it with. This holiday wasn’t created to hurt those who are unattached but meant to celebrate the love of so many people around the world. Try to keep your spirits up this Valentine’s Day and remember to spread the love, Mavericks.
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Going on dates can be tough on a college student’s budget in general and on Valentine’s Day, individuals are almost forced into going out with their significant others. While individuals can spend copious amounts on these dates, it only takes a few tricks to keep the date in a more reasonable price range. Skip the fancy restaurant and pick up some groceries to cook for that special someone. Not only will they think it’s incredibly romantic, but it will also cost far less. Add some candles and mood music and you can create an intimate dinner that will yield a better experience than a crowded restaurant on Valentine’s Day. Handmade cards are the perfect alternative to Hallmark classics. Buying a card can cost up to $5, a lot of money considering the card will most likely be thrown away in two weeks. Instead, take a few minutes to gather some markers and paper to create a one-of-akind creation for that special someone. If you have the supplies readily available, it will cost nearly nothing to make a thoughtful card your beau will keep for years. Choose flowers wisely. Not only are red roses the signature flower for Valentine’s Day, they are also the most expensive. Chances are that roses aren’t even your significant other’s fa-
vorite flowers. Opt for a cheaper flower. If you still want the look of red roses without the price tag, buy a bouquet with a few roses in the center surrounded by other, cheaper flowers. Instead of buying chocolates, grab a box from the baking aisle at the grocery store and spend some quality time in the kitchen making cupcakes, brownies or cookies for that special somebody. Spending a few dollars and 30 minutes will pay off when your date swoons over the homemade sweets. Consider celebrating Valentine’s Day a day late. For those in a long distance relationship, this is easy. For others, it may take some convincing, but it’s definitely worth it. Flowers, candy and other Valentine’s Day-specific gifts will be sold at largely discounted prices. Instead of going to a movie theatre to see the latest romantic comedy, kick back and find a film on Netflix. For those individuals who don’t have Netflix, check local television listings for showings of romantic movies or rent a DVD from RedBox. Instead of paying upwards of $8 per movie ticket, you’ll spend $1. Bonus: If you want to kiss during the movie, there will be no one around to stop you. Staying on a budget for Valentine’s Day can be tough, but if you know the right tricks, you can give your significant other exactly what they want without breaking the bank.
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Voices Tuesday, February 14, 2012 www.msureporter.com
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THE POWER OF TWITTER
(BY APPARENTLY NOBODY THIS VALENTINE’S DAY) STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
Has the ability to name every player to rush for 1,000 yards over the last 10 NFL seasons.
See strengths...
Kyle Ratke @Kyle_Ratke
Has roughly 0% muscle. +/- 3%
Knows most words to every Taylor Swift song. Wait, why is this a strength?
“Today
EIC
is
Valentine’s Day. Does
anyone know of any good video games coming out?”
Knows most words to every Taylor Swift song. Wait, why is this a weakness?
If you need someone to make a situation completely awkward, BASIC INFORMATION nobody is better than this guy! NAME: KYLE ROBERT RATKE HEIGHT: 5’9 Has the ability to blend in with WEIGHT: 145 LBS LAST SEEN: WATCHING THE VOW a group of fourth graders. BY HIMSELF IN A MINNEAPOLIS MOVIE THEATER
His last girlfriend was on The Sims. Christian hagen @ChristianJHagen
He has more sports jerseys than polos and dress shirts combined.
Web Editor “Just finished Mockingjay. I can’t lie, that was a deeply moving series. The prose in this book was far above what
I
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“I don’t plan on doing anything. I’m planning on having a normal Tuesday.”
“Driving back to the cities, picking up some flowers, getting a hotel and spending a quality night with the Mrs.”
“I’m going to give the prettiest girl in the CSU a present and take my friends to lunch.”
“I just broke up with my boyfriend. So, I’m having a bottle of Vodka and watching ‘The Vow.’”
