November 18, 2021 | Volume 125 Issue 12
Variety Page 5
Staying Sane this Winter
Opinion Page 6
How to Ruin Thanksgiving
Vigilante justice in America Abigail Faulkner Staff Writer
The cases
On Aug. 25, 2020, Kyle Rittenhouse found himself in Kenosha, Wash. amidst a chaotic protest over the shooting of Jacob Blake. By Aug. 26, he would turn himself in for the shootings in his hometown of Antioch, Ill. Because that night, while in Kenosha, Kyle killed two people and
injured a third. He stands accused of first-degree reckless homicide, first-degree recklessly endangering safety, first-degree intentional homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide and finally, a now thrown out count of illegal possession of a dangerous weapon by persons under 18. Did he do it? Is he guilty of murder? I would advise you to watch the videos and
Astrofest: What is Travis Scott’s next move? After a horrifying event, the celebrity must do right Grant Ayers
Variety Editor Unless someone’s been living under a rock for the past week, everyone has been made aware of the horrifying and appalling details and stories that broke soon after the end of night one at Travis Scott’s Houston-based 2021 “Astroworld Festival”. Scott’s Astroworld Festival began in 2018, with nothing but praise for the rapper’s intuitiveness, creativity and effort to begin his own festival. The grand
event was labeled as Astroworld Festival to coincide with Scott’s 2018 release, aptly titled “Astroworld”, which is also a reference to a former Six Flags theme park in Houston, Texas that he attended as a child, and has since been shut down. The festival received critical and commercial acclaim since its beginning, with the lineups and anticipation getting increasingly bigger each year. Entering its third year (2020’s Astroworld Festival was canceled
decide for yourself. Instead, I want to ask a different kind of question: Why was Kyle at a protest, armed with a deadly weapon, across state lines at 17 years-old? In his testimony, he claims that he was protecting a used car dealership and had brought medical supplies to provide aid. That answer doesn’t truly satisfy the question I asked. Why did Kyle feel he should go? due to the pandemic), tickets sold out before the full lineup was even announced. Anticipation for the event aside, audiences knew that the rapper’s performances didn’t come without their antics before the tragedy that was this year’s event. One of the primary reasons that Scott began his festival is due to him being caught up with the law after a wild set at Chicago’s Lollapalooza. The performance led to violent outbursts within the crowd and Scott being formally charged with “inciting a riot” in 2015. It’s worth noting that Scott’s set lasted approximately five minutes. This year’s Astroworld Festival was no different, aside from the carelessness of what was going on within the crowd. The night included chants
Staff Writer
The duties of the police are to protect and serve, but for decades their ability to follow these duties has been questioned by citizens. The police are supposed to serve citizens, but many citizens feel they are instead, being victimized. In an interview with the Harvard Gazette, Rajiv Sethi, a professor of economics at Barnard College, Columbia University, and an external professor at Santa Fe Institute, shared his thoughts on the disparities of individual areas. “In the country as a whole, you’re about two to three times more likely to face deadly force if you’re Black than if you are white” said Sethi. “But if you look at individual cities separately, disparities in exposure are much
higher.” Police departments around the country go through completely different training experiences, which may be a cause for spikes in certain areas. Another assistant professor interviewed by the Gazette shared his support for the recent protests regarding lowering funds for police departments. He believes that funneling more money into departments is not a fix but rather a shortterm solution, and instead encourages the formation of more community services that will help prevent
crime and lessen the need for police. “That was their solution to the building’s lack of air conditioning,” said Brandon Terry, a Harvard Assistant Professor of African and African American Studies and Social Studies. “Just grab an ice cube.” According to Mapping Police Violence, Black people have been 25% of those killed by police in 2021, with the U.S. population being 13%. In North Dakota, according to the Police Scorecard, the police have scored 62%.
NFL Playoff Predictions
How Kyle Rittenhouse’s crimes and Ahmaud Arbery murder are going to shape our country
Let’s turn our attention to Ahmaud Arbery. On Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020, at 1 p.m., Arbery was shot three times and died from his injuries while on a jog. The defendants Gregory McMichael, 65; his 35-year-old son, Travis McMichael; and their neighbor, William Bryan, 52, suspected Arbury to be a perpetrator of some burglaries in the area. In a video later of “Stop the show!”, intense crowd-pushing, hundreds of injuries and nine, tragic deaths to date. Overall, the 2021 performance was marked by chaos, panic and devastation only halfway through the scheduled performances. The first night’s chaos led to the cancellation of Astroworld Festival’s second night, as well as Travis Scott pulling out of the following week’s Las Vegas festival, “Day N Vegas.” Many are skeptical that Travis voluntarily withdrew himself from the festival, instead choosing to believe that he was forced away by the festival and its promoters, but they allowed him to save face by making it look as if it was his conscious choice to do the right thing. Continued on Page 5
Public safety may be the new police Courtney Entzi
Sports Page 8
These scores are based on police spending, use of force and officer accountability, with higher scores being the best within these parameters. The lowest score was given in racial disparities amongst drug-related arrests, where N.D. scored an 18%. The site also compares individual towns in which Fargo is the highest scoring at 62%, and a majority of towns scoring 50% or lower. The site uses local, state and federal databases to calculate these percentages. Continued on Page 2
Fibonacci Blue | Flickr | Photo Courtesy
released to the public, you can see McMichaels and Bryan “square in” a jogging Arbery who was promptly shot after passing their car, resulting in his death. In the video, you can hear two shots fired. No one was arrested for the murder until May 7 after the video became public that same month. The similarities in the cases Despite their many
intricacies, these two cases have one glaring similarity, the vigilante nature of their cases. Arbery was murdered over a crime he has not been proven guilty of. For him, it was not innocent until proven guilty; in the eyes of the McMichaels, it was guilty until proven innocent.
