4
of Online Land Mine This powerful movie reconnects the audience to a time not easily forgotten
NBA Finals
Who will make it to the NBA finals?
THE NEWS RECORD / UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI MONDAY, APR. 17, 2017
NEWSRECORD.ORG
‘Tax Day’ protest over Trump’s tax returns
Student comes to UC after pro ultimate
JUSTIN REUTTER | NEWS EDITOR
frisbee career DAVID WYSONG | SPORTS EDITOR
Athletes go through many ups and downs, and Maggie Kennedy has had her fair share of both. Kennedy, a third-year journalism student at the University of Cincinnati, was a multi-sport athlete at her high school in Chicago, but ultimate frisbee is the one that stuck. It was not until her junior year that Kennedy began playing ultimate frisbee, but her experiences in track, cross country, soccer and basketball prepared her to find success in a new sport. “It was kind of seamless, which is crazy. For me, it was a seamless transition,” Kennedy said. After her senior season, Kennedy wanted to move on to the next level by trying out for the 2014 USA’s junior world team, which competes abroad in the World Junior Ultimate Championships. Prior to the tryout, Kennedy hit a bump in the road. “Three weeks before that, I ended up getting mono, pneumonia and a lung infection,” Kennedy said. “The doctor was like, ‘No way, you’re not going to this tryout. You’re super, super sick.’ [I] was in the hospital, and I was like, ‘No, I already committed to this.’” The tryout did not go well. “It was terrible, as you can imagine. I was so sick, it was just dreadful,” Kennedy said. After high school, Kennedy took her talents to the University of Wisconsin where she found success automatically, becoming a starter for an ultimate frisbee team as a freshman in 2014-15. Despite being too unhealthy to make the junior team, Kennedy tried out for the USA’s Women’s Under 23 World Games team during her freshman season. This time, she made it. Kennedy traveled with the team to London for the 2015 World Ultimate Championships. “Being in an environment like that and with teams from countries all over the world, Colombia was there, Japan, it was just crazy,” Kennedy said. “The fact that we all came together for this sport that’s not very well known, yet so many people are playing it, it was very humbling and I was very lucky,” she said. During the championships, however, Kennedy fractured her tibia in a match while scoring, her second fractured leg bone while playing frisbee, and after the game she needed to find a way to relieve her pain.
PHOTO PROVIDED
Maggie Kennedy. SEE FRISBEE PG 4
JUSTIN REUTTER | NEWS EDITOR
Malcolm Robinson, chair person of economics at Thomas Moore College speaks at the Tax Day Protest on April 16, 2017.
April 15 marks the annual tax deadline for Americans. The activist supergroup “United We Stand, Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky” chose this day to hold a protest on President Donald Trump’s fiscal priorities and his choice not to release his taxes. Dr. Malcolm Robinson, chairperson of the Thomas Moore College Economics Department, delivered the keynote speech. “About 90 percent of Americans hold year after year that it is every American’s civic duty to pay their fair share in taxes,” said Robinson. “And the converse of this is that Americans do not think it is smart, as Donald Trump told us he is, to avoid paying taxes. It is unethical.” The three main sources of federal revenue are the personal income tax, the social insurance tax and the corporate income tax. Almost half of federal revenue comes from the personal income tax, but about one third of federal revenue comes from the social insurance tax, which is often known as the payroll tax. This funds social security, Medicare and unemployment insurance. “The payroll tax is officially paid jointly by
workers and employers,” said Robinson. “But studies show that workers really pay the whole tax because employers fund their share by paying their workers less.” Robinson also attacked Trump’s pledge to boost defense spending by 9 percent in 2018 by spending $54 billion more on and cutting $54 billion from non-defense discretionary (NDD) spending. Defense spending currently makes up 54 percent of discretionary spending, about 16 percent of the total budget. Nearly half, around 10.5 percent, of NDD health spending is spent on hospital and medical care for veterans. NDD spending is at an all time low, at about 3 percent of total US gross domestic product (GDP) in 2016. UC Democrats President Aditya Roy-Chaudhury and UC Republicans President Johnny Derringer agreed that military funding should be cut, although for different reasons. “Increasing the military budget makes no sense whatsoever,” said RoyChaudhury. “We have the greatest military in the history of the world. We are more powerful than any other country in the world. We need to keep that money here at home and invest in other sectors, such as increasing the [National
Institutes of Health] budget, student loan programs, space exploration and infrastructure.” While he sees the pros, Derringer is wary of increased spending. “Although I love to see a budget devoted to military spending that helps destroy the evils of ISIS, I believe we need to reduce spending in all categories in order to start paying off our massive debt,” said Derringer. “There are serious consequences if we do not start reducing our debt.” Another point of the protest was in raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. “Republicans complain about people ‘living off the government’ and they ‘should get a job,’” said Roy-Chaudhury. “But when you work fulltime and still are under the poverty line, the government should step in to give you a stool to stand on.” Derringer disagreed with this statement. “I do not think the minimum wage should be increased,” said Derringer. “Any increase would severely hurt businesses, especially small businesses which consist of a vast majority of employers in the U.S. Also, an increase would discourage people from seeking higher-end jobs and higher education.”
