1-10-24 Emerald Media Group - Week of Welcome by Emerald Media Group

Week of Welcome Edition

JANUARY 10, 2024

Emerald Media

FAREWELL TO FOOTBALL SEASON TO FOOTBALL SEASON

Against Liberty, the 2023 Ducks proved themselves one last time

NEWS: Eugene faces lawsuit over park policies PG 5 • OPINION: Taylor Swift’s carbon emissions PG 11 • SPORTS: Previewing the baseball season PG 23 WE D N E S D AY, J A N UA R Y 1 0 , 2 0 2 4

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

EDITORIAL: HELP SAVE EUGENE WEEKLY Our community needs Eugene Weekly.

Daily Emerald VOL. 125, ISSUE NO. 21

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Lola Tagwerker Cori Caplinger Cooper Gast Taylor Baumgardner

ON THE COVER

A Duck fan cheers on his team from his front row seat wearing a vintage Oregon helmet. (Jonathan Suni/Emerald)

For those unaware, on Dec. 28, 2023, the Weekly, announced that it would not send an issue to print, for the first time in over 20 years, after discovering years of embezzlement from a former employee that forced the paper to lay off its entire staff just before Christmas. Under any circumstances, the news would be shocking and devastating. For Eugene, the end of the Weekly would be a death blow to highquality local news. In the wake of the announcement, the community’s response has been substantial. Its GoFundMe page has raised well over $70,000 as of this writing. Yet it may not be enough. That’s why we are urging the UO community to donate to the Weekly — either via their website or their GoFundMe — because we need all hands on deck to save a beloved local institution. The troubles at other Eugene-area publications, like the Register-Guard, have been well-documented in recent years. But

high-quality local reporting has survived, in large part thanks to the Weekly. In 2021, the Weekly set out to write obituaries for people who died homeless in Lane County. The practice has continued ever since. Last year, the Weekly’s top story was an indepth profile of a local restaurant owner, Sang Joo “Joy” Knudtson of Basil’s Restaurant, who passed away in 2022. Eugene Weekly is the only local news outlet that provides election endorsements, particularly for niche local races and ballot measures that many voters haven’t tuned into. And they do it every year — even off-years like 2023. There has been no greater supporter of Emerald student journalists than the Weekly. Numerous staff members — including several writing this letter — have published their first professional articles in the paper; countless former alumni can recall the Weekly being their first job out of college, or a Weekly staff member taking a chance on an inexperienced student. The Weekly also regularly publishes investigative reporting from the student-driven Catalyst Journalism Project, including reporting on the city’s lackluster response to homelessness, behind-the-scenes changes at the 4J School District and more. These are just a handful of the resources and articles that the community would lose should the Weekly shutter. There is more where that came from. These projects aren’t just anecdotal — they’re a testament to how much the Weekly uniquely cares for the community it serves. The Emerald now finds itself in a strange position. While we are a student publication, whose goal first and foremost is to serve the UO community, we also recognize we are among a dying breed of local news publications. In coming weeks, we will be considering our responsibility to the Eugene community — and how events like this might influence our coverage of the city moving forward. Make no mistake, though — any increased city coverage by the Emerald will not fill the void the Weekly would leave behind. That’s why we urge the community to support the Weekly however they can, in ways big or small. The city needs it. The Emerald needs it. And UO students need it, too.

The Daily Emerald is published by Emerald Media Group, Inc., the independent nonprofit media company at the University of Oregon. Formerly the Oregon Daily Emerald, the news organization was founded in 1900.

IN OTHER NEWS

(Jonathan Suni/Emerald)

Oregon men’s basketball defeated Washington State 89-84 on Jan. 6, bringing the team’s record to 12-3. The Ducks are now ranked first in the Pac-12 Conference.

(Brad Smith/Emerald)

Three candidates have filed for the Eugene mayoral race ahead of the May 21 primary election. Kaarin Knudson, an architect, has the backing of most Eugene elected officials, including incumbent Mayor Lucy Vinis. We want to hear from you: Email editor@ dailyemerald.com to submit a tip or a letter to the editor. The ideal length for a letter is 200-500 words, but we publish letters of various lengths online.

