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Local music
Da Vida House showcases local musical artists
Bearcat basketball
UC basketball team blew opponents out of the water in last game
THE NEWS RECORD / UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI MONDAY, NOV. 14, 2016
NEWSRECORD.ORG
Jury unable to reach decision in Tensing trial LAUREN MORETTO | NEWS EDITOR ALEXANDRA TAYLOR | PHOTO EDITOR
Elements of a Trial seminar hosted by UC College of Law, Thursday Nov. 10, 2016
UC post Tensing Trial ASHLEIGH PIERCE | CHIEF REPORTER
As the Ray Tensing trial unfolded, the University of Cincinnati’s College of Law, in collaboration with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, hosted an event to examine the elements of a trial and what the community can expect. Panelists for the event Thursday included Rodney Harris, director of the Felony Division in the Hamilton County Public Defender’s Office; Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge Fanon Rucker and UC professor Janet Moore, with UC professor Verna Williams as the moderator. Harris opened the session by asking the audience who saw the body cam video of the July 2015 shooting of Sam DuBose by former UC Police Department Officer Ray Tensing. Everyone in attendance raised their hands. He then asked who had formed an opinion about what they saw in the video. Most hands were raised. Harris used this to illustrate exactly what is not wanted in a jury pool; in any trial, you want to have an impartial jury. As common practice, jurors are given a questionnaire to gain insight about their prejudices and biases. Harris outlined some examples of questions: Do you think police are selective in who they stop for minor violations? Will any feelings you have about groups like Black Lives Matter affect or impact your ability to be fair and impartial? Have you ever had a frightening experience with a person of another race? While some people were critical of jurors selected for the Tensing trial — six white men, four white women and two black women — Harris noted the jury pool comes from Hamilton County, not Cincinnati, which he said demographically is about 80 percent white and 20 percent minority, thereby making the jury a fairly accurate representation. There were two black male jurors from the initial pool, but both men chose not to proceed as jurors in the trial, Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters told the assembled media Saturday. As for any trial, Rucker said the state’s case should present overwhelming evidence of guilt. “The defense very rarely has to prove anything,” Rucker said. The defense simply has to prove whether or not the state presented its case beyond reasonable doubt, Rucker said, which Harris believes they did. “I think the state proved purposeful murder in my personal opinion,” Harris said. Bryon Vann, a recent graduate from UC’s College of Law, thought the event was very informative. “I think it’s a critical aspect of the community to have the law school especially take part in activities that are informative about, not just the Ray Tensing trial specifically, but what is going on in the community and be a force in helping the community impact change,” Vann said. The Ray Tensing trial concluded Saturday in a mistrial due to a hung jury that could not come to a unanimous decision about which conviction Tensing should face. Four jurors believed Tensing was guilty of murder, while the remaining eight jurors thought he should receive a lesser charge, as previously reported by WCPO. Deters is to decide whether or not the state will conduct a retrial for Tensing by Nov. 28.
After a tense three days, which included over 25 hours of deliberation, the jury in the Ray Tensing trial remained unable to reach a unanimous verdict on either manslaughter or murder charges, resulting in a mistrial Saturday. The former University of Cincinnati police officer was on trial for the July 2015 shootingdeath of unarmed motorist Sam DuBose. The jury announced Friday they were deadlocked after 16 hours of deliberation, to which Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Megan Shanahan ordered them to keep trying. They were sequestered that night, not having made a unanimous decision, only to present the same outcome Saturday morning. UC students have reported a myriad of feelings in response to the mistrial.