Sophomore, Community Health
Sophomore, AET
Freshman, Chemistry
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Tuesday, February 14, 2012
News
Reporter • Page 5
Congressman Tim Penny Minn. school board could change bullying policy discusses early education at Thursday lecture ELISE KONERZA
assistant news editor Republican congressman Tim Penny visited the Minnesota State University, Mankato campus Thursday at 5:30 p.m. As the foundation leader of Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, Penny seeks to improve the educational system and funding in 2012. With about 20 schoolteachers and psychology students in attendance, Penny touched on the basics to a child’s lack of reading skills and how schools can utilize the foundation for grants issuing programs for child reading. Penny noted that 47 percent of children are not proficient in socialemotional skills; things like sitting still are not fully developed yet. Fortynine percent of children are not up to par with their language literacy and are not ready to enter school at the age of five. Penny discussed two programs and the implementation of a new computer system for children in schools. The BookStart Program wraps its concepts around the idea that every child deserves a book of their own. Literacy awareness was brought about when books were brought into lowincome neighborhoods allowing families to take one book home with them to encourage reading. The books were donated and issued by a grant from Capstone and SMIF. In 2011, SMIF had launched a new partnership with ABDO Publishing. Within the first year, the organization had put 2,400 books into the hands and homes of children attending SMIF’s AmeriCorps LEAP early childhood sites. The program allowed children to take a book home with them; the child would then receive additional books as an incentive for routine home reading, which Penny urged is necessary to a child’s success rate in reading. The Young Explorer Computer Systems was another point Penny touched on. SMIF has been working with IBM Corporation for the past five years. Together, they have provided 192
Young Exploration Computer Systems to local early childhood organizations. These kid-friendly computers help children learn basic skills like counting, colors, teamwork and taking turns at the computer. Through the grant program, SMIF will distribute the computers and provide teacher training on how they can incorporate the system into the classroom environment. Penny introduced the idea of community planning programs where parents, teachers and neighbors will have the ability to discuss what student needs are currently not being met within the school community. A very new program, called “Parenting Matters…” introduces the idea that the parent is the first and foremost teacher to any child. Penny realizes that 75 percent of mothers work outside of the home, while 94 percent of fathers work outside of the home as well. The program is slowly being implemented in Waseca and Fairmont but should be implemented in other cities in the future. SMIF had invested more than $81 million in southern regional schools of Minnesota since 1986. Included was $34 million for programming, $23 million for loans and $24 million for grants. SMIF not only supports childhood development efforts, but is also a strong supporter of local entrepreneurs in creating and growing strong businesses that provide quality jobs and have a positive local and regional economic impact. Penny stresses the idea that implanting local companies into the classroom will allow for economical awareness for small businesses trying to strive in southern Minnesota. At the end of the meeting, students and teachers who were in attendance asked questions on what Penny thought they could implement in their classroom. Some questions asked urged that grants focus on how children could learn in a more innovative and creative up-to-date scale, where children could usher in learning workforce tactics.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The school board in Minnesota’s largest school district was preparing to vote Monday night on a replacement for a policy that requires teachers to stay neutral when issues of sexual orientation come up in class but has been blamed for fostering bullying. The proposed “Respectful Learning Environment” commits the Anoka-Hennepin School District to providing “a safe and respectful learning environment for all students.” It acknowledges that contentious political, religious, social or economic issues may come up in school. When they do, it says, teachers should not attempt to persuade students to adopt or reject any particular viewpoint on those issues, but should foster respectful exchanges of views. It states that in these discus-
sions, staff should affirm the dignity and self-worth of all students, regardless of race, gender, religion or sexual orientation. The proposal was unveiled at a Jan. 23 school board meeting after an earlier revision attempt left all sides unsatisfied. If the board adopts the proposal, the new policy would take effect immediately. The district’s teachers union has endorsed the policy change. Julie Blaha, president of the Anoka-Hennepin local of Education Minnesota, said the union has proposed some minor wording changes for clarity but they’re not deal-breakers. The district is the target of two lawsuits over the old policy, which says the topic of sexual orientation isn’t part of the curriculum and is best addressed outside the schools, but that if the subject comes up
during student-led discussions, teachers are to remain neutral. Critics say the neutrality policy hampers teachers from effectively preventing bullying of students who are gay or perceived as gay. Supporters of keeping it include parents who believe homosexual conduct is immoral and don’t want their children taught otherwise. The policy has been under fire since six students in the district committed suicide in less than two years. The district has about 38,500 students and 2,800 teachers in the northern Twin Cities suburbs. U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven Rau has scheduled the next round of settlement talks for March 1-2 in two lawsuits filed by students, former students and parents against the neutrality policy. Both sides have been keeping those discussions confidential.