- The Daily Emerald Editorial Staff

THE DAILY EMERALD

Once filled with newspapers, a Eugene Weekly stand that is located in a shopping center is now left empty. (Jonathan Suni/Emerald) WE D N E S D AY, J A N UA R Y 1 0 , 2 0 2 4

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NEWS

LAWSUIT ALLEGES EUGENE CITY PARK RULES “UNCONSTITUTIONAL” Eugene’s park rules face a new lawsuit by local advocates for the homeless community

BY TYLER ORTIZ DESIGNED BY EVA ANDREWS

As Oregon continues to face an ongoing housing crisis, the City of Eugene has been challenged with a lawsuit filed by activists on behalf of the homeless community. The lawsuit, filed by Nicholas Hollows and Samuel Yergler, accuses the City’s park rules of being unconstitutional and granting too much power to officials allowed to decide the punishments for violating such rules. The rules in question prohibit “engaging in any activity or conduct which is disruptive or incompatible with the appropriate use of the premises or which interferes with the reasonable use and enjoyment of the park,” and give City officials full discretion to assign jail time, fines and exclusion to anyone, according to the complaint. The complaint states that “there are no definitions within the rules of ‘disruptive,’ ‘incompatible,’ ‘appropriate use,’”

and so on, describing these rules as “unconstitutionally vague.” One rule allows the City to “exclude people from all 5,000plus acres of parks and other city facilities and activities, for a violation of any Park Rule, or after simply being asked to leave,” as stated in the complaint. The lawsuit is supported by Civil Liberties Defense Center senior civil attorney Marianne Dugan and former attorney Sarah Alvarez. “If an officer thinks that your behavior is inconsistent with other people’s enjoyment of the park, you’re out,” Dugan said. Dugan has now taken on full responsibility of the complaint, as Alvarez moved on from the CLDC in November 2023. Dugan said that the unconstitutionality of the City park rules has to do with a violation of freedom of speech, as well as due process. “It’s the First Amendment because people are being arrested

and excluded for speech,” she said. “And then due process because these officers have pretty much unfettered discretion when to do this to people, and the appeal process is pretty meaningless because the administrators [are] just rubber stamping what the police have done.” Dugan said that the lawsuit challenges park rules that exclude and arrest mainly unhoused people from all public spaces, but plaintiffs Nicholas Hollows and Samuel Yergler are not unhoused. “They’re two people who have been advocates for the rights of unhoused folks, and while voicing their opinions in public places, in the park, they were arrested for basically being disruptive,” Dugan said. According to the complaint, both Yergler and Hollows were arrested in Eugene parks by the same two officers on separate occasions. Both plaintiffs received a “Notice

of Restriction of Use” at the time of their arrests, banning them from entering or using any of Eugene’s public spaces for 30 days. “That’s what jumped out to me was when I saw these two, basically identical processes against two unconnected people who are both advocates I thought, well that’s a pattern. We got to stop that,” Dugan said. In an interview with The Jefferson Exchange, Hollows emphasized the impact these park rules have on the unhoused community in Eugene. “During the time I spent in the encampments I witnessed, without exaggeration, hundreds of exclusions given to people, and one was given to me when I was arrested for asking questions during an eviction,” he said. The City of Eugene has until Jan. 10 to provide an answer to this complaint according to Dugan, and has no comment at this time.

Signs are posted at the entrances of Washburne Park listing the park rules. (Alex Hernandez/Emerald) WE D N E S D AY, J A N UA R Y 1 0 , 2 0 2 4

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OPINION

ELLERBRUCH: U.S. HISTORY IS NOT ENOUGH OPINION: High school sets us up with sufficient tools for a basic understanding of our nation’s history, but what about others? BY OLIVIA ELLERBRUCH • DESIGNED BY GABRIELA MARTINEZ To earn a diploma from most American public high schools, it is standard for one of the required history courses to be “U.S. History and Government,” whereas the optional history electives are “World History and Geography” or “European Studies.” In my Oregon public elementary school, the only history I (Stella Fetherston/Emerald) can recall having full units about were the Oregon Trail, slavery, Christopher Columbus and that’s pretty much it. Middle school was the early trenches of history for the most part; basically learning about the Romans and the Greeks is what I can remember from that time I try to forget. When history classes for children only focus on U.S. history, it starts a narrative early on that only American history is needed to be considered “educated.” This is a slap in the face to any child who may feel a sense of identity and belonging to a country other than America. Problematic thinking evolves, making children so young already start to feel a sense of shame to carry more than one identity. Shame and embarrassment of a different culture is so apparent in the society of friend groups and bullying in American public schools. To have this shame start so young in your life makes it even harder to try and break that barrier and become prideful later on in your schooling. Fast forward to high school, and we get big full textbooks just describing American history from its inception to the 1990s when the book was printed. So, unless you take it upon yourself to take extra classes other than the bare minimum, that is the PA G E 8

