VOLUME 122 ISSUE 43
THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
The Spectrum
ndsuspectrum.com
NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY | FOR THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE
INSIDE 2
Election Season The campaign trail has begun for all students running
SPORTS
The five-year WBB head coach, Maren Walseth leaves by “mutual agreement”
6 Pictured: Nichols and Wognin
Pictured: Rademacher and Vollmer
Phoebe Ellis
Head News Editor
Interview: Styx’s James ‘J.Y.’ Young keeps eyes trained on the stars
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OPINION
Opinion: Vaccines should not be mandatory and requiring every American to be vaccinated is unethical and dangerous
SYDNEY ARDENS | PHOTO COURTESY
LINDSEY POULIOT | PHOTO COURTESY
A&E
There are two separate parties running for the positions of Student Body President and Student Body Vice President at North Dakota State. In one corner, there is Kole Nichols and Ivan Wognin, and in the other corner, there is Mason Rademacher and Joseph Vollmer. Rademacher and Vollmer both have years of experience in student government. Rademacher is currently the Executive Commissioner of External Affairs, and Vollmer is the Assistant Executive Commissioner of External Affairs. While Nichols and Wognin have less experience in student government, they aren’t short on leadership. Nichols expressed that he currently has an internship with U.S. Commercial Services, and that him and Wognin have had various leadership positions across campus. Rademacher and Vollmer have put together a threepoint platform: organizational, educational and career recuperation. Rademacher called these their “visionary areas,” which are intended to be positive for all students. In the organizational portion of their platform, the team said they want to connect more with student organizations. Rademacher noted, “Student government can come across as an elitist body,” and that this isn’t the image he wants to portray of the organization. Instead, Rademacher said he wants to see student government be a guiding body that works alongside student organizations to “lead and strengthen organizations and organization members.” To do this, the two have come up with some ideas to help organizations, such as making use of campus spaces easier for organizations. They also said they plan to reassess the finance code to sort out what serves students and what doesn’t. They also said they want to
make philanthropic opportunities easier for student organizations by footing the bill for some promotional options for students, such as funding posters that advertise a fundraising event. Secondly, their education platform point will continue to focus on open education resources and expanding open education resources within
receive professional certifications, localizing opportunities, finding partners and forging relationships with professionals. One aspect of these professional opportunities in the push by Vollmer and Rademacher is to make 40-hour a week internships count as a full credit load, so students don’t need to worry about a full-time
classrooms. They also said they want to strengthen the Tri-College partnerships by putting on events with the other colleges as early as freshman year. Finally, in their education platform point, they said they want to show students how to use the promotional degree map tool with the Office of Registration and Records. This tool would essentially function as an interactive map so that students can see what they need to complete their degree and what they’ve accomplished. The third platform point, career preparation, includes programs that aim to equip students with marketable attributes. This includes increasing opportunities to
internship and their classes. This would be achieved by adding an academic component to the professional experience students would gain through the internship. For Nichols and Wognin, their platform is about the three Cs: connect, cultivate and continue. Under the connect point, they said they want to help bring students closer to the Fargo community, the NDSU administration and student government. They said they plan to do this by opening up student government to students as a place to have conversations. Nichols himself said that, if elected, he wished every student on campus would sit down and have a conversation with
him. Nichols also said he wanted to build stronger relationships with NDSU alumni and work toward bridging gaps between people. When it comes to cultivation, Nichols talked about facilitating relationships between students and alumni and collaborating with student organizations across campus. This would also include professional advising, which would allow advisers to focus on specific majors and limit the students they work with to about 300. The two of them said they would also like to see improved technology and improved use of technology, especially in areas such as engineering and fixing small issues. Finally, the efforts they said they would like to continue include expanding campus safety initiatives and open education resources. The safety initiative would be a continuation of past safety measures, and it would include training students on what to do in the event that there’s a threat to the campus, according to Wognin. Nichols said the two of them are trying to remain “pragmatic” about what they can realistically accomplish. Nichols also addressed the recent Twitter scandal, where a woman tweeted about the verbal mistreatment of another woman in her class by Nichols. When addressing the tweet and the situation, Nichols said he viewed what had happened as an opportunity for some fun banter gone wrong. “It wasn’t appropriate,” Nichols said. He continued to say that after the interaction, but before the tweet, he had apologized to the woman, though he did say, “It was not my shining moment, and I am truly sorry.” Nichols and Wognin’s message to the student body is the same as that of Radermacher and Vollmer: go out and vote for the platform you believe in.
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The Spectrum NEWS
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
Spring break roundup What you missed while you were away Ryan Nix
Co-News Editor
The Bahamas might have been the best place to be over spring break, but Fargo didn’t stand still while the students vacationed. Here’s what happened while North Dakota State went on spring holiday.
Chemical on campus
NDSU had a chemical removed from a Dunbar Hall laboratory March 12. The bomb squad and Fargo Fire Department were called, and the situation was resolved, according to the Inform. The chemical, Tetrahydrofuran, could have combusted if it had crystalized. The chemical removal was planned to happen during spring break. Battalion Chief Joe Mangin said he was notified of the chemical.
Spring snow apocalypse
North Dakota dodged the brunt of a debilitating windy snowstorm that closed some main highways and even knocked down a billboard on Interstate 29. Wind
gusts reached 40 mph, and Hector International Airport reported 57 mph. This created whiteout conditions due to blowing snow in especially flat areas. According to the West Fargo Pioneer, Fargo missed a large amount of the storm. The brunt of the event was felt in other areas of the state. “For the most part, Fargo stayed relatively warm and missed out on a lot of the snow,” said Carl Jones, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service. A major impact was felt on the roads with I-29 to Grand Forks and I-94 to Bismarck closed. Roof collapses were also an issue with garages caving in Moorhead, Minnesota due to heavy snow, according to the
Inforum. A commercial building off 13th Av e n u e
ceiling was sagging, according to the Inforum. Outside of Fargo, the Town of Kulm was stranded without water around for about three hours on Friday due to the storm. Minnesota saw persistent rain due to the storm. Since the storm, Fargo has seen a string of days with highs in the 40s.
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A bill to raise the driver’s license fee from $15 to $30 will head to the governor’s desk after being passed by the Senate. According to the Inforum, the fee hike will fill a $5 million hole in the program’s budget. Rep. Larry Bellew, R-Minot, called the bill a
tax increase, saying, “Tax and fee have three letters in it, they’re just spelled differently.” The Senate also passed a bill that would require doctors to inform women that it is possible to reverse chemically induced abortions. Sen. Janne Myrdal, R-Edinburg, said the bill is informational. “The language in this bill is informational only, it is a notification only, giving the woman the full information she needs to make her own decision if she regrets her choice within a short period of time,” Myrdal said. On the other side, some are saying the bill would require giving women questionable information. “Would we require this if it were any other medical procedure with this level of evidence?” Sen. Kristin Roers asked. The ban on Sunday morning shopping was repealed by the Senate, sending the bill to Gov. Doug Burgum. The governor has already said he will repeal the “blue laws” that restrict certain retail establishments from selling on Sunday mornings.
Bison WBB moves on from Walseth The five-year head coach leaves by ‘mutual agreement’ JOHN SWANSON | THE SPECTRUM
Former Bison Head Coach Maren Walseth won 20 percent of her game against NAIA opposition.