Leadership Scholarship Five $1,000 scholarships will be awarded for the 2012-2013 academic year. Scholarships will be award based on: • Leadership and Service Experience • Personal Statements • Recommendations Applications will be reviewd by MSSA Scholarship Committee. Applications available in CSU 280 • For more info visit: www.mnsu.edu/mssa
Deadline: March 16, 2012
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Page 6 • Reporter
News
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Japan Night bridges culture gap
Japanese Intercultural Association seeks to raise money, display culture JUAN AYALA
staff writer Last Saturday, after four years absent, Japan Night returned to the Minnesota State University, Mankato ballroom. Organized by the Japanese Intercultural Association (JIA), tickets for Japan Night sold out the night of the event, with more than 300 tickets sold. Michiko Namba was in charge of the Tea Ceremony that took place at the end of the night. “I was very surprised tickets sold out, we weren’t expecting that [many] people,” said Namba. According to JIA President Satomi Sugiyama, Japan Night was a way to render thanks for the money raised after the Japan tsunami and earthquake. “We were looking for some method to show our appreciation for the money raised after the disaster in Japan,” Sugiyama said. At end of the 2010-2011 academic year, JIA did a thank you campaign, but they didn’t see all the people that donated for the Japanese cause. “We were looking for a good opportunity, so this is a good time,” she said. More than 10 thousand dollars was raised. Japan Night started with a brief introduction from
Kuma Takamura about the differences between Japanese culture and American culture. Takamura was born in Shimonoseki, Japan, and came to the United States in 1980. Takamura was supposed to stay only three months, but he received a research grant from a national science foundation and was awarded a three year research at Stanford University. During that period of time, he met his wife. Today, Takamura is the education director of the Greater Mankato Diversity Council. He was invited by Sugiyama to participate in Japan Night to talk about the difference between the cultures. “I would say human attitude in a sense, but it is all my opinion. To me, for Americans to be Americans you have to self-promote, but in order to do that, you have to express your opinion,” Takamura said. “Japanese, we are totally opposite because we are a group of people that try to work together in a sense.” During the tsunami and the earthquake, there was almost no looting in Japan compared to other countries where people steal food in the supermarkets, according to Takamura.
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To Takamura, the fact that Japanese culture always stick together, comes from the traditional Japanese agriculture society where people used to work together as a community so everybody can get a benefit from it. “If in the United States, you say something a lot of times you get served. I call it ‘squeaky wheel gets oil,’” Takamura said. “In Japan,
if you are noisy you get hammered down because you are sticking out, and we are supposed to be all together. Why do you want to stick? We should be all the same.” Takamura used to attend a lot of meetings with Americans where he used to sit quietly listening to what everybody had to say. He was always waiting for his turn to speak, just to
realize the meeting was over. “In American meetings, if you are quiet, you lose your chance,” Takamura said. “Because I didn’t speak, people label you.” Japan night also included a karate performance, different musical acts and the fashion show. A typical Japanese launch meal was served, though no sushi was served.
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juan ayala • msu reporter Michiko Namba performs a Japanese tea ceremony at Saturday’s Japan Night. The event aimed to raise money and bridge Japanese and American cultures.
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August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012 • web photo
ALEXANDER RYAN ROUNDTREE
staff writer
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alent is a word that is often thrown around to illustrate promise in an upcoming singer. Something that may potentially break to the big time or just as well flounder to be forgotten among other promising talent. True talent however is something that is a gem in itself; something that comes around rarely but is never forgotten. Whitney Houston, who died Saturday afternoon at 48, was a true talent, one that will never be forgotten. The time of death was 3:55 p.m. (PST) at the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel. Houston was born Aug. 9, 1963. In the ‘80s she became a fashion model and notably appeared on the cover of the magazine Seventeen. In 1985, she released her self-titled debut album Whitney Houston. It was at the top of the Billboard charts for 14 weeks in 1986. The album produced three No. 1 singles including “Saving All My Love for You,” “How Will I Know” and “The Greatest Love of All.” Today, the album itself has sold more than 25 million copies certifying itself as one of the best-selling albums of all time. At the 28th Grammy’s she was nominated four times and won once for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Female for “Saving All My Love for You.” Her sophomore album, Whitney, which was released in 1987 saw the singer once again topping the charts. It also set records remaining No. 1 on Billboard for 11 consecutive weeks and racking up a total of 24 cumulative weeks at No. 1, being the most for a female artist during the 1980s. She also achieved success in having her first four singles from the album “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me),” “Didn’t We Almost Have It All,” “So Emotional” and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go,” go No. 1. She
