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Arrival of Uber, Lyft sparks clash with Madison’s Union Cab Co-op By Luisa de Vogel ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR
When David Rossing finished graduate school and began driving for Union Cab in 2010, it was a temporary job while he looked for a tenured position at a university. But eight years later he has fallen in love with the organization and takes pride in his career as a cab driver and partowner of the Union Cab cooperative. “You have a sense of dignity; you’re able to wear a lot of hats and have a lot of growth,” Rossing said. In his time at Union Cab, Rossing said he has witnessed increasing competition from Uber and Lyft. However, the worker-owned cooperative has been able survive, in part, by changing their business model to focus on steady contracts, such as with the Morgridge Center on UW-Madison’s campus and by
working with members to collectively determine the best places to cut costs, according to Union Cab’s former business manager, Jason Glomp. “We’ve had to really look at what we do, tighten things up, and make sure we’re in a position where we can survive and thrive while they’re here,” Glomp said. “The [taxi cab] industry worldwide is getting killed.” Increasing account business has helped Union Cab survive in the changing market. These contracts are regularly scheduled drives, such as transporting Medicaid recipients to appointments and taking students involved in Badger Volunteers to and from volunteer sites. State-funded groups must abide by state procurement regulations when drawing up long-term contracts for services such as transpor-
Perkins Loan page 2
MPD reform page 2
Relations Specialist Greg Bump. These regulations are made, in part, to address safety concerns.
Union Cab page 2
UW students may see a gap in aid following demise of the Perkins Loan Program STAFF WRITER
GRAPHIC BY MAX HOMSTAD
UW applications rose by 20 percent after switching to the common app.
Madison saw 20 percent more applications this year with Common App By Robyn Cawley STAFF WRITER
The Common Application is a win for both the University of Wisconsin-Madison and prospective college students, according to UW-Madison officials, as it increases the number of applications received while decreasing the amount of time spent applying. 42,627 freshmen applied to UW-Madison for the 2018-’19 school year, a 20 percent increase from last year. Out of those students, domestic non-resident applicants rose 29 percent, while Wisconsin resident applicants
only increased by 8 percent. “By adding the Common Application we are now able to reach a significantly larger cohort of potential applicants from around the country and beyond,” said André Phillips, Director of Admissions Recruitment. Adding more out-of-state students also has a financial benefit for the university. Non-resident students pay $34,783 in tuition, compared with $10,533 for instate students. Top university officials have
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The Perkins Loan Program, which provided $25.4 million in low-interest loans to UW System students, has expired, with seemingly little hope of congressional renewal in sight. The program offered unique financial services to students, offering a comparably low interest rate of five percent and a nine-month grace period after graduation before payments begin, all without requiring any annual funding, as all loans given are provided by those already paid back. “Eliminating this program, to put it clearly, will affect who can and cannot go to college,” said Nick Webber, government relations director for the UW System Student Representatives. “The reality is that the next time 13,600 UW students open their financial aid packages, they will be missing out on make-or-break money.” Webber and his team have been working with lawmakers to encourage legislation to extend the program into 2019, even discussing the matter with House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who benefitted from the program himself as a student. The bills to extend the pro-
CITY NEWS EDITOR
gram currently have 243 cosponsors in the U.S. House and 20 co-sponsors in the U.S. Senate, including U.S Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., and U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis. Despite significant bipartisan support, legislation in neither chamber has left its committee, largely due to opposition by their Republican chairs. Founded in 1958, the Perkins Loan Program was the longestrunning student loan model in the country. The $1.2 billion federal loan program offered up to $5,500 per year for undergraduate students who expressed extreme financial need through the FAFSA application. Without renewal, recipients will have to find other options to fill the gap in financial aid. Private banks and other government programs still provide student loans, but the Perkins program filled a unique gap in financial aid services. Critics argue that the program added unnecessary complexity, considering other loan programs are provided directly from the government or another servicer, without the added layer of university involvement. A recent op-ed in Forbes sup-
CAMERON LANE-FLEHINGER/THE DAILY CARDINAL
By Jessica Lipaz
By Max Bayer When a city-funded review of the Madison Police Department was published in December, the work toward police reform had taken its first step. Last week, the department and the city attorney released their official response to the study, furthering the process even more. But now, the work toward reform is in the hands of city officials and committee leaders tasked with reviewing the department. At the forefront of this discussion is the city’s Madison Police Department Policy and Procedure Review Ad Hoc Committee, a group of Madison residents who will decide how to move forward in light of the report’s recommendations. Matthew Braunginn, a member of that committee, says he believes improving accountability is a major place of improvement. “One of the biggest issues is how do we hold officers accountable especially when our laws give a lot of leeways to officer discretion,” said Braunginn, who is also a senior associate at the Center on Wisconsin Strategy with the Mayor’s Innovation Project and a co-founder of the Young, Gifted and Black Coalition. A notable recommendation by the report was the need for the department to have an independent auditor’s office that reported to a citizen review body. In their response, the department noted the body would come at a cost to the city and advised it be free of political influence. Braunginn said that asking for more resources has never been a previous worry to the department, saying the department’s budget has never been cut. “To me it’s completely hypocritical to put cost as a concern when MPD doesn’t put cost as a concern for its own budget,” he said. MPD Chief Michael Koval said his department is open to the idea but it would be odd if the money came from his budget. “I can’t fund that, nor should I. It just does not have a good optic look that I’m funding an independent arbiter,” Koval told The Daily Cardinal.
