VOLUME 122 ISSUE 35
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019
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NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY | FOR THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE
Behind the Desk: Thomas Ambrosio
MIRANDA STAMBLER | THE SPECTRUM
Thomas Ambrosio has always loved teaching because he can learn at the same time.
Miranda Stambler Features Editor
Thomas Ambrosio, professor of political science at North Dakota State, was born and raised in New Jersey and moved to two different states before finally making his way to NDSU. Since 2000, he has been committed to helping NDSU students succeed. What students do not see is who Ambrosio is behind the lectures and the class assignments. When Ambrosio is not at NDSU researching, teaching or advising, he can be found announcing for the local Fargo-Moorhead roller derby team. He can be seen doing this at the next roller derby game March 9. Ten years ago, his wife, Beth, joined the local roller derby team and later became the president of the league. This led him to become the coach and later the announcer for the team. When the roller derby team first started and he became the coach, he used his love for teaching with the sport. Now, as the announcer, he is able to teach the crowd about the rules and what is happening during the game. In his spare time, Ambrosio plays historical/political board games because they are “a great way to unplug.” It not only allows one to relax, but it works the mind while relaxing. During this, he
INSIDE
is able to create a social network by finding like-minded people through one of his favorite hobbies and clubs he belongs to. Once Ambrosio graduated from Trenton State College with his undergraduate degree in political science and philosophy, he knew his next step would be to become a professor. He had always enjoyed researching and learning facts, so he found teaching to be beneficial for two reasons. For one, it allows
wine and cheese social, and they have been together ever since. After that, Ambrosio ended up teaching at Western Kentucky University. He explained that he had a bad experience, which led him to finding the job in North Dakota. Currently, Ambrosio is the only faculty member teaching law courses. He explained how in some ways his courses are preparation for students interested
“It’s gratifying actually seeing students succeed.” - Thomas Ambrosio him to constantly learn new things, and two, he gets to teach others about the things he has learned. “I always found myself kind of explaining politics, international politics to other people, so it was kind of a natural progression from that sense,” Ambrosio said. He explained his love for explaining politics to friends that couldn’t understand what was happening in the world. While attending the University of Virginia to receive his master’s degree and Ph.D., he met Beth. It was all by chance. He ran into her while picking up a friend from a
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in attending law school because there are excerpts students read that they would if they were going to become a lawyer. Some students stand out to him by demonstrating their true commitment to learning about politics, rather than those who are there simply for the grade or degree. It is apparent when it is a general education course which students are there for the experience and which students are the ones who stick with him. Two years ago, one student stood out when Ambrosio received what he said was the most
NDSU Bookstore chooses to go plastic-bag free for the month of February
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interesting question that would remain with him. That question being: “Could you ever see America not being a democracy or democracy failing America?” The students remained speechless and in shock as he responded with a quick “yes.” “The one eternal truth of politics is that everything changes, and everything ends, nothing lasts forever,” Ambrosio explained. Through his experience at NDSU, he has had many successful students cross his path through various courses. Students that he has taught in the past have ended up as members of Congress, the state department or went on to receive law degrees. Ilhan Omar, the first Somali American member of the U.S. House of Representatives, is a former student of Ambrosio’s. He explained how gratifying it is to see his students succeed. Ambrosio teaches many courses in the political field, but no one ever talks about their favorite course or their most difficult course, so he explained what it is like teaching different levels in the college. Although he loves teaching all of his courses, International Politics is the most interesting to him. “It’s kind of the first time students get a sense of what’s going on in the international system and what causes international politics,” Ambrosio said.
Furry Friends: meet Brute and Coal
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While that course is fun, the most difficult is Introduction to Political Science, mostly because many in the course are first-time students that are also experiencing politics for the first time. Often, they are freshmen who do not understand how college works yet, so incorporating learning about politics is difficult. On the other hand, the international law courses are difficult in a different way. Because the material is more difficult and denser in content, it can be a challenge for students to understand. While professors have their own life beyond the university, there is a lot about being a professor that students and others do not realize or actively think about. These hidden aspects are the things that Ambrosio finds to be the most difficult part about being a professor. Most would assume that giving a bad grade would be the most difficult part of being a college professor, but instead it is managing different parts of the job. It is not just simply grading and teaching courses. Behind the scenes, there is research and service that students do not see that is all a part of the job. Balancing all of the aspects is challenging, but doable once you have gotten used to the job.
NDSU softball hits the road for San Marcos this weekend
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News
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019
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The Spectrum
Going Bagless NDSU Bookstore chooses to go plastic-bag free for the month of February Phoebe Ellis
Head News Editor
For the month of February the North Dakota State Bookstore has left it’s plastic bags behind, encouraging customers to bring their own reusable bag. They have done this with support from the NDSU Staff Senate Sustainability
and she’s hoping that she sees some of those bags in use this month. “Seeing no plastic bags makes my heart sing,” Anvinson said, noting that she tries to do little things to help the environment, including opting for reusable steel straws in her home. Seeing as this is the first attempt at going bagless, Anvinson is unsure of what
“Seeing no plastic bags makes my heart sing,” - Kim Anvinson, director of the NDSU Bookstore Committee after other stores in the Fargo-Moorhead community tried doing the same. This is the first annual “bagless February,” and Kim Anvinson, director of the NDSU Bookstore, hopes to make the lack of plastic bag use a regular habit for students. Anvinson spoke about how at the beginning of the semesters students are given their books in cloth bags,
the end result will be, saying this “could be tough to sustain” over the course of the year. However, the effort is not the only one the bookstore is working toward. According to Anvinson, she and all bookstore employees make sure to recycle the cardboard boxes they receive and pay close attention to the amount of shrink wrap being used. Anvinson said she hopes this effort will bring a
The choice to ditch the plastic bags is a step towards becoming more environmentally friendly “growing awareness to the little things” that impact the environment. She brought up an idea she had to potentially partner with the coffee shops on. If students brought a mug, purchased from the bookstore, they would
receive some incentive to use that instead of a disposable cup. Though the Staff Senate Sustainability Committee is picking up speed, as can be seen with this bagless effort, Anvinson said their efforts have increased and she is
excited to see what comes next. Her message to students and the greater FargoMoorhead community is to partner with the NDSU Bookstore if they have promotional ideas in mind that could also help students
BRITTANY HOFMANN | THE SPECTRUM
and NDSU go green. Anvinson also wanted to remind students that the bookstore is there as a resource for them.
Bills You Should A b o r t i o n Know About D i s t o r t i o n While proposed bills are considered, lawmakers and voters await the results Phoebe Ellis
Head News Editor
Setting the price
North Dakota House Bill 1536 would set college tuition prices in an effort to control the cost of higher education in North Dakota, the Bismarck Tribune reported. Additionally, one argument in favor of the bill is the claim that tuition rates have been going up at a more rapid rate than when the tuitions were agreed upon and set through discussions between lawmakers and the North Dakota University System. On the other hand, those opposing the bill describe difficulties due to what the market looks like right now.
Gas tax
Bill 2288 recently failed in the North Dakota Senate, according to the Forum News Service. Had the bill passed, consumers would have experienced a 4 cent increase in gas taxes in an attempt to fund the maintenance of roads in North Dakota, which have received a B- grade by the American Society of Civil Engineers. As taxes on gas haven’t changed in North Dakota since 2005, residents will still experience lower prices than across any of the borders.
Checks and balances
Rep. Rick Becker introduced Bill 1286 that he said would deter what he called “policing for profit,” the Bismarck Tribune reported. The bill comes in response to an unspecified amount of evidence needed to search or seize items relating to or potentially involved in ongoing cases. A local narcotics investigator negated the argument in favor of the bill, stating that investigators follow the evidence. Transportation transparency A bill that would mandate the governor to disclose the costs of his transportation has made its way to discussion, according to the Forum News Service. Rep. Bill Devlin called the level of security for Gov. Doug Burgum “unprecedented” in an interview with the Forum. He also
rejected a proposed compromise that would have allowed officials to view the reports privately. The bill, House Bill 1363, would also mean that traffic patrol personnel would be required to disclose quarterly records.