Annual DAAP Fashion Show NOELLE ZIELINSKI | STAFF REPORTER
PROVIDED
Group sues Navient over student loan structure PARKER MALATESTA | NEWS EDITOR
Last week, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, along with state attorney generals from Illinois and Washington, filed lawsuits against the nation’s largest student loan lender, Navient, with accusations of violating loan structure and making countless mistakes. There are several processes by which Navient is at fault, according to the lawsuits. The company is said to have forced several customers to take on more aggressive loan options, in a plan called forbearance. The plan allows borrowers to pause payments for up to a year, but interest continues to snow ball throughout the allotted time. According to the lawsuits, roughly 520,000 borrowers were enrolled in at least four forbearance sessions. “There is no expectation that the servicer will ‘act in the interest of the consumer,’” Navient wrote in its court filing. Approximately half of Navient’s customers enrolled in the direct federal loans program, managed to register for income-based repayment plans, according to the company. Every calendar year, enrollees in this program must send paperwork to renew their applications. According to the lawsuits, Navient did not alert their customers at an acceptable extent for them to renew, and they also did not warn them about possible disadvantages if the renewal didn’t go through. The notices were often sent in vague language, and the company failed to supply the due dates for the applications. In March 2015, Navient changed the subject lines for these emails to, “Your
Payment Will Increase Soon!”Their renewal rate doubled instantaneously. According to the lawsuits, the company failed to process incoming payments, especially those made via checks. Instructions from co-signers on how to distribute the liquidity in each payment was ignored, partially because of Navient’s mail reading software, according to the lawsuits. These mistakes easily got past Navient’s weak system software, allowing for the errors to occur repeatedly. According to a customer cited in the Illinois state lawsuit, Navient “acknowledged the repeated errors that occurred each month but offered no solutions.” Several of Navient’s private student loans require a co-signer, legally binding them to the loan repayment. According to the lawsuits, Navient created obstacles that made the task of releasing a co-signer “deceptively difficult.” In order to release a co-signer, it is required that you make a minimum (usually 12) “consecutive, on-time payments.” In a situation when someone did not complete a payment, because their bill totaled at $0, it labeled as failure to make “consecutive” payments by Navient, resetting the monthly payment streak. Customers that default on their student loans can go through a rehabilitation program to clear their table. Pioneer Credit Recovery, Navient’s debt-collection unit, “systematically misled” customers about the effects of the program on their credit reports. According to the lawsuits, they also exaggerated on how much collection fees would be forgiven. These accusations come at a time when student loan debt at a total is at an all-time high.
