THE NEWS RECORD
132 YEARS IN PRINT VOL. CXXXI ISSUE L
MONDAY | AUGUST 10 | 2012
The University of Cincinnati’s College of Arts & Sciences received its newest dean July 1. Former university professor and UC alum Ronald Jackson II was chosen to succeed former dean Valerie Hardcastle and further her achievements within the college. Appointed by Interim President Santa Ono, Jackson is just one of 47 new members hired to the JACKSON college this summer. He hopes to spearhead the college’s growth through faculty collaboration,
Overweight or obese diabetics may outlive their thinner counterparts, according to a recently released study. The study offers evidence for what’s being called the “obesity paradox,” which is that obese individuals – while having a much higher risk of developing heart disease, kidney disease, and type 2 diabetes – are also much more likely to outlive thinner people that are diagnosed with the same diseases, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Experts previously knew of the obesity paradox in chronic kidney disease and heart disease, but just recently became aware of the trend among diabetics. “People who are obese are two times as likely to die from any given disease,” said Randy Seeley, director of the Cincinnati Diabetes and Obesity Center.“The issue, then is the obese type 2 diabetics are protected from dying as quickly as the lean type 2 diabetics.” In the JAMA study, which compiled five earlier studies on heart disease in 2,625 people recently diagnosed with diabetes, researchers found that even after adjusting for other factors like high blood pressure, smoking and high cholesterol, the death rate was nearly twice as high for thin patients than for heavier ones. There is no explanation for the paradox, but researchers have speculated it could be because lean people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, or certain other diseases, are more prone to worse health, whereas their counterparts develop the disease because they are overweight. Diabetes develops as a result of insulin resistance in the body, and extra fat can interfere with the body’s ability to efficiently produce and use the insulin it makes, leading to insulin resistance. “My current hypothesis for the paradox is that lean people somehow have insulin resistance that is more severe,” Seeley said. “Initially, when the body is having trouble absorbing insulin the pancreas just makes more. While the obese may develop insulin resistance as a result of having extra fat, for the lean it may just be severe insulin resistance as a result SEE DIABETES | 2
MONDAY
86° 67°
TUE
88° 62°
WED
84° 60°
THU
89° 65°
FRI
87° 70°
communication development and international education. “It is so important that when a university tries to position itself as a number one research or a top-ranked research institution, that higher individuals help maintain that ranking,” Jackson said. “So on one end, it’s great that you have people already that are part of your institution; but what really helps is the new cutting-edge initiative when you have various faculties that are going to help you do that.” The Cincinnati native is confident in his ability to lead the college and continue to build upon its accomplishments. “We certainly not only have a place where students be at their choice destination, but also here is a place that gave them a lot of
intellectual direction to a new leadership. It’s going in a way that allows us to really enhance the international education and the importance of the core curriculum,” Jackson said. “What you are doing as a dean here is to try to communicate and translate messages to wider audiences. You’re also working on ways that you can improve an institution, but that begins with being an effective communicator, effective listener, and being able to convey what it is that you really find the true priorities of any college education.” With two degrees from the university, Jackson also earned a Ph.D. in rhetoric and intercultural communication at Howard University. He has worked at six institutions for
higher learning, including Penn State University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “I think that with the kind of communications that I have, it teaches people about messages — the significance of messages, the transferable of messages, and the impact that messages have on people’s relationships,” Jackson said. “So as you take that, combined with my interest in being an academic leader, it will prepare a way for me to become a dean.” During his formal recognition at the June 26 Board of Trustees meeting, Jackson said he was honored with the appointment and that he would continue the college’s stride toward excellence.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY LAUREN PURKEY | PHOTO EDITOR
MOVING ON UP Following the resignation of Gregory Williams, University Paviilion has several interim tenants.
In the wake of Gregory Williams’ resignation from the position of president at the University of Cincinnati, several personnel changes have been made to interim president, Santa Ono’s, cabinet. Ono appointed Larry Johnson, dean of the College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services, to serve as interim provost — the position Ono formerly held. Johnson, who has been at UC for more than 20 years, has served as dean since 1999. Ryan Hays, formerly has been appointed to the position of executive vice president, after Karen Faaborg resigned from the position last Wednesday. Faaborg, who served as executive vice president since January 2011 and has been a faculty member for more than 30 years, couldn’t be reached for comment. She will probably have another position at the university, but that has yet to be determined, said Greg Hand, UC spokesperson. The nature of the executive president position was the reason for Faaborg’s resignation, Hand said. “The position that she stepped down from is essentially the chief of staff for the president, it’s someone who is very close to the president,” Hand said. “The interim president has a person in that role, Ryan Hays, so he asked Ryan.” Hays worked for the Board of Trustees at Emory University during the same time Ono served as senior vice provost for undergraduate education and academic affairs at Emory University. Ono was unavailable to comment on the cabinet changes; however, in a letter to faculty and students he thanked Faaborg, Johnson and Hays. “First, let me thank Karen for her dedication and service to the Office of the President,” Ono said in the letter. “ I also want to extend my thanks and support to Larry and Ryan for answering the call of service during this time of transition.” There is no knowledge of any other personnel changes that have been made or that will be made to the cabinet, Hand said. Francis Barrett, chairman for the UC Board of Trustees, reiterated that point.
The University of Cincinnati’s free speech policy was ruled unconstitutional by a federal district judge Wednesday, bringing a possible conclusion to the contentious issue one step closer. The permanent injunction, issued by United States District Judge Timothy S. Black, barred the university from enforcing speech restriction on campus. “Speech on campus cannot be limited in outdoor areas unless the restriction is narrowly tailored to serve a compelling university interest,” Black said in his ruling. In conjunction with the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) and the 1851 Center for Constitutional Law, the UC chapter of Young Americans for Liberty (YAL) filed suit Feb. 22 after its request for a permit to illicit petition signatures was denied by the university. Prior to the lawsuit, the university’s policy limited demonstrations and protests to 0.1 percent of UC’s main campus, and required
Of the 17 cabinet members, seven were appointed to positions during Williams’ presidency. Those seven cabinet members include Whit Babcock, athletic director, Gregory Mohar, general counsel, and Cady Shot-Thompson, chairwoman for the council of the deans. Ono’s two new appointments bring the number of interim cabinet members to six. Williams resigned last Tuesday for personal reasons, according to a statement by the university. Williams didn’t elaborate on the reason behind his resignation, Barrett said.“It’s personal and we respect his privacy.” Williams, who officially took over as president in November 2009 from Nancy Zimpher, had more than two years left on his contract. His original annual base salary was $410,000 and included a $60,000 signing bonus, according to his employment agreement. He was also eligible for an annual performance bonus, ranging from 10 to-25 percent of his base salary. Williams’ resignation came as a shock to many. “I was shocked when I heard the news,” said Lane Hart, student body president.“I’ve always had great interactions with President Williams and he’s done a lot of great things for the university.” After learning of his resignation, the board instantly went to work to find an interim president, said Barrett. “The board was unanimous in believing that in all the people at the university that could step in and immediately do the best job, it was the provost, and we’re going to support him completely and we’re going to do everything we can to help him,” Barrett said. “I think the selection of Provost Ono is a positive step, with his involvement in the UC2019 Strategic Plan and the work he’s done with the student body,” Hart said. “Provost Ono has been good at working on student’s involvement and making good common sense decisions on behalf of students.” A banquet to celebrate William’s tenure and thank him for his work is in the planning stages, and will most likely take place in September, Barrett said. The university has not set a timetable yet for its search for a new president, Hand said.
coordinators to submit a request 10 business days ahead of an event to utilize a free speech zone on campus. “Limiting student expression to just 0.1 percent of campus was bad enough. Threatening to call the police if students were caught gathering signatures for a petition was even worse,” FIRE President Greg Lukianoff said in a statement. “The decision to waste taxpayer money defending such unconstitutional censorship was completely indefensible.” After a seven-month legal battle and a temporary compromise, UC YAL members are elated with the final ruling, said Ian Gulley, president of the UC chapter of YAL. “This is a win for all student organizations,” Gulley said. “It is giving everyone the opportunity to say what they want, whenever they want without having to be in a free speech zone or having to abide by policies.” Yet the original speech policy was composed with the students’ best interest in mind, said Lane Hart, student body president. “The original way the free speech policy
NEWSRECORDNEWS@GMAIL.COM | 513.556.5908
was written was with good intention so that it wasn’t disturbing class or traffic,” Hart said. “At the same time, it’s good that we can have an exchange of ideas anywhere on campus.”
2
Monday Aug. 27 | 2012 NEWSRECORD.ORG
CONVOCATION
Phil didion | senior photographer
CONVOCATION The University of Cincinnati officially welcomed a new freshman class of more than 4,100 students at the annual convocation ceremony Friday morning. The newly appointed interim president Santa Ono was one of many faculty members to address the students. “I was extremely pleased with Convocation this year,” Ono said in a text message after the event. “I am so pumped. It is going to be an amazing year at the #HottestCollegeinAmerica.” Board of Trustees chairman C. Francis Barrett, who also spoke, drew similarities between Williams’ resignation and the loss of legendary University athlete Oscar Robertson, when the university enjoyed a victory over the top-ranked Ohio University in 1961 after Robertson left.
