Northwest Passage Volume 41 Issue 9 by Northwest Passage

northwest

passage Volume 41

Issue 9

February 11, 2010

Three NW students exhibit a passion for figure skating. 16 simply sweet

Still looking for last-minute Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day plans? Here are a few places and activities that will help any person plan the perfect day. 12

winter olympics preview

With the Opening Ceremonies tomorrow, the Passage previews the international competition and breaks down the events and players to watch. 20

$2.00 OFF

Any two Blizzards速 16 oz. or Larger. Coupon only valid at the Shawnee Dairy Queen NW corner of Shawnee Mission Pkwy & Quivira in front of Price Chopper.

Shawnee Mission Northwest 12701 West 67th St., Shawnee, Kan., 66216

_________________________________ 04 / school budget

news

06 / happenings and numbers

Plan your schedule around this week’s happenings.

______________________________ 09 / rise and demise

opinions

KEVIN BUIE

The SM School District will be cutting another $10 million from the budget.

Tiger Woods was on top of the world until his sex scandal unfolded.

09 / time to talk it out

09 / Jay Leno is old news

NBC’s Late Night debacle will cost them millions of viewers.

10 / racial profiling a problem with searches

HANNAH MEIGS

A Passage staff member talks about the personal struggles of high school.

The government shouldn’t support racial profiling for airport security.

scene

12 / simply sweet These last-second ideas could save your Valentine’s Day.

13 / reviews

The Passage reviews Never Shout Never and The Office.

19 / scene static

________ w features

Apps of the Issue, Live Noise, Sudoku and the Student Shuffle.

____________________ 16 / putting on their skates

Three students spend hours a week on the ice, following their passion for skating.

sports

19 / the boss

top: District 17 Rep. Jill Quigley speaks to students during an interview about the school district’s budget cuts. bottom: A rose bouquet sits on display for Valentine’s Day.

staff

Best sports picture and athlete questionnaire.

20 / Olympic preview The Olympics start tomorrow! Use this guide to have the best viewing experience.

/ Bailey Kopp backpage photo / Andrew Keith

cover photo

The purpose of The Northwest Passage is to relay important and interesting information to the community, administration and students of the Shawnee Mission Northwest High School. As a newsmagazine, The Northwest Passage will cater to the interests and concerns of the student body. Outside concerns and activities will only be covered if they somehow affect the school or students. The Northwest Passage is a 24-page newsmagazine. The paper will be distributed every two weeks during third hour. Subscriptions will be available to the community for $25. The Northwest Passage firmly supports the First Amendment and opposes censorship. The content of the newspaper will be determined and created by the entire staff. When questions concerning word choice, legal problems or ethics arise the editorial board and adviser will discuss the problem to find a solution. In these cases, the co-editors-in-chief will the have final say in all decisions. Letters to the editor will be accepted and encouraged, but will only be published if signed. The staff reserves the right to edit for grammatical mistakes, length and good taste. Letters may attack policy but not people. In no way will ideas or viewpoints be changed. The co-editors-in-chief reserves the right to refuse any letter.

co-editors in-chief / david catt, ryan mccarthy copy editor / ed spaunhorst design editors / ashley lane, stephanie spicer

photo editors / david freyermuth, hannah williams graphics editor / tyler absher news editor /lauren komer opinions editors / david catt, ryan mccarthy features editor / maria davison scene editor / evan shinn sports editor / clay coffman ads editors /ashley calvert web technical / andrew keith web managing editor / mary salazar web master / stephanie rupp staff writers / nick alexander, jeremy allen, rachel alvey, wyatt anderson, nick feighner, rachel ferencz, kelsey gasser, claire gordon, tyler gilliam, andrew keith, brady klein, brianna leyden, maddie niemackl, cj reliford, madi watts

northwest passage/SMNW.COM

cutting even deeper After significant cuts in the district budget last year and more cuts projected for next year, students will no longer be able to ignore the effects. Most students never noticed the $1.1 million that was cut from the district’s budget last year or the $10.6 million that was cut this year. Students didn’t notice that, across the district, 20 high school teaching positions were cut or that the budget for library books was cut in half. “We try to make cuts that least affect the program offerings of students. We did that last year, and I don’t know if you really noticed much after we did the first $10.6 million. That was by design. We tried not to affect students,” said Tim Rooney, budget and finance manager for the Shawnee Mission School District. But with talk of cutting another $10 million for next year, students are bound to notice the changes. According to Rooney, the school board has not decided what will be cut for next year, but any part of the district could be affected. “Each successive layer of cuts is going to get closer and closer to the classroom. You’re going to see larger class sizes, fewer offerings. There are various programs we offer throughout the district; we may not be able to offer those. Just about every aspect of the school district could be affected,” Rooney said. Last year, the Kansas state budget fell short by $459 million. Because 52 percent of the state budget is allocated to public education, a sizable amount of money had to be cut from Kansas public schools. Because there is a cap on how much a local option budget (a county tax that would go directly to JoCo schools) can raise, SMSD was unable to raise more money with to meet their own shortfall. The state of Kansas is required by law to end the year with a balanced budget, which means they will be forced to cut another $40

million for 2010. This decision was just made last week, so the legislature does not know what will be cut. Education takes a significant amount of the state’s budget, so it could potentially be cut more. At the state level, nothing is being done about the issue because state senators and representatives cannot decide what changes are best for education across the state. According to Rep. Jill Quigley, it’s hard to get a lot done in Topeka because all the legislators have different views on the issue. “You have to decide whether you’re taking a view for what’s best for education for the state or for the district. It’s really hard to do something that would hurt your district,” Quigley said. Quigley is from the 17th District, which includes Lenexa. One of the biggest issues across the state is whether to allow districts to raise more money with local option budgets. Currently, a district is not legally allowed to raise more than 31 percent of their budget through a local option budget. SMSD is already raising that 31 percent. The district could potentially be raising more if Johnson County residents voted to increase taxes to provide more money for public schools; however, Kansas law doesn’t allow this. The Kansas Constitiution states that “the legislature shall provide for intellectual, educational, vocational and scientific improvement by establishing and maintaining public schools, educational institutions and related activities which may be organized and changed in such manner as may be provided by law.” The constitution, however, does not define what a suitable education is, so it is up to the judgement of the individual district. “I know that there’s a difference of opinion across the state and the

