Homecoming 2013 Issue by Nan Sinchai

Thursday, September 26, 2013

FOOTBALL

Homecoming The Gophers’ review: last 10 games gophers football homecoming results Year

opponent

result

2003

Indiana

won, 55-7

2004

illinois

won, 45-0

2005

purdue

won, 42-35 (2OT)

2006

indiana

won, 63-21

2007

illinois

lost, 44-17

2008

northwestern

lost, 24-17

2009

purdue

won, 35-20

2010

northwestern

lost, 29-28

2011

nebraska

lost, 41-14

2012

northwestern

lost, 21-13 SOurce: gophersports.com

2006: Gophers 63, Indiana 26

ichigo takikawa, Daily

Minnesota running back Rodrick Williams Jr. runs and scores a touchdown against Western Illinois on Sept. 14 at TCF Bank Stadium. BY JACE FREDERICK jfrederick@mndaily.com

The Gophers haven’t given homecoming crowds much to cheer about over the last six years. Minnesota is 1-5 in homecoming games over that span. That rough stretch comes after winning six straight homecoming outings from 200106. Here’s a look at the Gophers’ last 10 homecoming gridiron bouts.

2003: #24 Gophers 55, Indiana 7

Minnesota literally ran over the Hoosiers in 2003. The Gophers’ dynamic

running back duo of freshman Laurence Maroney and sophomore Marion Barber III each cracked 100 yards on the ground, and the Gophers totaled 435 yards rushing. There wasn’t much drama in this one. The Gophers jumped out to a 34-7 lead at the half, and their reserves saw plenty of action down the stretch.

2004: Gophers 45, Illinois 0

Barber III stole the show in his last homecoming game with the Gophers. He rushed for 138 yards and two touchdowns and even threw a 21-yard touch-

down to freshman wide receiver Ernie Wheelwright in the third quarter. On defense, linebacker Kyle McKenzie led the Gophers to their first conference shutout since 1990. McKenzie finished with 12 total tackles, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble.

2005: Gophers 42, #11 Purdue 35 (2OT)

In one the best performances of Maroney’s career, sophomore r unning back Gar y Russell and junior quar terback Br yan Cupito led the Gophers to victor y over the Boilermakers. Maroney totaled 276

yards of offense, including 217 r ushing yards on 46 carries, but Russell scored three touchdowns as well. Russell scored the eventual game-winning 3-yard plunge in the second overtime. Cupito overcame three interceptions by leading a 65-yard drive in the fourth quar ter, resulting in an 8-yar d touchdown pass to tight end Matt Spaeth with less than two minutes to play. Cupito ran in the two-point conversion on the next play to tie the game at 28-28 and send it into over time, where the Gophers eventually came out on top.

Cupito gashed the Hoosiers’ secondary as the Gophers tallied their highest point total since 1916. The senior quarterback went 22-for-33 for 378 yards and four touchdowns. He threw two to Wheelright, who finished with 116 receiving yards on the day.

2007: Illinois 44. Gophers 17

Former Gophers head coach Tim Brewster’s first homecoming game ended in the same way the rest of his team’s Big Ten battles did in 2007 — with a loss. Illinois r unning back Rashard Mendenhall finished with 201 yards and two touchdowns on just 17 r ushes, and quar terback Juice Williams added 133 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. Illinois torched the the Gophers’ defense for 655 total yards.

1 2 3 4

The Gophers are 10-2 all-time against Iowa on homecoming. Minnesota has outscored the Hawkeyes 303-112 in those meetings. The last time the Gophers met Iowa on homecoming was 1974.

This Saturday marks the second time in 30 years the Gophers will play their homecoming game in September. The last time was in 2005, when Minnesota beat Purdue.

The Gophers have played Northwestern on homecoming seven times since 1994. The Gophers are 1-6 in those games.

