Meet Ripken: Football's Furry Friend — Technician 10/06/22

WHAT YOU MISSED:

NC State opens new outdoor social space on Centennial Campus

NC State opened a new outdoor space on Centennial Campus called the Corner, located at the intersec tion of Main Campus Drive and Research Drive. The Corner comprises four repurposed brightly colored shipping containers with string lights and picnic tables, which were made from reclaimed wood from campus trees.

SOURCE: NC STATE NEWS

NC School of Science and Math ranked No. 1 high school in America

The North Carolina School of Science and Mathemat ics (NCSSM) was ranked No. 1 public high school in America based on ratings from current students, alumni and parents and data from the U.S. Department of Edu cation. This is the first time NCSSM was ranked No. 1, after being ranked No. 2 in 2021.

SOURCE: WRAL

California serial killer blamed for six deaths

Ballistics tests have linked the fatal shootings of six victims going back over a year to a potential serial killer in Stockton, California. According to police, victims were alone in dark areas, and the killer is looking for opportunity rather than a specific vic timology. None of the victims appear to know each other, and according to police, the shootings aren’t related to gang violence or drugs.

SOURCE: FOX

Scientists awarded Nobel Prize for their research in ‘spooky’ particle be havior

Alain Aspect, John F. Clauser and Anton Zeilinger were awarded the Nobel Prize in physics for their experiments regarding entanglement, which is when two particles behave as one another even when they are extremely distant, or as physicist Albert Einstein described the phenomenon, “spooky action at a dis tance.” The scientists proved entanglement is real, not just theoretical, and this discovery can lead to a deeper understanding of quantum mechanics.

SOURCE: CNN

THE RADAR

Events to keep an eye on for the week of Oct. 6

STUDY ABROAD FAIR

Thursday, Oct. 6, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

TALLEY STUDENT UNION, STATE BALL ROOM

Free

The Study Abroad Office will have all the information you need on types of programs and application procedures for your international adventures. Don’t miss out on the chance to get important information and have all your burning questions answered.

RALEIGH FILM AND ART FESTIVAL

Saturday, Oct. 8 and Sunday, Oct. 9, 1:30-9:30 p.m. both days

ENGINEERING BUILDING III

Prices Vary

Don’t forget to get your tickets for the Raleigh Film and Arts Festival right here on campus. Over the course of the weekend, the event will feature over 200 independent films as well as live performances, panel discussions and Q&As with filmmakers.

LOCAL LUNCH LIVE: OLIVER BOLDT

Wednesday, Oct. 12, 12-12:30 p.m.

THE CORNER, 941 MAIN CAMPUS DR. Free

Join Visit Centennial and WKNC at the first event in the Local Lunch Live series featuring Music Makers Club member and NC State student Oliver Boldt.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY CELEBRATION

Wednesday, Oct. 12, 6-7:30 p.m.

TALLEY STUDENT UNION, 3222 Free

Join Multicultural Student Affairs for an evening of learning, cultural presentation and narrative in order to celebrate and provide a voice to Indigenous students and organiza tions on campus.

ETHAN RIMOLT

Raleigh City Council changes downtown traffic laws

Mathew Burkhart Correspondent

Downtown Raleigh’s traffic laws are changing, but do they truly address the needs of frequent pedestrians?

The Raleigh City Council voted on Sept. 20 to approve parts of the Downtown Pe destrian Safety Project, reducing the speed limit from 35 to 25 mph and removing seven double-turn lanes. The council will likely disallow turning right on red lights in the coming weeks.

Simon Griggs, a fourth-year studying computer science, is the president of NC State’s Cross Country Club. Griggs said the club runs downtown one to three times a week.

“From a pedestrian’s perspective, I don’t really care about the speed limit,” Griggs said. “I don’t want it to be 105 miles an hour, but 25 or 35 [is] not going to make a hill of beans. But the no-right [turn] on red is very nice.”

Griggs said drivers often fail to notice pe destrians who are trying to cross the street as they are about to make right turns on red.

“They never come back and look back at the direction that I’m coming from,” Griggs said. “And I know I’ve tapped a bunch of car hoods as they’ve nearly hit me and I know a lot of my friends have.”

Griggs said removing double-turn lanes will contribute to overall visibility down town.

“If the car [is] going to be yielding to pe destrians, double-turn lanes can make it hard to see because there can be something between you and the pedestrians,” Griggs said. “I know that [is] the thing that I look out for when I’m running and just having in the back of my mind that everybody can see me.”

Griggs said risk has always been involved with running downtown, but it does not have to be that way.

“We’ve had two close calls this school year of people nearly getting hit,” Griggs said.

“I’d like to let 40 people go run downtown in a handful of groups and not have in the back of my mind someone may get hit by a car, but that is the way it’s always been, but there’s no necessary reason in my mind that it has to be like that.”

Alec Perrin, a fourth-year studying ana lytics, is a club officer of NC State’s Cycling Club. Perrin frequently bikes through downtown to run errands and meet with cycling groups.

Perrin said the main advantage of the speed limit reduction for cyclists is that they should have a greater chance to safely catch the green wave, which is when traffic lights are coordinated for drivers riding at a certain speed to keep traffic flowing. Perrin said cyclists are currently unable to keep up with the green wave at 35 mph.

“Lowered to 25 [mph], I can kick into gear and catch more of a green wave of going through downtown, which would improve my riding experience,” Perrin said.

Perrin said removing right turns at stop lights would cause more inconvenience than benefit for cyclists, as frequent stops can take a toll during long-distance rides.

“[Right turns on red are] something I en joy as I bike,” Perrin said. “I like being able to roll a corner and not have to unclip or put a foot down.”

Perrin said a more useful employment of Raleigh’s resources that would benefit cyclists would be to maintain cycling lanes.

“The road surface in the bike lane is often full of gravel and glass and all sorts of stuff that I do not want to ride through that will

give me a flat tire if I have to ride through it,” Perrin said. “So if it’s not too busy, I lit erally will choose not to use the bike lanes and act like a car.”

Despite their differing opinions on the new traffic legislation, both agree improv ing visibility should be a priority of the city.

Griggs said streetside parking greatly lim its the visibility of drivers and pedestrians alike.

“From a purely pedestrian perspective, it makes it hard for cars to see me and it makes it hard for me to see the cars, which is the key step in helping all of us negotiate this safely,” Griggs said.

Perrin said poor visibility downtown re quires cyclists to be proactive.

“Whether that’s trees on corners [or] some of the corners downtown, it’s hard to see around, or they have parking, like parallel parking, right up to the corner,” Perrin said.

“Most of the time as a cyclist, your head is at the same height as [the] vehicle. So it’s down to cyclists.”

Perrin said a perfectly safe downtown would be void of cars.

“Having a walkable downtown removes the need for cars,” Perrin said. “It’s hard to drastically improve the safety for any group that isn’t a driver without drastically shift ing the infrastructure to being focused on pedestrian-only or a specific other mode of transportation other than the car-centric American infrastructure that we have.”

Griggs said it is important to remember the danger that exists in car-dominated ar eas, like downtown.

“Just for everybody that’s out walking, running [and] biking, cars are big and hard and we are small and soft,” Griggs said. “We just have to remember that the car wins ac cording to physics.”

NC State instructor Terrance Ruth brings social work to politics, campaigns for Raleigh mayor

Justin Welch Correspondent

Dr. Terrance Ruth, an assistant professor in NC State’s School of Social Work and the Africana studies program, will be on the ballot for mayor of Raleigh this November. Ruth is looking to use his experience as a teacher to be a student of the community and create policy best for the city of Raleigh.

Ruth announced his candidacy in Janu ary 2021 for an election meant to be held in November of the same year. As a result of the release of the 2020 U.S. Census and redistricting, hundreds of local city elec tions across the state were delayed until 2022, with Raleigh also adopting a plan to hold all future elections in seven years.

