2
The student inside the cat
The most secretive athlete in the school is the UC Bearcat
4
Final Four
Who will go to the National Championship?
THE NEWS RECORD / UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI THURSDAY, MAR. 30, 2017
NEWSRECORD.ORG
Cincinnati mayoral debate hosted by NAACP TIM GOLDENBERG | STAFF REPORTER
Tuesday evening, the three Cincinnati mayoral candidates squared off in a debate hosted by the NAACP. Incumbent Mayor John Cranley, Cincinnati Councilwoman Yvette Simpson and former University of Cincinnati Board of Trustees Chairman Rob Richardson Jr. were all present at the Hamilton County Community Action Agency for the two-hour long debate. The candidates discussed a variety of issues, including the city’s struggling bus system. Cranley and Richardson proposed initiatives that would raise sales tax but lower income tax for the buses, while Simpson called for more investment from the county. Additionally, Richardson has proposed in the past month the potential revival of the Cincinnati Subway project, which has not been touched since 1929. “My opponents have spent the past six years building a $150 million streetcar system that doesn’t come out to this neighborhood. Can you imagine if that money had been used to expand bus services,” said Cranley. Food deserts were also brought up, with part of the focus lying on the Clifton area. Simpson criticized the incumbent mayor for vetoing a $400,000 investment into the Clifton Market co-op. Cranley, however, labeled Clifton as an affluent neighborhood that could have a grocery store without needing to use tax dollars. “This is a thorny problem that comes up over and over again. Grocery stores will come where there is a healthy mix of housing in the neighborhood for people of all income levels,” said Cranley. Simpson brought up that there are two grocery stores within walking
distance of John Cranley’s house, adding that food in Hyde Park is not more important than groceries in Avondale, and that every neighborhood deserves high quality food. “We pay for every development that happens in the city. Anybody that’s a taxpayer, you are subsidizing that
to challenge the status quo, I will do that,” said Richardson, noting the $25 million city budget deficit created by bad management. While she presumes Cranley will take the primary, UC professor of political science Jane Anderson stressed it was a very competitive race. “The
Cranley will win first in the May primary. “He has the incumbency advantages and lots of name recognition, opportunities for free media coverage because of his position and is way ahead in campaign funds,” she said. As mayor, Cranley has some liabilities, according to UC professor of political
by the increased media coverage from the debates. In one instance, Richardson received a shout out from Mayor Cranley. “I want to thank Mr. Richardson for mentioning public safety as a priority when Ms. Simpson did not,” said Cranley. Vying for the public’s
JEAN PLEITEZ | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mayoral candidate, Rob Richardson, speaks to News Record Staff. Monday, January 9, 2017.
development. That doesn’t happen right now because there is not policy,” Richardson said. The debate, for the most part, was spent with Cranley and Simpson sparring with each other, as would be expected from the presumptive frontrunners. Richardson, meanwhile, positioned himself as a political outsider who could break through the quagmire of municipal politics. “There is not much difference between [Cranley and Simpson]. They have the same voting record. If you want a new vision and want
real contest is between the other two candidates vying for the second-place position to enable them to run in the general election in November,” she said. Mayor Cranley, despite controversy about his tenure in office, has been effective on the campaign path, acquiring the endorsements of the Ohio Democratic Party, various county officials and major unions like the AFL-CIO and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Furthermore, he has consistently raised more funds than both of his competitors. Anderson predicts
science David Niven. He added that Cranley proved himself in 2013 to be a disciplined and focused candidate who knows how to connect. “Cranley has raised the most money, attracted the most organized support and is running a strong campaign,” said Niven. Former University of Cincinnati Board of Trustees Chairman Rob Richardson Jr. has struggled to break out of his position as a relatively unknown newcomer in the long-ongoing race, having only declared his candidacy in early January, but he could be helped
attention may be an uphill battle for candidates. “So far, they have been doing well at it whenever anyone has been listening, which is part of the problem for them. Right now, there is not a lot of the general public tuning in,” said Anderson, referring to both the Richardson and Simpson campaigns. Councilwoman Simpson, meanwhile, was in hot water over the last few weeks after a controversy that involved one of her campaign volunteers. While promoting the Simpson campaign, Consultant Jessica Byrd, a Washington, D.C., based political