Continued on Page 7
| Photo Courtesy
Bison dominate Penguins as FCS Playoffs loom
The Herd enter the regular season finale with hopes of securing home field in the playoffs
Ian Longtin
Sports Editor The Bison took care of business against Youngstown State, defeating the conference rival Penguins 49-17. NDSU had their best game of the season on the ground running the ball for a staggering 454 yards. Sophomore TK Marshal had just three rushes for *checks notes* 146 yards which led both teams. Joining in on the running palooza was SMU transfer TaMerik Williams who ran for 137 yards and two touchdowns himself. Starting quarterback Cam Miller also quietly had a very good game in his own right. Although he threw just 14 passes, Miller was extremely efficient throwing for 169 yards and a pair of scores. The win helped the
Bison secure at worst a share of the Missouri Valley Conference title, while a win against South Dakota next week will give the Bison the title outright. However, something much larger than a conference championship may be at stake in next week’s regular season finale. If the Bison win against the Coyotes next week, and it’s a big if as USD is 7-3 and the 16th ranked team in the country, the Bison will move to 10-1 and will be very much in play for a top-two seed in the upcoming playoffs. While undefeated and defending national champion, Sam Houston State all but has the number one seed sewn up, the number two overall seed is just as beneficial. Continued on Page 9
News
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November 18th, 2021
Public safety may Infrastructure bill signed by Biden be the new police White House, “For decades, infrastructure Head News Editor in North Dakota has suffered from On Monday, President a systemic lack of Joe Biden signed the investment.” The $1 trillion bipartisan American Society of infrastructure bill Civil Engineers gave into law. This bill is North Dakota a C- grade designed to fix roads, on its infrastructure. In bridges and airport North Dakota, there are infrastructure, as well as 444 bridges and over help in the fight against 830 miles of highway climate change. North in poor condition. The Dakota will receive infrastructure bill plans money to improve “to receive $1.7 billion various aspects of for federal-aid highway society, including: apportioned programs clean water, internet and $225 million for access and improved bridge replacement and transportation options. repairs.” According to 15% of North the White House, Dakota households do the Infrastructure not have an internet Investment and Jobs subscription. The Act is “the largest infrastructure bill will long-term investment be “providing access in our infrastructure to the at least 19,800 and competitiveness North Dakotans who in nearly a century.” currently lack it,” The plan’s funding according to the White will be released over House. five years, while many The infrastructure of the major projects bill will also better would begin over the prepare North Dakota next months or years. for natural disasters. The infrastructure “From 2010 to 2020, bill had to cut back and North Dakota has include compromises in experienced 7 extreme order to get it passed by weather events, costing both parties. According the state up to $5 billion to the New York Times, in damages,” according the compromises that to The White House. were necessary to win The infrastructure bill is expecting to give North Dakota $21 million to protect against wildfires and $11 million to protect against cyberattacks. The bill is also expected to lower energy costs in North Dakota. The state is also expecting to receive $355 million to improve the water infrastructure. This will eliminate old pipes that contain lead and ensure Chris Wait |Creative Commons | Photo Courtesy clean, safe drinking
Anne Kesler
Continued from Front Page The criticism of police has led many to support the movement for defunding the police. This movement focuses on moving funds from police to other task forces that can respond to calls such as mental health related incidents. Decriminalization of certain drug-related laws has also been of importance to citizens as the decriminalization of low level drug offenses would lead to less arrests, of which often contain racial disparities. The idea behind the defund the police movement is moving towards public health and safety rather than focusing on these issues as crime. In June 2020, some members of the Minneapolis city council got behind the movement and pledged to dismantle the current police force in order to restructure a system with the goal of community and public safety in mind. M i n n e s o t a Representative, Ilhan Omar, is also in support of the change. In a town hall event in Minneapolis she shared her view of dysfunction the current department holds. “The police have chosen to not fulfill
their oath of office and to provide the public safety they are owed to the citizens they serve,” Omar said. North Dakota’s Rep. Senator Cramer does not share these same beliefs and posted an Ed-Op on his website with the title “Cops are Heroes — Don’t Defund or Demoralize Them.” Cramer believes at this time it is important to defend the police, and like many other politicians in N.D., does not see things changing within the state as far as
“That was their solution to the building’s lack of air conditioning,” said Brandon Terry, a Harvard Assistant Professor of African and African American Studies and Social Studies. “Just grab an ice cube.” defunding the police. “How are we supposed to recruit the next generation of law enforcement if this is how they can expect to be treated? If we fail to start from a position of respect, the thin blue line of heroes will be gone,” Cramer said.
over a large group of Senate Republicans pared back the president’s ambitions for investing in “human infrastructure.” Some of these cutbacks included home health care and physical infrastructure to fight climate change. The bill is said to put the United States in a better position to compete against other nations such as China, according to the New York Times. North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven and Sen. Kevin Cramer supported and passed the bill; however, Rep. Kelly Armstrong voted against the bill in the house. The plan awarded North Dakota with money to make improvements to various areas of infrastructure. According to North Dakota DemocraticNPL, the plan “will create millions of jobs, while modernizing our infrastructure, improving and strengthening supply chains, and boost US competitiveness for years to come.” According to the
water. $94 million will be used to improve North Dakota airports. According to the White House, “The historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will make life better for hundreds of thousands of North Dakota residents, create a generation of good-paying union jobs and economic growth, and position the United States to win the 21st century.” The plan has caused tension within the Republican party as far-right congress members are criticizing republicans who voted in favor of the bill. According to NBC, “Some of the lawmakers who voted for the bill have received death threats, including Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich.” 13 Republicans in the House and 19 Republicans in the Senate voted in favor of the bill. According to The Hill, Republicans are opposed the bill because, “Democrats are linking it with their $3.5 trillion reconciliation package to expand social safety net programs and invest in climate change mitigation efforts.” The bill was originally meant to be passed on Friday November 12; however, a group of House moderates would not pass the bill until they received economic analysis from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The bill was postponed and was signed by Biden on Monday afternoon.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts weather forecast for ND Northern portions of country face below average temperatures during winter months while the south is predicted to be warmer than usual Anne Kesler
Head News Editor The Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts that North Dakota’s winter will be milder than normal. The coldest periods are said to be in mid- to late November, late December and the whole month of January. As for the snow, the almanac predicts to see the most snowfall midto late November, late December, the whole month of January and the last third of March. For the rest of the country, the National Weather Service forecasts above average temperatures for the Southern and Eastern United States. Wetter-thanaverage conditions are anticipated across northern portions of the country, mostly in the Pacific Northwest, northern Rockies, Great Lakes, Ohio Valley
and western Alaska. Summer months are predicted to be hotter than normal, with the hottest periods in midJune and throughout the first half of july. Not quite as much participation will be seen during the season as the almanac predicts a drier than normal forecast for the northern states. Southern states will see more rain than usual with the following fall season being slightly warmer and drier than normal across the country, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. The first snow had a late start this year for the state of North Dakota. Last year, the snow came down in mid-October but didn’t stick around until after Christmas. The National Weather service of Bismarck
(NWSB) recorded less than 20 inches of snow for winter of 2020. According to the National Weather Service of Bismarck, the state should expect more than last season. J.P. Martin, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Bismarck, told KFYR news, “Just as with the cold temperatures, the first half of the winter season should be fairly dry as far as snow, and the second half is where we think it will become more active. So again, we’re looking at the mid-January through February to be a colder period and a snowier period than what the first half of the winter is.” Even though cold temperatures will reach below normal for some parts of the season, the
NWSB states there may be a similar situation to last year with consecutive days of no snow and sunshine. “We are favored for below average temperatures for much of western and central North Dakota, and then equal chances in eastern North Dakota. But even though the
winter is favored overall for below normal temperatures, that doesn’t mean that the entire winter is going to be cold. We are certainly going to warm up at times and have some mild spells,” said Megan Jones, meteorologist at the National Weather Service
in Bismarck, in an interview with KFYR. It is hard to predict weather out for an entire season and beyond, so keep an eye out for accuracy this winter and refer back to The Old Farmer’s Almanac for more weather forecasts, or other news sources.