From DIABETES | 1 of genetics.” The paradox raises questions and is definitely something that needs to be studied, Seeley said. “It’s been a conundrum: what is the right way to deal with diabetes for the individual?” Seeley asked. “Should the treatment for obese type 2 diabetics be the same as the treatment for the lean?”
From MILLER | 10 challenged Texas and eventually Alabama? It’s doubtful, but I’d love to have seen it. Like any other theoretical situation, we’ll never be certain how a 2009 playoff between Alabama, Texas, Cincinnati and TCU would have played out. What is definitely certain is the players on that team didn’t deserve to be abandoned after a tireless season
From syria | 3 of perfection. At the very least they deserved the right to control their own destiny. The playoff system set to be implemented in 2014 will go a long way toward righting a clearly flawed and unjust system, but far too many teams — including the 2009 UC squad — will always be left wondering what might have been.
From romney | 3 “You have all these surrogates who will talk about the convention at the water coolers, and that’s who you are playing to,” said David Carney, President George H.W. Bush’s White House political director. “It’s not like you can have Chris Christie come to every town and give a speech.” This convention has several potential flash points. One is Romney himself. Many conservatives have long been suspicious of his commitment to their cause, and their reluctance allowed the primary and caucus season to drag on through the spring, as Romney had some trouble squelching challengers, most with little stature in the party. The conservative qualms stem from Romney’s only time in office, governing Massachusetts from 20032007 as a center-right executive who championed the state law creating a near-universal health care system. That
law was widely regarded as a model for what he calls the “dishonest, immoral the 2010 federal health can plan that and unconstitutional” Federal Reserve Republicans hate — and that Romney System. His son Rand, a Kentucky eagerly wants to repeal. senator and hero to many conservatives, Keith Appell, a Republican will address the convention. consultant, thought the Republican Also lurking will be Romney’s zeal to win back the White House — other prominent challengers, former as well as polls saying the party has Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, a reasonable chance — will leave who got strong primary and caucus convention-goers “exceptionally backing from diehard conservatives, energized.” and former House Speaker Newt Not without some blips. Supporters Gingrich. Both are known for off-theof Texas Rep. Ron Paul plan a series of cuff remarks that garner lots of media events to promote their candidate and attention. his libertarian agenda, notably a noon The Romney forces want the rally Sunday at the University of South convention to become a narrative that Florida’s 11,000-seat Sun Dome. Paul, who has about 160 delegates, builds over four days. “Romney has to clarify his mission is unlikely to force much, if any, of a floor fight or debate over the platform and lay out his vision from the start,” said Republican consultant Bill Dal — he doesn’t have the numbers — Col, “and end with a strong, powerful but he could get a lot of attention speech with a strong emotional tone promoting views starkly different from those of Romney, such as ending to it.” NEWSRECORD.LIVING@GMAIL.COM | 513.556.5913
from Lebanon. Communications in the country have becoming increasingly difficult, as the government has cut cellphone services in some areas for months and effectively jammed satellite equipment in many places. Six months ago, many in the opposition’s ranks voiced the belief that if Assad began to use his air force, the West might intervene. But now that the Syrian helicopters and air power are being used regularly in Aleppo, Damascus and other parts of the country, the opposition has largely given up hope of international intervention. “No one wants to be involved,” said Abu Hassan, the activist in Damascus. Perhaps hoping to stir more Western outrage, activists are now accusing the government of using what they call “chemical weapons,” referring to munitions that include white phosphorus, a chemical that is frequently used to create smoke and that burns anything that it touches. Video posted on YouTube from the city of Rastan on Friday claimed to show the victim of one such attack, a young boy, on Thursday. Rastan is a now largely empty city of about 60,000 just north of Homs, on the main highway between Damascus and Aleppo. It, too, has been a battleground for months, with portions of the city entirely destroyed. But the claims of white phosphorus use may not bring the kind of anger activists would like. Munitions containing white phosphorus are common and were used by U.S. forces in Fallujah, Iraq, in 2004, and by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip in 2008 and 2009.
NATION & WORLD 3 Gunman kills 2 at Empire State Building Monday
Aug. 27 | 2012
NEWSRECORD.ORG
TINA SUSMAN, STEVEN ZEITCHIK AND ANDREW TANGEL | LOS ANGELES TIMES
WANG LEI | MCT
MIDTOWN MANHATTAN MAYHEM A laid-off women’s accessories designer, Jeffrey Johnson, 53, shot a former co-worker to death in front of the Empire State Building.
NEW YORK — Each morning, Jeffrey Johnson would put on a suit, leave his Manhattan apartment, and walk to a nearby McDonald’s to pick up breakfast. Sometimes he would greet a neighbor and pet her dog along the way. Friday seemed no different to those familiar with Johnson’s ritual, but this time, he did not return to his apartment with breakfast in a bag. Instead, he headed to Midtown Manhattan, to his former employer’s shop near the foot of the Empire State Building, and shot an ex-colleague repeatedly in the head, police said. As the victim lay dead on the sidewalk, a river of blood oozing from his head into the street, more gunfire erupted, panicking pedestrians who fell over one another as they fled the country’s third mass shooting in five weeks. When it was over, Johnson, 58, lay dead, shot by police officers. At least nine other people were wounded, some hit by police gunfire, but none suffering lifethreatening wounds, officials said.
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly emphasized that Johnson was angry at his former colleague and that the shooting was not terrorism-related. But that didn’t make it any less terrifying to those caught in the gunfight. Police say Johnson had a long-running beef with the man who was killed, Steve Ercolino, 41. Ercolino was his former boss at Hazan Imports, a women’s apparel shop in a building on West 33rd Street near Fifth Avenue. Johnson, a designer of women’s T-shirts and other accessories, had been fired a year ago after six years at Hazan, where he reportedly felt that his designs were not getting the promotion he deserved. Kelly said he was laid off when the company downsized. Witnesses described an outbreak of pandemonium at the height of rush hour on the streets outside one of New York City’s biggest tourist draws, the 102-story Empire State Building, in a city still haunted by the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. On this sunny, clear morning, tourists already were SEE GUNMAN | 2
Romney to make case at GOP convention DAVID LIGHTMAN | MCT
TAMPA, Fla. — Mitt Romney goes before America this week with a historic opportunity to introduce and define himself to a nation weary of four years of economic anxiety and seriously considering voting him into the White House this fall. Beginning this week at the Republican National Convention, and continuing through Romney’s prime-time speech Thursday accepting his party’s presidential nomination, Republicans will tell three stories to an audience that could number in the tens of millions. They’ll describe t h e i r view that President B a r a c k Obama has mismanaged a n d damaged an already f r a g i l e e c o n o m y. T h e y ’ l l describe how a government run on conservative principles can revive that economy. And they’ll trumpet how Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, and running mate Paul Ryan are a peerless blend of business and government experience and acumen, uniquely qualified to lead that charge. They’ll stand before a nation open to — and yearning for — a change in direction. Three out of four Americans think the country is on the wrong track. A majority says it’s worse off than four years ago. Unemployment has topped 8 percent since February 2009, the month after Obama took office. Economic growth has been tepid. Congress has been deadlocked and unable to tackle the ballooning federal debt, or much else. People will be listening for fresh ideas and trying to sense if Romney and Ryan have the smarts and the savvy to turn things around. The convention officially opens its four-day run Monday at the Tampa Bay Times Forum, but will quickly recess until Tuesday. Tropical Storm Isaac is threatening the area, and organizers decided Saturday to postpone major events until Tuesday. While no revised schedule had been announced as of Saturday night, the convention's 2,286 delegates are expected Tuesday to formally nominate the 65-year-old Romney. That evening, the convention is scheduled to feature Romney's wife, Ann, as well as the keynote address by blunt-spoken New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Ryan, a favorite of fiscal conservatives, will speak Wednesday. Romney will speak Thursday. The Republicans will offer the kind of carefully scripted affair that’s been typical of party conventions for more than 30 years. The GOP conclave’s chief mission is to introduce Romney to a vast audience of voters who did not watch the Republican primaries — about 5 million to 6 million watched top primary debates this year, while nearly 40 million watched Republican nominee John McCain at his convention four years ago. SEE ROMNEY | 2
DAVE ENDERS | MCT
ESCAPING THE VIOLENCE Iraqi and Syrian Kurdish refugees cross the Iraqi-Syrian border illegally near Faysh Khabur, Iraq, assisted by guerillas from the Kurdistan Workers Party — a Kurdish separatist group that operates in Iraq, Syria and Turkey.
Fighting worsens as Syrian rebel troops up violent ante DAVID ENDERS | MCT ANTAKYA, Turkey — The bombing last month that killed four top Syrian government figures and was followed by rebel offensives in Damascus and Aleppo that many hailed as a turning point in the battle to topple the government now looks more like a harbinger of worsening violence, not the beginning of the end. Forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad in the past week have launched a massive assault on rebel-held areas around the capital of Damascus and are seizing towns that had been thought to be secure rebel bastions. Loyalist forces are then conducting waves of raids, arrests and executions, according to anti-government activists. The ferocity and seeming success of the government offensive undercut speculation that Assad’s government was crumbling after the July 18 bombing that killed four key military advisers and precipitated rebel actions in Damascus and Aleppo, the country’s largest city. After initial gains in those cities, rebels forces now face the same dynamic that has reigned in other cities where fighting has gone on for much longer: The army lays siege to rebel-held areas, shells and bombs, and then launches raids that force the rebels to withdraw. When the offensive is over, the rebels filter back in.