Ian Longtin Staff Writer
Maren Walseth is out as the North Dakota State women’s basketball coach. Why? A lack of success. Correction, a lack of any success. In her five seasons as a head coach, her record was 40-106. Of those 40 wins, only three came against Division I teams that finished the season with a winning record. Those were South Dakota in 2016-17 and both Oral Roberts and South Dakota State in her first campaign, with an inherited set of players, in 2014-15. That just simply will not cut it at any level of basketball. There is also the fact that the program as a whole never seemed to be heading in the right direction in Walseth’s
tenure. In her first season, the Herd went 11-18. Not great by any means, but the first season for a coach usually is the toughest. The problem is, following that season, Walseth’s teams never reached double-digit wins in any season. The program appeared to be taking two steps back and no step forward. None of this is to suggest that Walseth has a lack of knowledge of the game of basketball. Walseth was a standout at Penn State in the late ‘90s and was even selected in the third round of the WNBA draft in 2001. Walseth also spent seven years as an assistant coach at Penn State before taking the head coaching job at NDSU. She was hired to
shoe-horn the revalidation and rebuild of the program, but could not get it done. This was Walseth’s first head coaching gig on any level, so of course there was going to be some bumps along the way, and rebuilds do not happen overnight. However, there needs to be a vision or a plan in place to get the program back into relevance. College sports is and always has been about recruiting. The pieces are in place for NDSU to do well in the recruiting game. For starters, the program won five national titles in the ‘90s. Yes, the Bison were still playing in Division II back then, but banners are banners, and having a winning culture can be very appealing to incoming recruits.
There is also the glamorous $50 million Stanford Health Athletic Complex, a great place for any college hooper to spend their playing days. The pieces are in place for NDSU to be a favorable destination for recruits, but the lack of success on the court further proves why a change was made. Of course recruiting is tough, but one can imagine its even tougher when players that are already within the program are leaving. Holly Johnson was a three-year starter for the Bison before she was forced to sit out the 2015-16 season with a foot injury. Walseth made the, as she puts it, “coach’s decision” not to redshirt Johnson that year, which opened the door for Johnson to transfer to North
Dakota for the 2016-17 season. Reilly Jacobson was the Herd’s leading scorer for the Bison in the 2017-18 season before she transferred to Western Michigan. Fargo native Sarah Jacobson was “dismissed” from the team just weeks ago and is planning to transfer to Minnesota State Moorhead. After all the losses, lack of growth, lack of recruiting and the now routine player departures, it is time for another fresh start. It will be a grind of a process to return to relevance in the Summit League, let alone the national stage. The road ahead appears to be a tough one. That just makes it all the sweeter when the victories start pouring in.
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THE SPECTRUM | News | THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019 Phoebe Ellis
Head News Editor
In the bag
Anticipating the flooding that will result from Fargo’s massive amount of snow, Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney has declared a state of emergency and hopes volunteers from across the city can meet the goal of making 1 million sandbags, KVRR reported. Mayor Mahoney is doing such in an effort to prevent flooding as damaging as the flood of 2009. The National Weather Service has given a prediction that there’s a 10 percent chance of flooding similar to that of a decade ago. The mayor has sent a message to the public that, “It is critically important for everybody to know that we will need the public’s assistance and cannot be complacent.” Volunteers include students from Fargo and West Fargo high schools and North Dakota State.
Shattering windows
There have been 38 reports of car windows being shot out between 35th Avenue South and Edgewood Golf Course in North Fargo as of Monday, March 18, KVRR reported.
Authorities are looking for footage of the act and are asking the public to come forward with any information they have about the crimes. They suspect a BB or pellet gun was used to shatter the car windows.
T h e Chairman of the White Earth Reservation, Te r r e n c e “Terry” Tibbetts has passed away at the age of 60, KVRR reported. Ti b b e t t s represented people on and off the reservation since 2016, being the chairman for the largest tribe in Minnesota, but he worked for more than 35 years with the tribe. Tibbetts, whose given name is Nii-Gah-Nii-Mosay, which means “Walks First,” was a resident of Naytahwaush, Minnesota for the duration of his life.
the terrorist attack on two Mosques in New Zealand,
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Habitat office at 218284-5253 opt 2 FOR SALE: 2006 New Beetle Yellow Convertible (black top and interior). Car has 41K actual miles, automatic transmission, electric windows, leather interior. One owner.
A whale was recently discovered to have 88 pounds of plastic products in its stomach, which contributed to its death, NPR reported. The whale washed up on shore vomiting blood, and within hours, it was dead. The team conducted a necropsy and found the plastic. This is not a unique case. According to the expert interviewed, 57 of the 61 whales and dolphins the team helped had died and had plastic in their system.
#NunsToo
Since the MeToo movement has become prevalent across the globe, from it has emerged the NunsToo movement, where nuns have come forward about sexual assault they’ve experienced within the church, NPR reported. The movement began with an article published by Women Church World, which exposed the stories of several nuns. The article noted that many nuns experience shame in their rape because they’ve been taught to believe they have in some way seduced a holy man into sexual acts. Some nuns have even gotten pregnant and been forced to leave the order or have an abortion.
Deadly plastic
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the Prime Minister of the nation is urging the public and media sources to leave the gunman “nameless,” NPR reported. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she wants the gunman to remain nameless so that he does not receive the publicity he wanted from the attack. S h e a l s o noted the families of the victims w i l l receive justice and the role of social m e d i a in this event will be looked into, adding that she doesn’t believe social media platform operators are free to ignore certain content being broadcast on their sites.
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The Spectrum FEATURES Exploring the BISON ABROAD Great Ocean Road
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
The Great Ocean Road has many experiences that need more than a day to explore
a trip to the Great Ocean with friends will give you a bond with people you would never expect.
Erin Thostenson Contributing Writer
The Great Ocean Road is over 150 miles of highway that winds around Australia’s southeastern coast, showcasing new natural wonders at every turn. Whether it’s expansive beaches with turquoise surf or waterfalls hidden within rainforest hikes, the Great Ocean Road has so much to take in that it is impossible to see it all in one trip. Australia’s smallest state of Victoria is bursting with so much life that it is easy to be in awe, stumbling into a new world that feels much bigger than yourself. I spent an entire weekend exploring what the Great Ocean Road had to offer from Anglesea (the eastern start) to Apollo Bay (roughly the halfway mark) in the company of other international students from my host university, and these are some of the highlights we experienced, just a fraction of what can be found on the Great Ocean Road.
Erskine Falls
This particular marvel is a 10-minute drive from the nearby city of Lorne and a 15-minute walk down over 200 stairs and across a river. During the heat of the Australian summer, it might be tempting to skip Erskine Falls altogether, but this would be a huge mistake. The trek down those stairs and across the river is a journey from a beach town into a rainforest, with brown spindly trees turning into verdant ferns and the heat transforming into a cool mist from the falls themselves. The hike takes you directly to the point where Erskine Falls plunges from its nearly 100-foot height into the smooth river below. The sight of the falls combined with the surrounding forest, the sun filtering through the leaves and reflecting off the mists, the sounds of strange birds calling to one another in the trees, lays the entire area in a sense of calm. Despite the arduous climb back up the many, many flights of stairs afterward, visiting Erskine Falls is refreshing and even invigorating.