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extent of your “history” as you enter the real world, where you’re expected to have an opinion and “side” of worldwide history and global politics. Other than myself, none of my friends from high school took any AP history classes or electives. And I get why. The rest of them have grown up with American parents who also went to American public high schools and have only learned

American history and government. But what about the children of immigrants and multi-generational families who have been exposed to a completely different government and a completely different “national history?” What about those who have learned about significant genocides and wars their ancestors experienced that weren’t just in North America? The first time I noticed just how little Americans understood global politics were the campaigns of “Sleepy Joe is making our gas prices so high he is the worst president we have had.” Well, no –– the ability to change gas prices is not one of the direct

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powers of the president of the United States. A major war was coming to fruition in Europe with Ukraine and Russia, with Russia being our main source of oil, and inflation was going up in literally every country in Europe, certain countries in Asia, Africa and overall, not just the U.S. But see, Americans don’t know and don’t care about how other countries impact us because that isn’t what we are taught to care about. Without any direct familial relation, most Americans do not know about conflicts that the U.S. was not directly involved in internationally. Fast forward to now, it has become glaringly apparent again in the aftermath of social media posts and specific language used when discussing the Israel-Palestine conflict. The naive attempts at trying to understand the situation unfolding in Gaza are essentially useless if they don’t include any other history from that region since 1948. But, again, we have not been taught or trained to care about a different country’s situation post-World War II — we were trained to care about our own. It should be obvious to state that the countries you do not currently live in and their culture and history matter. History is essential to understanding and empathizing with others. Schools must prioritize implementing courses to combat this crisis in a world where empathy is dwindling and selfishness is climbing. It should not be Kim Kardashian teaching my generation about the Armenian genocide — professional educators should be.

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OPINION

HOBBS: TAYLOR SWIFT, PRIVATE JETS AND CLIMATE CHANGE OPINION: Swift and the billionaire community hold great responsibility in the climate crisis BY MONICA HOBBS • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART Last month, the Internet swarmed about Taylor Swift’s recent carbon emissions report. Swift once again topped the list of “biggest CO2-polluting celebrities” for 2023. Yet the reason behind the high number received greater backlash. In just three months, Swift released 138 tons of emissions to visit her latest boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. The 12 flights on her private jet added to the additional excess of travel time from her ongoing tour, “Eras.” To put it into perspective, the average person worldwide produces 4 tons annually. It would take Swift planting 2,282 trees and allowing them to grow for a decade to offset the carbon footprint from her romantic rendezvous. Swift isn’t new to the carbon emissions debate, as her private jet usage was already on climate activists’ radar last year. Private jets are the most polluting form of transportation, as they are hard to decarbonize. With an average flight time of 80 minutes, Swift created more than 1,194 times more carbon emissions than the average person. Swift’s publicity team responded to the backlash on her continuous behavior. According to UNILAD, a spokesperson for Swift said, “Before the tour kicked off in March of 2023, Taylor purchased more than double the carbon credits needed to offset all tour travel.” “The excess credits means Taylor could have accounted for more than enough to cover her latest romance springing up in the middle of her sell-out tour, with her trips to support Kelce upping her carbon emissions alongside her planned tour travels,” they said in a written statement. Carbon credits are measurable emission reductions from climate action projects. They’re a way for large businesses and rich

individuals to offset their carbon outtake. However, scientists don’t believe carbon credits actually work, mainly because there’s no standardized way to measure carbon offsets. Swift is not the only source of massive amounts of carbon emissions. She stands with many other billionaires and celebrities, such as Jay-Z and Oprah Winfrey. Unsurprisingly, billionaires are the leading cause of carbon emissions. In a global climate inequality study, the top 1% was responsible for more emissions than the poorest 66%, accounting for 16% of all CO2 emissions in 2019. Yet this responsibility lacks consequence. While the top 1% lives lavishly in their mansions, the poorer population reaps all the environmental effects. Groups such as people living in poverty, marginalized ethnic communities, migrants and women are exposed