strategist, described Mayor Cranley in a now-removed Facebook post as a “stale, pale, male.” In the following turmoil, Simpson refused to disavow Byrd, further raising controversy by refusing to answer questions from the media on the topic. “Yvette Simpson missed an opportunity to rise above an ugly comment,” said Niven. “Instead, she generated continuing coverage because she lacked the courage, or even basic decency, to say that the color of anyone’s skin is, was and always must be irrelevant in judging their character.” A fundraising email sent out by the Simpson campaign after the incident further evidenced the candidate’s stance on the matter, describing the media reports about Byrd as “click bait” and “incendiary reporting,” while calling them “not actually newsworthy.” “The biggest problem is that the refusal to disavow the comment suggests an immaturity on Simpson’s part, and that immaturity is not becoming of someone who wants to lead a city,” Niven said. The primary for the mayoral race will be on the May 2, with the top two candidates moving on to the general election. It is largely expected that Mayor Cranley and Councilwoman Simpson will be the two candidates facing off on Nov. 7. “For anyone interested in politics, this is a really good campaign to watch. Though the candidates have talked about the same issues and sometimes in remarkably similar ways, there are definite differences in priorities, proposals and styles to make a big difference in who wins,” said Anderson.
Calle Cantina review PATRICK SMITH | CONTRIBUTOR
SHAE COMBS | PHOTO EDITOR
UC Football head coach Luke Fickell speaks to media on February 1, 2017.
Fickell reacts to night club shooting JASON SZELEST | STAFF REPORTER
In the largest mass shooting of 2017 in the United States, 17 people were injured and one was a fatality. The incident occurred at Cameo Night Club on Kellogg Ave. in Cincinnati. While the event has led to quite a bit of national media attention, the focus for locals has been more on the safety of themselves and their loved ones. For University of Cincinnati head football coach Luke Fickell, who is tasked with looking after 100 kids, an incident like this can be especially worrisome. “The first thing I did when I heard about it was to reach out to the people, and they got ahold of the police department to find out if that is an area that our guys go to,” said Fickell. According to Fickell, a big part of keeping his players safe is preaching to them about staying out of the
wrong places and avoiding the wrong people. “Obviously, we will have a communication and conversation about it,” Fickell said. “We talk about it every weekend, about where we are and who we are with.” Cameo Night Club would certainly classify as one of the places Fickell wants his players to avoid. Cincinnati police responded to calls over 600 times at the club in the past five years, with the reasons ranging from simple bar fights to reports of shots being fired, according to police records. Fickell, who is new to the Cincinnati area after being hired as the football coach in late December, says his biggest challenge right now is figuring out the landscape of the area so that he can warn his players to stay away from certain areas. “With myself being new, I have to find out and figure out places, not just that our guys hang, but also
the places that are around the local area that we have to make sure we are aware of,” Fickell said. “It is understanding our surroundings, and that is on us as a coaching staff, being new, to figure all those things out.” Reports said people allowed into Cameo were not checked by security prior to their entrance, but club owner Jay Rodgers refuted those claims. Additionally, Cameo will permanently close its doors soon. “Earlier [Monday] morning, Cameo received a notice to vacate the premises from the landlord and owner of the property,” Rodgers said to WCPO. “Cameo notified the [property] owner that although it had planned to move out in May due to the landlord’s planned sale of the property, it will instead voluntarily surrender possession of the property immediately.”
Calle Cantina finds itself as the delicate balance between restaurant – one of the Mexican variety, if the name didn’t already give that away – and bar/club. This gave me much cause for hesitation, as there is nothing more deadly to a small business than growing too quickly or trying to do too much at once. I went in with an open mind and a vacant stomach and left hungrier than before, reaffirming my initial doubt. Calle Cantina does not have the feel of a traditional Mexican restaurant, or a restaurant in general, because it simply is not one. Space is limited, so I can understand an emphasis on minimalism, but that is no excuse for being understaffed. I took no issue with the lack of a host or hostess; in a space that small, he or she would be nothing more than unnecessary clutter. The lack of any form of a real, traditional wait staff was off-putting, and although the two men casually perched behind the bar, who I assumed to be the owners, did their best to fill the void, it still led to an awkward and uncomfortable entry experience. However, immediately upon crossing the threshold, I noticed that they use their space very well and create a very cozy and aesthetically pleasing environment. A collection of festive lights and decorative knickknacks litter the walls in a very relevant and purposeful manner, and the pool table and jukebox are nice diversions that I’m sure see most of their use during the club phase. Now, to the most important part of any restaurant experience – the food. Calle Cantina’s menu is anything but expansive in scope, so if you’re looking for a diverse sampler of Mexican dishes, look elsewhere. Your options consist of tacos and more tacos.