Union Cab has fought to stay afloat amid rising city competion. tation. Because these regulations require proof of insurance from all vendors Union Cab doesn’t face Uber and Lyft as competitors in these markets, according to University
City leaders to assess possible reforms after review of MPD
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”
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Union Cab from page 1 This is an area Union Cab says they work diligently to excel at and while some customers choose Union Cab for their solid reputation as a safe transportation option, driver trainings and insurance come at a monetary cost for the company when competing against Uber and Lyft’s lean business models. “Our reputation in the community is really what keeps us going,” Glomp said. Union Cab drivers are required to undergo a state-run background check before even training to drive for the company. Such driver training is statemandated and uniform across all transportation companies operating in Wisconsin (not including Uber and Lyft). Union Cab employees then undergo further training, such as augmented diversity and inclusion trainings in order to make all passengers feel safe in the cabs and trainings to help drivers better serve passengers with disabilities. But Uber drivers, Rossing said, undergo no training at all. “Our drivers are trained. They have to take a street test before they are even hired here … they have to demonstrate that they have
MPD reform from page 1 Where Koval said he’d like to make strides immediately would be in improving police engagement but noted “that requires more bodies.” Mayor Paul Soglin agreed real engagement requires
EMILY BUCK/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO
Koval says the department is open to having an independent auditor. Common App from page 1 been touting the increase as a sign the university is increasing in attractiveness for applicants, out-of-state or not. “We were somewhere around 35,500 applications last year. We jumped almost 23 percent; we are going to be up just over 42,000. That’s an amazing increase in one year. A lot of this is because we’ve just recently gone on to what’s known as the Common App,” said Chancellor Rebecca Blank at a recent event. The Common App allows students to complete one general application and send it off to any of the 750 participating colleges and universities throughout the U.S. that they wish to apply to. “If the student does the Common App, she’s done most of her work for several applications if she chooses to apply to diverse set of schools,” said Eric
knowledge of the city,” Glomp said. Uber drivers undergo significantly less mandated preparation before taking the streets. Sarah Oakley, a lab manager and Uber driver in Madison decided to start driving as a way to make extra money in her spare time. Oakley was approved to drive for Uber within a day of submitting her paperwork. “I needed to submit my driver’s license information, car insurance, vehicle make, model, plates, and registration, and a picture of myself. After I submitted everything, a background check was completed,” Oakley said.
“We’ve had to really look at what we do, tighten things up, and make sure we’re in a position where we can survive.” Jason Glomp former business manager Union Cab Co-op
Uber is also not required to comply with state regulations for transportation companies. These requirements include pulling up at specific “Taxi-Cab” waiting areas at airports and hotels, having a specific number of wheelchair time but doesn’t know where those additional cops would come from. “If you take the number officers just out on the streets doing routine work on any given day, we’re pretty well, as thin as we ought to be,” Soglin said in an interview. Moving forward, Braunginn said there is significant work ahead to sift through the recommendations centered around dialogue and community involvement. “This is going to be far from a rubber stamp,” he said. “I’m sure every single person on the committee doesn’t agree with everything in the OIR report as far as recommendations moving forward for various reasons.” Braunginn acknowledged that between discussions within the committee and the eventual discussions among city alders, the road ahead is messy. “We want to get this right,” he said. “We’re not here to rush through the process just to put out recommendations. We want to put something out that’s doable at the same time.” Grodsky, a UW-Madison professor of sociology. With the rising number of qualified applicants, there is some concern about a decrease in application rates for students planning to apply in the future. “Students are worried that their opportunities are diminished by the Common Application. But, everybody has got to admit more students if they’re getting more applicants and the yield is going down,” Grodsky said. The Common App does not replace the current UW System Application, but offers prospective students another option for applying. Phillips added that the use of the Common App will not influence the overall waiting list process. “It’s a good idea; anything that reduces barriers for students to apply is a good thing and putting us on the Common App reduces those barriers,” Grodsky said.
accessible vehicles in their fleet and a restriction against kicking passengers out once they have begun their journey, unless they pose a significant threat to the safety of the driver. “We follow the rules, they don’t,” Rossing said. Rossing worries that the company being exempted from these rules allows Uber to offer customers an unbeatable price for transportation that Union Cab will ultimately be unable to compete with. Rossing warned that these losses could put the co-operative out of business in the next few years. But, the Uber Corporation is operating on huge losses as well, up to $2.8 billion nationally, according to Rossing. However this is a strategy he speculates will benefit the rideshare company in the long term. “They’re doing this so they can can operate on a monopoly,” Rossing said. Because in a worker co-operative there is more opportunity for all employees to voice their ideas and opinions, Glomp said Union Cab has more opportunities to change and grow according to what consumers and workers want. “Tom Mounds of Badger Cab or Joe from Badger Taxi — they would
Perkins Loan from page 1 ported this line of thinking, also arguing that “the Perkins program delivers the greatest benefit to wealthy, elite institutions that do not need federal help.”
“Eliminating this program, to put it clearly, will affect who can and cannot go to college.”
Nick Webber government relations direct UW System Student Representatives
Many in higher education disagree with these sentiments, however, considering the program’s budget-neutral appeal and the socioeconomic reality of its beneficiaries, regardless of their university’s prestige. According to Karla Weber, the communications manager for the Office of Student Financial Aid at UW-Madison, the average family income of a
dailycardinal.com have to tell their workers ‘Okay, you’re taking this cut,’ whereas here we can all talk about it and say,‘Okay what are we all going to do to save our collective company,” Glomp said.
“You have a sense of dignity; you’re able to wear a lot of hats and have a lot of growth.” David Rossing cab driver and part owner Union Cab Co-op
The transportation industry across Madison took a hard hit with the entrance of Uber and Lyft, according to Glomp, and many businesses were forced to increase technology and rethink business strategies. But Glomp said rideshare companies haven’t changed the business as much as some may think. “[Uber] upped the game as far as technology goes, but they didn’t reinvent the wheel,” Glomp said. For Rossing, the worker co-operative aspect is what’s kept him at Union Cab for so long. The job is worth his time, he says. Oakley, on the other hand, enjoys the freedom driving for Uber affords her, but not the pay or company culture. Perkins loan recipient is under $28,000 annually, roughly half the national median income. “As families start to plan for the 2018-’19 school year and we are not able to offer Perkins, we are expecting a gap in traditional financial aid offers,” Weber said. “Filling any gap this significant can be tough and we do not have a simple or straightforward solution.” The Perkins Loan Program expired once before in 2015 but was extended through Sept. 30 of last year, and higher education lobbyists are pushing for another renewal as soon as possible. But according to Clifford Robb, an associate professor of consumer science in the School of Human Ecology at UW-Madison, reinstating the program as-was may not be the best idea. “Ideally the students would be able to go in knowing what they are taking out and in what amount, and that’s a difficult picture for students to get with the current loan system that is chunked out in separate packages with money from all over at different rates,” Robb said.