The Twelve Apostles
If the Great Ocean Road had to be distilled down to just one site to represent itself, it would be the Twelve Apostles, without question. Created by steady erosion from the Southern Ocean against the coastline 10-20 million years ago, the Twelve Apostles are large pillars of limestone that rise out of the waves, with the tallest towering nearly as high as a 15-story building. Having weathered millennium after millennium, the Twelve
Apostles remain, cutting against the foam-green waves in a rich ochre of layered rock. The ocean stretches into the horizon before them, fading from the white of the breaking waves into aquamarine and then into a deep blue where it meets the sky. Even from the highest lookoutpoint, which is level with the pillars, they still seem vast and untouchable, pointing into the sky in defiance of something unknown.
Apollo Bay
Apollo Bay is a small town nestled where the edges of the Great Otway National Park meet the coastline. After long days of traveling as far up and down the Great Ocean Road as we could, my group and I took solace in the quiet of Apollo Bay to relax and rest. Apollo Bay’s beach does not stun like some of the others along the Great Ocean Road, with its impressive waves crashing against the shore relentlessly. Instead, the beach at Apollo Bay is a different kind of beautiful, with smooth sand and a steady, almost gentle tide. At sunset, the whole waterfront turns into a pastel dream: the sky blending from pale periwinkle to cream to pink, as it reflects the same soft colors onto the surf and sand. A cool breeze drifts from the ocean, relieving the heat from the day. My group and I visited this beach at sunset on our last night before returning to our host university in Melbourne, and as we crossed over the dunes to get a glimpse of that particular stretch of ocean for the first time, I heard one of my friends say, “Man, people really just get born here.” I, too, marveled at the fact that the people of Apollo Bay wake up every day and get to experience what is so dazzling, beautiful and strange to me. I wonder if they would find exploring a place like North Dakota as equally exciting. I think there is something so incredibly special that myself and all of the international students have had the opportunity to visit places like the Great Ocean Road together. From as close to home as Canada to as far away as Norway, everyone on that trip was able to enjoy each other’s company and share in a small fraction of what some Australians call home. Starting from the tiny butterflies that flutter around Erskine Falls, all the way up to the tops of the Twelve Apostles that cut against the sky and even down to the countless Australians and tourists who take the time to look at them and say they are beautiful, these are the essential elements that combine to make the Great Ocean Road its inspiring entirety.
PHOTOS BY ERIN THOSTENSON | THE SPECTRUM
THE SPECTRUM | Features | THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
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FURRY FRIENDS C a s t l e a n d Wa t e r m e l o n Older cats need love too
Miranda Stambler Features Editor
Sometimes shelters have too many cats and need more room, so their prices go down, but their lovable pals only become more adorable. Homeward Animal Shelter is hosting the “Game of Homes” because “kitten season is coming.” Now until March 31, these two gals and any cats (6 months and older) are only $50. Go get yourself a cat, or two, or three.
Castle
Meet Castle, a 5-year-old, white and black domestic short-haired female. She arrived at Homeward Animal Shelter Dec. 26, 2018. Her purr-fect forever home consists of a long night in cuddling on the couch. She is a friendly cat that will have anyone fall in love with her. If you have other cats and are looking for some playmates, Castle is the gal for you because she loves everyone and every cat.
Watermelon
Meet Watermelon, a black Manx female who’s 11.5 years old. She arrived at Homeward Animal Shelter Jan. 17. Watermelon will do anything for a treat and especially likes to show off her skills by turning the sink on and playing in the water. She’s a little picky with her fellow cat friends because she only likes low-energy cats. Anyone that wants to play is not her style. Even though Watermelon is independent, she needs to have some cuddle time on your lap where she’ll loudly purr until she goes back to roaming around.
Castle’s half beard that leaves her with no chin will have you smiling all day.
Watermelon’s glare at the camera is deceiving of her loveable personality. PHOTOS BY HOMEWARD ANIMAL SHELTER | PHOTO COURTESY
The dangers Spread the word: diversity of leftovers Student campaign competition focuses on a serious topic Food safety guide for leftovers Ruby Redekopp Contributing Writer
Learning to cook as a college student is a tricky task, but practicing good food safety can be an even more perplexing topic. Throwing out perished food is a difficult but important choice to preserve your health. Below are general food safety guidelines gleaned from articles found on Pinterest. They should not be considered absolute rules. If you ever question the safety of a dish, it’s better to be safe than sorry, and “When in doubt, throw it out.”
Food at room temperature
Cecil Wilde of Delishably writes that “the temperature danger zone is probably the most important concept in food safety.” She explained that any food sitting between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit is a prime target for bacteria multiplication. This zone includes any food sitting remotely near room temperature. To avoid getting sick, keep your food outside of this temperature window whenever possible. “Betty Crocker’s Cooking Basics: Learning to Cook with Confidence” recommends keeping both hot and cold foods at room temperature for no more than two hours.
Food in the refrigerator
Abiding by the temperature danger zone is not the only precautionary step you need to take. Both fresh and cooked foods do not last forever in your refrigerator, and they perish sooner than you might expect. Before putting away your leftovers, though, check to make sure the temperature within your refrigerator or mini fridge stays below at least 40 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’re worried about a particular food, push it to the back of the shelf away from other items. Betty Crocker reports that the back of the refrigerator stays cooler than the front or door, and a little breathing room allows food to chill faster.
Betty Crocker recommends keeping the following foods in your refrigerator no longer than these time periods: • Opened butter: 2 weeks • Cakes and cheesecakes: 3 to 5 days • Raw eggs: 3 weeks • Jams and jellies: 1 year • Dairy: varies by item For already cooked foods, Franciscan Health, a hospital network that publishes health information, offers some specific guidelines for how long you can keep different types of leftovers: • Cooked fresh vegetables: 3 to 4 days • Cooked pasta: 3 to 5 days • Cooked rice: 1 week • Stews or soups: 3 to 4 days • Cooked meats and casseroles: 3 to 4 days
Food in the freezer
While freezers can preserve your food longer than any of the other methods, they are not foolproof. Even ice cream does not last forever in the freezer. According to Wilde, the “gooey, slightly darker crust” found under the lid of an open tub of ice cream is the beginning of a bacteria coup d’état. After extended time spent in the freezer, ice cream is one of many foods that are prone to the proliferation of dangerous bacteria. To truly be considered a freezer, the temperature in your freezer should remain colder than 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Here are some of Betty Crocker’s recommendations for keeping food in the freezer: • Breads and frosted cakes: 2 to 3 months • Ice cream: 2 to 4 months • Cooked meats: 2 to 3 months • Cooked poultry: 4 months • Cooked shellfish: 1 to 2 months No matter how hungry or broke you are, ask yourself if it’s worth catching a foodborne illness and missing class, work and social activities. If you’re serving food to other people, it’s even more important to be careful to avoid getting others sick.