File Photo | The Spectrum
the Spectrum | November 18, 2021
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Vaccine lawsuit adds ND with the state joining 9 others 10 states file for a lawsuit against the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate, including ND Courtney Entzi Staff Writer
Governor Doug Burgum recently released his support for North Dakota joining the lawsuit against the Biden Administration’s vaccine mandate for private businesses. The mandate states that private businesses with 100 or more employees must be vaccinated. The many conservative citizens and politicians in the state are against this idea and it shocked few when the N.D. Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem decided to enter the lawsuit with nine other states. “The federal government is overstepping its authority by trying to impose a vaccine mandate on state team members in certain agencies just because they receive funding from two federal programs. Likewise, North Dakota hospitals and long-term care facilities also should be allowed to make their own vaccine decisions as private employers and shouldn’t be held hostage by CMS
funding,” Burgum said. While Burgum encourages citizens to get information on the vaccine and vaccinations, he believes the government is overstepping their bounds. “This isn’t about whether COVID-19 vaccines work — they do — or whether they’re important in health care settings — they are. Rather, this misguided CMS mandate is yet another example of blatant federal overreach by the Biden administration that violates our state’s sovereign right to enact and enforce laws and will only breed additional vaccine resistance and workforce challenges,” Burgum said. “We fully support the attorney general joining this lawsuit and urge the court to immediately block this intrusive and illegal mandate.” The other states involved in the lawsuit are Missouri, Nebraska, Arkansas, Kansas, Iowa, Wyoming, Alaska, South Dakota and New Hampshire. The total of 10 states
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involved in the lawsuit say they are worried that the mandate will affect thousands of jobs, specifically those within healthcare. The states feel that requiring a vaccine in order to avoid termination is unconstitutional. Many of these states are worried how this mandate will affect rural health professionals who often work in already understaffed conditions. “Yet again, this lawsuit is not about whether people should get vaccinated. Instead, it is about federal overreach and the federal government using an unconstitutional mandate to force front-line health care workers to choose between a vaccination or unemployment. North Dakota is already experiencing a shortage of healthcare workers, and this mandate will only exacerbate the situation,” said Stenehjem. With N.D. being made up of majority conservative citizens and only about half of citizens being vaccinated, many worry
the type of worker shortage this mandate may create. Stenehjem also believes that the mandate violates the Administrative Procedures Act and the courts should declare as such. Many democrat politicians and supporters believe the mandate does not do enough and according to CNN oppositional lawsuits will soon follow in order to
Anthony Crider | Photo Courtesy protect the mandate. Biden administration The circuit court has expressed their chosen for the lawsuit concerns for this pause may make a big impact as they fear it may cost in the final decision lives. on the constitutional No final decision credibility of the has been made mandate and democrats on the mandate’s hope the court chosen c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y , will have an appointed but many believe majority of judges by if the lawsuit democratic presidents. reaches the Supreme The mandate which Court, which has a was set to fall into effect conservative majority, on Jan. 4, has been it will be deemed paused already by The unconstitutional. U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The
Variety
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November 18th, 2021
The Stack-Up- Communion: A True Story Partick Ullmer Staff Writer
How does the film stack up to the book? In the late 1970s to early ’80s, author Whitley Strieber was coming into prominence with two novels, “Wolfen” and “The Hunger” bestselling and making him a sprouting household name alongside Stephen King; however it was this “true account” of a horrific alien encounter that became his mostrecognized work, ruining his reputation and cementing his legacy.
The book
Published in 1987, this book chronicles the abduction of Strieber by alien beings and their experimentations upon him. Oh boy, how to describe the plot of this story. It’s like listening to someone spend an hour vividly explaining some nightmares he had,
and then reasoning for another hour what each nightmare means and then spending the third hour explaining how they’re all connected. The alien encounter entails Strieber being visited by 3.5-foot-tall alien creatures whose faces are obscured by hoods and/or widebrimmed hats they wear. The “visitors” as he later calls them, carry him from his bedroom to a dirty and dingy room where he is experimented on in a large theater-like room by stalky, pale creatures wearing overalls that smell like cinnamon and cardboard. A silver needle is produced from a glossy black box and inserted into his head as well as, uh, (cough) “other effects” (let’s just say these aliens have dirty minds.) Later he is returned home only to be visited again by a creature who shows him terrifying visions
of the world exploding when Strieber tries to resist his psychic powers. When Strieber asks the visitors why he is undergoing this, the creatures reply it is because he is “the chosen one”. Strieber sees a hypnotist about this where he learns he has been receiving alien visions since he was 12, and obviously will continue since 5 (yes, 5) more books of alien encounters come after this. Oh. Boy. The title is derived from Strieber’s takeaway of the whole affair. The aliens want more than just knowledge and understanding of us, they want communion with us and our existence. Despite becoming a bestseller, nobody took Strieber seriously anymore and his work ever since has failed to bring him the recognition (or notoriety) of this one.
Review: 2/5
The film
Released in 1989, the film changes the viewpoint from Strieber’s point-ofview completely to focus on Strieber (Christopher Walken) and his wife’s (Lindsay Crouse) family-life becoming strained when repressed memories of Strieber’s past abduction begin to resurface. The filmmakers were more than a little skeptical of Strieber’s work and it shows with the inference of his character’s mental state being less than stable. This film feels more like slice-of-life fare than Science-Fiction for at least half of its runtime, featuring Walken (Yes, I’m referring to the actor, since Strieber disowned this film over its representation of him) dancing and wailing inexplicably, jump-scaring his family, wearing glasses upside down while
teasing his wife and writing a novel about wolves who work in advertising selling junk food and beer? In the words of Will Smith in “Men in Black”, ‘Was this before or after the alien took him?’ The film is visually surrealistic. Some characters’ faces are shown in bizarre closeups, including one lady explaining a Halloween scavenger hunt in brash “Roseanne Barr” style. That shot was more frightening than the alien puppetry shown later. There is one moment where Walken dances with the alien creatures and realizingly shrugs as if he knows the scene is ridiculous. The ending even frames Walken and his wife discussing his encounter while in a peculiar art exhibit, their bodies being framed in the wild art designs as if part of the display. Only Christopher Walken’s charisma
carries this film, and his relationship with his wife is the highlight as they both fight to accept these challenges. The film’s climax features Walken facing a doppelganger of himself in a Christmas home replica while opening the face of a visitor only to find another, more savage one underneath, becoming both enthralled and enraged upon realizing the aliens will never reveal their true forms. This film was a trip.
