The Spectrum MONDAY, SEPT 9, 2013
NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY | FOR THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE
DANCE TEAM REMOVED FROM SIDLINES
VOLUME 117 ISSUE 3
Bison Beat Up On Bulldogs Sam Herder Sports Editor
SUBMITTED PHOTO | THE SPECTRUM
Student Organization No Longer Allowed at Athletic Events Lisa Marchand
Head News Editor
Cheerleaders, Marching Band, Thundar and of course, the athletes; these are the main ingredients that make up any Bison sporting event. However, there is now one part missing from that equation: the Bison Dance Team. NDSU’s back-to-back National Champion Dance Team will no longer be allowed to perform at any school Athletic events. According to Hilary Haugeberg, Executive Commissioner of the Congress of Student Organizations, the decision was reached due to continued confusion regarding the status of the Bison Dance Team as a student organization and not an official athletic team.
Despite being listed under NDSU’s Official Site of Athletics, the Bison Dance Team is strictly considered a student organization. According to the team’s constitution, they operate through team dues, fundraising activities and a set amount of funds allocated by student government. “It was basically just a lot of confusion between what is an organization and what is covered under athletics, so that’s why they’re not going to be performing anymore,” explained Haugeberg. In order to gain a better understanding of the situation, Student Body President Robbie Lauf, Vice President of Student Affairs Prakash Mathew and Haugeberg met with the dance team’s coach Meghan Wabner and three of the
dancers on two separate occasions. The dance team had been allotted three hours every Wednesday evening at the Bison Sports Arena to practice. Haugeberg stated that at times the team violated its practice agreement, which is one reason that ultimately led to the current situation. “These arguments and issues have been going on for quite a long time and they just kind of bubbled up now,” she explained. “It is across the board that organizations are not allowed to practice in the BSA, and there were issues that were crossed with that and the previous agreements that they had had.” As a facet of Student Government, the Congress of Student Organizations exists to help all or-
ganizations in any way they can. Haugeberg said that she and the rest of student government will do whatever they can to help the dance team locate more practice spaces and to get them through the situation. “The girls are disappointed that they’re not going to be able to perform, but they are so positive, and they are so motivated,” she said of the team. Coach Wabner released an official statement last week. She described the decision to exclude them from athletic events as “incredibly unfortunate,” but she explained that her team will continue to participate at community and school events. Continued on page 2
Study Abroad: Your Passport to Success International Programs Organizes Study Abroad Day Yasser Shaikh Staff Writer
Office of International Programs is organizing a Study Abroad Day on Thursday September 12th in the Memorial Union for students
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
interested in studying abroad. The daylong event includes a Study Abroad fair from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm in Thundar’s Den and a Global Fest from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm in the Rec and Outing Center of the Memorial Union. The event is part of Office of International Programs’ efforts to boost study abroad amongst students at NDSU. The number of countries available for students to study at has risen up to 74 this year. Most preferred locations for studying abroad are Spain, UK, Australia and New Zealand; however, newer locations are now being explored by students. Architecture and Business students form a majority of students that study abroad each semester. This fall of 2013, 18 students are studying abroad in different countries across various majors, 5 of them being international students. Most of the students abroad this semester have chosen Italy or Spain as
their destination. The options available are semester long, yearlong and even short term faculty-led Spring break and summer programs which range from 9 to 16 days. According to Tanya Kramer, Assistant Director of Study Abroad Programs, “Studying abroad expands their perceptions of everything in life. Growth of a student as an individual is so much faster during a study abroad experience.”
“Growth of a student as an individual is so much faster with the study abroad experience” – Tanya Kramer, Asst. Director of Study Abroad There are also a number of scholarships available from NDSU and the Federal Government for studying abroad, like the NDSU Student Miles program which provides free air tickets and the Sudhir Mehta Memorial Scholarship specifically for students willing to study in South-east Asia or India. ND and MN students can also apply for the John and Susan Wold scholarship, the eligibility requirement for which is a 3.0 GPA.
NDSU Herd Club Organization Encourages Students to be “Herd”
Page 4
Some students study abroad more than once. A recent graduate, Jaden Fedora, went on study abroad programs 5 times in the course of her study at NDSU. Adrian Virgi Rodriguez Garcia, a Graduate student in the Plant Sciences department from Puerto Rico, went on a faculty-led program to 5 cities this past summer. Her study abroad experience on the Bioenergy Crops: The European View granted her 3 credits and cost only $5000 including transportation, food and hotel and also NDSU tuition. She says, “It made me realize that the world is bigger than I thought and you may not share the same language with people across borders but you can always find a way to communicate.” Alicia Kauffman, Associate Director of International Programs said, “We want students to know that there is always a program for them and we can find a program that fits their needs and interests.” The Office of International Programs hopes that more and more students will take advantage of the wonderful opportunities NDSU provides through the study abroad programs.
Coming off the program’s biggest upset in school history, the NDSU football team avoided being on the other end of a shocking win. The Bison scored on its first four possessions to put the game away early against the Division II Ferris State Bulldogs for a 56-10 win in front of 18,979 fans at the Fargodome. “After a big, emotional game at Kansas State, you always wonder how you are going to respond,” NDSU head coach Craig Bohl said. “We’ll look at the tape but by and large, I thought our guys responded well.” In the home-opening game that included the 2012 national championship banner being risen, it was evident the Bison’s only focus was on the Bulldogs. And they took care of business early. NDSU jumped out to a quick 21-0 lead in the first quarter with methodical drives. Quarterback Brock Jensen and running back John Crockett reached the endzone from one and seven yards out. Zach Vraa followed up with a big 43-yard catch and run for the score. The Bison had the ball for almost 11 minutes in the first quarter. “It’s big to not plateau and keep moving forward,” Vraa, who finished with 100 yards receiving on four catches, said. The Bison defense did their part as well. Ferris State didn’t cross midfield until late in the second quarter, and that was assisted by an unsportsmanlike conduct call on Bryan Shepherd. Shepherd was ejected with his big hit on a Bulldog receiver, a new rule that warrants against a defender leaving his feet and leading with his helmet NDSU hassled the Bulldogs’ quarterback Jason Vander Laan all game, and CJ Smith joined the fun in the second quarter when he returned his first-career interception 22 yards to the 5-yard line. Crockett went untouched the next play to extend the score to 28-0 with 13:30 remaining in the half. “The ball got tipped by one of the wide receivers, and then got tipped by another one,” Smith said on his interception. “I was just so shocked that the ball fell into my hands… I stood there for about two seconds because of the ball just falling into my hands.” The lone hiccup for the Bison was Jensen’s interception with the ball at Ferris State’s 25-yard line. But the senior quarterback responded immediately on the next drive with a 7-play, 61-yard drive that ended with a 4-yard playaction strike to fullback Andrew Grothmann to extend the lead to 35-0. “I thought we really had great control of the game,” Bohl said. The Bison, hoping to get the backups some playing time, had to delay the decision to pull the starters after the Bulldogs scored a touchdown right before the half and opened the third quarter with a 25-yard field goal. Continued on page 10
Women’s Soccer Prevails Over Idaho Game Marks Official Opening of Historic Dacotah Field Page 9
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News
MONDAY, SEPT 9, 2013
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
The Spectrum
NDSU to Participate in Student Exchange
I
Dear Student,
Stacy Ann Schulte Contributing Writer
NDSU is embarking on a new journey and is now participating in the National Student Exchange. With over 200 member schools across the United States, the NSE offers students a unique opportunity to broaden their experience, build relationships and make progress towards their undergraduate degree. Still in its infancy at NDSU, the National Student Exchange was founded in 1968 and has given over 100,000 students the chance to experience other campuses. There are participating schools in 49 states, Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Launched as a Student Government initiative and administered by the office of Student Life, selected students will have the ability to attend either one semester or a whole academic year at a participat-
you a question...