The annual DAAP Fashion Show will display the hard work and talent of students in the fashion design program. This unique opportunity is technically classified as a senior showcase; however, underclassmen are given the chance to have their work in the show if their scores are high enough. This year, the show will take place on April 28 at 7 p.m. in the Campus Recreation Center. These students have worked for months, working mentally and physically to create a collection of their own. These collections all range in theme, color palette, material and inspiration. This year’s show is entitled “Introspect,” and it mainly focuses on the personal inspirations that each designer drew from in order to create his or her line. Laurie Wilson, the associate director of nonacademic programming, has been organizing the show for 21 years. She explained that each year is different in so many ways. Primarily, all of the designers, insights and inspirations are new every year. “These students create something physical to represent something internal,” said Wilson. This show is also an incredible opportunity for the student designers, as Macy’s sponsors it and the audience is always filled with potential employers. “Everything in that show is what would be in an event in Milan, Paris or New York City,”Wilson said. This event also provides students with real-life fashion show experience by preparing their models to walk the runway and have their original pieces seen by an audience of 1,500 people. Seeing their own designs walk in front of them is a fascinating experience. “Every designer who sits there is proud and feels an emotional connection to what is happening on the runway,” said Wilson. Last Friday, the students’ collections were presented and critiqued. This critique allowed the students to receive reliable feedback on their pieces and what
could potentially be done to perfect them before the show. Fashion design senior Zoe Robins found inspiration from an old family album she found from 1917. She said that the album was chiefly filled with photos of her great-grandfather from World War I with some of his war buddies. She was astonished to find the lack of women in the album, which led her to ask where the women were during this time. When she found out that the women were doing “men’s work,” she decided to design a modernized collection of women’s clothing during this time period. In May 2016, she saw the album for the first time. Starting in September, she decided to use this as her inspiration. “I’m hoping to just talk about this,” Robins said. “I want to be open and talk about it.” Sarah Halperin, another senior in fashion design, drew her inspiration from her grandfather, a Holocaust survivor. Her line focuses on the future of the Jewish people, especially in Israel. “I saw how these people were brought down by such negativity,” said Halperin. She also said she found inspiration in people who were more likely to see each other’s point of view, and she tried to focus on a more hopeful future without conflict. Halperin also described her excitement for the upcoming show. “Just seeing that I’ve made a collection and seeing it walk down a runway, I really don’t know how to describe it. It’s something I never thought I’d be able to do. It’s surreal,” she said.
PHOTO PROVIDED
DAAP students preview their collections for the end of the year fashion show.
FREE
2 / NEWS MONDAY, APR. 17, 2017
Online language learning NOELLE ZIELINSKI | STAFF REPORTER
FILE ART
Learning a new language is difficult, regardless of whether or not the class is taken in a physical classroom or online. In more recent years, online classes have become increasingly popular. This goes for learning a foreign language as well. The technologies that have become available for students to learn a new language via the internet are steadily growing. Technology like Skype and FaceTime make faceto-face communication less of an issue. People can see whom they are communicating with, no matter where they are in the world. There are also certain websites that connect students with language instructors. There are risks and benefits associated with learning a language online as opposed to in person, according to Omniglot.com, an online encyclopedia of writing systems and languages. One of the primary benefits is that by taking a language course online, it opens the door to directly speaking with natives from that specific part of the world.
Learning a language online can potentially be cheaper if taken through certain websites due to the currency exchange. But there are some drawbacks to online learning as well, as “the interaction in person is unmatched by technology,” according to omniglot, adding, “There is no lag, static, delays, interruptions, or problems with the picture. The sound is perfectly clear, and you can learn from more body language, non-verbal clues and many other things that just cannot be conveyed as well through the computer.” At the collegiate level, the change from an in-person language course and an online-based class can be drastically different. After taking Spanish II (SPAN 1002) online this semester, first-year biology student Kayla Purnell said she does not feel like she has to try as hard in an online course as opposed to an in-person class, which isn’t necessarily a benefit. “I prefer [an] in-class [course] rather than online,” said Purnell. “I am forgetful when it comes to turning in assignments, and I don’t feel like I have learned anything new when I take the online courses.”