There are many restaurants that make a living by doing one thing extremely well, but this simply is not one of those restaurants. I had hoped that the dining experience, already awkward, unpleasant and devoid of silverware or napkins (until some were hastily snagged from a neighboring table just a bit too late), would be redeemed by these highly lauded tacos. It was not. The chicken, one of the few options, had been highly recommended, so I went with that. I felt obligated to order chips and salsa – only to be informed they were out. Stunned at the unfathomable possibility of a Mexican restaurant being out of chips and salsa, I returned to my table and awaited my food, which arrived shortly. The dish looked good from an aesthetic perspective, but, unfortunately, that is where the good ended. The cilantro and avocado sauce paired well, but the chicken, the centerpiece, as highly lauded as it had been, was bland and watery. The shell, which is the backbone of a good taco, was moist and seemed stale. To top it all off, when I requested a to-go box to conceal the newfound lack of an appetite sparked by the dish, they didn’t have any (of course not). All in all, I believe this to be an age-old example of a small business trying to do too much. If you want to be a restaurant, then do so, and do it well; if you’d like to a be club, then do that and focus all your energy on it. For Calle Cantina, the location is prime, the bar is stocked and the space is hip and inviting, making it better suited as a bar instead of a restaurant. When you try to do both, you overextend yourself, ending up anything but hot. Instead, your reputation becomes lukewarm at best and as unappetizing as the tacos you halfheartedly serve.
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2 / LIFE & ARTS Bearcast hosts Open Mic Night THURSDAY, MAR. 30, 2017
ISABELLA JANSEN | ARTS & LIFE EDITOR
AARON DORSTEN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Bearcast Media hosts open mic night at Mio’s Pizza on Monday March 27, 2017.
This past Monday night Bearcast Media hosted its second Open Mic Night of the semester, inviting all students to share their special talents with the University of Cincinnati community. Instead of Catskeller, the usual location for Open Mic Night, it was hosted at Mio’s Pizza located on Short Vine. With the makeshift stage located at the front of the restaurant and all the tables lined up along one wall, it was hard for audience members in the back to hear much of anything. Despite the less-thanideal layout, the talent did not fail in entertaining the customers of Mio’s, regardless of whether they came for the Open Mic Night or just happened upon this event by chance. As to be expected, there were a number of music
acts, but there were also a few acts that went against the status quo. Ellie Coggins, a thirdyear English and sports administration student, had no problem projecting her voice throughout her comedy routine and making everyone laugh. “All of my funny stuff is like personal life, true stories, really, but I guess I just say them in a funny way,” said Coggins. Coggins said she has never done, nor intended to do, anything like standup comedy before. After a friend who is involved in Bearcast Media suggested doing one at Open Mic Night, she found herself unable to turn the opportunity down. Throughout her routine, which Coggins said she basically improvised, she incorporated her personal experience, including being adopted into a family of a different race. “I think things are more
funny when you know that they are true. Clearly, some of the things I talk about, like being adopted, are serious, and it is a big part of who I am, but you can make light of those things,” said Coggins. “People need to make light of their situations because if you can’t laugh at it, I don’t think other people can.” Coggins has found that when she does joke about her background, it has made others more comfortable asking about her situation, which she wants so she can prevent individuals from being unknowledgeable about important topics. Another talented student was Ariel Shaw, a firstyear women’s, gender and sexuality studies student, who performed a poem. “I could definitely feel the love in the audience. I was a bit nervous because I know there are some people who don’t necessarily support
transgender people,” said Shaw. Shaw, who identifies as a transgender woman of color, took the opportunity to perform a poem that took all of the negative slurs she has been called and used them to empower herself. “The first six lines are insults that I face or trans people face,” said Shaw. The poem began with insults that were personally directed at Shaw, and then the poem introduced insults that any women of any background or physical appearance could relate to. “I wanted to point out that you can be loved and that anyone can relate to this poem,” said Shaw. The location may not have been the most desirable, but the atmosphere, food, company and talent made for another successful Open Mic Night.