Have you taken Tri-College courses? I want to let you on a little secret from one student to another. Did you know that if you are enrolled at NDSU, MSUM, or Concordia you can take one class a semester from any Tri-College partner campus. Tri-College is free to students who are enrolled at Concordia, MSUM, and NDSU. Not only are there a greater variety of classes to choose from, but it also can help keep you on track to graduate on time because of the more course offerings. You’re invited to join the 45,000 students who have taken more than 110,000 courses through Tri-College University Course Exchange.
Dance Team Removed From Sidelines from page 1
Tri-College Student
“While this is immensely disappointing for us and our fans we will still be there representing NDSU,” she stated. “We absolutely love North Dakota State University and will continue to represent this community with pride and passion!” The team of dancers follows a strict set of guidelines and policies regarding attendance, practice, personal presentation and health expectations. Their dedication has
follow the herd. @NDSUSpectrum
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National Champions at next year’s competition. As for if and when the Bison Dance Team will return to the field, the future is optimistic but unclear. “Hopefully down the road, things will be different and if the relationships can be mended, I don’t see why not,” Haugeberg said. “I think that Athletics and the Bison Dance Team need to take a little bit of a break, and I think they acknowledge that, too.”
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consistently led them to the Universal Dance Association’s College Cheerleading and Dance Team Championship, and has garnered them the first place title for the past two years. “These girls are absolutely amazing and inspire me daily with their athleticism and grace,” Wabner said. “I am honored to coach them.” Wabner stressed that she and her team will continue to practice and perform in order to defend their title as
Karla Young Office Manager office.manager@ndsuspectrum.com Travis Jones Business Manager business.manager@ndsuspectrum.com Travis Mack Advertising Manager ad.manager@ndsuspectrum.com Abby Bastian Advertising Executive ad.exec@ndsuspectrum.com Amy Larson Advertising Executive account.exec@ndsuspectrum.com Chris Brakke Marketing Executive office.assistant@ndsuspectrum.com Ryan Peterson Circulation Manager circulation@ndsuspectrum.com
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kopf’s hope that they will return and share their experiences with others, leading to the rapid growth and development of the program. “Student to student contact is what will make this program a success here at NDSU,” she said. Student Life will be holding preliminary information sessions beginning in October, with the application process kicking off in January 2014. Applicants who complete the screening process will be matched with their schools beginning in March. There is an application fee of $200.00, most of which goes back to NSE; the balance of the funds are used locally to administer the program. Students can visit http:// www.ndsu.edu/student_life/ nse/ for more information or email ndsu.nse@ndsu.edu with any questions.
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ing school. No matter which university students choose to attend, they pay NDSU tuition, beginning in the fall of 2014. Janna Stoskopf, Dean of Student Life at NDSU, suggests that the NSE is a great way for students to augment their course work in specialized areas. “A great example of this can be seen in our Emergency Management Program,” she said. “A sociology major at another university might exchange here and gain a unique set of skills that they might not get at another institution.” According to the National Student Exchange, it can be a great way for students to gather information about other institutions as part of continuing education, such as graduate school. It can also be a good way to bridge the gap between domestic and international exchanges, according to Stoskopf. As students complete the exchange process, it is Stos-
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THE SPECTRUM | NEWS | MONDAY, SEPT 9, 2013
Obama Restores Lower Interest Rates for Student Loans Congress reaches bi-partisan agreement on student lending Logan Curti
Contributing Writer
President Obama signed a bill on Aug. 5 which will restore lower interest rates for federal student loans. The measure obtained bipartisan support among members of Congress after interest rates for subsidized federal loans doubled in July. Lawmakers were aware that student loan interest rates would skyrocket if a compromise was not reached by July 1, but Congress failed to act before the deadline. Although Republicans and Democrats continue to differ in their beliefs about how loan rates should be set in the future, both par-
ties agreed the doubling of student loan rates would be detrimental to the financial well-being of college students. “The cost of college remains extraordinarily high. It’s out of reach for a lot of folks,” Obama told the Associated Press. “We’ve got to do something about it.” Obama added that he considers the Aug. 5 bill to be the first step in a broader plan to make a college education more affordable. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, disagrees with Obama’s future plan for federal student lending, but is encouraged by the bipartisan cooperation in restoring interest rates. “With the stroke of a pen, we’ve now officially taken politics out of student loans,” Boehner told the Associated Press. Under the new law, student loan interest rates will be based on the 10-year Treasury note. Loan rates may vary from year to year,
but will remain constant for the life of the loan. For the upcoming academic year (July 1 to June 30, 2014), interest rates for federal student loans will be as follows: Direct loans to undergraduate students (subsidized and unsubsidized) are fixed at 3.86 percent, whereas unsubsidized loans to graduate and professional students are fixed at 5.41 percent. Direct PLUS loans (for parents) are fixed at 6.41 percent, and Perkins loans are set at 5 percent. Alisa Jacobson, a junior majoring in History, is one of thousands of Bison students who took out student loans to pay for school. “It just means a whole lot less stress when paying them back,” she said. The legislation will cover over 18 million student loans this fall, totaling about $106 billion. The restored rates are estimated to save the average undergraduate $1,500 on interest charges this year alone.
Another result of the Aug. 5 bill is that the lending of student loans is being transferred among several different servicers across the country. At NDSU, the Department of Student Financial Services has contracts with several of these lenders. Because Student Financial Services transfers the loans to their contracted servicers, the Department may change who distributes a student’s loans. Since these servicers are in charge of loan repayment, it is important for students to know who is in charge of their account. To determine the name of your servicer and the amount of your federal loan debt, visit www.nslds.ed.gov. For more information about direct loan servicers and loan repayment, go to http:// mappingyourfuture.org/ paying/loanservicers.htm or contact your loan servicer directly.
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Features
MONDAY, SEPT 9, 2013
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
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NDSU Herd Club. Be Loud. Be Proud. Be Herd. Connor Dunn
Contributing Writer
With nearly 300 student organizations, some students might find it hard to determine which groups are right for them to join. Fortunately, senior quarterback Brock Jensen is there to help. “If you don’t join the Herd Club, Grant Olson will find you!,” Jensen, the senior quarterback said. NDSU athletes, like Jensen and Olson, see the importance of the NDSU Herd Club and are giving the group its full support. The Herd Club, a student-led program of Bison Ambassadors, was formed to carry
on the tradition of Bison Pride alongside alumni, family and friends and has been self-described as “the loudest fans and most supportive audience of North Dakota State University.” Junior Jen Regimbal, vice-president of special events for Bison Ambassadors and the head of Herd Club, described the group’s purpose to be simply enjoying athletics and fine arts on the student level as well as engaging students to promote anything that enhances tradition and brings NDSU pride. “The excitement that students have for NDSU and the Bison pride, it’s unexplainable, but when you’re in the Herd Club, you can feel it and we’re ready to support Bison athletics in any way we can,” said Regimbal. The idea of the Herd Club actually started back when it was known as the Bison Brigade. The Bison Brigade was a group designed to fire
up the student body and get more students at athletic events. It was then taken over by NDSU Athletics, but never really took off until April 2011. President Dean Bresciani convened a caucus involving the major leadership groups on campus. The product of the convention was two subdivisions of Bison Ambassadors: the Herd Club and the Yell Leaders, which are the yellow-suited men seen in front of the student section at home games leading cheers. These two groups are thoroughly focused on student-driven leadership and are designed to create a positive atmosphere and fervor in the student body and student section. The Herd Club, which is managed by Bison Ambassadors and sponsored by the NDSU Alumni Association and NDSU Team Makers, can be seen as a student booster club and feeder into Team Makers. Herd Club member Mike Dancer stated that he joined the Herd Club because he’s a
huge fan of Bison spirit and since the Herd Club is the spirit club of NDSU, it was simply the right fit for him. “Really it’s just seeing the other members wearing their shirts at games and knowing other students have the same spirit you do,” Dancer said. Dancer also described one of his favorite parts to be the opportunities offered to travel with the group to away football games, such as the unforgettable Kansas State game in Manhattan, Kansas. That is just one of the many benefits offered to Herd Club members when joining the group, Other benefits of the group include a T-shirt and sunglasses, chances to win gift cards and other prizes at NDSU athletic events (if spotted sporting the official Herd Club shirt), free admission to NDSU fine arts events and much more. Registration for the group is simple and can be done online or by mail. The cost of a membership is $20. For more information on how to become
SUBMITTED PHOTO | THE SPECTRUM
STOCK PHOTO | THE SPECTRUM
NDSU Yell Team leads the visiting crowd at Kansas State last weekend. Above: Herd Club member Kelsey McLachlan poses with Bison QB Brock Jensen and LB Grant Olson after Yell Practice last week.