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Kevin Costner. It was the second highestgrossing film worldwide in 1992. The soundtrack to “The Bodyguard” was a universal smash hit. It spawned the hit singles “I Will Always Love You,” “I’m Every Woman” and “I Have Nothing.” Whitney Houston also became the first female artist to have three songs in the top-20 at the same time. It has sold more than 44 million copies worldwide, certifying itself as the best-selling soundtrack of all time as well as one of the best-selling albums of all time. The single “I Will Always Love You” was certified four-times platinum making her the first female artist to reach those sales numbers ever. In addition, she received three Grammy’s at the 1994 ceremony, including Album and Record of the year. Houston went on to star in successful films such as “Waiting to Exhale” and “The Preacher’s Wife.” Her 1998 album “My Love Is Your Love” was a success as well as her most recent and last album “I Look to You”, which was released in 2009. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts and went on to sell 2.5 million copies worldwide. With her success, she also endured her share of hardships; drug addiction being a standing problem in her lifetime. But let us remember Whitney for the greatness she achieved throughout her life, triumphs that were reached and boundaries that she hurdled over. She was more than records that were broken and more than her music. She was a voice that touched millions and undoubtedly inspired many. Reports of the cause of death are starting to come to fruition, but the final reason still remains unknown. What is known is that Whitney Houston was a remarkable woman and singer; an icon that transcended both music and movies and became something much greater. What she accomplished and who she was will never be forgotten. A true talent she was.
OUSTO then outdid The Beatles and The Bee Gee’s by having a total of seven consecutive No. 1 songs by a performer on the charts which at that point was unparalleled. She also won another Grammy at the 1988 award show for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Female for “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me).” The album went on to be certified ninetimes platinum in November of 1995. She was ranked No. 8 in Forbes magazine for highest earning entertainers, while also being the highest earning African-American woman on the list. Her third album “I’m Your Baby Tonight” was released in November of 1990 and although not as successful as her first two efforts, it garnered sales that made the album go four-times platinum. At Super Bowl XXV, Houston performed the Star Spangled Banner. This performance was notable in that the United States was in the Gulf War at the time. Her rendition of the National Anthem was acclaimed and was the only performance of the Star Spangled Banner to become a top-20 hit. Houston was named to the Red Cross Board of Governors after donating her share of the song’s proceeds to the American Red Cross Gulf Crisis Fund. In 1992 she moved her way to the big screen starring in “The Bodyguard” alongside
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‘The Artist’ Oscar-Worthy?
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JAMES HOUTSMA | staff writer
have not yet seen The Artist. This is not a review. I would very much like to see The Artist to get an idea of what people are talking about. I hope I like it. But whether I’ve seen it or not now matters about as much as trying to predict who will win the Oscar for Best Picture: It doesn’t. For you see, it’s already been pre-determined that The Artist will indeed win Best Picture, and now the only relevant thing to do is explain the unflattering reasons for that. For those who don’t know, The Artist is a black and white, silent movie about a silent film star struggling to adjust to
the age of talking pictures. It has won the Golden Globe for Best Comedy/Musical, the BAFTA for Best Picture and various other awards. Critics love it. Audiences privileged enough to see it apparently love it (when they’re not demanding their money back once they realize it’s a silent movie). Almost everything points positive, and in a year of such anemic Oscar competitors like War Horse, The Tree of Life, Moneyball and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, victory seems even more inevitable for The Artist. But even if this year had a more worthy roster of competitors, there’s one reason The Artist would still win. It’s an element that always tips the scales in
OSCAR? / page 8
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Page 8 • Reporter
A&E
OSCAR? “Weinstein has a knack for getting many of the movies he produces nominated for (and winning) awards, whether they are worthy of it or not.”