standards in Johnson County are there is in the community where pretty darn high. We have a lot of you live. It should be the same, not AP classes. Some of those western only for you in excellence, but it Kansas schools don’t have enough should be the same in how much students or teachers to do AP. So it costs tax payers to pay for your that discussion has been attempt- education,” Rep. Marti Crows of ed many times, and it’s very hard. Leavenworth said. The district will not make a deIn some ways, I think people are afraid to define ‘suitable’ because cision about how much money is we may not like the definition. It going to be cut for next year until may be lower than we’re willing the budget meeting in mid-Februto accept, so people have avoided ary. They will also announce prodefining it, preferring to let it stay posed cuts at that time. Because nebulous because it really may be they are looking to cut about $10 to our advantage to leave it,” Quig- million from the budget, any of the programs the district currently ley said. However, in the supreme court provides could potentially be cut. case Montoy vs. State, it was de- Anything from teachers to sports cided that “the duty owed by the and arts could be cut. “Do you know the story of legislature to each child to furnish him or her with an educational op- the boiling frog? The change is portunity is equal to that of every so gradual that the frog doesn’t other child.” This decision is what put the cap on the “Each successive layer of cuts is local option bud- going to get closer and closer to get into place. L e g i s l a t o r s the classroom.” —TIM ROONEY, from smaller dis- budget and finance director for tricts across the the district. state don’t want the cap on the local option bud- know that the water temperature get to be raised because they don’t changes. But if you boil the water have the community base to raise then put the frog in, it would jump more money through an increase out and save its life,” Principal Bill in the local option budget. So, Harrington said. “You guys are the while it does not hurt or hinder victim of the boiling frog story. them to have this base raised, they You wouldn’t know that if six years don’t find it fair because students ago, freshman English classes had in a larger district may have a bet- 18 to 20 kids in them. And then ter education because their school the following year maybe they had has access to more money and, 22; then the next year maybe they had 24. Now you’re in a freshman therefore, a better education. “It’s kind of like if you were English class, and it’s got 28. And standing in line at the grocery next year you’re in a class that’s store, and the fellow in front of you got 30. You just don’t sense it. But was buying a bottle of milk, and that’s what’s happening to you. It’s you were buying a bottle of milk exactly what’s happening.” and your charge was $10 and his Maria Davison, Rachel Ferencz charge was 50 cents. That’s not fair. and Lauren Komer Education should not be based on how much valuation [of property]

THE BASICS

X TA

L SA

STATE BUDGET

half of state budget goes to public education

PROP ERTY

TAX

state aid based on enrollment size

school districts and

state universities

LOCAL OPTION BUDGET (voter-approved, additional taxes)

2009-’10 HIGH SCHOOL-LEVEL CUTS TOTAL CUT: $2,505,079 TEACHERS $1,336,227

AIDE ALLOCATION $66,940

aide allocation was reduced by 10-15 percent.

LIBRARIANS $372,015

one librarian from each high school was cut.

15%

CAMPUS POLICE OFFICERS $136,145

20 full-time teaching postitions were cut.

three campus police officer positions were cut.

TEACHERS ON A SSIGNMENT $334,057

SUPPLEMENTAL POSITIONS $37,175

at each high school, five supplemental positions were cut.

53%

COUNSELORS $222,520

three full-time counseling positions were eliminated.

the five teaching on assignment positions were cut.

13%

2009-’10 DISTRICT-WIDE CUTS TOTAL CUT: 19% SPECIAL EDUCATION $254,758

14%

17 paraprofessionals positions were cut.

16%

SUPPLEMENTAL POSITIONS $216,530reduce coaching and

co-curricular positions

LIBRARY BOOKS $195,517

the budget for library books and media was cut in half

10%

LATE BUS $118,000

late bus services to middle and high schools were cut.

DIRECT ALLOCATION CUTS $137,575

the money for supplies and services was cut by $5 per student.

17%

10%

PARENTS AS TEACHERS $68,877each parent educator position was cut by five hours per week.

NEW BEGINNINGS $235,000 GIFTED EDUCATION $134,872 all gifted edu-

the program that helped students who had been expelled or

of pet owners will give Valentine’s Day gifts to their pets.

of U.S. women send themselves flowers on Valentine’s Day.

{

$77.43

“

northwest passage/smnw.com

“

Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged each year.

Average amount that consumers will spend on Valentine’s Day gifts.

WHO DAT?

we are all a littler weird and life’s a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love. —Author Unknown, quotegarden.org

did you know? Hershey’s Kisses are named after the machine that makes them looks like it’s kissing the conveyor belt.

1415

Year in which the oldest known Valentines were sent by the Duke of Orleans to his French wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. It is still on display in a museum in England.

www.yayeveryday.com “We share things we like and want everyone to know about it. We’re not an image bookmarking site. We don’t selfishly hoard images for ourselves. We’re more interested in sharing the inspiration, website and artist behind the work.” 06/february 11

relatively new chant created by fans of the New Orleans Saints en route to their Super Bowl victory. The entire chant is: “Who dat? Who dat? Who dat say dey gunna beat dem Saints?”

9:15am WPA assembly 5-7pm Evening Conferences

No School

WPA dance

16 17

No School - President’s Day Spring Group Photo Day 9:40am Late Start 7pm Great Works Concert 6:30pm PTSA Meeting

7pm Band Chili Concert

7pm Fashion Show

Imagine what you could do with an extra $50â&#x20AC;Ś s shore o s t boo

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Open a free checking account at Brotherhood Bank & Trust and get a $50 VISAÂŽ gift card to do with as you please.

that great new CD

Visit

smnw.com BrotherhoodBank.com

Your source for videos, polls, sports updates and much more.

(913) 321-4242

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Rise and demise

After winning six PGA Tour events and pocketing $10.5 million in 2009, Tiger Woods was back on top of the golf world. Now, while his sex scandal continues to unfold, his career should take a back seat to being a better man.

itting in a dark corner of Fred P. Ott’s bar and grill on the Plaza, I gazed at a grainy flat-screen TV and witnessed what I still believe to be the Halley’s Comet of athletic feats: Tiger Woods’ third round at the 2008 U.S. Open. As his competitors struggled to make pars, Woods made two ridiculously hard eagle putts and a birdie chip en route to a 33 (three under par) on the back nine.

The media and critics have talked extensively about the financial fallout of decreased TV ratings, sponsorships and purchased merchandise during Tiger’s absence. Talk show hosts and other celebrities have slammed the superstar as well, but few people outside of golf can understand the true sadness of Woods’ actions and what he has meant to the game’s developing generation of players. In the past eight years, I’ve

After Tiger won the 2008 U.S. Open on a broken leg, golf fans concluded he had become something bigger than life. Two days later, he hoisted the silver trophy into the air for his third U.S. Open victory. And, oh yeah, he did it all on a broken leg, visibly wincing and gasping in pain throughout the tournament. I was dumbfounded, positive that Tiger Woods was one of the best athletes the world had ever seen. Golf fans were pretty sure before, but now it was definite. Woods had become something bigger than life. Flash forward a year and a half, and I am dumbfounded again as the haze created by his sex scandal continues to thicken, enveloping Woods and his superhuman status. I tried for a while to tune out the tabloid reports, but the truth about Tiger is evident now. Considering the lengths he would go for these rendezvous and the willingness to risk his image and family life, I believe he has a severe case of psychological sex addiction and a tough road of rehab ahead of him. It’s no surprise that Woods allegedly checked into a Mississippi rehab center roughly a month ago. On Dec. 11, Woods decided to take an indefinite leave from golf to focus on his family life and atone for his “transgressions.”