The Savvy Shopper: Groceries
A little money here, a little money there, but in the end it all adds up. Being a college student is expensive, and
The College Student’s Guide to Saving Money
the bill does not just stop at your tuition payments. Money for books, rent, extra-curriculars, gas and groceries can send anyone’s wallet into a depression, but with the help of a few friendly tips you can learn how to pinch your pennies and make big savings. Groceries are one of the never-ending expenses that college students see. Let’s face it… you’ve got to eat! By following a few helpful guidelines, you can stay on track and stick to a decent budget.
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Use coupons Now,
you’re
not
being
asked to become an “extreme
couponer,”because ain’t nobody got time for that, but a coupon used here and there can help greatly at the end of the month. Take advantage of both in-store and manufactur-
1
Make a list Making a list is vital to understanding your wants versus your needs. A list will help to keep you from purchasing unnecessary
Do your research Check
around
for
prices,
through weekly ads given at vari-
ous grocery stores. By doing your home-
items , and prevent you from forgetting any-
work, you will be able to determine where
thing, while at the store.
it is most cost effective to do your shopping.
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Think ahead Planning meals before you grocery shop is another great way
to save money. Making easy and inexpensive recipes like soups and meatloaf are wonderful ways to stick to your budget as
ers coupons. Sometimes these offers even
they leave you with leftovers and take few
include free items.
ingredients.
BISON BITS
2
Stephanie Stanislao Features Editor
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Set a timetable
Setting aside a certain amount of time for your shopping trip is important to your savings. If you rush through your trip, you are more likely to forget something and end up using more time and money later to go pick those forgotten items up. If you spend too much time at the store, you are more likely to purchase unnecessary items.
3
Create a budget
After making a grocery list and researching what things cost, it is important to set an overall budget for what you would like to spend on groceries each month. Sticking to this budget can even be fun, as it challenges you to think critically about what you are buying and how much you are spending.
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Don’t go hungry
Always eat something before heading to the store. It is never, NEVER, a good idea to go to the store on an empty stomach. You’ll be tempted to throw in extra goodies that are more than likely bad for you and hard on your wallet. Have a snack before you head out on your grocery shopping excursion.
How are you preparing for your first home football game for the year this weekend?
Abby Moening Sophomore Human Development and Family Science
Andrew Welle Sophomore Management Information Systems
Tyler Schmidt Junior Business Administration
Gretchen Folkerts Junior Landscape Architecture
Seth Hanson Junior Pre-Pharmacy
“I’ve been practicing my came face that looks like this!”
“Hanging out with my friends.”
“Going to sit in line starting at noon and wait to get in with my girlfriend.”
“My cousin is on the team, so after the game we’re having dinner with a couple of the players at my uncles.”
“I watch the K-State game for breakfast.”
MONDAY, SEPT 9, 2013
Arts & Entertainment
5 NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
The Spectrum
Batwoman Creative Team Departs Gay marriage refusal sparks exodus Steven Strom A&E Editor
Down goes another creative tent-pole for DC Comics. J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman will be departing the critically acclaimed, Eisner Awardnominated Batwoman later this year over creative differences between themselves and the DC editorial team. “Unfortunately, in recent months, DC has asked us to alter or completely discard many long-standing storylines in ways that we feel compromise the character and the series,” Blackman and Williams wrote. “We were told to ditch plans for Killer Croc’s origins; forced to drastically alter the original ending of our current arc, which would have defined Batwoman’s heroic future in bold new ways; and, most crushingly, prohibited from ever showing Kate and Maggie actually getting married. All of these edito-
rial decisions came at the last minute, and always after a year or more of planning and plotting on our end.” DC creative and Batgirl writer Gail Simon described the decision as seeming “More of an anti-marriage thing in general” over Twitter. This is probably a reference to the post-reboot DC Comics dropping the marriages of several major characters. “Gail is right, but it still should not be a story to be avoided, but embraced fully,” was Williams’ response. However, DC has a poor track record regarding such issues. Earlier this year, there was some controversy regarding DC’s decision to put publicly anti-gay science fiction author Orson Scott Card (Ender’s Game) on a story for the then-upcoming Adventures of Superman title. The incident eventually led to the departure of the book’s artist, and postponement of the story. DC has had an astoundingly bad record of editorial interference all-around of late. Recently, the company fired writer Kevin Maguire off of the upcoming Justice League 3000—without telling him first. Maguire was
waylaid in favor of a new creative direction for the book, but Maguire himself was only informed via press release along with the rest of the world. It’s a classic case of the left hand not knowing what the right is doing. DC’s woes have even inspired the “Has DC Done Something Stupid Today?” timer –modeled after a workplace injury calendar—which catalogues the unfortunate decision of the perennially second-place publisher. Personally, this is something close to the last straw for me. Batwoman was, and currently remains, my favorite book from the publisher. However, the company’s post-New 52 output has been abysmal almost across the board, with very few exceptions. Meanwhile, Marvel, Image and even DC’s alternative Vertigo imprint have been astounding over the past 18 months. They’ve been doing so well, in fact, this July was the second best month for comic book sales in the 21st Century. If DC continues its policy of creative interference, however, that could change rapidly—at least as far as one company is concerned.
New Sounds, Same Sentiments in Sara Evans Single Jack Dura
Staff Writer
Country singer Sara Evans has given her audience a list of hits over the years. With a big voice in her bright ballads, it is easy to see why songs like “No Place That Far,” “A Real Fine Place to Start” and “Suds in the Bucket” have all clinched the top spot. Evans returned to the music scene three years ago with “A Little Bit Stronger,” the first single off her first all-new album in six years. Its reach to No. 1 marked a comeback in Evans’ career, one that was briefly marred by a messy divorce but has since made a remarkable turnaround. Other contemporaries of Evans are no different. Shania Twain did the same in 2011 with “Today is Your Day,” her first single in six years, coming a year after her divorce from her producer and husband, Mutt Lange. Dixie Chicks members Emily Robison and Martie Maguire struck out on their own in 2009 with material Robison penned following her divorce as well. Now, two and a half
years after the release of her comeback album “Stronger,” Evans is returning to radio once more. Her single “Slow Me Down” from an as-of-yet unnamed album was released this past week, and, like most of the singles that came before it, sticks to a formula Evans has made her own. Most Sara Evans songs concern one of three things—one, a story song; two, being enormously happy in love or; three, completely the opposite. “Slow Me Down” is of a distraught sentiment, the same mold as “A Little Bit Stronger,” but not the same situation. If anything, “Slow Me Down” seems like a precedent to Evans’ comeback hit. Evans’ sentiments in “Slow Me Down” harken back to other songs of romantic indifference, such as Martina McBride’s “Whatever You Say” and Faith Hill’s “It Matters to Me.” Its chorus is similarly crafted: “If all that’s left to do is walk away/then baby I’m as gone as yesterday/but if there’s something you still need to say/you need to say it now/Hurry up and slow me down.”