to extreme weather conditions. Climate responsibility is distributed inadequately. The working class is expected to be environmentally conscious while the billionaire continues to pollute the Earth. Valentine Bentz, a third-year student at the University of Oregon, is frustrated with the billionaire carbon emissions crisis as a member of the Climate Justice League. “Climate change is happening now, and most people are forced to bear its impacts and participate in the systems that create them. For celebrities and billionaires, creating emissions and experiencing climate change are choices,” Bentz said. In terms of Swift, her impact goes further than just the climate. Her image and choices are highly influential to the Swiftie fan base, who make up 53% of the U.S. population. Her fans, known as the Swifties, (Lynette Slape/Emerald) excuse her actions. They’d rather idolize her than hold her accountable. This raises bigger concerns, such as whether climate change is taken seriously. If Swift doesn’t care for the environment, why should her fans? “For billionaires and celebrities, it is well within their privilege and power to lead by example and shift their outsized impact from one that is negative to one that is radically restorative and healing for the planet, its people and our futures,” Bentz said. Ultimately, it’s going to take more than carbon credits to fight climate change. Swift and the billionaire community have a larger impact than they realize — both socially and environmentally.

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COVER

RUTH: FLYING SOUTH FOR THE FIESTA BOWL

OREGON’S SEASON WAS FULL OF JOY AND EXCITEMENT, AND LITTERED BY LATE-SEASON HEARTBREAK AT THE HANDS OF THE HUSKIES. BUT, THE 2023 DUCKS WERE SPECIAL AND PROVED IT ONCE MORE WITH A 45-6 DISSECTION OF THE LIBERTY FLAMES IN THE 2024 VRBO FIESTA BOWL. Attending a New Year’s Six bowl game has been an item on my bucket list for several years. Living in Denver, a quick trip to Arizona to watch Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl was too good to pass up. My parents and I flew to Arizona, attended both the Oregon Alumni Association tailgate and Fiesta Bowl and flew back in the same day. Our flight left Denver at 5:15 in the morning. Our travel day began at 3 a.m, just hours after a New Year’s Eve celebration. It was early. We were drained.

At the airport, we ran into several fans of other teams rushing to catch flights for their teams’ bowl games. Shreds of crimson, maize and even some purple could be found as one of the most iconic days in college sports began. After landing, we went to a tailgate at a local Mexican restaurant hosted by the Oregon Alumni Association. A breakfast buffet with Oregon fans from across the country was an exciting atmosphere to be a part of. University of Oregon president John Karl Scholz and athletic director Rob Mullens even made appearances. Both “Shout!” and “Coming Home” were played as the green and yellow celebrated in anticipation for what would surely be a New Year’s Six blowout. There’s not much to say about the game itself that hasn’t already been said. Oregon recovered from a sloppy first quarter to prove that it was better than Liberty in every aspect of the sport. Bo Nix broke several records as the Ducks capped off their sixth 12-win season in program history. And it all happened in front of a passionate but scarce fanbase. The Fiesta Bowl was empty. All the fans and bands combined would have maybe filled the lower bowl. Maybe. Perhaps college football fans knew Liberty would be no match for Oregon and didn’t want to spend the money. Perhaps the Flames just have a smaller fanbase (although there was more red in the stands than I expected). Perhaps Oregon fans were participating in some odd protest, thinking that the Ducks deserved a better bowl game matchup for their 11-2 season. Whatever the reason, State Farm Stadium was far from full. But those lucky enough to be in

A young Duck fan waits at the tunnel for a chance to high five the Oregon players as they head to the locker room. (Jonathan Suni/Emerald) PA G E 1 2

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COVER Tez Johnson (15) took in 11 receptions for 172 yards during the game. The Oregon Ducks defeated the Liberty University Flames in the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz. on Jan. 1, 2024. (Jonathan Suni/Emerald)