2008: Northwestern 24, #20 Gophers 17

With the game tied 1717 and less than a minute see football Page 14

Thursday, September 26, 2013

royalty

Students vie for the crown The homecoming royalty tradition dates back to 1932. BY MELISSA BERMAN mberman@mndaily.com

This year’s candidates for the University of Minnesota’s homecoming royalty represent three states, a range of backgrounds and various student groups. Many of the 10 candidates say their experience running in the annual contest for king and queen has been worth more than just a sash or a crown. Elementar y education senior Paige Kazak waited to find out whether she was nominated while on a road trip to Chicago with her family. She said they pulled over frequently to find Internet access so she could check her email for the announcement. “We were actually in a McDonald’s when I found out,” Kazak said. “So we were just freaking out in McDonald’s and it was really exciting and surreal.” Kazak said she feels lucky to be chosen. “It’s been a blessing to be a part of the court,” she said, “and the people I’ve gotten to work with and the other people on the court are amazing.” Next week, two of the 10

nominees will be selected to represent the University for a calendar year as homecoming king and queen, replacing 2012 winners Brett Johnston and Katie Kranz. The University’s homecoming court tradition dates back to 1932, when women on campus vied for the crown in a fundraising competition. The king title began as an alumni competition in 1951. In 1978, the ritual took its modern form, with king and queen nominees paired to participate in a points-based competition. This year, members of the court were nominated anonymously or nominated themselves by filling out an application and writing an essay. They were selected after a group interview process. For early childhood education senior Betsy Hendrick, the excitement of the nomination extended to her family at home, especially her dad, a “huge Gopher fan.” “I thought it would be such a cool way to show him my involvement at the University of Minnesota,” she said. “He’s played a huge role in my education, from kindergarten on, and I really value the support he’s given me.”

Hendrick said about 40 of her family members will be at the homecoming game and parade. Marketing and entrepreneurial management junior Reed Mosimann said she was surprised, but ecstatic, to hear about her nomination for homecoming queen. When she got the call saying she was nominated, her phone was turned off because she was at work. “I picked up my phone and listened to my voicemail, and my jaw literally dropped,” she said. “My eyes lit up. I almost didn’t have words at first because I was so excited.” Mosimann said her favorite part of being a candidate has been helping new freshmen get accustomed to life at the University. “It can be an overwhelming transition,” she said, “and to have those older representatives getting everyone excited about homecoming is a great opportunity.” Physiology senior Erich Berg said working at community events with other court candidates, especially one at the Minnesota State Fair, has been the most rewarding part of the experience so far. “I have really enjoyed be-

ing out in the community with the homecoming court and being able to represent the University with people who love this school as much as I do,” he said. Psychology senior Tanner Fuchs agreed that representing the University has been fulfilling. “I never really had an opportunity to do that as much as I do now,” he said. “I’ve been able to represent my fraternity, my school, my degree, my minors and major, but getting the chance to represent the entire University is incredible.” Strategic communications senior Brian Johnson said he encourages other students to get involved with homecoming activities. “It hit me as a really unique way to top of my experience at the University,” he said. Nursing senior Hallie Tietz said getting to know the other candidates has been rewarding. “I love all of them,” she said. “We’ve become really close throughout the whole process, and I’m looking forward to getting even closer to them during homecoming week.”

queen King candidates candidates paigekazak Senior major: elementary education minor: Art

kristenpagel Senior major: agriculture and food business management

reedmosimann junior major: marketing and entrepreneurial management

betsyhendrick Senior major: early childhood education minor: child psychology

hallietietz Senior major: nursing

tannerfuchs Senior major: psychology minor: neuroscience and management

erichberg Senior major: physiology

brianjohnson Senior major: strategic communication

justinschlitz Senior major: Marketing

joeymcfarren Senior major: neuroscience and genetics SOurce: homecoming.umn.edu

Thursday, September 26, 2013

spirit

Gopher fans get riled up The Minnesota-Iowa rivalry has fans rabid for Saturday’s game. BY BETSY HELFAND bhelfand@mndaily.com