Miranda Stambler Features Editor
In an effort to bring more awareness to diversity in the Fargo-Moorhead community and on the North Dakota State campus, students Jack Hastings, Emily Avdem, Brennen Chase, Amy Montebello and Joey Windsperger have created a campaign called “Create the Conversation.” This takes part in the 2019 PRSSA Bateman Competition, which is used to create case studies for students to partake in and utilize public relation skills to create a campaign. Through research, they have found that 82.36 percent of NDSU students are white, which creates a stark contrast when compared to California State where only 8.5 percent of students are white. “A campaign like this is not going to change stats like this overnight; it’s going to bring a lot of awareness,” Chase said. Their campaign sent out a survey among NDSU communication students, where they asked specific questions focusing on the NDSU campus. They asked, “How has diversity affected your campus experience?” and 32 percent of students responded with “a great deal.” Within the statistics, 86 percent of students responded they believe education about diversity will create a change within the campus, and 64.8 percent said communication professors cover diversity “moderately well” in the classroom. Students spoke with Stephenson Beck, the communication department chair, who explained it is important to have multiple viewpoints, “But we’re trying to figure out how to truly have those viewpoints represented.” At a March 4 event, they student group hosted guest motivational speaker and NDSU alumnus Fred Edwards Jr. He spoke about an experience at NDSU, where some students would not sit by him or treat him as though he were a museum because his hair was tall. “Professors would stop the class, walk up to me and touch my hair,” Edwards said. Edwards said he thinks NDSU needs to create and focus on more of what will keep students around rather than getting them in the door. “I genuinely love
CREATE THE CONVERSATION | PHOTO COURTESY
‘Diversity has proven to keep students successful.’- Fred Edwards Jr.
NDSU, but to this day, if you go to the NDSU website you will see many students of color; you will get a brochure and see many students of color – and don’t get me wrong, I think NDSU serves students of color well and wants them to succeed,” Edwards said. “I was sold a lie.” Having organizations for people of color to come together like Black Student Association, Black Collegiate Women, etc. is important. Edwards said he believes it must be honest representation, so that when people visit they know what they are getting into, which will increase the retention rate and allow for them to make that change themselves. He explained how NDSU is only an example and that this is everywhere — that people do not know how to act with people of another culture. For more information, find Create the Conversation on Instagram and Facebook.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
6 NDSUSPECTRUM.COM THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
Interview: Styx’s James ‘J.Y.’ Young keeps eyes trained on the stars Co-founder and guitarist talks new album and Midwest tour
(L to R): Chuck Panozzo, Ricky Phillips, Todd Sucherman, Tommy Shaw, James ‘J.Y.’ Young and Lawrence Gowan.
Laura Ellen Brandjord A&E Editor
NASA and the rock band Styx have long shared a mutual appreciation, so it should come as no surprise that the band’s latest album, “The Mission,” is inspired by the planned 2033 Mars mission. “There was some inspiration from NASA,” Styx guitarist James “J.Y.” Young revealed. “We have a lot of fans there, and when they discovered that Pluto actually had five moons instead of four, they had a naming contest. I think Vulcan got the most votes, but there was already an object out there in outer space with that name.” Young continued, “Long story short, it’s not allowed, scientifically speaking, to have two objects with the same name. So, the next big vote-getter was Styx.” Young explained that he believes it was the combination of the eponymous Pluto moon and the band’s long history with NASA in various capacities that gave them the inspiration for their latest album. Their first album of original music in 14 years, “The Mission” tells the story of a mission to Mars that goes wrong. A crew leaves everything familiar for Mars, only to experience technical difficulties and narrowly escape a “red storm.” Young described the turning point of the album: “’Locomotive’ is the rebellious son of the captain of the ship, and he decides he’s going to Pluto.” There is no talk of returning to Earth by the closing track “Mission to Mars.” “This album is more about going to Mars and beyond. The rest I guess will be the subject of the next record,” Young laughed. There is no denying “The Mission” is a Styx album. It possesses a classic vintage quality that allows it to seamlessly disguise itself as a release from the ‘70s. Young admitted this was on purpose. “It was absolutely a conscious decision to go back to try and capture with this lineup what we had done back in the heyday.” To accomplish this task, the style of recording also had to be
carefully considered. “Digital recording has a lot of drawbacks in terms of sonic quality of the finished product. It tends to be harsher, and you don’t get any of that surface noise. Everything in digital, like CDs, is cut off at 16,000 cycles, but the human ear can hear much, much higher than that. These artifacts (vinyl, analog) that are up there make it sound more real, more human, let’s say.” Young said Styx were clear on their vision sonically in the studio. “We went into the studio wanting to create an album that fit back in that time directly after ‘Pieces of Eight.’” The iconic rock band will be in Fargo March 21, on their Laugh. Rock. Seriously! tour. The short set of shows were all originally supposed to include an opening performance from comedian Larry the Cable Guy. U n f o r t u n a t e l y, he had to drop out of both North Dakota dates due to scheduling conflicts with current projects. In response, the Fargo and Minot dates will instead experience an extended set by Styx under the banner “An Evening with Styx.” The set will include the band staples “Come Sail Away,” “Renegade” and “Too Much Time on My Hands,” as well as a few of their newest tracks from “The Mission.” “’The Mission,’ while it’s been a success by current standards for bands of our genre and our age, people come out to see ‘Renegade’ and ‘Come Sail Away’ and ‘Too Much Time on My Hands.’” Young continued, “Those were always going to be part of the set, and then we will get to go deeper into ‘The Mission.’” Laura Ellen Brandjord (LEB): What made you decide to add ‘Mr. Roboto’ back into the mix after all these years? James ‘J.Y.’ Young (JY): Well, it was that song that broke up the band in 1983. It was one
man’s dream and the rest of our nightmare, but it was a successful single. But it kind of killed our rock audience. We always had personality clashes as we go, but with this thing, because Dennis (DeYoung) promised a big success and it was — the tour was not even half as successful as any of the tours we had done in the past five years leading up to that — and the record sales were not even half what we had done. So, we stopped working
together. We sort of asked our crew guys and our merchandise guy, “Well what are people asking for and what kind of feedback are you hearing about the show?” Both our merchandise guy and our lighting director said the only song they ever get requested was for “Mr. Roboto.” That has been for the past 20 years. So, we finally said, “Well, enough time’s past, and if this is what people want, we need something to sort of freshen up these classic songs, even though we have ‘The Mission.’” The release of that song sort of ended the first generation of Styx success, but it really spawned the second generation, because it sold
RICK DIAMOND | PHOTO COURTESY
a million singles, and I think most of the people who bought it were under the age of 15. Now, they are grown up, and that song got them interested in us. Maybe they will go back and listen to our more classic music. We weren’t sure how people were going to respond, but we decided to take a chance on it. The response has been — virtually the whole crowd goes crazy for it. It was the right chess move at the right time. LEB: We’ve made it to the random questions at the end. I like to end interviews on some lighter, more conversational questions. JY: I approve, Laura. LEB: F i r s t song you learned to play on the guitar? J Y : I learned from a B e a t l e s songbook, so it was probably “Please, Please Me” (imitates guitar part). LEB: If you were stuck on a desert island with only one record for the rest of your life, what would you want it to be? JY: Jimi Hendrix “Are You Experienced.” I saw him play five times while he was alive. I would see him five thousand times. To me, he seemed like he came down from the second moon of Mars, is what I always used to say. The moons of Mars are Deimos and Phobos, so he came down from one of those and sort of landed on Earth to bring this whole new thing. LEB: What song from throughout your STYX career do you enjoy playing the most? JY: Probably “Renegade.” I mean “Come Sail Away” is right up
there too. Those two are arguably our most popular songs. “Renegade” because Tommy (Shaw) wrote the lyrics and the music basically, but through just a twist of fate, he had to go away when we started working on recording it. I laid down all these guitar tracks, and he came back, and we said, “Wow, that sounds great.” He’s (Tommy) got one little sort of acoustic scratch guitar track that he played when we laid down the bass and the drums to get the structure of the song. I just overlaid with stuff to see what I could do with it. Then “Come Sail Away” because it started as a song about a sailing ship, but because of me I suggested that, that sailing ship turned into a starship. Dennis (DeYoung) ultimately embraced that idea lyrically. The wonderful and ironic thing about that whole deal was that, that came out in 1977, the same year as “Star Wars” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” It really became the soundtrack of outer space music. So, I feel connected to that genesis, but also it’s a great song that has a great arc and a great finale. LEB: Speaking of Star Wars, Star Wars or Star Trek? JY: I’d probably vote for “Alien,” but I mean I was the guy who watched Star Trek, and I was the guy who certainly went to the Star Wars movies, no doubt about it. I’m also a Star Trek fan. I’m the Mr. Spock of STYX. I’d be a science officer because I have a bachelor’s (degree) in mechanical and aerospace engineering. LEB: At least you’re not a red shirt. They never seem to fare well in conflicts. JY: (Laughs) I also like the Borg. The Borg was a great concept. It sounds very Scandinavian too, and I’ve been accused of being emotionless but intellectual. (Imitates Borg) “We are Borg; we will assimilate you.” (Both laugh) You are a fan, too, aren’t you?