Know Theatre holds annual announcement party NOELLE ZIELINSKI | STAFF REPORTER
Cincinnati’s Know Theatre held their annual season announcement party this past Tuesday night. Season 20 is one devoted to love with its theme “Love is Love.” The plays featured in the lineup will include topics of love, adventure and diversity. This season will contain six plays, ranging in topic and genre. These performances will start in the spring and run through March 2018. Along with these new shows, the theatre will also feature fanfavorites, including the annual holiday show, the Halloween Double-Bill and the annual speakeasy-themed New Year’s Eve Party. A tradition that the Know Theatre has created is the annual production of a series of short plays, which is called “Serials.” This five-week series features five 15-minute mini plays every week. Each week, at the end of all five, the audience members decide which series continues into next week and which ones are eliminated. The following week, the selected series return and new ones replace the old ones. The Know Theatre has been at its current location for about 10 years. Prior to this, it was in a place called Gabriel’s Corner. Since the change of scenery, the theatre has grown. The venue is a unique space with a ton of character. This character ranges from having a bar inside of the theatre itself to having hanging light bulbs from the ceiling. “Coming here feels like home,” said Artistic Director Andrew Hungerford. Hungerford has been the artistic director of the Know Theatre for 10 years, half of the theatre’s lifetime. “We made a leap from our old
location to our new one, but it’s more about the community that is built between people,” said Hungerford. Hungerford will also direct the third production of the theatre’s season 20 lineup. The play is entitled “Neverwhere.” Hungerford, as well as the audience, is excited to see where the production process will go. The season’s reveal party began with cast members from previous productions performing various pieces from different shows. The audience was filled
with returning fans and eager newcomers. Guests were encouraged to mingle and enjoy specialty drinks at the bar before, after and during the performances and the reveal. “I think it’s personable how audience members are encouraged to stay after the performance,” said board of director’s member Joe Cunningham. “Guests are invited to talk to the cast members, and even directors, over a drink. It’s an amazing experience.” The reveal party was no exception, as past cast members
were peppered throughout the audience and struck up conversations with guests. The Know Theatre is also incredibly supportive of local actors, actresses and playwrights. They also incorporate a diverse range of cast members and directors. All of the Wednesday night main stage performances are free for audience members. This upcoming season will feature genres like science fiction, action, comedy and romance. And, as Cunningham said, “This season is definitely going to be one of the best yet!”
Founded 1880 University of Cincinnati 45221-0135 Newsroom 509 Swift Hall 513-556-5912 chief.newsrecord@gmail. com Advertising 510 Swift Hall 513-556-5902 newsrecordbiz@ gmail.com The News Record is the editorially independent student-run news organization of the University of Cincinnati. It serves UC students, staff, faculty, alumni and the Cincinnati community with award-winning news and information on a variety of media platforms. The free newspaper is published on Mondays and Thursdays and is distributed to more than 80 locations on and near UC campuses. TNR’s website, www.newsrecord. org, is updated as news breaks and offers video, audio and interactive features. TNR’s app and podcasts are available for download on mobile devices.
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The Know Theater announces its new season “Love is Love”
UC’s most spirited, secret athlete is the Bearcat JOEY MORAND| STAFF REPORTER
JEAN PLEITEZ | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
The Cincinnati Bearcat at the Crosstown Shootout, January 26, 2017 at Fifth Third Arena.
There are many great traditions associated with the University of Cincinnati that make it stand out as one of the greatest colleges in the nation. The homecoming parade, the senior class gift and the football games that are played in the historic Nippert Stadium are just a few of the traditions. However, one tradition that separates us from the rest is our school spirit. Every student at the university shows his or her school spirit in one way or another. Whether it is wearing UC gear around campus or cheering for the red and black in the Ruckus on game day, school spirit can always be found alive and thriving at the University of Cincinnati. While we all love the school we call home, there is one student athlete who takes the role of school spirit to the next level, and he does it without speaking a single word. He is the Cincinnati Bearcat. The term Bearcat was first introduced on Oct.