Horse race Friday
After the North Dakota House passed Bill 1443, it can now move on to the North Dakota Senate for deliberation, according to the Forum News Service. The bill would allow for gambling to occur within the context of horse racing Fridays. This would occur through electronic devices used to place bets on past horse races. The historic horse races in question would not have telling information disclosed to participants.
Taxing royalties
A bill was proposed with the intention of preventing the waste of natural gas during flaring, a process used to extract the natural resource. The Bismarck Tribune reported the bill was opposed by the North Dakota Petroleum Council, encouraging more oil pipelines be created as an effort to reduce waste. The bill would mandate that oil companies must pay taxes on royalties and is supported by the Dakota Resource Council.
Nursing and suing
The Bismarck Tribune reported the North Dakota Senate unanimously updated Senate Bill 2225, which formerly allowed nursing homes to sue the children for the unpaid bills of their parents staying at their facilities. The bill now heads to the House for another review and a vote.
Two boards
Rep. Shannon Roers Jones, R-Fargo, introduced House Bill 1097 Jan. 9, which would create two boards of higher education instead of the current task force that we have today, according to the Forum News Service. The task force supported a three-board proposal in 2018, but Gov. Burgum suggested the two-board solution instead. The boards would oversee the 11 institutions under the North Dakota University System.
North Dakota is restricting access to abortion through legislation Ryan Nix
Co-News Editor
The North Dakota House of Representatives passed a bill restricting doctors from using tools to complete a procedure commonly used during second-trimester abortions. The procedure is called dilation and evacuation. Except for in emergency cases, doctors caught performing the procedure would face a $5,000 fine and up to five years in prison. Women seeking or having the procedure would not face any litigation. This law is the fourth in a line of laws that restrict access to abortions. Two bills have been passed by the North Dakota House. According to KFGO, the first bill urged judges to ignore Roy v. Wade. The bill claims that the famous court case overstepped its boundaries. The second bill asks Congress to ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The third bill would require doctors to inform patients after receiving a medically induced abortion that they could still have a live birth. This bill has been disputed by medical experts, including the American Medical Association. North Dakota and 21 states have signed on with Alabama to fight the lower courts’ decision to block bills banning “dismemberment abortions,” according to AL.com. Bills restricting abortion have manifested
in many states, including the “Heartbeat bill,” which would ban an abortion after a heartbeat is detected. Emma Twedt has been involved with Collegians For Life, a pro-life group on campus, since she became a student at North Dakota State in 2015. Twedt was elected to leadership roles in her sophomore and junior years, eventually becoming vice president. Twedt said she couldn’t be involved as much this year because she lives off campus.
adoption centers in Fargo. These restrictions are gaining traction in many states, and Twedt said this momentum could be due to technology. “I think people are becoming more aware of what’s going on,” Twedt said. “(With) the leaps and bounds that have taken place in terms of imaging, ultrasound, I think people are able to see the humanity of that child more clearly now.” Twedt said she recognizes that people don’t get abortions without
“If we see that this is a human being, then to go in there and perform this kind of procedure is barbaric.” - Emma Twedt, NDSU Collegians For Life This type of legislation is a victory for Twedt who said if the actual dilation and evacuation procedure is looked at it would not be seen as a run of the mill medical procedure. “If we see that this is a human being, then to go in there and perform this kind of procedure is barbaric,” Twedt said. “If a woman is at 20 weeks and doesn’t feel prepared to mother, then I think we should certainly not force her to be a parent for the next 18 years, but provide her with alternatives,” Twedt said. She also mentioned that there are many good
duress in their life. “I think that in the event where abortions are restricted (...) that it’s also important for those in the pro-life movement to step up and help the people in those situations.” Making help available for new mothers might help show that abortion is not the only path, according to Twedt. “I can choose life for my child. I could give my child to another family through adoption. Also, too then we can stop by them and help them through those situations rather than saying we passed our legislation, our work here is done.”
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THE SPECTRUM | NEWS | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019
In A Nutshell
Spectrum
The
Zachary Liu Spectrum Staff
You must be this old to smoke
While the legal drinking age gets a lot of attention, the same cannot be said for the legal smoking age. However, the state of Hawaii is looking to change that. “State Rep. Richard Creagan, a medical doctor, sponsored legislation that aims to phase in a ban, raising the age requirement to 30 in 2020, 40 in 2021, 50 in 2022 and 100 in 2024. The bill, likely to be debated in committee this week, would exempt electronic cigarettes, cigars and smokeless tobacco,” USA Today reported. Some experts don’t believe the law will get passed in its current state, however. According to USA Today, who interviewed Michael Siegel, a professor at the Boston University’s School of Public Health, “The five-year target for banishing cigarettes is probably optimistic. Creagan’s ambitious bill may get watered down in the Legislature, and it will probably face opposition from the tobacco industry.” Hawaii was the first state in the country to raise the minimum age for purchasing
Jobs, jobs, jobs
Sen. Kevin Cramer recently praised the federal tax cuts for creating jobs in North Dakota. “The tax cuts are working in North Dakota,” Cramer wrote on Twitter. “Since they were passed, we’ve added over 9,000 jobs.” But not everyone is convinced the two are completely related. “(A) UND economist says the number of new jobs is too small and too broad for any correlation to federal policy like the one Cramer, R-N.D., referred to in a tweet on Wednesday,” Inforum.com reported. According to a report from Job Service North Dakota, North Dakota added about 8,300 jobs between December 2017 and December 2018. The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the number was almost 9,000. “Most job gains were in mining, logging and construction, where the Job Service report said employers added about 5,800 jobs between December 2017 and December 2018. The state has also noticed slight hikes in jobs relating to professional and business services, educational and health services and leisure and hospitality,” Inforum.com reported.
Bud Light vs. Corn Farmers
A beer commercial during Super Bowl LIII has struck a chord with corn farmers across the country. The culprit? Bud Light and their advertisement in which they touted their corn syrup-free alcoholic beverage and called out their competitors for using corn syrup in the brewing process. In response, the National Corn Growers Association tweeted: “@BudLight America’s corn farmers are disappointed in you. Our office is right down the road! We would love to discuss with you the many benefits of corn! Thanks @MillerLight and @CoorsLite for supporting our industry.” The North Dakota Corn Growers Association also commented on the commercial, saying in a statement: “It is unfortunate that their marketing strategy included a commercial showing an agricultural commodity in a negative light.” But the feud did not stop there. Miller Lite even took out a full page ad in the New York Times to address Bud Light and reassure their customers: “We thank (Bud Light) for starting this conversation on such a big stage because it allows us to clarify the truth and remind beer drinkers that Miller Lite has more taste than Bud Light with fewer calories and half the carbs.” Of course, Anheuser-Bush, the makers of Bud Light, responded saying, “AnheuserBusch proudly supports farmers and the agricultural community.”