Cole Weirich, a first-year history and sociology student and organizer for Students for Sam DuBose called the mistrial a “travesty of justice.” Other students were unclear on Tensing’s motives. “I didn’t necessarily feel bad for [Tensing.] I felt like there was an error in his training. I don’t think his intentions were to end someone’s life that day,” said Miranda Habig, second-year nursing student. During the trial, a frame-by-frame analysis of Tensing’s body cam footage was presented. “To me and to many others, to students as well, if you look at the videos you see that it’s like a very, very clear, right in front of your face murder, and for jurors to not be able to understand and see that right off the bat, that’s just very upsetting,” said Student Body President Mitchell Phelps. The next court date is Nov. 28, when Hamilton County Prosecutor
Joe Deters is scheduled to decide whether he will pursue a retrial. Processing the “probability of success at trial” will be a contributing factor in whether or not a retrial occurs, according to Deters. Though justice has not been served yet, Phelps said he is hopeful that the process will start again. “We can find Ray Tensing guilty for murder,” said Phelps. The prosecution’s decision could cause ripples throughout both the Cincinnati and UC communities. No retrial will lead to more anger, distrust for the system and create an even greater divide, according to Phelps. Some students note that a new jury, as would be selected in the case of a retrial, could lead to a different outcome. “I heard about the jury diversity issues, if they get a new jury, it may be different,” said Drew Rensing, a second-year mechanical engineering student.
Deters said four jurors thought Tensing was guilty of murder, and eight thought he was guilty of voluntary manslaughter, as previously reported by WCPO. The trial received national attention, adding to a conversation surrounding a string of recent police shootings that involved unarmed black men across the country. Though the trial’s outcome is upsetting, Phelps made a call for unity. “We’ve got to come together once again — continue to fight for justice,” said Phelps. “We’ve been treated with injustice in the past and we’ve continued to fight and come together as one … We’ll just continue to fight, continue to demand justice because it’s truly our duty to fight for our freedom.” Senior reporter Justin Reutter and College Life editor Samantha Hall contributed to this report.
N.C. BROWN | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Josh Spring, executive director of the Cincinnati Homeless Coalition, informs the crowd that the Ray Tensing trial results in a mistrial at the Hamilton County Courthouse in Cincinnati, Ohio, Friday, November 11, 2016.
N.C. BROWN | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
AARON DORSTEN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Kameron Johnson, second-year organizational leadership major, discusses tensing trial outcome, Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016.
A member of the crowd makes a plea for the crowd to take action on their words of “No Justice No Peace” following the announcement of a mistrial in the Ray Tensing trial at the Hamilton County Courthouse in Cincinnati, Ohio, Friday, November 11, 2016.
Finding positives in Bearcats tough season DAVID WYSONG | SPORTS EDITOR
In a season where the University of Cincinnati Bearcat football is 4-6 with two games remaining, a lot of negative issues are highlighted. With that, the question begs to be asked: Have there been any positives to come out of Cincinnati’s 2016 campaign so far? Positives may be few and far between, but there have been some bright spots for this Bearcat football team. While the Bearcat offense has been struggling all year and has not scored a touchdown in 10-straight quarters, Cincinnati’s defense has looked better than they have in recent
history. In 2015, UC’s defense allowed opponents to score 31.2 points per game. This season, that number is down to 24.9. In addition, in 2015 Cincinnati allowed other teams to run for 192.1 yards per game. They have limited their opponents to 179.7 this season. “The defense continues to get a little better,” said Bearcat head coach Tommy Tuberville on Nov. 8 while talking about the team’s 20-3 loss to Brigham Young University. “That was one of our better defensive games against a team that’s put up a lot of yards and points against other teams.”
Senior linebacker Eric Wilson carried the defense, leading the American Athletic Conference in tackles with 104 on the season – 23 more than the next closest player. “He’s smart, he’s very smart and he understands football,”Tuberville said. “He’s the type of middle linebacker you like. He gets people lined up, he does more things than you’ll ever notice … Eric’s a good tackler.” In addition to Wilson, the Bearcats have seen success defensively from senior safety Zach Edwards and senior linebacker Antonio Kinard. Despite being hobbled
with injuries all season, Edwards has recorded 73 tackles, second-most on the team, as well as picking off one pass. Kinard is right behind him with 71 tackles and six of them being for loss. Offensively, Cincinnati has struggled immensely as they are only scoring 18.8 points per game, down from 33.8 last season. There is hope for the future, however, as junior wide receiver Devin Gray and sophomore receiver Kahlil Lewis have succeeded in spite of playing with three different quarterbacks this season. Gray leads the team in receptions and receiving
N.C. BROWN | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Senior safety Zach Edwards (4) looks down as the Bearcats fall 20-3 to BYU at Nippert Stadium, Saturday, November 5, 2016.