08/february 11

played in more than 100 competitive junior golf tournaments. At any given tournament, during the final round, there were bound to be a few players wearing a red shirt and black pants or shorts—Tiger’s traditional Sunday outfit. A few more would don a hat with Woods’ logo, and a few players might even be playing with Nike golf clubs, a brand the company literally built around Woods’ dominance. Tiger wasn’t just a role model; he was an idol, a standard of success, the epitome of an industry. Young golfers patterned their games after him, started working out to keep up with him and dreamt of making the crucial putt on the biggest stage just like him. ‘Be like Mike’ turned into ‘Be like Tiger.’ Now that aura has melted away, like an ice sculpture on a hot, sunny day. To those who wonder how a scandal of this magnitude could happen, I ask: What do you give the wealthiest, most recognizable athlete in the world? This is a man who has made a traditionally boring sport the most exciting thing on TV; a man who creates such a fervor at tournaments when he plays well that fans literally sprint around the course just

so they can see every other shot he hits; a man who, through the guidance of his late father, has donated millions to various philanthropic endeavors. Well, you probably give him whatever he wants. Herein lies the foundation for Woods’ demise. As a society, we placed him on the highest pedestal, thanking God we live in the same era as someone so amazing. Maybe Tiger literally began to believe he could do anything, socially acceptable or not. Since his father’s death (ex-marine Earl Woods taught Tiger the game and developed his mental prowess), Tiger has probably answered to a select few people: his caddy on the course, his swing coach on the range and his agents during business meetings. Other than that, he probably does what he wants. Until now, that game plan has worked pretty well. Everything Woods has ever been associated with has always been seen in an extremely positive light. From his golf game and charity work to his friendship with tennis great Roger Federer, Woods has portrayed the

nDAVID CATT does have a sex addiction. But it doesn’t matter now. The disturbing aspect is not that it happened; it’s that nobody stopped it. Judging from the magnitude of this scandal, I find it hard to believe that some of Woods’ closest friends and associates didn’t know of his exploits. It’s extremely disturbing to imagine that those who could have prevented this debacle stood by and enabled it to happen, stood by and watched a role model ruin his spotless reputation. It’s no different than a teenager standing by and watching his or her friends bully someone. It’s no different than the U.S. government watching innocently as African Americans died for their civil rights in the 1960s. Humans tend to repeat their faults; history tends to repeat itself. Sure, Tiger will come back to golf and probably be just as dominant. Married or divorced, his ability to focus on the course is so incredible that he’ll be able to block the media

Tiger wasn’t just a role model; he was an idol, a standard of success, the epitome of an industry. ‘Be like Mike’ turned into ‘Be like Tiger.’ Now that aura has melted away, like an ice sculpture on a hot, sunny day. supreme image of an all-world athlete and role model. It comes as quite a shock when something this degrading occurs. Still, most ask, why would he do this? Who knows? Maybe the money corrupted him, or the adrenaline rush of living on the edge drove him crazy. Maybe he needed another outlet for the insane amount of passion he has for life, or maybe he really

and fan scrutiny out and break Jack Nicklaus’ record of 16 major championships. Yet, that matters little now. The ultimate test will be whether Tiger Woods, in the distant future, can look in the mirror, as we all should, and believe he is living his life to the best of his ability, faithfully and passionately as a husband and father. I hope, for his sake, that he can.

Time to talk it out

My hectic schedule runs me to the point of exhaustion and keeps me stressed out. Having someone to talk with brings the relief I need.

ollege. Job. Money. Car. Homework. Did I let the dog out? Does everyone have their stories in? When is the English book due? What time is the bowling meet? Have I practiced? What am I forgetting? My life is one twisted merry-goround, where the child’s ready to puke but his brother won’t let him off. My parents are divorced, so I’m switching houses every week. This calls for two schedules and constant communication. Some hefty honors classes plus band and journalism leave me with little extra time. Many times I go to bed with my head still reeling, trying to figure out how to get everything done and yet still do my best.

I always find second semester to be the most exhausting. There aren’t as many holidays or sporadic days off like first semester; classes start getting harder; and because it’s cold out, I find myself stuck indoors often. One of my major stress-relievers includes taking walks, so being cooped up inside makes me go a little stir-crazy. Like any person, my life isn’t perfect. I’m a little messed up; there are problems with my family and my friends. I make mistakes and have to deal with the consequences. Everything I deal with can get stored up inside, like cleaning my room by shoving everything into the closet. One day when I open the closet, BAM! Everything falls on top of me.

Recently, I realized the extremely simple solution to this problem. I’ve become close friends with another person who is willing to let me spew my heart out anytime I need to. He’ll listen to my rantings, my fears, my hyper happiness and anything between. When he needs it, I do the same. Together, we keep each other sane. Nothing is so important to my well-being. Some people think that if you talk about your problems with them, they have an obligation to solve them for you. Most of the time, that’s not it at all. I believe everyone needs a sympathetic ear—someone who will not give advice unless you ask, but who will listen. It feels so good to be able

n LAUREN KOMER to express my thoughts and feelings without any restrictions, and also to be trusted with another’s. I’ve been complaining to him about writing a column. I couldn’t figure out what I wanted to say. By talking it out, I realized what I was trying to say, and the words began to flow. I’m sure we’ll have a conversation about it now that it’s done. Finish Latin, check math, practice horn, have editors read over column, look at college stuff, read book, find something to eat — But, most importantly, keep myself sane. And I’m doing that simply by talking it out.

Jay Leno is old news

NBC’s late night experiment was an absolute disaster, and instead of getting rid of Jay Leno, the network stuck by him for the second time.

I at 10:30 p.m., I’m always f I’m not doing homework

watching David Letterman. Maybe I watch because that’s who my parents watched when they let me stay up late as a little kid. Letterman is charismatic. He takes control of his audience and leads them through a great ride for one hour. But the best part is when he makes fun of Jay Leno. I was shocked when NBC decided to cater to Jay Leno once again and give Conan O’Brien the boot after seven months at The Tonight Show. Leno has stolen The Tonight Show away from two great comedians since becoming part of NBC. The first was the aforementioned David Letterman, who sat behind Johnny Carson for 11 years on Late Night only to be booted out by Leno. Of course, I don’t feel sorry for Letterman. He has built an empire at CBS over the past 17 years, including his own production company. The person you have to feel a little sorry for is Conan O’Brien — even though there

are $32 million reasons not to be. The former SNL writer was given the chance back in 1993 by Lorne Michaels to take over Letterman’s spot, and he flourished the entire time he was on Late Night. He waited a long time for his chance at the premier late-night hosting position on TV. After calling off NBC’s failed experiment, the executives decided to try to keep everybody happy by giving Jay Leno 30 minutes at 10:35, then moving Conan back to 11:05 and giving him an entire hour. Jimmy Fallon would then move all the way back to 12:05. But Conan did not go along with the plan NBC wanted, saying that it would ruin The Tonight Show. “After only seven months, with my Tonight Show in its infancy, NBC has decided to react to their terrible difficulties in prime-time by making a change in their long-established late night schedule,” O’Brien said. The real criminals in this controversy are the executives at NBC. First