For a fifth year, TCF Bank Stadium will be at the center of the University of Minnesota’s homecoming activities. The Gophers will host Iowa with the Floyd of Rosedale trophy on the line, and if histor y is any indicator, about 50,000 fans are expected to file into the stadium for the game. Prior to the stadium’s opening in 2009, Gophers home games were held at the Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis. “The experience at TCF Bank has been amazing,” spor t management senior Slade Williams said. “I can imagine it’s a lot better than having to go to the Metrodome, which isn’t as good of a stadium anyways.” Williams, a student season ticket holder, said he thinks having the game on campus is much easier for students and allows more to attend the game. The homecoming festivities kicked off Monday and will culminate with Saturday’s game. “I definitely notice a lot mor e school spirit homecoming week than any other, comparatively,” aer ospace engineering and mechanics senior Justin Spurbeck said. The annual homecoming game tends to draw a dif ferent audience than other games, with more students and alumni in attendance. “I think that there’s more people that go that don’t nor mally go to games,” student season ticket holder and elementar y education senior Missy Staloch said. “A lot more students get excited about it.” The game will be played at 2:30 p.m. instead of the typical 11 a.m. kickoff. Spurbeck said he thinks the later star t time will allow more people to attend. Playing Iowa adds a rivalr y aspect to the game. Given that and the fact that it’s the Gophers’ first conference game, fans are expecting a more energized crowd than usual. “Obviously they’re our biggest rival and we’ve got to protect the pig,” Spurbeck said. “So I think

Ichigo Takikawa, Daily

Students cheer for the Gophers against Western Illinois on Sept. 14 at TCF Bank Stadium.

those two things along with it being later in the day will make for a more

energized atmosphere at the stadium.” This weekend marks

the star t of Big Ten play and of fers a chance for Minnesota to win its first

homecoming game since 2009. “I think people will rally

behind that and really just come out and suppor t the team,” Spurbeck said.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

football

Technology

Taking back Homecoming Regardless of the game’s outcome, homecoming should still be a celebration. BY SAM GORDON sgordon@mndaily.com

Homecoming week is supposed to be a celebration for students past and present, with Saturday’s football game ser ving as the apex. But lately, the Gophers’ opponents have used homecoming to celebrate Minnesota’s struggles on the gridiron. And that in tur n has sucked the life out of the fans and the students. This year, with the mediocr e Iowa Hawkeyes coming to town, it’s time for the student body to take its campus back. Last year, Nor thwestern came in to TCF Bank Stadium and out-gritted the Gophers to a sloppy 21-13 victor y in the rain. The dark clouds in the sky hung over the fan base and seemingly extinguished whatever enthu-

siasm it had in the first place. In 2011, there were as many Nebraska fans as Minnesota fans on hand for the Cor nhuskers’ 4114 win. The red and white in the stands phased out whatever maroon and gold was there. That can’t happen. Not on Saturday. Rain or shine, win or lose, Minnesota fans — especially students — should be out to watch the Gophers play the Hawkeyes. Most students will only get to experience four homecomings. A student’s first could set the tone for the next three. This year, the football team has rewarded its fans with a 4-0 star t. Still, the student section has been sparsely filled and unenergetic. If there’s one game fans should come out for, it’s

this one. The 2:30 p.m. start time is per fect for lots of rest following Friday night’s festivities on and around campus. The Gophers will have a chance to improve to 5-0 for the first time since 2004. And the Floyd of Rosedale trophy will be on the line. The Gophers have downed the Hawkeyes in the series’ last two meetings at TCF Bank Stadium. Both of those wins were the most emotional in their respective seasons. Saturday’s game could catapult the Gophers to a special Big Ten season. And it could catapult the weekend into a phenomenal one. Just make sur e you don’t miss it. You only get so many homecomings, and this has all the makings of a classic.

Homecoming tech is a challenge Converting TCF Bank Stadium for Friday’s concert is no easy task. BY Katelyn Faulks kfaulks@mndaily.com

A stage resembling a Transformer and stacks of speakers are just some of the technology needed to make the University of Minnesota homecoming concert a success. With a Saturday afternoon football game at TCF Bank Stadium the day after Passion Pit and Hoodie Allen per for m, Student Unions & Activities staf f and volunteers have a small window of time to arrange it all. In the past, the University has had to rent most of the equipment for the artists. But Passion Pit will be bringing all of its own instruments, lighting and production and ef fects to the stage this year. “Passion Pit are actually bringing their own backline and ground suppor t, or floor-suppor ted lighting, and production stuff,” SUA coordinator David Hill said. “A lot of times, we have to rent backline instr uments like amplifiers, keyboards and guitars and drums.” The University orders any equipment ar tists need from Minneapolis-