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Koza & Coffee EMRE ERKU | staff writer
continued from 7 its favor, as it has in years past to some chagrin: Harvey Weinstein. Harvey Weinstein is movie producer and a controversial one at that, most of which comes from his temper and his Oscar campaigning. Along with his brother Bob, Weinstein started Miramax films and in 2005 formed The Weinstein Company. Weinstein has a knack for getting many of the movies he produces nominated for (and winning) awards, whether they are worthy of it or not. Here are just a few noticeable examples that have drawn ire in the past: Remember Saving Private Ryan? You know, that movie that showed the grittiness of WWII like none before it while adding a human story behind it. Remember how it lost Best Picture to Shakespeare in Love, a movie Weinstein produced? Extrememly Loud and Incredibly Close is directed by Stephen Daldry, who, in 2008, directed The Reader. Loud (no involvement from Weinstein) is one of poorest critically received Best Pictures noms ever, and The Reader (Weinstein involvement) was not that far behind it in that regard. The anger comes from the derided film being given the fifth Best Picture nomination slot over two far more favorable contenders from that year (The Dark Knight and Wall-E). The King’s Speech is a great movie, don’t get me wrong. But in 2010, a year that gave us The Social Network, a gripping society story about our time, and Inception, a masterpiece of writing, technical achievements and vision, The King’s Speech looks a bit unspectacular in comparison and, in a fair world, probably shouldn’t have won Best Picture. But that’s how he does it. Many of his contenders are bait. Casseroles full of basic elements and formulas Academy voters love, are familiar with and will
vote for, without any real edge or intent to try something new. And (at least from someone who hasn’t seen it) that very much seems to be what The Artist is. I mean, how much more basic and familiar than a black and white, silent movie can you get? Then there’s the campaigning itself. Years ago, the Oscars restricted their campaigning rules specifically because of Weinstein’s aggressive methods. This is the part where things get “ranty”. The Golden Globes have already been outed as corrupt (seeing as their advisors openly accept gifts from hopefuls). I would go as far as to say the only difference between the Globes and the Oscars is that the Oscars have not yet been outed. Meaning many important people have been bought (lunch) at one point or another. Of course, the reason behind such manipulations is obvious. See, movies that have their name associated with the Oscars (especially Best Picture) have this little habit of making a lot of money from ticket sales if released during the awards season. Much as the Oscars are a ceremony celebrating the years “best” (arguable), it’s also become an investment opportunity. The Artist is probably a really good movie deserving of praise, and maybe it’s the best of the year. Or maybe not. Maybe it’s overblown to an extreme degree, and there’s a chance The Descendants or Hugo could pull a surprise win. But it’s not likely. Just by definition The Artist is tailor made for awards consideration. And we’ve reached the point where it doesn’t matter what movie truly represents the best of the best, but which one is pitched better and caters the most to the Academy voters. The thought of which may ultimately cast a shadow on what could be a good movie.
• web photo
The grinding of fresh cof-
fee beans, the golden glow of burning candle lights, and the talented Mr. Chris Koza singing through a microphone with the voice of a canary. Quite a scene, indeed. This was the atmosphere of the Coffee Hag Thursday night, with a gallery of pop culture mounted on the brick walls surrounded by colorful painted flowers and folk songs in the coffee roasted air. Koza’s music fit the scene like a favorite pair of jeans with 100 dollar bills in the pockets. His poetic style captured a taste of originality and talent because his lyrics portray a reflection of life and self. “My lyrics are a sense of longing, and they’re about my artistic self and thoughts,” explained Koza. But there is more to Koza’s music than that. Through his Thom Yorke-like voice, which is never out of key, he can paint the picture of an entire
season of the year. And this is exactly what his goals were. Just this past year, Koza and his band, Rogue Valley, created four albums that portrayed each season of the year, a seriously crafty concept. “Our goal was to create a concept album by writing a book, telling a story, and the problem was there wasn’t enough room for one album to do that for the seasons,” said Koza. So why not make four albums for every season of the year? Brilliant. To think that this concept has been thought of before is quite far-fetched. It is completely genuine and original and in the musical world of today it is all about stylistic authenticity. Koza believes as so. “My concentration and focus to driven towards developing my stylistic identity. I am intentional about style.” Stylistic identity is what makes an artist stick out from the rest of the minnows in the pond. Koza is the Koi fish and his scales are bright. That means he does stick out and his voice is the main reason why. He could almost be singing opera at Carnegie Hall. Well, maybe not that far, but he certainly can hit those high notes with ease, and anyone who listens will certainly be impressed. Everyone in Coffee Hag seemed to enjoy to him thoroughly as every one of his songs was followed by a zoo of applause and a choir of cheering whistles. You can follow Koza’s music at www.chriskoza.com
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Sports
MSU Track and Field: Senior Megan Olson finished in sixth place at the NSIC Multi Championship. Olson stood out in the 60-meter hurdles, taking first place with a time of 8.09. MSU Wrestling: Junior Jesse Westphal is this week’s NSIC Wrestler of the Week after a 2-0 weekend against U-Mary and Northern State.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Head to themsureporter.com for the full MSU wrestling weekend recap.