Though this song is very similar to past Evans songs, its sounds are something new. Evans explores an almost Celine Dion-type feeling in the opening riff and verses with the plucking of various stringed instruments and an overall misty quality of the non-chorus parts of “Slow Me Down.” She does, however, remain true to past singles by including a few blazing electric guitars, most notably on the chorus. That and her power-packed vocals make “Slow Me Down” distinctly her own. As the leadoff from her unnamed album due out in February 2014, Evans’ newest song is important for gathering fans’ interest and making it known that she is back in business. “Slow Me Down” has the guns to be a radio hit, but though there is nothing very singular about it, its remarkability may just be in the fact that it marks another moment in Evans’ comeback era.
SUBMITTED PHOTO | THE SPECTRUM
Xbox One Release Date Revealed Steven Strom A&E Editor
Assuming you pre-ordered, you can pick up your Xbox One on Friday, Nov. 22 of this year. The information comes courtesy of Microsoft’s own news blog. The $500 system will be released a full week after Sony’s $400 PlayStation 4 in North America. That makes it a full week ahead of the PlayStation 4 in Europe, where Sony’s black box won’t be available until Nov. 29. Unless you managed to pre-order one before they completely sold through, this probably doesn’t matter to you. Both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One will almost certainly be completely sold out at launch, so the real date of import is whenever either company manages to restock. That raises some concern for Microsoft proponents, as rumors of manufacturing issues have circled the system like buzzards since before its announcement. The “console war” will hardly be lost or won within the first days of launch, but a rocky start for the PlayStation 3 did have
The Spectrum| for the students
quite an impact on the onetime market leader’s position this generation. That’s not to mention the outpouring of public vitriol for the Xbox One’s policies regarding digital rights management, used games, shared accounts, etc.—policies which have slowly, but surely been repealed to match more closely with Sony’s more open system. What’s interesting about this release date is that it seems to place more emphasis on Europe then North America. While the Xbox 360 soundly trounced the PlayStation 3 here in the United States for most of this generation, Sony has dominated Europe since the original PlayStation. It’s clear Microsoft is making a play for the market, even going so far as to include the newest FIFA with its console in that region. Releasing a week later than the PlayStation 4 in North America is a sure sign of confidence in its leadership in the U.S.—perhaps overconfidence, as many games journalists have pointed out. Unfortunately, the Xbox One will only be releasing in 13 territories by Nov.
22, as opposed to PlayStation’s 30 territories by Nov. 29. That’s a problematic (and probably another hint at production problems) if they really want to take over the geographically huge and political disjointed continent. When it finally does launch here in the States, the Xbox One’s launch line-up will include: Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag, Battlefield 4, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Crimson Dragon, Dead Rising 3, FIFA 14, Fighter Within, Forza Motorsport 5, Just Dance 2014, Killer Instinct, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, Lococycle, Madden NFL 25, NBA 2K14, NBA LIVE 14, Need for Speed: Rivals, Peggle 2, Powerstar Golf, Ryse: Son of Rome, Skylanders: Swap Force, Watch Dogs, Zoo Tycoon and Zumba Fitness: World Party. Games are, of course, sold separately, but every Xbox One will come bundled with the new revision of the Xbox Kinect camera. However, they will no longer be required to be connected to the system in order for it to play.
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THE SPECTRUM | A&E | MONDAY, SEPT 9, 2013
‘Three Sisters’ to Headline Stripped-down Show Staged reading kicks off Concordia Symposium Jack Dura
Staff Writer
Nearly everyone associates plays and musicals with the theater arts, but there is one other kind of production most people do not even think of—staged readings. Staged readings are just what they sound like. Essentially, it is stripping the show down to only its script and actors without anything else—no costumes, no set, no makeup, no music. It is this type of production that Concordia College Theatre has chosen to kick off its 2013 Faith, Reason & World Affairs Symposium, “Happiness: Living the Good
Life.” Anton Chekhov’s “Three Sisters,” the material chosen for the reading, will be read for one night only this Monday. Partially based upon the Brontë sisters of literary fame, this play concerns the lives of three sisters who long to return to Moscow where they believe their happiness lies. “Happiness isn’t necessarily something we can look for outside of ourselves and Chekhov explores that beautifully, you know, 130 years ago,” assistant theatre professor Jen Thomas said. Pared down to just the bare basics—the script and actors—this staged reading did not require the time and effort that goes into fullyfledged productions. However, one interesting fact has been made apparent when tying a staged reading into the college symposium. “We put it together in typically about two rehearsals and what we found—we started this last year—the
JACK DURA | THE SPECTRUM
symposium topic last year was genocide, and what we found was students are willing to ask questions and are willing to engage with stories more readily when they aren’t necessarily connected to somebody’s real story,” Thomas said. “You are careful about the questions you ask when you are talking to somebody who has dealt with—who has lived through genocide,” he said. “One of our
speakers—well, several of our speakers, but one in particular—had lived through it, she had lost family, and the students were very careful about what they would ask. When you’re dealing with a play it creates sort of this safe distance, this safety where you can say ‘I don’t understand why this character did this’ and ‘I don’t understand how this person let this go on.’ And so you’re able to ask questions
to make comments in ways that really allow for some fruitful discussion.” Following the reading, a talkback will take place among the audience and those participating in the performance to expand on the ideals of the play. “[T]he audience is involved in a talkback and then we have local or faculty scholars to help facilitate that discussion, to help answer questions, [and] to
offer insight into the topic,” Thomas said. Concordia College Theatre’s staged reading of “Three Sisters” will be at 7 p.m. Monday in the Mainstage of the Frances Frazier Comstock Theatre in association with the college symposium “Happiness: Living the Good Life” from Sept. 10 to 11. Admission is free.
MSUM Fall and Winter Theatre Preview Steven Strom A&E Editor
MSUM chooses not to stray from hard-hitting subjects this year. This theatre season will open with “The Laramie Project,” a play based on the people of Laramie, Wyo., after the murder of Matthew Shepard. In October of 1998, Shepard was tied to a fence miles outside of Laramie, beaten and left to die. The two men responsible of-
fered him a ride home from a bar, and purportedly beat the man death for being gay. The murder was prosecuted as a hate crime, and the issues at play have become a national touchstone for civil rights, and hate crime prosecution. “The Laramie Project” follows the reaction of the town’s community following the killing. “It explores the depths to which humanity can sink and the heights of compassion of which we are capable,”
Craig Ellingson, chair of the Theatre Arts Department, said. He also described the play as “breathtaking.” The play opens this fall semester at Minnesota State University Moorhead as part of that venue’s University Theatre Series. It premieres on Oct. 2 and continues on through Oct. 5. Showings are held on the Gaede Stage at the Roland Dille Center for the Arts. Those interested can get tickets by calling the MSUM Box Office. The service is
open Monday through Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 218 477-2271. Tickets can also be purchased at the door before each showing. For younger audiences, “Swashbuckled! A Pirate Adventure!” will open on Nov. 23 in the Hansen Theatre, also at the Roland Dille Center. This play is meant for younger children, including elementary and kindergarten students. It tells the story of three pirates in
search of their missing king. The show will feature lighthearted singing, music and sword fighting action. There will be showings at 1 and 4 p.m. respectively. Goodwill offerings will be accepted at the showings. Finally, at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 14, there will be a dance showcase in the Hansen Theatre featuring the work of both student dancers, and student choreographers. “These works-in-progress are a sampling of dance
pieces in various stages of completion,” Ellingson said in a press release “Most of them will continue to be polished and presented as part of the spring dance concert.” The dance showcase will be free and open to the public. For more information regarding the MSUM Theatre Arts program, check it out mnstate.edu/theatre.