of all, it’s their own fault they’re in this mess. They were trying to save some money by moving Jay Leno up to 9 p.m. They thought people wanted more laughs, but it ended up taking their entire comedy lineup down. Plus, it’s never smart to move comedy programs next to scripted dramas. Running a late night variety show is much cheaper to produce, but it will not bring in the same numbers as a scripted series. But, most of all, I don’t find Jay Leno that funny. He mumbles through his whole monologue, and most of his comedy bits have no substance or social relevance. He’s just not a comic who makes me laugh throughout the show, like a Letterman, Stewart or even Jimmy Fallon. Also, Leno will not be doing The Tonight Show for much longer. He is 59, compared to Conan who is 46, and he is going to struggle to regain those good ratings NBC revered him for. He has damaged his reputation with this move to 9 p.m. and then

nRyan McCarthy back to his original slot. The whole situation was even more frustrating because, back in 2004, during the 25th anniversary of The Tonight Show, Leno promised the show to O’Brien when he retired, according to msnbc.com. The biggest problem for NBC, though is that they will have to find at least five new shows to fill the 9 p.m. slot. They are fortunate that the Olympics give them two weeks to bolster their ratings, advertise for their new shows and get back some of their viewership. NBC is one of the great networks, but they have to find new and inventive ways to reach out to a wider variety of viewers, especially younger viewers. If they want to compete for the next generation of viewers, they have to develop shows and feature personalities that speak directly to them and their world. So, good luck, NBC. I won’t be tuning in until 11:35.

opinions\9

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Racial profiling a problem with searches With the attempted hijacking of a plane over the Christmas break, there are many questions of racial profiling and how burearicies are not communicating. on a T hisflightpastfromChristmas Amsterdam to Detroit, Umar Farouk Abdulmattallab attempted to ignite a bomb, in his pants. As humorous as that may sound, this act has resulted in mandates in the United States and several European nations that will affect citizens from multiple countries. The U.S. policy specified that all citizens of Afghanistan, Algeria, Lebanon, Libya, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Yemen, Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria who are bound for the United States, from airports, will be subject to body and luggage searches. According to an article by the New York Times, “any citizen of Paki-

10/february 11

stan or Saudi Arabia will for the first time be patted down automatically before boarding any flight to the United States. Even if that person has lived in a country like Britain for decades, he now will be subject to these extra security checks.” Seriously? This, then, is not solely a matter of safety, but rather a matter of race. After all, the Christmas bomber’s flight departed from Amsterdam, but the Netherlands wasn’t included on the list. Instead of targeting all of the citizens of these countries and labeling all them as terrorists, why isn’t security tightened and focused on known terrorists. Key word known.

At what point are we willing to stop? Privacy is being violated and civil liberties are being reduced to nothing. Not only are the rights of citizens being taken away but with every new search and mandate, I believe a bit of integrity is being taken away as well. The CIA, FBI and Homeland Security need to communicate better and share information . They need to communicate with each other. By sharing intelligence, these organizations will be able to maintain accurate and complete lists of know terrorists. The information that could have prevented Abdulmatallab from stepping on a plane Dec. 25 was avaliable, but the various intelligence agencies

nMADI WATTS weren’t sharing it with each other. We don’t need to randomly target the citizens of 14 countries. Citizens all over the world have to face prejudices like this form of profiling. In the end it doesn’t solve anything. If the government spends all of its time searching and pin-pointing mass amounts of innocent people who just happen to be of a certain race, then not only will they be taking away a fellow human’s civil rights, but they will be missing the true terrorist who is on their list and right before their eyes.

never shout never: cheesy originality Finishing up an acoustic tour, only to take a break before headlining Alternative Press’s AP Tour, Never Shout Never performed Jan. 31, selling out the Bottleneck in Lawrence three days after his debut album What is Love? (Loveway/Reprise/Warner Brothers Records) was released. It’s hard to believe that small-town Christofer Drew Ingle, 18, from Joplin, Mo. elicited the overwhelming shrieks and screams of more than 200 fans, the majority of them middle school girls, after poking his head out of Oak Park Mall’s Hot Topic hours before his show in Lawrence. Ingle made the appearance to promote his new album. Anyone who purchased Never Shout Never’s What is Love? and T-shirt from Oak Park Mall’s Hot Topic was given a wristband that guaranteed meeting Ingle and a poster. But to see all these girls fanatically praise everything Ingle does, even something as small as sticking your head out of the store to wave, makes it difficult to perceive his actual sincerity. His MySpace page reads “I make music for expression; not for a paycheck,” but with his growing popularity and all the

right moves, it becomes harder to accept that Ingle is solely involved in Never Shout Never to express himself and not to feed to his ego. But after listening to his new album, that judgement starts to fade away, and instead, something new takes its place. Some sort of respect? Maybe. At first you can’t help but notice the cheesy lyrics that made Ingle famous in the first place. Lines like “superduper cute” and “baby I love you” take away some of Ingle’s writing originality. But then, focus shifts to his use of melodies and innovative genre-mixing, and then you realize he earns his keep. Imagine a flamboyant Beatles fan taking everything in the pop-music culture of today and the 1950s and using it to try to make the most catchy, indie album known to man, all the while keeping his fan base satisfied with some sort of consistency. Although phrasing the album to sound like some wannabe, hippy trendster trying to create a fresh album might seem harsh, it’s hard not to find reason to criticize Ingle after releasing self-distributed albums that captured the attention of the fan base he has to-

The Office: US vs UK No one expects a paper company to be funny, but the The Office has done just that. With popular series in both the U.K. and America, the show has shed a new light on the dynamics of an office. In 2001, the British version launched on BBC and did not receive the desired ratings, despite the fact that it has now become a hit show in the country. “The spirit of the British show is that the reality of office life is that it can be like a prison,” Greg Daniels, co-executive producer of the U.S. version, said to Associated Press. “You don’t get to choose who you are sitting next to, so you have to deal with characters who are irritating.” The inner workings of the office in which the show takes place are presented in a ‘mockumentary’ style, where characters frequently acknowledge the camera. The characteristically crude, witty humor of original writer and actor Ricky Gervais is evident in the screen writing. His character David Brent is the classic “worst boss ever” with no reservations when it comes to expressing himself. This makes for hilarious entertainment, leaving audiences disappointed when they finish the two short seasons. Since 2005, the American series has also been very successful, gaining some

of the highest ratings on all of NBC. The U.S. and U.K. versions are closely related, with similar humor, characters and plot. “It’s far more exciting for me to be one of the very few Brits who have actually been appreciated by an American audience,” Gervais said to Esquire magazine. Both versions give an inside look at a struggling paper company, and characters are also surprisingly similar. Michael Scott and David Brent are the stereotypical disliked boss, religiously followed by Dwight or Gareth, their assistants. Jim and Pam and Tim and Dawn are all pent up with their jobs, but in love with the other. Even though the show focuses on comedy, its characters are endearing and pull the audience in more and more each episode. After more than 100 episodes, the American version is no longer living in the shadow of the original. The plot and characters are similar, but the U.S. Office is less dry comically. Still, this is better for an American audience, which seems to not only enjoy the humor, but the ongoing story as well. The Office is comedy genius, turning a seemingly dull office into a story that is inciting laughter and garnering fans. Rachel Alvey