based music production company Slamhammer, which Hill said has par tnered with the University for years. Because Passion Pit has its own sound and monitor boards, Slamhammer will provide anything that’s dif ficult to travel with, like huge amplifiers or the highest stage lights. “Slamhammer is providing a lot of skeleton and key components and what is known as ‘racks and stacks,’ which is racks of amplifiers and stacks of speakers,” Hill said. Hoodie Allen is flying into Minneapolis, so the University will rent lighting equipment for him and Slamhammer will mix his sound. The stage where the ar tists per for m will be unusual. It has to rest on plastic panels so it doesn’t ruin the stadium’s tur f. It will enter the stadium on a semi-trailer and set up along the 50-yard line. “We refer to it as an Optimus Prime stage because it’s like a transformer,” SUA assistant dir ector Erik Dussault said. “It just folds out. It’s pretty cool.” The University rents the stage, which is mobile

and pre-assembled, because of the narrow timeframe to set up and take down all of the equipment. L a s t y e a r, D u s s a u l t said, they realized the stage was too big to fit through the tunnel leading into the stadium and had to remove a metal awning that weighs “tons.” The Gophers play the University of Iowa at 2:30 p.m. the next day, so the stage needs to be removed almost immediately after the concert ends. “It’s a ver y intricate puzzle,” Hill said. “There’s a lot of logistics involved.” The University relies on paid workers and volunteers to prepare the concer t by Friday night and clean up ever ything by early the next morning. And logistics are difficult during the concer t, too. There will only be a 15-minute break between bands, so there are many volunteers to ensure the transition goes smoothly. But Hill said he’s confident this year will be efficient. “It’s a little bit easier this year because we did it last year,” he said. “We know more of what to expect.”

Thursday, September 26, 2013

The pig

More than just a game The 78-year fight for “Floyd of Rosedale” continues Saturday. BY JAKE STARK jstark@mndaily.com

Minnesota vs. Iowa is a football rivalr y that dates back to1935. And every year, the prize on the line is a 98-pound bronze pig — the Floyd of Rosedale trophy. This weekend, the Gophers will take on the Hawkeyes for the 79th time, looking to reclaim the trophy that spent the last year in Iowa City, Iowa. Though the rivalry dates back to 1891, the teams didn’t start competing for the pig until 1935, when tension between the teams reached a boiling point. Before that 1935 game, Iowa Gov. Clyde Herring voiced his displeasure at the way officials let the Gophers rough up Hawkeyes star Ozzie Simmons in the previous year’s game. Simmons was one of the first AfricanAmerican players in the Big Ten and was treated similarly in most of the games he played. Her ring suggested Hawkeyes fans might storm the field if the Gophers hurt Simmons again. To ease the tension, Minnesota Gov. Floyd Olson proposed the two schools play for each state’s prized pig. Herring agreed to the challenge, and the rivalr y was born. Minnesota won the game 13-6. After ward, Herring personally delivered a pig donated from Rosedale Farms in Iowa to Olson’s office. The pig was appropriately named the Floyd of Rosedale in Olson’s honor. The Gophers and Hawkeyes haven’t played for a live pig since the inaugural game. Instead, the teams play for a bronze statue sculpted to look like the original pig. For fans on both sides, the rivalry is more than just football game. “It’s a territorial thing,” said University of Minnesota biology senior Dave Keeney. “When you grow up in Minnesota, you know you have rivalries with the states around you and it means something.” The Hawkeyes took the trophy from the Gophers last season after a convincing 31-13 victor y in Iowa City. Minnesota won the two previous matchups in 2010 and 2011 — both tightly contested affairs played at TCF Stadium. Keeney said it hur t to lose the trophy last season. “I have friends who go to Iowa who give me a hard time about it,” he said. University of Iowa mathematics junior Chris Bong said when he first got to college, he knew little about the rivalr y. He said its impor tance quickly became apparent. “I wouldn’t call it hatred,” he said, “but the dissatis-

A group of Gophers players hoists the Floyd of Rosedale trophy after Minnesota’s win over Iowa in 2011.

faction between the two schools is pretty great.” He said his best memory

of the rivalry was getting to take a picture with Floyd of Rosedale after Iowa’s win

last season. For Keeney, a Gophers win during his last year of

school would be special. “I’d be able to rub it in my friends’ faces who go to

Anthony Kwan, Daily file photo

Iowa,” he said. “I’d be proud to say we beat Iowa three out of four years I was here.”