www.msureporter.com/sports
MSU FINALLY TAKES OUT THE BROOMS
Yes, it was against lowly Alaska-Anchorage, but it was on the road and the Mavericks’ first conference sweep of the season. JOEY DENTON
staff writer
MSU AA
The Minnesota State, Mankato men’s hockey team had a first this season: a sweep on the road. The Mavericks swept the University of Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves last weekend, prevailing 3-2 on Friday and 2-1 on Saturday. “Overall, this weekend went well. We played two gritty games and it was nice to get a sweep on the road,” said senior forward Justin Jokinen, who had one assist in Friday’s game. This was the Mavericks’ first conference road sweep dating back to the 2008-09 season, when they defeated Michigan Tech in a two-game series. In Friday’s game, MSU got a lot of help from senior forward Mike Louwerse, who tallied two goals, including the gamewinning score at 9:42 in the third period. Freshman defenseman Mat Knoll and junior forward Eli Zuck were credited with the assists. “Mike played well on Friday,” Jokinen said. “It was good to see Women’s Hockey
3 MSU 2 AA
2 1 Tech Huskies just went on a scor-
him get a pair of goals.” The Mavericks started Friday’s game behind 0-1 after UAA scored the game’s first goal on a power play tally by Matt Bailey. In the second period, the Mavericks bounced back and took the lead with two even-strength goals from Louwerse, his first goal of the game, and sophomore forward Johnny McInnis to give the Mavericks a 2-1 lead. Then at 5:36 into the third, the Mavericks watched their lead disappear when Scott Warner scored a power-play goal to tie the game at two. Then it was Louwerse’s time to shine, as he notched his second goal of the game, third of the season, rebounding a Knoll shot and tapping it in. Saturday’s game started out pretty similiar to last Saturday’s nightmare, with an early goal by MSU junior forward Eriah Hayes at 2:47 in the first period, then UAA answered right back with an even-strength goal by Bailey. Last weekend, the Michigan
ing frenzy after the Mavericks scored an early goal. This time, the Mavericks held the Seawolves to just the one goal. “On Saturday, when they tied it up, we knew we just had to keep working hard and getting shots on the net,” said Jokinen. After a scoreless second period, the game was tied at one, until freshman defenseman Zach Palmquist fed a breakaway pass to senior co-captain Michael Dorr, who had a one-on-one matchup against UAA’s goalie Rob Gunderson. Dorr won. “Anytime you get a sweep on the road it’s pretty important,” Jokinen said. “We are playing some good hockey right now and we need to continue to do that.” The Mavericks, now 12-19-1 on the season, will be welcoming last year’s NCAA Champions, the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, for a two-game showdown at the Verizon Wireless Web Photo Center this weekend. Senior forward Mike Dorr notched the game-winner Saturday night against Alaska-Anchorage. Dorr now has seven goals and 17 points.
Maverick seniors step up in final home game, tie Fighting Sioux
she registered her eighth goal of the season in the second period on the power play. Sophomore All in all, it was an encouragforwards Lauren Barnes and ing weekend for the Minnesota Tracy McCann picked up the State, Mankato women’s hockey assists. team, as the Mavericks rallied The Sioux responded with for a 3-3 tie Saturday afternoon three more goals to seal the 7-1 against North Dakota after falling win and increased MSU’s losing 1-7 the night before. skid to 10 games. The series against the FightThe setback did not affect the ing Sioux represented the last Mavericks overnight, as MSU time that the six seniors on MSU came ready to play on Senior Day would take the ice in front of the Saturday afternoon. “I was determined to play my heart out and the team did too,” senior captain Ariel Mackley said. “It was definitely sad to think those were my last two games at ASA. Some people may not like the arena, but over the years it has really started to feel like home.” After Mackley, Moira O’Connor, Jackie Otto, Alli Altmann, Emmi Leinonen and Jenna Peterson were honored before the game, the Mavericks got right to business. Leinonen opened the scoring with her fifth goal of the season, with Otto and Barnes earning assists. The score was a good sign and ended a goalangela kukowski • msu reporter drought for the senior forward, Senior goalie Alli Altmann made 37 saves in her final home game at who played for the Finnish MSU. The Mavericks tied No. 4 North Dakota 3-3 Saturday afternoon. National Team last season. LEE HANDEL
sports editor
home fans at All Seasons Arena. The Mavericks worked their tails off on Friday, outshooting fourth-ranked UND 26-20, but the Sioux showed their offensive prowess by turning seven of their 20 shots into goals. MSU head coach Eric Means noted how sharp the team was execution-wise, but unfortunately for the Mavericks it only resulted in one score. Junior forward Lauren Smith cut MSU’s deficit to 4-1 when