Review: 3/5
I had an alien encounter myself this morning. I looked in the mirror and discovered a horrifying creature staring back at me with wild, unruly hair sticking up in all directions. After I got over my shock, I smoothed my hair and realized I was still looking at a horrifying creature. Then I had my morning coffee and saw myself.
Best Thanksgiving movies of all time Many iconic Thanksgiving films are brushed off by other seasonal holiday flicks Grant Ayers Variety Editor
While everyone looks forward to Halloween and Christmas movies year-round, Thanksgiving-themed holiday flicks come and go without much attention paid to them. Here are just a few of the hidden gems that are buried within the genre, ranging from rom-com to nostalgic old-time comedies.
Grumpy Old Men
Set in Wabasha, Minn., two grumpy old men throw themselves into the feud of a lifetime when a new woman moves next door just before Thanksgiving. Filled with relatable references and slight raunchiness, ‘Grumpy Old Men’ is an all-toorealistic look into many of our lives forty years from now. Quote: “Looks like Chuck’s taking old oneeye to the optometrist.”
Garfield’s Thanksgiving
Garfield is one of those childhood shows that most grow out of sooner rather than later in their life, but the Thanksgiving special is too good to pass up on this time of year. It’s childish, lighthearted and offers a trip down memory lane. While it may not be as iconic
as Charlie Brown and his gang of misfits, it’s worth the rewatch from time to time during Thanksgiving festivities. Quote: “Oh, woe is me. I’ve been put on a diet, and I’m gonna die.”
Paul Blart: Mall Cop
When this film was made, the writer’s room had to have envisioned ’Die Hard’ but better. There’s nothing more iconic than Kevin James with a mustache on a Segway. The comedy is sure to get at least one laugh out of everyone watching, as well as pump everyone up for Black Friday deals the following day. Quote: “Safety never takes a holiday.”
celebration, they witness more friction than they could have imagined possible. What’s Cooking? Quote: “Why do you By far the most want to make the turkey culturally forward- taste like everything thinking on the list, else we eat?” ‘What’s Cooking’ Friendsgiving offers a comedic One of the newer insight into various films on the list, celebrations of the ‘Friendsgiving’, offers holiday. Set in Los everything from “that Angeles, four families, one funny girl from each of different ‘Two Broke Girls’” ethnicity, gather to making everyone for one memorable in the room say “We Thanksgiving dinner. should throw our As the audience own Friendsgiving!” explores the Available on Netflix and celebrations of Latino, clocking in at a short Jewish, African and hour and 30 minutes, Vietnamese families’ the film is hilarious and traditions for the unique from most other
| Photo Courtesy Thanksgiving-themed movies. Quote: “That’s the whole point of Thanksgiving Molly: Sugar and regret!”
Tower Heist
everything from Thanksgiving robberies, carjackers, hijinks and much, much more. On top of all of that, the film is one of Michael Pena’s breakout roles, as he steals the spotlight every time the camera’s on him. Quote: “He’s been arrested a bunch of times. He pays no income taxes. He’s got 2 Doberman Pinschers. So let’s show him some respect, OK?”
With an all-star cast including Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Casey Affleck, Matthew Broderick and more, ‘Tower Heist’ offers one of the funniest Thanksgiving-themed films on the list. As the crew of poor, downon-their-luck men try to “eat the rich”, they A Charlie Brown take just about every Thanksgiving misstep possible along Last, but most the way, proving for a certainly not least, hilarious and wild ride. is arguably the most The film has classic Thanksgiving
short of all time. ‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving’ offers a quality family flick that not only distracts the kids but throws the parents deep into nostalgia from their childhood. Clocking in at a short 25 minutes, it’s perfect to watch with the whole family before Thanksgiving dinner as the turkey is almost cooked to perfection. Quote: Charlie Brown: “We’ve got ANOTHER holiday to worry about. It seems Thanksgiving Day is upon us.” Sally Brown: “I haven’t even finished eating all of my Halloween candy!” Linus van Pelt: “Sally, Thanksgiving is a very important holiday. Ours was the first country in the world to make a national holiday to give thanks.” While it may be colder than preferred to kick the leaves around and enjoy the outdoors in Fargo, there are still plenty of movies to pass the time around the holiday. Truly, there’s nothing better than clipping those Black Friday coupons with the family as Paul Blart gives one of his many inspirational speeches.
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the Spectrum | November 18, 2021
Staying sane in Fargo’s winter months
Astrofest: What is Travis Scott’s next move?
Grant Ayers
Continued from Front Page Now that the event has come and gone, with the possibility of a 2022 Astroworld Festival still in limbo, what will, or should, Travis Scott do next in the center of the public eye? There has been a multitude of attempts to apologize already made, with few working in the direction of forgiveness. At the time of writing, Scott has made numerous apologies and acts of selflessness in the hope of getting back in the public’s good graces. First, Scott retreated from the Day N Vegas lineup and posted a public (Notes app) apology to social media. The apology was late in the eyes of the public and clearly written by his PR team. Next, Scott released a public video apology in his defense, still only accepting partial blame for the situation. He also offered to pay for the funeral costs of the nine lives lost and partnered with a debatably exploitative therapy app known as BetterHelp. The term “partnership” in a celebrity-to-brand deal usually entails the celebrity being paid to promote their company. Whether
he’s being monetarily paid, or BetterHelp is gaining popularity from a mass casualty incident, many think it’s sickening for him to be involved with the partnership. While he may have dug a hole deeper than he can climb out of for the forseeable future, other performers have boosted their public image by doing the right thing. Rapper Roddy Ricch wasn’t even looked at in terms of blame and fault for what happened at the event. So much so, that he wasn’t even scheduled to perform until the following night. Still, Ricch chose to donate the entirety of his net proceeds that he received from signing up for the festival to the families who lost their loved ones. Travis could do many other things to improve his public image. He could make a large donation to the families who lost loved ones, or those who were known to have gotten injured at the festival. He could also set up a small, limited-size festival with the proceeds going towards trauma services and therapy centers. Furthermore, Scott
could give the entirety of the Astroworld Festival’s proceeds away to varying charities that aren’t simply a “partnership” such as the one he involved himself in. As he’s currently facing 14 different lawsuits, Scott may be best off simply taking time away from the public eye and media cycle. With a new album titled “Utopia” and two singles having dropped the night
before the festival (“ESCAPE PLAN” and “MAFIA”), this could very well be the worst beginning to an album rollout in recorded history. Time will only tell what Travis Scott does to earn forgiveness, as well as if the general public chooses to move on and continue supporting him in the future, just as is done with many other highprofile musicians.