By taking an in-person language course, students also have the ability to form relationships with their professors, which can affect how the student performs in the course. One advantage of online language learning is the ability to learn from home or anywhere else off of campus, which can make for a better learning experience through comfort. These online sessions with students’ instructors can be recorded, if preferred, and looked back on for reference or studying purposes, according to fluentinthreemonths.com. Online language classes are also more flexible for a student’s schedule, and they allow students to work more independently. Ultimately, both methods of learning a language have their pros and cons, and it is primarily a personal preference for the students as to which method works best for them. First-year neuropsychology student Juliet Allen is taking an online Spanish class next fall. “I have never taken one before, but I still think the in-person classes are better.”
Interstate 75 to undergo new construction MOUNIR LYNCH | STAFF REPORTER
Of the University of Cincinnati student population, only around 12 percent live on campus, according to UC’s Basic Fact Sheet Fall 2016; For Bearcat commuters, traffic will soon double. The Ohio Department of Transportation announced that it would begin phases one and two of the eight-phase “Thru the Valley” project on Interstate 75 in Hamilton County. Phases one and two will widen and resurface I-75 from just south of Shepherd Lane to just north of Glendale-Milford Road, a range of nearly two miles. These two starting phases will be under construction until fall of 2020 and will cost between $87 and $97 million. The effort to reduce traffic on I-75 is part of a statewide initiative to upgrade Ohio’s roads in connection to their freight system, one of the busiest in the nation. This project also seeks to make the commute easier for millions of drivers, including UC’s commuters, in a fast growing Tristate area with a less-than-impressive traffic reputation. “I drive to class every day from just north of [phase one], and I’m not looking forward to that increased traffic. Right now, it isn’t bad until you get to that area by Route 126. The construction is always happening, but right when I get there, I can look forward to standing still for a good 15 minutes,” said Mike Bierzak, a first-year business student and commuter. The entire project, beginning immediately, seeks to add lanes to I-75, resurface the roads and do interchange work from State Route 126 to slightly south of I-275 with a
nearly 8-mile range. Of course, commuters haven’t yet seen the effects the Thru the Valley project will have on their commute. The Mill Creek Expressway project has been underway since 2010 and is almost finished, but this is the cause of the traffic they are most likely experiencing. Commuters from the north should expect to see a potential doubling in traffic by next school year, as the first and second stages of the project begin to break ground. The
third phase is expected to begin around the middle of the spring semester next year. “I’m not surprised they’re fixing the roads over there, but I’m not sure why it will be costing us that much money and time,” Bierzak said. “People who commute don’t want to have to stay on campus all day when we have a lot of time between classes, but with the traffic, you have to think more about how much time you have to
kill” The Thru the Valley project will cost around $600 million to complete and has no expected completion date as of now. Although more and more UC students are living on or around campus, UC’s commuters hope to see an improvement in their commute. Updates on the traffic projects can be accessed on the Ohio Department of Transportation’s website under District Eight.
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. FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook TheNewsRecord
JEAN PLEITEZ | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Brent Spence Bridge, February 17, 2017.
New interim Law College leader PARKER MALATESTA | NEWS EDITOR
PHOTO PROVIDED
Verna Williams, Law professor and newly appointed interim Dean.
The University of Cincinnati recently named Verna Williams interim leader of the College of Law, succeeding Dean Jennifer Bard after her ousting. Williams was one of the professors in Dean Bard’s opposition, calling the situation “untenable.” During Bard’s tenure, there was respectable growth in the College of Law. The UC Board of Trustees approved a new building, more students passed the BAR, applications increased and the program’s reputation improved. Bard was the first female dean of the College of Law. Williams has been at the college since 2001, joining after many years of work in civil and women’s rights. “It’s a great job for me because it’s what I first loved about coming to the law school, and what I still love about it is it’s a place that’s really open to ideas, innovation, trying something new, to connect with students and provide them with as many opportunities as we can,” Williams said.