Rebel spokesmen continue to offer upbeat assessments of their prospects. “The Free Syrian Army took control of six neighborhoods yesterday,” said Abdel Majeed Barakat, a member of Liwa Tawhid, a group fighting in Aleppo that has thousands of fighters under its command. The Free Syrian Army is the umbrella moniker adopted by the majority of the rebels. But despite Barakat’s claims, most of Aleppo remains in government hands, the rebels have lost their major position in the Salahadin neighborhood, and fighting in the city has slowed in the face of fierce government attacks from the air that the rebels seem unlikely to withstand indefinitely, since they do not have anti-aircraft weapons. Meanwhile, activists are reporting an increase of violence in Damascus, especially incidents of summary executions of fighters, activists and civilians. More than 200 civilians and rebels have been reported killed in Damascus on Wednesday and Thursday, and nearly 400 across the country. The Syrian government stopped releasing information about army casualties in June. Darayya, a suburb south of Damascus where rebels claimed gains a month ago, has been under siege for a week, shelled heavily by artillery and subject to attacks by government helicopters and airplanes. AlTal, another Damascus suburb that rebels
appeared to take over last month, is reported by activists to be once more under the control of government forces. The same fate befell Jdedat Artouz, another suburb, where activists say dozens of summary executions took place. Meanwhile, the government siege of areas that have long been battlegrounds continues unabated. An activist outside Homs, the country’s third largest city, said that government forces have enforced a blockade that has prevented supplies and people from entering rebel-held parts of the city, which the government continues to pound with artillery. “There’s no food, not even cigarettes,” said the activist, who is based in a small city outside Homs that has become a hub for refugees and a staging ground for sending supplies inside. In the country’s south, the government continues to press rebel forces as well. Earlier this week, government forces took al-Harak, a suburb of Deraa, a city near the border with Jordan where the uprising against Assad began 18 months ago. On Wednesday, the rebels said they had reclaimed it, but on Friday it was still under government siege. Activists said 85 people had been killed there in the last six days. Government forces also appear to have largely shut down rebel smuggling routes SEE SYRIA | 2
Norway mass killer Breivik guilty HENRY CHU | LOS ANGELES TIMES
LONDON — An Oslo court found Anders Behring Breivik criminally guilty Friday in the killings of 77 people last year in Norway, opting to send the right-wing militant to prison rather than declare him insane and commit him to psychiatric care. Breivik, 33, faces at least 21 years in prison for the twin attacks he carried out in July 2011. That sentence can be repeatedly extended if authorities determine that he remains a danger to society. Breivik smiled as a summary of the verdict was read Friday morning. He had freely confessed to planting a deadly car bomb in the center of Oslo and then methodically hunting down and killing 69 people, mostly teenagers, at a political youth camp on the island of Utoya. He said the attacks were an attempt to save Norway from ALEXANDER WIDDING | MCT multiculturalism and from a Muslim takeover. BREIVIK DECLARED SANE A Norwegian court sentenced The highly anticipated verdict came after two months of Norwegian mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik to a deliberation following a 10-week trial that gripped the world's media. maximum term of 21 years for killing 77 people last year. Throughout the trial, Breivik showed no remorse for his killing frenzy, shedding tears only when he watched a propaganda video that he had made to spread his anti-Islam views. the extremism of Breivik's anti-immigrant views, which he posted Two teams of court-ordered psychiatrists presented conflicting in a lengthy, rambling manifesto on the Internet shortly before the views on his sanity. One declared him delusional, a paranoid massacre. In it, he urged "indigenous Europeans" to rise up and use schizophrenic with a warped view of reality, but a second evaluation violence to repel the Muslims he said were overrunning the continent. found him to be in his right mind. He deplored those who advocated multiculturalism as collaborators The five judges who reached the verdict agreed with the latter in "cultural suicide." view. Breivik himself wanted to be declared sane, fearing a verdict of That Breivik planted the car bomb in Oslo's government district insanity would mean that his views could be dismissed as the rantings and cold-bloodedly shot 69 people on Utoya was never in question of a madman. during his trial. Breivik freely acknowledged the killings, but denied Norwegians were stunned by the ferocity of the attacks and by that they were a criminal act. CHIEF.NEWSRECORD@GMAIL.COM | 513.556.5913
NATION & WORLD 4 Apple wins $1B lawsuit over Samsung Monday
Aug. 27 | 2012
NEWSRECORD.ORG
HOWARD MINTZ | SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS
At the same time, the jury rejected Samsung's counterclaims that Apple infringed some of the patents on SAN JOSE, Calif. — In a verdict that would have warmed its wireless technology. The jury reached its verdict on the third day of deliberations. the heart of late Apple CEO Steve Jobs, a federal jury on The jury's verdict was the most important milestone in Friday handed Apple a resounding legal victory in its bitter the nearly two-year global war between the two tech giants patent war with Samsung, ordering the South Korean tech giant to pay more than $1 billion in damages for "willfully" over legal rights in the smartphone and tablet market. At stake is Apple's grip on the massive United States market copying the iPhone and iPad. and the impact of its aggressive claims that Samsung is Legal experts say that the jury's finding of "willful" infringement enables Apple to seek to triple the billion- propelling itself forward with smartphones and tablets that copy the iPhone and iPad, two of the most recognizable dollar damage award. products ever produced. Ticking off the 20-page verdict, the jury one-by-one The three-week trial gave both companies an found that Samsung trampled on Apple's patent rights on a unprecedented opportunity to tell their sides of a story that wide range of Samsung smartphones, as well as its Galaxy could shape their increasingly competitive relationship tablet. for years to come, and the outcome may provide the groundwork for resolution of a legal feud that has stretched from San Jose to Australia. During the trial, Apple depicted Samsung as an unrepentant copier, scrambling in the aftermath of the 2007 release of the iPhone to develop products that shared the same smartphone features and could be sold at a lower cost. Samsung, Apple insisted, cheated by copying the iPhone and later the iPad, mimicking the designs so much that Google warned Samsung the devices looked too much alike. Apple urged the jury to award at least $2.5 billion in damages for selling tens of millions of what were branded "accused" smartphones and tablets. Samsung, meanwhile, portrayed Apple as a company trying to stifle competition by using lawyers and the courts to assert patent rights with no legal justification. Samsung KIRK MCKOY | LOS ANGELES TIMES denied copying Apple in products such as the Galaxy LANDMARK TECH LAWSUIT After three days of smartphones and tablets, and told the jury that Apple's iPhone and iPad were part of an evolution in the industry, deliberation, a court ruling in Silicon Valley said Samsung not the unprecedented innovations Apple made them out
“willfully” copied designs of Apple’s iPhone and iPad.
to be. With the legal battle unfolding, Samsung has surpassed Apple as the top seller of smartphones internationally, while Apple has kept its lead in tablet sales with the iPad. Apple's hostility toward South Korea-based Samsung and, by implication, Google's Android operating system, permeated the proceedings. Many legal and tech observers consider Apple's legal assault on Samsung an outgrowth of late Apple CEO Steve Jobs' fury over what he considered copying by smartphone rivals and Google's Android system, which runs on most of the Cupertino, Calif., powerhouse's competitors' smartphones, including Samsung's. The fallout from the San Jose verdict has a range of possibilities. The trial dealt only with an older line of Samsung smartphones and tablets, reflecting the fact that such patent feuds often lag behind the release of new technology. A second patent case is pending before U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh over some of Samsung's more recent products, with a trial date in 2014. As a result, without a settlement, Apple and Samsung will continue to lock horns in court over Apple's efforts to persuade Koh to shut down sales of certain smartphones and tablets in the U.S. Koh issued preliminary injunctions in the first case against the Samsung Nexus phone and Galaxy 10.1 tablet, suggesting she is receptive to some of Apple's claims of patent infringement. Apple has yet to take on Samsung's most recent smartphone, the Galaxy S III, but indicated in previous hearings that it considers that device a byproduct of previous design copying. The legal sparring in San Jose is expected to wind up in the U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., the appeals court that handles most of the nation's patent litigation. That court already is considering Samsung's bid to set aside Koh's previous orders blocking sales of the Nexus and Galaxy 10.1 tablet.
US vehicle attacked by Mexican national policemen ALFREDO CORCHADO | THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS
FRED BLOCHER | KANSAS CITY STAR
DROUGHT CONTINUES ON Hugh Ryan looked out from the deck of his Lakewood home in Lee’s Summit, Mo., at the fast receding cove behind his house.