yards with 49 catches for 684 yards, scoring three touchdowns along the way. Lewis has 44 catches for 574 yards and leads the team with five receiving touchdowns. One of the biggest receiving performances of the season came from Lewis in the team’s homecoming game against East Carolina University Oct. 22. He finished the night with 11 catches for 150 yards and three touchdowns. “It was electricity like I have never experienced. Being in the end zone with the student section … I got to look at the students and I just turned up,” Lewis said. If Cincinnati wants to have a chance to win their last two games, which would qualify them for a bowl game, they will need to see quality performances from their top guys. Their final games come against the 6-4 University of Memphis Tigers and the 7-3 University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane. The Bearcats most recently lost 24-3 to the University of Central Florida on Saturday. “We got to do a better job overall of making plays on offense,”Tuberville said. Cincinnati plays Memphis 8 p.m. Friday in their final home game at Nippert Stadium during 2016. The game will be aired on CBS Sports Network.
FREE
2 / NEWS Millennials demand coffee in historic amounts MONDAY, NOV. 14, 2016
LIZ BRAZILE | CONTRIBUTOR
The global demand and price for coffee has reached historic heights as a result of millennials downing more java than generations past. American coffee drinkers were responsible for 16 percent of worldwide coffee consumption between 2015 and 2016, making the U.S. the world’s largest national coffee market, according to the International Coffee Organization. The rate of coffee consumption in the U.S. is projected to increase by 2 percent each year until 2020. One major consideration in the high pace at which the beverage is being consumed is that coffee junkies are getting their fix at younger ages. The average age of commencement for coffee drinkers born around 1982 was 17 years old. However, for those born in 1995 and after, coffee drinking typically begins around the age of 14, according to a Bloomberg report.
Millennials, or young people between the ages of 18 and 34, represent nearly 44 percent of the U.S. demand for coffee. Daily coffee ingestion of people aged 18 to 24 has increased over 40 percent since 2008, according to the National Coffee Association. For adults aged 25 to 39, consumption is even higher at 60 percent, though the rise in consumption is more gradual at less than 18 percent during the same time frame. Students at the University of Cincinnati contribute to these figures. Second-year interior design student Shannon Malone began drinking coffee at age 16 during her junior year of high school. “Everyone was drinking it and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about,” said Malone. “Now I drink it for energy since I rarely sleep.” Malone says several of her classmates have also become reliant on the stimulant since attending design school. Another contributing factor to the growing demand for the coffee is
the proliferation of coffee culture and the resulting increase in coffee shops and capsule devices. In regard to global sales, specialist coffee shops have been the fastest developing major restaurant sector in 2016, according to market research firm Euromoniter International. This marks an increase of around 9 percent from 2014-2015. This rate of expansion has remained consistent across all global regions — emerging market regions and highly established ones alike. Despite the steady growth in specialist coffee shops, an ongoing drought in Brazil has impeded the production of Robusta coffee — the beans used primarily for instant coffee. Consequently, roasters are turning to the more expensive and smoother tasting Arabica bean, resulting in surging prices for the commodity. Although the tightening international supply of coffee beans has precipitated what could turn into as much as a 30 percent price increase by
the end of 2016, trends show that the rate of consumption goes virtually undisturbed by price hikes. “Price has definitely not been a factor, mostly because I
drink really cheap coffee,” said Jack Bogard, a
fourth-year jazz violin performance student at the College-Conservatory of Music.