He decided to run in response to calls from the community for leadership that

prioritized social engagement experience over politics.

“When I announced, there was this rum bling in the country around racial equity, around racial justice, around safety, a pan demic, and then you actually had civil un rest across the country, we had one right downtown in our city and the city of Ra leigh, and I believe in that moment, people began to build an appetite for a different type of leadership,” Ruth said.

The race pits Ruth against two other dem ocrats, current Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin and nonprofit President DaQuanta Co peland. Over the summer, Ruth received an endorsement from the Wake County Democratic Party, a surprising break from the incumbent mayor.

Before instructing at NC State, Ruth was a teacher and principal in public schools. He

was the executive director of the NAACP at the state level and served as the national community director of the nonprofit orga nization Forward Cities. As a researcher, he tracked and evaluated policy with NC State’s Friday Institution.

“I’ve had a broad experience across policy, research, community investment, commu nity leadership, that I think is directly need ed in our city at this moment,” Ruth said.

The social work instructor is building a platform on community involvement and constructing trust with local government. Ruth said his experience as a researcher in the Triangle will help him accomplish this.

“I think that we have an opportunity here to really not just celebrate this idea of be ing a tech triangle, but to actually use the tech so that we maximize engagement and feedback from all residents,” Ruth said. “So

that we know that there’s a representative sample that we’re listening to in our city, so that we are actually reflecting our policy based on what we hear from a representative population. … As a researcher, the weight of finding a generalized sample is on me. It’s on me to go and make sure that I’m hearing from a right-sized audience that will repre sent the larger population.”

Baldwin has drawn criticism for her ties to developers and lack of direct engagement with the community which culminated in a recall effort last year. Ruth said he dis approves of the city council’s removal of platforms bridging dialogue with the com munity. In 2020, the council abruptly dis mantled Raleigh’s citizen advisory councils.

COURTESY OF MATHEW BURKHART

RUTH

continued from page 3

“For two years, we’ve been in the absence of a community engagement platform,” Ruth said. “If we’re going to make policy decisions that are ac tually reflective of the needs of people in Raleigh, we have to hear from the people in Raleigh.”

Barbara Zelter, a former professor in NC State’s School of Social Work and advocate of Women for TRUTH, said Ruth will bring the change the community of Raleigh is looking for.

“[Raleigh politicians] have been kind of in the pocket of developers: a lot of big buildings, a lot of gentrification, which is a huge issue for regular middle-class, work ing-class people,” Zelter said. “Dr. Ruth is absolutely not in the pocket of developers. He wants whatever happens in Raleigh to be a conversation of all the people that will be affected.”

According to Allyson Mattingly, a thirdyear studying social work, local North Carolina politicians have come up short on their promises in recent years.

“I do think there needs to be some kind of change,” Mattingly said. “I’ve seen a lot

of politicians advertise how much social change they’re going to do and how much they’re going to help Raleigh, and North Carolina, and how they’re going to do all this big stuff, and then it just never gets done.”

Mattingly said she believes Ruth’s back ground in social work makes him a more compelling candidate that can transform talk into action.

“I think having Terrance run for office is just really fantastic because I think he has

the passion to create or to want to create a better change,” Mattingly said.

Ruth, who has continued teaching classes throughout his campaign this fall, credits his background in social work to supporting his transition to politics.

“For social work, there’s an attraction to being on the forefront of some of the more difficult issues in our nation,” Ruth said. “I think that social work has allowed me to have a level of empathy for people who ei ther don’t have a voice or have a voice that’s ignored that I don’t see often in political figures.”

The NC State School of Social Work is a nationally ranked program, but may be prone to being overlooked, according to Mattingly. She’s hoping Ruth’s bid for mayor will change this.

“I think it’s a huge deal,” Mattingly said. “A lot of people — like students at NC State — don’t even know that the School [of] So cial Work exists. If I tell someone I’m a so cial work major, they say ‘What’s that?’ But if our mayor works at the social work school at North Carolina State University, it’s go ing to really promote who we are, what we do and the importance of what we do, and I think it’ll really just bring a lot of positive attention towards the school.”

Retro Review: Alum speaks on coming out at NC State

Mariana Fabian Opinion Editor

This is the second of an ongoing series which seeks to analyze Technician as a pub lication and its history in LGBTQ activism.

Following the trail from the last of this series, I was directed to NC State alum Richard Morgan, a former staff columnist of Technician, who attended NC State from 1997 to 2001.

Morgan has found success as a freelance writer for several newspapers and maga zines after graduating from NC State in 2001.. He came out publicly in an opinion column for Technician about his experience of coming to terms with his sexuality, why he’s coming out and to facilitate communi cation with straight people.

In the column, Morgan said, “What I would like this column to do is serve as a stepping stone and a building block for communication. There has to be more to gay awareness than shouting ‘I’m here and I’m queer;’ there has to be a follow-up dis cussion.”

Morgan said at the time he was a student, there was never really any conversations about being gay or gay people.

“[The conversation] was always like safety or of diversity,” Morgan said. “Those are the only things that people sort of mentioned about gay people. It wasn’t like you just heard about a normal sort of guy-next-door gay person. There wasn’t a lot of humanity to it. … If you were gay, it was like that was only a conversation stopper or a very limited conversation starter.”

According to Morgan, it was extremely unheard of, and when people did talk about queerness, it was related to Matthew Shepard and his tragic death. Shepard was a gay college student who was brutally kidnapped and murdered by two men. His death sparked outrage and backlash, spur ring the creation of the Matthew Shepard Foundation. In 2009, The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was enacted in Congress by the Obama administration.

Morgan said he was so glad that in his final semester at NC State, he could finally be out. He said the main benefit of his com ing out and his column was that students could really see someone who was actively, openly gay. He wanted to emphasize this person is not really different from the per son they had known. Morgan also said his motivation was to make the conversation more casual, even if it was with baby steps. He received lots of positive feedback from queer students, despite some backlash.

“One of the things to say about that time period is that not a lot of people had email,” Morgan said. “It wasn’t the kind of casual thing that we have now. There was also no texting and nothing like that. … So it was only physical letters to the editor, or maybe some emails and a lot of the emails that I ended up getting were from gay students who were mostly happy for it.”

Morgan was also a student leader for the Campus Crusade for Christ at the time this column came out. He had experience with missionary work in the past, and he really

liked leading students. Morgan ended up stepping down from this position after the column came out. He said he wasn’t bul lied or threatened into this by any means, he just didn’t want to be the center of the conversation. He continued attending his Bible study and said they were very accept

ing, understanding and accommodating. Morgan remained part of their audience, just not as a leader anymore.

COURTESY OF BARBARA ZELTER

COURTESY OF RICHARD MORGAN

Black Students Board separates from UAB, promoting community among students

NC State’s Black Students Board (BSB) re cently separated from the University Activi ties Board (UAB), becoming its own organi zation in summer 2022. After its creation in 1950, the organization has come a long way to ensure Black students have a community at a predominantly white institution.

Kelis Johnson, a third-year in African studies and director of BSB, describes the community BSB strives to create, and how the organization works with others to pro vide an inclusive place for students of color on campus.

“BSB plays a huge role on campus,” John son said. “[We] hold a space not only for Black students, but also Latinx students and students from different cultures. [BSB is] a place where people can just come in and they can just interact with different people.”

Jada McKinney, a third-year studying chemistry and BSB’s marketing coordi nator, said BSB’s inclusive community contributes to NC State’s environment as a whole.

“It builds a community, definitely among Black students,” McKinney said. “But also it makes the environment of NC State feel more accepting. Like everyone feels like they have a place that they belong. And when they come together, it’s all part of the Wolfpack.”