She currently co-directs the university’s jointdegree in law and women’s studies (the first of its kind), a program Williams has strengthened since coming to Cincinnati. “The law school has changed amazingly since I have been here. When I got here, there was no clinic, which is pretty standard in most law schools. We’ve gone from having zero to four. We have several high profile programs, so it’s changed in that regard. We have more diversity on our faculty, we have greater diversity among our students,” she said. Williams grew up in the Washington, D.C., area, and she decided to stay close to home and attend Georgetown for her undergraduate. She went on to attend Harvard Law School. “The campus itself has changed so much. Now, I think anybody who left the college in 2003 wouldn’t recognize this area. The campus has sort of grown in a way. It’s really pleasant,”Williams said. Before coming to UC, Williams was active in several diverse cases.
She went on to debate in front of the United States Supreme Court, establishing a sense of responsibility for educational institutions in sexual harassment situations. “Cincinnati is such a vibrant, intellectual community. We have to get out of our polite, Midwestern shells and do a little bit of bragging. I want to build bridges and continue our collaborative work and enhance it. I think that, frankly, the rankings don’t reflect what kind of institution we are,” she said. Additionally, she practiced at the Department of Justice and worked under the U.S. District Judge for the District of Massachusetts. “This school is like this hidden gem, my first goal is to get rid of that modifier ‘hidden,’” she said. “People need to know what is happening at the College of Law. My vision includes getting the word out, improving our connections with the rest of campus, so we are working more collaboratively with those units on campus.”
Twitter @NewsRecord_UC Instagram TheNewsRecord SoundCloud The-News-Record-1 STAFF Editor-In-Chief Jeff O’Rear Managing Editor Lauren Moretto News Editors Justin Reutter Parker Malatesta Chief Reporter Emily Stolz Life & Arts Editor Isabella Jansen Opinion Editor Karly Williams Sports Editor David Wysong Copy Editor Cheyenne Krieger Photo Editor Shae Combs Chief Photographer Jean Pleitez Online Editor Stephanie Smith Designer Gabrielle Stichweh Broadcast Reporter Emily Wilhelm Videographer Michelle Fisk
LIFE & ARTS / 3
Live on Short Vine JEN HAM | STAFF REPORTER
Cincinnati has always been known for Opening Day, German food, beer – and a close-knit music scene. “They’re [local musicians] all like family,” said Brittany Trigg, second-year University of Cincinnati law student and self-made groupie. “They all know each other, they play together, they collab and go to everyone’s shows. The community in Cincinnati is so tight, you go to events and you start seeing familiar faces.” Trigg’s thoughts are echoed throughout the community. “That’s what’s really cool about Cincinnati’s music scene - everyone knows everyone,” said Sylmar drummer CJ Ellias. If Cincinnati is as much a musically close-knit community as thought to be, then Live on Short Vine on April 14 could be the grooviest family reunion Cincinnati has ever witnessed. Live on Short Vine spanned four venues and hosted a crowd of manbuns and beanies, genuine bartenders and balmy promises of summer. Pods of undergrad, grad and freelance 20-somethings filtered between Ladder 19, Mio’s, Hang Over Easy and Taste of Belgium for musical experimentation and an excuse to get down. A hodgepodge of various genre junkies joined forces through word of mouth, coworker collusion and other such collective connections to explore this event. Local bands like The Fluffers, who consciously take full advantage of auto-tune while mixing in their spin on trap and psychedelic electronic rock,
lined the set list. Only in its third year of existence, Live on Short Vine smites the unassuming audience member with musical might. “It’s really cool. I didn’t expect it to be this good. I just live down the street and heard the music and decided to come out,” said McKenna Fryman, a fourth-year graphic communications design student. “I’ve been here since around 7-ish,” Fryman motions to the patio of Hang Over Easy. “ Jane Decker was great. She has a beautiful voice.” Rachel Culley, a fourthyear urban planning student, said, “My friend Leila is actually orchestrating this event. I came kind of just to support her, but everything we’ve heard so far has been really amazing.” All four venues entertain a medley of high and contagious energy from both the performers and audience members who exchanged lively commentary, strong drinks and good vibes.