Increase in daily coffee ingestion of 18-24 year-olds since 2008:
40%
GRAPHIC BY RUSSELL HAUSFELD
Aramark makes commitment to students EMILY SHOLTZ | CONTRIBUTOR
Campaigners against Aramark Corp., University of Cincinnati’s food service provider cautiously ceased their efforts in light of the company’s new commitment to ask their suppliers to engage in more humane practices. The campaign headed by The Humane League (THL), which began on Sept. 27, urged the university to cut ties with Aramark in light of the company’s animal cruelty practices. THL’s campaign claims Aramark sources its chickens from industrial farming operations, where the animals are subject to overcrowding, genetic manipulation to make them grow at a rate that ultimately cripples them and a slaughter process in which they are shackled upside down and electric-shocked to eventually have their throats cut. The aim of the campaign was to
encourage large universities such as UC to have responsible sourcing practices in place. However, the process was not so simple, according to UC administration. Aramark is one of three major food service providers capable of accommodating the needs of the university while keeping meal plans at a reasonable rate for students, according to UC Housing and Food Services. Earlier last week, Aramark released a statement urging suppliers to commit to better conditions for broiler chickens by 2024, or sooner if possible. “The company has a longstanding commitment to sustainable sourcing with a priority on the well-being of animals raised by independent suppliers,” said Scott Barhart, Aramark’s senior vice president. According to Aramark, they are the first major food service company to call on its suppliers to
strive for more humane conditions and treatment for broiler chickens. Aramark will require its suppliers to provide an environment consistent with the “five freedoms” of animal welfare. The “five freedoms,” developed by the Farm Animal Welfare Committee, urge suppliers to use strains of birds that reduce issues associated with growth rates, reduce overcrowding, provide chickens with high quality and enriching environments and to render chickens unconscious prior to shackling. “We heartily applaud Aramark’s commitment and look forward to continuing to partner with them as they transition over the next eight years,” said Rachel Dreskin, U.S. Head of Food Business for Compassion in World Farming. Approximately $9 billion chickens are farmed each year in the U.S., and Aramark’s commitment would likely catalyze
enormous change, according to Dreskin. THL released a statement expressing the organization’s hope that a commitment from Aramark, the second largest food service provider in the nation, would encourage the company to engage in more ethical practices and hopefully influence other companies to take similar action. Compass Group, a competing food service provider, also made a similar commitment on the same day. Many students believe that ethical sourcing practices are something they expect from the university. Susan Nutter, a third-year pre-pharmacy student, said that Aramark’s recent move towards more humane sourcing makes her meal plan more valuable. “It gives me comfort knowing that the food I’m eating is coming from a place that takes the time to raise chickens correctly,” said Nutter.
Bearcountability petition for SG JUSTIN REUTTER | SENIOR REPORTER
ALEXANDRA TAYLOR | PHOTO EDITOR
File art from Student Government meeting Aug. 24, 2016.
PHOTO PROVIDED FROM PRESS RELEASE.
A new “Bearcountability” petition asks for University of Cincinnati Student Government to raise awareness about the concerns of the student body regarding SG spending and appropriation practices. A controversial appropriations bill funding a summer trip that took 50 members of SG and related student groups to Washington, D.C sparked the petition. The petition also asks that SG restructure their budget appropriation practices and take tangible steps to improve transparency of their spending. “I did not start this petition as part of any student group but as a student who felt unheard by Student Government and wanted to show the support and legitimacy of student’s concerns about SG spending,” said Hannah Fereshtehkhou, the thirdyear psychology student who created the petition. The petition outlines four specific requests: 1. Bills over $6,000 allocated to one project or item must go through an external approval process, such as approval from two-thirds of boards and two-thirds of tribunals. 2. Emails must be sent to the SG cabinet specifically highlighting bills over $6,000. 3. The student court that is already written into the constitution must be established and given the tools to function properly and hold SG accountable. 4. A cap must be implemented on retreats so that no more than $2,000 is spent for on-campus retreats and $3,500 for offcampus retreats. Currently, the appropriation process for SG begins when a senator writes a bill specifying how much they’ll spend and on what, and the treasurer advises them on where the money will come from. The senator also fills out a budget sheet which breaks down the costs. The bill and budget sheet are presented to senate and voted on. While there is no external review process for large appropriations bills, SG
is kept accountable by having a senate comprised of people from all facets of university life, according to SG President Mitchell Phelps. Phelps stated that he believes the fiscal caps on retreats proposed by the petition are unreasonable. “The budget is already voted on at the beginning of the year,” said Phelps. “If someone has a concern with how things are done, they can voice it then.” SG has been working on creating a student court since the summer of 2016, according to Phelps. “To be clear, [creating a student court] has nothing to do with the petition.” As of Wednesday night, the petition was no longer excepting responses since the petition had already gathered 647 signatures, easily meeting the first 500 signature threshold by the deadline agreed upon, according to Fereshtehkhou. The summer appropriations bill under the current Phelps-Duncan administration allocated $4,913.48 toward the retreat, but it did not reflect the trip’s true cost of $11,375.05, which SG spent on transportation, lodging, events and one dinner, SG Vice President Brooke Duncan told The News Record earlier this year. Only 11 days after the DC trip, SG issued a press release showing the use of additional funds from a previously canceled spring retreat under the previous Andrew Naab and Andrew Griggs administration. The spring retreat bill allocated $4,961 for the trip, but Phelps later said this number was incorrect. The Naab-Griggs administration made amendments to raise allocations for the spring retreat up to $7,480, but did not post those changes online, Duncan told TNR. “The issue that occurred with this retreat is that this process was not followed to approve or even present the full amount that was actually spent,” said Fereshtehkhou. The petition will be sent to all of SG and will bring the cause to university administration, although the petition does not guarantee action.
