DON’T RUN THE RISK, CARE FOR YOUR FEET UW researchers say it behooves joggers to find their soles before lacing up FEATURES
University of Wisconsin-Madison
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All 26 UW System schools breaking law on contract disclosure By Hannah Furfaro The Daily Cardinal
More than 80 state agencies, including UW-Madison, are not in compliance with an open records law that requires all state agencies to report their contractual agreements on an aggregate website maintained by the Government Accountability Board. The 2005 law requires the GAB to maintain a website called Contract Sunshine, which was intended to make all contract agreements between state agencies and contractors publicly available in one online location. According to Reid Magney, GAB spokesperson, it is up to the individual agencies to post their contract information. “Agencies who are not filing information with Contract Sunshine are not in compliance with the law,” he said. None of the UW System’s 26 campuses is in
The Daily Cardinal
A high-speed rail stop could be located near downtown Madison under two new Amtrak station proposals. Martin Rifken, owner of the 700 block of Williamson Street, has proposed two different stops downtown, one on Williamson Street and the other behind the Kohl Center.
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OPINION
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Magney said the state Legislature did not include enforcement provisions when it originally passed the law. He contracts page 3
“If students need to take a kind of transportation that’s only at Willy Street, then they could take [the train] from the Kohl Center,” Rifken said. “This stop wouldn’t have a place to bring cars and park them, but they would be able to have taxi and bus drop-off.” The Kohl Center stop, which rail page 3
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Tuesday, March 16, 2010
People flocked to State Street Monday as rainy skies finally gave way to sunny weather.
“Agencies who are not filing information with Contract Sunshine are not in compliance with the law.” Reid Magney spokesperson Government Accountability Board
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compliance, according to Magney. “We have had some discussions with the university system in terms of why [they] aren’t inputting the information and what kind of changes [to the] system would make it easier for them to do that,” he said.
Willy Street, Kohl Center high-speed rail stops proposed By Michelle Langer
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Who will kill the radio star next? Uncle Sam or royalty-free DJs?
emily julka the daily cardinal
Experts debate ethics of UW primate research By Daniel Tollefson The Daily Cardinal
Experts argued the ethics of primate research at a debate held at Memorial Union Monday. The debate, which featured Paul Kaufman, chair of the UW-Madison Department of Ophthalmology, and Rick Bogle, co-director of Alliance for Animals, was moderated by Rob Streiffer, UW-Madison professor of medical history and bioethics. The UW-Madison Department of Psychology conducts biomedical and behavioral research at both the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center and the Harlow Center for Biological Psychology, which hosts
about 500 rhesus macaque monkeys. According to Kaufman, who uses monkeys to investigate cures for glaucoma and other eye-related diseases, studying animals is the necessary final test before permitting research on human beings. He said the importance of preserving the life and health of humans requires that researchers establish specific distinctions between human and nonhuman primates. “But [monkeys] are not us,” he said. “I would posit that we have the ethical right and obligation to employ those species if it is going to help our health and life.” However, Bogle, who has advo-
cated for over 15 years against the use of monkeys in research, argued that the distinction between monkeys and humans is not large enough. According to Bogle, monkeys have concerns for one another, a sense of self and a similar consciousness to humans and should be free from research. He also said he is concerned with the treatment of the monkeys in research centers. “We know that the monkeys in the labs tend to have some sort of abnormal behaviors. They bite themselves, they chew on their fingers, they primates page 3
Committee proposes further changes to possible Gordon Commons construction
isabel Álvarez/the daily cardinal
Under UW-Madison Facilities Planning and Management Director Gary Brown’s proposal for Gordon Commons, a wide terrace with outdoor seating would accommodate student leisure activities.