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Music

Have a pit of fun Indie poppers Passion Pit are set to play the U’s annual homecoming concert alongside rapper Hoodie Allen.

BY SPENCER DOAR sdoar@mndaily.com

Holy falsetto, Batman! We’re not jive talkin’ about the Bee Gees here, people — we’re referring to indie darlings Passion Pit. For all of the cheeriness of their music, there’s a dark under tone to the infectious, synthy dance pop, all due to the soaring lyrics of lead singer Michael Angelakos. He’s talked about his suicide attempts in an inter view, and the band cancelled some tour dates last year due to his mental health struggles, adding a sort of immediate poignancy to Passion Pit’s music.

But that’s just the backdrop for these guys that stand as the indie scene’s crown princes. Just take their 2009 debut, “Manners.” Give the album a quick listen, and it’s guaranteed that you’d have trouble picking out the lead single — they’re all that good. “Manners” plays like a soundtrack. At any moment it’s easy to imagine a montage of your day, the sun rising and setting in an unending passing of time. It’s like they listened to the Tears for Fears song, “Ever ybody Wants To Rule The World,” took that sad tr uth and reeled of f a tor rent of bangers,

at times wor thy of pop’s classic clap-clap, at others just straight-up, whip-yourhair-back-and-for th exuberance. It’s the type of dance stuff that could even wear down diamonds if you had them in the soles of your shoes. Embrace that moment of euphoria when school’s out for summer again and again when the Pit comes out to party. But for all the rockiness of the road before and after “Manners,” Passion Pit’s 2012 album “Gossamer” is just as super fly. They actually took their trials and tribulations and put them to use in a sophomore album characterized by “Take A Walk,” a song

What: Passion Pit When: Doors at 7:30 p.m., Hoodie Allen at 8:30 p.m., Passion Pit at 9:30 p.m., Friday Where: TCF Bank Stadium, 420 23rd Ave. SE, Minneapolis Cost: $20 for U of M students; $40 for the public

you’ve undoubtedly heard. Take that song, which they’ll hopefully lead with Friday, as a more lighthear ted way to rage against the machine, and don’t forget to have fun at the concert.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Fashion

Gopheralls, yay or nay? University of Minnesota students are split on the game-day fashion trend. BY MEGHAN HOLDEN mholden@mndaily.com

You’ve probably seen them on University of Minnesota students cheering in the stands of TCF Bank Stadium, in the tailgating parking lots or in the streets of Dinkytown on game day. The thick maroon and gold striped bib overalls, sometimes referred to as “gopheralls,” aren’t simply a fashion staple for school sporting events; they’re also a symbol of tradition for many students, faculty and alumni. Although they’re a fan favorite for some, they’re disliked by others for their high cost, supposed unoriginality and “dumb” look. Supporter or not, before the school trend, overalls have had a rich history. Traditional overalls, the grandparent of gopheralls, have been worn since the 1700s, and their popularity has seesawed over the decades. Farmers commonly wore overalls during in the Great Depression because of their cheap price, as well as their functionality. The bibs were also popular among hip-hop artists in the 1990s, including Tupac, Will Smith and TLC. Although it’s uncommon to see celebrities sporting overalls on the red carpet today, the trend is still popular at college games across the nation. “You don’t see overalls being worn much anymore, so it’s fun to see [gopheralls],” said neuroscience senior Joey McFarren. McFar ren, who’s one of 10 University students on the homecoming court, said he likes them because they strengthen school spirit. The University is not alone with its fan fashion. The University of Wisconsin also sells school-colored overalls, as do many other institutions. But the bibs come with a cost. You can pick up a pair