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 Twitter @NewsRecord_UC Instagram TheNewsRecord SoundCloud The-News-Record-1 STAFF Editor-in-chief Jeff O’Rear Managing editor Amir Samarghandi News editors Lauren Moretto Kinsley Slife Chief reporter Ashleigh Pierce Sports editor David Wysong College Life editor Samantha Hall Arts editor Russell Hausfeld Opinion editor Caroline Cory Copy editor Huy Nguyen Photo editor Alexandra Taylor Chief photographer N. C. Brown Online editor Stephanie Smith Designer Gabrielle Stichweh Broadcast Reporter Emily Wilhelm Videographer Michelle Fisk Sales manager Caleb Ward
LIFE & ARTS / 3 MONDAY, NOV. 14, 2016
Local poets present work every Monday at Arnold’s Bar and Grill RUSSELL HAUSFELD | ARTS WITH CULTURES EDITOR
Live music is a staple of any healthy downtown scene, and Cincinnati has plenty of it at venues like MOTR Pub, Bogart’s and others. But, what separates a good downtown scene from a great one is the amount of artists aside from musicians — whether they be literary, visual or theaterbased artists — that the city is able to bolster and support. If you’re looking for a quieter night than you may have at MOTR Pub or the like, and want to be mentally stimulated by literature, head to Arnold’s Bar and Grill for “Meaningful Mondays:
Women Poets in the Courtyard.” Arnold’s, which is the oldest tavern in Cincinnati, has joined forces with Women Writing For (a) Change [WWF(a)C] to bring the city live poetry readings from local writers every Monday evening in a cozy and intimate setting. WWF(a)C is a writing school in Silverton which has operated as a safe and non-competitive environment for writers to hone their skills, cultivate their creativity and strengthen their voices for 25 years. The community of writers affiliated with the school ranges from firsttime writers to writers with years of experience who
come together to share and workshop their writing. “We encourage writing as a process of self-discovery and self-expression — a celebration of the individual voice. Our classes provide a unique setting in which honoring each other’s words enriches participants’ lives,” the writing school’s website reads. At Meaningful Monday events, dinner and drinks are available from Arnold’s until 7 p.m., when the poetry readings begin. On Nov. 14, four writers will be present: Lisa Hess, a mentor for the high school writing enrichment program A Community of Stories; Cincinnati-based writer Liz Archer; Tina
Neyer, a column writer for the “Dayton, Kentucky Community News” and Mariele Fluegeman, a Cincinnati-based writer. GO: “Meaningful Mondays: Women Poets in the Courtyard,”Arnold’s Bar and Grill, 210 E 8th St., 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Mondays. FREE.
AARON DORSTEN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
The Krohn Conservatory unveiled their new holiday display Nov. 12, introducing new vibrant plant displays, miniature dioramas and a train.