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Opinion
MONDAY, SEPT 9, 2013
7 NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
The Spectrum
A Lesson on Accepting Spontaneity Erica Nitschke
A Dog Like Any Other Owners, not breeds, should have bad rep
doesn’t help the negative portrayal or the breed’s demeanor. Dogs are not an accessory and should not be able to be used to make people look a certain way. The same thing goes for Yorkshire Terriers in purses. Most dog attacks that are reported by the media are focused on Pit Bulls. This breed has gotten a bad reputation because of this negative media exposure. You rarely read about the small yippy dog that bites the neighbor kid. The media and the public continue to contrib-
but the breed itself is not to blame. Pit Bulls—along with American Staffordshire Terriers—have been popular breeds that have been specifically bred to have aggressive demeanors for fighting. And the history of dog fighting is a long one. This is one reason why some Pit Bulls (definitely not all) have a greater tendency to attack. Just as I inherited my mother’s love for writing and reading—and a bit of my father’s short temper—dogs are going to inherit characteristics from their ancestors as well. Today dogfights are classified as a felony in the United States, but they are still occurring. In late August, 367 Pit Bulls were rescued in Alabama and Georgia from one of the largest organized dogfights in the U.S. People wonder why the breed tends to be more aggressive—people are still breeding the animals to behave that way. Dogfights need to be cracked down on so that dogs will no longer be bred for aggression; this includes stricter regulations on breeders. These negative stereotypes affect potential renters as well. Pit Bulls are at the top of the list for the riskiest dog breeds for homeowners, so renters can refuse to rent to people who own the dogs. This causes many MATAYA ARMSTRONG | THE SPECTRUM problems for people who are ute to common misconceptions trying to find places to live, even about Pit Bulls. if their dog is not aggressive and Many people do not even know is properly bred, trained and taken how to distinguish a Pit Bull from care of. several different breeds. These My heart goes out to the fambreeds are lumped together and ily that lost their 7-year-old due classified as aggressive and harm- to irresponsibility. Owners need ful animals. American Stafford- to take responsibility of not only shire Terriers, American Pit Bull their own pets, but for the reputaTerriers, Bull Terriers, Boxers tion of Pit Bulls and other dogs as and Bull Mastiffs are some of the a whole. breeds that are often confused to be “Pit Bulls.” Emma is a senior majoring in A 2008 DogsBite.org study Journalism. Follow her on Twitter shows that 59 percent of dog at- @emmajheaton2. tacks are by Pit Bulls. So, clearly there is something going on here,
Contributing Writer
I take myself way too seriously. Though I’m a freshman, and I’m positive that nearly every upperclassman reading this is thinking, “Of course you take yourself way too seriously. All of you freshmen are either vastly arrogant or scared out of your mind.” Which, I suppose, is largely true. But to clarify, I mean I take myself too seriously as a student. I have long been a hyper-organizer, a study until 3am-er. One of those raises-her-hand-every-two-minutes, asks-too-many-questions-inclass sort of student. Because of this, I often found myself missing out on social gatherings and school-sponsored events throughout high school in the name of “One More Hour of School Work.” Yet, no matter how much my parents told me I needed to get out more, or my friends groaned because I was choosing to skip out on yet another basketball game, this normally worked for me. I was, and continue to be, pretty content sitting at home alone reading a textbook. That overly ambitious attitude reaches into every part of what I call “me.” I’ve spreadsheet-ed nearly every aspect of my life; I use sticky notes obsessively and never miss an opportunity to create a new to-do list. I spend hours thinking about my future goals— my projected “five-year plan.” So go ahead and ask me about my majors, my goals and my hopeful business ventures. I’ll give you an earful, and you will probably leave wishing you hadn’t. I’m one of those people. Or at least I was two months ago. If you’d asked me in the beginning of August what I was most looking forward to at NDSU, I would have launched into one of my ear-splitting raves about my 18 credits and how excited I was to join 23.5 different clubs. With zeal, I would have talked about how I will never again find myself in a place that brings together such a diversity of highly educated professionals and resources worthy of a top-100 research facility the way a college campus does. I would have told you about how I really wasn’t that excited about the football games, residence hall life or meeting new people, because... “Hello, BOOKS.” Yet, in just the short period of time I’ve been here, I’ve begun to realize how absolutely ridiculous that is. Some of the best days I have spent on campus so far have been the days I did not plan, or those when I have chosen to ignore my calendar. I was ready to be challenged academically and even a bit socially, but what I wasn’t so ready for was opening myself up to spontaneity. The student who walked in far too serious to attend residence hall activities has found that some of the best learning opportunities have come not from my professors, but from the strangers at a Welcome Week Block Party or the new friends sitting down with me for lunch. Not that I walk around now like, “BRING ON THE PARTY!” Don’t worry, Mom (who’s totally reading this), I’m still going to classes, I’m still doing my homework and no, I haven’t tried pot. That’s not exactly what I mean by spontaneity. Your wildly ambitious, in-far-over-her-head, little girl is still here and active. She’s just learning. Erica is a freshman majoring in political science.
Emma Heaton Spectrum Staff
Making Your Significant Other Feel Significant Amber Zolondek Contributing Writer
The Spectrum
Often times I overhear women complaining that their partner never listens or fails to understand what they’re trying to say. On the other hand, I can attest that my observations show men usually protest the fact that their other halves do too much of the talking. It is a baffling concept, really. We invest our time in these emotional and romantic relationships to turn around and make complaints and detest each other for doing things that annoy us to no end. But maybe there is a way to rekindle those feelings you had on the first date without dozing off because of how boring the conversation became when she started talking about the chat she had with her mother on the phone today. Listen. It is a simple theory, but I promise it works. Make eye contact, show that you are taking the time to hear and comprehend what your significant other is saying. You two are one as a couple, and without this element in a relationship, it’s a struggle to communicate with one another about anything when the other half is not paying attention. Topics can include finances, sex, emotions, marriage and hundreds of others things couples can talk to each other about, which leads into the next way to improving your relationship. 60/40. If you truly feel like you need something in a relationship that you are not receiving, it is best to just go ahead and be up front about it. It has been said before that a relationship should be 60/40. Give more than you receive. Talking about things you need in a relationship should not only be in the beginning when you are working things out and figuring if one another is a good match. Go ahead and open the car door for him, or make her breakfast in bed. Shake up the stereotypes and show your significant other why they’re so significant to you. Hug it out. Want to say, “I love you” without saying one word? Embrace him in a huge bear hug. Plus, not only are you helping your partner feel loved and wanted, but you’re helping yourself too. Hugging releases hormones like oxytocin and dopamine, which are natural anti-depressants. As said by Reese Witherspoon in “Legally Blonde,” “Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands; they just don’t.” With all movie quotes aside, relationships are hard work, and anyone who says they’re not is a liar. However, just because something demands hard work doesn’t mean it isn’t fun or worthwhile. You are obviously with someone because you care about them and want them by your side. Appreciate the person you’re with and all other aspects will fall into place.
THE VOICE OF THE HERD SINCE 1896
Amber is a sophomore majoring in Journalism.