at the University bookstore for about $55. “I’d rather spor t my own T-shir t,” said Rachel Hauser, English junior and Student Union & Activities program board coordinator, “but if you want to spend the money, go for it.” Besides their high cost, the bibs have also lost their appeal and originality for some students. “ N o w e ve r y o ne ha s them, so it’s wor n its uniqueness out,” Flair said. Freshman Josh Halverson said he doesn’t like the overalls and doesn’t plan on going to the homecoming football game. “I think they look kind of dumb, but you can do whatever you want,” he said. But other fans said they’re loyal to the colorful threads. “My mom machinestitched this,” said Alex Langfeldt of his gopheralls. “There is blood, sweat, tears and snow in these overalls.” Langfeldt, a University alumnus, spor ted handmade overalls with friends at last week’s football game. He said they represent

Amanda Snyder, Daily

Students get loud for the Gophers at TCF Bank Stadium.

tradition and Gopher pride and he wears them to every game. The overalls are not only a favorite among students,

but University officials give them high marks as well. President Eric Kaler told The Minnesota Daily earlier this month he doesn’t

have a pair of gopheralls his own, opting for some maroon trousers instead. “I would like to have a pair, to tell you the truth,

but people around me, including my wife, think that a 57-year-old man might not wear gopheralls,” Kaler said.

10B

Thursday, September 26, 2013

music

20 questions with Hoodie Allen

Former Google employee Steven Markowitz talks Taco Bell, Ryan Reynolds and Instagram with A&E. Editor’s note: This article first appeared in the March 7 issue of the Minnesota Daily. BY SHANNON RYAN info@mndaily.com

Steven Markowitz is a Jewish guy from Long Island, but under the rap moniker Hoodie Allen, he’s an American hip-hop artist and songwriter playing sold-out shows at venues across the country, First Avenue being one of them. Amid a tour to promote his album “Crew Cuts,” Hoodie took the time to get candid with A&E for a goofy game of 20 questions. The 24-year-old likes dogs, gum and Twitter — total best friend material right there. A&E: Why did Obey City leave your duo in 2010? He didn’t like the music we were making. He didn’t really want to do the hip-hop stuff anymore. I was like, “Is it cool if I keep doing it as a solo thing?” So I kept doing it and rebranded Hoodie as myself. Do you still see each other? Not really. I haven’t seen him in quite some time. What’s your favorite fast food restaurant? It’s got to be Taco Bell. You’ve got to go with the Cheesy Gordita Crunch, and if you’re feeling adventurous, just get the Doritos Locos shell. You can’t go to Taco Bell more than like three

times a year, but when you do, you’ve got to go big. (Honorable mention: Wendy’s) What’s the most bizarre fan mail you’ve received? One of the funniest ones was someone who sent me a drawing of my dog, so I showed it to [my dog], and he approved of it, and I put it on Instagram. Do you still have “HA” shaved into the back of your hair? That’s not my head. I’ve got a beautiful head, and I would not do that to it. That’s a fan on the cover. What’s your usual alcoholic beverage? I’m a Jack Daniel’s guy, or Jameson. What’s your favorite Instagram filter? Earlybird. If you could eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? The buffalo chicken roll from Bella Vista in New York. It’s incredible. I’d probably die if I would eat it every single day, but we’re assuming there are no consequences, and if that’s the case, then this roll it is. If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be? It’s got to be Kanye. Were your coworkers at Google supportive of your choice to leave? They were cool and totally fine with it, ya know? They want you to follow your dreams, wherever that may be.

What: Hoodie Allen When: Doors at 7:30 p.m., Hoodie Allen at 8:30 p.m., Passion Pit at 9:30 p.m., Friday Where: TCF Bank Stadium, 420 23rd Ave. SE, Minneapolis

that I’m Wilmer Valderrama. How tall are you? I’m 5’9”. Who is your favorite Disney character? Ah, Mulan — no, I don’t mean Mulan, I mean Jasmine because she is really sexy.