“The only way driving for Uber is worthwhile is if I’m already driving somewhere and can pick someone up on the way, or if there are surge prices,” Oakley said. “Just driving, open to any destination, I make just above minimum wage, which isn’t enough to justify the time for me.” Uber drivers are supporting a business model that will eventually hurt them in the long run, said Rossing, who argues the company has plans to switch to driverless vehicles in the near future. However, Oakley explains, Uber drivers aren’t always looking for a full-time job in the same way that Union Cab employees are. “I would not consider driving for a cab company because I enjoy having the freedom to drive for Uber when I want. I can drive for three hours one night, but then not drive for two weeks. I can decide to drive whenever I want, without the need to conform to a specific schedule,” Oakley said. Regardless, Glomp and Rossing agree that Union Cab is a staple in the Madison community, and one they hope stays around for a long time. “I think the future of Union Cab is actually very strong,” Glomp said. However, switching to a single, all-inclusive model would mean that other models, like the Perkins program, would be phased out, creating a potentially difficult transitionary period of increased reliance on private sector loans, which may be unable to support the needs of all students.
The average family income of a Perkins loan recipient is under $28,000, roughly half the national median income.
For this reason, Robb said that it would be worth fighting to get some form of the Perkins Loan extended. It is currently unclear if the ideal, all-inclusive model will come into political play soon enough to make up for the missing funds for students.
GRAPHIC BY MAX HOMSTAD
As the Perkins Loan Program expires, 13,600 UW System students could face a gap in federal financial aid.
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Justin Timberlake stumbles through nature in ‘Man of the Woods’ album By Carl Zabat THE DAILY CARDINAL
In the past, Justin Timberlake refused to make music with anything less than 100 percent. For Justified, he delved deep into traditional instrumentation and a capella-esque backing tracks. Then, he went all-in with each reprise and every interlude on FutureSex/LoveSounds . He turned up the neo soul in The 20/20 Experience, which contained so many long, elegantly produced songs that it took two parts to get everything released. Now, with Man of the Woods, Timberlake seeks to combine modern Americana with 808s. If that sounds odd, it’s because it is. Man of the Woods is as unabashed as it is overblown and marks a new low in Timberlake’s musical career. The first half of the album has almost every song that succeeds and these few danceable tunes prove the idea isn’t irreversibly bad, but overly done. Lead single “Filthy” opens the album, and its industrial sounds harken back to his iconic “SexyBack” from 2006. “Filthy” fails to match the soaring heights of “SexyBack,” but the next three tracks make Timberlake’s vision more clear for better and for worse. “Midnight Summer Jam” follows “Filthy” and is one of the finer points of the album. The folky twangs in the guitar have a funk-driven rhythm, with violins chiming in over a bass guitar before a harmonica solo tries to take over the show. Timberlake’s triplet phrase “Y’all can’t do better than this/ act like the South ain’t the shit” is the first overt evidence of his musical endeavor. He tries to channel his inner trap flow as he combines Southern bassline swagger with folk layers on top, which is adequately successful.
Altogether, the song isn’t good, but it could be worse. The next track is “Sauce,” a down-anddirty pop-blues hybrid that has Timberlake utilizing his wide vocal range to good effect. The lyrics are cheesy but it gets by on The Neptunes’ production. The same cannot be said for the rest of the album. The title track “Man of the Woods” is where the album really begins to display its flaws. The opening lines “I brag about you to anyone outside/but I’m a man of the woods it’s my pride” indicate his attempt to immerse himself in nature and his Tennessee roots. Timberlake fails to convincingly portray himself as a man of the woods or musician who knows what is actually going on in his music. It’s a sad realization, but what will move you to tears is that “Man of the Woods” is the fourth song on an album with 16 tracks. More often than not, each new song sounds like “Man of the Woods” — too long and too cheesy to listen to the entire thing. The bar set by “Midnight Summer Jam” and “Sauce” wasn’t even that high, yet only one other song comes close to their quality: the Chris Stapleton-collaboration, “Say Something,” which will be discussed shortly. Timberlake’s strength has always been in the space between himself and the listener. His lyrics are always in the first-person and he has continually borrowed inspiration from his own life — his smashhit “Mirrors” was inspired by his grandparents’ marriage, for example. However, his music is executed with such style that he balances generalities and personality better than most. He is just as vulnerable as he needs to be in order to convey conviction,
but not much else, since his voice and his producers’ instrumentals do the rest of the work. His biggest hits are when he embraces confidence both lyrically and sonically, such as the snarky “What Goes Around… Comes Around.” With Man of the Woods, every attempt to keep this distance falls flat and every attempt to close this distance with insightful advice or personal experiences is halfformed and unoriginal. “Say Something” is undoubtedly inspired by the harsh political climate; Stapleton and Timberlake want to say something so they sing, “I don’t wanna get caught up in the middle of it/but I can’t help myself, no, I can’t help myself.” Yet, as the song fades away, they conclude that “Sometimes the greatest way to say something is to say nothing at all.” Are both statements applicable and have at least some truth to them? Sure! Will you finish the song wondering why they included both of these lines with no context in between? Yes, yes you will. There is a lack of excitement ater “Say Something” as Timberlake, Timbaland and The Neptunes confuse different with innovative and fusion with quality. As an ode to Southern music, the album is almost an accidental homage to the musical landscape of America. Between the funk, the folk, the disco and the R&B, Timberlake has bitten off way more than he can chew. In the end, he tries to spit his music out like tobacco only for it to fall to the ground in a heaping mess. “Flannel” is a low point, with the line “May we live for many winters/keepin’ eachother warm” showcasing how thin Timberlake’s plaid really is. The last two tracks are even more lyrically cringewor-
IMAGE COURTESY OF COMPLEX
Justin Timberlake’s transformation is half-formed and unoriginal. thy than “Say Something.” The melodies are just as bland as the concept of modern Americana and 808s continues to deflate. There are some bright spots, even if they are often matched by dimness in the same song: “Montana” pulses with energy but the lyrics are uninteresting. “Morning Light” has a good Alicia Keys feature and it provides a last shimmer of hope next to “Say Something” before the album really starts to disintegrate. With The 20/20 Experience, Justin Timberlake aimed high and part one of the album was everything we could have asked