In order to create this community, BSB’s general body is made up of five committees and an executive board to coordinate and plan student events.

Ranging from the organization’s largest weeklong event, Pan-Afrikan Week, and other campus-wide events, to more personal gatherings, BSB offers many events for stu dents to attend and find their footing both on campus and at BSB. Kamya Harvin, a third-year studying sociology and event coordinator for BSB, describes how the organization ensures a variety of activities are offered.

“We have about three events a month,” Harvin said. “So there’s one I do, or Mya [Williams, second event coordinator for BSB] does. And then we have our general body meetings. The two larger events are

what me and Mya plan, and [they’re] usu ally bigger and campus wide. And then our smaller general body meetings are more personable.”

Separating from UAB is not only a re flection of the growing recognition of BSB, but also the growth of the organization as a whole. To register as an official student organization meant a large amount of back

Black people like one thing. They just think they want to go somewhere and there’s rap music there. And it’s fine, but I’m trying to make events that are broader and still fun, but something for everyone because, although we’re mostly Black … we’re still very different. And that doesn’t really mean we have to like one thing. So at least in my events, I’m trying to do different things.”

part of our culture, come to our events and enjoy being a part of our community [and] get a sense of community. No one is there to teach anybody anything.”

This sense of community is a large part of BSB’s overarching goals and mission as an organization. Harvin explained how impactful the family of BSB is.

“Coming to college … you’re away from your family, and it can get very lonely,” Harvin said. “This is the largest campus in North Carolina, and it could feel like you’re the only one. So I think it’s really important for people to feel like they have somewhere that they can come. Even if it’s just a familiar face, I feel like it’s very important for everyone to feel like they are accepted or belong somewhere. … So it’s really important to at least try to build some type of family on campus.”

Even with this change, BSB still faces many challenges. Harvin said some of these challenges include the need to be creative while limited to a budget.

“Because UAB is so much larger, they have precedence over ideas,” Harvin said. “You really have to be extra creative, you really have to think outside of the box. … And I know, we’re trying to increase our budget. … If [an event] has been done before, it’s probably not going to happen again for a while. So that’s why it’s a lot more pressure to be super creative, while also working within the budget and having to be aware of the UAB and know that they have a lot more events than we do.”

The challenges are an inevitable part of the organization’s growing presence on campus — a part that outweighs the positive effects that accompany BSB’s rec ognition.

ground work that would lead to BSB having a larger budget and room for more events compared to past years. Harvin said she hopes to use this larger platform to reach more students.

“In the past, events have been super fo cused on one type of target audience,” Har vin said. “And I feel like, at least with my events, I’m really trying to make something for everyone, because not every Black per son is the same. And I feel like a lot of it can be repetitive. Because people just think

Of the many logistical details involved in separating, Johnson said she had the op portunity to alter a long-standing mission statement for BSB.

“[The mission statement] included a part that I was really bothered by that said, ‘to educate others about our culture,’” Johnson said. “That’s not what BSB is here for. It’s not to educate others. It’s here to build a community amongst Black students, and I think that needs to be shown in our mis sion statement. Because yes, if you’re not a

“We’re being recognized as important,” McKinney said. “I feel like now that we’re our own separate thing, we’re not just a committee underneath their board.”

Beyond the exciting changes and events planned for BSB, Harvin, Johnson and McKinney all credit BSB for giving them an outlet to be creative, connect with others and help others in building the community.

For more information on event registra tion and BSB announcements, follow its Twitter, TikTok and Instagram.

RETRO continued from page 4

During his time as a student, Morgan also said being gay including having to an swer explicit and invasive sexual history questions all the time.

“You just had to talk about your sex life in a way that other people didn’t have to do,” Morgan said. “And you had to talk about

what you’ve done, who you’ve done it with, what does God think of what you’ve done? What does God think of you?”

Morgan said one of the most frustrating parts of coming out is there’s never a perfect time to do it.

“There’s always this muddiness of people who knew you when you were closeted and then when you’re out,” Morgan said. “I re member how remarkable it felt to move to

[Washington] D.C., to work as a congres sional reporter. And I remember how it felt to sort of like introduce myself as gay and like, I’ve always been gay to these people.”

Morgan also said coming out is a part of a much larger, meaningful soul-searching process. He regards coming out as almost hatching, it needed to occur for him to be able to come to terms with himself, his wants and his heart.

“You really have to figure out who you are as an essential experience,” Morgan said. “One of the things I’m glad about for com ing out is that it sort of accelerated my sense of knowing who I am and how my mind works, how my fears work, how my hopes work and how my heart works.”

To read Richard Morgan’s work, visit his site.

COURTESY OF JADA MCKINNEY

Madison Ligh Correspondent

DUELING COLUMNS

Hollywood needs to keep serial killers off the big screen

‘Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’ is about more than a serial killer

Caroline Wilbourne Staff Columnist

Netflix’s hottest show right now is “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Sto ry.” It stars Evan Peters as the infamous Jeffrey Dahmer, and honestly, I’m so tired of seeing shows like these about serial killers.

Dahmer was a serial killer who gruesomely murdered 17 young men, 11 of whom were Black, and notoriously picked up his victims in gay bars. The show was made to shed light on the true perspectives of the victims and their families.

While Peters does an excellent job at ful filling the role of the unsympathetic Dah mer, and depicting this disturbing story by exposing the blatant racism and homopho bia at the time, the show has gotten a lot of backlash — especially from the victims’ families.

Specifically, Rita Isbell, the sister of Er rol Lindsey, one of Dahmer’s victims, was horrified to see this traumatic experience recreated on the big screen. Isbell said she felt like she was reliving it all over again, and it brought back all the emotions she felt back then. Netflix never even asked her or any of the other victims’ families if they were okay with the show being made. They found out when everyone else did, which mortified the families and forced them to relive this event.

In a viral Twitter thread by Eric Perry, Lindsey’s cousin, he explains the reper cussions of making a show like this for the victims’ families. He said Netflix was able to make the show without their permission because the sentencing is public record.

The fact that Netflix made this show with out even notifying the families is super un ethical, especially because the producers said they created the show with “respect to the victims” and intended on “honoring the dignity of the families.”

Similar to “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story,” Netflix made a Ted Bundy movie starring Zac Efron in 2019 called “Extremely Wicked; Shockingly Evil and Vile.” This movie, compared to the Dahmer series, is less gory, but it still sends the same message of focusing on the serial killer played by an attractive movie star. Efron was cast for this role because, like Peters, he’s famous enough to catch people’s attention. Also, Bundy was known for being dreamy, and Efron is known for that same appeal.

However, getting attractive actors to play these killers is just super weird. It’s like di rectors are trying to make you gloss over the fact that these were real people who did horrible things. Bundy was known for hav ing adoring fans during his trial, and even 30 years later, he still has that effect. Many Twitter users point out his attractiveness by saying even though he’s a serial killer, he’s hot. This type of behavior is super un comfortable to read because it discredits the victims’ families and their trauma.

Casting these stars as serial killers to bring in views isn’t the way to shed light on these tragedies. It’s only glamorizing these dis turbing murderers.

Not only that, but true crime fans on Tik Tok said the Dahmer show wasn’t graphic enough for them. In this TikTok, a woman said she’s bummed that the show “didn’t show any morbid parts.” She’s also seen in the video wearing Dahmer earrings. This is really off-putting and shows the kind of obscene attitudes true crime fans have re garding these shows. They want it to be as disturbing as possible which discredits the reality of how awful these events truly were.

Hollywood should instead stick to docu mentaries that objectively inform the public about what happened. A good example is “The Jeffrey Dahmer Files.” They take a super objective approach when talking about the Dahmer case and even bring in detectives who worked on it at the time. It explains the story without forcing the victims’ families to see themselves on the screen and unleash a great amount of stress onto them.