day only because of it’s electro-acoustic beats and catchy, cutesy lyrics . But one thing I applaud Ingle for is his choice in producers. Frontman of Hellogoodbye, Forrest Kline, produced his Summer EP, which included some of Never Shout Never’s hits likes, “Happy,” which was featured in a TLC commercial, and “On the Brightside.” Ingle’s producer, singer and song-writer Butch Walker, for Never Shout Never’s current album, What is Love? has produced albums for artists Katy Perry, Dashboard Confessional, Pink, Pete Yorn, All time low and many more. Hearing some of Walker’s original work, similarities can be found in What is Love?, but the era in which Ingle is trying to replicate is definitely different from what Walker has created in the past. It will be interesting to see how Never Shout Never’s album will play out, considering the album is anything but the perfected, produced sound of the mainstream industry, but since the band is signed to Warner Brothers Records, it’s only likely that Never Shout Never will be directed in that direction. nEvan Shinn

now playing

the wolfman

courtesy of rottentomatoes.com

Setting out to find his brother, Lawrence Talbot (Benicio Del Toro), finds himself a devastating fate. Inspired by the classic horror film, Wolfman brings an ancient curse that turns the afflicted into werewolves when the moon is full and captures it in a story of missing and unrequited love.

Valentine’s Day

courtesy of rottentomatoes.com

Star-studded and just in time for the holiday, Valentine’s Day shows the tales of intertwined couples and singles in Los Angeles breakingup and making-up based on the pressures and expectations of Valentine’s Day.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

courtesy of rottentomatoes.com

Zeus’s lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy, a teenager who discovers he’s the descendent of the Greek god, is his main suspect. Percy and his friends set out on an adventure to discover the true lightning bolt thief, while getting caught between battling gods.

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northwest passage/smnw.com

simply sweet

A guide to a hassle free Valentine’s Day.

The calendar doesn’t lie. Only two days remain until Valentine’s Day. With WPA the day before, students may be choosing to combine the dance and Valentine’s into one very special evening. Although, traditionally, a celebration of romantic love, Valentine’s Day can honor any person who has had a positive effect on you.

For all you singles...

nValentine’s Day is just another excuse for chocolate. Let’s eat! Russell Stover 10100 Shawnee Mission Pkwy 15 percent off your entire order Panache Chocolatier, Oak Park Mall Chocolate rose buds $9

nTake a trip to Westport Murray’s Ice Cream 4120 Pennsylvania This is a classic ice cream shop, everything made here (and everything in the store is made here) from cookies to ice cream is delicious. Not inexpensive, but totally worth it. Westport Flea Market 817 Westport Road Try Joe Joe’s Famous Chicken Panini... voted best sandwich in the city: $7.99 Sunday Special: Taco Trio $4.99 Lo mavista Hardware: This isn’t your dad’s hardware store. In addition to the stuff you expect, you’ll also find a totally boss skateboard shop and a high-fashion shop.

THE DAY BEFORE

12/february 11

On these pages are options for the many ways that Valentine’s Day can be celebrated. We even took at look at the financial considerations. Regardless of whether you will be celebrating with a love connection or your best friend, we hope these ideas will help make your Valentine’s Day a special one. n Maddie Niemackl and Madi Watts

nTreat yourself to a massage Massage Envy 13224 West 87th Street Introductory 1-hour massage: $39

nCheck out the Valentine’s Jam Maddie Niemackl and Madi Watts Uptown Theatre, 3700 Broadway, Kansas City, MO. 4 p.m. Tickets $10 through Ticketmaster

nStay at home and read These books range from tear jerkers to action adventures. Kissed by an Angel by Elizabeth Chandler Three Little Words by Ashley Rhodes-Courtier This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen Our Boys by Joe Drape Balance of Power by James W. Huston

nMan-version of a slumber party Stock up on energy drinks, gather your favorite 8-12 guy friends and LAN party for the weekend.

THE BIG DAY

$15/

For a low key but totally fun experience, surprise your date with candles, a white table cloth and china from home at the fast food restaurant of your choice. You’ll have to work with the staff at McDonald’s, Fazoli’s or Pizza Street to pull this off, but it will be unforgettable. For Chinese food, it’s hard to beat Rice House (go during Bo Lings. With restaurants on Metcalf, near lunch and get two meals for approxi- Oak Park Mall and on the Plaza, it’s near mately $10), Chipotle on 95th and just about anything you want to plan for the Quivira, or Dean and Deluca at Town evening. Awesome Italian food at a reasonCenter. able price can be found at Italian Delight in Mission. AMC Olathe’s Fork and Screen is The Legends is a great another great option. For $35, you get nicer place to go for an evening out with seating plus $15 in dining coupons and, of someone special. Not only can you course, a movie.. shop and see the sights, but you can see a movie, go to dinner, get a nice PF Chang’s (Asian Food) is locup of coffee or an ice cream cone. cated on the Plaza. Expect to pay $30 per Options include At the Legends: person if you order a drink, appetizer, main Bravo (Italian), The Yard House (primeal and dessert. Other restaurants in this marily American), and Cold Stone price range: Hereford House, Paulo and Creamery (ice cream); near Oak Park Bill’s (both close to Midland and I-435), Mall: Cheddars (just opened) and Cheesecake Factory on the Plaza and on Mongolian Barbeque. 119th Street, and Kona Grill on the Plaza.

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$30/

$50/

$70/

$100/ For the big spender, the Melting Pot, Brio, Plaza Three are all roman-

tic dining options on the Plaza! Arrange for a carriage ride after dinner to end the perfect evening.. Kansas City Carriages is offering a Valentine’s Special that includes a vintage carriage ride and a dozen roses for $110. Reservations must be made in advance: at www.kccarriagnes.com.

opinions\03

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STUDENT SHUFFLE SUDOKU 5 95 6 8 6 9

4 2 7 4

84 5

1 6

2 7 9

2 2 3 75 6 4 9 5 3 4

Sam Broll Freshman

5 5 7 8 9

4 2

6 7 8

9 7 1 6 8 3 8 1 3 3 6 75 6 8 2 3 6 5

5 9 1 4

8 1 6 1 5 9 5 8 3

What is Love? by Haddaway “It helped define the word love for me” DK Rap by Nintendo “It’s got some funky rhythms.” Pokemon Theme Song (Gotta Catch ‘em All) by Jason Paige “I love the classics, and it has long been a sign of awesomeness.” Untouched by The Veronicas “There is an awesome music video it.” I’m Goin’ In by Lil Wayne “It makes me feel like a tight gangster.”