254 Memorial Union North Dakota State University Fargo, ND 58105 Leif Jonasson Editor in Chief editor@ndsuspectrum.com Phoebe Ellis Head News Editor head.news@ndsuspectrum.com Managing Editor Ryan Nix Co-News Editor co.news@ndsuspectrum.com Miranda Stambler Features Editor features@ndsuspectrum.com Laura Ellen Brandjord A&E Editor ae@ndsuspectrum.com Jacob Elwell Opinion Editor opinion@ndsuspectrum.com Taylor Schloemer Sports Editor sports@ndsuspectrum.com
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After a delay due to the government shutdown, President Donald Trump delivered his State of the Union address Tuesday night. The themes of the address were unification, winning and choosing “greatness.” In an attempt to unify the nation, Trump started his address by claiming his agenda was not a “Republican agenda or a Democrat agenda,” but rather “the agenda of the American people.” Like most State of the Union addresses, Trump boasted about the successes of his administration and pointed out areas in which he thought the government could improve. He covered several topics in his nearly 90-minute speech, including economic growth, defeating AIDS and childhood cancer and the pulling out of the INF Treaty. Trump echoed his “Make America Great Again” campaign slogan by referencing some of the American achievements from the 20th century and urging Americans to “step boldly and bravely into the next chapter of this great American adventure” in order to “create a new standard of living for the 21st century.” Alluding to the Robert Mueller investigation, Trump stated: “If there is going to be peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investigation. It just doesn’t work that way.” But the big topic of the night was immigration and the looming deadline to broker a deal regarding funding for a southern border wall. Stopping short of declaring a national emergency, Trump said, “Simply put, walls work and walls save lives. So let’s work together, compromise and reach a deal that will truly make America safe.”
tobacco products to 21, with five states — California, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Oregon and Maine — following suit.
EDITORIAL STAFF
The State of the Union
It's a good idea.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Spectrum accepts letters to the editor by email editor@ndsuspectrum.com and by mail. Please limit letters to 500 words and submit them in a word document. Letters will be edited only for clarity. They should include the writer’s name, telephone number, major and year in school or title.
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The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech and of the press. Opinions expressed on these pages are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty, staff, university administration or Spectrum management. The Spectrum is printed at Forum Communications Printing at 1030 15th Ave. SE, Detroit Lakes, MN 56502.
CLASSIFIEDS HELP WANTED: PART-TIME QUALITY CLEANERS, FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE Looking for reliable cleaners to assist with move-out cleans in area condominiums. Part-time hours vary between 5 and 20 hours/week. Pay: $15/ hour. Cleaning can be done during the day, on evenings or weekends. To learn more, please call Best Bright Cleaning Service: 701-500-
2890. SUMMER EMPLOYMENT: camp counselors, speech and occupational therapists, reading instructors, recreation, crafts and waterfront personnel needed for a summer camp in North Dakota. Working with children with special needs. Salary plus room and board. Contact: Dan Mimnaugh Camp Grassick, Box F Dawson, ND 58428
701-327-4251 email grasbek@bektel. com NOW HIRING Internship Part-time paid Construction Manager internship with Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity Email cover letter and resume to: jim@ lakeagassizhabitat.org Questions: Call Habitat office at 218284-5253 opt 2
GRAPHIC BY CASSANDRA TWEED | THE SPECTRUM
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Features
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019
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The Spectrum
Furry Friends Brute& Coal Animals love people unconditionally, why not do the same?
Falling in love with Brute’s constant smiles is not a difficult task.
Miranda Stambler Features Editor
Homeward Animal Shelter has multiple adoptable animals for anyone looking for a pet. Every pet has a different type of personality, but when they love people, it
is easy for anyone to fall in love right back. This week’s spotlighted adoptees are Brute and Coal.
Brute
Meet Brute, an American bulldog who has been at Homeward Animal Shelter since Feb. 1. He is 2.5 years old and is a big boy.
Pet Coal’s soft fur and he will never leave your side. If you’re looking for a pet that loves people, he is your guy. He becomes friends with anyone he meets. His love for people is almost as equal as it is for his love of food. Although he loves dogs, he is not a cat kind of guy. But, if you have another big dog that he can wrestle with,
he would have a lot of fun. He takes in all of the little things in life and does not fret on the big things.
Coal
Meet Coal, a 3-year-old domestic shorthaired black cat. He arrived at Homeward Animal Shelter Jan. 14, so he is definitely ready for his
PHOTOS BY HOMEWARD ANIMAL SHELTER | PHOTO COURTESY
forever home. When he first arrived at the shelter, he was underweight and in poor health, but through their care he has become a totally different cat. He got his ultimate glow up, with food, love and patience. He is an attention hog now, especially if it involves
getting extra snacks. He loves people and other cats, so he is a perfect new addition for any home looking for another cat. He is a relaxed boy who goes with the flow, and as long as you pet him or brush him he will be satisfied with your home.
GRAPHIC BY CASSANDRA TWEED | THE SPECTRUM
THE SPECTRUM | FEATURES | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019
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Dessert First? Downtown Fargo celebrates ice cream for breakfast Audrey Wentz
Contributing Writer
As people anxiously waited to hear from Punxsutawney Phil for the results of Groundhog Day, on Feb. 2, many celebrated another national holiday, Ice Cream for Breakfast Day. Fargo Ice Cream Shops seized the opportunity to turn the classic dessert into a delicious breakfast. Downtown shops, The Silver Lining Creamery and Scoop N Dough Candy Co., offered specials to those willing to get up on a Saturday morning to go get some ice cream. The Silver Lining Creamery used the day to debut their new Feb. flavors, and reopen the shop after having closed mid-Jan. for a winter break. The flavors for this month were chosen based on customer requests via Facebook. Some of these requests turned flavors include Fargo Rocky Road, Strawberry Cheesecake, Cotton Candy and Rose Water. To commemorate the special holiday, they offered a free coffee with purchase from 8 to 10 a.m. At approximately $3.32 per scoop, it was a price point even a college student could afford, as long as they could stand the line. When asked about the day, one of the employees commented about how they thought it was something fun for people to enjoy on a nice
Eating ice cream and drinking coffee at the same time of day shouldn’t be so discouraged. morning. Just a block away, Scoop N Dough Candy Co. opened their doors earlier than usual at 8 a.m. for the special day. Bringing in doughnuts from Sandy’s Donuts and cooking up some waffles, they put an ice cream twist on popular breakfast foods for people to enjoy.
Though getting in the door was difficult with the crowd of people, once inside, customers could choose from a waffle sundae, doughnut sundae, cereal milkshake, orange juice float, orange juice, milk or free coffee with purchase. With the sundaes being just under $6, they were more expensive, but made up for
it in creativity. One menu item that had some people hesitant was the orange juice float. This orange juice and vanilla ice cream combo caused people to realize they judged the item prematurely. Instead, it was compared to a delicious creamsicle. Ice Cream for Breakfast Day attempted to break the
AUDREY WENTZ | THE SPECTRUM
social norm of desserts as an only afternoon treat. From the crowds seen at both establishments, it is clear that people were ready for this exciting event. Eating ice cream for breakfast was reminiscent of childhood in which the dream of it was never turned into reality. It was heartwarming to see the
cheer of adults, as well as all the families enjoying the day and making memories together. While ice cream for breakfast every day wouldn’t be the best idea, as a national holiday, it is a great day for joy and excitement for people of all ages.
I‘m Getting Too Cold for This Life hacks on how to stay warm in an apartment with bad heating systems Miranda Stambler Features Editor
Winter has been brutal. With the constant back-toback wind chill advisories and the blizzard warnings among other wintery things, the bills increase just as much as the thermostat does. If you are one of the lucky ones who do not have to pay for heat, then most likely the circulation of heat is bad, and you are seeing your breath within your apartment. As a college student, everyone is about finding “life hacks” and keeping everything on the cheaper side of things. Now, there are some ways to make your life a little bit warmer, so try some of these tactics in your apartment or dorm room.
Layer up, obviously
When living in a cold dorm room or apartment, you need the essential at home clothing, which consists of thick sweatpants and an oversized hoodie (like three sizes too big). With thick sweatpants, you most likely will not need anything underneath, but if they are bulky, a nice pair of shorts or leggings will do the trick. With an oversized hoodie, anything can go underneath, and you will still be feeling cozy.