| Photo Courtesy
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hour’s drive to have a fun time skiing with friends outside once the snow sticks. Offering a handful of courses with excellent terrain, skiing and snowboarding is a great way to make the most of the outdoor weather on a short day-long trip over a weekend. Fargo-Moorhead Area’s Frostival The much-anticipated Frostival will take place from mid-January to mid-February at the top of 2022. According to the Frostival’s website, “Frostival is all about celebrating the ‘cool’ of winter with outdoor events, concerts and family-friendly activities across our North of Normal city, Fargo, and its sister cities West Fargo and Moorhead.” Offering everything from winter volleyball and kickball to snow sculpture competitions, the six-week festival aims to show that Fargo’s freezing months can’t stop friends and family from coming together and having fun outside. Continue reading at ndsuspectrum.com from
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Opinion
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November 18th, 2021
modern feminism How to ruin Thanksgiving What gets wrong about A guide to a much more entertaining holiday
Delaney Halloran Opinion Editor
We all know the trope about how family holidays can be; the big fights, overturned dinner plates, grandma is in tears, your cousin is having an affair, the dog ate the turkey and what have you. However, I personally think that this trope has much more relevancy in television shows and movies than it does in real life. I say more chaos! More tears! Let’s embrace ruining Thanksgiving. What’s fun about a family evening where everyone gets along? So here are some tips on how to ruin Thanksgiving; which, as a bonus, serves as a good litmus test for how awful some of your relatives might secretly be. Here’s to ruining Thanksgiving! Ask opinions about vaccine mandates This one is pretty much a ringer for causing havoc. It’s likely that someone in your family is an antivaxxer, or they work on the frontlines or they got COVID-19 themselves. Whatever the case may be, someone is going to scream. Bonus points if you bring up how anti-vaxxers are appropriating a yellow star. This usually weeds out the antiSemetic apologists and delusional hypocrites — save yourself from having to deal with them again. Say you like Jake Gyllenhal If you think Taylor Swift won’t come up at your Thanksgiving dinner, you’re absolutely wrong. Jake Gyllenhal is enemy number one right now. Props to our girl Taylor for ruining his life 10 year after the break up — she is truly an idol. Trying to say you like this man, or saying something like, “I think the whole ‘not showering’ thing is cool,” will land you in deep water with that one cousin who is about one more re-released album away from declaring Swift as their savior. Trust me, Swifties are stronger than us all and they will recreate the world in their tartan-scarf covered, female-empowered and aesthetically pleasing vision. List definitions of different sexualities and gender identities This one is doubly helpful because it’s educational and frustrating to a group of people who could list off every Fox News host over the last 12 years, but think that saying “they” instead of
“he” is mentally taxing. Talking about sexualities now will save you in the future from having to answer questions from family members like, “My neighbor says her daughter is a pansexual. What is that?” You’ll have a relative watching football with knowledge of the statistics of every member of the team arguing with you that gender identity is “too damn confusing.” It’s an entertaining and enlightening topic. Bring up TrumpKennedy 2024 In case you’re confused, there is a group of Q-Anon believers who think that Donald Trump is going to run for President with John F. Kennedy Jr. as his Vice President. And yes, that is the same John F. Kennedy Jr. that died in 1999. The same John F. Kennedy Jr. that was a registered Democrat. Those Trump supporters sure do give me a giggle now and then. So bring this up, ask for thoughts. This would also be an ideal time to discuss the moon landing, flat earth or the illuminati.
I say more chaos! More tears! Let’s embrace ruining Thanksgiving. Argue that Marvel movies are bad There is truly nothing more delicate than the ego of a mega-Marvel fan. Try arguing that Marvel movies are bad. Talk about how they use the same three tropes over and over and hope no one will notice (super hero losing powers, super hero getting falsely labeled the villain, super hero failing to realize potential — rinse, repeat, go again). You can talk about how Captain Marvel
and Scarlet Witch are clearly the most powerful Avengers, and that allowing Iron Man to bring down Thanos instead of them was a move made by Disney to appease misogynists who want to see Daddy Billionaire be the hero. Make everyone go around the table and define critical race theory This one is extra fun because unless they got a degree in ethnic studies or a related field, they won’t be able to do it! You could also ask how it’s implemented in schools, examples of when they learned it in their K-12 education and the like. Continue down this past by asking what version of history they would like to be taught. Since it’s Thanksgiving after all, you could ask if children should be taught that white people were friends and saviors of Native Americans or that roughly 90% of them were dead because of European arrival. Bonus points if you start calling everyone a colonizer. Have everyone chip in for Thanksgiving by salary You know what topic puts everyone at ease? Money. Have everyone say their salary outloud, and then contribute to the meal accordingly. This will really help when the winter holidays roll around too, “Really Tom? You make $220,000 a year to my $25,000 and you get me Costco socks? Really?” Oh, doesn’t everybody love a good money talk? Call billionairesupporters ‘bootlickers’ Jeff Bezos wouldn’t last a day if it weren’t for all of his mid- to lower-class groupies who insist he earned his wealth. Considering that he as one person
has the financial ability to solve several worldwide social problems, including world hunger, I think what he really deserves is a lifetime in hell talking to the children who starved to death while he was alive. But I digress. People who will never be billionaires really love loving billionaires. Call them bootlickers and wait for them to implode. Honorable mentions If none of these suggestions really did it for you, I have a couple honorable mentions: You could trash the Reagan presidency. Say that Quentin Tarentino’s movies are derivative. Only bring vegan food to the meal. Do a Turkey trot or some sort of garbage exercise thing the dayof. Keep calling someone Karen, but don’t tell them why. Make one of those, “My family and their problems,” TikToks and then play it at the dinner table. Just mention Chris Pratt once. Honestly, whatever method you need to ruin Thanksgiving. Now, if you’re one of those people that has their panties in a twist about ruining a holiday with roots in colonialism and imperialism, you’ve clearly got your own stuff to work out. Perhaps you’ll have a lovely and wonderful Thanksgiving evening, but that’s probably because your family isn’t problematic as hell and would respond to these ‘holidayruining” prompts with basic human decency. However, if these things really would ruin your holiday, I say let them — and then send me footage of the glorious wreckage.