A NEW DUST BOWL KEVIN G. HALL | MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS
NEW FLORENCE, Mo. — Farmers in this hardscrabble patch of the Midwest know the discomfort of summer heat, they've suffered through dry weather before, and they've certainly lived through the boom and bust cycles of modern farming. But they've never season a drought like the one that's gripping much of the nation, and they're seeing miserable growing conditions rivaled only perhaps by the Dust Bowl days of the 1930s. The images of drought have played across TV screens and on Internet portals for weeks on end. These images, however, don't match the experience of seeing the effects of the summer of 2012 up close. The soil is cracked like weather-parched lips all across this onceverdant farmland, roughly a 90-minute drive due west of St. Louis or about two hours east of Kansas City. So dry and weak are the cornstalks out here that a gathering wind knocks over entire fields. "We're cutting it down just so we don't have to look at it," said Carl, 67, a lifelong farmer in the New Florence area. A prideful man who doesn't want his surname used, given his struggles this year with Mother Nature, Carl gingerly came off his tractor with the help of a cane and sat on one of its steps. He works the farm with his 36-year-old son, Scott. The family dog, Rover, scampered around and Carl's mother watched from a distance. "In her 92 years, she said, she's never seen anything like it," Carl said, shaking his head while recounting the hard times befalling local farmers. Over the past six weeks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated 1,821 counties in 35 states as disaster areas, at least 1,692 of them due to drought. The agency is calling it the worst drought in more than 50 years. The USDA has designated almost the entire state of Missouri as under extreme drought conditions or exceptional, the worst designation. The outlook wasn't much better when McClatchy Newspapers visited farms in Madison, Ill., just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. There, corn crops were greener than in New Florence, but the earth was similarly cracked and crops are clearly stunted near the banks of the river, where water levels have fallen dramatically. At the local cooperative in New Florence, where farmers all own shares of the company, Randy Rodgers is worried. It's not that things are a bit worse; they're off the charts. "Production here is going to be off 75 to 80 percent. That's a big drop-off," he said. Put another way, for every dollar of production, at least 75 cents is lost. These are the kind of losses that cripple a farm. All around the area, "For Sale" signs dot the roadsides as farmers try to sell land that, at least this year, isn't generating profit and income. Adding to the kick in the teeth farmers are taking, many had been
lulled into a false sense of security by the drought-resistant genetically modified seeds they've been planting. "We'd come to believe that we were kind of protected against the weather. But clearly Mother Nature is still queen," said Rodgers, who farmed for more than two decades before turning to running the cooperative, where farmers buy their seed, fertilizer and other necessities. Rodgers doesn't bemoan the dry weather's effect on the droughtresistant crops. "It's kind of amazing it held on as long as it did. ... We kind of kept hoping that if we hold on and get a little rain," he said, his voice trailing off. The cooperative already had sold most of what was needed for this year's planting, so the effects of the unforgettable drought of 2012 will be felt next year, in the reduced purchasing power of local farmers. For growers who produce single crops, such as corn or soybeans, crop insurance is likely to ease the sting for many, said Ray Massey, a professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia's agriculture extension program. For much of the last decade, at least 7 million acres of Missouri crops were insured. "The problem with Missouri is that very few people are just crop producers. In Missouri almost everyone (on the farm) has cattle, and they've run out of food for their cattle," Massey said, predicting that the early slaughter of livestock will bring lasting problems. "That's going to be the long-term impact. The number of cattle is going to decrease significantly. ... It's going to take years to recover from this." The agency on Wednesday relaxed grazing rules set forth in crop insurance programs, in an effort to ease the drought's burden on livestock producers. It also modified its emergency loan programs, so that farmers and livestock producers can seek low-interest loans before the end of growing seasons. There are other problems from this year's devastating drought, perhaps less obvious. Not only does the New Florence area supply ethanol producers and corn mills, but a lot of the area's product also is exported around the world. The United States has been the top supplier of corn globally, but Rodgers, the cooperative leader, fears that the drought creates an opportunity for competitors. "One of my real concerns is that by having such a shortage of corn that we're going to lose a lot of market share down the road," he said, pointing to new supply relationships being forged abroad as a result of the U.S. drought.
509 AND 510 SWIFT HALL UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI 45221-0135 OFFICE PHONE 556-5900 OFFICE FAX 556-5922
THE NEWS RECORD FOUNDED IN 1880
OPINION.NEWSRECORD@GMAIL.COM | 513.556.5913
MEXICO CITY — Mexican federal agents opened fire Friday on a U.S. diplomatic vehicle carrying two U.S. government employees, injuring them both, U.S. and Mexican officials said. The Americans, accompanied by a Mexican navy captain, were heading to a military training center between Mexico City and Cuernavaca, south of the capital, officials said. The navy captain was not injured. In a statement late Friday, the U.S. Embassy said its vehicle had been "ambushed by a group of individuals." The Mexican navy said that Mexican federal agents in four vehicles opened fire on the armored U.S. Embassy car with diplomatic plates. The navy said that the Mexican federal agents were involved in an anticrime operation and, thinking the occupants of the car were criminals, pursued it and opened fire when the car took evasive action. The U.S. Embassy said it could not release the names of the victims, but it said they did not work for the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI or Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It said they were in stable condition. One security expert downplayed suggestions that the incident was a confused gun battle, calling it "an ambush." Eric Olson, a security expert at the Woodrow Wilson Center's Mexico Institute in Washington, said that the incident suggests there may not be good communication between the federal police and the navy, which is considered the premier military unit involved in the drug war in Mexico. He also said that the U.S. is a partner with the Mexican military and "runs a risk of being victims in the process." Friday's incident was the third attack on U.S. government employees in Mexico in two years. In February 2011, two U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were shot while driving in a U.S. Embassy car between Mexico City and San Luis Potosi. U.S. agent Jaime Zapata was killed in the attack and his partner wounded. The gunmen were members of the Zetas drug cartel.
Advertisement
Play for your chance to WIN fab prizes & cool badges! Text: 0032 to TEXTBK (839825) *We do not charge for SMS. Carrier message and data rates may apply. Opt-out any time by texting STOP to TEXTBK. Full rules and details available at play.acmeloyalty.com.
*
$280 MILLION ALREADY SAVED UC BOOKSTORES Tangeman University Center
uc.edu/bookstore
*Savings based on total North American textbook rental savings vs new book price. Individual store savings vary by location. See store for details.
welcome to the first semester of the 2012-2013 academic year!
the news record is looking to fill its ranks with the best and brightest writers, designers and sales representatives.
stop by 509 swift hall for more information or email us at chief.newsrecord@gmail.com
don’t forget to pick up your free copy of the news record every monday, wednesday and thursday! check us out online at newsrecord.org NEWSRECORDADV@GMAIL.COM | 513.556.5900
6
Monday Aug. 27 | 2012 NEWSRECORD NEWSRECORD.ORG
LIFE & ARTS
JAMMIN’ HAMOND WITH
BLAKE
HAMMOND
Hip-hop beef has gone rotten
Hip-hop has seen its share of trends and phases, but something is missing. Where’s the beef? Dissing people has been an integral part of the hip-hop culture since it’s creation on the streets of New York in the late ‘70s. Emcees would face-off, dismantling each other’s character until onlookers chose a victor. As hip-hop evolved from the underground to a mainstream powerhouse, the insults grew harsher, eventually leading to “beefs.” Two of the most notorious beefs took place in the early ’90s with the east coast versus west coast battle between Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G, and in the early 2000s between two of the east coast’s most famous rappers, Jay-Z and Nas. These were Grade-A, USDA approved beefs, and their tracks still sound as ruthless and relentless as when they were first released. Without Biggie’s “Who Shot Ya?”, there would be no “Hit ‘Em Up” from Tupac. Without Jay-Z’s “Takeover”, Nas’s “Ether” would be nonexistent. The animosity between these artists sculpted legacies that will never be forgotten. Nowadays, beefs are no more interesting or meaningful than two 14-year-old girls arguing on MySpace about who discovered Foster the People first — the latest example of this is a beef between former friends and up-and-coming hiphop elite, A$AP Rocky and SpaceGhostPurrp. Apparently, the rift began when members from Rvidxr Kvln (SGP) and A$AP Mob got into a tiff that led to a round of fisticuffs, which provoked SGP to tweet that neither he nor his crew would be working with A$AP Mob any longer. Instead of taking their problems to the studio and using the situation as a creative opportunity, these young emcees waged a Twitter battle like a couple of drama queens from “The Real Housewives” — Biggie and Tupac must be rolling in their graves. Unfortunately, this seems to be a trend with young hip-hop artists. Chris Brown has had a “twight” (Twitter fight) with nearly everyone in the last year, including Meek Mill, John Legend, Brian McKnight, Rihanna, Odd Future, WWE star CM Punk and his sparring buddy, Drake. Perhaps if Brown concentrated more on music and less on social media disputes, his album “Fortune” wouldn’t have received such terrible reviews. Nevertheless, some artists still put their personal problems on wax. Tyler, The Creator dissed pop rapper B.o.B. on his breakout track, “Yonkers.” In “Yonkers,”Tyler raps, “I’ll crash that f**king airplane that that f***t n***a B.o.B is in.” That’s a pretty aggressive statement from a budding new artist, but like any good beef this brought out B.o.B.’s hardest track to date, entitled “No Future,” where B.o.B warns Tyler he’d have “no future” in the business if Tyler keeps messing with him. Their beef ended after that. Tyler took to Twitter, not to fight with B.O.B., but praise him. “I’ve never heard him spit like that,”Tyler said in a tweet. “Took me by surprise, cus it’s tight.” This beef won’t be a part of hip-hop history, but it is the perfect example of what a beef should be. Two artists, who made two skillful diss tracks, ending their beef with respect rather than violence. I just wish hip-hop artists would remember they have a better public platform than Twitter to settle their beefs, one that doesn’t require them to do it in 140 characters or less. Do you agree or disagree with this edition of Jammin’ with Hammond? Are you an opinionated writer with something to get off your chest? The News Record is looking for columnists. Email us at newsrecord.living@gmail.com or tweet at us @newsrecordUC.