Cost: $20 for U of M students; $40 for the public Would you choose gum or breath mints? Gum, for sure. Are you always the kid with gum? No, I’m the kid who always asks for gum. Are you allergic to anything? No, I just don’t like things, and I’ll say that I’m allergic to them instead, like peanut butter. You don’t like peanut butter? No, I’m allergic. Which actor would you want to play you in a movie? Ryan Reynolds, that’s the dude. Do you know Ryan Reynolds; have you met him? Yeah, we’re best friends. What are your go-to websites for news? Reddit, YouPorn — just kidding [laughs] — Twitter is my news source. What’s your favorite pickup line? Hi, I’m Hoodie Allen, and I’m famous on the internet. Will you date me? It never works, so I have to tell them

photo courtesy of Diana Levine

11B

12B

Thursday, September 26, 2013

13B

music

Homecoming 2013: The Jams Groove to A&E’s homecoming playlist. BY SARAH HARPER sharper@mndaily.com

It’s homecoming, Jerr ysotans, and we all know what that means: having a good old-fashioned time with your pals, kicking back a few and making some kind of big papier-mâché thing in your yard. Or maybe you’re not that school spirited, and this is a weekend you spend begrudgingly accepting free corporate food and avoiding stadium traffic. No matter who you are or where you’re from, A&E has a homecoming playlist for you. We hope your radio is broken so you can listen to our Spotify playlist all weekend long — head straight to the MNDailyAE profile to get this playlist. Without further ado, here it is, the thing everybody’s been begging the Minnesota Daily for: a playlist of the hits (and some of the nonhits) for all the mods of your homecoming weekend, from the most fist-pumping to the Sunday afternoon tireds. 1. “Roar” by Katy Perry Come out swinging with the first single off Perr y’s new album “Prism.” This jam premiered at MTV’s Video Music Awards, introduced by Marnie from “Girls” as Perry’s “biggest hit yet.” It felt presumptuous then, but now we all know Allison Williams was right. 2. “We Can’t Stop” by Miley Cyrus Did you know this song was originally written for Rihanna? It would definitely sound better sung by Ri-Ri, but here we are with Miley. It’s still a good par ty anthem, especially when you look at a picture of Rihanna while it plays. 3. “Eighteen Cool” by Hoodie Allen This one’s for you, class of 2017. Go ahead

and throw a “middle finger to the dudes back in high school, ‘cause [they] peaked at 18, cool.”

along to almost every song? – resign yourself to listening to the Pit’s best song, an oldie but a goodie.

4. “Sleepyhead” by Passion Pit If you’ve been trying to familiarize yourself with this year’s homecoming artists – after all, what’s the point of paying $20 if you can’t sing

5. “The Love Club” by Lorde If you like Ellie Goulding, you’ll love Lorde, a New Zealand singer born in 1996 and wise far beyond her years. Join the “Love Club”

this homecoming weekend – Goldy doesn’t want to see any haters out there!

on Bruno Mars for one of the sweetest, lady-lovin’ songs of 2010.

6. “Nothin’ on You” by B.o.B. featuring Bruno Mars This song is all you’ll need to woo your very own homecoming queen: one of last year’s concert performers joined by voice-with-a-hat-

7. “Hold On, We’re Going Home” by Drake featuring Majid Jordan Then after the show, it’s the after party, and after the party it’s the FloCo lobby. Groove on down to Drake’s

of ficial homecoming jam, beautiful and simple. 8. “Homeward Bound” by Simon & Garfunkel You’re tired. Goldy is too. You had too much to drink and you have too much to do. Let yourself feel it. See you in class. When’s Thanksgiving again?

14B

Thursday, September 26, 2013

art

A history of art As part of a years-long competition, greeks decorate houses on University Ave. BY KYLE STOWE kstowe@mndaily.com

For Sigma Alpha Epsilon alumnus Paul Taylor, homecoming house fronts are not to be taken lightly. “It’s always been a point of pride,” said Taylor, who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1961. “It’s a tradition that’s ver y important to us.” As a part of a homecoming competition, several University greek organizations construct ar twork on the front of University Avenue fraternity houses. Some pieces are as large as the houses themselves. The end result reflects months of hard work, Pi Kappa Alpha President