One such faceless voice from the phalanx of hipster bodies shouted, “Play that song with the kick-butt guitar,” which receives encouraging laughter from crowd and compliance from the current band. Live on Short Vine reconciled the full range of debuting fledglings, peaking regulars and resurfacing giants. Zac Gaskins, guitar and vocalist for Expeditions, enthusiastically said, “The boys are back.” Expedition’s three-man band of expressively progressive rock/jazz soulfully strummed the heartstrings of their vibing viewers. Ellias said, “We perform because we really enjoy playing for people and we want to keep doing that it’s pretty simple.” Either there was something in the summersimmering wind or the head-buzzing amplifiers, but Live on Short Vine was a cesspool of excitement and musical love. “If I were going to stay in Cincinnati, I would for sure come again next year. This is really cool,” said Fryman.
AARON DORSTEN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Ladder 19 was among the venues to host local musicians for the Live on Short Vine music festival on April 16, 2017.
MONDAY, APR. 17, 2017
JOB MARKETPLACE THESE LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE HIRING!
RAMP AND SORT POSITIONS
FULL- & PART-TIME JOBS Ideal for college students. Competitive pay and other extras. Earn $13+/hour. Flexible hours. No experience necessary. Apply at: www.homecityice.com
CLASSIFIEDS PRINT RATES First 15 words and under: $7.50 Each additional word: $0.50 Boldface: $1 Logo/Picture: $3 Rates are full-run, per issue. ONLINE RATES Housing: $40 Employment: $25 All other categories: $15 Ads appear on NewsRecord.og for 15 days. Place you ad at www.newsrecord.org/ classifieds
JOBS LOOKING FOR A SUMMER JOB? No experience needed! Become a Pool Management Group Swimming Pool Cleaner in Cincinnati or Dayton. Start mid May- mid September. Hours: 7am to 11am. Responsibilities include: Cleaning and maintaining neighborhood pools. Please contact us at hr@ cincinnati-pmg.com or call Julia at 513-616-2076
SALES ASSOCIATES Part-time (Including game days). Competitive pay. For more information and application send email to steve.wolf@bengals.nfl.net Background check required.
Flexible schedules. Full- and part-time. Up to $5,250 in tuition reimbursement & more benefits. Questions? Call (859) 817-8770 Ext 5. Apply at dpdhl.jobs
4 / SPORTS Which teams will end up in the NBA Finals? MONDAY, APR. 17, 2017
DAVID WYSONG | SPORTS EDITOR ETHAN RUDD | STAFF REPORTER JASON SZELEST | STAFF REPORTER OPINION
The NBA playoffs began over the weekend, as 16 teams fight for one goal – the Larry O’Brien Trophy. There are multiple contenders, but our sports experts Ethan, David and Jason narrowed it down to a few teams, selecting their favorites to get to the NBA Finals.
Ethan: Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
I know I’m not bucking a trend here, but I think the NBA is primed for a Finals rematch between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cleveland definitely faces a tougher road to the Finals compared to last year. Toronto will likely play Cleveland in the second round of the playoffs and could give the Cavaliers suspect defense fits. Kyle Lowry is healthy again, and his teammates DeMar DeRozan and Serge Ibaka round out a
solid Toronto lineup. Golden State should make it to the Finals again. Why not? They’ve won 140 games in two seasons. Plus, I don’t see teams in the Western Conference threatening Golden State’s dominance. In the regular season, Golden State beat up the Blazers and the Clippers. Houston could be a threat—but do they have the defense? The Spurs might have the defensive capability to challenge the Warriors, but they just don’t seem as dominant as they have in years past.
David: Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
Kyrie Irving, Steph Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kevin Love and Klay Thompson – those guys alone could team up and win a gold medal in the Olympics. The Warriors have a much different team than when they won it all two seasons ago, but nothing should stand in their way as they are one of the best offensive teams in league history. The Cavs have not played their best in the latter half of the season, but we all know they know how to win. We cannot forget they came back after being down 3-1 to the Warriors last season.
I always love controversy, that’s why I hate choosing two teams that many other people are picking. But since I love controversy, I am in love with this Golden State and Cleveland rivalry. No teams can match up against either of these squads because they’re so star-studded.