LIve noise OK Go at The Midland Feb. 13 Valentine’s Day Jam at the Uptown Theater Feb. 14

B.B. King/Buddy Guy at the Midland Feb. 19 Rascal Flatts at Sprint Center, Feb. 19

Apps of the ISSUE

The Moron Test

BlackBerry App World Lovin’ that tune flowing through your friend’s car stereo? While using Shazam Encore, you can hold your Blackberry up to the stereo and know the name of the song within seconds. Buy the song Shazam Encore or find artist information through the by Shazam Ent. Ltd. music store. $4.99

Carrr Matey

by Lionebra Studios

14/february 11

iTunes Application Store Want to prove your friends are morons? Use the Moron Test to prove it to them. Share your best scores on Facebook. $0.99

Android Application Store With Carrr Matey, you’ll never lose your car in the Arrowhead Stadium parking lot again. By plugging in the GPS of your location before you leave, the pirate themed app will provide walking or compass directions to guide you back to your vehicle. FREE

northwest passage/smnw.com

Bailey Kopp

For three NW girls, figure skating is not so much about competng and winning as it is about just...

putting on their Photos By Bailey Kopp

skates

The other girls on the ice move out of the way as senior Meghan Barnes rehearses her program. Her music, Barlow Girl’s “Never Alone,” plays from the speakers as she spins and jumps with impressive grace and strength. As she finishes her program, Barnes skates over to her coach and slides to a stop, spraying ice everywhere. Her coach, Jamie Wolfe, gives her a few pointers, and then Barnes skates off to practice a jump again. This was the program Barnes was to perform that night, Jan. 23, at halftime of an Outlaws hockey game. About a year ago, a group of figure skaters put together a group called “hockey cheer” to perform at the halftimes of Outlaws hockey games. From the beginning, the girls in hockey cheer performed group programs. This was the first time anyone had performed a solo program. “I’m kind of the founder of it, I guess you could say,” Barnes said. “It first started going to the games, and then I was like, ‘We should perform at these games. This would be awesome.’ I saw some stuff on YouTube, and I was like, ‘We could do it’. Last year, we got a performance together, and we performed at the game.” At halftime, the 12 girls perform a group program to fun, upbeat music. “We do spins together, jumps together,

08/february 11

little dance moves, cartwheels. It’s really cool stuff. It’s just fun. We have practice once a week for it, so it’s hard to get a program together,” Barnes said. According to Barnes, the first time the hockey cheer girls performed, the parents of the hockey players loved their performance, and they still do. “All the hockey parents are really supportive of it,” said freshman Elizabeth Hudson, who also participates in hockey cheer. And while the parents love watching the girls, the hockey players are less supportive. “One of the hockey guys told us we were bad, and his dad started yelling at him,” Hudson said. Hudson and Barnes have both been figure skating since they were toddlers. When Barnes was 4 years old, her dad, a hockey player, took her out on the ice for the first time and taught her to skate. “We just skated around; he taught me the basics,” Barnes said. “Then I did group lessons every winter until I was nine. I have just been skating ever since.” Hudson put her first pair of skates on when she was 5 years old, after watching figure skating competitions on TV. In the course of the 10 years she has been skating, Hudson has

Top Left: Freshman Elizabeth Hudson practices a sit spin. Hudson spends about six hours a week practicing at the rink. Top Middle: Freshman Elizabeth Hudson hugs senior Meghan Barnes as Hudson shows up for practice. Far Right: Holding her leg up, junior Amy Miller performs a Beilman spin. Bottom Right: While doing a sit spin into a pancake spin, senior Meghan Barnes practices for her performance during club skate.

thought about quitting many times, but between her friends and hockey cheer, something has always made her stay. “There have been a lot of times that I have considered quitting, but my friends talked me out of it,” Hudson said. Like Hudson, junior Amy Miller also began skating after watching competitive skaters on TV. “I started because I saw it on the Olympics, and I thought it was really cool. I had always watched it before, and I thought it would be really fun to learn how to do the kinds of things they did,” Miller said. Miller, however, didn’t begin skating until she was in fifth grade. She skates at a different rink, Pepsi Ice Midwest, Miller, and is a member of the Silver Blades Figure Skating Club, so she isn’t a part of hockey cheer. Barnes and Hudson skate at Ice Sports KC with the Kansas City Figure Skating Club. Being a member of a club gives them a certain amount of time on the ice, called club skate, at their respective rinks during the week. “You’re guaranteed the ice. Sometimes hockey overrides figure skating, so we’re guaranteed that chunk of ice no matter what,” Barnes said.

Unlike in some movies, the girls within each club are good friends. At competitions they make up goofy cheers for each other. Even just at practice when no one’s watching, they support each other. “It’s not like in “Ice Princess” where they’re taunting each other,” Miller said Miller’s love of skating wasn’t the only thing that made her stick with it. Her friends were also important. “Where I skate is out in Overland Park, so I have a lot of friends out there that I don’t go to school with. I wouldn’t be able to see them if I didn’t skate,” Miller said. Besides being friends, the girls help each other with their skating. “Meghan’s helped me get more into my programs. I used to just worry about jumps and spins, but then she helped me with presentation and getting more into it. She’s more like the Disney on Ice character out there. She gets really into her programs,” Hudson said. Barnes says the reason she becomes so focused on the ice is because skating is her passion. “When I’m the only one out there, and

they’re blasting music, I just feel free,” Barnes said. “You just feel like you can do anything, and you’re on top of the world. It’s the best feeling in the world to be able to skate.” In the fall, Barnes will attend Adrian College, a small liberal arts school in Michigan, where she will continue to have the opportunity to skate. “They have a synchronized skating team, and I’m going to skate on that. They have a rink on campus. It’s going to be really awe-

“When I’m the only one out there, and they’re blasting music, I just feel free.” — Senior Meghan Barnes some,” Barnes said. But Barnes’ real dream is to be in Disney on Ice, though she doesn’t know if that will ever become reality. She does plan to send in a video, just to leave that door open. “I couldn’t live without skating,” Barnes said. “ It’s my passion. I would go crazy if I couldn’t skate.” Maria Davison

features\17

BOSS

best of sports shot

This issue’s BOSS photo was chosen for its great timing as junior A.J. Spencer makes an up-and-under lay-up around a Kansas City Northeast defender. Photo by Johnny Tong

Phrase I overuse the most...

Favorite athlete at Northwest is...

People say I look like _______________.

Chris Wallace Senior Cycling

“Boom; Roasted!”

Alex Carder

Bear Grylls

“Hot and Cold” by Katy Perry

be more like Drew Brees

Brett Dowell Senior Bowling

“Tiger’s innocent!”

Nick Feighner

the catcher from “The Sandlot”

The Kangaroo Song

buy a wheelchair

“What it do, baby boo?”

Andrew Johnston

my brother, Josh Ibarra

“Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus

have never left the Packers

“Cool, Grant...”

Kelli Denton

a chipmunk

The Chicken Dance

retire

Julianne Ibarra Junior Cheerleading

Jessica Johnson Sophomore Girls’ Basketball

My guilty pleasure dance song is...