The victims’ families should be notified be fore shows are released. If the media is going to make another show or movie about their trauma, they deserve to be notified and given some of the profit to help with their grief.

Hollywood needs to stop making a profit off of these horrific tragedies, and not make shows like these if they continue casting good-looking stars to play these killers and not communicating with the victims’ fami lies about the process.

The families of Dahmer’s victims have to experience this trauma as long as shows like “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” are be ing made, along with all the other victims of other notorious serial killers. Hollywood, please stop making these films.

Riley Sipe Correspondent

The new Netflix show

“Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” starring Evan Peters has sparked great controversy about the morality of its release, but there are huge points people are overlooking.

Serial killer shows have been talked about for a while now, saying they glorify the serial kil ler and cause the victims’ families to relive the traumatizing events. However, the harsh facts of the Dahmer case are illuminated by this new show, and these are bigger than the atrocious crimes he committed.

In a Netflix interview, Peters shares his take on the controversy from the show. He discusses their collaboration on his charac ter and how the creator, Ryan Murphy, had “one goal with this project: never glamorize the serial killer.”

When I watched this series, I was comple tely unaware of how much police negligence and homophobia contributed to the murder of 11 gay Black men. Peters even says this story is so much more than Dahmer, that it’s truly about “how society and our system failed to stop him multiple times because of racism [and] homophobia.”

I understand the amount of pain and trauma the families have to go through is unimaginable for anyone. However, I don’t think this means information shouldn’t be shared with the public.

If this was presented in a classic documen tary form, I wouldn’t have understood or been able to feel sympathy for the victims, their families and the horrific events they suffered through. Peters talks about how they also had one rule while filming this: it would never be told from Dahmer’s point of view. The audience isn’t made to sympathize with Dahmer, but with the victims.

A simple documentary, even though it is more respectful, cannot convey the same emotions as a reenactment. The case itself is deeply disturbing, so the series’ format is a more efficient method to accurately pre sent the facts in a way to elicit an emotional response in an audience.

People are also way more likely to watch something in a docuseries format compared to a normal documentary. A lot of people are interested in disturbing things.

“Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” is also getting backlash for sparking insensi tive comments on TikTok and Twitter that

desensitize the severity of the case. However, people say crass things about tragic events all the time, regardless of whether there is a docuseries made about it. This doesn’t mean we should stop having emotional takes on true stories.

If serial killers shouldn’t be on screen, then the same should be said about all ree nactments depicting war, mass murders and shootings. What about those victims’ families?

What happened to those 11 young gay Black men is a devastating story, but it aids in exposing the corruption and negligence of the police to previously uninformed people. People on Twitter are now having more conversations about racial issues in volved and sympathy for victims because of this series as well.

The information in this docuseries is still prevalent today. Actress Niecy Nash, playing Glenda Cleveland, speaks on the time lessness of the theme in a Netflix interview. She explains how we still have “communities that are being underserved, being overpo liced in the wrong way … communities, and people crying out for change and to be heard by the police.”

“Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” is different from the other docuseries that ac tually glamorize the serial killer. The Net flix film, starring Zac Efron, “Extremely Wicked; Shockingly Evil and Vile” recieved backlash for casting a famous sex symbol as a serial killer. Peters genuinely looks like Jeffery Dahmer and has the acting skills to back up the role. He even made it a point to act in a way that would present his role “in an honest and very unflattering light.”

Reliving that experience is something I would never wish to go through, but it shows a new account of people affected by Dahmer and the inequalities they faced. Not everyone knows how badly the police were culpable in the victims’ deaths and this show presents a side that a lot of people aren’t aware of. Yes, one can look up the information on the Internet, but with a nar rative like this, people can see a new side to the story and become aware of the racism and homophobia that took place within the police system.

Stories like this will always be painful for the people involved, no matter what, and there are actions that can be taken to make the blow softer for the victims and their families. However, we cannot and should not get rid of a whole genre for this reason.

The library isn’t a playground

one would find silence there. I was success ful for a few hours, until someone sat near me and began to eat a full on meal with their mouth open — smacking their chops like no tomorrow. There’s a time and place for everything.

Ashley Linzey Staff Columnist

Libraries are meant for peace and quiet. For someone who’s dead set on needing to get research or studying done, librar ies harbor solidarity and silence to keep their fo cus. If you want to social ize and laugh it up with friends, choose your destination wisely. I’m no library connoisseur, but I do enjoy getting work done in a place that allows me to stay focused with little to no distractions. When I first moved to Raleigh to attend NC State, I was excited to utilize the D.H. Hill Library as my go-to for studying. I lucked out on my first visit, as I came at a time when not many students filled the seats. Unfortu nately, later visits proved to be discouraging, leading me to recoil into my apartment for some sort of silence.

I have always thought of a library being a place where you are not allowed to get rowdy, talk loudly or behave in an obnox ious manner. Any time I imagine one doing so, I see the infamous librarian with their glasses, hair in a bun and those piercing eyes looking straight at the culprit and shush ing them.

There have been multiple times where I have been agitated by the actions of others

in the library

here at NC State, and it makes me wonder if people know what a li brary is actually for. The first floor of the library ought to be the worst of them all. The so-called “quiet rooms” are not all that quiet, at least not at all times. Students talk loudly and laugh without any concern for others.

People walking around and talking with their outside voices,

Obviously, there are areas in the library where you can eat and talk with your friends. Areas like the first floor and near the Brickyard entrance are completely fair game. Places deemed “quiet” like the book stacks are literally designated areas for studying, not socializing. For the sake of students who get it, I strongly encourage staff and security in the library to uphold the true purpose of this building. It’s rare to see any staff walking around to make sure students respect the guidelines of an area, whether it’s for silence or interaction. I think we need a little shushing here and there to remind those who are oblivious to others who are putting in hard work toward their degree.

Having respect toward others is free of charge and doesn’t take much effort. Talk aloud with friends where you should, eat where you should, goof off where you should and maintain quiet when the room reads as quiet. If you are looking to do as you please, go to Talley.

Book bans are prejudiced, not protective

which were formed in 2021. Despite the fact that over 70% of Americans oppose book bans, these groups seek to impose restric tions on everyone.

Lauren Richards Staff Columnist

From “The Grapes of Wrath” to “The Adven tures of Captain Under pants,” there is no short age of books that have been banned from the public sphere. Often these calls for removal are made in the name of protecting children from inappropri ate content, whether that’s too much fart ing or mentions of sex. Yet, in the direction they’re heading now, they’re nothing more than discrimination in disguise.

While literary censorship is nothing new, book bans have been on the rise in recent years. According to the American Library Association (ALA), over 1,500 titles were on the chopping block in 2021, up from 273 in 2020.

The recent uptick in book challenges and removal reflect a changing political climate. Unlike the localized movements of the past where individual parents led the charge, or ganized groups and government officials are spearheading modern censorship cam paigns. According to a report published by PEN America, an organization that strives to protect the rights of writers, at least 50 groups were tied to book ban efforts, most of

Of the books pulled from library shelves, a majority focus on the experience of margin alized groups. Between July 2021 and June 2022, PEN America found 41% of books banned feature LGBTQ content, 40% fea ture a protagonist of color or prominent sec ondary characters of color and 21% address issues of race or racism. One such title that falls into both categories, “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” has been targeted for removal in 29 districts.

On a more basic level, book bans are a denial of basic First Amendment rights, but they also harm readers, especially those whose experiences reflect the type of con tent being removed. While studying how children engage with books, Dr. Rudine Bishop, a professor at Ohio State Univer sity who studies representation in literature, promoted the concepts of “mirrors” and “windows.” Mirrors refer to material that coincides with the reader’s identity, while windows refer to literature through which the reader can access ideas and experiences that differ from their own.