Neil Armstrong: 1930-2012 JASON M. HOFFMAN | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Neil Armstrong, the fi rst man to walk on the moon and former University of Cincinnati professor, died Saturday from complications following heart surgery, according to reports. Armstrong, the commander of NASA’s Apollo 11 mission to the moon made the iconic statement, “one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind,” after descending his lunar landing module for the moon’s surface July 20, 1969. Astronauts Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin and Michael Collins accompanied Armstrong on the fi rst manned fl ight to the moon. Later in life, Armstrong would become a professor of Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Cincinnati from 1971-81. In 1982, Armstrong spoke at UC’s commencement ceremony. “Our nation and indeed the entire globe has lost a courageous and unassuming hero who served humankind in a way that captivated our imagination and served as an inspiration for generations of scientists and explorers,” said Santa Ono, Interim President of UC, in a statement. “Our University of Cincinnati community is truly saddened by his loss. We are very honored that he chose to serve on the engineering faculty at UC for many years.”
OLIVER DOULIERY | MCT CAMPUS
FAREWELL SPACE ACE Neil Armstrong died from complications following heart surgery, according to reports.
student government
2012
New Student Government President and Vice President hope to connect students, solve problems HOLLY ROUSE | LIFE & ARTS EDITOR Student Government President Lane Hart and Vice President Maesa Idries hope to make good on their campaign promises as the school year begins Monday by making connections with students as soon as classes begin. “We are going to where the students are instead of asking the students to come to us,” said Idries, a fifth-year chemical engineering student. In an effort to begin the year fostering relationships with the students they represent, Hart and Idries will make their meetings more open to the public in hopes of creating a student government that is more accessible to students. The new take on student government meetings is just one of the ways Hart and Idries hope to encourage students to develop relationships with student government members, Idries said. “In the past, only certain people have even known about student government. We’re here to change that. We feel like we really have the opportunity to get out and make student government more known — then more people can come to us and say, ‘Hey, I have a problem with this. Can you help me out?’” Idries said. Although school just resumed, fifth-year finance and information systems student
Hart said he and Idries have been working to help students since their election during the 2011-12 school year — even while school was out for the summer. As students, Hart and Idries feel they have a unique opportunity to connect with both administrators and fellow students about things that matter to the rest of the student body, Hart said. “We have a lot of the same problems as other students,” Idries said. “For example, OneStop isn’t a 24-hour service, so if I’m up after midnight trying to pay bills or view my schedule, I’m out of luck. It’s a small problem, but it’s something we all deal with since we’re college students and the majority of us are up past midnight. No matter how small, students can address problems like that to us because we face the same issues.” Even though their time at UC is coming to a close, Hart and Idries are focused on making positive changes to the university that will last, Hart said. Because university administrators often look to the student government president and vice president as the voices of UC students, Hart and Idries intend to find new ways to connect with their peers via social media outlets including Facebook and Twitter. “We sit on a lot of committees with administrators and they say, ‘You have two minutes to tell us what’s going on with students [and] what students think.’ So it’s
important for us to know what’s going on with people outside of our own circles of friends and how students are really feeling,” Hart said. Hart and Idries plan to get to know students on the first day of classes by helping new faces and veteran students alike find their way around campus. Members of student government will have posts around campus in an effort to help students find their classes. That way, new students will have the opportunity to get to know SG during their first moments on campus. “Our whole message is that we’re here to help,” Hart said. “We hope students will realize that they can come to us with any of their problems – even if it’s something as small as getting around on their first day.” Hart and Idries hope to change the way students view student government as their term progresses. “Now students have a huge role in shaping the university’s future administration,” Hart said. “It’s a really exciting opportunity to have a huge voice in the university’s future. I know we’re here to study and learn, but I’ve learned just as much about life during my five years here than I have in a book.” Becoming involved with campus life is nearly as important as devoting time to studies during college, Idries said. “UC is full of opportunity,” Idries said.
FILE ART
FALL SEMESTER FUN Bearcats and Bearkittens alike gathered over the weekend to celebrate the new school year. The Welcome Week festivities included food, fun and new friends, according to Student Government President Lane Hart and Vice President Maesa Idries.
COURTESY OF STUDENT GOVERNMENT
WELCOME BACK BEARCATS Hart and Idries intend to bring the student body together by fostering a sense of community around campus. The pair hopes to make student government more accessible and relatable than ever during the 2012-13 school year.
‘The Campaign’ fails to rally its base DYLAN MCCARTNEY | SENIOR REPORTER In a movie starring both Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, there are bound to be some laughs. In fact, I’d be willing to go as far as to say that the contrary is almost statistically impossible. With that in mind, I went to the theater to see their newest film, “The Campaign,” expecting a cavalcade of hilarity. What I found, however, fell well below those expectations.
WARNER BROS. | PATTI PERRET
SHAKE MY HAND Zach Galifianakis and Will Ferrell star in “The Campaign.”
The film’s plot centers around a congressional campaign in North Carolina, with Cam Brady (Will Ferrell) running for the fifth time unopposed. Brady is famous within his community for his volatile temper, sexual voracity and megalomaniac personality (when is a Will Ferrell character not?) Brady is shocked when a meek, wellmannered tourist director, Marty Huggins (Zach Galifianakis), decides to run against him. Huggins is urged to do so by corrupt businessmen — played by the predictably unfunny Dan Aykroyd and John Lithgow — who plan to turn him into a puppet for their dubious business dealings with China. As Brady and Huggins campaign against one another, they unleash political warfare and political joke clichés fly with the frequency — and accuracy — of a Little League baseball camp conducting throwing practice. The usual suspects are all covered: Dick Cheney’s hunting accident, Bill Clinton’s sex scandal, among others. Some jokes are funny, like when Brady, in a fit of rage takes a swing at his opponent, misses and punches a baby square in the face. The scene is cringe-worthy, but enjoyable. There are also some humorous backand-forth moments between Ferrell and Galifianakis in early parts of the film — a
direct product of their comedic talent, not the writers. The film also features a rare subpar performance from Jason Sudeikis (“Horrible Bosses” and “Semi-Pro”), who contributes little to nothing to the film besides a forced, unnatural friendship with Brady as his campaign manager. “The Campaign” also features Dylan McDermott (The Messengers) as Huggins’ campaign manager. McDermott seems desperate in trying to prove he can crack a joke, but never succeeds in doing so. Not Once. The film attempts to combine the genuine political altruism of “Welcome to Mooseport” and stir it with the slapstick chuckles from “Black Sheep.” It succeeds at neither. The awkwardly written jokes against the Chinese are far too frequent and unfunny. The film also turns preachy, and in the end calls for the viewer to finally realize politics are corrupt, and “just telling the truth” is the solution. “The Campaign” will give audience members the urge to re-watch “Anchorman” and “The Hangover” to calm and reassure themselves that Ferrell and Galifianakis are still funny — but the movie they were in together just wasn’t.
7
Monday Aug. 27 | 2012 NEWSRECORD.ORG
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is a 5 -- Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -Think about what you can do for others, but don’t forget to have your own oxygen mask in place first. Consider all possibilities, while saving as much as you can. Romance beckons.
Today is a 5 -- There are new income opportunities, but save time for family, too. They love you. Let go of something you don’t need for a new sense of harmony.
(Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is a Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today Today’s Birthday (08/27/12). Take Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is 7Virgo -- You’re a love magnet. Your mind is is an 8 -- Romance fills the frame now, a moment to write personal, professional and community priorities. This year your career takes off through networking. Follow your passionate curiosity to learn. Share what you’re up to. Celebrate and appreciate people: They’re your opportunities and resources. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.
Aries (March 21-April 19) -- Today is
a 6 -- You gain keener insight. Invent new opportunities and exceed your expectations, especially around the workplace. Push through to where you want to go. You win through persistence.
Across 1 Hand over 5 Actress Petty 9 Response to “Who’s there?” 14 Response to a sermon 15 All tied up 16 Vital sign
a 6 -- What you need is closer than it appears, but your spirit of adventure may take you farther. Transform your expectations to enjoy the experience. Don’t touch your savings.
Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today
is a 5 -- There’s no point even getting into the argument; nobody wins now. Don’t play favorites, either. Friends and lovers could compete for attention. Save for a special treat.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is
a 6 -- A female shows you what really matters. Don’t forget to call if you’re going to be late. Save up enough to get the highest quality. Postpone advertising expenses.
17 Accommodations in a balcony or box, say 20 Prefix with -pod 21 Cone-producing tree 22 Turn out to be 23 Encouraged, with “on” 25 Long deli sandwich 27 NW state with a pan-
Editor-in-Chief JASON HOFFMAN
Office phone 556-5900 Office fax 556-5922
Managing Editor KEITH BIERYGOLICK
FOUNDED IN 1880
The News Record, an independent, student-run news organization of the University of Cincinnati’s Communication Board, is printed during the school year every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, except holidays and examination periods, from its office located in 509 Swift Hall and is distributed to the UC community. The News Record distributes to more than 80 locations and has a weekly circulation of 22,500. One copy per person is free. Additional copies can be picked up at The News Record office for $1.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is
a 7 -- Wait until things cool down to travel. Sexual magnetism is on the radar. New methods temporarily upset the routine. Jump-start your next project. Studies lead to a discovery.