Nathan Congleton | Creative Commons | Photo Courtesy
Disney princesses
Criticism of princesses like Cinderella miss the value of her story Abigail Faulkner Staff Writer
Growing up, Cinderella was my favorite Disney princess. I wish I could tell you what intrigued me at six years old, but still, I am not sure. Something about her demeanor: her kindness and optimism despite her circumstances, she remained good. But looking through the 1950’s movie with modern eyes, people have begun asking if Cinderella is a good role model for girls. After all, she isn’t a businesswoman like Tiana or a warrior like Mulan. Comparatively, she’s more passive in her reality. She is feminine, gentle-spirited; she ends up with the prince. She is a different kind of woman than what we imagine when we think of modern women. She isn’t a girl boss. Many of us are familiar with Disney’s Cinderella, and if you aren’t, you have likely seen one of the hundreds of other varieties of the fairy tale: the evil stepfamily, terrible life, beautiful ball gown, the glass slippers. Many elements of her story still speak to me in my adult life, and in re-watching the movie, I saw so much that I missed. First is the extent to which Cinderella is abused. In the opening credits, we are informed by the narrator verbatim that the stepmother, Lady Tremaine, is abusive. And even though that statement leaves little room for doubt, many scenes in the movie show just how manipulative and horrible the stepmother really is. Lady Tremaine is framed using horror movie-esc lighting and framing, usually depicting her in shadows and darkness to show evil visually. There are several times in the movie where Cinderella will physically distance herself from her step-family. One of the most horrifying scenes in the movie is when Lady Tremaine encourages and allows her stepdaughters to tear apart Cinderella’s dress in an act of physical violence. The actual scene
itself is colored in a way that contrasts with the following scene of Cinderella’s makeover. When her dress is torn, she’s wearing pink and the background is red and black. The color palette for the next scene is all cold tones in blues. Even if this violence isn’t always physical, it is not uncommon for her stepmother to play mind games to get what she wants. Like telling our heroine, she can only attend the ball if she gets all her work done and has a dress. Then immediately proceeds to provide her with more work than she can reasonably get done and therefore removes her ability to make her dress. Or, in the movie’s most pivotal scene, the evil stepmother locks her in the tower because she has figured out that Cinderella is the girl the prince is looking for. This act means this is done solely from the bitterness, jealousy and resentment Lady Tremaine has for Cinderella. I outline her treatment in detail because it enriches the meaning and themes of her story. Even though her living situation is bad, she still hasn’t let go of her hopes or dreams. Her character is still unbroken. And the fairy godmother is the physical manifestation of this hope. She believes that if she can hang in there, it will be worth it. She will be okay in the end. But many aspects of her story are criticized because of the help she receives. Unlike some other heroines, she isn’t able to develop a clever plot to think her way out of a problem. And she doesn’t save herself from the abuse in a traditional sense. Keep reading on ndsuspectrum.com continue on from “But the thing about being...”
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the Spectrum | November 18, 2021
Travis Scott’s horrific concert could have been prevented
Concert-goers should never have to experience something like the Astroworld tragedy Kilee Blume Staff Writer
A concert is made for making you feel alive. Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival incident should not have happened. Travis Scott and his team should have stopped the show. Someone should have told him, “Hey, people are getting trampled and hurt, let’s stop the show, help everyone up and make sure that everyone is OK.” But that’s not what happened.
People go to concerts to feel alive; at Travis Scott’s Astroworld concert — it was quite the opposite. It is unfortunate and my heart goes out to all the families of those who have died and to all of the concertgoers that were looking forward to the time of their life.
According to ABC News, around 9:30 p.m. at the Astroworld event a crowd began to compress toward the front of the stage, said Houston Fire Chief Sam Pena. A resident of San Antonio, Fatima Munoz, 21, had described the event as a “domino effect.” Everyone had
fallen on the floor, including him, as he tried so hard to get up. ABC News goes on to say that Scott had continued the show. Only pausing when he noticed someone in the crowd passed out. Around 300 people had been treated by medical personnel on site, while another 25 had been transported to the hospital. While investigating, Houston Fire Chief believes that Travis Scott should have at least tried stopping the show. Travis Scott was the biggest influence at the show, he could have easily stopped and had his team make sure everyone was okay. You would think that if you saw a huge group of people just fall over in the crowd, there is obviously something wrong. While medical professionals came to help those who were struggling, Travis should have realized that something wasn’t right. Or his team should have let him know and the show could’ve been stopped. If Travis would’ve stopped the show, none of this would’ve happened. Along with this, Travis should have a team that is communicating with him about what is going on, along with having a security team that does not allow as many people into the concert venue. To avoid this in
the future, the concert should be split into multiple days, with the same headliners and the same show. Rather than the unfortunate domino effect that happened last Saturday. To add onto this, the performer must have a strong security system that will help prevent tragic effects like this happening in the future. According to Today, eight people ranging from 14 to 27 died from the tragedy of Travis Scott’s concert. Kylie Jenner went to Instagram to express that she and Travis, “weren’t aware of any fatalities until the news came out after the show and in no world
would have continued filming or performing.” If this is true, Travis Scott should have his security team terminated and a new stronger, more professional team should take their place. They need to take their job seriously. And if Travis were to realize what was happening, the show should have ended right then and there. Today, goes on to state, “Scott announced Monday he will pay for the funeral costs of those who died and will offer free one-onone therapy and other mental health services for those affected by the tragedy, through
the partnership with therapy company, BetterHelp.” It is good to see that Travis Scott is offering help to the families and concert-goers that were affected by this horrific event. However, there should be some charges toward him or his team for what had happened in the first place. Today said that “Scott previously pled guilty to charges in 2015 and 2017 after incidents involving fans rushing to the stage and jumping barricades at concerts in Chicago and Arkansas.” Personally, if I had pled guilty for these charges — I know I wouldn’t have let it happen again.
Even though the investigation isn’t over, I believe that there should be consequences at the end of it all. People go to concerts to feel alive; at Travis Scott’s Astroworld concert — it was quite the opposite. It is unfortunate and my heart goes out to all the families of those who have passed and to all of the concertgoers that were looking forward to the time of their life. A lesson should be learned from this horrific incident. Note: there have been 10 total deaths related to the Astroworld event as of Nov. 15, 2021.
Brandon Dull |Creative Commons| Photo Courtesy
Vigilante justice in America
Continued from Front Page Instead of allowing the police to investigate any leads, they took justice into their own hands. And unfortunately for Rittenhouse, his intention to protect property that did not belong to him cost two people their lives. Instead of allowing trained professionals to handle the crowds, he took it upon himself to carry out justice, to enforce order. The road to hell, at least for Rittenhouse, is paved with good intentions. And for both of these cases, I think there’s something worth pointing out. While a gun is just a tool, it is not a tool of peace. People don’t bring guns to
de-escalate situations. You do not point a gun at someone without recognizing that there is a distinct possibility that you could be ending someone’s life. Whether the resulting death is an accident frankly doesn’t matter; your bullet caused their death. We are supposed to be advocates, to speak for those who do not have a voice. Not take it into our own hands. What’s even more disturbing to me is that people apply their idea of justice to others without a trial, due process and a jury of their peers. We are entering an era where truth is what we say it is. Where justice is what we say it is.