Don’t just layer yourself
Blocking the cold air and keeping it outside is one of the most important and beneficial things to do in the winter. If you cannot afford heat, the cheapest and best life hack is to utilize what you have. Gather blankets, sheets and towels to cover the windows. Cover them from top to bottom in layers, just in case a blanket is too thin. Use duct tape to keep it up, and you will be warm in no time. It may not look pretty, but it will be worth it.
Get cooking*
You now have a reason to use the stove and oven. Cooking your own food is not only delicious, it will also keep you warm by heating your apartment. Crack open the oven door to give off some extra heat. If you are really desperate to circulate it, put a fan by the oven and push it out faster.
Your feet are important too
Ovens aren’t just used for cooking. They are also a good source of heat.
When bundling up, most forget their feet. Because you’re home, you kick off your shoes and relax, but this will make you colder. Thick socks or slippers are now your best friends. Warmer feet will make you feel warmer faster.
privacy violation or live by yourself, open the bathroom door when showering. It may make the shower a little chillier, but it will move the heat into the other rooms, so you can step out into a warmer apartment.
If you’re not afraid of any
The hairdryer can be
Open the bathroom door Use that hair dryer*
used in many ways other than just drying your hair. If you wake up and your clothes are freezing, blow dry them and they will no longer be cold. If your bed is too cold to get into, put the hair dryer underneath the blanket for a minute or two and your bed will be like a
nice warm sauna when you finally get in. If you just got in from the blizzard outside and need immediate dethawing, the hairdryer will do the trick. There are many ways the hairdryer can help you stay warm throughout the winter, so keep it available
MIRANDA STAMBLER | THE SPECTRUM
for emergencies. *Never leave an oven or a hair dryer unattended —- they can become a fire hazard (a fire might sound nice and cozy until everyone is stuck outside in the cold waiting for firefighters to put out your fire. Don’t be that guy).
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Arts & Entertainment T S
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he pectrum
Mistake 5 Maro on 5 deliver Super Bowl halftime show as uneventful as the game itself Laura Ellen Brandjord A&E Editor
Super Bowl LIII saw the Los Angeles Rams face off against the New England Patriots. For those of us who don’t pay attention to professional football the rest of the year, the halftime show and commercials are the focus of our Sunday night. Unfortunately, this year’s Super Bowl was all around lackluster. To be fair, Maroon 5 wasn’t the committee’s first or even second choice for the halftime show. However, this year saw activism in football spread to the music realm, with multiple artists who were approached declining the Super Bowl offer. Adam Levine started the show off key, uncomfortable and uncharismatic. Interestingly, the more clothes he took off the more confident he seemed to become. In his defense, I know firsthand how expensive tattoos are and with all that ink on his chest, he had to get his money’s worth. I will commend the band on keeping the performance more tightly centered on
their music instead of distracting antics; however, it could have retained some excitement. The biggest disappointment for most was the lack of “Sweet Victory.” Perhaps the cruelest trick Maroon 5 could have pulled was including the beginning clip of the “SpongeBob SquarePants” episode “Band Geeks” only to use it as an entrance for Travis Scott’s explicit set. One fan went so far as to create a “how it should have happened” video compilation including “Sweet Victory” in the set. As for the other special guest, Atlanta’s own hiphop star, Big Boi made a grand entrance in a Cadillac convertible draped in his signature fox fur coat. The artist sang half of an OutKast hit before leaving, prompting one Twitter user to hilariously deem him her “2019 mood.” The best song of Maroon 5’s set was “She Will Be Loved” from their hit album “Songs About Jane,” with an intimate walk through the crowd complete with personalized lanterns. I for one would have much rather watched the Foo Fighters’ Super
Levine ended the show shirtless in a possible last-ditch attempt to save the performance. Saturday Night performance with guest appearance by Queen drummer Roger Taylor. I admit, however, the
Foo Fighters are not quite mainstream or pop-y enough for the main Super Bowl event.
Either way, Adam Levine’s shirtless “Moves Like Jagger” finale may have excited lonely housewives,
ERIK S. LESSER | PHOTO COURTESY
but I think Levine needed an ego boost before his 40th birthday later this year.
‘A n t h e m ’ B r i n g s B i o Wa r e O n l i n e Developer’s latest game is far from groundbreaking
‘Anthem’ feels like other loot shooters.
Max Borman Staff Writer
Over the weekend, gamers were able to get their hands on and try out a little bit of the highly anticipated BioWare video game “Anthem.” A brief open demo — despite the name, it was really more of a beta — was available to anyone who
wanted to give it a go. The demo started players off at level 10 and let them play until level 15. Players were given access to a couple of missions, some open world content and a stronghold they could beat. Additionally, players were given access to the Ranger Javelin, the suit of armor that players operate in the game, and another
BIOWARE | PHOTO COURTESY
javelin of their choice (there are four in total). “Anthem” feels like Electronic Arts’ answer to the popular video game ‘Destiny.” It’s very much an online-only game that is filled to the brim with loot and elements to grind out every day, as well as an opportunity for lots of microtransactions. This game is coming
from the single-player role-playing game masters BioWare, who are responsible for the hugely successful franchises “Dragon Age” and “Mass Effect,” discounting “Andromeda.” The care that BioWare puts into their characters and player choices are present in the game. The non-player characters feel fleshed out
and do not lack the classic BioWare charm. However, the player choices that BioWare fans are used to cannot really be present in an onlineonly game. You can choose certain paths to go down or certain dialogue options, but the end outcome will always be the same and your actions don’t feel like they have a huge impact on the world. This could be just because it was a demo with a tiny slice of the full game’s content, but player choices found in BioWare games would be hard to incorporate into an online game, so don’t hold your breath. That being said, the game has redeeming qualities. The Javelins that you pilot feel like you were put in control of an Iron Man armor with all its boosters and ability to fly around the map. It really makes you wish it was an Iron Man game. The Javelins are also customizable with almost every part being able to be upgraded and color changed. However, this is where the classic Electronic Arts’ microtransactions come into play. Early glimpses of the microtransaction model reveal that they are selling different looking armor for $20 real world cash in an already $60 game. Though these rates aren’t finalized, they will most likely be close to this price point.
Additionally, if you want to play the game you paid for a week before everyone else, you need a membership to Origin Access Premier, which costs $14.99 a month. If you just want to play 10 hours of the game and then be locked out until the official release, then you need an Origin Access membership, which costs $4.99 a month. Otherwise, you just have to wait until the official release date to get your hands on the game you have already paid $60 for. Sadly, this demonstrates a much deeper problem in the gaming industry nowadays with the over-reliance on microtransactions and getting every last penny out of gamers’ pockets. Even if the game underneath could be fun with friends, “Anthem” definitely could be. BioWare is trying something new with this game and seemed to pour their soul into it, even if it just seems like a combination of “Warframe” and “Destiny.” If loot shooters aren’t your thing, then you really will not enjoy this game. If you have a crew of three other friends or love loot shooters, then this was made for you. “Anthem” officially launches Feb. 22 or Feb. 15 if you pay for one of the two memberships.
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THE SPECTRUM | A&E | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019
‘The Ted Bundy Tapes’ Beautiful production juxtaposes the evil of a serial murderer in Netflix documentary
Ted Bundy, your friendly neighborhood serial murderer.