The Joint Southeast Campus Area Committee met Monday to discuss further redevelopment plans for Gordon Commons. The project was originally proposed to the committee in January and would necessitate ground-up construction on the corner of Dayton and Lake Streets. Minor changes were made to the project in the two months since the proposal’s introduction. According to Gary Brown, director of UW-Madison Facilities Planning and Management, the building would remain three stories and serve up to 1,000 students. After the new cafeteria is constructed, the old one would be demolished to create green space. The biggest concern the committee faced in past meetings was the visual aesthetic of the walls facing both Dayton and Lake. At the meeting, Brown presented a new design to try to address the issue.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said he believes the proposed building’s visuals have become more appealing for foot traffic since the revision. He said this is crucial for what he called a “heavily traveled route.” Committee members also discussed fueling changes to the Charter Street Heating Plant, which provides power to the UW-Madison campus by a back-pressure steam turbine generator, according to Facilities Planning and Management. Committee members said they want the heating plant to be visually and academically attractive while reducing coal consumption and burning only natural gas and biomass. Committee member Laura Gutknecht said the plant’s design should be a substantial revision. The Urban Design Commission will further discuss the Charter Street Heating Plant plan April 7. —Beth Pickhard
“…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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An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892
TODAY: rainy hi 61º / lo 35º
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Dontcha know, Wisconsin is da best, huh?
Volume 119, Issue 108
2142 Vilas Communication Hall 821 University Avenue Madison, Wis., 53706-1497 (608) 262-8000 l fax (608) 262-8100
News and Editorial edit@dailycardinal.com Editor in Chief Charles Brace Managing Editor Ryan Hebel Campus Editor Kelsey Gunderson Grace Urban City Editor State Editor Hannah Furfaro Enterprise Editor Hannah McClung Associate News Editor Ashley Davis Senior News Reporters Alison Dirr Ariel Shapiro Robert Taylor Anthony Cefali Opinion Editors Todd Stevens Arts Editors Katie Foran-McHale Jacqueline O’Reilly Sports Editors Scott Kellogg Nico Savidge Kevin Slane Page Two Editor Features Editor Madeline Anderson Ben Pierson Life and Style Editor Photo Editors Isabel Álvarez Danny Marchewka Graphics Editors Caitlin Kirihara Natasha Soglin Multimedia Editor Jenny Peek Editorial Board Chair Jamie Stark Copy Chiefs Anna Jeon Kyle Sparks Justin Stephani Jake VIctor Copy Editors Emily Ayres, Yanan Chen Taylor Curley, Stephanie Lindholm Duwayne Sparks, Jon Spike, Liz Van Deslunt
WEDNESDAY: sunny hi 61º / lo 34º
ERIN KAY VAN PAY hail to the v.p.
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’ve lived in Wisconsin my entire life, save for the two unfortunate months my family resided in the Cat-Skinning Region of southern Illinois, and I am damn proud to be a Wisconsinite. Recently, I have come to think that perhaps my undying love for my state is a defense mechanism, as these past two years at UW-Madison have been the first ones where I have had to fervently defend my homeland’s integrity, usefulness and attraction from the throes of “Is it really a -40 degree windchill?” and “I am so fucking bored, what am I supposed to do, bowl?” and “Why is everybody so obese here?” I, like many other natives to this state, have found myself constantly making excuses for Wisconsin as if it were my
video game glazed-eyed, socially perverted and chunky tween brother. Come on guys, he’s not so bad! His acne’ll clear up real soon, and he’s already got his third level 70 Orc in World of Warcraft! However, I tire from making excuses for Wisconsin. Like a metaphorical chubby brother, Wisconsin has its faults, too. We have to be able to admit them, and perhaps we can find pride in our perceived shortcomings. For example, our drinking team has a “being the state of Wisconsin” problem. We may throw back a couple o’ brews every once in a span of three minutes and we may continue to throw those brews back well into our 70s, but for cripe’s sake, if binge drinking is done in moderation, who is complaining? I find pride in the fact that many native Wisconsinites have, at any time, an Uncle Larry, and he is drunk, and potentially on a lawn chair in his garage. Isn’t that beautiful in its own right? And another awesome thing about everyone’s