About a week ago, the death of a 7-year-boy received national media exposure. Two dogs mauled the boy after they got loose from their owner’s home. The story didn’t get national exposure because of the attack itself, but because of the dog breeds involved. Most dog attacks that are reported by the media are focused on Pit Bulls. This breed has gotten a bad reputation because of this negative media exposure. You rarely read about a small yippy dog that bites the neighbor kid. The media and the public continue to contribute to common misconceptions about Pit Bulls. Edward Daniels II, owner of Pit Bull Mixes Fat Boy and MJ, pled guilty to manslaughter and not guilty to tampering with evidence after he washed the blood off the dogs. Daniels said he did not know where the blood came from, and he thought one of his neighbors had fired shots at the reportedly Pit Bull Mixes, Fat Boy and MJ. This seems a bit strange since the dogs were not wounded; the owner should’ve immediately investigated the issue. Reports say that Daniel’s neighbors had addressed their concerns about his aggressive dogs before the attack. The owner, however, did not take any action. Number one problem with breed stereotypes? Irresponsible dog owners. Pit Bulls are often used for status. Some owners have Pit Bulls to appear rough and tough, which
The Book that Broke the Camel’s Back Caleb Werness
Contributing Writer
With all the terrifying troubles that plague our world, there is one word that rises above as it strikes fear into the hearts of countless students: textbooks. I am sure that I was not the only student who felt I was selling my life and limb to obtain a collection of books I am not even sure will be worthwhile. With the cost of tuition on the steady rise each year, I find it appalling that the school store squeezes all the nickels and dimes out of us with their outrageous prices. (By nickels and dimes I mean Jeffersons and Franklins). Now I understand the principle
of supply and demand—the whole “invisible hand” principle that takes me back to high school E\ economics. The bookstore has the supply, and we are demanding it in hopes of a good grade. I get that the school needs to make money but there has to be a line drawn somewhere. So, being the frugal chap I am, I decided to shop around. In my search I discovered that there are many different outlets that offer books for a fraction of the cost that our school store does. One being Amazon, which offers shipping discounts to students. Another was the Discount Textbook store on 12th Avenue. Underlying the ridiculous prices that sneak onto our student ac-
counts is the meager price we get trying to sell back our books. I remember last year, out of the $400 I spent during one of my semesters, I received $7.75 in return. Part of me wanted to look around for cameras as I awaited someone to yell, “You’ve been punk’d!” I honestly would have had more satisfaction lighting them on fire and roasting some marshmallows. All in all, it looks like the only option we have as students is to shop around for the best price. Your wallet will thank you later. Caleb is a sophomore majoring in English.
The Spectrum WE’VE GOT IT COVERED
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THE SPECTRUM | OPINION | MONDAY, SEPT 9, 2013
Miss Representation A centry after suffrage, women still not held equally Cassandra Rohlfing Contributing Writer
As I curled up in my bed one night over Labor Day weekend, grabbed my computer and typed in Netflix.com, a title caught my eye in the ‘Recently Added’ section. “Miss Representation,” a documentary about how mainstream media is negatively affecting the way women view themselves and how there is a serious lack of women in power because of it. The documentary itself was something that was a dime, a dozen. It kept my attention but wasn’t award-worthy by any means. It did, however, get me thinking of how even after all of these years, how are women still not held to the same standard as men? August 18th, 1920 was the year that the 19th amendment allowed women the right to vote. That was 93 years ago. One would think that women have made huge strides towards equality with men. Wrong. Yes, women have more rights than they did in the very early 20th century, thanks to the women’s right movement during most of the 60s and 70s. But that doesn’t mean they are by any means close to being completely equal with our male counterparts. Why is that? What’s stopping us? Just turn on your TV and you’ll find the answer. Whether it be that female newscaster on TV wearing a low-cut shirt, the boy-crazy teenaged girl on Disney Channel, the lady in the movie that’s just waiting for her prince charming, or the crazy and constantly drunk woman on some generic reality television show. In children’s TV shows, only a third of leading characters are females. And the vast majority of films produced tell the stories of men, with women cast as girl-
friends, wives, or mothers, or in other periphery roles. In a typical year, only about 12-15% of top grossing Hollywood films are women-centric, focusing on women and their stories. Only 7% or film directors and 10% of writers are women. With statistics like that it’s no wonder that the media portrays women as objects rather than the complex human beings that they are. And with American teenagers spending more than 10 hours a day consuming different forms of media, it’s really no surprise that it’s taken its toll. Increasingly, girls are becoming more concerned about their looks and appearance. In a recent study conducted by the University of Central Florida, over half of the girls in that study from ages 3 to 6 worry about being fat and ugly. 53% of 12-year-old girls feel unhappy with their bodies, 78% of 17-year-old girls feel unhappy with their bodies and 65% of women and girls have an eating disorder. Not only are other people seeing women as object, we’re starting to see our selves as them, too. According to the American Psychological Association, self-objectification has become a national epidemic. This self-objectification is negatively affecting women because if they only see the value of themselves with their bodies, they’ll start to feel disempowered and distract themselves from making a difference and becoming leaders and feel equal to men. 67 countries in the world have had female presidents or prime ministers, yet as well all know, the United State is not one of them. In fact – Cuba, China, Iraq and even Afghanistan have more females in their government than the United States does. These are countries that see women as even less of equals than supposedly in the United States.
that way. And when women do try to gain power like their male counterparts, they either come off as bitchy and rude or the media is focusing on their physical traits rather than what they’re trying to get across, what they’ve accomplished, or their position on an issue. Just look at news articles, radio shows, and your television news stations, if there is a women doing anything at all, whether it be positive or negative - I can almost guarantee there will be at least one comment about her physical appearance. A woman in power is often seen as a negative thing because we associate all the worst aspects of power and we often translate those to a women seeking to achieve power because when women do exactly the same thing men do to get the power, they’re often called a bitch rather than a man being called ambitious or assertive. Now, One thing that I’d like to add is – I’m not saying that men in power is wrong, it’s just when over 90% of the power in media, politics, and other things is run by men. That leaves out the perspective of over half of the population, women. As Marian Wright Edelman says, “You can’t be what you can’t see.” If we do not have women shown as complete equals to men, then girls do not see that they can be whatever they want and that it’s not just a ‘man’s world’ out there. You’d think that after almost a whole century since the start of equality towards women that we’d actually be as progressive as we like to claim that we are as a nation. As Ghandi says, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Just because we haven’t made it to complete equality yet, doesn’t mean we can’t. Cassandra is a junior majoring in journalism.