For students who are historically under

represented or stereotyped in literature, mirrors help to increase academic engage ment and provide personal validation of their experiences. Windows are just as im portant in advancing knowledge. When students are exposed to diverse content, they can develop a deeper understanding of the world, which helps to improve critical thinking as well as foster a more tolerant, inclusive environment.

Limiting access to these stories increases the risk of the opposite occurring. With ev ery removal of a book that discusses gen der identity or oppression, the potential for harassment and violence toward members of marginalized groups increases. Further more, lack of representation can have an ar ray of negative mental health consequences, from feelings of isolation to imposter syn drome.

Although many of the groups attempting to enforce sweeping bans hold conservative values, this issue plays out on both sides of the political spectrum. In Washington, for instance, one public school banned “To Kill a Mockingbird” because it marginal ized people of color and portrayed white saviorism. Yet, regardless of the reasons why, shielding real-world history and expe riences will not make uncomfortable topics

less of a reality.

While book bans typically concern chil dren, they aren’t the only population be ing affected. Book bans also place librarians and school officials at risk for losing their jobs, or even facing jail time, as new laws prohibiting certain books in schools are be ing implemented. As a result, educators are feeling pressured to self-censor and avoid controversial topics altogether.

It’s high time we put a ban on book bans. The ALA lists several ways we can fight for our intellectual freedom, which includes attending a Banned Book Week Program, purchasing Banned Book Weeks merchan dise and donating. At NC State, University Libraries provides the opportunity to show our support through programs celebrating the freedom to read during the last week of September.

Regardless of what you believe, no one can argue against protecting children and fostering their knowledge. Shutting them off from content that goes against their world view isn’t the way to do that. Instead, we should encourage the exploration of differ ent ideas and viewpoints — that is how we can best prepare students to face the world.

GRAPHIC BY ELLIE BRUNO

Find carpool matches (for a single trip or regular carpool buddies) using Share The Ride NC, NC State's ridematching database Use your Unity ID to log in Great for trips across the state or the southeast!

To get to RDU airport, board GoTriangle's Route 100 towards the Regional Transit Center (RTC) from Hillsborough St The trip takes about 45 minutes. Use Google Maps for directions.

Weekdays before 6:30pm: Transfer at RTC to the RDU airport shuttle Nights and weekends: The bus goes directly to RDU.

To get to Raleigh's Union Station, take GoTriangle's route 100 or GoRaleigh's route 4 towards downtown Raleigh from Hillsborough St. Walk to Union Station (use Google Maps for transit/walking directions)

Campus concertina player brings live music to Free Expression Tunnel

Oftentimes, students walk through the Free Expression Tunnel with earbuds bla ring music, either overlooking or admiring the variety of art that covers the walls, sim ply trying to make it to their next class on time. For many, their daily walk to class may include another sound to accompany them. Eli Secosky, a 17-year-old from Raleigh, has made a name for himself as the tunnel’s very own “accordion guy,” playing his concertina atop the Free Expression Tunnel as students walk by.

Secosky has played the concertina — what many mistake as an accordion — for four years, and after taking a mental break from homeschool and working at a local Food Lion, he decided to share his hobby on NC State’s campus while earning some extra cash.

“I used to play my mountain dulcimer in the Brickyard,” Secosky said. “And a guy I was working with at the time was like, ‘You should put out a tip jar.’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s a novel idea.’ So I did. I made some money, and I didn’t get much attention with the mountain dulcimer because I guess it’s kind of a boring instrument. And so I brought the accordion and people love that. And so I was like, ‘Okay, this is cool. I can work with this.’”

The concertina isn’t the only instrument Secosky plays. Learning from a few lessons and mostly by ear, he has picked up many instruments over the years. He inherited his love of music, and several of the instruments he plays today, from his late uncle.

“I find more than you can count on one hand … banjo, guitar, bass guitar, resonator, mountain dulcimer, ukulele, concertina, harmonica, didgeridoo, piano, a little bit of violin,” Secosky said. “I have a violin [but] I’m not particularly good at it. My ocarina, I have this sweet Zelda ocarina, if you’re nerdy like that. … Native American flute as well … hurdy-gurdy, electric guitar … and saxophone. I like to include a harpsichord and pipe organ in there, [too].”

Music isn’t Secosky’s only hobby. Other hobbies vary from aviation, after spending a year and a half in Civil Air Patrol, to lock picking. Secosky has had time to focus on these hobbies as he’s taken a step back on what he finds to be monotonous, overwhel ming aspects of life.

“I recently dropped out of high school last year,” Secosky said. “It was stressful on top of working, and I kind of just thought it was superfluous. And, like a lot of the stuff that I’d be doing, I’d never ever, ever use in my life. I didn’t want to go to college anyways, so it kind of just felt like I was doing it for

nothing.”

After being able to focus on music, Se cosky began to expand to performing for others at NC State. With minimal public performances, it was Secosky’s connection to others at NC State along with his admi ration of the campus itself that brought him to play for others beginning at the start of spring 2021 semester.

“I was spending a lot of time on campus anyways,” Secosky said. “Just because I have connections over there. And I wanted just a place to play where it was just not at home … and that’s kind of nice, because [the Free Expression Tunnel is] very sunny … you get this really nice view. And there’s like, a lot of people.”

The large crowds can be overwhelming for anyone performing in public. Despite all the attention, Secosky is not immune.

Nevertheless, his passion for what he does, alongside his positive outlook and feedback from many students, kept him coming back to his favorite spot.

“So far, I haven’t had anybody that’s ex pressed any negative words about what I’m doing, which is nice,” Secosky said. “But if somebody does, then it’s not a big deal, because I have adoring fans; I’m kind of mi ni-famous. I go skating around State. And

sometimes I have people that stop me and they’re like, ‘Oh, my God, you’re the accor dion guy!’ … I guess people are gonna think how they’re gonna think, and I don’t really have a problem with it. As long as they’re not trying to affect me negatively.”

These positive interactions have led to Secosky garnering not only an audience that will recognize him in the tunnels, but a name for himself as a hidden gem of NC State’s campus culture.

Pratina Kandru, a second-year studying business, said she appreciated Secosky’s music and presence.

“I think he’s amazing,” Kandru said. “Eve ry time I see him, I raise my hand. I’m like, ‘Good job.’ He definitely adds something that no other college campus has. … Eve ryone should put their thumb up at him.”

Madalen Hagee, a second-year studying statistics, said she agrees he’s a positive contributor to the atmosphere on campus and an element to campus culture in his own right.

“I love the sound,” Hagee said. “Even if you had a hard day, you were walking through there and then it was radiating through the tunnel. … I think it’s kind of this unspoken thing that you have to find for yourself. It’s like an on-campus Easter egg.”

While many know about the stranger hovering above the tunnel with an instru ment and music to share, plenty of people are shy to interact with the mysterious guy they know nothing about.

Danielle Hahn, a second-year studying math, recalls only positive experiences with hearing Secosky despite never actually phy sically interacting with him.

“I was just getting through my day,” Hahn said. “And I heard that and I was like, ‘Where is that coming from?’ And then I looked up and I saw him playing the accor dion. Oh my gosh, that made me so happy — immediate smile on my face.”

While Hahn recognizes the way his pre sence facilitates communication between others that see him in the tunnel, Secosky wants to encourage everyone to not feel shy or worry about interrupting his playing.

“Don’t worry about interrupting,” Secos ky said. “Because I love talking to people. It’s fun. A lot of times they’re scared that they’re interrupting, but it’s really easy to just stop for somebody if they want to ask questions or something. … But I just love having people coming by. And people that want to see me, if they like it, know I’m there and they want to come by then, that makes me happy.”