drunk Uncle Larry is that he dresses like a hipster—and he’s not even trying, which is the ultimate ironic statement. I am fairly certain that Urban Outfitters sells everything that is gracing his magnificent frame—the flannel shirt, the Levi’s, the Green Bay Packers vintage hat, even his safety glasses, but of course, they don’t carry 2XLT’s (those discriminating bastards). Admittedly, Wisconsin is no New York or California or Chicago (I’m going to go along with the common belief of children aged zero to ten that Chicago is a state)—it IS cold enough here to freeze your sack of balls right off, the closest area of entertainment a Subway can take you to is to a Five Dollar Footlong and the fashion police are off-duty, gorging themselves at a local Dunkin’ Donuts. But—and a big but—we have a few things that cannot compare to anything metro, chic or “more cultured” as an outsider might say: the minute squeak of a cheese curd at the exact height of
freshness, glacier topography ripe for the pitching of a tent, blaze orange lingerie on sale at the local Fleet Farm, “How did those goats get up on that roof?” being said outside of the restaurant you are eating at, the first sip of ice-cold bubbler water, the articulateness of the fart joke being made by your dad, the raging sunburn from the beer line at Summerfest, the way your veins surge with the unbeatable force of green, gold, and Leinie’s and how your heart yearns and pulls to defend Favre to the GRAVE (though you may speak otherwise). We have plenty to celebrate in Wisconsin, as we do for our metaphorical chunky, WoW-crazed and pubescent brother. We don’t need to make excuses about our homeland—if people don’t like it here, they can leave. May Curly Lambeau be with you all. If you have anything to add to the ongoing list of why Wisconsin is da best, huh?, please email VP at evanpay@wisc.edu.
Business and Advertising business@dailycardinal.com Business Manager Cole Wenzel Advertising Manager Katie Brown Accounts Receivable Manager Michael Cronin Billing Manager Mindy Cummings Senior Account Executive Ana Devcic Account Executives Mara Greenwald Kristen Lindsay, D.J. Nogalski Graphic Designer Mara Greenwald Web Director Eric Harris Marketing Director Mia Beeson Archivist Erin Schmidtke The Daily Cardinal is published weekdays and distributed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and its surrounding community with a circulation of 10,000. The Daily Cardinal is a nonprofit organization run by its staff members and elected editors. It receives no funds from the university. Operating revenue is generated from advertising and subscription sales. Capital Newspapers, Inc. is the Cardinal’s printer. The Daily Cardinal is printed on recycled paper. The Cardinal is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press and the Wisconsin Newspaper Association. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The Daily Cardinal are the sole property of the Cardinal and may not be reproduced without written permission of the editor in chief. The Daily Cardinal accepts advertising representing a wide range of views. This acceptance does not imply agreement with the views expressed. The Cardinal reserves the right to reject advertisements judged offensive based on imagery, wording or both. Complaints: News and editorial complaints should be presented to the editor in chief. Business and advertising complaints should be presented to the business manager. Letters Policy: Letters must be typewritten, double-spaced and no longer than 200 words, including contact information. Letters may be sent to letters@dailycardinal.com.
Editorial Board Charles Brace Anthony Cefali Kathy Dittrich Ryan Hebel Nico Savidge Jamie Stark Todd Stevens Justin Stephani l
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Guy on phone: Uncle Craig! I’m playing flip cup with your college roommate at Brothers right now! And they just kicked his 15-year-old daughter out! He’s freakin’ awesome! Guy 1: I can’t believe Mo’Nique won an Oscar. Guy 2: Yeah, I thought the dude from The Blind Side totally had her beat
with strangers. Bro to his bro friend: No man, we need more bagpipes. More bagpipes! Girl 1: Well there was like a stack of one dollar bills, a big stack Girl 2: So you think she was robbed? Girl 1: I don’t know she still had them when she was done dancing at the club
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Board of Directors Vince Filak Cole Wenzel Joan Herzing Jason Stein Jeff Smoller Janet Larson Chris Long Charles Brace Katie Brown Benjamin Sayre Jenny Sereno Terry Shelton Melissa Anderson l
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Girl 1: How am I supposed to know if he likes me for more than my boobs? Girl 2: See if he can answer that question with a straight face, and without looking down.
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© 2010, The Daily Cardinal Media Corporation ISSN 0011-5398
Guy: So apparently my phone has the capability to send blank texts. And I sent 25 of them on Saturday. Guy 1: Dude, I sh*t green this morning. Like not even a little brown, a little green, just all green. Guy 2: Me too. F*ckin St. Patty’s Day. Girl at party: So you guys are math majors, huh? Guy: Yeah, we’re actually graduate students Girl: Wow... math! So, is zero like... a number or what? Girl in college library: I don’t sporcle
For the record Corrections or clarifications? Call The Daily Cardinal office at 608-262-8000 or send an e-mail to edit@dailycardinal.com.