for after waiting seven long years for Timberlake’s return. \ showed the exhaust of his new sound. After another five long years, a drastic sound reinvention was necessary to move on from part two’s disappointment and Man of the Woods could have been that amazing reemergence for a musical star who loves to try new things. Unfortunately, it’s not even close. Final Grade: CWhat are your thoughts on Man of the Woods? Email arts@dailycardinal.com
New episode of ‘This Is Us’ reveals heart-wrenching answers for fans
IMAGE COURTESY OF VIMEO
The emotional new episode of ‘This Is Us’ provides answers to one of the show’s biggest questions. By Monique Scheidler TV COLUMNIST
This past Sunday was a big day for television. Sure, it was also a big day for football and remaining Justin Timberlake fans, but the biggest event of them all came after the Super Bowl craziness. “This Is Us” aired one of their most tremendous — and devastating, might I add —
episodes yet. *This article is full of spoilers, so if you’re not up to speed on the show, go have a good cry and catch up.* “This Is Us” brought in a huge amount of viewers this weekend — just under 27 million — bringing in the largest post-Super Bowl audience since FOX’s “House” back
in 2008. There’s no question as to how that happened because it felt like NBC was advertising the episode everywhere you turned. My Twitter feed and Facebook timeline were chock-full of videos of the show’s actors describing the episode as “soul-crushing,” and man, were they right. The episode finally provides
some answers to one of the show’s biggest questions: How did Jack Pearson die? It wouldn’t be “This Is Us” if they didn’t lead you to believe one thing and then throw you in a completely different direction. Last week’s episode laid down a lot of clues leading up to his death: the faulty slow cooker, the beloved pet sleeping in the living room and the entire kitchen catching on fire. This week, we watched as Jack went back into the burning house to save Kate’s dog only to come out alive and as charming as ever. It’s not until later in the episode when Jack is at the hospital for a quick check-up due to some burns that it happens: He has a heart attack and there is nothing the doctors can do to save him. Mandy Moore dominates this episode, giving one of the most heart-wrenching performances of the show — a real feat considering how talented all of the actors are. The combination of strength and complete brokenness she portrays as a mom who has to face her children and give them the worst news of their lives is amazing. This
episode also gave us strong performances from the teenaged Kate and Randall as well. Though the episode was highly advertised as revolving around Jack’s death, there were other really phenomenal aspects of it too. We got a beautiful heart-to-heart between Randall and his eldest daughter, Tess, who has proven she can be just as moving as the rest of her family. She voices the hurt she’s felt over the past few months caused by Randall’s sudden life changes, prompting her dad to give one of his world famous speeches that left me crying in my bed — as if I hadn’t done that enough this episode. The Super Bowl plays such a large role in the episode, so it was genius of NBC to place the series’ heavy-hitting spectacle immediately after the game. As the numbers show, it paid off. It was a devastating episode that finally gave the audience answers they have been dying to know since early last season. It also made me cry so hard that I had to attend several meetings and classes with puffy eyes, but what’s a girl to do?
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Last-minute tips to save your Valentine’s Day By Megan Otto THE DAILY CARDINAL
So it’s Sunday evening and you’re sitting around watching Netflix and finishing homework like any other Sunday night when you realize what day it is. February 11. There are only three days left until Valentine’s Day and somehow it slipped your mind to plan the perfect date for your significant other. And you forgot to get a present. Every restaurant in town has been booked for weeks and there’s no time to order the perfect gift or find the perfect boquet of flowers from the best local vendor. Whatever will you do? Don’t sweat it. Here are five last minute date and gift ideas to not only save your Valentine’s Day, but keep you out of the dog house too. Skate at the Shell with your S.O. If you’re an active couple, there’s no better date idea than going ice skating. Its cute, its romantic, its athletic and it’s definitely warmer than going for a walk outside! The Shell next to Camp Randall has an ice rink inside that serves as the perfect setting for your V-Day date. Open skate at the shell on Valentine’s Day is from 6:15-7:15 p.m., leaving you just enough time to prepare a homemade din-
ner before or after skating and then choose the perfect movie on Netflix to end the night on. No reservations? No problem. If you’re looking to score dinner at a romantic venue in town, you would have had to have made reservations at least one to two weeks in advance. You snooze you lose I guess. But really, you don’t have to lose. There are plenty of restaurants in town that don’t take reservations, and one of the best is Strada at the Memorial Union. You have the choice of delicious pizza or pasta for a good price and a view of the frozen lake nonetheless. Looking for dessert after? No worries, stop for ice cream at the Daily Scoop right next door. Dinner with a view? Done and done. Sultry and Sophisticated If you’re in the mood for something nice, consider taking your Valentine on a date to one of the local art museums. Not up for a long walk in the cold? Take to the Chazen. Its nearby and has a wide selection of art to browse. The only drawback is that they’re only open until 5 p.m. on Wednesdays, so go for an early date then spice things up at home by cooking dinner together. If you’ve already explored the Chazen, head up
State Street to the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. They also close at 5 p.m. Convenience Store Treasures You dropped the ball on getting your partner a gift and there’s no time to order something cute and sweet. Don’t panic. When in doubt, head to your local Walgreens and you’ll be sure to find something to fill the giftless-void. By this time, the holiday aisle filled with heart shaped boxes and Valentine’s Day themed chocolates is sure to be picked over. Head to the candy aisle and pick out some plain old Lindt and Ghirardelli chocolates. They’re better quality than the holiday aisle chocolates and will last longer too. Next, stop in the card aisle and pick out a sweet card and writein your own message. State Street Finds If Walgreen’s isn’t going to cut it for your Valentine’s Day gifts, you’re still in luck. There are various little shops on State Street with plenty of cute gifts, some may even be V-Day themed. Your best bet is to head to Little Luxuries or Anthology and you’ll be sure to find something perfect for your partner and more unique than anything you would every find at a big box store. Happy hunting!
GRAPHIC BY JADE SHENG/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Even if you’ve droped the ball on plans, Valentine’s Day can be saved.
V-Day: Not just for couples, it’s for all the single girls too By Colleen Muraca THE DAILY CARDINAL
GRAPHIC BY JADE SHENG/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate love, not just relationships.