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& E | THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
‘GONE S O L O NG ’ Picking book s based solely on their look s Brittany Hofmann Staff Writer
Whole lives are destroyed in a matter of seconds due to an angry, impulsive action. Suzan Dunn, a middleaged adjunct college professor, was born to a teenage mom in an ocean cottage on an amusement park strip. Her life was that of an ordinary 3-year-old until her father murdered her mother in their kitchen. After that, everything changed. But truly, her life was destined for this tragedy when her mother, Linda Dubie, first met her father, Danieal Ahearn, at the amusement park her parents owned. While Danny’s life was changed for the better at this chance happenstance, Linda’s would be cut short by his explosive temper and jealousy. He could never come to terms with her choice to be with him when she was so beautiful and that any guy could have her. “Gone So Long” is beautifully written and utterly tragic, and this story does not have a happy ending. Andre Dubus III’s format was interesting, and the book was jam-packed with artful script from cover to cover; the chapters flowing endlessly from one to the other. “Gone So Long” is a slow burn that takes some getting used to. It was difficult to dive into the story, but once
Not every story behind a beautiful cover has a happy ending. the story got going, the book with prostate cancer, and he was impossible to put down. refused treatment. As he ventures from The story illustrates Daniel’s journey to reunite New England to Florida, his with his daughter after daughter is unaware of their having no contact with her upcoming meeting. That is for nearly her entire life. until her husband delivers The clock is ticking for a letter from Daniel that he Daniel, as he was diagnosed mailed to the college she
BRITTANY HOFMANN | THE SPECTRUM
works at. Throughout the story, I was pulled between feeling sorry for Daniel and understanding Suzan’s hatred for him. Suzan is pulled in every direction — between her wonder and abandonment
from her father, her love for her slain mother and the grandmother that raised her, her husband and herself. I was hoping for a happy ending and a resolution for both Suzan and Daniel, but unfortunately this was not the case.
Daniel died without ever telling his daughter that he loved her and knowing that he was a soon-to-be grandfather. When I closed the cover on this tragedy, I ultimately felt heartbroken for Daniel at his unfortunate life.
‘Freeman Gorilla Warfare’ improved Update 0.80 brings new features and problems Nathan Wetrosky Staff Writer
“Freeman Guerrilla Warfare,” by KK Game Studio, was updated last week with many additions and fixes to the base game, as well as two minor patches in the previous few days. The downside to this new update was that the developers took out content from the game while putting the new stuff in. Some players are upset about this because it appears the developers have regressed in the development process. The reasoning behind this decision is because things in the last major update, like the vehicles, do not work with this latest update. They have taken them out of the game entirely to work on improving them to be released later down the road. Another problem that appeared with this latest update was many new bugs and glitches being introduced. This is something that always happens with nearly every single large update to games in
general, and even more so with an independent project like this with a small development team. While many issues have appeared with this last update, plenty of new features were released that many players have been wanting since the last big update going all the way back to October 2018. Here is a list of the more exciting content added by this overhaul update.
More in-depth city management system
Rather than selecting a few options from a menu, upgrading
Better city siege/defense mechanism
Instead of just mindlessly killing hordes of enemy combatants, there are now flags in cities and towns that need to be defended or captured, depending on which side of the siege you are on. This means a small army has a chance to capture an enemy city from a larger force. That is if they can get to the flags of course.
Improved combat AI
The artificial intelligence (AI) has been greatly enhanced since the last update. Enemy units as well as the player’s own troops will now seek cover, look for high-ground, try to be sneakier and will attempt to flank.
Added interactive locations
Improved graphics
The graphics of “Freeman Guerrilla Warfare” have once again been enhanced. KK Game Studio has increased the texture quality and lighting, among other things, to make the game look more realistic.
buildings will have certain effects on owned cities, depending on what was built.
cities is now a more personal experience. Cities now have access to a wide variety of buildings and upgrades. Libraries, wineries, fish ponds, airports, hotels and more have been added. These new
A variety of new locations now exist on the map. Villages can be used to sell and buy supplies and as a place to recruit mercenaries to join your army of freedom fighters. Bandit camps, house looters, bandits and brigands now need to be dealt with. Mines can be searched for supplies to sell to villages, towns and cities.
Ability to join combat
In earlier versions of the game,
armies could not help each other out. In this update, if the player sees an opportune moment, such as saving an allied faction’s army from annihilation or swooping in at the end of a battle to get some loot, they can do so. Of course, the other factions can do this too.
New faction
An all-female faction called the Valkyrie Female Army has entered the fray. This will just add to the chaos of an already chaotic world of roving armies hell-bent on conquering whatever they can. These are the more exciting features in this last update. Other features include improved sound effects, a remade user interface, new weapons, clothing, armor and new troop stats. While update 0.80 has had a rocky start, the developers are listening to the community surrounding “Freeman Guerrilla Warfare” and are attempting to fix the problems that have come with it. KK Game Studio has a good history with this project and has a clear goal to get this game out of early access and into the full version market.
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The Spectrum OPINION
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
NCAA Tournament Predictions Who I’m taking in this years NCAA Tournament
It’s every team’s dream to cut down the nets.