Brittany Hofmann Staff Writer
A coworker. A neighbor. A fellow classmate. The person you sit next to in church on Sunday. They could all be Ted Bundy. His personality and lack of motive is exactly what makes serial murderer Ted Bundy so terrifyingly interesting to many. In the first episode of the Netflix documentary, we’re introduced to the beginning workings of Bundy’s murderous escapade in Washington in the 1970s. Journalist Stephen Michaud is in charge of getting the story that Bundy wants to tell, which happens to be a sort of celebrity spotlight. He insists that he is innocent. “People perceive me differently from how I perceive myself, and I need to give others a chance to know what was really going on. What it was really like for me,” Bundy said during the interview with Michaud while discussing the story
that he wanted to tell. The only person thus far who calls out Bundy on his lies is one of his former childhood friends, Sandi Holt. She is the only one who could see him for what he was — an outsider that would one day commit one of America’s greatest tragedies. During Michaud’s interview with Bundy, it’s obvious that he has an idealized version of his childhood in his memories. If you look beneath the surface, it’s clear that he never fit in and would never be able to fit in. Only when Michaud gets Bundy to talk about the murders of several collegeaged women does he begin to reveal what sort of person could commit these acts — someone who is unfulfilled. It’s clear that as a child, Bundy missed out on being exceptional, and committing these murders would fulfill that need. These murders were something he could take pride in because he was so good at committing them. When discussing
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Bundy’s days in political activism, Marlin Lee Vortman said Bundy easily fit in and was incredibly likable. If he was as arrogant and standoffish as he was perceived to be, I find this hard to believe. Bundy was only trusted and well-liked because he was handsome and personable — far from the typical disturbed image we have in our heads when
horrific. Using clips of old photographs, tape recorders and interviews with those closest to Bundy, Netflix created an atmosphere for the viewer in which they can feel they are part of the investigation that took place — as if they really knew him. Like Holt, it’s easy for me to see Bundy for who he was, not the facade that
I wasn’t there, and the investigation was taking place throughout the 1970s. Of course, we can’t forget that nothing like this had ever happened before, so people had to scramble to figure out exactly what needed to be done. The fact that his own girlfriend, Elizabeth Kloepfer, called the police with suspicions of coincidences that didn’t add
“People perceive me differently from how I perceive myself.” - Ted Bundy we hear the words “serial murderer.” For someone to be a serial murderer they have to have distinct characteristics that define them as such — an unattractive, creepy, middle-age man that lives in his parent’s basement and who was severely abused as a child. Bundy was far from that, and that’s what made him so
he wanted others to see. He was a handsome man with an ugly mind. The second episode is titled “One of Us.” And that’s exactly how society saw Bundy, which proved fatal for so many. From the outside looking in, it seems so blatantly obvious that Ted Bundy is the “Ted” the police are looking for. But of course,
up and they still didn’t bring him in for an interview is haunting. No one likes to think the law student without any criminal background could possibly be capable of such heinous acts. Truly, Bundy was able to get away with these murders in so many different parts of the country due to faults in law enforcement and lack of
technology. His escapes in Aspen, Colorado were purely for attention from that of the media and from the increased security placed upon him after he was caught the first time. With each episode documenting every monumental step of Ted Bundy’s story so well, Netflix deserves a round of applause. When Carol DaRonch told her story of barely escaping Ted Bundy, my heart was pounding. Her story made everything come true. I thought to myself, “This really happened.” As a viewer, I was taken back into the days of Ted Bundy. The thought of him being pleased by the attention he would be receiving with this documentary is sickening. The more you see and hear of Bundy, the more disturbing he appears to be. He may very well be the greatest evil genius of our time.
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8 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019
Opinion
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The Spectrum
Tom Brady: The Savage
Tom Brady won more than just his sixth Super Bowl Jacob Elwell Opinion Editor
As I predicted, the New England Patriots won the Super Bowl. However, it’s really not that hard to predict given they have been to nine Super Bowls since the Tom Brady era. Not only did Brady get his sixth ring as part of the greatest dynasty in NFL history, he also got to give his Instagram followers a sight to see. Since the middle of the season, Tom Brady has posted videos of him saying words of motivation after a win and about who he’s preparing for next week. He’ll usually say the cliché: “Great team win. Onto (whoever they play) next week. It’s gonna be a great one.” After his explanation, he posts the score of the game and a clip of it too. There is usually some background music for further effect, and then the video ends. These videos were mainly inspirational and a good way to see what Tom Brady thinks after a win. However, after the last “friendly” video he posted after a playoff win against
the Los Angeles Chargers, Brady heard the negative talk about his team. People were counting out the Patriots, claiming they were past their prime, that the Chiefs were a way better team and there was no way New England could win at Arrowhead Stadium. Then the Patriots defeated the
and he essentially does the same thing. I can best describe the look like this: Brady looks directly into the camera, raises his eyebrows and opens his eyes more, followed by a head tilt and slight shoulder shrug, all accompanied by a tiny but effective smirk. Not a word was said the entire video.
Not only did Brady get his sixth ring as part of the greatest dynasty in NFL history, he also got to give his Instagram followers a sight to see. Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game in overtime. After the game, Brady posted one of his weekly videos, but this one was a little different. The video was of him and star tight end and teammate Rob Gronkowski. Brady walks in with a giant, expensive looking fur coat and shows many different facial expressions. He points the camera at Gronkowski a couple times,
Marijuana: Just Legalize It W hy this plant should no longer be prohibited
At the very end, he smiles and shows some teeth, just reaching the point of ultimate savagery. The look basically tells you, “You guys doubted us, but look what happened. I mean did you really expect anything different? Let me just get in this plane so I can ride off into the sunset on my way to a ninth Super Bowl appearance.” To make matters even better, the song played in the video has the chorus “Going nowhere,” so
this all but solidifies the fact that Brady knew the haters were alive and well. I think this is one of the most savage things ever done, especially by a guy in his 40s. I thought that video was savage, and then I saw his post Super Bowl victory video. It’s almost exactly the same as the Kansas City video. He shows Gronk, who smiles and shrugs with a shirt that says “Super Bowl Champions” on it. Again, no words are said. The best part of this video, however, is the song playing in the background. It was Eminem’s “Without Me,” and he plays the very beginning of the song. If you can’t recall what the beginning sounds like, it goes like this: “Guess who’s back, back again. Shady’s back.” I mean come on Tom. We get it; you’re bigger than life at this point, but why do you have to make the haters regret their decision so heavily. Show some mercy. Savage is the best word I can ever use to describe these two videos posted by Brady. I honestly kind of hope they win next year so I can look forward to more of these videos. I didn’t doubt the Patriots, and I know a lot
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Underneath that killer hat is a killer himself. less people will next year. Tom Brady now has his sixth Super Bowl ring and once again leaves Patriots haters in the dust. I will say, much credit should go to Bill Belichick for shutting down the Rams offense all night,
but Brady ultimately did enough to get his team the win. They say winning isn’t everything, but in the NFL, it happens to be everything. Until next season, New England.
Super Bowl 2020 (feat. ‘Hakuna Matata’) N ex t y e a r, t h e N F L n e e d s ‘ H a k u n a M a t a t a’ i n t h e h a l f t i m e s h o w
Sam Goodman Staff Writer
There is no reason why marijuana isn’t federally legal in the United States. There is a surplus of benefits, and the risks are extremely minimal. No one has ever overdosed on marijuana. Marijuana is not nearly as bad as some people proclaim. To compare, cigars, cigarettes, ibuprofen and alcohol are all more dangerous than consuming the devil’s lettuce. The point here is, why is marijuana illegal if there are legal drugs far more dangerous? Another example is Adderall. Adderall is extremely addicting, is an amphetamine and, in my opinion, is not healthy. It can lead to personality changes and a loss of appetite. If you go to a doctor and fill out a questionnaire, odds are you will probably get prescribed. Arguably, attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and attention deficit disorder (ADD) can be contained through a proper diet and sleep patterns. A pill so high in risk is easily prescribed, yet marijuana is a Schedule I drug. Marijuana does have risks, but very minimal risks. It can decrease sperm count if you’re high all the time. Similar to drinking, I would not advocate being high all the time. It is important to have a proper balance of sober thought and “high” thought. It can work as a sleep aid for people with sleep apnea. However, I would not recommend going to bed extremely high, as you can enter a deep sleep too quickly, skipping rapid eye movement (REM) sleep,
which is important for sleep and dreaming. Constantly skipping REM sleep can lead to REM overflow, which is basically dreaming while you’re awake. Marijuana is
There is a surplus of benefits, and the risks are extremely minimal. also of use to people with irritable bowel disease, slowing down the digestive process.