A quick, one-day trip resulted in watching Oregon dominate in Glendale BY BRADY RUTH • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART

attendance got to witness an Oregon win that resembled several from the regular season. The public address announcer did his very best to remain unbiased, but with Oregon scoring touchdown after touchdown, it seemed Duck-heavy in the highlights and praise. The breaks consisted of highlights of the community work the teams had done in the week prior to the game. The promotionals highlighted teachers and military personnel, and some scholarships were awarded to high school students in the area. Shortly into the fourth quarter, key members of the Oregon offense took the field as Ducks for the final time. With the game already well out of reach, head coach Dan Lanning gave Nix and Bucky Irving an incredible moment. After the first few plays of the drive (the first was a holding call, and a curtain call didn’t seem fitting on a penalty), freshman quarterback Austin Novosad jogged onto the field, replacing Nix for the final time. Nix took a moment to hug his teammates and jog toward the sideline to a standing ovation from the Oregon faithful in attendance. On the next play, Jordan James came in to replace Irving and he got a similar ovation. Nix was the first to embrace Irving as his career with the Ducks came to a close in the resounding win. It was a beautiful moment to be a part of. Nix and Irving gave so much to Lanning’s “progrum” and helped shape the current upward-trajectory the team seems to be on. It would have been too easy to not give them a chance to publicly exit the game. Lanning gave his guys a moment they — and the Oregon fans in attendance — will never forget.

It’s bittersweet to see a guy like Nix exit the game. I have tremendous pride for what he did for the team and incredible hope for what his NFL career can look like. Getting a chance to cover an offense led by the quarterback who finished with the highest completion percentage in college football history was special, and while there’s hope for next year with Dillon Gabriel, it’s hard to see Nix ride off into the Arizona sunset. The flight back was late and quiet. It was a long day for us, but a longer one for the Flames defense.

GETTING A CHANCE TO COVER AN OFFENSE LED BY THE QUARTERBACK WHO FINISHED WITH THE HIGHEST COMPLETION PERCENTAGE IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL HISTORY WAS SPECIAL, AND WHILE THERE’S HOPE FOR NEXT YEAR WITH DILLON GABRIEL, IT’S HARD TO SEE NIX RIDE OFF INTO THE ARIZONA SUNSET.

Elijah Williams (47) takes time after individual warm ups to sign gear for Duck fans waiting by the tunnel. (Jonathan Suni/Emerald) WE D N E S D AY, J A N UA R Y 1 0 , 2 0 2 4

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A&C

ACCEPTING WHAT’S GONE

Processing a breakup through a difficult but helpful lens BY SAMANTHA LOZANO • DESIGNED BY GABRIELA MARTINEZ Grief in different forms is just one aspect of the multi-faceted experience we face as humans. We are tempted consistently by the idea that pushing away pain is the easiest method to solve the issue at hand. In reality, we are not exempt from having these types of emotions. Being happy feels good and being sad feels bad, so it is easy to be caught up in trying to filter through these emotions. As humans, we label certain feelings as “bad” or something to fix, but in actuality, the real solution can be truly embracing the emotions we are feeling. This can go for breakups –– something most of us have to deal with at certain points in our lives. If we allow ourselves to look at the painful situation for what it is, we can truly detach ourselves from suffering. What are ways to cope with a breakup without playing into toxic ideologies about happiness? You may not have to attend a funeral, but a breakup can be the death of a relationship in itself. Will I find someone new that I have a similar connection with? How long is too long to move on? It is difficult not to compare what stage you’re in with the grieving process to others or your ex. Practicing radical acceptance, which is the ideology to accept the situation as the cards are dealt, is a helpful tool. Cry if you need to or go out with your friends if it alleviates the pain for a couple of hours. At the end of the day, focus on what the emotions are really about. Being able to label what is ego and what is true feeling is important when dictating your actions. Loneliness or insecurity can be the root of illogical decision-making in order to relieve short-term pain. I’ve experienced pain surrounding a breakup with a person, not because of who they were, but what they represented to me. Ask yourself: Does this person truly have qualities of good character, or do they merely satisfy a need of mine? Is this really about the person themselves –– or about being alone? A concept that was hard to wrap my head around is that someone can have a nice personality but not have good character. It is easy and necessary to look at our actions after a breakup, but it is valuable to examine the quality of the other person. We sometimes choose the devil we know rather than the devil we don’t know. Staying in a dynamic due to comfortability or fear of the unknown can contribute to unnecessary pain. Going no contact is a great way to step away and truly be comfortable being alone — not making decisions out of perceived safety but knowing your worth and what you deserve. At every stage of life, we encounter fresh milestones, each presenting a novel array of (Stella Fetherston/Emerald) emotions previously unexplored. With time comes PA G E 1 4

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experience, and that can make things a little easier after heartbreak. Life is mostly mundane mixed with happy and sad moments, which is the beauty of being alive. Confronting life with unfiltered experiences has the power to shape you into a more resilient or bittered individual. But the perspective you choose is ultimately yours to define.