NATALIE FOLSOM/TECHNICIAN

Eli Secosky, known as the “NC State accordion guy,” plays the concertina in the Free Expression Tunnel on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022.

Madison Ligh

National Coming Out Day Pride Walk lifts up LGBTQ community

Gabby Griffionetti Correspondent

The second annual National Coming Out Day Pride Walk hosted by the GLBT Center and the Poole College of Management was held Monday, Oct. 3. The event is one of many that celebrates LGBTQ History Month on campus.

The Pride Walk formed last year to create an environment of welcomeness and community for NC State students, faculty and staff who identify as LGBTQ. It is designed for LGBTQ community members and allies to participate together.

The event began at Stafford Commons, where participants could choose to participate in mul tiple activities. There were tables for making posters, decorating t-shirts and making custom button pins. Participants could also play corn hole, Spikeball or create chalk art.

The walk began at 4 p.m. after a brief speech from GLBT Center Director Dr. Charla Blu mell.

“This is a movement in solidarity, this is a movement in love, this is a movement in peace and beauty and, most importantly, pride,” Blu mell told the crowd.

Participants started their walk in Stafford Commons, made their way through Wolf Plaza and then headed towards Nelson Hall. After festive rallies at Nelson Hall, D.H. Hill Jr. Library and Cox Hall, they passed through the Free Expression Tunnel, returning to Stafford Commons to finish the celebration.

Students, faculty, staff and allies were waiting in Stafford Commons to welcome and support participants with free resources, snacks and swag. One goal of the event is to provide the NC State community with LGBTQ resources and training.

The event filled the space with rainbow de cor and lively music from artists like Whitney

Houston, Lady Gaga and Cher. Participants showed their support with colorful tie-dye Tshirts and Progress Pride flags.

Arvin Singh Kushwaha, a second-year study ing computer science, said the event is a great way to create connections on campus and sup port the LGBTQ community.

“It’s just a fun event to reconnect with other

peers who are also queer and represent who I am as a person,” Kushwaha said. “And also to stand up for our rights, especially given all the horror that’s been happening this year with the government. It’s ramping up more than ever, and events like these help showcase why we need to fight for who we are and show that we matter.”

Mack Aiken, a second-year studying busi ness, echoed a similar opinion.

“I went to the event last year and I really liked it, and it’s nice to feel like we have a community on campus,” Aiken said.

Other participants said Pride Walk is a way to be their real authentic selves and support their peers who are doing the same.

“This is my first Pride event ever, and I’m away from home, so I’m just here to express myself however I want to,” said Alex Smith, a second-year studying education.

“[Pride Walk] is an opportunity to hang out with people who are like me and understand my experiences,” said Sadie Reese, a first-year in exploratory studies. “And I’m also here to just have fun being my real self.”

Blumell said the event is all about the stu dents — her favorite part is seeing them engage with the event and each other.

“I think the most joyous part of this is see ing all the students — seeing their faces, seeing them here and connected and in community and excited to be in community,” Blumell said.

“This is a beautiful thing. This is not just us moving — it’s a movement.”

NC State tee-fetching canine becomes viral sensation

Matthew Burkhart Correspondent

Ripken, the black labrador retriever who can be spotted fetching tees at NC State football games, has garnered incredible success in the previous months, becoming a fan favorite and boasting millions of views on social media.

Michael O’Donnell, dog training agency owner of Sit Means Sit Apex and Ripken’s owner and trainer, said he sought out Ripken to be a retriever and a “spokesdog” when he first opened his Apex, North Carolina location six years ago.

“When we decided to open up our own loca tion, that’s when I called my buddy out in Boise, Idaho,” O’Donnell said. “He sent me Ripken to start training and working with because I really needed a dog to show off our skills and what we did and how we did it but was also going to be very good with kids and very good with people. Why I went the lab route was [I wanted] a dog that I knew was going to be gentle and friendly and awesome but also was willing to do a lot of retrieving and working for me too.”

O’Donnell said Ripken is a six-year-old black

labrador retriever whose father, Cowboy Kohl, was a tee-retrieving dog at Boise State Univer sity. Ripken was first trained to retrieve baseball bats, named after legendary Orioles player, Cal Ripken Jr.

“Since he was eight weeks old, [I] started teaching him to fetch baseball bats in the back yard,” O’Donnell said. “[We] started off with the Holly Springs Salamanders fetching bats there and then a year into it, the Durham Bulls said ‘You know, what he’s doing is awesome. We want to call him up.’ So they called him up to the Durham Bulls. In our first year with the Durham Bulls, I reached out to NC State at that point and sent them a video of him getting the baseball bats, and [it] just so happened to work out that they needed somebody to do the tees, and fast forward, Ripken’s now the NC State tee dog.”

O’Donnell said he and Ripken just completed their fourth season with the Durham Bulls, and they are now in their second season with NC State football. In his first season with NC State,

VIOSA KOLIQI/TECHNICIAN

Members of the community hold a sign during the Pride Walk on Monday, Oct. 3, 2022 around main campus. The Pride Walk served as a kickoff to LGBTQ History Month.

ETHAN RIMOLT/TECHNICIAN Ripken the Bat Dog sits in the Court of Carolina on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022. Ripken is a viral sensation and known around campus for fetching players’ bats at baseball games and re trieving the kicking tee at football games.

Djo shows potential with sophomore album ‘DECIDE’

On Sept. 16, “Stranger Things” star Joe Keery released his sophomore album, “DE CIDE” under his musical persona, Djo. Keery started his music career as a drummer and guitarist for Post Animal, a Chicago-based indie rock band. He left in 2019 due to con flicts with acting commitments and released his first solo album, “Twenty Twenty,” the same year. Regardless of the increased popu larity “Stranger Things” may give him, Keery puts a lot of effort into keeping his musical persona apart from his acting persona, often wearing a wig and sunglasses on stage.

“DECIDE” documents Keery’s reflection of the past and how he took it for granted,and at tempts to allow the listener to live Keery’s life through the past decade, as well as reminisce on their own. Throughout the album, Keery mainly sticks with his roots of psychedelic rock, but begins to experiment with new sound and throws in small tastes of new wave, ‘70s rock and ‘80s pop.

The album begins with “Runner,” which was a strange choice to start off the album — the lyrics don’t clearly reflect the album’s theme, and the instrumentals don’t show the growth seen so clearly throughout the re mainder of the album. Although Keery takes so much care to separate his music persona from his acting one, he includes ‘80s-inspired pulses in “Runner,” making it sound like something straight out of “Stranger Things.”

Along with “Runner,” many other tracks throughout the album included ‘80s-inspired

pulses and similar repetition in the lyrics. Al though “On and On,” “Go for It” and “Slither” were all worth a listen, they fail to contribute to the theme of the album and the repetitive lyrics come across as lazy songwriting.

“DECIDE” continues with “Gloom,” an upbeat track about trying to live in the mo ment but being ready to move on. “Gloom” is one of the best tracks from the album and seems to be a subtle nod to Talking Heads’ “Speaking in Tongues,” but unfortunately, Keery’s songwriting skills were not up for this track. While the instrumentals successfully pay tribute, the lyrics were nowhere near on par with them.

The sixth track on the album, “End of Be ginning,” is easily the best song on the album and may even rival “Mortal Projections” on his freshman record as his greatest track. Although Keery isn’t normally described as a lyrical genius, this track is an exception to this and perfectly reflects theme and emo tion, displaying his best writing yet. While it still includes the regular songwriting repeti tion that can be seen in most of the album’s tracks, more personal details can be seen in the lyrics, referencing Keery’s time in Chicago playing with Post Animal.

“This song has started now and you’re just finding out/Now isn’t that a laugh?/A major sacrifice, but clueless at the time/Enter, Caro line/Just trust me, you’ll be fine,” Keery sings.