As February begins, the sea of pink and red hearts begins to take over every office in America. The words “love” and “Cupid” pop up everywhere you go. Step inside a Walgreens and you will be immediately alerted to the season with the chocolate hearts and pink cards found scattered on the shelves. Valentine’s Day is here yet again without any warning. This causes panic for both the taken and single people of the world. The men in relationships forget until right before Feb. 14 to buy their partner a gift and are on the scramble to consult their best friends for ideas. Meanwhile, their partners have had the perfect gift since before the New Year because she knows how much their significant other just loves Earth, Wind & Fire and that they’re coming to Madison in mid-March (hint, hint). As for the single folk, we are preparing for the cascade of looks ranging from pity to despair from our grandmothers because, apparently, the word “single” is written across our foreheads when Valentine’s Day comes around. It is a common misconception that Valentine’s Day is the single-worst day of the year for single women. Speaking as a single, 20-yearold female and rom-com aficionado, why is it expected that Valentine’s Day will be terrible
for me because I am single? I’m not writing this as a cynical and anti-love person: I love love. Truly. The point is, many of us single girls have been single for months before this holiday. Why should one day out of the entire year be any different? It’s time to change the way people see single females on Valentine’s Day. Here are three things to do to help everyone enjoy this day that celebrates love. “Who needs a man anyways?” For those of us who are single, its not uncommon to hear our girlfriends who are in relationships tell us, “Who needs a man anyways?” Our response? Well, you’re in a relationship so clearly you need a man. Apart from that, please stop feeling sorry for talking to us about your plans or even avoiding the topic of discussing your dates with us altogether. As your single friend, we ought to be, and most of the time we are, happy that you get to celebrate with the person you love. But we are not consumed with an overwhelming jealousy — well, not all of us at least. We want to hear about how your man is taking you to Tutto’s, but don’t forget to bring us back some dessert. We’re your friends. We are meant to listen to you. Galentine’s Day is not a pathetic substitute for Valentine’s Day. At first, I thought Galentine’s Day — a recent phenomenon that
mixes the words “Valentine’s Day” and “Gal” and is designed to be more focused on loving your girlfriends if you’re single — was a big joke. I was one of the doubters. However, Valentine’s day is about celebrating the ones you love. Even if you’re in a relationship, it can be a good time to show some love for your girls. Your best friends are some of the people you love the most, so show them you care about them too. It does not just have to be about your significant other on Valentine’s Day. Wine and chocolates aren’t just for those in relationships. In reality, us single girls are probably just going to be doing our normal routine on Valentine’s Day. If we’re feeling festive, maybe we’ll pop in a romantic comedy and spend the night watching with our best girlfriends. Wine and chocolates within reach. Just because you’re not in a relationship doesn’t mean you can’t spend time celebrating Valentine’s Day with your girlfriends. The need for belonging and socializing can be found in other ways than with just one significant other. There is more to our self-worth than what a guy makes it to be, and we can have our wine and chocolates too! So, to all the single girls out there on Valentine’s Day — I mean Galentine’s Day — don’t keep yourself from celebrating. It’s your day too!
comics dailycardinal.com
Today’s Sudoku
Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.
ACROSS
44 John ___ (Farm equipment
3 Campus military grp.
32 Idaho city
1 Red planet
company)
4 Insomniacs want it
33 Stiff white collars
5 Despise and then some
45 “Cone” or “Cat” intro
5 The Greatest of boxing
34 Words before “much”
10 Trimming sound
46 Bygone monetary unit
6 Colossal
or “now”
14 Object of worship
49 Piddling amount
7 Mocking laugh sounds
37 Sign-offs from cabs
15 It makes Tarzan a swinger
50 Md. clock setting
8 Readily accessible
40 Honorably retired
16 Ginger on “Gilligan’s
51 Small creek
9 Pattern on an old TV
41 Guitarist Clapton
Island”
53 Missile of the ‘90s
10 Maker of romantic illusions
42 Astronomer’s sighting
17 Temptations for some
55 Salon creations
11 Kind to others
47 Need rest
dieters
58 Rental agreement
12 Supplies for silkscreeners
48 Astronaut Buzz
20 Variety-show intro-maker
62 Mormons
13 Faux ___ (blunder)
52 Fraternal club
21 Lampoons
65 What Shakespeare would
18 Comments from horses
54 One form of belief in God
22 Dots or seeds
call you?
19 Strongest single-digit
55 See 7-Down
25 Be up in the air
66 Home in a dome
rating
56 It’s just a little bit?
26 Sawyer or Thumb
67 Hard cookie
23 Writer of verse
57 Barter alternative
29 Decent
68 Beavers’ prides
24 Like any of eight bi-
59 “The King and I” woman
31 Certain deli sandwich
69 Far from rich
liard balls
60 Laurel with Hardy
35 Mentalist Geller
70 A whole bunch
26 Common Dutch flower
61 Perceive with the eyes
27 Make a delivery to the
62 Old Ford model
36 Prefix meaning “the sun”
Illustration by Maggie Liu
Photographer Problems
Thursday, February 8, 2018 • 5
Today’s Crossword Puzzle
© Puzzles by Pappocom
38 ___ speak (as it were)
DOWN
masses
63 Tenth letter of the Hebrew
39 Thing in tech news
1 “Country” distance
28 Minuscule bugs
alphabet
43 Detail
2 Fall guy?
30 Ate late
64 Chinese sauce
By Liqi Sheng
SUMMER ON YOUR TERMS! Make progress on your degree and your career with three-, four- or eight-week sessions at UW–Madison It’s Dark Out
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Choose from 1,000-plus courses on campus and online Start planning now with the Summer Term course guide Visit summer.wisc.edu/course-search or MyUW
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opinion 6
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Thursday, February 8, 2018
dailycardinal.com
‘Mumble rap’ poorly represents hip-hop’s history and tradition
An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892 Volume 127, Issue 29
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PETER KANE opinion columnist
H
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Mayor Soglin’s decision reflects a gap between UW students and city’s priorities.