Opinion Editor
I write about sports a lot, maybe a little too much. However, the NCAA Tournament starts today, so I felt it was necessary to write about it and predict my winner. Everyone will fill out a bracket or two (or 10), but will someone finally predict a perfect bracket this year? I’m predicting no, but you never know. Nobody thought a No. 16 seed would beat a No. 1 seed, but it happened last year. I’m writing this on Monday, March 18, so I haven’t seen the “First Four” games yet. I say that because I don’t know if the Bison will make the tournament, but I’m hopeful. I must say, it’s a miracle the Bison get a chance to possibly claim a No. 16 seed in the “big dance.” We can thank the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State for losing in the first round of the Summit League Tournament. They would have likely steamrolled us in the second round in their way to claim another Summit League Championship. If we can pull off the play-in game against NC Central, we will get to play the best team in college basketball, the Duke Blue Devils. That would be absolutely insane. If
I’m a player, I’m stoked. Sure, we’re probably going to get outscored by 40, but our players get to play against the future No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft and shake hands with the best college basketball coach ever. NDSU athletes will have the opportunity to meet Donald Trump, Zion Williamson and Mike Krzyzewski all in the same month. Win or lose the game, it’s a win for the Bison players either way. When I look at this bracket, it’s hard not to take Duke. They have so much talent and have only lost two games when Zion Williamson is on the court for the full game. North Carolina beat Duke twice, but both times were without Zion. I could see Duke and North Carolina square off in Minneapolis for the fourth time on the season in a battle for the NCAA Championship. Imagine the crowd and ratings that would churn out. There’s a lot of good teams that could make some noise like Michigan, Florida State, Texas Tech and Iowa State. Despite this,
I’m going to give Duke the win here. The best team in their region is Michigan State, and I think they would easily win that game. As long as Zion Williamson stays healthy, they will w i n
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does, you think to yourself: “Wow, I could have seen that. Why didn’t I pick them?” Well, it’s because you were scared. There’s a feeling of stupidity if you take a risk by picking a No. 14 seed to upset a No. 3 seed and they lose by 30 points. However, if the higher seed does lose, a lot of other people probably picked that too, so you don’t feel as alone. Let me make some random predictions. I think No. 14 seed Georgia State can keep it close with No. 3 seed Houston. No. 12 seed Liberty could take down No. 5 seed Mississippi State, and I think No. 12 seed Oregon will take down No. 5 seed Wisconsin. If the Florida Gators move on to the second round, they will play a tough Michigan team in a very close game that will be decided by two or less points. I wouldn’t be surprised to see
s long as Zion Williamson stays healthy, they will win another NCAA Championship.
another NCAA Championship. There’s going to be those upsets that nobody predicts. It happens every year, and the second after it
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Jacob Elwell
FLICKR | PHOTO COURTESY
No. 6 seed Iowa State make an Elite Eight run. I think No. 8 seed Syracuse can beat No. 1 seed Gonzaga in the second round, making the Zags the first No. 1 seed to be eliminated. Of course, I have to take my No. 10 seed Minnesota Golden Gophers over the No. 7 seed Louisville Cardinals. However, they likely will then have to play No. 2 seed Michigan State, who clobbered them in the regular season. No. 7 seed Wofford takes on No. 10 seed Seton Hall, and I think that could be one of the closest games in the first round. Either team could win, and the winner likely faces No. 2 seed Kentucky in the next round. Whoever it is, they can beat Kentucky and make a Sweet 16 appearance. March Madness is one of the best times of the year, and this tournament is going to be a great one. So many good teams, so many good matchups, all battling for a chance to cut down the nets in Minneapolis. The first two days of the tournament are the best. There will be games on all day, sometimes four or five at a time. Make sure you watch this tournament. You won’t regret it.
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THE SPECTRUM | Opinion | THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
Fire prevention preparation
What to bring with you when your fire alarm goes off at night Grant Gloe Staff Writer
It is possible to make many helpless people suffer. You could be a baby on an airplane. You could jam traffic by cutting across four lanes and moving rush hour up 60 minutes. You could
all been there, marching through the halls 99 percent sure that there is no fire and 100 percent sure you’re standing in the cold anyway. That is why I recommend putting together a kit in case you ever find yourself at the world’s worst complex party. Gum is a solid place to
W
hen you inevitably fall into a “Lord of the Flies” type situation warmth will be currency and you will be king.
even ask all your friends and family if they would like to be their own bosses by moving someone else’s mediocre merchandise. None of these make me lay in my bed at night, wondering what we did to deserve this torment. No, none of these compare to the 2 a.m. fire alarm. If you’ve ever wanted to see everyone who lives in your building and what their “just kill me now” face, pull a fire alarm at 2 a.m. We’ve
start. You’ve got a lot of people with morning breath out there. When you end up huddling together, your breath might not be minty fresh. More importantly, your potty mouthed friends might smell like they’ve been drinking from the bowl. You don’t want to deal with that. Bring gum. You’ll also need a blanket, hoodie, warms socks and shoes, maybe even a lighter. When you
Worst case, this dude pulls out a big fan. inevitably fall into a “Lord or other games to play. of the Flies” type situation, warmth will be currency — and you will be king. Your PJs are not night-out material. Come cozy or not at all. There’s one thing more important than the rest: a positive attitude. Nothing you can bring outside will beat a smile. You can even bring out some cards Anything to pass the time
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and keep everyone’s minds
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hat alarm plays my ear drums like a wannabe metal head 12-year-old. off the chilly night air.
Also on the list, a pair of wire cutters. That alarm plays my ear drums like a wannabe metal head 12-yearold. If I have to listen to it for one more second, I’m going to lose my goddamn mind. Snipping away at anything and everything in the maintenance area will end this waking nightmare so I can sleep.
Vaccination should not be mandatory Requiring every American to be vaccinated is unethical and dangerous Contributing Writer
Every few years, it seems that a new and bizarre pseudophilosophy emerges out of the depths of the internet. Within the last few decades, we’ve seen people that believe that the moon landing was faked, people that believe 9/11 was an inside job, flat-earthers and other ridiculous “philosophies” form out of the ignorance of society. But up until recently, these beliefs never posed an actual risk to people. That is until the recent resurgence of the anti-vaccination movement. Within the last few years, the number of parents refusing to vaccinate their children has risen in several states, including Idaho, Wisconsin, Utah, Washington, Michigan, Minnesota and even North Dakota. The whole anti-vax movement really gained infamy after the Senate Health Committee hearing on March 5, in which the committee heard the testimony of Ethan Lindenberger, an 18-yearold that got vaccinated despite the views of his anti-vaccination parents. As disturbing as this trend toward not vaccinating children is, I’ve seen another atrocious belief grow, this time within the provaccination camp. With the recent rise in people against vaccinations, many vaccination advocates have adopted the push toward mandatory
vaccination for all children. In my opinion, this belief that the government should be able to force you to take certain medicines, whether you agree to it or not, is not only incredibly unethical, but also borderline unconstitutional. Let me make my stance on vaccines perfectly clear before I continue: I am vaccinated and believe that people should vaccinate themselves and their children. There is no evidence to back up the claim that vaccines will give a person autism. Va c c i n e s w o r k more often than not, although they are not guaranteed to work 100 percent of time. If you refuse to vaccinate your own children, I think you’re an idiot who’s endangering their life and potentially others. That being said, I am also a Constitutionalist and someone who values personal autonomy. I believe it is the right of every person that they should be able to do with their bodies what they wish, so long as they don’t directly harm another individual or violate
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anyone else’s rights. As it stands right now, there is no federal requirement for American citizens to be vaccinated. However, all 50 states do require by law that students be
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n my opinion, this belief that the government should be able to force you to take certain medicines, whether you agree to it or not, is not only incredibly unethical, but borderline unconstitutional.