The chill of winter is upon us and the Krohn Conservatory has done away with its multitude of butterflies in favor of a new holiday-themed show entitled “A Whimsical Wonderland at Krohn.” The Krohn will be full of new, colorful poinsettias sporting royal blue, bright orange and deep purple petals along with the more traditional hues of red and pink. Amidst these naturally radiant Christmas lights is a slew of other botanical architecture like pompom junipers, vibrant globe amaranths and powderpuff plants. Sprigs of painted twigs and branches twisted together, curly grasses and tropical flowers make this holiday display look like something straight out of a Dr. Seuss holiday book. Plus, a train display navigates through the whole of the whimsical display. “The traditional garden railway display will be decorated by the Applied Imagination team with new floral accents made from
Da Vida House promotes local Cincy musicians ISABELLA JANSEN | STAFF REPORTER
SHAE COMBS | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Every Monday, writers from Women Writing For (a) Change congregate at Arnold’s Bar and Grill for a local poetry reading.
See Krohn Conservatory’s ‘A Whimsical Wonderland’ RUSSELL HAUSFELD | ARTS AND CULTURE ED
PROVIDED
Hitchbot, local alternative punk band, host underground shows at their residence and production site.
colorful gourds, seed pods and other natural elements used in the botanical buildings and bridges,” the Krohn Conservatory press release states. A brand new “Enchanted Forest and Whimsical Creatures” exhibit will be set up in Krohn’s Fern House, featuring botanical creatures and fantasy buildings situated among three different train tracks in the central flower bed of the room. Along with beautiful flowers, train tracks and botanical creatures, a miniature display of motionettes and decorations donated from the Schmalz family will be set up. “These moving display characters were originally displayed in the late 1940s and early 1950s in window displays around downtown Cincinnati in retail shops such as Dodd’s Jewelers, Shillito’s and Pogues,” the Krohn Conservatory press release states. GO: “Whimsical Wonderland at the Krohn,” The Krohn Conservatory, 1501 Eden Park Dr., 10 a.m.5 p.m. Nov.12-Jan. 8. Adults $7. Children $4.
Local music has moved beyond concert venues and now lives in the homes of Cincinnati residents. A group of musicians have opened up their home to bands all over the country, putting on over 60 shows and welcoming anyone to come and check out good music for no charge at all. This house is known as the Da Vida House, a welcoming environment with a makeshift venue in the basement, colorful lights, paintings on every wall done by one of the residents of the home and a Great Pyrenees dog that greets everyone who comes. What once was PT Russo — a founder of the Da Vida house and Da Vida production — begging local bands to come and play at his house, has now evolved into bands from all over the country begging to get the chance to play at the locally famous Da Vida house. With so many people wanting to be a part of this unique community, shows are sometime booked out several months in advance, with as many as three shows a week being put on. Through its popularity, the Da Vida House progressed into Da Vida Production. “We can go anywhere under the mask of Da Vida Productions and just continue it over, and in the future use more outlets,” said Russo. The founders of the Da Vida Productions have
their own band, known as HitchBot, which often opens many of the shows at the Da Vida House. Through the kindness of strangers, hard work, dedication and just hoping people will want to help is the inspiration behind the name HitchBot, said Russo. The band itself includes PT Russo, Andrew Tetrick, Ben Kerby and Jeff McIntosh, all residents of the Da Vida house. Members Russo and Kerby have known each other since they were six and have always played music together. The two later met Tetrick and McIntosh through house shows and the community of music they have found themselves in. They have now been together for about a year, and write all of their own music. Not one band member holds any more power then another; it is a sort of democracy between the four members, according Russo. For each show, they push themselves to always have one new song and their set list is always changing. Russo described the sound as being progressive rock, creating a sound with very heavy distortion, and a heavy bass. The passion the members have for what they are doing is very evident in their performances and you can feel their music vibrating deep down in your body when in the basement of the Da Vida 76985 House.
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4 / SPORTS MONDAY, NOV. 14, 2016
UC’s win over Brown takeaways DAVID WYSONG | SPORTS EDITOR
The Cincinnati Bearcat men’s basketball team began their season with a blowout 84-55 win over Brown University. It is only one game in a long season, but there are three key takeaways fans can find from their win.
1. Jacob Evans could lead the team offensively in 2016
N.C. BROWN | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Gary Clark (11) rises up over a defender for a layup in UC’s home opener against Brown University at Fifth Third Arena, Friday, November 11, 2016.