Keery regularly uses auto-tune in order to achieve his signature neo-psychedelic sound, but “End of Beginning” lacks this, making the track feel real and raw. During the outro,

ties and Ripken’s representative, said while they understand Ripken’s appearances are unique, her organization didn’t expect fans to love Rip ken this much.

Keery is basically yelling at the listener.

In its entirety, “DECIDE” is a solid album that shows talent and is a vast improvement from Keery’s freshman album. Although the experimenting of multiple genres shows major growth and even still more potential, the same cannot be said for Keery’s songwrit

ing. “DECIDE” does not embody the overall theme to the extent it could have, due to the writing in the majority of the album’s songs. If Keery wants to continue to be successful, he needs to show more growth in his writing and back away from relatability, include more personal details and use less repetition.

Ripken was only allowed to fetch the tee at the first kickoff of the first or second half game, now he fetches tees for the entire first half due to being such a crowd favorite.

Ripken has gained notable traction, being featured on SportsCenter, CBS newscasts and even on international outlets such as the Inde pendent. The platform that took off the most was TikTok, in which Ripken’s account has over 228,000 followers, 6.8 million likes and even received over 4.9 million views on one of his tee retrieving clips from the Texas Tech vs. NC State game. O’Donnell said recently, a woman from London approached him at a baseball game, saying she had reshaped her visit in order to see Ripken at the following NC State football game.

“It was her first baseball game she’d ever been to,” O’Donnell said. “It’s cool bringing people to sports that they may not have ever been able to go to, or may not have even been interested in and my dog helps bring people to new sports and new experiences.”

Brooke Conely, a third-year studying human biology, said fans loved Ripken at the UConn vs. NC State game.

“People love dogs and football so when they come together, it’s so exciting,” Conely said.

Elizabeth Margagliotti, the manager of part nership services with Wolfpack Sports Proper

“When Ripken is done doing his job and there’s just a football manager going out there and getting the tee and the fact that our fans are booing this manager. … I don’t think any of us expected that to happen,” Margagliotti said.

Margagliotti said Wolfpack Sports Proper ties was also careful in differentiating Ripken from Tuffy III, NC State’s beloved live mascot.

“We kind of spun that it’s like this [dog] is Tuffy’s new friend, so that was something that was really important to us because we obvi ously didn’t want to overshadow Tuffy,” Mar gagliotti said. “When they met again on the sidelines for the first game, Tuffy III’s owner said that Ripken helps calm down Tuffy III on the sidelines. So that was sweet that they kind of have this bond and that they look forward to seeing each other on game days.”

O’Donnell said it’s easy for people to forget that off the field, Ripken is an ordinary dog.

“He is just a normal fun-loving dog and he’s our pet. I mean, it’s crazy to see 60,000 people go crazy for our pet,” O’Donnell said. “Even my kids laugh when they’re like, ‘That’s just Rippy, he’s so silly.’ But people [only] get to see the hardworking side of him. They don’t get to see the lazy, lovable mush of a black lab that he really is. And so I want people to know that he’s well taken care of. He enjoys his life and he’s a family dog as well when he’s not on that

field, working.”

O’Donnell said fetching tees in front of a roaring audience is Ripken’s favorite activity, with the duo not planning on stopping any time soon.

“Fetching the tee and getting all those

cheers is probably as big a treat he’ll ever get because that’s his favorite thing in the world,” O’Donnell said. “If he could choose between a treat or 60,000 screaming people, I think he’s gonna go [for the] 60,000 screaming people every time.”

GRAPHIC BY HEIDI REID

Heidi Reid

NATALIE FOLSOM/TECHNICIAN

Ripken the Bat Dog retrieves the baseball bat during the game against Georgia Tech at Doak Field on Saturday, March 26, 2022. NC State won 6-5.

NC State football looks to rebound under the lights against Florida State

Gavin Gallimore Correspondent

No. 14 NC State football is set to square off against the Florida State Seminoles in Carter-Finley Stadium Saturday, Oct. 8. There is much excitement surrounding the game where a sold-out crowd hopes to see the Pack bounce back from a disappointing performance at Clemson. This matchup marks the 43rd matchup between the Wolfpack (4-1, 0-1 ACC) and the Seminoles (4-1, 2-1 ACC). Even though Florida State holds the edge in the series, NC State has won four of the last five games. There’s been lots of mention of how much FSU has improved this year. The Seminoles have failed to put together a winning season since 2017. However, that failure looks like it’s changing this season as both sides of the football look to be clicking in a crucial third year under head coach Mike Norvell. Florida State’s strong start to the season included a last-minute blocked field goal against LSU. The Noles went on to defeat a strong Louisville team on the road and take down Boston College. This culminated in FSU’s first appearance in the AP top 25 since 2018.

Last week in a losing effort against No.

22 Wake Forest, quarterback Jordan Travis had a strong performance, tossing for 281 yards and three touchdowns. Receivers My cah Pittman and Johnny Wilson combined for 170 yards and three touchdowns.

Shifting over to NC State, this game spells lots of opportunity for the Wolfpack. How ever, much of this success leans on the of fense. In NC State’s loss to Clemson, the of fense seemed to be missing a beat for most of the game. The Wolfpack only recorded 279 total yards of offense. However, the Pack looks to right the ship as it faces a Seminole defense that currently allows 329.4 yards per game.

In order for the offense to be on top of its game, it will need more contributions from the receiving core, including redshirt junior Devin Carter. The towering 6-foot-3-inch receiver, who made several contributions last season, has not seen much success this year as NC State still lacks a true WR1. The Wolfpack also needs better play from red shirt junior quarterback Devin Leary, who has not played up to the standard he set last season. Leary gets another test this week against a Florida State unit that’s only giving up 179.4 passing yards per game.

The rushing attack also looks to rebound after a week in Death Valley where it was

only able to pick up 34 total yards. Sopho more running back Demie Sumo-Karng baye and his junior counterpart, Jordan Houston, look to capitalize on a Florida State defense that allows 150 rushing yards per game.

The Pack needs to keep an eye out for linebacker Kalen Deloach as he looks to continue a strong campaign. Deloach has amassed 27 total tackles, 2.5 sacks and four passes defended. Defensive back Jammie Robinson is another player making a big impact. He currently leads the team with 34 combined tackles.

The Wolfpack defense looks to have an other great performance led by its very strong linebacker core. Junior Drake Thom as, graduate student Isaiah Moore, and red shirt junior Payton Wilson each played a vital role in the Clemson game, with each having at least eight tackles. As a whole, they have contributed heavily to an overall unit that only allows 280 yards per game. The linebackers will have their hands full with Travis’ versatility. He leads a Florida State offense that currently averages an impres sive 481.6 yards and 34.2 points per game.

It’ll be interesting to see how the second ary will play with the injury status of senior nickelback Tyler Baker-Williams still up in

the air. Baker-Williams exited the UConn game and wasn’t able to take the field at Clemson. In his absence, the secondary will have to deal with several explosive targets such as the likes of Mycah Pittman, Johnny Wilson and Ontaria Wilson. Each of these pass-catchers have already eclipsed 200 re ceiving yards and scored multiple touch downs this year.

Their running game should not be over looked, however, as running back Treshaun Ward has 437 rushing yards along with three scores so far. Ward is part of a unit that averages 203.8 yards per game. The Wolfpack defense, which only allows 94.4 rushing yards per game, will look to limit this production on Saturday.

FSU is not a team to be taken lightly, being a much improved squad from years past. Both teams will be looking to bounce back from disappointing losses and hope to ce ment their respective statuses in the top of the ACC. The Pack will look to channel a strong home environment under the lights to help seal a victory.

Kickoff against the Seminoles is set for 8 p.m. at Carter-Finley Stadium and ACC Network will host the broadcast.