Scorpio
(Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is a 6 -- This job is almost fun, but you may have to ask for help. In being gracious, you have the power. Change is good. New chores could interfere with family plans.
handle 30 Advance 31 Lose its solidity 32 Frenzied 34 Video game giant 36 Spill the beans 37 Gadget found in a sofa, all too often 40 Weasel out 41 Working, as a machine 42 Untrue 43 Editor’s “Never mind” 44 Pet lovers’ org. 48 Volcanic fallout 49 Locking mechanism 50 Bringer of thunder and lightning 51 Theater employee 54 Co. for Web users 56 Once around the track 57 Third cousin, say 61 “Let’s Make __”: TV game show 62 Puerto __ 63 Cake finisher 64 Avoid, as the draft
509 and 510 Swift Hall University of Cincinnati 45221-0135
The News Record
on fire and full of ideas. Tight scheduling is the key to your success. Check work orders for changes.
Business & Advertising Manager JARED HOWE KATY SCHERER News Editors KARA DRISCOLL RYAN HOFFMAN
if you know how to think for two. You’re on top of your game and that could provoke jealousies. Schedule carefully. Delays cause irritation.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today
is a 5 -- Stay out of a controversy that doesn’t involve you. Put family first. Get the facts you need before taking the next step. Keep enough out for necessities.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is a 6 -- Don’t be judgmental. Take care not to offend your friends. Soak up the love, grow and bloom. There’s still much to learn, and that’s part of the fun. Stash away the surplus.
65 Fencer’s blade 66 Hawaiian goose Down 1 Price-fixing bloc 2 Come to light 3 Architect’s task 4 L.A.-to-N.Y. dir. 5 First name in denim 6 “Where are you?” response 7 Rare meat color 8 Newspaper circular, e.g. 9 2010 Apple blockbuster 10 “Swan Lake” attire 11 Don, as something more comfortable 12 AOL rival 13 Neurologist’s order, for short 18 Outlying mail delivery svc. 19 Music producer Brian 24 “My Cup Runneth Over” singer 26 Draws out, as a confes-
Sports Editor JOSHUA MILLER ARTS & LIFE editorS HOLLY ROUSE KYLE STONE Photo Editor LAUREN PURKEY Multimedia editor TIA GARCIA ONLINE EDITOR BETHANY CIANCIOLO
NEWSRECORDADV@GMAIL.COM | 513.556.5900
sion 28 Pickle herb 29 Bullet in a deck 31 Brisbane buddy 32 Yoga class needs 33 Motionless 35 Like drive-thru fare 36 Letter-shaped hardware 37 Vintage autos 38 Really excited (about) 39 Unlike a bikini 40 Genetic messenger 43 “No Exit” dramatist 45 Cops 46 Horror director Wes 47 Unit of current 49 Farm layer 50 Hotel amenity 52 Dateless attendee 53 In good health 55 Fruit used to flavor gin 57 Pop 58 Altar vow 59 Tear, or actor Torn 60 Oz Woodman’s makeup
CHIEF REPORTER BEN GOLDSCHMIDT DesignErs kate davis meg dirutigliano advertising representatives morgan cheung amy rogers COPY EDITORS KATIE GRIFFITH KELSEA DAULTON
Advertisement
pinch YouR pennies theY Won’t cRY
Rent textbooks FRom AmAzon
sAve up to 70%
NEWSRECORDADV@GMAIL.COM | 513.556.5900
9
Monday Aug. 27 | 2012 NEWSRECORD.ORG
SPORTS Volleyball falters in Tennessee JASON M. HOFFMAN | EDITOR-INCHIEF
Seeking norms at Penn State COLLEEN KANE | CHICAGO TRIBUNE The phone calls seemed like a constant stream. Dozens of college coaches rang Jordan Hill and his Penn State teammates in the days immediately following the NCAA announcement of sanctions. For at least nine Nittany Lions players, the inquiries helped result in relocation to places such as California, Texas and Illinois, far from the scrutiny that hovers over the Penn State program following the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse scandal. For Hill and others, they were a reminder that staying in State College, Pa., means normal likely won’t be an attainable adjective any time soon. “You just want to say, ‘Leave me alone and let me be a regular college student,’ “ said Hill, a senior defensive tackle. “But we’re not regular college students right now. We’re going through a lot.” He wasn’t asking for pity. Hill is from Pennsylvania, grew up with a “one-track mind on Penn State,” sat in front of the television to watch Nittany Lions games on Saturday afternoons. He wasn’t leaving. Two days after the sanctions were announced and Penn State players were told they could transfer to another program without losing eligibility, Hill’s mother drove to State College after work to take him out to dinner. She told him she felt bad for him. “I basically told her, ‘Stop. You don’t have to feel bad for me,’“ Hill said. “ ‘When I get older, have a family, this is going to make me a better husband. It’s going to make me a better father. I’m learning from these experiences.’“ And so the remaining players return to the most normal place they can find — the football field. Even that will feel different this year. The coaches are new, starting with former New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, who took over in January following the firing of nowdeceased coach Joe Paterno. The uniforms also will be new. The players will have names on the back of their jerseys for the first time and will display blue ribbons on the front to represent the victims of child abuse. And the roster will need some reworking. Silas Redd, who rushed for 1,241 yards last season, is at USC. Justin Brown, who caught 35 passes for 517 yards, transferred to Oklahoma. “It’s been set up for our team just to fall apart piece by piece and guys just go anywhere they want because that door’s open,” linebacker Michael Mauti said. Mauti was one of the most outspoken about other colleges recruiting his teammates. He was among those who set out to convince all of the players to stay and, with Michael Zordich, led a public pledge of loyalty to the program two days after the sanctions were announced. O’Brien made it clear he expects Beaver Stadium to be full this fall. The players still will play on TV, where Hill watched them years ago. They just won’t be playing for a postseason berth because of the four-year ban. As of the first practice, Penn State had 109 players, and 92 percent of the presanctions roster remained intact, according to a team official. Mauti didn’t plan to dwell on the remainder. “We want to go to war with guys who want to go to war with us,” Mauti said. “We’re not going to worry about those guys when we put those pads on. It’s all going to go away. We’re going to worry about the guys we have.”
FILE ART
CHALLENGING WEEKEND The University of Cincinnati volleyball team opened the season at the ComCast Lady Vol classic in Knoxville, Tenn., by losing all three of its matches. The Bearcats next play Friday in New Mexico.
The University of Cincinnati Volleyball began the 2012-13 season with the ComCast Lady Vol Classic in Knoxville, Tenn., losing three close matches to top-25 opponents. “Whenever you play three teams in the top 15, you can go 0-3,” said Head Coach Molly Alvey. “We are looking at the bigger picture.” Up first for the defending Big East champions was the No. 10 Iowa State Cyclones. The Cyclones took the first set of the match 25-23, and followed it up with victories of 25-18 and 25-20 to sweep the Bearcats. In the first match of the season, the Bearcats earned 37 kills for a mere .171 attacking percentage. Following the disappointment of the its first match, the Bearcats took on the tournament’s host, the No. 15 University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers. The first set was the worst of the day for the Lady Cats, resulting in a 25-12 loss. Things turned around in the second set as Cincinnati claimed its first set of the season, 25-23 thanks to a failed serve by Lady Vols’ Bianca Arellano. Tennessee would not let the Bearcats enjoy the victory for long, however, winning the next two sets 25-19 and 25-14. Last up for the Lady Cats was No. 12 Florida State, which swept the match 25-20, 25-17 and 25-14, leaving the Bearcats with a record of 1-9 in the first 10 matches of the
year. Although the Bearcats came away without a win, Coach Alvey said there were some positive things the team could take away from the weekend. “In certain moments, we have several players that did some really unbelievable things,” Alvey said. “We are light years ahead of where we were just two months ago.” Senior Becca Refenes said despite three losses, the tournament provided valuable experience. “It’s better to play this kind of competition and to gauge what we need to work on,” Refenes said. “It was always difficult, but we never thought for a second we couldn’t compete with these teams.” There is still plenty of work ahead for the Bearcats to return to the BIG EAST championship form of just one year ago, Alvey said. “We need to flip the switch,” Alvey said. “There’s nothing major we need to fix, we need very little changes.” Junior Emily McIntrye was named to the ComCast Lady Vol AllTournament Team, following her 42dig performance. McIntyre played in all 10 sets of the tournament. “Emily McIntyre was very consistent this weekend, which will help her grow and maybe make her role bigger on the team throughout the year,” Alvey said. The Bearcats next head to Las Cruces, N.M., to compete in the New Mexico State Volleyball Tournament sponsored by La Quinta, Friday and Saturday.