Sophomore forward Jacob Evans only averaged 8.4 points per game during his freshman season in 2015, but averaged 14 in the team’s final six games of the year. He scored a career-high 26 points during the Bearcats’ tournament loss to Saint Joseph’s University, and on Friday he picked up where he left off as he scored 23. In addition, Evans scored the ball in an efficient way making nine of his 12 shots, as well as four of his six three-pointers. Evans had recently returned the week prior from a foot injury.
“As a basketball player you always fear, whenever you have some time off, you always fear that your game is getting a little sloppy a little bit, but I worked hard this week trying to just get back in the flow of things and it just paid off tonight,” Evans said. Cincinnati head coach Mick Cronin was pleased with Evans’ performance on Friday. “He’s a great player,” Cronin said. “You guys are just seeing Jacob Evans scratch the surface. I told his mom when I recruited him, ‘Your son is going to be a star.’ What you saw tonight, I saw it all summer.”
2. Kyle Washington improves post-play
Cincinnati needed someone to replace their 2015 big man Octavius Ellis, who is no longer on the team due to graduation. Ellis averaged 9.8 points per game as well as 7.5 rebounds last season. The Bearcats might have found that replacement
in North Carolina State University transfer Kyle Washington. Against Brown, Washington scored 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds on the night. Washington had to sit out the 2015 season, due to NCAA transfer rules. “Just thinking about my whole year and looking back in retrospect, I was just like everything was worth it,”Washington said. “Everything was beautiful out there because I just played for my teammates, and I’m not just saying that just to say that, I really did just play for my teammates. I was just trying to be there defensively and execution wise everything came through.” In addition to his points and rebounds, Washington found the open man while down on the block, recording five assists. “I’m really, really pleased with our passing, 23 assists is tremendous,” Cronin said. “Nine assists from our starting two big guys. Kyle
Washington rebounding the ball like he can and he needs to rebound the ball for us all year.”
3. The defense should continue to be the team’s strength
Cincinnati’s is typically one of the best defensive teams in the country while being coached by Cronin, and that should not change this year. After holding their opponents to 39.3 percent shooting in 2015, Cincinnati began this year limiting Brown to 31.6 percent from the field. In addition, the Bearcats forced them into 14 turnovers, as six different guys recorded a steal. Moving forward the Bearcats continue their play in the Naismith Hall of Fame Tip-Off on Monday when they play the University of Albany at Fifth Third Arena. The two teams will square off at 7 p.m. and the game will be aired on ESPNU.
Wahl translates lessons from pitching to alpaca farm ETHAN RUDD | STAFF REPORTER
Greg Wahl owns and operates The New Richmond Alpaca Farm and sells alpaca fleece products with his wife Lori — but the 63-year-old farmer was not always an alpaca herder. Wahl also pitched for the University of Cincinnati’s baseball team from 1972-75. After he graduating from McNicholas High School, the New York Yankees drafted him. But Wahl’s parents wanted him to stay home, so he took a scholarship offer from Cincinnati. UC’s baseball program was a lot different in the early ’70s compared to today. Today, the Bearcats play within the confines of Marge Schott Stadium, which seats over 3,000 people and features an indoor batting cage.
However, when Wahl played, a 30-foot metal bleacher behind home plate was the only seating. There was no press box as there is today in Marge Schott Stadium. The team did not even always have dugouts, and when they did, the players dug them. Rick Linz, who played shortstop with Wahl, said the players once dug a dugout one morning, and then went on to win a tournament at Miami University the same day. In addition to the lack of facilities, parents donated game balls to help compensate the team’s limited budget. Cincinnati still won 94 games during Wahl’s tenure. “There was a cohesiveness with that group of guys,” said Walt Sweeney, who played second base with Wahl and Linz. A majority of the players on the
team grew up in Cincinnati and played each other in high school and on club teams, including Wahl, Linz and Sweeney. Wahl left an impact on the program and still ranks 10th alltime in school history in career starts (32) and complete games pitched (12). “Greg didn’t throw the ball extremely hard, but he had a lot of control and he could change the speeds of his pitches very well,” Sweeney said. When Wahl graduated he did not hear from any professional scouts, even though he was drafted out of high school. “I was incredibly disappointed not hearing from anybody at the end of my senior year and to be quite frank, I took my baseball cleats off and put them on a nail and never touched them again,” Wahl said.