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Ezra Gray
vaccinated, although the extent of these requirements vary by state. Some states require that any child attending a public school, daycare facility, private schools and even universities and colleges
be vaccinated. Most states do offer the ability to remain exempt from vaccination on the grounds of religious or philosophical reasons, which I believe is a definite must when it comes to this issue. Despite these governmentenforced requirements, there is still a push by many people in the United States and in other Western countries to make vaccination a federal mandate. As I stated before, I believe that every individual should have autonomy over their own body. Requiring all American s c h o o l children and students to be vaccinated is already a large enough infringement on personal liberty. Forcing every American to get vaccinated, even if they refuse to do so, is a gross infringement on our Constitutional rights. A federal mandate on mandatory vaccinations would open a Pandora’s box of significant proportion. Mandatory vaccinations, especially on a federal level, will set the precedent of allowing the government to choose what you can and cannot
put into your body. Do you really want the government to have the ability to control your body and health to such an extent? What would happen if a vaccine is introduced that didn’t work, or one that had adverse health effects that you didn’t want to suffer from? Like I said earlier, I have been vaccinated and believe people should vaccinate themselves and their children. But I believe in liberty and autonomy, and sacrificing our individual freedom in the name of security is undoubtedly the wrong path to take. Personally, I’d rather run the risk of those idiotic few that don’t vaccinate themselves and their children having adverse effects on our society than allow the government to have any more control over what I do with my body. This country was founded on the belief that you should have control over yourself and your property, and giving the government the ability to exert control over what you do or do not put into your body is not only immoral, but flies in the face of our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. If we as a society allow our government to enforce mandatory vaccinations on us, we are essentially scrubbing our right to liberty out of our founding document.
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The Spectrum SPORTS
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
Bison men claim conference crown Women’s season finishes quickly in Sioux Falls
Shoppers from all over the region peruse the various booths at the craft fair.
David Hoffman Staff Writer
While the rest of campus took some time off for spring break, both North Dakota State basketball teams stayed hard at work. Over the past week, the women brought their season to a close, while the men extended theirs out a little longer. The women’s basketball team played South Dakota in the quarterfinals of the Summit League Championship. However, the No. 7 seed NDSU was no match for the second seeded Coyotes. The Bison
lost the matchup 51-74, and their season came to an abrupt end. South Dakota was red hot with four players reaching double digits, including 20 points from Hannah Sjerven. On the other side of the court, Emily Dietz led the Bison, scoring 20 as well. Her team was not there for her though, as no one else scored over seven. The women ended the season with a poor 7-22 record, and the following Monday head coach Maren Walseth was released. She served five years as the women’s basketball head coach and produced a career 40-106 record. A search for
BRITTANY HOFMANN | THE SPECTRUM
a new head coach is already underway. In brighter news, we turn to the men’s basketball team and their results over the past week. With a bit of a shock, the seniorless squad managed to claim the Summit League championship. Day one, down in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, started with a game against the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles. In front of crowd of nearly 6,000, the Bison beat out Oral Roberts 86-73 to move up to the semifinal match. The day was led by Bison junior Tyson Ward, who scored 25 points on the night including 11-13 free throws.
Cameron Hunter also had a night at the line, making 4-5 free throws. The opponent in the semifinals was a shock. No. 8 Western Illinois managed to upset No. 1 South Dakota State. It was the first time in Summit League history that the No. 8 seed cooked up the upset and the first tournament win for the Leathernecks since 2013. The game came down to the wire, but NDSU beat Western Illinois 7673. This time it was Sam Griesel stepping up for the Bison with 20 points scored. Vinnie Shahid came in with 14 as well, including 3-4 from 3-point range.
The win advanced the Herd to the championship game against No. 2 Omaha. Earlier in the season, the Bison had lost both their games against Omaha, both by over eight points. An upset would be needed, and an upset came. NDSU beat Omaha 73-63 to become Summit League champions. For the first time since 2015, the Bison punched their ticket to the “Big Dance.” Shahid had another great scoring night putting up 22. He was followed by Ward, who had 15. Hunter also had a big night with a perfect shooting percentage, making all of his 3-pointers and free
throws. The win is a ticket for NDSU to make it back to the NCAA Tournament. Selection Sunday put the Bison in the “First Four.” NDSU have one win in four tournament appearances. Back in 2014, freshman Carlin Dupree played the hero in upsetting No. 5 Oklahoma in the first round. NDSU played North Carolina Central after press time Wednesday night. Winner earned the right to face overall No. 1 seed Duke on Friday in Columbia, South Carolina.
Fantasy Hoops Playoff S p e cial Philip Atneosen Staff Writer
In most fantasy basketball leagues, playoffs are right around the corner, if not already started. Whether you’re the top seed, bottom seed or out of the playoffs, it’s important to stay active. In money leagues, there’s a chance your league pays the winner of the losers bracket. Regardless, the point of fantasy basketball is to compete, and that’s exactly what you should do. These are a few players you just might be able to ride to victory this week.
Jalen Brunson
In Brunson’s last seven games, he’s played at least 30 minutes in all but one game. During that stretch, he’s also averaged 18.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 5.7 assists. Dallas isn’t really playing to win right now, as they’re tied with the
Grizzlies for 13th in the West. They have no real reason to not give their prospects playing time. Brunson, who played three years at Villanova, was taken with the 33rd pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. His only healthy competition at point guard right now is Trey Burke, so he’s probably a lock for 30 minutes per game for the rest of the season. He’s currently owned in 26 percent of ESPN leagues, so scoop him up if he’s still out there.
in offensive rebounding and blocking. The Bulls, like the
Joakim Noah
Robin Lopez
What do Robin Lopez and the Jonas Brothers have in common? They’re both way more relevant this year than we could have reasonably predicted. In the past week, Lopez has averaged 18.5 points on a remarkable 67 percent clip. He has also been productive
right now. With Wendell Carter Jr. out for the foreseeable future, Lopez has little to no competition at center. As long as Lopez has a spot in the starting five, he should have a spot in your lineup.
Mavericks, are in no rush to win
Much like Lopez, I didn’t expect Joakim Noah to return to relevance this year. Over the last few weeks, he’s split time in Memphis with Jonas Valanciunas. In the last week, Noah has actually received more playing time than his competitor. Playing over 25 minutes a game last week, he averaged 8 rebounds and 13.5 points on 73 percent shooting. Given Valanciunas’ injury history this season, it’s possible he re-aggravates his thumb and Noah gains an even larger role with the team. Noah’s no longer
an MVP candidate, but he can still contribute in a variety of ways as long as he remains healthy. He is owned in less than 10 percent of ESPN leagues.
Danuel House Jr.
If you’re in need of points and 3-pointers, then House is exactly who you’re looking for. He’s played just two games since the All-Star Break, and both were this week. In those two games, House averaged 16 points, 3 3-pointers, and 5 rebounds. If you’re rostered in Houston and you can shoot 3-pointers consistently, you’ll find a spot in the rotation. House seems to have taken Gerald Green’s spot in the rotation and then some, averaging 31.5 minutes in those two games. Not only will House contribute in 3-pointers and points, he’s also owned in just 2 percent of ESPN leagues.
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THE SPECTRUM | Sports | THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
Summit League title vindicates Dave Richman
Bison head coach proves himself with conference championship
By capturing the Summit League championship, Dave Richman earned an extension with NDSU.