Taco Bell alcohol ban is misguided SAMANTHA WILCOX opinion columnist
T
aco Bell has plans to open a new cantina-style restaurant on State Street, bringing students both Nachos Bell Grande as well as liquor. However, this plan was put to a stop by Madison Mayor Paul Soglin, who vetoed the issuing of a liquor license for the restaurant under the concern that it would not be good for the future and atmosphere of the State Street area. The city of Madison is no stranger to drinking culture. UW-Madison was ranked the top party school in the nation according to the Princeton Review in 2016, and it is consistently in the top ten of the rankings each year. The drinking culture at UW-Madison is not going to be instantly solved by taking a liquor license away from a restaurant not even on campus. Drinking is something that is synonymous with Wisconsin culture. In a state where Miller and Pabst Blue Ribbon were founded, the saying “Drink Wisconsinbly” is taken as religion and the average winter temperature is below freezing, alcohol is very close to the heart of Badgers. However, Mayor Soglin and other members of local government want to help erase this party reputation that somewhat marrs UW-Madison’s reputation as an upstanding and academically excellent research institution. State Street has undergone a revival over recent years. What used to be a seedy party street with lots of bars, dives and clubs has now begun to transition into a boutique and family-oriented stroll to the Capitol building. This new atmosphere is not a bad change — it makes downtown Madison a more welcoming place for families and tourists alike. However, it also does not cater to the 44,000 students that are mere blocks from State Street, and who are most directly feeling the impacts of the change. Taco Bell has been rolling out new Cantina style restaurants, which are more
upscale than their usual locations. This upgraded style would fit perfectly with the new look of State Street, as well as offer a cheaper and more accessible culinary destination for college students. Chipotle and Qdoba both have locations on the main drag, but a Taco Bell would bring cheaper prices and options for Mexican food lovers. However, unlike traditional Taco Bell locations, these cantinas serve alcohol in addition to staple favorites, which makes it counter to the new wave of State Street change. Soglin fears that a Taco Bell serving alcohol would erase all the upward climbing that has been done on State Street. However, a fast food restaurant with cheaper prices than the other options for students would help better cater to student populations of State Street, which is the most important patron in the area considering its proximity to campus. Soglin should not be worrying about how families see State Street, but instead should be serving the constituents who actually use it with a sense of frequency. A Taco Bell that serves alcohol would also bring more students to the area, which would help to stimulate the other businesses on State Street. A ripple effect would be good for concert halls and stores on the street, helping increase sales and improve the economy of the downtown area. Soglin’s choice to veto the liquor license is one of good intention, but is ultimately misguided. The drinking culture and party vibe of UW-Madison goes deeper than just campus culture — it is a statewide way of life. Simply trying to erase the immediate reputation by taking out all the restaurants and bars on State Street is not serving the population of students who are looking for cheap places to eat after a night on the town. Samantha is a junior majoring in communication arts and journalism. What are your thoughts on Taco Bell’s liquor license controversy? Send any comments or questions to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
ip hop has always been a genre that evolves with the times. Since it was born in the early 80s in the Bronx, hip hop has changed with the culture and has had a growing influence on our society. Over the years, there have been various styles of rap but the current most popular form, mumble rap, is the most dumbed-down version of hip hop yet and is a disgrace to the proud lyrical tradition that was built by legends of the past. When hip hop was first created, it had elements of jazz, spoken word poetry and soul music. The first MCs used their words to show what life was like in their communities, which were largely ignored by the rest of America. Groups like Public Enemy and N.W.A. used their music to tell what it was like to be a young black man in America, which was important after the Civil Rights Movement, when many Americans mistakenly thought all were now treated equally. Chuck D of Public Enemy famously called his group the CNN of black America because it showed the other side of America’s racial divide. Hip hop gave a voice to those that were unheard and throughout the 90s, it evolved into an elaborate form of expression for individual rappers. Back then, a rapper was judged by his lyrical skill and rhyming abilities. On street corners and concert stages, rappers competed to have the best flow and rhymes and the most skilled lyricists were the most respected. To make it to the top of the rap game in the late 90s, artists like Nas, Andre 3000, Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G. wrote beautiful raps with complex rhyme schemes, elaborate wordplay and social awareness. They were poets that spoke for a generation of young black Americans and their words alone carried them from adolescent hardships to international stardom. Today, the great poets of hip hop’s golden age are either dead or cling to their former fame in a world that no longer values their lyrical gift. What was once hip hop has devolved into a cheap knockoff genre with no respect for the power of words. We are living in the age of mumble rap. In the past few years, mumble rap has exploded into mainstream music from the success of artists like Future, Migos and Young Thug. Mumble rappers make hit singles by muttering nonsensical and often incomprehensible lyrics over a beat that can fill
the club. The words, if understood, rarely speak to anything deeper than money, women and drugs. As bad as it sounds, it’s what the listeners want. Mumble rappers can make it big because our generation no longer cares about what the rapper is saying, we just want something that sounds nice that we can get drunk and dance to in the club. It is repetitive and boring; mainstream rap is no longer a matter of skill but has become a popularity contest between Soundcloud rappers who became relevant because their song went viral through a Vine or because their social media presence is entertaining. Lil Pump, a previously unknown rapper, got famous for his song Gucci Gang, which currently sits at #26 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song has the lyrics “Gucci gang, Gucci gang, Gucci gang, Gucci gang, Gucci gang, Gucci gang, Gucci gang, Gucci gang!” If you’re wondering if there’s a deeper meaning, there isn’t. Rappers like Lil Pump don’t last very long at the top because they aren’t talented enough to stay relevant for more than one or two songs. What separates mumble rappers from their hip hop forefathers is the lyrical skill and social awareness that make older rappers timeless. Many of these new rappers have no respect for those that paved the way for their careers. Mumble rappers Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty and Kodak Black have publicly expressed their disregard for old school hip hop, as if their raps could even compare to the lyrical masterpieces of the past. Mumble rappers make their money from the apathy of our culture. They know that people don’t care about what they say in their raps, so they spit poorly written bars about the same thing over and over. There’s little respect for good lyrics anymore and socially conscious rappers can’t make a living from their raps. While there are surely current rappers who carry on hip-hop’s history of lyricism and social insights, the popularity of mumble rap all too often overshadows these artists. Some may say that “real hip-hop” died with Biggie and Pac, but mumble rap is the nail in the coffin. These rappers spit nonsensical bars on the graves of the great hip hop poets who painted pictures of harsh realities and racial injustice using only their meticulously written words. Peter is a junior majoring in journalism and English. Send all of your comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