Matt Baehr said. “ We s t a r t m a k i n g the house front design in April,” he said. “It’s a lengthy process.” When the homecoming theme is announced in the spring, greek leaders choose which fraternities and sororities will work together for the art projects. Then they plan the pieces throughout the summer and into the fall. To prepare for homecoming, greek organizations work in pairs on the design and make wooden frames they’ll put together to create the giant piece of artwork. “The process is pretty hectic,” Delta Chi house front manager Jack Carl-

son said. “It’s a large coordination effort.” When homecoming week arrives, the houses begin working Monday to turn each individual wooden frame into a color ful work of art through a process called “pomping.” To ensure a house front is done on time, some groups require each member to fulfill a certain number of hours assisting in the construction process. “It’s a time crunch of a week,” Carlson said. “It requires a contribution from ever yone involved.” As a par t of pomping, members of paired houses will push thousands of pieces of tissue paper through wire fenc-

ing glued to each wooden frame. By following an outline of string or tape, members know exactly where to place each color of tissue paper. When fully pomped frames ar e completed, they are screwed in one by one to a scaf folding dozens of feet high in front of fraternity houses to create the final product. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s also extremely rewarding,” Baehr said. All frames will be set by Friday afternoon, and the finished product will judged by of ficials from Student Unions & Activities and the Depar tment of Environmental Health and Safety. Carlson said the judg-

es account for creativity, complexity, safety and relevance to the homecoming theme. Pi Kappa Alpha has won the house front competition for six years straight, and members strive to take their work to a new level ever y year, Baehr said. “We’re tr ying to get better all the time,” he said. “We never want to feel like our standard has regressed.” This year, the Pi Kappa Alpha house front will have a monster truck exploding out of a wall, Baehr said. The design is inspired to fit into this year’s Ski-U-Madness homecoming theme, he said.

Carlson said in addition to an aesthetically pleasing end result, building house fronts is a great way for members of the greek community to come together. “It’s a gr eat way to showcase inter-frater nal and inter-sorority relations,” he said. “And make our school proud at the same time.” Taylor said he’s glad the trad i ti o n o f b u i l d ing house front ar t is still maintained 52 years after his graduation. “It’s a gr eat way of bringing people together and to highlight the impor tance of the gr eek community at the University,” he said.

Football

the Wildcats a 29-28 lead with 2:07 to play in the fourth quarter, leaving time for a final Gophers drive. But after a 16-yard Weber run off a bootleg on fourthand-3 to get into Northwestern territory, the Gophers’ offense stalled, and a Wildcats interception sealed the deal. Nor thwestern quarterback Dan Persa tormented the Gophers’ defense all day, accounting for 408 total yards and two touchdowns.

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Eric Decker’s hands and fell into the arms of Wildcats safety Brendan Smith, who returned it 48 yards for the decisive touchdown. Weber’s turnover overshadowed his 327-yard performance through the air. Northwestern quarterback Mike Kafka was the game changer. He finished with 360 total yards — 217 of those yards came on the ground.

2009: Gophers 35, Purdue 20

The Gophers were outgained 402 yards to 281 yards, but they still managed to pull out the win thanks to big plays from senior linebacker Lee Campbell and senior defensive back Traye Simmons. Campbell blocked a Boilermakers field goal attempt in the third quarter, and Simmons scooped and scored to give Minnesota a 35-13 lead. Both players also contributed with crucial interceptions.

2010: Northwestern 29, Gophers 28

Another homecoming bout against the Wildcats. Another chance for a game-winning touchdown drive. And another loss for the Gophers. Northwestern kicker Stefan Demos’ field goal gave

2011: #13 Nebraska 41, Gophers 14

The Cornhuskers’ rushers collected yards like they were baseball cards, finishing with 346 on the day. Nebraska running back Rex Burkhead led the attack with 117 yards and a touchdown. The Gophers were clearly overmatched throughout. They trailed 34-0 at the half. Minnesota did win the second half, and that has to count for something, right?

2012: Northwestern 21, Gophers 13

Maybe the Gophers should just avoid the Wildcats on homecoming. Wildcats running back Venric Mark torched Minnesota’s defense for 182 yards and two touchdowns. Minnesota actually outgained Nor thwester n 327-275, but the Gophers’ offense sputtered to the finish after senior quarterback MarQueis Gray left with an injury in the third quarter.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

15B

16B

Thursday, September 26, 2013