31, 1914, against our rival, the Kentucky Wildcats. It has since grown into one of the most recognizable figures around Cincinnati. Since 1914, the University of Cincinnati Bearcat has had many different looks, but no matter how much his appearance changed through the years, the role of the Bearcat remained the same – to bring school spirit to the fans and students of the University of Cincinnati. Kaitlyn Reid, a firstyear exploratory studies student, talked about the Bearcat representing the UC community. “I love how he interacts with the fans at games,” said Reid. “He can always make the fans laugh and cheer, no matter what the score. I think he represents all of us at the university.” With the Bearcat being such a significant role at UC, great lengths are gone through to ensure the student in the suit will continue the Bearcat’s legacy. Every year, tryouts are held for students who think they have what
it takes to become the university’s next mascot. This year’s tryouts were held on March 28 and 29, and they were set in place to test the intersected students to see if he or she would be the right fit to carry on the tradition. Brendan Campos, second-year marketing student, said he feels one of the main jobs of the Bearcat is to bring energy to the games. “The current Bearcat brings a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the games, and he is one of the reasons I go,” said Campos. “I hope the next Bearcat brings the same energy to every game next year.” You might think becoming the Bearcat would be a cool way to instantly become popular around campus, but you would be wrong. The identity of the Cincinnati Bearcat is kept a mystery, with only a few people close to the Bearcat knowing his true identity.
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NEWS / 3 THURSDAY, MAR. 30, 2017
SG president Emlemdi addresses top goals ZACH PERRIN | STAFF REPORTER
Newly elected Student Body President Bashir Emlemdi and Vice President Dana Drage are acting on their top priorities coming into office. A large part of the Bashir and Dana campaign platform was the 21-credit hour fee forgiveness initiative to help ease the financial burden of students taking 21 credit hours or more. “Being able to graduate on time is always tough because life gets in the way. So, we know that there are times in our own situations where you have to take more than 18 credit hours. You didn’t necessarily do anything wrong, you’re just going through life,” said Emlemdi. This is common among students who switch majors or transfer from other schools, and it places a financial burden on these students in an environment where money is already the number one reason for students not graduating, according to Emlemdi and Drage. “Our biggest thing is
going to be to convince Faculty Senate of why this would be just as beneficial to faculty as it would students, and then also, I guess, the convincing argument for the money behind it,” said Emlemdi. The difficulty of getting this done is the reason for it being their first priority, said Emlemdi and Drage. “That’s definitely one of the most difficult ones, but we’ve seen it happen via other student governments at other universities, so we know it’s possible,” said Drage. Other top priority initiatives include designating a prayer and meditation area, revitalizing Sigma Sigma Commons and setting up What to Fix UC, a Google form allowing students to inform Student Government about broken things on campus, said Emlemdi and Drage. Aside from these concrete initiatives, Bashir and Dana are taking steps to implement policies that take more time. “[We have made] a lot of introductory meetings,” said Drage. “I mean, obviously, we have some
standing relationships with administrators, but some of them need to be built a little bit more before those policies fully go into effect.” Emlemdi and Drage have already met with
Students for Survivors, a student organization on campus that supports and advocates for survivors of sexual assault at UC. “We now know what it is that they want to see, and
written down university policy, to go into sexual misconduct a little more and see what it is the university will do and kind of get a little more active part from administrators in the Students for Survivors cause,” said Emlemdi. Emlemdi and Drage also met with international students and are discussing the implementation of an Ethnic Leaders program through the Ethnic Program Services Office that connects international students to other resources on campus. “They need Student Government support for a lot of that. Be it marketing, be it money for different initiatives, things of that sort,” said Emlemdi.
I’m taking that to a meeting with an administrator. And then, hopefully from there, being able to meet with more administrators and then be able to change the university policy, the
JEAN PLEITEZ | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Student Body President Bashir Emlemdi speaks on what he wants to accomplish during his term next year, March 28, 2017 at Steger 655.