There’s no more powerful influence in the way we view power than the way treats power. Media treats power as defined by men because it has been generally defined
STEVEN STROM | THE SPECTRUM
The Spectrum| for the students
College Football is Where it’s At Pro ball just doesn’t compare anymore Nathan Stottler Spectrum Staff
It’s back. After three months of enduring nothing but hockey and basketball (yawn) and a lazy, relaxing summer of baseball, football is back in town. We’re two weeks into the NCAA season, and week one of the NFL season wraps up tonight. From now til Christmas, every other Saturday is cleared for Bison football on the schedules of every fan in town, and homework on Sunday nights will be done in the living room, not the library. I’ve loved football my whole life. My dad coached the high school team where I grew up, and eventually coached me in junior high later on. I played football from 7th through 12th grade, like all the other men in my family – grandpa, dad, uncle, brother, and cousins. I watched my first NFL game at age 6 – Super Bowl XXXI, when the Brett Favre and the Packers trumped Drew Bledsoe and the Patriots at the Superdome. Having such an early exposure to football definitely impacted my life. Though a born and raised Minnesotan, watching that first Packers victory led me to cheer for the Packers from there on in. Leading to, as you may have guessed, much derision from friends, family, teachers, and even complete strangers. My roommates won’t let it go to this day – but maybe that’s only because I rubbed the Packers’ playoff victory over the Vikings into their faces a little too hard last January. Yet, focusing all of my football fandom on the NFL over the years has left me somewhat burned out, even disillusioned about professional football. After coming to NDSU and starting to get really into Bison football, my attention began to drift from the NFL to the NCAA. I started watching more Big-10 games than NFC North games. More Pac-12 than AFC West. And now, I’m about finished with the NFL. I don’t care that Aaron Hernandez is going to jail. I don’t care about player salaries (I mean really, after last Thursday’s quarterback performance, who can take them seriously?). It’s
gotten to the point where I only watch games because of my fantasy team, and because I can’t let the Packers go. NCAA football is just more exciting. It’s more dynamic, less methodical. There’s more passion, less antics. More team, less individual (a certain Texas A&M quarterback excluded). More fight song, less halftime show. More student section, less depressedsuburban-dad-man-cave. It’s all about the players, and not (well, at least less) about the money. The NFL will never be able to replicate what the NCAA has to offer. And, oddly enough, it’s probably because professional ball players are just too good to be that exciting. The teams are too evenly matched. The players are too mentally stable. Big comebacks and monster collapses are rare in the NFL, but they happen every week in the NCAA. Just like college life, college football is always fresh, exciting, and wild. And, just like adult life, professional football is droll, even predictable. And that’s the beauty of college football. You just can’t predict it. Who would have seen a true freshman stepping in at quarterback for California and throwing for over 400 yards against No. 22 Northwestern? Who saw 11 FCS teams besting their FBS foes in one week – not the least of which was our own NDSU Bison? So for everyone who adores the NFL but completely ignores the NCAA, I urge you to try some Saturday football. Just a couple games – good games too, as I’m sure the Oregon-Nicholls State games aren’t going to garner your interest – and I promise you’ll be hooked. College football will draw you in. The tradition, the pageantry, the rivalry. We’re talking about Ohio State – Michigan, California – Stanford, Florida – Miami, Texas – Oklahoma, Harvard – Yale. There isn’t a single NFL rivalry as delicious, as savory, as culturally defining as these. So when you’re at the Bison game next Saturday, or watching it at the bar, or at home, stand up and cheer when the Herd thunders onto the field, and sing along with the Pride of North Dakota. You’re part of a tradition richer than anything that can be bought by all the money in the NFL. Nathan is a senior majoring in landscape architecture. Follow him on twitter @nwstottler.
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Sports
MONDAY, SEPT 9, 2013
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
The Spectrum BISON SOCCER RETURNS HOME TO A SWEEPING VICTORY PRESIDEN T BRESCIANI MAKES FIRST KICK ON DACOTAH FIELD Yasser Shaikh Staff Writer
YASSER SHAIKH | THE SPECTRUM
STRONG START KICKS OFF WOMEN’S GOLF SEATaylor Kurth
Contributing Writer
The NDSU women’s golf team putts on a strong showing in their first competition of the year, recording a school-record by shooting a 292 as a collective unit which was more than good enough to capture the Cobber Open last Friday at the Wildflower Golf Course in Detroit Lakes, MN. If the Cobber Open were the Olympics, NDSU would have had a clean sweep at the podium. Junior Sarah Storandt and Senior Abby Weller stood out as they nailed a 71 and 73 respectively on a par 72 course to take first and second. Hailey Boner and Cassie Wurm, a pair of Bison sophomores, made up two thirds of a three way tie for third place by shooting 74s. Freshman Alex Schmid also had a positive showing in her first competition, going 4-overpar and finishing with a 76, which was good to tie for seventh. For those of you
counting at home, that adds up to four Bison golfers in the top five and five Bison golfers in the top seven. Not bad for the first event of the year. All nine golfers on NDSU’s roster took part in the competition yesterday, and all of them did well. Freshman Maggie Crippen, junior Emma Kusick and senior Megan Swan all tied for 17th place at 8-over-par, shooting an 80. Senior Jackie Johnson shot 10 over with an 83 and finished in a tie for 35th. It was a positive showing for those four in the lead, as a few spins and turns one way or the other and they could have been mixed in the top 10. NDSU has the Nebraska Chip-N Club Invitational at the Wilderness Ridge Course in Lincoln, Neb. next up on the slate on Monday and Tuesday. Tee time is at 9 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.
The Friday match between the NDSU women’s soccer team and the visiting Idaho Vandals marked the official opening of the historic Dacotah Field Era. NDSU President Dean L. Brescani, Vice President of Finance and Administration Bruce Bollinger, Director of Facilities Management Mike Ellingson and Project Coordinator Chris Hamre were present at the inauguration. The team presented the guests with signed 2013 soccer balls while head coach Mark Cook presented President Brescani with a personalized jersey number 13, marking the year 2013.
President Brescani also took the first kick of the day with Steph Jacobson of the Bison soccer team. The game was a tough battle fought on a hot summer evening, but NDSU prevailed with a 3-2 win. The Bison took early an lead as Anisha Kinnarath, a junior from Winnipeg, smoothly directed a short corner kick from Amy Yang into the Vandals’ post in just the sixth minute. Before halftime, the Vandals’ Kavita Battan equaled the score with a 32-minute goal. The women in green and gold responded back after halftime with two back-toback goals in the 65th and 67th minute from Lauren Miller and Kinnarath. The Vandals got a chance in the
77th minute when a penalty was awarded on a hard foul by NDSU. Bison goalie Sierra Bonham misjudged the kick from Elexis Schlossarek and the Vandals were at 3-2. However, the NDSU defense ensured that it was the last goal from the visiting team. The Bison were laced with fresh energy as head coach Mark Cook put 6 freshmen on the field. The team attempted eight shots with six on target. Sierra Bonham stayed in-goal for the full 90 minutes of the game and made 3 saves. The victory improved her season record to 2-3. The Bison hosted Minnesota-Duluth on Sunday. Check Thursday’s issue for the game recap.
BISON BEAT UP ON BULLDOGS Continued from page 1 “There’s a gut feeling a head coach knows when you feel like you have the game in hand,” Bohl said. “I thought their quarterback was giving our guys problems. Typically, we’ve been able to shut people down and until that happened, I was probably a little bit more cautious.” NDSU rebounded though, and scored 21 unanswered points to push away any Bulldog hope. The defense came up with key stops and Sam Ojuri found the endzone on a 2-yard run to extend the lead to 42-10 and NDSU called off the dogs. “I think we started off pretty strong,” NDSU linebacker Grant Olson said. “And then there were a couple drives at the end of the half, giving up that score was tough. And then coming out for the second half, I don’t know if we just weren’t ready to play or what the deal was. It’s not as good as we can do and we’re going to try and get some things cor-
rected.” With the starters pulled, the Bison backups showed they can get some points on the board as well. True freshman running back Chase Morlock scored on a 9-yard run midway through the fourth quarter and cornerback Zach Colvin recorded his second-career pick six on a 44-yard return
two minutes later to put the final dagger at 56-10. “I had a blast out there,” Morlock said. “Just getting the cobwebs out and the nerves of playing the first college game, but it was awesome out there and the line got it done.” With the win, Bohl is tied with Rocky Hager for the most wins in school history
JOSEPH RAVITS | THE SPECTRUM
at 91. But when asked how the accomplishment feels, Bohl’s only response regarded the next team on the schedule. “We gotta focus on our next game.” That next game for coach Bohl and the 2-0 Bison will be against Delaware State on Sept. 21 with kickoff set at 2:30 p.m.