These concepts should live outside of the individual. Whether or not you believe that the sky is blue does not change that the sky is, in fact, blue. The same laws that apply to me, a white person, are the same laws that should apply to everyone else. I am not a police officer, I am not currently a judge or on a jury, so it’s not my place to make arrests, carry out sentencing on others or pass verdicts. But that’s precisely what Rittenhouse, the McMichaels and Bryan did. Regardless of what they set out to do, Joseph Rosenbaum, Anthony Huber and Ahmaud Arbery received the death sentence. Did Kyle Rittenhouse
kill these people in self-defense? It’s a possibility, but Kyle, a minor, shouldn’t have ever gone to Kenosha. We have systems in place to deal with violence. The police and the National Guard are best equipped to handle these kinds of situations. Having armed, untrained citizens in the mix makes everything worse. Kyle Rittenhouse and his case have proved that. On the other side of the same coin, we have the McMichaels. Instead of allowing the police to investigate the burglaries as they saw fit, the men took action in a complete miscarriage of justice.
Georgian law states that, “A private person may arrest an offender if the offense is committed in his presence or within his immediate knowledge.” The McMichaels murder of Arbery should not be protected under law. I can find nothing that Arbery has done wrong. His “crime” is checking out a house that is under construction. I am sure I have taken a peek at new homes being built on my block. He stole nothing from the site. So what exactly did he do wrong? Trespass? Should that cost him his life? And yet, this law is the crux of the defense’s argument.
Even more disturbing, it took three prosecutors looking at the case before someone found it worth pressing charges over. It’s likely that if the bodycam footage had never been leaked, Arbury’s family would never have received so much as an approximation of justice. Keep reading on ndsuspectrum.com continue on from “What are the consequences?”
Sports
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November 18th, 2021
NFL playoff predictions at the halfway point Potential playoff spoilers below Dallas Korelc Staff Writer
We are just over halfway through the 2021 NFL season, and we are starting to get an idea of what the playoffs are going to look like when it is all said and done. I will go through all the games that teams have left and pick a winner. Then I will go through every potential matchup in the playoffs with stat predictions for each game until I have crowned this season’s Superbowl champion. This could be spot on, or it could be the most inaccurate list ever. But that’s the fun in doing this. So, let’s not waste any time and get straight into it. Again, these are just my predictions.
Wildcard Round
First Round Byes — Titans and Buccaneers 2nd Seed Bills vs 7th Seed Colts This game could end up being better than a lot of people might think. If the Colts can keep playing at a higher level than I expected them to at the beginning of the year, then this game will be fun. But it won’t be enough to beat this talented Bills team. I have Jonathan Taylor going for over 100 yards but not being able to reach the endzone, meanwhile Josh Allen goes for over 350 yards with a touchdown to take down the Colts 27-23. 3rd Seed Ravens vs 6th Seed Patriots I have this game being a high scoring brawl all the way through. But one person in particular will take over this matchup. I have Lamar Jackson being the guy to do that. I think that Lamar Jackson will pass for 230 yards and one touchdown, while rushing for 140 yards and two touchdowns in this 37-28 win. But let’s not take away from Mac
Jones’ performance. Mac Jones will end up throwing for 200 yards while throwing three touchdowns and only one interception, but again, it isn’t enough to beat this Ravens team. 4th Seed Chiefs vs 5th Seed Chargers Despite the slow start for the Chiefs, I do think that they will end up winning the division fairly easily. Not because they are back to being the Chiefs, but because the rest of the division slows down. So, when the Chiefs play a team from their division in the playoffs, don’t be too surprised when you see Patrick Mahomes will his team to a 34-10 win. While Justin Herbert struggles from the start and can’t get his team going. Then also don’t be surprised that while playing down most of the game, Herbert ends up throwing multiple interceptions in a game he wants to forget. 2nd Seed Cowboys vs 7th Seed Saints The Saints have done it, without Drew Brees and without Jameis Winston, they made the playoffs. If you thought I was going to say they were going to beat the Cowboys, you are badly mistaken. I have this being a big blowout. I am talking about a Dallas Cowboys vs Atlanta Falcons Week 10 type blowout. This is a game where Dak Prescott will play like the early 2020 Dak Prescott and throw for 470+ yards and 5 touchdowns. Meanwhile Trevor Siemian has a meaningless game only throwing for 120 yards and no touchdowns. The only plus of this game for the Saints is that they didn’t turn the ball over despite being blown out. 3rd Seed Packers vs 6th Seed 49ers Right now, the 49ers have a negative record and wouldn’t be in the
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) throws a pass during warm ups at James P. McCoy| Buffalo News| Photo Courtesy AT&T Stadium in Arlington the Rams 1st Seed Buccaneers playoffs if they ended not hard for the rest of can’t. The Rams end vs 2nd Seed Cowboys today. But that doesn’t the season. So, does deter me away from that mean that they lose up losing the game 41- This game has a very what I think this team in the first round against 33 due to Tom Brady’s good story. This was the could do. And with real competition? No, four touchdown passes. opening game for the the games they have the Chiefs defense will 2nd Seed Cowboys vs NFL this year. And that was the last time these left on their schedule, once again be exposed, 3rd Seed Packers This is a rematch two teams met. When to Ryan they could easily make leading the playoffs as a low Tannehill throwing for that was long in the they met the first time, seed. But that doesn’t 424 yards and three making. The last time the Buccaneers were mean they can beat touchdowns with the these teams met in the able to get the better of the Packers. Despite help of A.J Brown’s divisional round of the the Dallas Cowboys, it being a good game, 160 yards and two playoffs it was the game but not this time. With of the controversial the Cowboys defense the Packers win 21-20 touchdown catches. behind Aaron Rodgers 2nd Seed Bills vs 3rd Dez Bryant catch- fully settled and an or-no-catch. Which offense that is near Seed Ravens 200 yards and 2 Now we open the is why coming out impossible to stop, touchdowns. 4th Seed Rams vs 5th second round of the of a dominating win the Cowboys win this playoffs. And this is last week, with the game 31-24 thanks to Seed Cardinals These two teams have where we get some of added inspiration of the whole team. Every very similar storylines, the better matches of rivalry, the Cowboys player on the roster they both started off the playoffs, like this will win a very close plays better than they as some of the hottest one. These two teams game 21-19 behind were expected to put three-touchdown Tom Brady and the teams in the NFL, but will have a back-and- a by Bucs down. they both started to forth game until one performance Superbowl - Bills vs CeeDee Lamb. fall off at midseason. team takes the lead and Cowboys Conference Despite them both won’t let go. That team falling off though, they is the Buffalo Bills. The Championship Round The final game is upon us. The whole season both found themselves Bills defense will do has led these two teams 1st Seed Titans vs 2nd in the playoffs. But for enough to keep Lamar here, but only one will Seed Bills one team that is where Jackson under 250 Both teams did a lot walk away with the it all ends, and that total yards and hold team is the Cardinals. this offense to only 17 to get here, but only Lombardi. We all know This game ends up points. Meanwhile Josh one will represent the the saying, “Defense being a defensive Allen and the Bills are whole conference in wins championships,” battle, but Stafford is able to keep their pace the Superbowl. And and that stays true for without this one. The Bills great able to edge out the and put up 30 points in potentially their star versus the best defense is able to slow Cardinals by throwing this win. for 200 yards and the 1st Seed Buccaneers defense in the NFL, down the Cowboys the Titans just don’t offense just enough vs 4th Seed Rams only touchdown for the The Rams are coming have enough to make for them to outpace Rams in a 19-10 win. into this week off a win, it there. The Bills end this offense. The final Divisional Round but they were not at all up winning this game score of 34-31 will 1st Seed Titans vs 4th dominant in that win. 37-27 behind another be remembered by all And when you don’t 350-yard and four- Bills fans as they win Seed Chiefs I surprised myself have any real steam touchdown game from their first Superbowl with the Titans ending going, it will be hard Josh Allen. So, the Bills ever. up as the No. 1 seed. to beat a Tom Brady are off to SoFi Stadium But their schedule is led team. Which is why for the Superbowl.