almanac dailycardinal.com
Thursday, February 8, 2017 - 7
Hero seeking return to home country faces 10-year delay, blames economy By Savannah McHugh THE DAILY CARDINAL
A decorated war hero was set to return to his home country after many ongoing years of relentlessly brutal combat, only to realize that his return home would not be as simple as he had expected. “All twelve ships holding my crew got caught in a set of violent storms, then we got captured by a cyclops that blamed us for his daddy issues,” Greek hero Odysseus of Ithaca described his journey. “I promised that I would take them all to Chipotle after we got back, but they had to go and disobey the cycles, which got eaten alive. Those ungrateful turds. Shoulda taken the Chipotle.” Odysseus’s problems are another entry in the latest litany of issues brought upon Greek citizens by the reckless spending
by their government officials on things that are in no way beneficial to the welfare of their country. “I was kind of annoyed that I couldn’t have just flown there. Honestly, Greece doesn’t give us any money or updated equipment, so we all look like idiots when we get into a sticky situation,” Odysseus continued. “After some mythological sea monster swallowed one of our ships because it was too slow and outdated, Poseidon just destroyed the rest like they were made of cardboard! I was even held captive by a seafaring goddess for seven whole years! The Greek government couldn’t afford to send a mere pigeon to ask for my release! I was appalled.” When Daily Cardinal correspondents were sent to the Greek parliament to gain insight on Odysseus’s frustrating debacle,
none of the Greek officials were present for comment. It was later discovered that upon hearing of the impending delivery of their bailout check, courtesy of the EU, they had used the last of their government budget to finance a Caribbean getaway. “That doesn’t surprise me,” Odysseus reacted to the absence of Greek officials. Odysseus was one of the few that was able to return successfully from the Trojan War, a ten-year long conflict that ended in dramatic fashion on Trojan soil. After facing much unexpected adversity during a harrowing journey, he made it home to his wife and adult son. When asked if there were any aspects of his long journey that weren’t physically and emotionally devastating, Odysseus blushed a shade of deep crimson, puffing his
IMAGE COURTESY OF SAVANNAH MCHUGH
Odysseus pictured rolling his eyes while speaking of his home country. chest with pride. “It wasn’t so bad for my little friend down there,” he said,
blatantly gesturing in the direction of his penis. “But don’t tell Penelope that.”
Another celebrity had a baby, expected to never affect anyone in the world on a personal level By Savannah McHugh THE DAILY CARDINAL
IMAGE COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS
Mother Earth is tired of humanity making terrible decisions for her.
Earth frustrated with humanity, wishes it would just lay off By Savannah McHugh THE DAILY CARDINAL
Reports that Mother Earth has been planning to oust the human race have been appearing more and more frequently in The Daily Cardinal office. Upon hearing these outlandish claims, Cardinal correspondents were sent to the International Space Station to request a comment from our home planet. “I have no doubt in my mind that if humans go away forever, or at least lay off a bit with the carbon emissions that hurt my atmosphere, I will probably be alive until the Sun inevitably expands and then dies,” Mother Earth said when consulted over the weekend. “The problem with that plan is I don’t have arms.” Immediately after her statement, several political figureheads, all obviously having extensive experience with the sciences, were compelled to comment on the situation. “I don’t know why we have to be considerate or even sorry about our carbon footprints, especially when it comes to Earth,” EPA director Scott Pruitt said on Monday morning. “By not specifically telling us no, she pretty much is giving us the green light to do whatever we want. It’s proven by science.”
The reaction to Mother Earth’s statement has resonated particularly on the UW campus. “We have to respect the planet that gives us so many great things, like unconditional support and protection from the vast emptiness and destruction of space,” a student commented. “Just because she can’t directly control whether or not we exist doesn’t mean that we can just take advantage of her.” Environmental experts are working tirelessly to determine what Earth’s plans may be for the human race. Despite the voluntary obliviousness of governmental figures when it comes to the seriousness of environmentally unfriendly activities, Pruitt insists that the EPA will do what is best for the planet. “We know what is best for her, and we don’t need to ask,” Pruitt continued his statement from Monday. “We’ll just keep taking what we want, because that’s what she would want.” When asked if he had asked for consent from the planet, Pruitt scoffed and spit on all reporters in the immediate vicinity before replying. “Well, she didn’t say no!”
This past weekend, Kylie Jenner, another indistinguishable member of the Kardashian Kult, announced her intent to devote all of her spare time to the care of her newborn child. The decision to abstain from excessing posting exemplified unprecedented consideration and maturity, especially from someone whose worth has repeatedly been determined by how her butt looks in any given mirror selfie. “Motherhood does that to people, I guess,” an observer absentmindedly commented on Jenner’s Instagram following news of the birth. “I’m so proud to have been there for
Kylie from the beginning! Even though I’ve never met her and my life wouldn’t be any different if I had no idea who she is, I still knew her before all the plastic surgery and the modern standards of female beauty were forced upon her! #kissesforkylie’sgenericbaby!” While there is much unneeded conversation about the name of some girl’s baby whose existence will morethan-likely never affect any of us on a personal level, Jenner has requested privacy in this important step into her new role as a mother. Still, despite her request, countless rabid fans continue to spam Jenner’s social media accounts to a level that is almost cataclysmic.
IMAGE COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS
“We have tried multiple times to slow down the web traffic to Miss Jenner’s page, but we can’t help it,” a representative for Instagram said on Monday. “People just keep clicking that little heart and they buy everything she tells them to buy. It’s risen us to an incomprehensible level of avarice. We can’t get enough of her brand- whoops, I mean, we can’t get enough of her baby. Yeah, that. It’s such a cute little… moneymaker.” Financial experts predict the inevitably fanatic purchase of and investment in Kylie Jenner cosmetics may somehow save the stock market and put more money into the pockets of the obscenely rich.
Jenner is rumored to be developing beauty products for infants.
SPRING 2018 RECRUITMENT MEETING 4 P.M. FEB. 9 2195 VILAS HALL Independent coverage. Since 1892. Write for the Almanac, or Cthulhu will get you! almanac@dailycardinal.com
Have a lot to complain about? Dissatified with the way things are going right now? Want to satisfy your creative urge and obtain eternal glory for the rest of your days? We can’t promise you any of those things, but we’re always looking for more vastly creative and insightful writers with fresh takes on any and every topic! All submissions are more than welcome; we’d love to hear from you! You can send your submissions and any comments or questions to almanac@dailycardinal.com.