Thomas Evanella Staff Writer
As recently as twoand-a-half months ago, the thought of winning three games in Sioux Falls was far off anyone’s mind. The calendar had turned to January, and the North Dakota State men’s basketball team stood 4-8 against Division I opposition. The Bison looked stagnant and lacked direction. A second-half meltdown against doormat Denver Jan. 16 meant a 2-3 start to Summit League play. In other words, it looked like the 2018-19 edition of Bison basketball was a repeat of the season prior. To make matters worse, the hot seat that head coach Dave Richman sat on was warming. Entering the season, legitimate questions lingered regarding NDSU’s trajectory in the face of Richman’s swirling contract uncertainty. A 2-7 start to the season only fanned the flames, as the Bison teetered closer to Summit League dormancy than supremacy. NDSU gave up a whopping 50 second-half
points to a Pioneers team that was well on its way to a 3-13 record in league play. The loss was seemingly emblematic of the larger issues plaguing the Bison: the team was too young, and too undisciplined to contend in the conference. Internally, Richman’s faith never wavered. The stoic head coach knew long before anyone else that he had a championship caliber roster, even without any senior leadership. Richman isn’t the type of coach to light up a room with a bombastic personality. Quite the opposite, a press conference with the head coach is strong on nebulous, esoteric terms such as “process” or “moment.” While such language projects as aloof or terse, it served as the basis for NDSU’s ethos for the season: embrace the journey. That journey didn’t begin in Fargo; it started in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. The town of 15,000 is home to Western Nebraska Community College, where Richman discovered his de facto senior leader, Vinnie Shahid. “When Vinnie Shahid walked on campus, things
changed,” Richman explained after Shahid’s 20 second-half points against Omaha clinched the Summit League title. “He brought joy to a lot of situations, whether it’s an early morning workout or a tough loss. Not that there’s joy in that, but you can bounce back quicker from that.” If any player could serve as the figurehead of Richman’s process, it was Shahid. The Minneapolis native’s road to Division I hoops was more sinuous than his teammates’, with a two-year stint in Scottsbluff between Hopkins High School and NDSU. Shahid embodied the process, and as a result, his teammates voted him team captain. Fast forward to March and Shahid was named the Summit League Newcomer of the Year. The roster assembly still needed a final key cog. For that, Richman went back to Nebraska, this time targeting Lincoln’s Sam Griesel. The only issue was Richman wasn’t alone this time. Among others, South Dakota had targeted Griesel. Coyotes head coach Craig Smith sealed the deal with Griesel, but once he defected
BRITTANY HOFMANN | THE SPECTRUM
for Utah State, Griesel’s recruitment reopened. All Richman needed was another shot to sell Griesel on his process. Richman said he “swung and missed” in his initial recruitment of the Nebraskan, but the coach was rewarded for his patience. In Griesel, Richman unearthed a gem. Griesel made an immediate impact as a starter and is a bona fide centerpiece moving forward. So too is Griesel evidence of Richman’s difficult to define process. Throughout the season, shooting was a main focus for Griesel. In Sioux Falls, his efforts culminated in a 20-point performance against Western Illinois in the semifinal. With the roster in place, the process was in full swing. The 2-7 start and the Denver debacle gave critics ample ammunition against Richman in a contract season. Still, the head coach knew that while fans were concerned with the destination, the journey was moving in the right direction. Knowing that the accumulation of experiences, positive and
negative, would be critical to his team’s growth, Richman took the long view. The loss in the Mile High City was no doubt a backbreaker. Worse yet, David Jenkins Jr.’s buzzer-beater seemed a debilitating blow. Still, even when it looked like the dam might blow, the program still revolved around the process. Richman’s patience was rewarded in the Summit League tournament, where he pushed all the right buttons en route to his second conference crown. At every turn in Sioux Falls, Richman delivered. Be it the rotation of bench players such as Deng Geu and Jordan Horn or a critical timeout to quell Omaha’s momentum in the final, Richman was nothing short of masterful in his coaching. Of course, the players still needed to execute. The season-long journey was an exercise in maturation, and the Bison’s development showed. Tyson Ward and Jared Samuelson buried Oral Roberts with a combined 40 points. In the next two days, Griesel and Shahid paced NDSU to their next two wins. Omaha would not go down easily though, as a
second-half surge drew them within a basket of the Bison. NDSU had seen this story unfold before though. “The same exact situation happened at Denver. At the time, we weren’t mature enough, weren’t experienced enough to handle that. It just spiraled out of control,” Richman explained. “In our biggest moment, we were able to execute with poise, stay the course and not let that run affect us.” In the end, the process won out, vindicating what Richman had preached all year. By securing the title, Richman proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is a deft recruiter, savvy tactician and capable of molding 18 to 22-year-olds. Questioning abated, Richman’s performance clearly warrants a contract extension. That discussion can be tabled for another day, however. The journey has been embraced and the nets have been cut. Now — as Richman would want — it’s time to enjoy the moment.
‘Drive to Survive’ a Netflix hit
Formula 1 fans finally have a show for them Taylor Schloemer Sports Editor
Just in time before the start of the 2019 Formula 1 season, Netflix released the 10-part documentary series “Formula 1: Drive to Survive.” For Formula 1 die-hards and general sports fans alike, the series has become a must watch on the streaming service. The series dives in-depth on some of the big storylines from the 2018 season, which proved to be one of the most dramatic in recent history. The storytelling is where “Drive to Survive” hits its stride. Each episode focuses on one or two drivers or teams and goes through the story over multiple Grand Prix weekends. In the opening episode, it
gives the audience (especially the American audience) the main protagonists that F1 fans have thrown decent support around. Centered on the opening Australian Grand Prix, the first driver thrust into the spotlight is Daniel Ricciardo. The ever-smiling Aussie has become one of the most universally liked drivers on the grid. In fact, as the series goes on, Danny Ric is a central character, as the Red Bull racing driver’s contract situation develops, and the public divorce of the team and engine supplier Renault plays out. Along with Ricciardo, the Haas F1 Team spends time in the spotlight in the opening episode. The first American team in 30 years, team boss Gunter Steiner cuts a strong figure through the show, leading the newest team
on the grid through the crowded midfield. And in the stories, the ability of Netflix to frame key parts so both the hardcore F1 fans and new to the sport viewers can figure things out is a large bright spot. Often, the show will allow journalists, mainly Will Buxton, who is the lead journalist for the sport’s social media platforms after a successful stint as the onsite analyst for NBCSN here in the States, to fill in background information. With that information, it becomes very easy to see what is likely going to happen. So, when Steiner says in his pre-race weekend team talk that Haas has a couple of new guys in the pit crew, you can see where it is going. There is a wide range of stories throughout the series. One of the
most surprising has to do with the financial troubles of the Force India team. Troubled team owner Vijay Malia actually takes part in the documentary, and that is a bit of a shock when considering the fact he was facing extradition from Britain to his home of India. The resolution of the story, common knowledge to F1 fans, is alluded to in an earlier episode. The stories weave together better than expected. A great thing for all viewers is the straight-shooting nature of most of the stories. Buxton especially brings this balance. So, when Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, when discussing his driver lineup, speaks glowingly about Ricciardo’s young teammate Max Verstappen but avoids speaking of the Dutchman’s contract, the record is set straight.
Perhaps the biggest drawback of the show is that Mercedes and Ferrari, the top two teams, declined to take part. This meant that the title battle between Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel is hardly discussed. This turns out to be a blessing in disguise, as the story that dominated the headlines during the season is already well known, with Hamilton winning his fifth world championship. There is a lack of insider sayings that don’t make the cut, which is good for the new viewers. That does mean that they will have no idea that the right-hander at the top of the hill at Spa is not Eau Rouge. That’s Radillion actually.
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