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The Macy’s building in downtown Cincinnati, Feb 7, 2017.
Macy’s elects Jeff Gennette as new chief executive officer PARKER MALATESTA | NEWS EDITOR
Cincinnati-based retail giant Macy’s recently elected Jeff Gennette as president and chief executive officer of Macy’s, Inc. The move comes at a time when the store faces increased expectations from investors and tougher competition from online retailers and discount stores. Gennette began his career at the retailer in 1983, serving as an executive trainee at a branch in San Francisco. He worked his way up the company chain, and in 2004 he was appointed executive vice president and director of stores at Macy’s Central in Atlanta. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, the new CEO hinted about his game plan for reinvigorating the company. “We’re trying to create the best of both worlds with an off-price/full-price environment. For department stores to succeed, we’ve got to arrest the decline. We’re going to figure these stores out, and it’s not going to be the same formula we used in the past,” he said. By sales, Macy’s is the largest department store in the country. They were recently in talks with Canadian retailer Hudson’s Bay about a possible acquisition, but discussions have hampered. Approximately 10 percent of Macy’s customers are responsible for at least half of its total sales, totaling at $25.8 billion in the last financial year. First year marketing student Rachel Davis has a distinct opinion of the Cincinnati company. “Macy’s is the epitome of what shopping was, and fashion is simply moving too quickly for department stores to keep up,” she said. “While it once was a place people went for quality brands and new styles, it has become more of a warehouse of last season’s trends and clearance racks.” In one of his first moves, Gennette hired a new marketing chief from Toys ‘R’ Us,
Inc. The goal of the hire is to improve the company’s brand image. First-year fashion design student Emily Heckman believes the retail giant should push for more online marketplace reform. “I know from the Lindner College of Business Circle of Excellence team that did a SWOT analysis that they completely rejected their website ideas and really wanted ideas on how they could improve their store. I don’t think it’s a smart move because the world is moving towards buying online, so I think it’s a better move to make the online shopping experience as enjoyable as possible,” she said. To improve sales of wholesale merchandise, the new CEO wants to add new marques and designer brands. Around 30 percent of Macy’s sales derive from its private brands, domestic labels and exclusive products, a number that Mr. Gennette would like to see increase. He also wants to cut basic designs that come in identical colors and styles, while adding more products that resemble modern trends. “I don’t think Macy’s should cut basics because that’s why a lot of people go there,” said Heckman. “I go to Macy’s if I need business professional attire. Fast fashion is an over saturated market while it’ll be hard to enter into because of Macy’s distinctive brand.” To interest shoppers looking for deals, Macy’s is expected to double the amount of discount departments in their stores across the country. Stores like T.J. Maxx and Marshall’s, which offer high-end products at a lower cost, drive customers away from Macy’s. To increase funding for new projects, Mr. Gennette plans to monetize Macy’s real estate holdings across the United States. To offer a more refreshing landscape, he also plans to work with real estate developers to reconfigure properties.
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A message from the University of Cincinnati James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy
4 / SPORTS Bready breaks record at NCAAs THURSDAY, MAR. 30, 2017
DAVID WYSONG | SPORTS EDITOR CLAUDE THOMPSON | STAFF REPORTER
PHOTO PROVIDED BY CINCINNATI BEARCATS TWITTER @GOBEARCATS
Swimmer Chris Bready.
One of the University of Cincinnati’s own represented his school at the NCAA Championships. Junior swimmer Chris Bready competed in two events at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in Indianapolis this weekend. “It was a very incredible experience,” Bready said. “Coming from Olympic Trials a couple months beforehand and seeing a bunch of guys make the Olympic Team, and a couple months down the road I’m watching them compete at the NCAAs. It’s just a crazy experience to be at a couple of the same meets as a couple Olympians.” Bready broke a school record during his first event of the weekend, the 500 freestyle. Bready finished with a time of 4:20.37 during the preliminary round, beating his teammate Din Selmanovic’s record of 4:20.44, which he set during the 2017 American Athletic
Conference Championship Feb. 16. “At the time, I didn’t really know if it was a school record or not,” Bready said. “I knew I was close, but afterwards I asked my coach, ‘Did I get the school record? Did I take Din’s record?’ She said, ‘Yeah, you took it by seven 100ths.’ It’s just an honor to get my name on just anything, like a school record or pool record, just to leave my mark on a program makes me really excited and just happy.” Bready said his record might not stand for long because Selmanovic will come ready next year to take it back and that the competition between the two is positive for their performances. “We’re competing every day, not just him and me but the whole distance group,” Bready said. “It makes us faster because we’re not going to just have a top-level, we’re always going to be like, ‘I want to beat him today at practice. I want to beat him in the pool, every time I see him I want to beat him.’”