Brett Favre should...

sports\19

northwest passage/smnw.com

oooooolympic outlook With the 2010 Winter Olympics starting tomorrow here is your guide of what to watch.

The Super Bowl. The NBA Championships. The Final Four. These are some of the most identifiable of sporting events, proven by the millions of dollars backing them annually. But in the last decade, mainstream sports have been marred by the steroid scar, leaving millions of people at home wondering if they really can believe what they are seeing. Enter the Winter Olympics. Viewed by some as the least tainted in a professional sports environment riddled with performance-enhancing drugs, the Winter Games afford a breath of fresh air from the ESPN ticker and provide exposure for a range of sports that rarely get any attention in the United States, including luge, skeleton, ski jumping and Nordic combined, among others (see sidebar). The Olympic village and most of the ceremonies for this year’s games will be hosted in the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, and most of the mountain events will be held either in Whistler, about 78 miles north of the city, or

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on the nearby Coastal Mountains, which surround the city. Vancouver is the third largest metro area in Canada, at just more than 2.1 million people. Forbes said of Vancouver in a recent survey, “In this coastal city, which made it to second place in the [Forbes] list, open air is abundant — from the green west-end campus of the University of British Columbia to the enormous Stanley Park just outside downtown.” Vancouver’s relatively mild climate could pose problems for the games, though. It’s been unseasonably warm and wet in Vancouver so far this winter, which is leaving many people questioning the conditions for the outdoor events. Cypress Mountain, where snowboarding and skiing events are taking place, was closed to the public for two weeks to protect its condition. The Whistler resort, however, reported no such problems, as it is farther north and at a higher elevation than Vancouver. Whistler is where most of the Alpine and Nordic ski events will be held.

Despite these concerns, the Vancouver Organizing Committee is confident that the games will go on without a snag. “We’ve made great progress in preparing the venue thanks to our team that’s been working night and day to deliver on the contingency plan we had ready. We look forward to hosting some of the world’s greatest athletes on Cypress Mountain in just over two weeks,” a member of the committee said on the Olympic website. Team USA has listed 216 athletes on their Olympic roster as they look to take down the German team, who came out on top in the medal count in the 2006 Winter Games. Canada will bring 208 athletes to the Winter Games, making them the second largest team participating. Switzerland, Germany, Russia, Italy, Sweden, Norway and France will each bring more than 100 athletes. More than 2,500 athletes from over 100 different countries will compete in the largest field the game’s have ever seen. nClay Coffman, Tyler Gilliam, and Brady Klein

bobsled

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To get the bobsleigh run started, the racers push the sleigh as fast as they can for about 50 meters and then jump in for a seated descent. Throughout the run, the driver, who sits in the front, steers the sleigh, and at the end of the run, the brakeman stops it. In each event, four heats are held over two days, with medals being given to the team with the lowest run time. The times are measured down to one-hundredth of a second. The men compete in a two-man and fourman race, while the women compete in a two-woman race. United States won the silver and bronze medals in the 2002 Olympics in the four-man, the gold in the two-women in the 2002 Olympics, and the silver in the two-women in the 2006 Olympics.

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Athletes to watch: The German four-man team, who has won the Gold medal the past four Olympics.

curling

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Event to watch: Feb. 16, 7 p.m. CST on NBC, four-man team race.

teams to watch: Canada and Switzerland have both been top five contenders in the past three Olympics

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Event to watch: Feb. 27, 11 a.m. CST on USA, men’s bronze medal event, 5 p.m. CST on CNBC, men’s gold medal event

skeleton

The skeleton is like the luge, but the athlete goes down the track head first. Racers steer by slightly moving their bodies, and the individual with the lowest combined time wins. The United States won the gold in men’s event at the 2002 Olympics; the women’s U.S. team won the silver and gold at the 2002 Olympic. Athletes to watch: Kristan Bromley of Great Event to watch: Feb. 18, 11:30 a.m. on NBC, the skeleton starts Britain won the world champion in 2008 and is a two-time olympian. He has also won two World Cups, in 2004 and 2008.

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20/february 11

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A game of curling is played with a four-person team. Each team slides eight stones down the ice. Two team members then use brooms to sweep the ice in front of the stone, controlling it’s direction, or “curl,” to try and make it as close to the center of a ring of circles as possible. The team with the most stones in the middle of the circles wins. The United States won the bronze in the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy.

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athletes

to watch

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Martin Brodeur

At 37 years old, Marty Brodeur is considered ancient in the sports world. He has been one of the top goalies for almost two decades. In the NHL, Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils won three Stanley cups. In 2002, Canada won the gold medal, and in 2004, they took hockey world cup, with Brodeur leading them once again. Broduer has international experience which should help him in Vancouver.

Lindsey Vonn As the first American to ever win back to back World Cups (2008-09) in alpine skiing ever, so it is obvious that she has the talent to compete and win in Vancouver. Vonn will have many more huge competitions to come, but this year seems like the year for her as she represents herself as one of the top women athletes competing in the 2010 games.

Biathlon [

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shaun white

The “Flying Tomato” is back to dominate. Shaun White will be competing in his second Olympic Games after he took the gold in 2006. Outside of the Olympics, White has dominated the Winter X Games, coming home with nine gold medals. Overall, he has taken 20 gold medals out of 23 in major events. Victory is the only option for the snowboarder.

Apollo Ohno

Coming into his third Olympics, Ohno has been the top skater for short-track speed skating. He has taken five gold medals in his career. In the 2006 Olympics, he won three gold medals, becoming one of four Americans to ever do that. Ohno is one of the best speed skaters that have competed in the Winter Games. This will be a momentous year for the star.

Alex Ovechkin

Ovechkin has led the NHL in goals for nearly his whole career. This will be his first time as an olympian. Ovechkin has shown great success in the United States as a hockey player, so his play for Russia shouldn’t be any different. Ovechkin’s already won five awards including the MVP, and now he will try to add a gold medal to his trophy case.

The biathlon consists of five different events: individual start, sprint, pursuit, relay and mass start. Depending on the event, athletes will start off skiing a certain amount of meters with their rifles on their backs, stopping at a target range and shooting five different targets. If an athlete misses a shot, the penalty, depending on the event, could be taking a penalty lap or adding a minute to his final time. The United States has never won a medal in this event.

Athletes to watch: Norway’s Ole Einar Bjorndalen has won five gold medals in this event.

[Event to watch:

Feb. 21, 12:30 p.m. CST on NBC, mass start.