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Thursday, February 8, 2018
dailycardinal.com
Men’s Basketball
Football
Former UW ‘backs run wild in Super Bowl By Ben Pickman THE DAILY CARDINAL
CAMERON LANE-FLEHINGER/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Senior Aaron Moesch and freshman Brad Davison spend a lot of time together off the court, including going to plays and having dinner with their shared pastor. This tight-knit relationship extends onto the court as well, as Moesch is helping Davison develop into a more consistent, well-rounded player.
Friend and mentor: Off-court relationship helps Moesch mold Davison into future UW star By Ben Pickman THE DAILY CARDINAL
On a recent Friday night, Aaron Moesch and Brad Davison drove to James Madison Memorial High School to see the high school’s performance of its school play, Curtains. The duo was meeting their shared pastor, Matt Metzger of Blackhawk Church and Metzger’s family, including both his and his wife’s parents, who were all in town to see the pastor’s daughters in the performance. “It was great,” Davison said. “Musicals are like my guilty pleasure … To sing and memorize all those lines for that amount of time is amazing. It’s a talent I wish I had.” In a season that features a roster short on basketball talent and has tested the closeness of Wisconsin’s roster, Moesch and Davison have
spent a lot of time together away from the court: going to church, watching football, studying and even going to high school musicals. Their growing friendship — one that Metzger describes as a “big brother, little brother” relationship — has been “huge” both on and off the court, Davison says. On the floor, Moesch, a redshirt senior forward, has played more minutes this year than in his previous three seasons combined. Davison, a freshman, on the other hand, has joined the Badger program running. He’s second on the team in points per game and minutes per game. He’s taken the most 3-point attempts for the Badgers, and only redshirt junior Ethan Happ has taken more shots. Yet Davison cites Moesch, a onetime walk-on, as one of the most
CAMERON LANE-FLEHINGER/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Davison has already become one of UW’s best players, and Moesch sees the potential for his friend and teammate to be a long time Badger star.
important people to his productive freshman year. “I always love being around him,” Davison said. “I always try to surround myself with people that make me a better person, and I feel like that’s Aaron Moesch.” While Davison was being recruited to UW, few coaches told him to go out of his way to meet the redshirt senior reserve. Instead, Davison remembers meeting Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig, two of Wisconsin’s best players in recent memory. It wasn’t until Davison became part of the program this summer that he got to know Moesch. But as the season’s progressed, they’ve started to become closer friends. Together, they visit Metzger’s house on Madison’s West Side for dinner so frequently that Metzger’s wife has multiple bags of frozen corn nibbles ready to be brought out as ice packs if Davison complains of left shoulder pain. Moesch, according to assistant coach Howard Moore, is a “poster child” of what you want a student-athlete to be. Moore adds that Moesch’s role is often that of a middle-man between the players and the coaching staff. Before Wisconsin’s earlyseason Thanksgiving trip to Kansas City, Mo., for instance, Moesch said he talked to some of the younger players about the importance of getting their schoolwork completed before they go away and offered to go study with them. “I remember when he first got here,” Moore said. “No facial hair. Just a big goofy kid from Green Bay. Now he’s a grown man that’s ready to go out here and take on the world.” Moesch said he remains in contact with former Badgers such as Frank Kaminsky, Sam Dekker and
Zak Showalter. Showalter, according to Metzger, occasionally joins the freshman and the senior when they visit Metzger’s house for dinner. So too does redshirt sophomore point guard T.J. Schlundt, who also is close friends with Metzger. And though he’s only a freshman, Moesch says that Davison is one of the core leaders and “hearts of the team.” He applauds Davison’s ability to step into the leadership void caused by the departures of Koenig, Hayes, Showalter and Vitto Brown. Moesch also highlights the freshman point guard’s grit, as he plays for all intents and purposes with just one arm following his injury. “He’s a great kid,” Moesch said. “The program’s gonna be in great hands if stays here for the next three years, which he will.” Metzger, who is in a group text with Davison, Moesch and Schlundt and tries to send them texts before and after every game to support them, says the team seems to have remained close despite their recent string of losses. Inside the program, as Wisconsin continues to struggle on the court, multiple players have acknowledged the importance of staying together as one unit. Even former Badger head coach Dick Bennett stressed the importance of unified resilience when he spoke to the team after a recent practice. Moesch will graduate from Wisconsin this May. Davison, on the other hand, will be relied upon to help return UW to the level of play that those in and around the program come to expect for the past two decades. The outgoing senior, though, does have one major gripe with his younger counterpart. “Brad’s awesome,” Moesch said. “But the fact that he’s a Viking fan kind of stinks.”
Last April, former Wisconsin Badgers running back Corey Clement waited anxiously to hear his name called during the NFL Draft. After three days and seven rounds, however, Clement’s name was left uncalled. Just over nine months later, Clement found himself in Super Bowl LII playing for his favorite team as a child, the Philadelphia Eagles. After sixty high-scoring, hardfought minutes, when New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s last-gasp hail mary attempt came up short, Clement was shown on the NBC broadcast falling to the ground in tears. The Eagles had knocked off the Patriots 41-33. Clement led the Eagles in receiving yards Sunday night, finishing the game with four catches, 100 yards and a touchdown. He will forever get to say he also returned the opening kickoff of the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory and took the direct snap before Philadelphia’s crucial touchdown just before halftime. Former Wisconsin running back James White also had a massive impact in the game. White, one of the heroes of New England’s Super Bowl victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI, had seven rushing attempts for 45 yards and a touchdown. He also added two catches for 21 yards, albeit in defeat. With that touchdown, White moved into tied for third all-time for most touchdowns in a Super Bowl career. In addition to Clement, two other Badgers emerged victorious Sunday night: defensive tackle Beau Allen and safety Chris Maragos, who was inactive due to injury. But of all the Badgers it was Clement that shined brightest. The UW running back from Glassboro, New Jersey had a night he’ll never forget.
NITHIN CHARLLY/THE DAILY CARDINAL
GAGE MEYER/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Former Wisconsin running backs Corey Clement and James White both scored touchdowns in Super Bowl LII.