Head coach Mandy Commons-DiSalle encourages the competition, according to Bready. “Coach is like, ‘All right, last one, give it your best. Try and beat him. Hey, kick his butt.’They just want the best out of you,” Bready said. This season was Bready’s third at UC. Before coming to Cincinnati, he swam for the Sienna Plantation Aquatics club in high school. Bready said the biggest difference between swimming collegiately and for his prior team is that every place matters during the season. “The coaches always say, ‘Get your hand on the wall first,’” Bready said. “So, in that aspect, it’s not always all about time in season. In season, it’s more about winning, getting second, third, fourth, even fifth place finishes, getting points for the team. So, in that aspect, it’s different. And just juggling it with classes, you have to plan your classes around practice time.”
Bready said his GPA is improving every semester and that improving his grades is just as important as improving his time. “I’m always trying to get better and trying to be the best,” Bready said. “There’s always things to improve on, there’s different classes, there’s more material to learn. So, it’s all just trying to perform at the best of my ability.” Motivation to be the best comes from Bready knowing there’s always someone above him. “There’s always someone faster than me, someone smarter than me, so I’m just trying to run those people down and become the person they’re chasing,” Bready said. Moving forward, Bready said the most realistic way for him to compete in the next Olympics is to swim well at the Open Water National Championships in Castaic Lake, California, May 19-21. He said if he makes top-six at the meet, he will be named to the US National Team.
UC Bearcat football team falls a little short this year JASON SZELEST | STAFF REPORTER
Last season, the University of Cincinnati football team finished with a record of 4-8 and failed to reach a bowl game for the first time since 2010. While much of the Bearcats’ struggles last season were attributed to the fact that the team failed to get in the end zone for 13-straight quarters during a span of four games in the season, all of which Cincinnati lost, new head coach Luke Fickell believes another aspect needs just as much improvement, if not more, than the offense. Out of the 128 teams in the football bowl subdivision, the Bearcats special teams unit ranked No. 111 in the country last
year. According to Fickell, improving the special teams could lead to a significant improvement in the team’s record this season. “Well, I think if you look at it in general, we are always looking for other ways to win games,” Fickell said. “I keep reiterating to these guys that there two games out there on special teams. We were No. 111 in the country last year in overall special teams, and that is probably why they were in the situation that they were in. I am not saying that is the only reason, but that is a big reason.” One of the issues on special teams last season is that the Bearcats struggled with connecting on field goals. Starting kicker Andrew Gantz
battled injuries throughout the year, only appearing in two contests. In his absence, Cincinnati made 11-of-17 field goal attempts on the season, while missing on three of their 20 extra points. While getting Gantz would be helpful for Fickell’s special teams renaissance, he has yet to see what the junior can do while healthy. “We really have not had a chance to kick him a whole lot,” Fickell said. “He has done some individual stuff, and he came back the other day and he was feeling pretty good, but still a little bit of those things stuck, the mental scar tissue, so we are going to progress him slowly through the spring, and by June
he has to show us what he can do.” In the return game, Cincinnati will look to improve on a kick return unit that averaged 19.9 yards per return, as well as a punt return unit that averaged 6.1 yards per return. According to Fickell, he has not had a chance to search for an explosive candidate to give Cincinnati their first return touchdown since 2011. “We have not really had an opportunity to really give them a chance to return,” Fickell said. “I would think Mike Boone would be very good, and we are just now getting him back in the swing of things, but we are going to wait and see.” Overall, Fickell says that they
simply need to place more emphasis on the special teams game if they hope to yield successful results. “It has to be important,” Fickell said. “It is not something you have to give lip service to. You have to play your best players, and you have to spend quality time doing it. That is why, to me, I am as much involved in special teams as I am in offense or defense.” Many of the special teams’ questions will begin to find answers when the Bearcats take the field for their annual spring game. They will kick off the spring game at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 14 at Nippert Stadium.