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THE SPECTRUM | SPORTS | MONDAY, SEPT 9, 2013
Can NDSU Reach the Top 25? Sports Editor
The question is in the headline. And maybe it’s not too absurd to think about. Can the Bison football team get votes and get in the Top 25 rankings in all of college football? Looking at it realistically, maybe it is possible. But several things need to happen in order for this to occur. NDSU is already getting national love from the media. Dennis Dodd, from CBS Sports, had the Bison at No. 15 in his weekly power poll. Obviously this is one person’s opinion and not official rankings, but it does give a glimmer of what could come down the road. Every other college football writer now knows about NDSU. SportsCenter highlights, Sports Illustrated publicity and coach Bohl making countless appearances on radio shows has given the Bison plenty of national recognition. And I’ll be honest to the readers that saw my column last week, the national exposure has lasted longer than I expected. I was wrong. Now I’m taking a different approach of saying NDSU has an outside shot of reaching the Top 25. At least it’s not as much of a 180 as Pinto Gunderson having Brock Jensen going from overrated to the best Bison QB of all time. But with the win over Kansas State, many writers might be paying attention to NDSU just to see how the Bison’s season is going. What if the Bison are still undefeated seven weeks down the road? And not just undefeated, but undefeated with dominant wins all across the board. What if the Bison defeat SDSU and Northern Iowa by three
scores when those teams are still in the FCS Top 10? Maybe in some writer’s opinion, NDSU deserves to be a Top 25 team. The 2007 Appalachian State football team began its quest for a three peat with a win over No. 5 Michigan. They staked their claim to be a possible Top 25 team, but two losses in the regular season to Wofford and Georgia Southern put that possibility out the window. Not only is NDSU staying undefeated a huge factor, but a bigger factor may be where Kansas State goes from here. If the Wildcats are a sub-par, .500 team, then the Bison win may lose some of its lust. But what if Bill Snyder gets his team back on track and Kansas State is a topfour team in the Big 12? Well that makes the NDSU win a little more impressive. Several different factors need to occur in order for this argument to be valid. But the Bison have the résumé to make it a possibility. They have been dominant in the FCS the last two years, and actually, pretty dominant in its FBS games over the last four years. The opening weekend in college football has shown the talent gap between the FCS and FBS is narrowing. Maybe it’s time the FCS breaks even more ground and gets a team into the top 25. Why not NDSU? Heck, even getting four respectable votes is a huge stride. And that might jumpstart more writers giving the Bison some credit for a possible-historic year. Maybe I’m stretching, but at least I’m not holding a sign that says “We Want ‘Bama.”
The Spectrum | for the students
Sam Herder
Crockett/Ojuri Best Ever? Joe Kerlin
Contributing Writer
YASSER SHAIKH | THE SPECTRUM
Bison Volleyball Improves in Tournament Losses Colton Pool
Contributing Writer
NSDU volleyball head coach Kari Thompson knows her team has an abundance of potential to unleash. They simply have to find a way to do so. During the NDSU Doublewood Inn Classic at the Benson Bunker Field House last week, No. 16 Louisville beat the Bison 25-23, 25-17, 25-11 Friday. Then last Saturday, Big 10 Wisconsin thumped the Herd 25-14, 22-25, 25-12, 2516. In the last match of the tournament, Northern Iowa crushed NDSU 25-18, 1519, 25-23. However, Thompson is confident her team made strides of improvement – the goal of the tournament for the green and gold. “We’ve got to learn,” Thompson said. “Every time we’ve stepped on the court, we got a little bit better.” In the first game of the tournament against the Cardinals last Friday night, NDSU showed they could hang with any team in the country by exchanging the lead throughout the first set with the nationally-ranked crew. However, after losing the first frame, the Bison seemed to lose their spark – and in doing so lost the next two sets. Behind Emily Juhl’s and Janelle Jenkins’ 26 combined kills, Louisville made quick work of the Bison and put an early end to the night. “Those are the tough ones to battle back from because you gave everything you’ve got and they just played better than you did,” Thompson said. “You’ve just got to remind them it’s the best out of five.” Next, the Bison went up against the Badgers. Despite the Bison having Monica Claxton come up and facilitate the offense with 24 assists, NDSU was still unable to come up with their first win of the season. The Badgers – with the help of Ellen Chapman and her supplied 23 kills – gave the Bison their second loss of the tournament after four sets.
“We played some really great teams, and we don’t get that opportunity everyday to play teams like that,” said freshman middle blocker Emily Miron, who was named to the all-tournament team. “I think we played pretty well.” In the last game of the scheduled tournament, NDSU went toe to toe with UNI. The game was highly comparable to the Bison’s contest against Louisville. The Bison stayed thoroughly aggressive, but couldn’t find ways to score points when UNI match dig-leader Amie Held put up 16 digs to lead the defense. While the Herd showed they could stay in the fight against a perennial powerhouse in the first match, they couldn’t put their game together for the next two and were swept for the fifth time of the season. “There were some ups and downs,” Miron said, “but I think we definitely got better and that’s the most important thing.” With the tournament past them, the Bison (0-6) are aware they have many holes to fix. However, there were still things to take away from the games. In the first sets against Louisville and UNI, the Herd proved – to themselves and the country – they’re able to battle this season. “(NDSU is) just going to continue to get better and better,” UNI head coach Bobbi Petersen said. “We felt North Dakota State was the most dangerous team (of the tournament) because at any time they could get on a roll and they can play with anyone.” However, Thompson said the problem is convincing her youth-powered squad that the game isn’t over after the first set. If they could do that, they very well may be on their way to some wins. “I’m excited about this group,” Thompson said. “We’ve got a lot to learn yet, and I’m excited to see where they can be because they play with passion. They try really, really hard. All it is, really, is keeping that passion focused.”
Here’s the thing you should know about me: I have not been a Bison fan my whole life. I have told the story before in my column about how one unseasonably warm day in October 2010, I officially became a member of the Bison family while visiting some friends in Fargo. I fell in love. The game was like nothing I have seen before and believe me when I say I suffered through a stretch of bad college teams and was close to giving up on the NCAA entirely. The proclamation I am about to make may have just become irrelevant because of my newly found fan hood, but hear me out. There’s something special going on in the Bison backfield and no, it’s not the fact that our running backs are keeping their grades up or the fact they are avoiding confrontation with Fargo PD; it’s what they are doing on the field that has the columnist giddy like a freshman about to get rowdy at their first party on College Street. Sam Ojuri and John Crockett are the best running back tandem to have ever played for the Bison. Without a doubt they are the best one-two-punch in the backfield. Ever. No, I haven’t been around long enough to remember Lamar Gordon and I missed Paul Hatchett by about three decades so there’s nothing I can do about that. The thing about those great running backs is that the Bison were playing a different game back then, different opponents and on an extremely lower level of football. You can take those record books and toss them into the Red River because in 2013, it doesn’t matter at this point. The same could be said
about the Tyler Roehl-era. I’m sure whoever backed him up was a competent running back, but if you believe they could hang with K-State and the Missouri Valley, then you’re smoking something. Crocket and Ojuri are a unique pair in the backfield. Traditionally, most running back tandems have been labeled “Thunder and Lightning.” Think back to the early 2000s with the original one-two-punch in Ron Dayne (Thunder) and Tiki Barber (Lightning). The New York Giants backfield was nearly unstoppable and although Crockett and Ojuri aren’t your traditional Thunder and Lightning, they are just as dangerous. Both have similar skill sets like what we saw in 2011 with D.J. McNorton and Ojuri, but it’s Crockett’s breakaway speed that gives the Crockett/Ojuri tandem the slight edge over the 2011 backfield. It’s Ojuri’s maturation as a player that has also helped the tandem become elite these past two seasons and you better believe that maturity can be traced back to the coaching. While speaking with offensive assistant/running backs coach Gordie Haug for Bison Illustrated (September issue now available for free on a campus near you), he spoke about the patience and attention to detail both Crockett and Ojuri possess as running backs. We nerded out for 30 minutes as Haug explained to me the hours of film they watch to see if they can pick up on the tendencies of opposing linebackers. The combination of pure skill, high football IQ and the level of play Crockett and Ojuri are up against every Saturday makes their case for being the best running back tandem in Bison history the strongest by a landslide. Sit back and enjoy fans, we are witnessing something special here.
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