Reds lose series with Cardinals Michael Wylie | Senior Reporter The Cincinnati Reds honored a legend and lost two of a three-game series to a division rival this weekend, leaving doubts as to the team’s readiness for the upcoming playoffs. Besides the Reds retiring the number 11 in honor of its newest Hall of Famer and Cincinnati native, Barry Larkin, the Reds hosted the second place and rival St. Louis Cardinals for a three-game series. Although the Reds still hold a six-game lead in the NL Central, the weekend saw it drop two of three games to the Cardinals. On Friday night, the Reds built a 5-2 lead before the Cardinals came storming back in the sixth inning to score six runs and take the first game of the series 8-5. Reds pitcher Mat Latos continued his struggles against the Cardinals this year, pitching only five innings and allowing seven runs on nine hits while walking one batter and striking out five. In his career, Latos is 1-4 with a 9.89 ERA in 29 innings against the Cardinals. This was the second time this season that Latos allowed eight or more runs against St. Louis. On Saturday, night the Reds evened the series and beat the Cardinals 8-2 behind a strong pitching performance by Mike Leake. Leake gave up only two runs and 10 hits
over 6 2/3 innings while issuing zero walks and striking out three. The Reds offense was paced by Brandon Phillips, Scott Rolen and Jay Bruce who were a combined 5 for 10 at the plate with six RBIs and four runs scored. On Sunday, St. Louis returned the favor and beat the Reds 8-2 in a game which saw the Cardinals outhit the Reds by a margin of 10. Cardinals’ Leftfielder Matt Holiday and First Baseman Allen Craig combined for seven hits and seven RBIs in the game, which proved more than enough for starting pitcher Adam Wainright. Wainright pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up only six hits and two runs while striking out three. Cincinnati had not lost a series since June, when the Minnesota Twins took two-out-ofthree games. Despite the loss the Reds still have the best home record in baseball at 43-24. The Reds play the Cardinals for the final time of the 2012 season in St. Louis from October 1-3 in what could be a critical series for both teams. The Reds head out west this week to face the Arizona Diamondbacks for a three game series before traveling to Houston over the weekend to face the Astros. First pitch is 9:40 EST in Phoenix.
File Art
STILL IN LEAD The Cincinnati Reds lost two out of three games to the St. Louis Cardinals this past weekend, but are still enjoy a sixgame lead in the NL Central pennant race.
Athletics earn honors, start seasons Freshman women’s soccer strikes early and often Scott racks up pre-season accolades
University of Cincinnati volleyball senior Jordanne Scott was named Preseason Player of the Year candidate by COBRA Magazine. Scott was also named first-team All-Preseason selection by the magazine. Scott led the Bearcats in kills last season with 388, as well as boasting 3.46 kills and 0.84 blocks per set. The senior is a two-time American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America nominee, receiving honorable mention awards in both of the previous seasons. Previously, Scott was named to the magazine’s AllNational, second-team three-consecutive years, and made first-team honors in 2011. Additionally, Scott was named a preseason All-BIG EAST, First Team member. This is her second year receiving this honor. Scott ranked fourth in the league last year with a .319 hitting percentage and was named to the AVCA All-Northeast Region Team.
UC lacrosse players honored
Three members of the University of Cincinnati lacrosse team have been named to the 2012 Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Honor Roll. Senior Adrianna Piontek, a Cincinnati native and Mason High School grad, along with graduated seniors Jenn Doran and MacKenzie Parsons were among 173 studentathletes to be recognized by the IWLCA. Doran was named to the Dean’s List 10 times as a communications major, earning a 3.637 gpa. In her four years contributing to the UC offensive attack, Doran notched 11 goals. Parsons, a four year starter in the Bearcats midfield, graduated with a 3.664 GPA in sport administration and was named to the dean’s list 10 times. Parsons ended her four years at UC with 50 career goals. Piontek is a sports administration major with a 3.664 gpa and has been named to the dean’s list eight times. The trio were academic leaders for the 201112 squad who won the BIG EAST Conference
Team Academic Excellence Award, given to the team with the highest collective gradepoint averages in each conference sport. The UC lacrosse team finished the 201112 season with a cumulative gpa of 3.415, including a 3.477 GPA in Fall 2011, which was the highest for any Cincinnati team that quarter. Piontek and the rest of the returning members of the UC lacrosse team are well on their way to continuing the programs academic excellence, as every current member of the squad has a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Rose named Big East Conference Rookie of the week University of Cincinnati freshman forward Laura Rose was named the BIG EAST Conference’s first 2012 Women’s Soccer Rookie of the Week. Rose, a Cincinnati native and 2011 graduate of Walnut Hills High School, received the honor after totaling six points in a 1-0-1 week for the team. The young striker wasted no time finding the back of the net, notching her first collegiate goal in just the 12th minute of the Bearcats’ season opener against the University of Elon Aug. 17 — the only UC goal in a 1-1 draw. Rose followed up the success of her first career game, scoring two more goals in a 3-1 victory over North Carolina State University Aug.19. She got the Bearcats on the board early once again, scoring on a 25-yard strike in the eighth minute of play and sealed the UC victory with a chipped shot in the 73rd minute of the match. After the first week of the season, Rose is tied for the BIG EAST lead in points and goals scored with Rutgers redshirt junior forward Jonelle Filigno, a member of the 2012 London Olympics bronze-medal Canadian national team. “I think Laura would be the first to tell you that she wouldn’t have earned this award without her teammates,” said UC head coach Michelle Salmon. “Our backline played great over the weekend. Our midfield did a nice job with distributing the ball and finding
NEWSRECORD.LIVING@GMAIL.COM | 513.556.5913
Laura in spots where she could make a play. We appreciate the recognition, but this is a team award.”
Women’s golf finalizes schedule The University of Cincinnati women’s golf team and Director of Golf Janet Carl announced the finalization of its 2012-13 schedule Thursday. UC is set to begin its fall schedule at the Old Waverly Bulldog Invitational, hosted by Mississippi State on Sept. 10-12. The Cardinal Cup in Louisville, Ky., is set for Sept. 17-18 and the Nittany Lion Invitational scheduled for Sept. 28-30 in State College, PaPrice’s Give `Em Five Intercollegiate (Oct. 8-10), hosted by New Mexico State and Florida International’s Pat Bradley Invitational in Sarasota, Fla. (Oct. 21-23). The Bearcats will begin the spring session with the Sir Pizza Classic in Weston, Fla., on Feb. 25-26, followed by the Clover Cup, hosted Notre Dame on March 8-10 in Mesa, Ariz. The Bearcats will host the UC Spring Invitational, March 22-24, in Crystal River, Fla., and wrap up the regular spring season in Jacksonville, Fla., at Jacksonville’s Marsh Landing Invitational on April 8-9. The Big East Championship will take place April 21-23 at the Reunion Resort in Orlando, Fla. UC returns six golfers from last season, including seniors Alex Carl (78.8 stroke average in 2011-12), Maria Roos (78.4) and Fredricka Winqvist (84), juniors Andrea Malek(77) and Olivia Dose (77.5) and sophomore Mackenzie Moir (81.3). The Bearcats also welcome newcomers Chloe Williams, a St. Ursula graduate and Cincinnati native, Stephanie Horvath (Medina, Oh.), Ali Jakubecz (Strongsville, Oh.) and Stefanie Mitchell (Sarasota, Fla.) “Our schedule is the strongest the team will have played since I have been coaching at Cincinnati,” Carl said. “I am excited for the team to get to play and test their abilities against such high-level opponents.” The Bearcats open play on Sept. 10 at the Old Waverly Bulldog Invitational in West Point, Miss.
10
Monday Aug 27 | 2012 NEWSRECORD.ORG
SPORTS
MILLER’S
HIGHLIGHTS JOSH MILLER
Too little, too late for Cincy ‘09 Next Thursday the University of Cincinnati football team will face off against the University of Pittsburgh in the River City Rivalry. Three years ago the University of Cincinnati football team secured an undefeated regular season with a thrilling victory in the snow against Pitt. Instead of being rewarded with a birth in the national championship, their coach quit on them and they received an unfavorable matchup with the University of Florida in the Sugar Bowl. It didn’t end well. But what would have happened if the four-team playoff system approved in January — a change set to be implemented in the 2014-15 season — had been in place then? To find out, let’s flash back to three years ago: Dec. 5, 2009, 12 p.m. — Riding on the shoulders of Mardy Gilyard and Tony Pike, UC completed a miraculous 21-point comeback against Pitt. An undefeated season, outright Big East Championship and possible chance to compete for a national title culminated with a five-second span of euphoria for UC now known simply as, “Pike to Binns.” Unfortunately, for the next 27 days things in Clifton would not be so euphoric. Because the BCS setup at the time didn’t include a playoff, UC needed Nebraska to upset Texas in the Big 12 Championship game to advance to the national championship game. Dec. 5, 2009, 8 p.m. — Despite coming as agonizingly close as possible, with Texas having less than a second remaining to kick a gamewinning field goal, the Cornhuskers couldn’t come through and the Longhorns advanced to the national title game to face Alabama. Dec. 6, 2009 —UC finished third in the final BCS poll and accepted an invitation to play in the Sugar Bowl against Florida, a team considered to be one of the most talented college football teams of all-time. Dec. 10, 2009 — With the chance to play for a national title no longer on the table, UC head coach Brian Kelly infamously ended speculation about his flirtation with South Bend, Ind. by accepting the vacant head coaching position at Notre Dame University. In 22 days between his departure and UC’s bowl game, the majority of Kelly’s staff headed to Notre Dame or accepted positions elsewhere. Jan. 1, 2010 — A Florida squad led by Tim Tebow and nine defensive starters currently playing in the NFL physically dominated an overmatched UC team that had been abandoned by key members of its coaching staff. Besides the waning seconds of my own athletic career, Florida’s domination of the Bearcats was the most agonizing moment of my sports related life. In the new four-team playoff system UC’s final BCS ranking of third would have been good enough to qualify for a playoff, avoid a playoff and maybe keep their coach. In other words, the football program could be a lot different than it is now. Theoretically, if the playoff system had always been in place, UC would have faced the No. 2 ranked Texas Longhorns for a chance to advance to the national title game. More importantly, the shot at a championship would have – if nothing else – delayed the wholesale departure of Brian Kelly and his staff until after the conclusion of the playoffs. That’s not to say Cincinnati would have strolled into New Orleans to easily pick up a national championship in between a few drinks on Bourbon Street. Was Texas better than Cincinnati?Yes, but they were less talented than Florida and a much better match up for the Bearcats. Could a fully-staffed Cincinnati team still riding the high of an undefeated season — instead of the pain of a coaching departure — have SEE MILLER | 2
FILE ART
Sophomore forward Katie Greer scored a goal with time running out in double overtime to secure a victory for the University of Cincinnati’s women soccer team against Northeastern University. In a stagnant first half, neither team controlled possession and both squads struggled to string together enough successful passes to create many scoring chances. UC’s freshman forward Laura Rose – the reigning Big East rookie of the week – had the first real scoring chance of the game in the 12th minute, but lost her footing when she attempted to reach a wellplaced cross. The game’s first shot on goal didn’t come until the 30th minute when Northeastern’s Sandra Magnusdottir forced UC goalkeeper Kristina Utley into action for the first time. Utley made a fine save just a minute later, blocking a powerfully driven effort off the right foot of Greta Samuelsdottir to keep the game at 0-0. UC’s only legitimate scoring threat of the half went begging when Rose put a shot well wide after rounding Northeastern goalkeeper Paige Burnett. After halftime, UC asserted itself by going forward and creating several scoring chances within the first 10 minutes of play. Freshman defender Kelly Latimer broke the tie with
The University of Cincinnati men’s soccer team opened the 2012 over the weekend at the Billiken Classic in St. Louis, Mo., earning a 1-0 victory against Drake University and falling 3-0 No. 12 Indiana University. Cole Denormandie — a 2011 Big East allFreshman honoree — wasted no time putting the Bearcats ahead, slotting home his first goal of the season in the second minute against Drake on Friday. Through an assist from junior Peter Jannelli, Denormandie placed his first goal of the season just outside of Drake goalkeeper Rich Gallagher’s reach. Denormandie’s goal places his career total at eight, after scoring seven in an impressive freshman campaign. One goal proved to be enough for the UC defense to work with, as the Bearcat back line and goalkeeper Taylor Hafling held the Drake attack in check for the remaining 87 minutes. UC was pleased to come out on top against a talented team that presented a unique strengths, said head coach Hylton Dayes. “We are extremely happy with the win,”Dayes said. “Drake is a tough matchup for us. They have excellent size and created most of their chances off restarts. Credit goes to our guys. They defended very well and made the early goal stand up.”