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A&C

3 BOOKS TO FUEL YOUR GOALS FOR THE NEW YEAR BY JESS MCCOMB

•

Moving into the second week of January, New Year’s resolution goers are either holding steady on their self betterment plans or rethinking them entirely. Without fuel for the fire, the flame of New Year’s motivation can dwindle quickly, and when faced with a setback, it might completely die out. These three books cushion the fear of failure by illustrating true stories of those who had massive goals and ultimately achieved them despite major challenges.

Whether to graduate college, find a job, get in shape or merely find a goal, resolutions can be daunting. These three books may provide useful respite from the fear of taking on new challenges.

“Bravey” by Alexi Pappas

“Running with Sherman” by Christopher McDougall

“Bravey” by Alexi Pappas — professional runner, Olympian and UO alumna — is a story chock full of motivational gold and comfort for those embarking on post-college journeys. Pappas coined the term “bravey” as a term for those who chase the dreams that scare them. Claiming her title as a bravey, Pappas illustrates her life story throughout the book from the loss of her mother by suicide at age 5 to her debut at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. At the core of the book is Pappas’ own experience grappling with mental health. She illustrates her self-healing journey with care and compassion for her past self and reminds readers how important prioritizing yourself is. Pappas’ tone throughout the book is unwaveringly confident, but her story is extremely relatable despite the unfathomable things she has accomplished. “Bravey” depicts the inevitable ups and downs of life and assures readers that failure does not equate to the death of a dream. In the final chapter, Pappas unleashes a torrent of priceless advice to her readers about achieving goals. “Being committed isn’t about the end result, it’s about giving yourself the very best chance to get there,” Pappas said. Touching on themes of depression, body image issues, sexism and the challenge of balancing adult life, “Bravey” is an incredibly well rounded and combative story.

When journalist Christopher McDougall moved his family to Pennsylvania Amish country, he adopted Sherman, a crippled donkey who, after years of neglect in the possession of an animal hoarder, could barely walk and was on death’s doorstep. McDougall’s original goal was to nurse Sherman back to health, but as Sherman’s physical condition improved, McDougall determined the donkey deserved a greater purpose. Winning the Leadville Boom Day race, an unbelievable spectacle where runners race donkeys in the high altitude Rockies of Leadville, Colorado, would become Sherman’s goal. In his journey of training Sherman and himself to handle 15 miles of running at 10,000 feet, McDougall encountered numerous obstacles. The characters who help him along the way are individually inspiring in the journeys they have endured. McDougall’s writing is informative, inspiring, hilarious and heartwarming as hell. This is the ultimate story of how one goal can take on many lives of its own before coming to completion.

“To Shake the Sleeping Self” by Jedidiah Jenkins Much like “Running with Sherman,” Jedidiah Jenkins’ “To Shake the Sleeping Self” is a story of both amazing physical accomplishment and relatability. When Jenkins decided to bikepack from Oregon to Patagonia, it wasn’t due to cycling experience or extreme athleticism. Grappling with confusing identities within his faith and sexuality, at 30 years old Jenkins decided to uproot his life and quit his job to embark on a grueling journey biking across the Americas. This story is extremely inspiring for both those who feel they’re incapable of large goals and for those who give up their goals at the first sign of failure. Jenkins’ journey is by no means perfect, and there are several sections where he has to get off the bike and find other means of transportation to get to Patagonia. Instead of packing for home at the first challenge, Jenkins reroutes his plan to better suit the reality he’s faced with. As he travels through different countries, Jenkins comically depicts cultural differences, and he shows a side of humanity that is unexpectedly beautiful and forgiving. Perhaps the most special part of the book is the conclusion. It’s far from a Hollywood ending and reveals the unglamorous truth of achieving a goal.