Summer
RICH SUGG | KANSAS CITY STAR | TNS
Oregon forward Dillon Brooks (24) celebrates at the buzzer with a 74-60 win against Kansas during the NCAA Tournament’s Midwest Region final at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo., on Saturday, March 25, 2017. Oregon advanced, 74-60.
Who will go to the National Championship? DAVID WYSONG | SPORTS EDITOR CLAUDE THOMPSON | STAFF REPORTER ETHAN RUDD | STAFF REPORTER
College basketball’s Final Four teams play this weekend, with the winners punching their tickets to the National Championship. The teams remaining are Gonzaga, South Carolina, North Carolina and Oregon, three teams who have hardly, if ever, made the Final Four and one team in North Carolina who is almost always there. Our sports experts David, Ethan and Claude picked the two teams they expect to make the title game. South Carolina vs. Gonzaga David: Gonzaga Ethan: Gonzaga Claude: South Carolina David: This South Carolina story is incredible. You hardly ever see a seven-seed make it all the way to the Final Four, especially one from the historically weak SEC not named Kentucky, but they defied the odds. The Gamecocks are very strong on the defensive end of the court, but they cannot matchup with the king of defense this year – Gonzaga. Gonzaga was topfive in a lot of major defensive statistical categories, including: No. 1 in opponent field goal percentage, No. 4 in opponent three-point shooting percentage and No. 4 in opponent points per game. The Bulldogs’ defense will be too much for South Carolina, just like it was for Xavier. Ethan: Gonzaga is the best-balanced team remaining in the tournament.
They rank in the nation’s top-three teams, based on offensive and defensive efficiency. The Zags employ powerful players in the paint (ahem, Shem Karnowski and company) and reliable perimeter players (here’s looking at you, Nigel Williams-Goss). South Carolina has been reliant on a stifling defense and an offense that is just now finding its footing to advance this far. After ranking No. 150 in the country in offensive efficiency during the regular season, guard Sindarius Thornwell has carried South Carolina by averaging 26 points per game through the tournament. I doubt that happens versus Gonzaga, who is giving up .87 points per possession during the tournament. Claude: Prepare thyselves for the battle of the Carolinas. I expect South Carolina’s underdog narrative and determination to rise above Gonzaga’s quest for legitimizing their No. 1-ranked status. South Carolina’s team, led by Frank Martin, has been in an extensive rebuilding process and is finally seeing the fruits of their labor. Oregon vs. North Carolina David: North Carolina Ethan: Oregon Claude: North Carolina David: I went to North Carolina’s Sweet 16 matchup last weekend, and I can definitely say this team is the real deal. The Tar Heels have a plethora of weapons, starting with Joel Berry and Justin Jackson, their toptwo scorers who can score with ease.
They have even gotten a major contribution from Luke Maye in the tournament, who averaged less than six points per game during the season. The Ducks are missing one of their key pieces down low, Chris Boucher, who averaged over two blocks per game before going down for the rest of the season due to injury. North Carolina’s bigs Isaiah Hicks and Kennedy Meeks will be too much for Oregon down low without Boucher’s presence. Ethan: Maybe it isn’t so surprising that Oregon upset Kansas in the previous round of the tournament, even if Kansas entered that matchup firing on all cylinders. Oregon ranks in the top 18 teams in the nation in offensive and defensive efficiency, and they have a great starting lineup. The Ducks have an AllAmerican in forward Dillon Brooks, a marksman in guard Tyler Dorsey and forward Jordan Bell nearly recorded a triple double against Kansas. Oregon has proven themselves and can take out North Carolina. Claude: Oregon and North Carolina face off in a battle between old faces and new faces, where North Carolina is the incumbent perennial championship contender and Oregon’s basketball success has been off and on again in a highly competitive PAC-12. North Carolina’s experience will be too much for the Ducks to handle, and their favored victory will pave the way for a border war not seen since Kansas was good at football.
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