At the end of the day, the benefits outweigh the risks, and most of these risks have a low chance of even happening. There are social benefits as well. It can improve taste of food or the sound of music. It can spike creativity. It can make subjects such as movies and TV shows more enjoyable. It can lead to new friendships. At the end of the day, the benefits outweigh the risks, and most of these risks have a low chance of even happening. You don’t have to smoke weed to support it, but from an ethical standpoint, why wouldn’t you?
Thanks to Disney’s slew of copyright lawyers, here’s a picture of an actual lion. song even begins. All the information Grant Gloe is there. We wouldn’t even need to really play the rest. The youth love it; Staff Writer they wouldn’t even notice. Super Bowl LIII blew everyone Now, Disney is known for their out of the water. An electric first half strict copyrights. They even copyright (second lowest scoring in Super Bowl stories like “Cinderella” that have history) that was topped off with one hell of a halftime show. Teasing “Sweet Victory” from “SpongeBob SquarePants” as a tribute to its late creator, Stephen Hillenburg, and then playing just the intro. About 40 percent of “Sicko Mode” between censored portions. Twice as many nipples as the runner-up Super Bowl existed for ages in many forms. halftime show. Truly marvelous. We’ve got our work cut out for us, but The youth loved it. I think we need I have a solution. We can beat those to bring this momentum into 2020 pesky lawyers by just censoring the by playing “Hakuna Matata” at next song sporadically. Free use here we year’s halftime show. come. The youth love free things. The youth love “Hakuna Matata,” We’ll just cut the audio all together and it fits our platform pretty well. For every few seconds; no one will even starters, Pumba explains that Hakuna notice or care. Matata means “no worries” before the
The youth love “Hakuna Matata”
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At this point, I would like to reference the focus groups we used for 2019. These would indicate the youth love performers who: 1) wear tons of fur, and 2) wear nothing at all. Adam Levine NAILED IT, but I think Simba has the market cornered. He’s wearing tons of fur and is naked THE WHOLE TIME. I know, I couldn’t believe it either. There are plenty of adequate songs out there, but “Hakuna Matata” is uniquely appropriate. What sets it apart is the message: no worries. Why worry about making a good halftime show? There are tons on YouTube by now, why are the fans so greedy? They can also take a lesson from “Hakuna Matata.” They can learn to just leave the halftime show behind because thinking about it will just make it hurt more. Good ol’ homebred hopelessness. The youth love it.
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THE SPECTRUM | OPINION | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019
North Dakota’s Archaic Blue Laws It’s time for North Dakota to repeal its blue laws Ezra Gray
Contributing Writer
For the most part, I believe that North Dakota is a good place to live. The people are nice, the taxes are relatively low, there are plenty of jobs and housing is cheap compared to many of the other states. However, the one glaring issue with North Dakota that bugs me to no end (besides our outdated drug policy) is the blue laws. For those that don’t know, blue laws are laws designed to restrict or even ban Sunday activities for religious reasons, specifically Christian. These types of laws restrict certain businesses and their operators from opening their establishments earlier than noon on Sundays, as most Christians observe Sunday as a day of rest and spend their Sunday mornings at church. The businesses banned from opening before noon on a Sunday are mostly retail stores, including stores that sell mattresses,
glass, fabrics, clothing, shoes, kitchen supplies, home appliances, hardware, jewelry, paint, sporting goods and others. These blue laws have been part of North Dakota’s Century Code for decades now, banning all businesses from opening their doors on Sundays entirely until 1991, when the legislature amended it so that a select number of businesses could open at noon at the earliest on Sundays. Places such as restaurants, theaters, warehouses, transportation services, and others are legally allowed to open on Sunday at any time, but most retail stores are still banned from opening before noon. Currently, the aforementioned stores banned from opening before noon on a Sunday in North Dakota will be charged with a class B misdemeanor if they violate the blue laws, resulting in a maximum punishment of either 30 days in jail, a $1,500 fine or both. Personally, I find these blue laws archaic, anticapitalistic and religiouslyoppressive, and this is
coming from someone who was raised Lutheran, went to church every Sunday for 18 years and holds no animosity or ill will toward the church. If anything, I’d say the time I spent at my church bettered me as a human being. I still consider myself a Lutheran, but I also consider myself a capitalist, an individualist and a Constitutionalist. I have no problem with Christians
Christian views? Why do we need to use the force of government to compel people to follow Christian practices even if they aren’t Christian? What if a North Dakotan who isn’t religious wants to open their jewelry store or clothing store before noon on a Sunday because they don’t go to church or observe the sabbath? Are we as a society really willing to throw someone in jail for a
The one glaring issue with North Dakota that bugs me to no end (besides our outdated drug policy) is the blue laws. going to church or observing the sabbath, but I don’t like the idea that we should force non-Christians to abide by Christian rules under the threat of government force. There is nothing stopping Christians in North Dakota from resting on Sunday or going to church, so why do we need to force every other North Dakotan to abide by
month and take $1,500 of their money because they want to sell silverware at 10 a.m. on a Sunday instead of 2 p.m.? I for one think throwing someone in a cage for a month and seizing $1,500 from them is incredibly immoral. I thought we practiced a separation of church and state in this
country. I thought the First Amendment gave Americans the ability to practice, or not practice, any religion they so choose. If my memory of 8th grade history class serves me right, one of the main reasons the pilgrims came to this continent in the first place was to escape religious persecution in England. If you’re a practicing Christian that goes to church every Sunday morning and observes the sabbath, good for you. It’s your constitutional right after all. If you own a business and don’t want to open it on a certain day because of your religion, go for it. Nothing is stopping you from doing so. Hell, even if you aren’t a practicing Christian and just want to take Sunday morning off for some rest and recreation, that’s perfectly fine and well within your abilities. What you shouldn’t do is force every North Dakotan to follow your beliefs and practices via government coercion. This country was built on capitalism and individual liberty, meaning
that each of us should be able to do what we want with our property, so long as we don’t harm other people or violate their rights. Luckily, there is a silver lining to this article. House Bill 1097 recently passed the North Dakota House of Representatives with a vote of 56-35. This bill would repeal the sections of the North Dakota Century Code that enforce the current blue laws in our state, allowing people to finally throw off the yoke of this outdated and idiotic law. The bill is now heading to the State Senate, where our elected representatives will hopefully see the light and vote it into law. Remember people, individual freedom is a twoway street. Others can’t violate your constitutional rights and force you to hold their beliefs, but neither can you. If you truly value your personal autonomy and ability to believe whatever ideology you want, then you better allow others to practice theirs as well.
Who Cares About the Super Bowl?
Why I watched ‘Twilight’ instead of the Super Bowl Delaney Halloran Contributing Writer
It is time to come out and admit my dirty secret: I love the “Twilight” franchise. If I’m having a particularly rough week, nothing kills my bad mood like a good dose of Edward Cullen. However, you’ll never find me sharing my weekend plans when a vampire marathon is on the schedule.
Never has it been my experience that video games, sporting events or fishing have been qualified as guilty pleasures. I’ve never had a male friend blush while talking about ice hockey. Even the act of watching porn, something that could easily be stigmatized, has never been dubbed a “guilty pleasure.” So, why is it that when I tell my friends I would rather watch “Twilight” than the
In case you’re wondering, I did record the Super Bowl. If anything, I sit in my room with headphones on, under a blanket, in the dark, lest anyone should know what I’m doing. It’s my “guilty” pleasure. If you have never admitted to having a guilty pleasure, surely, you’ve heard someone else admit to having one. Frequently, I hear my friends say that “The Bachelor,” romance movies or even cookies are their guilty pleasures. Interestingly, it seems most of the things that people equate to guilty pleasures are feminine.