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(Stella Fetherston/Emerald)

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SPORTS BY JACK LAZARUS • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART

Behind young talent and able veteran leadership, the Ducks have soared in their first four conference games

DUCKS GO 4-0 TO START PAC-12 PLAY The Oregon Ducks (12-3, 4-0 Pac-12) have jumped out to a hot start in their first four conference matchups, even without some of their key players. N’Faly Dante remains sidelined after undergoing knee surgery and Nathan Bittle is out for the remainder of the season with a wrist injury. But despite all of that, the Ducks have won four close games behind prolific shooting and overall clutch play late in games. The highlight of this early run has been the outstanding play of freshman point guard Jackson Shelstad. The West Linn native is averaging 14.8 points per game, shooting 43.5% from three and over 51% from the field altogether. Shelstad averaged 18 points in the first four conference games, which leads the team in that stretch. His playmaking has also made an extremely positive difference for the Ducks, as Shelstad leads the team with 2.9 assists per game. Shelstad missed the first four games of the season with a knee injury, so it took a small amount of adjustment to get him solidified in the rotation. As Oregon moved into its conference schedule, the freshman phenom proved to be head coach Dana Altman’s best option running the offense. What has shined through primarily is Shelstad’s exceptional shooting ability and confidence to put up shots from absolutely anywhere. In an example of his remarkable confidence, and what could be considered the most exciting moment in the first half of Oregon’s season, Shelstad stepped up in PA G E 2 0

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Oregon center Kel’el Ware (10) performs a jump shot against Trojans forward Iaroslav Niagu (55). Oregon men’s basketball defeated the USC Trojans 78-60 at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore. on Feb. 9, 2023. (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)

overtime against Michigan, hitting a deep threepointer to seal the game for the Ducks. The freshman point guard is joined in the backcourt by experienced senior Jermaine Couisnard, who has played every game so far this season and is averaging 13.6 points per game. The backcourt duo combined for 34 points in Oregon’s win against USC, 35 points in its win against UCLA, 33 points in its win against Washington and 30 against Washington State. Shelstad and Couisnard have sparked the Ducks to an efficient 47.3% from the field, as each of the two players handle the bulk of the playmaking duties. Oregon has been very effective in its driveand-kick offense mainly because of Couisnard’s ability to carve through the lane and find open shooters such as Brennan Rigsby, Kario Oquendo or Shelstad for threes. Once Dante returns, the offense could become even more efficient due to his ability to suck in defenders on the low block and force double teams. Due to Oregon’s small-ball tendencies, opposing teams are able to commit more to defending the perimeter. However, with Dante’s size, teams are forced to pay attention and commit defenders to abating the threat he poses. Injuries have also opened up opportunities for young big men, such as heavily-recruited freshman Kwame Evans Jr. The athletic forward has been able to anchor the Ducks’ defense, averaging 1.5 blocks and 1.9 steals per game. Evans Jr. is the team leader in win shares

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with 1.9. In other words, the star freshman is estimated to contribute to the most wins out of any of Oregon’s players through both his offensive and defensive production. Team leader Couisnard is a close second, earning 1.8 win shares so far this season. Evans Jr. scored a career high of 22 points in the Ducks’ Pac-12 opener and has been effective in Dante’s absence, stopping some of the conference’s best big men. Mixed with the experience of Dante, the Ducks are shaping up to have a prolific frontcourt pairing once their captain returns. Oregon has resolved its early season woes from the free throw line, as the Ducks are shooting above 70% in every conference game so far. Ironing out key mistakes like these will be crucial to Oregon’s success as the last Pac-12 basketball season moves forward. All of their first four Pac-12 wins were by single digits, so the Ducks will look to shore up their defense as the season moves forward. A tremendous boost should come from the ever-closer return of Dante, and should propel Oregon into consideration as one of the best teams in the conference. Through their opening conference tests, the Ducks have shown the ability to hang with some of the Pac-12’s best and have given themselves a real shot at making a postseason run. If Oregon keeps up its hot shooting and continues to come through late in close games, then the sky’s the limit for the Ducks.