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Freestyle Skiing

In freestyle skiing, three different events use a slope ending in a jump that propels the skier upward in the air: aerials, moguls and ski cross. In aerials, athletes are judged on their take off, how high their jump is, body position while performing their flips and twists and how they maintain their balance during their landing. The Top 16 aerialists move on to the final round where they get two more jumps, and the aerialist with the highest score after those two wins. During the moguls event, skiers choose three of the four lanes they want to ski down. Offset bumps called moguls cover the course, and skiers have to ski down as fast as possible. There are two “air bumps” on the course as well, where skiers have to do a jump of their choice. The Top 20 skiers move on to the final round. They are judged on their technical skill while skiing down the moguls as well as jumping technique. At the end of the final round, the skier with the fastest time is awarded more points, but the skier with the highest score wins. The ski cross is a test of skill with turns of various lengths, flat sections and traverses. Each race is 60 seconds or longer and limited to four skiers each. The first two who cross the finish line move on to the next heat. With the last two racers crossing, the one with the best qualification time moves on. The “big final” determines who places first through fourth and the “small final” determines who places fifth through eighth. The United States has won the most medals in freestyle skiing, with 10 total. At the last Olympics, Toby Dawson received the bronze in the moguls.

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teams to watch: Reigning world champion U.S. Ryan St. Onge and two-time Olympian Jeret Peterson head the U.S. freestyle team.

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Event to watch: Feb. 25, 7:00 p.m. CST, on NBC, Ryan St. Onge competes in freestyle skiing.

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upcoming games Boys’ Basketball: Fri. Feb. 12, vs. SME 7 p.m. Tues. Feb. 16, at Olathe Northwest 7 p.m. Fri. Feb. 19, vs. Leavenworth 7 p.m. Tues. Feb. 23, at Olathe South 7 p.m. Fri. Feb 26, at SMN 7 p.m. Mon. March 1 - Fri. March 5, Sub-state Week at SM Northwest Wed. March 10 - Sat. March 13, State Basketball Week in Emporia Girls’ Basketball: Fri. Feb. 12, vs. SME 5:15 p.m. Tues. Feb. 16, at Olathe Northwest 5:30 p.m. Thurs. Feb. 18, vs. Leavenworth 7 p.m. Tues. Feb. 23, at Olathe South 5:30 p.m. Thurs. Feb. 25, at SMN 7 p.m. Mon. March 1 - Fri. March 5, Sub-state Week at SM Northwest Wed. March 10 - Sat. March 13, State Basketball Week in Emporia Boys’ Swim and Dive: Fri Feb. 19, Kansas State Prelims 2:30 p.m. Sat. Feb. 20, Kansas State Finals 12:30 p.m. Wrestling: Sat. Feb. 13, Sunflower League Tournament at SMNW 9 a.m. Sat. Feb. 20, 6A Regionals, 9 a.m. Fri. Feb. 26, 6A State Championships, Kansas Colisseum-Wichita, 8 a.m. Sat. Feb. 27, 6A State Championships, Kansas Colisseum-Wichita, 9 a.m. Bowling: Wed. Feb. 17, SMNW Tri at Park Lanes, 3:30 p.m. Sat. Feb. 20, Varsity Sunflower League Tournament at Olathe East Lanes, 9:30 a.m. Sat. Feb. 27, Regionals at Olathe Mission Bowl, 9 a.m. USA Today NCAA Basketball Poll 1. Kansas (29) 22-1 2. Kentucky (1) 22-1 3. Syracuse (1) 23-1 4. West Virginia 19-3 5. Villanova 20-2 6. Purdue 19-3 7. Duke 19-4 8. Georgetown 17-5 9. Kansas State 19-4 10. Michigan State 19-5 14. Texas 19-4

For the love of the Games Praise the Olympic Games for what they are: the purest form of professional sports we have today. Cal Ripken Jr. loved baseball. He loved it so much he played an MLBrecord 2,632 straight games, spanning 17 seasons. His record, no doubt, will stand the test of time because baseball, like every other major professional sport, has been corrupted down to the pine tar. You think the players still play for the love of the game? Note the messy situation each time a player’s contract expires. The players often hold out for more money until executives meet their demands. In addition, this year NFL rookie wide receiver Michael Crabtree didn’t play the first five games of the season because his $23.5 million contract wasn’t enough to “feed his family.” What we could really use in professional sports are some quality athletes who love the the thrill of competition more than the allure of money. Thankfully, tomorrow night the Olympics, which may be mankind’s last virtuous battleground, begin. For two weeks, the best of the best will compete for country, honor, and, surprisingly, not very much money. Whereas the minimum salary for an NBA rookie is $450K, relatively unknown Olympic athletes often make just enough from part-time jobs to support training and travel. Remember all those Home Depot commercials for the Olympics? According to America.gov, 33 of the 211 athletes on the 2006 Winter Olympics Team were employed parttime by Home Depot through the

corporation’s efforts to support the no extra contract incentives for team. making the Pro Bowl, fancy hotels The Olympics have been open to or garages full of sports cars (though professionals since the mid-1970s, snowboarder Shaun White does drive but only a few athletes in higha Lamborghini). The most high tech profile sports (hockey, snowboarding, these athletes get is in their workouts etc.) benefit greatly from outside at the state-of-the-art U.S. Olympic endorsements. To level the playing Training Centers. field, the U.S. Olympic Committee When it comes down to it, (USOC) began supporting above all other athletes, Olympians strive to do athletes monetarily a their best simply for the decade ago. “In early 2000, we pure love of competition, looked at it and realized and that is what sets the we had athletes who games apart from other were bartending to pay professional sports. The passion is unmatched, their training bills,” Steve Roush, USOC official, the drama immeasurable. dav i d catt said in a 2008 USA Today For them, there is no interview. “They weren’t able to train tomorrow unless they want to train at the level they needed.” like animals for another four years. Now, athletes are able to receive They have reached the biggest stage jeremy allen up to $36,000 a year from the USOC and put it all on the line. That is and obtain bonuses for top-eight why NBC shelled out $2.2 billion to finishes at the world championships televise the 2010 and 2012 Olympics. and medaling at the Olympics. Television captures the passion in Gold medalists receive $25,000 sports, and we are undoubtedly per medal, which isn’t very much astonished by and addicted to it. for someone who is the best in the Tune in these next two weeks, world at something. Silver and and think about all the things these bronze medalists receive $15,000 and people have sacrificed. Many could $10,000, respectively. have made more money in another This sounds like a nice line of work, spent more time with paycheck, but when compared to their families and led a normal life, any benchwarmer in a major league but they’ve endured and persevered sport, it’s nothing. Training for the to bolster the United States with a Olympics is basically a full-time job sense of pride and preserve the purity for these people, and for the time of sport. and effort they put in, the monetary reward is insignificant. There are

by the numbers

$25,000

The amount of points the varsity boys’ basketball team beat SM West by in their rematch on Saturday. The boys lost the first meeting 41-37.

The amount of money an American athlete receives from the U.S. Olympic Committee for winning a gold medal

Interceptions Peyton Manning had thrown the entire season before his fatal pass was picked off by Tracy Porter in the Super Bowl.

The winning percentage of the NBA’s New Jersey Nets. The strugglng team had a 4-46 record as of Monday.

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IN focus

“In the beginning it was tough, being in front of the camera and the lights, but eventually you get used to it. Now it’s pretty easy.” —senior Tyler Amble