Today, Wahl channels his competitiveness in other ways. “I took my competitiveness off the baseball field and I made it part of my life in other areas,” Wahl said. Wahl’s son Joey — who won a United States Collegiate Athletic Association baseball national championship with the UC Clermont branch’s team — calls his father the biggest workaholic he has ever met. “He’s always got something going on,” Joey said. Distributing fleece from his alpacas keeps Wahl busy. Up to 40 percent of Wahl’s fleece is made into yarn at Ohio Valley Fiber in Sardinia and distributed to local knitters. The remaining fleece is supplemented with fiber from other farms and sent to Peru and made into products that Wahl
sells. Wahl ships as much as 1,700 pounds of fleece to Peru. Coincidentally, Linz and Sweeney operate their own businesses in greater Cincinnati as well. Linz operates a pickling company with his brother and Sweeney is an auto dealer. Both applied lessons they learned on the diamond to their own businesses. “I think [baseball] played a very big role at least for me in business,” Sweeney said, citing the discipline he learned playing the sport. Linz made similar comments about his playing days. “Baseball has actually been pretty good to me in business,” Linz said.
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OPINION
The Cincinnati Reds finished with a record of 68-94 in 2016, good for last place in the National League Central Division. With the World Series over and the offseason underway, the big question in Cincinnati is how the Reds will improve from their cellar-dwelling ways of last year. Reds fans, you need to be patient, because the solution will not involve a winning record next season. The Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals are still going to be headand-shoulders above the Reds, no matter what the Queen City club does this offseason. With the amount of youth the Reds have already built upon, the right thing to do would be for them to continue the youth movement. They need to plan for the future instead of next year. The first move they need to make is to trade perennial Gold Glovewinning second baseman Brandon Phillips. The Reds tried to trade Phillips to the Washington Nationals before the beginning of last season, but the now 35-year-old declined the trade. This offseason may appear to be different though, as Phillips recently commented that he is willing to waive his notrade clause. Phillips’ batting average of .291 was not able to help the Reds win last season, so the best move would be to ship him off for prospects while he still has value to offer another team. The Reds have several players they can groom at second base to take over for Phillips, including Jose Peraza, who hit .324 in 241 at-bats last season. However, no matter what the Reds do on offense,
their biggest need for improvement lies in the pitching game. Last season, the Reds finished with a team earned run average of 4.91, No. 28 out of 30 teams in the MLB. The pitchers who received opportunities in 2016 did not get the job done, so it is time for the club to give the chance to a couple of young prospects who have yet to receive extended time in the big leagues. Left-handed pitcher Amir Garrett and right-handed pitcher Robert Stephenson are two of the Reds topfour overall minor league prospects, according to MLB’s website. Garrett, 24, has yet to make his major league debut, but posted a 7-8 record with a 2.55 ERA in Double and Triple-A last year. Stephenson made his major league debut last year, starting eight games
with a 2-3 record and a 6.08 ERA. He spent the rest of the year in Triple-A, where he went 8-9 with a 4.41 ERA in 24 starts. Getting these two pitchers accustomed to the major leagues, and implementing them into a rotation that includes fellow young pitchers such as Anthony DeSclanfani and Brandon Finnegan will be the key to the Reds eventually becoming a playoff contender. If this is to happen, the Reds must give up on 2017 first. Cincinnati stalwarts such as Phillips must be traded for younger assets, while the current young assets in the Reds organization must be given a chance to sink or swim. The year 2017 will not be the year of the Reds, but 2018 or 2019 might be.
CHRIS LEE | ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH | TNS
St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina prepares to block the throw from right fielder Jason Heyward as the Cincinnati Reds' Joey Votto, right, scores on a single by Jay Bruce in the ninth inning on Tuesday, July 28, 2015, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The Reds won, 4-0.