DANIELLE MEYER/ARCHIVE

Graduate student defensive tackle Corey Durden tackles Syracuse quarterback Garrett Shrader on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021 at Carter-Finley Stadium. Durden had four tackles through out the night. The Wolfpack won 41-17 against the Orange.

QBs produce mixed results, pair of Bengals thrive in primetime matchup

Noah Teague Correspondent

Week four put multiple Pack Pros in the spotlight from Thursday Night Football to Sunday afternoon nail biters. The Wolfpack continues to hold a strong presence in the NFL, with starters across the league, includ ing two at quarterback.

Russell Wilson - Denver Broncos, QB

In a tough road loss to the Las Vegas Raid ers, Wilson quietly had a good performance. Throwing for 237 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, Wilson’s stats may not look like video game numbers, but he was productive and kept Denver in the game. His chemistry with wide receiver Courtland Sutton was crisp, finding him five times in cluding a five-yard touchdown reception on a slant.

Wilson also made some nice plays on the ground. Though he was sacked a few times, he did a good job of avoiding the rush and improvising on broken plays for the most part. Escaping defensive line men, keeping his eyes down field and making plays, Wilson showed why Denver was so desperate to acquire him this past offseason. With more help from his defense and Oline, Wilson and the Broncos should improve as the season progresses.

Graduate linebacker Germaine Pratt celebrates after sacking the quarterback in the game against Boston College on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018 in Carter-Finley Stadium. Pratt had a monster day with a team-high 13 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble that he recovered. The Pack beat the Eagles 28-23.

B.J. Hill - Cincinnati Bengals, DT

Jacoby Brissett - Cleveland Browns, QB

What most people will remember about Brissett’s perfor mance against the Falcons was his critical interception at the end of the game. Down by three, with less than a minute on the clock, Brissett tried to make a heroic pass to rookie receiver David Bell on third-and-23. Instead, defensive back Dee Alford leaped in front of the receiver and snatched away the Browns’ chance of victory.

Prior to the interception, Brissett had 234 passing yards and a rushing touchdown. While it was a very average per formance against a bad Falcons team, Brissett had the team in a position to win. If he can take on the role of a game manager, limiting turnovers and making short completions, the Browns could have a lot of success. Brissett will look to bounce back next week against the Los Angeles Chargers in a pivotal game for both teams.

Germaine Pratt - Cincinnati Bengals, LB

Leading the team with nine total tackles, Pratt had a stel lar game against the Miami Dolphins. The Bengals defense stifled the Dolphins rushing attack, limiting them to just 85 yards on the ground. Pratt’s play was a big part of this. As a run defender, Pratt has been an integral piece for the Bengals defense and will have a major challenge next week when the Bengals face Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens.

As a defensive tackle it can be difficult to impress, but Hill did just that against the Dolphins. In the Thursday Night Football matchup, Hill led Cincinnati’s defensive line with five total tackles. He also pressured the quarterback, nearly had a pair of sacks and had a pass defended. With a wellrounded performance, Hill showcased multiple strengths to his game. His ability to shut down the run will be very important against the Ravens next week.

Justin Jones - Chicago Bears, DT

In a fresh setting, Jones has thrived with the Chicago Bears this year. In a showdown with the New York Giants, Jones did well to accumulate six total tackles. While the Bears defense struggled to contain Saquon Barkley, who ran for 146 yards, Jones did his part to try to slow the running game. Jones also led the team in tackles for loss with two. His emergence this season has been a major positive for the Bears defense.

Joe Thuney - Kansas City Chiefs, OG

Entering the season, Thuney was regarded as one of the best interior offensive linemen in the NFL. This year, he’s yet to give up a sack or be penalized, while scoring a 77.0 PFF grade so far. On a new, five-year, $80 mil lion contract, Thuney is delivering everything the Chiefs could have wanted.

Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Thuney continued to assert his dominance over opposing defenses. Facing a highly talented Buccaneer defense, led by defensive stars Shaquil Barrett and Vita Vea, the Kansas City offensive line cleared the way for an impressive rushing performance. The Chiefs totaled 189 total rushing yards at the end of the game. Thuney was a major part of this effort, bulldozing defenders off the line of scrimmage as Kansas City picked up a primetime win on the road.

No.

No.

TCU

Tennessee

LSU

Arkansas at No. 23

Mississippi State

Texas Tech at No. 7 Oklahoma State

No. 11 Utah at No. 18 UCLA

North Carolina at Miami

No. 16 BYU at Notre Dame

Washington State at No. 6 USC

Texas A&M at No. 1 Alabama

Florida State at No. 14 NC State

TCU Tennessee Mississippi State Oklahoma State

North Carolina USC Alabama

State

Tennessee Mississippi State Oklahoma State UCLA North Carolina

TCU Tennessee Mississippi State Oklahoma State UCLA

Kansas Tennessee Mississippi State Oklahoma State Utah Miami

Kansas Mississippi State Oklahoma State Utah Miami

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Alabama NC State

USC Alabama NC State

Dame USC Alabama

Wade Bowman Managing Editor

Bryan Pyrtle Sports Editor

Sam Overton Managing Editor

Ben Ellis Asst. Sports Editor Record:

Ethan Bakogiannis Asst. Sports Editor

Shilpa

NICK FAULKNER/ARCHIVE

Classic baseball movie ‘Bull Durham’ has close connection to NC State campus

Rachel Umbach Staff Writer

You’ve likely heard of the Durham Bulls, the Triple-A affiliate of Major League Base ball’s Tampa Bay Rays, who play their home games just 25 minutes from NC State. You may even know of “Bull Durham,” the film which brought this team to the big screen. But are you aware this movie has a closer connection to campus than you may think?

To start with a little background informa tion in case you’ve never heard of the team or the movie, the Durham Bulls are one of Minor League Baseball’s oldest franchises, first playing in April 1913. They’ve served as an affiliate of the Rays since 1998 and have won the Triple-A National Championship title four times since then, most recently back at the beginning of October of this year.

“Bull Durham,” a 1988 sports rom-com starring Kevin Costner and Susan Saran don, brought this team to an even bigger stage, sharing the fictional story of die-hard baseball and Bulls fan Annie Savoy and her struggle to choose between spending the season with young superstar pitcher Cal vin “Nuke” LaLoosh or aging catcher Crash Davis.

It was filmed at quite a few places across the Triangle, one of which may be quite fa miliar for NC State fans and students.

Situated on Hillsborough Street directly across from campus since 1974, Mitch’s Tav ern is one of Wolfpack fans’ favorite bars,

and it’s even featured in the movie during the scene where Annie meets Crash and Nuke for the first time.

One of the most famous moments of this scene is when the two ball players get into a fight and Calvin mistakenly throws a base ball through a door with “Mitch’s Bar De liveries” on the front in which a replica now sits in the restaurant as decoration.

Recently ranked one of the best college bars in America, Mitch’s has been serving NC State fans for generations, and it recently reopened after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Tavern’s menu features specials such as chili and gumbo, multiple sandwich options and pretzel bites.

There are even some references to the mov ie on the menu. For example, listed under the Tuesday specials drinks, there’s a Crash Davis option for just $5.

This Raleigh small business could always use your support, and visiting Mitch’s is the perfect way to experience one of the many places that made the movie “Bull Durham” so special.

Mitch’s Tavern is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and is located directly across the street from Ricks Hall and Patterson Hall on campus.

DAVID TRACEY/ARCHIVE

The Durham Bulls Athletic Park grounds crew prepares the field for the ACC semifinal game between NC State and Georgia Tech on Saturday, May 25, 2019. Both teams’ logos were painted on the dirt paths leading up to home plate. The Wolfpack lost to the Yellow Jackets