The Mavericks were off and running, as junior forward Lauren Zrust followed with her fifth goal of the season a minute later for a 2-0 MSU lead. Sophomore forwards Kari Lundberg and McCann tallied the helpers. Consecutive scores by twin sisters Monique and Jocelyne Lamoureux knotted the contest 2-2 late in the second period. With just one minute left in the second and MSU on the power-play, Smith found a soft spot in the UND defensive zone and one-timed a shot past Sioux goalie Stephanie Ney for a 3-2 MSU lead going into the final period. The score was Smith’s second of the weekend and team-leading ninth of the season. Junior blueliner Emilia Andersson and Otto recorded the assists. The Sioux kept fighting, however, bombarding MSU goalie Altmann with shot after shot and finally tying the game 3-3 to force overtime. After a scoreless extra session the game went to a shootout, and MSU’s seniors stepped up when it mattered most. Mackley, Otto and Leinonen all scored when called upon to send the shootout into a fourth round, but the top-ranked offense in the WCHA was too much in
the end, as the Sioux won the shootout to give the Mavericks only one point for their efforts. “I actually thought we played better on Friday,” said Means. “[The Sioux] played better on Saturday, but we just got great goaltending and gutted it out.” Senior goalie Altmann did what she has done so many times in her Maverick career, keeping MSU in the game by saving 37 of the 40 shots she faced. With just one weekend of regular season hockey left, MSU trails St. Cloud State by two points for the seventh seed in the WCHA tournament. If the Mavericks pass SCSU, they will play at Ridder Arena against the No. 2 Minnesota Gophers. If they don’t pass the Huskies, they will travel to Madison to play the top-ranked Wisconsin Badgers. “Obviously both are good teams, however, we would rather end up in seventh and put the Huskies back in their place,” Mackley said. “Personally, I love playing at Ridder because it’s closer for a lot of our families and a couple years ago we took them to three overtimes in the playoffs.” MSU plays at MinnesotaDuluth this weekend.
Page 10 • Reporter
Sports
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Women’s Basketball
MSU puts forth two solid road efforts, splits with Huskies and Golden Bears
TIGE HUTCHESON
staff writer
The final push for spots in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference women’s basketball tournament is heating up. While it wasn’t devastating by any means, the Minnesota State, Mankato women’s basketball team’s weekend split dropped them two places in the NSIC standings. But while Friday night’s 64-59 loss to St. Cloud did sink the Mavericks (11-8 NSIC, 15-8 overall) from being tied for fourth place (with two teams jumping in front of them), the Mavericks deserve a lot of credit for maintaining their poise and Men’s Basketball
staying put with a 71-65 win on Saturday. The Mavericks held a onepoint lead after halftime on Friday, and actually managed to push their lead to 15 with 8:46 left to go in the game, but a string of opportunities in one of the toughest home-court advantages in the conference, SCSU’s Halenbeck Hall, proved too costly down the stretch. “We were up by 15 with 8:46 to go, but St. Cloud is a pesky team that always refuses to go away, especially at home,” said MSU head coach Pam Gohl. The Mavericks’ offense went cold for a four-minute stretch near the end of the game, allowing the Huskies to close the
gap and, on an Amanda Wagner jumper with 1:56 remaining, take the lead. The combination of turnovers (28) and continued trouble from the free-throw line (10 for 21) ended up really hurting Aubrey Davis the Mavericks, especially down the stretch. “They made a couple crucial 3-pointers and we had some bad turnovers and some missed opportunities from the free-throw line (front ends of one-andones),” Gohl said. “We ended
up just kind of getting stuck. It ended up being a tough game, but we’ll have to learn our lesson the hard way from that one.” After entering the weekend tied for fourth place in the NSIC, the loss allowed U-Mary and Minnesota-Duluth to move in front of them. If the Mavericks would’ve buckled to the pressure the next day, a 10-9 NSIC record would’ve dropped MSU into a tie with St. Cloud for the eighth and final seed in the NSIC conference tournament. But thanks to career nights from freshmen Aubrey Davis (22 points, 6 rebounds) and Jamie Bresnahan (15 and 10), MSU rebounded with a 71-65 win at
Concordia (7-12 NSIC, 10-15 overall) on Saturday, tightening its grip on the fifth seed. “It’s just good to get back in the win column on the road and bounce back from our loss on Friday night,” said Gohl. While it would be easy to get upset about Friday’s loss making such a big difference in the NSIC standings, the important thing to remember is that MSU deserves credit for not panicking. A Saturday loss would’ve taken the Mavericks from comfortably in the postseason to fighting for the final spot, but thanks to Saturday’s bounce-back win it ended up being a moot point, at least for now.