Super Bowl, I feel as if I’m breaking some unspoken code. I either have to subject myself to watching the Patriots for four hours in pretend-enjoyment or be judged for spending time watching something I actually enjoy. A lot of people might argue, “Well, ‘Twilight’ is pretty terrible.” While I will not deny that the series leaves me wanting more in the dialogue department, I can think of plenty of things that are objectively “bad” but subjectively really amazing. One could easily
I’d rather watch this than a terrible halftime show and field goals. argue alcohol, reality shows, anything from Taco Bell and living in Fargo in February are “bad.” However, seeing as “The Bachelor” is one of the more watched shows on television and we’re all still in this forsaken city, every single one of us
are participants in “bad” behaviors. Chastising people for watching “Twilight” or eating an extra slice of cake should not be deemed normal. Labeling things people find pleasurable as worthy of guilt is only
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reinforcing double standards toward any activity not overtly masculine. Women should not feel embarrassed about reading their favorite romance novel, just as men rarely feel embarrassment cheering on a losing sports team year after year.
In case you’re wondering, I did record the Super Bowl. However, I fully intend on just fast-forwarding through all the football to watch the commercials and the halftime show, 100 percent guilt-free.
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10
Sports
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
The Spectrum
The Super Bowl Cements Patriots Dynasty Belichick smothers the joy of an offensive NFL
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Bill Belichick hasn’t changed much, and he still destroys the opposition.
Taylor Schloemer Sports Editor
Super Bowl LIII was the best Super Bowl ever. The amount of homework that could have been completed in the first three quarters was greater than the last five Super Bowls combined. Even at half of the normal brain capacity, an even 5050 split on attention toward the big game and homework was easy to pull off. As the lowest scoring Super Bowl in NFL history, the “Super Bore” this year was for the most part just that. And if you didn’t think that Bill Belichick was a villain before this game, it is hard to argue that point now.
So much of the buildup to the game centered on the old guard of the Belichick and Tom Brady led Patriots against the new, better, high-flying Rams and head coach Sean McVay. McVay has quickly risen to the top of the NFL coaching pecking order, and rightfully so. The Rams have transformed after a Jeff Fisher era, and the offense has been near historic. Jared Goff looked like a bust after one year under Fisher, but less so now. Todd Gurley continued to improve; the wideouts started to spark. McVay’s transformation has seen everyone who has had lunch with him signed to a coaching position, with owners desperately trying to find the next new thing. Belichick just proved that the next new thing may already
not be ready to go. In a stroke of masterclass, the Evil Emperor destroyed all of the joy that comes with a high-flying offense by smothering it. Goff looked like a deer in headlights most of the game. The running game was stuffed, and the Rams were grounded to a halt. Credit needs to be given to the Patriots defensive coaches, both past and present. Former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, now the head coach in Detroit, provided a blueprint on beating the Rams back in Week 13. A Cover 4 zone look with five or six near the line of scrimmage to take away the run and subsequent play-action got the Rams out of rhythm. Even a glitch in the Patriots’ defensive matrix wasn’t enough for the Rams offense. With Brandin
Cooks wide open in the end zone, Patriots’ Jason McCourty flew back to break the pass up at the last second. In all, the Rams tied the Super Bowl record for fewest points scored with three (tied with the Miami Dolphins’ score of 3-24 against the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl VI). Never did it really feel like the Rams were going to score a touchdown. Maybe Greg Zuerlein should have tried a 70yard field goal. On the flip side, Wade Phillips deserves some credit. The Rams defensive coordinator did an excellent job stopping the Patriots and Brady. The twist in the tail came in the fourth on the only touchdown drive of the day. The use of 22 personnel with tight ends
Rob Gronkowski and Dwayne Allen, fullback James Devlin and running back Rex Burkhead broke the Rams system. Three straight plays got 49 yards, and Sony Michel did the rest. In an era that has seen offenses fly around the field with lots of speed, going big won the Super Bowl for New England. The dynasty of New England rolls on, and it could continue next year. Until then, the Patriots get to take in the Sweet Victory. And who knows, maybe next year’s halftime show will actually sing that song because that is what the people actually wanted.
Out From the Oven | Feb. 7 Because there isn’t enough NFL talk lately Philip Atneosen Contributing Writer
NFL names Mahomes MVP
The NFL Honors took place Saturday, and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes took home the MVP award. Mahomes had a phenomenal season, with over 5,000 yards passing and an NFLleading 50 touchdowns. While Drew Brees had a higher passer rating over the course of the season, Mahomes threw for over 1,000 more yards and 18 more touchdowns. Defensive Player of the Year was given to Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who led the NFL with 20.5 sacks, the most ever for a defensive tackle. Furthermore, Defensive Rookie of the Year was awarded
to Colts linebacker Darius Leonard, who led the NFL with 163 combined tackles. Among the more surprising selections, Giants running back Saquon Barkley edged out Browns QB Baker Mayfield for Rookie of the Year and Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Mayfield helped to turn the Browns franchise around, but Barkley was ultimately given the awards after leading the NFL in all-purpose yards.
Bailey, Reed, Gonzalez lead NFL HOF class
The Hall of Fame Class of 2019 was also announced at the NFL Honors ceremony. Among those inducted were three first-ballot players: cornerback Champ Bailey, safety Ed Reed and tight end Tony Gonzalez. Cornerback Ty Law and center Kevin
Mawae were the other two modern players selected. There were also two contributor selections, former Dallas Cowboys vice president of player personnel Gil Brandt and former Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, as well as one senior selection in safety Johnny Robinson. Given the size and talent of the eligible player pool every year, I have my doubts about Julian Edelman earning a spot in Canton, but the weight of his jewelry just might carry him there.
Lindsey Vonn to ski final slope
Women’s skiing icon Lindsey Vonn crashed while competing in the super-G event at the alpine ski World Championships Tuesday. She collided with a gate and fell face first, eventually hitting the safety netting. The course in Are, Sweden gave the skiers problems throughout the event, with
a total of 14 skiers failing to finish. Vonn survived with few injuries, including a black eye and a sore upper body. Prior to entering the 2019 World Championships in Sweden, Vonn announced that the super-G event and the downhill event would be her last races. The Minnesota native has won more World Cups than any other female skier, with eight downhill championships and five super-G championships. Vonn competed in her first World Cup in 2000. Now, at the age of 34, she has had six knee surgeries, and as a result has decided to retire. Vonn has one final race before she retires for good. She is planning on competing in the downhill championship Sunday.
THE SPECTRUM | SPORTS | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019
11
Trying to Fill Our Open Sundays Getting through the NFL’s day without the NFL
BRITTANY HOFMANN | THE SPECTRUM
There are 57 days left before Bison baseball in Fargo, not that anyone is counting.
Ian Longtin
Contributing Writer
Football is over. That feeling you have? That feeling is sheer and utter sadness. This feeling is normal. It’s OK to not be OK this time of year. There is no shame in tearing up over the thought of the seven football-less months to come. We are all in this together. In the short term, we can all watch replays, hug random strangers on the street and come together as one in jealousy of the Patriots’ sixth Super Bowl title in 18 years. However, the long term appears to be a bit grimmer. I am here to try and help you through the pain. Although none of these ideas compare to the sheer joy of spending
a Sunday bumming around watching the game we all love, they may help you keep your sanity for a little while. We will get through this guys … I think.
Keep up with Bison athletics
The good news: The North Dakota State baseball team has 13 games scheduled to occur on a Sunday this year. The bad news: only three of them will be played at home, the first one not until early April. Nonetheless, it is something. Keep an eye on the schedule and spend the day at the ballpark when you get the chance. If not, find a TV, radio or anything to help you keep you up to date on any road games you may miss. The NDSU softball team has the same problem as the
baseball team. The softball team has 11 scheduled games on Sunday throughout the year, but only three will take place in Fargo. Again, take advantage when the Herd plays at home, and keep up as best you can when the team heads on the road.