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the Spectrum | November 18, 2021
Early season NBA storylines
Four weeks in and the NBA is already ripe with new drama Mason Urban
Staff Writer The NBA season is about a month old and as always, there are more than enough storylines floating around. Ben Simmons and Kyrie Irving still yet to play Coming into the season the biggest NBA storyline was the playing statuses of both Irving and Simmons. Simmons was holding out from the Sixers in hopes that they would trade him, while Irving was unable to play in home games due to his vaccine status, thus forcing the Nets to say that he won’t be allowed to play until he’s vaccinated. On the Simmons front, it appears that he is no closer to playing than he was at the start of the season. While he has reported to
Philadelphia, he has cited that mental health issues are keeping him from being able to play. He has been working with a mental health doctor but doesn’t appear to be in a rush to take the court as long as he is still a Sixer. On Monday, the Sixers fined Simmons for failing to travel on their six-game road trip. Timberwolves fined for offseason workouts The Minnesota Timberwolves were fined $250,000 by the NBA for violating league rules against arranging or paying players for offseason workouts outside of the team’s home market. The violations took place in September, where the Timberwolves worked out in Miami around the home of new owner Alex Rodriguez. NBA tampering
investigation nearing conclusion The NBA announced in August that they were investigating potential tampering issues during this summer’s free agency period. More specifically, surrounding the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat. Both the Bulls and Heat pulled off complex sign-andtrade moves during the opening minutes of free agency. The NBA has interviewed multiple executives of the teams in question and has gathered electronic messaging of the front office executives in question. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that penalties could include a fine of up to $10 million per team, the loss of draft picks and the suspension of team executives. Warriors revenge
tour After five year of dominance, basketball fans got in their licks at the demise of the Golden State Warriors. However, they appear to be back. Golden State currently boasts the best record in the league at 11-2. What makes this scarier, they are doing it without Klay Thompson and James Wiseman, who have yet to make their season debut. It’s no surprise who is leading the charge for the Warriors, Steph Curry is putting up yet another MVP-level performance. He is averaging 28.1 points, 6.7 assists and 6.2 rebounds per game. I hope everyone got their laughs in at the Warriors when they could, because they are back to being the favorites in the Western Curry and the Warriors are striking fear Conference. into the rest of the NBA
United States remains top seed in CONCACAF
As the World Cup inches closer, the U.S. stays on track to qualify In the second half, the Andrew Haugland squads. The U.S. the match with 13. Staff Writer
The United States men’s national soccer team rallied late to defeat Mexico 2-0 last Friday in Cincinnati, Ohio. The win helps the U.S. come closer to qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The United States entered it’s seventh game in Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football on Friday in a heated contest against the highly touted Team Mexico. Mexico was previously the top ranked team in the CONCACAF with a record of 4-1-1. The match got a little chippy halfway through as five yellow cards were awarded between the two
earned three yellows in a row during a tenminute span. The U.S. betted the first goal in the 74th minute, after Christian Pulisic hit a header in off a cross pass from Timothy Weah. The U.S. got their second goal of the match in the 85th minute after Weston McKennie booted one in from inside the box. A few minutes later Miles Robinson was forced to leave, after being awarded a red card after getting his second yellow card of the match. Mexico was unable to score, and the final score was 2-0. The U.S. led in shots with 18 including five shots on net, Mexico had eight shots with four on net. Mexico had the most fouls in
The United States played Jamaica on Nov. 16 in Kingston, Jamaica the game ended in a tie at 1-1. The U.S. stays as the number one seed out of the CONCACAF. In the eighth minute Jamaica’s Je-Vaughn Watson got a yellow card. The U.S. was able to put one in the net. Weah was able to score from the left side after a pass from teammate Ricardo Pepi. Jamaica was able to retaliate back in the 22nd minute when Michall Antonio shot from outside the box. Devon Williams was able to get the assist after heading one to Antonio. Javian Brown from Jamiaca was awarded a yellow card in the 40th minute after a bad foul.
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U.S. received a lucky break after a Jamaican player headed one in past the U.S. goalie Zack Steffen. The goal was called off by officials after claiming there was a push off. The game ended as a draw 1-1, but the U.S. will remain the number one seed. Jamaica earned more fouls than the U.S. with 12 to the U.S.’s eight. The U.S. plays in an exhibition against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Dec. 18. Bosnia and Herzegovina is 1-4-3 in qualifying round play. The CONCACAF has not confirmed the dates for the upcoming matches in the World Cup qualifying round play.
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Bison dominate Penguins as FCS Playoffs loom
Continued from Front Page
Tim Sanger | Kobe Johnson now owns the record Photo Courtesy for longest run in school history. The number two to take on in-state rival seed would mean Montana. The Grizz home-field advantage hold an 8-2 record of throughout the playoffs, their own, and need and a potentially easier this win if they hope path of opponents as to elevate their own the Bison gear up for seeding for the playoffs. another run at Frisco. While a win on the The problem is, their road here would be a is a lot of competition nice resume builder for that coveted number for the Bobcats, a loss one overall seed. If the could be devastating season ended tomorrow, if they hope to remain the spot would likely go in the top-6 seeds. to 2020 FCS runner-up That brings us back and old Bison playoff around to the Bison. If foe James Madison. The the Bison, Bobcats and Dukes welcome a 4-6 Dukes all win, will the Towson team to town Herd secure the number on Saturday. While two seed? Probably not. Towson is already on the For that to happen, the outside looking in of the Bison would need to playoffs, the Tigers have romp South Dakota, been a good program in and need both other recent years, and while teams to play close, an upset would be a and look bad doing surprise, it’s certainly it. College football not out of the question. remains the only sport Also vying for the in the world where number two seed is style points matter. the Big Sky’s Montana While it will take State Bobcats. The a win and perhaps a Bobcats have a much little luck to get the tougher task than James seed the Bison want, it Madison on Saturday will be fun last week as they go on the road of the regular season.
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the Spectrum | November 18, 2021
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