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OREGON BASEBALL 2024 SCHEDULE PREVIEW BY BRADY RUTH DESIGNED BY EVA ANDREWS

The Ducks’ slate consists of several quality opponents After a 2023 season in which Oregon baseball took the world by storm, the Ducks look to continue to build on their momentum in 2024. Oregon boasted a 41-22 record last season in a campaign that saw head coach Mark Wasikowski’s team win the Pac-12 Tournament, the Nashville Regional of the NCAA Tournament and host Oral Roberts University in the Super Regionals. The team got hot in Arizona during the Pac-12 Tournament and it led to one of the most impressive runs in Oregon sports history. This year, the team looks extremely different. Countless new faces will take over at new positions for the Ducks, and more in-depth coverage of this new-look roster will come out as the season gets closer to beginning. For now, Oregon fans can at least circle some key dates on their calendars that could make or break the Ducks’ 2024 season. Opening Texas Tournament — Feb. 16-18 Oregon will kick off its 2024 season in Arlington, Texas, in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown presented by Kubota. Globe Life Field — the home of MLB’s Texas Rangers — will host six teams across a three-day tournament. The half-dozen schools include Oregon, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Baylor University, Texas Tech University and the University of Oklahoma, three of which played in the NCAA Tournament last season. The Ducks are slated to play three games during the showdown. They’ll face Oklahoma on Feb. 16, Baylor on Feb. 17 and Texas Tech on Feb. 18 for the first few challenges of the season. It’ll be a great opportunity for Oregon to see how its new roster stacks up against some quality opponents early in the season. Home Opener 2024 — Feb. 23-25 The Ducks will take the field in Eugene for the first time in 2024 when The University of Louisiana at Lafayette comes to PK Park for a four-game series. The Leopards went 15-37 last season and should provide a chance for Oregon to gain its footing at home in the cold winter. The series will consist of a double-header on Saturday, Feb. 24.

faced Portland twice last season, winning one game 9-1 and losing the other 10-9. Seattle University (21-32, 2023) will travel to Eugene for a four-game series from March 27-30. The Ducks should be able to jump all over the Redhawks and take advantage of the home series. A two-game home series against California State University, Sacramento awaits Oregon from April 9-10. The Hornets were 30-26 in 2023. The Ducks’ schedule also features two one-game series against Gonzaga University(18-34, 2023) on April 16 and at San Francisco (18-29, 2023) on April 22. Final Season of Pac-12 Play Oregon looks to be near the top of the conference in its final season. The Ducks will host X series at PK Park: California (24-28, 2023) from March 15-17, Arizona (33-26, 2023) from March 22-24, USC (34-23-1, 2023) from April 12-14, one game against Oregon State (41-20, 2023) on April 30, Utah (22-32-1, 2023) on May 3-5 and Washington State (29-23, 2023) on May 16-18 to close out the regular season. On the road for conference play, the Ducks will face Arizona State (32-23, 2023) from March 8-10, UCLA (28-24-1, 2023) from April 5-7, Stanford (44-20, 2023) from April 19-21, Oregon State from April 26-28 and Washington (35-20, 2023) on May 10-12. Pac-12 Tournament — May 21-25 Should the Ducks finish ninth or better in the conference in 2024, they’ll earn a bid to the Pac-12 Tournament in Scottsdale, Arizona, in late May. The Ducks won this tournament in 2023 thanks to wins over California, Stanford, Washington and Arizona in the championship game. Oregon looks to stay hot in Arizona for the second-straight year. NCAA Tournament Oregon looks to make its third-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Should the Ducks have the year they’re expected to, a potential run starting in early June — including the College World Series starting on June 14 — could be a possibility. But, the Ducks have a long way to go to get there and against some high-caliber opponents. The season — and path to Omaha — starts soon in Arlington.

Non-Conference Schedule The Ducks have a slew of nonconference series scheduled for the 2024 season. Oregon will face University of California Santa Barbara (3520 in 2023) in California from March 1-3 for a three game series. The Gauchos swept the Ducks in Eugene last season. Oregon has a two-game series scheduled against Grand Canyon University (37-21, 2023) for March 5-6 in Arizona. The Antelopes will serve as another quality non-conference foe in the early parts of the season. A week later, the Ducks will host the University of Portland (31-23, 2023) for one game on March 12 and then play the Pilots again in Portland on April 2. Oregon

Ducks outfielder Tanner Smith (31) ropes a single to right field. The University of Oregon Ducks defeated Xavier University 3-2 at PK Park in Eugene, Ore., on Feb. 17, 2023. (Kai Kanzer/ Emerald) WE D N E S D AY, J A N UA R Y 1 0 , 2 0 2 4

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