College basketball and March Madness
Sadly, the Bison men’s and women’s teams will not play on Sunday for the rest of the year. However, March Madness is right around the corner for any big-time college basketball or sports fans. Selection Sunday will take place March 17 this year, so be sure to fill out your brackets. Remember the rules though. Concentrate on and fill out one main bracket to use to compete with your family and friends, and use
any of your other remaining brackets for fun. When people have multiple brackets, the games mean just a little less. It is more fun to pick a team or two to ride or die with in the tournament instead having 12 different teams to root for.
Keep up with the NFL Draft
This one will definitely help feed your football addiction. Once the offseason settles for a few weeks, teams and fans start to look forward to the next season. Players that were hurt last year are finally getting healthy, think pieces come out on why your favorite team has a chance to win it all next year and free agency rumors start to heat up. This tends to be a time of
unbridled hope around the league. However, the event that garners the most hope and media coverage is the NFL Draft. Having a good draft could make a team a perennial playoff contender. Drafting poorly can set a team back years and put them into rebuild mode. NFL scouts and analysts spend months watching film and talking to coaches to try and help them determine which college players will find the most success coming into the NFL. So, spending the next seven or so Sundays leading up to April’s draft, reading draft profiles, watching highlights and going over players your favorite team might draft may be a good exercise. New mock drafts are posted almost daily from
sites such as ESPN, Bleacher Report and CBS Sports. Doing your draft homework for a couple hours every Sunday might just make you look like a guru in front of your friends when the draft rolls around. Doing any or all of these will never completely fill the void that was left by the end of football. September will be here soon enough. Of course, by that time, next year’s school year will be upon us, and we’ll all be attending our 8 a.m. classes, and it will be getting colder and colder … Man, football being gone just makes everything seem a little bleaker. May the wise words of Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman guide us through the darkness: “Tough times don’t last. Tough people do.”
Bison Softball Starts New Campaign NDSU hits the road for San Marcos this weekend Thomas Evanella Staff Writer
After a nine-month absence from the diamond, the North Dakota State softball team is ready to fly south for the winter. The Bison will travel to San Marcos, Texas for five games in four days this weekend. They’ll square off with Texas State, University of Texas-San Antonio and Colorado State in the Texas State Bobcat Classic. The weekend in the Lone Star State will only be the beginning of the southern travel for NDSU. The Bison will need their passports the following weekend when
they travel to Mexico for a four-game swing in Puerto Vallarta. They’ll also have trips to the campuses of Auburn, Stanford, Florida International, Florida Atlantic and South Florida. Do the math, and it accounts for 31 games and over 8,000 miles of travel for the Bison before playing a single Summit League contest. For good measure, the Bison will also play three games at Seattle University and two at Minnesota. After making their ninth NCAA Regionals appearance in 2018, the Bison are narrow favorites to run that mark to double digits. NDSU was voted
the top team in the Summit League in the preseason Coaches Poll. The Bison won’t be without competition, however. South Dakota State was voted No. 2 in the poll, but the Bison edged their southern rivals in first place votes. The Jackrabbits return 14 players from a team that finished 37-18 a year ago, which figures to make this season’s title chase tight. Meanwhile, the Bison bring back a dozen players from last season, eight of which are key starters. Offensively, the Bison are led by Zoe Stavrou and Vanessa Anderson, who earned first and second team All-Summit League
nods, respectively. Stavrou was one of the top hitters in the conference, batting .307 and posting an on-base percentage of .369. Anderson was named to the conference’s preseason watchlist after batting .269 and driving in 31 runs. The senior led the Bison a season ago with a slugging percentage of .510. Last year, however, NDSU’s bread-and-butter was inside the pitcher’s circle. Far-and-away, the Bison had the top pitching in 2018. NDSU suffocated opponents to the tune of a 2.41 earned run average (ERA), a whole 1.4 runs better than the second closest team in the Summit League.
The Bison also registered a whopping 395 strikeouts, a clip north of one per inning. That success was in large measure due to the excellence of Jacquelyn Sertic, who now pitches professionally in the Netherlands. Sertic’s sub-two ERA topped the conference. Typically, recovering from the loss of an ace would be an insurmountable task. Such a drop-off won’t be an issue for the Bison, who have KK Leddy waiting in the wings. Leddy was right behind Sertic in ERA and completed nearly three-quarters of her starts last year. A question mark for head coach Darren Mueller will
lie in his depth behind Leddy. After only making three appearances last year, junior Kara O’Byrne will see an increased role for the Bison. She will effectively become NDSU’s No. 2 starter, while freshman Paige Vargas joins the squad. While the Bison won’t have a home game until April 13, there will be plenty of action to follow. In all likelihood, by the time the Bison return to Fargo they’ll be in the process of claiming their sixth consecutive conference crown.
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THE SPECTRUM | NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019
BISON ROUNDUP David Hoffman Staff Writer
February started off with a bang for North Dakota State athletics. This past Friday, Bison wrestling beat Utah Valley in a dominant fashion with a 47-3 victory. The following day NDSU hosted the Bison Open, a men and women’s track meet, where they came away with several event wins to finish the indoor home schedule.
Wrestling
The wrestling match took place at the Scheels Center Feb. 1 as a Big 12 dual. The Bison absolutely dominated that match, winning in every weight class except for 141. A redshirt freshman from
West Fargo, Brandon Metz took on Tate Orndorff, who is ranked 11th nationally for the 285-pound weight class. Orndorff came in with a 19-5 dual record, but Metz came away with an upset over the ranked opponent after registering his sixth fall of the year. The next match for the Bison (9-5) is a home dual against the SDSU (2-7). The match takes place at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17.
Men’s track and field
On Feb. 2, the Bison Open took place, and the men’s shot put came out firing on all cylinders. Although world leader Payton Otterdahl did not compete in the shot put, the rest of the team made sure to make up for it. Sophomore Alex Talley won
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the shot put with a 63-05.00 throw. This placed him at No. 2 all-time for NDSU and No. 15 nationally for the year. Freshman Kristoffer Thomsen also impressed with a season best 62-00.05, placing fourth on the NDSU all-time list. In the heptathlon, the Bison stood on the top two steps of the podium. Senior Ryan Enerson scored 5,111 points to take the victory and was followed by junior Ben Klimpke, who scored 5,034. In the pole vault, Noah Shafer took the victory with a height of 15-06.50. In the running events, the Bison had a good set of victories as well. Evan Kottsick won the mile, and Connor Schank took second. In the
200m dash J. T. Butler won with a time of 22.17, and in the 3000m Tim Heikkila took a victory as well. The team also swept the 800m, taking the first four places with freshman Josh Samyn leading the pack.
Women’s track and field
At the same Bison Open, the women’s track and field team dominated. In the shot put, the Bison claimed the top nine places. Bailey Retzlaff took first, and her toss of 55-11.25 ranks eighth in the nation this year. Redshirt freshman Akealy Moton is now No. 2 all-time for NDSU after her 54-05.25 throw in the shot put Saturday.
On the track, NDSU took home a number of events. In the 60m dash, Daejha Moss won with a time of 7.70. Jodi Lipp and Michaela Baker took second and third, respectively. Peyton Frolek won the 400m, running an indoor personal best of 57.96. Katie Bostrom clocked in at 2:15.43, a season-best, to win the 800m. Kelby Anderson won the 1,600m with a 4:48.06 time, and she now ranks No. 4 all-time for the Bison. The next track and field meet for both the men’s and women’s teams will be Friday, Feb. 8 in Brookings, South Dakota for the SDSU Indoor Classic.
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