I usually do not like to pick the prohibitive favorite as it is far too boring, but when one team is so much better than the rest, I have no choice. Unlike one analyst on this panel who promised the Warriors would win no
FROM FRISBEE PG 1
“One of the girls’ dads was a doctor, or something like that, and he brought a bunch of syringes with medications if we needed them. So, I ended up getting a shot on the side of the field in my leg, hoping that it would help it. So, [it was] super sketchy and weird,” Kennedy said. The next day, Kennedy’s emergency MRI and X-Rays showed the fracture, ending her time at the world championships. The college freshman didn’t play again until the next year for a new school, the University of Oregon, whose team was coming off a national championship the year prior in 2015. The girls at Oregon were warm to the idea of Kennedy joining the team right off the bat. “We had all seen her play before, whether that was streamed online or just playing on the same field together. We all knew she was good, and we gave her a pass and was like, ‘You don’t need to try out,’” said Kennedy’s former teammate Rachael Hershey. At Oregon, Kennedy finished the season, but tore three ligaments in her ankle multiple times and suffered a stress fracture in her femur, putting her ultimate frisbee career on hold. Despite visiting multiple doctors, none knew the root of her injury problems, according to
Kennedy. But Hershey said the injuries did not seem to dull her spirit. “[What] I think was pretty incredible is that no matter what she had thrown at her, she would take care of herself, but she would do whatever she could possibly do to get back on the field,” Hershey said. Kennedy moved to Cincinnati to be with her parents after they moved to Ohio in 2015, and she started classes at UC this school year. The move has not been hard for her, but life without sports has been the most difficult adjustment. Kennedy plans to go to nursing school after graduating next year, but she still has one larger goal. Ultimate frisbee is a candidate to be in the 2024 Olympics, according to pri. org. “It’s a long shot, but I would like to eventually return because I do miss it,” Kennedy said. Hershey said the only things preventing Kennedy from accomplishing her goal are her injuries, but she has everything else needed to make it. “Talent-wise, she’s got it. Spirit-wise, she’s one of the best teammates you could ever ask for, and just frisbee knowledge-wise, she’s very smart,” Hershey said.
Jason: Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics
more than 55 games this year, it was quite obvious to me that adding Durant to a team that won 73 games was going to create something special. This team is just that – special. On any given night, they have not one, not two, but three different players that are capable of dropping 50 points on the opposition. So, if Durant has a cold night, chances are Curry or Thompson, the top-two three-point shooters in the league, will pick up the slack and torment the opposing defense. The Boston Celtics are my choice to come out of the Eastern Conference. Behind star point guard Isaiah Thomas, they took the Cavs’ throne for the No. 1 seed in the East. The other guys like Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder and Al Horford should be enough to help Thomas and Boston upset the defending champion Cavaliers. PROVIDED
Chris Ware caricature of Stephen Curry. (TNS) Wardell Stephen ‘Steph’ Curry II is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association.
Takeaways from Bearcats’ spring game DAVID WYSONG | SPORTS EDITOR
The University of Cincinnati football team concluded spring practice this weekend when they played in their annual spring game scrimmage. Their peers drafted the teams, and the black team defeated the red team 22-6. There were many takeaways in the first spring game under head coach Luke Fickell, but here are some key ones.
1. The quarterback competition is wide open
Earlier last week, Fickell said thirdyear quarterback Hayden Moore was slightly the favorite over second-year gunslinger Ross Trail – Trail may have closed the gap or taken the lead on Friday. Trail led the black team to victory, throwing for 186 yards on 15 of 30 passes and no interceptions. Additionally, he ran for 35 yards and a touchdown. “I took care of the ball tonight, I moved the ball. I can’t help but think I helped the team, but I just can’t worry about [the quarterback competition] right now. I just got to take care of my game and just try to improve from there,”Trail said. Moore had a less-than-stellar performance, only completing 13 of 32 passes for 156 yards and two interceptions. Another quarterback could be thrown into the competition soon, however. Former Ohio State wide receiver Torrance Gibson is transferring to UC after he gets his associate’s degree at Cincinnati State Community College. If all goes well, the former five-star quarterback recruit can join UC in June and possibly play quarterback next season.
five in the morning, three in the morning, it don’t matter what time it is. You got to get up, you got to be ready.” Fickell was impressed. “That second pick was really, really a good football play,” Fickell said. “It’s one thing to be a great athlete, go up and get the ball and play some man coverage, but it’s another thing to really kind of see the play develop, do the things we ask you to do and then break on the football.”