Reeling Mavericks give No. 24 SCSU all it can handle, then lay egg at Concordia
REECE HEMMESCH
staff writer
For the second weekend in a row, the Minnesota State, Mankato men’s basketball team dropped both of its matchups to dig itself into a deeper hole for making the NSIC tournament. The Mavericks fell Friday night in the waning seconds to St. Cloud State in a close 63-64 loss; then were ousted easily by Concordia-St. Paul in Saturday’s game, falling 67-85 to the Golden Bears. The pair of losses drops MSU to a 7-16 record on the season and a 6-13 NSIC mark. With only three games to go, the Mavericks trail Northern State by two games for the final spot in the upcoming NSIC tournament, meaning MSU will have to close out its season unblemished if it
wants to play some more basketball. “We need to start playing games like we’re capable of,” sophomore forward Connor O’Brien said of the tough task ahead for the Mavericks. “We can’t afford to look over our shoulders at what others are doing because we put ourselves in a tough position.” Friday night’s matchup pitted MSU against No. 24 St. Cloud State in a grudge match from the last time these two teams played each other back in December, when the Huskies escaped Mankato with a narrow 77-75 win. The teams would go on to do the same thing Friday night, as SCSU used a jumper from Tim Bergstraser with just under 10 seconds remaining to take a one-point
lead and get the victory. The Mavericks led at one time by 13 in the second half, but the Huskies then went on a 13-0 run to tie the game. The game would go back and forth until the end, when Bergstraser put the Huskies up for the final time and held on for the win. Romashko “We had a lot of chances to win that game and just couldn’t do it,” O’Brien explained of the last-second loss. “It’s a tough loss to take, especially when we led by a lot and failed to close, and then even leading late again and not holding on.”
O’Brien would lead all scorers with 23 points coming off the bench, along with 11 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season. Senior Stephen Kirschbaum and sophomore Jimmy Whitehead added 15 and 11 points, respectively, and freshman forward Zach Romashko contributed nine points in the losing effort. The Mavericks then hit the road to St. Paul for the ladder part of the weekend, but nothing would go MSU’s way in a hardto-swallow 18-point loss. “We just didn’t have it right from the start. They jumped on us from the beginning, so we were playing catch-up the whole way through, and that is always tough,” said O’Brien, who finished Saturday with another
double-double, going for 13 points and 12 rebounds. “Whenever we got it to a reasonable difference, we just couldn’t close the gap.” Romashko and Whitehead would again help out the Mavericks’ offense Saturday, as each supplied 20 points in the defeat. With the win, Concordia leapfrogged the Mavericks in the standings, making it even tougher for MSU to get to the NSIC tourney. The Mavericks will need both wins this weekend when Minnesota-Duluth and Bemidji State come to the Taylor Center. “Regardless what happens, we need to finish this season on a positive note,” said O’Brien. “To do that we have to play hard and compete with everything we have.”
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Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Classifieds
Reporter • Page 11
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5 OR 4 OR 3 OR 2 OR 1 BEDROOM houses/apartments available right now. Some for next year. Many to choose from. Check out our website www. ottoH.com owner/agent or call 507-625-1010. 6/20 CEDAR MEADOW APARTMENTS for fall 2012. 3 bedroom apartments in new energy efficient building. $915 per month plus free cable and internet call 507-327-2831 cedarmeadowapartments.com. 3/1 WWW.RENTMSU.COM 3-10 Bedroom houses, multiple locations, 65+ houses to choose from. 4/26 1 YEAR OLD TOWNHOMES for rent. 5 bedrooms. Call 501-9955300 for more information. 3/29
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Page 12 • Reporter
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Tuesday, February 14, 2012