The Bearcat defense was not as successful in containing the attack of No. 12 Indiana. They allowed three goals in the final 22 minutes of the game. Cincinnati fell to 1-1-0 on the season while Indiana improved to 2-0-0. UC held tough with the Hoosiers for more than two-thirds of the match, but Indiana scored in the 68th minute when Eriq Zavaleta finished his own rebound past UC’s Hafling. Caleb Kostanski pushed the IU lead to two in the 83rd minute, finishing a well-timed cross from Jacob Bushue. Zavaleta added another goal when his penalty kick in the 85th minute made it 3-0. UC suffered due to poor fitness, Dayes said. “This was a very difficult match for us playing without a few starters and we struggled from the beginning to get a foothold on the game,” he said. “I felt that fitness was a factor as the game progressed and we became fatigued, leading to defensive breakdowns that led to the goals.” “Give credit to Indiana, they wore us down and deserved the win,” Dayes added. “We will learn from this experience and use the coming days to get some things sorted out.” UC’s home opener is set for Thursday, Aug. 30, against St. Francis (PA). Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Gettler Stadium.
PHIL DIDION | SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
30 minutes and 33 seconds remaining in the game. She collected the ball following an errant corner and blasted a perfectly placed shot past Burnett to give UC a 1-0 lead. Sophomore defender Christi Howard blocked what looked like an equalizing goal from Samuelsdottir 24 minutes into the second half. Utley – who played solid in goal otherwise – misjudged a header and could not clear the ball from the box with 12 minutes and 43 seconds left in regulation. Awnalisa Walker easily chipped the
With a lockout-shortened offseason and a rookie quarterback, the Cincinnati Bengals posted a surprising 9-7 and reached the playoffs for the third time since 2005. A sloppy 31-10 wildcard loss to the Houston Texans ended the season earlier than Bengals fans had hoped. With a year of experience under their belts, fans are hoping that this Bengals team will improve upon last season’s playoff appearance and make a run at the AFC North championship. Offense The big question last season was if rookie Andy Dalton would be able to handle the pressure of starting in the NFL. Scouts criticized his quiet demeanor and weak arm coming into the league. Dalton heard those criticisms and proved his doubters wrong, passing for 3,398 yards and 20 touchdowns. Another rookie’s performance was not as
ball into an unguarded net to tie the game at one goal apiece. Northeastern nearly made it 2-1 seconds later when the outstretched leg of a UC defender denied Samuelsdottir a sure goal. Regulation ended with game tied 1-1. After more than 18 minutes of overtime, including a nearly 30 minute stoppage for Samuelsdottir to be taken to the hospital with a neck injury, UC sophomore Katie Greer slotted home a game-winning goal into the far corner of the net. Simply sticking to the game
surprising, but every bit as good. A.J. Green emerged as the Bengals’ No. 1 receiver. He caught 65 passes for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns. Dalton and Green became one of the better rookie quarterback-to-receiver connections in recent memory. Both earned Pro Bowl selections. The question this season now becomes who will catch the ball when A.J. Green is not open? The Bengals gave reps to Brandon Tate, Andrew Hawkins, and former Cincinnati Bearcat Armon Binns in practice and preseason. Another former UC player, Vidal Hazelton, is also trying to work his way into the rotation. In order to take the pressure off of Green and Dalton, tight end Jermaine Gresham will need to continue to grow into a playmaking role. Behind Gresham in the depth chart is Donald Lee, who showed glimpses of talent last season. The Bengals signed veteran lineman Travelle Wharton to bring stability to the left guard position. Unfortunately, Wharton suffered a season-ending injury during the first preseason game against the New York Jets. The team will now have to rely on Clint Boling to fill this role, or look toward the waiver wire to find a veteran to replace him. The running back position, which runs through the holes the offensive line creates, has been altered this season with the departure of Cedric Benson and signing of former New England Patriot BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Benson became a liability late last year, fumbling five times in the final three regular season games. While Benson put the ball on the ground, Green-Ellis has yet to fumble in his 510 career carries at the NFL level. While Green-Ellis will be the No. 1 option in the backfield, offensive coordinator Jay Gruden hopes Bernard Scott and Brian Leonard will take a step forward, providing more than they have in past years. Defense
GEORGE BRIDGES | MCT CAMPUS
Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer has turned the Bengals’ defense into one of the best in the NFL, led by a strong rotation on the defensive line. Geno Atkins returns at tackle after leading the team with 7.5 sacks last season, which earned him second-team All-Pro honors. Carlos Dunlap, Domata Peko, and Michael Johnson will join him as starters, but expect Robert Geathers and Pat Sims to see a decent amount of playing time as well. Zimmer’s defensive schemes put a lot of pressure on his secondary. Leon Hall has proven
plan keyed UC’s victory, head coach Michelle Salmon said. “I thought we played really well in the first half, but we just weren’t taking any shots or going at the opponents,” Salmon said. “In the second half I thought Northeastern did a good job of making adjustments, but defensively we held our ground, executed our game plan and the goal we gave up was a bit soft, but we’ll learn from that and get better.” UC’s next game is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 31 at 7 p.m., against Eastern Kentucky.
himself as one of the better corners in the NFL, but his season ended early in 2011 after tearing his Achilles tendon in November. The Bengals will need 12-year veteran Nate Clements to continue to play at a high level, along with help from Terence Newman and Adam Jones. Because of Hall’s uncertain future with the team, the Bengals drafted Alabama’s Dre Kirkpatrick in the first round, whose development won’t be helped by a preseason injury. At linebacker, Rey Maualuga might be facing a do-or-die season. Since being drafted in the second-round in 2009, he has mostly played outside linebacker due to the presence of Dhani Jones. Last year, he finally got his opportunity to return to the middle linebacker position he relished in college. He responded with a careerhigh 53 tackles, but still showed some signs of immaturity. Cincinnati might be wise to consider drafting another linebacker after this season if Maualuga doesn’t begin to show signs of growth and leadership. Special Teams Cincinnati gave former Ohio State Buckeye Mike Nugent the franchise tag this offseason to keep him with the Bengals and delay the need to sign him to a long-term deal. Kicker is set in stone, but there is still uncertainty about who will be returning kicks. Hawkins has been the primary punt returner, but Tate is also in the mix. At this point, the Bengals are hoping someone is able to step up and secure the football rather than shoot for highlight reel returns. Former Bearcat Kevin Huber is the punter for the Bengals and in 19 preseason punts he managed an impressive 45.2 yard average. Final Thoughts This season is one that could go either way for the Bengals. This year’s schedule is significantly tougher than last year, but the team has gotten better. Including the playoffs, the Bengals went 9-8 last season but all nine wins came against teams that failed to make the playoffs, while all eight losses came to teams that made the playoffs. Week one on the road in Baltimore will provide a litmus test this young team. Prediction: 10-6 — 2nd in AFC North