3. The energy is back
Cincinnati played their game at Nippert Stadium in front of more than 7,000 fans, and the players and
coaches raved about the energy. “This is a credit to the community,” Fickell said. “The buzz feels like 100,000 [fans] to me, and I think that’s the most important thing.” Thomas was excited about the atmosphere too. “Coming from what we had last season, this atmosphere was great. We got positivity everywhere, the fans love us, we’re just getting a lot of love from everybody,”Thomas said. Cincinnati will begin the 2017 season Aug. 31 against Austin Peay at Nippert Stadium.
2. Thomas could be a star
A guy who shined defensively was third-year cornerback Alex Thomas, who intercepted two passes for the black team. Thomas had four interceptions in 2016. “As a player, you got to come ready,” Thomas said. “It don’t matter if it’s
AARON DPRSTEN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Ross Trail signals a play during the Spring game April 14, 2017.
How do we compare Westbrook and Robertson? JASON SZELEST | STAFF REPORTER OPINION
KRT SPORTS STORY SLUGGED: OSCAR KRT PHOTOGRAPH BY FRANK ESPICH | INDIANAPOLIS STAR NEWS
(KRT5-April 10) Basketball legend Oscar Robertson recently returned to his native Indianapolis to discuss his new book, ‘The Art of Basketball’
DAVID SANTIAGO | EL NUEVO HERALD | TNS
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Russell Westbrook reacts after play against the Miami Heat during the first quarter at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami on Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2016. The Thunder won, 106-94.
Beloved Cincinnati legend Oscar Robertson no longer holds the record for being the only player in NBA history to average a triple-double over the course of an entire season. Joining him in this elite company is Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook, who carried a Thunder team on his back to the postseason this year. So, how exactly do the two compare? In the 1961-62 season, Robertson averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists. This season, Westbrook averaged 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists. While the numbers are quite similar, the two players are very different. Russell Westbrook is 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 200 pounds, which is the average size for an NBA point guard. In the ‘60s, Robertson played point guard at 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighed 210 pounds, just about the size of the typical center in that era. While Robertson was certainly no slouch as an athlete, he simply used
his superior size at his position to dominate opponents. On the other hand, Westbrook is just an athletic freak who skies over players half a foot taller than him for dunks and rebounds. Another big difference is in their shot selection. Back in the ‘60s, there was no threepoint line. There was a much greater emphasis on getting as close to the basket as you could for an open look because every shot counted for the same amount of points. Westbrook, who has never been known for his shooting touch (31.3 percent career three-point shooter), is still far more likely to take it to the basket than pull up from long range, but he did manage to hoist up 7.2 triples per game this year. The fact that Robertson averaged over 30 points without the help of an additional point on connections from long range makes his stat even more impressive. After separating the playing style, one must look at the disparity in the type of teams they played on. Robertson played with two fellow all-stars who averaged at least 20 points per game that season in Wayne Embry and fellow University
of Cincinnati standout Jack Twyman. While averaging 11.4 assists in a season is elite, regardless of who you are passing to, it is made a lot easier when your teammates are capitalizing on their open looks. Westbrook, on the other hand, was a one-man wrecking crew this season, following the departures of Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka. Despite spending the year watching the likes of Victor Oladipo and Andre Roberson brick the wide-open jumpers he set them up for, he still managed to dish out 10.4 assists per game. Imagine what that number would look like if it was still Durant sitting in that corner. In this regard, I would give the advantage to Westbrook, who accomplished his stat with a lot less help. All in all, it is hard to compare two players who played 50 years apart. The game is so much different and the players are much bigger. If I had to give an edge to one, I would say Oscar because of the better shooting percentage (48 percent to 43 percent), but any way you look at it, both players had legendary seasons.