Girl talking to her friend: Well there’s uptown, and downtown, and stinkytown Me: Stinkytown?? Seminar guy: How do you feel about the government taking over GM? Girl: I think it’s more secure. Seminar guy: That’s right. I think it’s scary too. Rando: I would prefer to know whether my politicians have or have not had sex with a mule.
Guy 1: im going to buy some crayola colored pencils... Guy 2: why don’t you go for the roseart... they’re cheaper. Guy 1: id rather die. Guy 2: yea id probably buy roseart for my future kids...if i hate them Girl: It was soo foggy yesterday, I kept on making tugboat noises to clear people out of the way. (In low voice) Varooom! Her friend: (stunned silence) Woman on Library Mall: Mmm, something good smells down here! Girl 1: So what’s the difference between the Oscars and the Academy Awards? Like which one is more important? Girl 2: I think they are the same thing. Girl 1: No, that can’t be right. Girl 2: Yeah, you’re right.
Girl 1 at library: Oh my god I HATE the movie “13 Going on 30” Girl 2: I actually like that movie. Girl 1: Jennifer Garner is cool, don’t get me wrong. But it is SO stressful. Like Lord of the Rings!
Guy on phone: Yeah dad, it’s fine. I just think one more semester should give me more time to really figure stuff out. Guy next to him: He’s majoring in mixology! With a certificate in AlcoholicAmerican Studies! Guy on phone: Sorry Dad, I’m on the bus. No, it’s just some jerk, don’t worry about it.
Girl: It could just be my boobs bringing out his flirtatious side. They do that sometimes.
Old man yelling on State St.: Fuck bitches, get money!!!
Submit your own Overheard entries now at dailycardinal.com/page-two. See if yours makes it in print!
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Shots fired downtown; no injuries, arrests Shots were fired on the 100 block of South Bedford Street early Monday morning during an altercation between two men. According to a police report, the victim was driving down Bedford and stopped his car when he saw a man standing in the road. He exited his car and got into a verbal confrontation with the suspect. The man in the road pulled out a handgun, and the driver ran
away. The suspect fired two shots toward the victim as he ran. It was later determined that the passenger of the car drove away and the suspect left the scene with another man in a green car. The suspects are described as white males, one with curly hair and the other as thin, bald and wearing a black leather jacket. There were no arrests made, and the incident is still under investigation.
UW names five finalists to fill director of undergraduate admissions position UW-Madison continued its search for a new director of undergraduate admissions Monday, as five finalists for the position were named. According to a UW-Madison release, the position is in charge of leading the UW-Madison Office of Admissions and managing UW-Madison’s recruitment goals. The director will also work closely with high schools, teachers, counselors, prospective students and parents. The five finalists are Adele Brumfield from the University
contracts from page 1 said the “issue has been compliance” and said many state agencies do not have the resources or personnel to post contracting data on Contract Sunshine. State Auditor Jan Mueller said the law does not require the Legislative Audit Bureau to conduct an audit of the program. “Obviously with an enterprise the size of Wisconsin, we can’t audit all things,” she said. “I think it’s best to say we are continuing to monitor the situation.” Magney said the $81 million payroll and computer system contract between the UW System and Huron Consulting Group is an example of the type of contract that should be listed on Contract Sunshine. “Something like that should
rail from page 1 would be located across the street from the old Badger Bus Depot, would be intended as a convenient stop for traveling students. However, Rifken said the proposal needs support from officials in charge of the project. “It will probably be approved if [government and transportation officials] believe that that’s where the rail should be,” Rifken said about the two proposed stops. The Department of Transportation has expressed support for placing a stop near the Dane County Regional Airport that would eventually connect to Minneapolis. The state Legislature recently approved use
of Chicago, Gary Clark Jr. from the University of Southern California, Perry Robinson from Denison University, J. Robert Spatig from the University of South Florida and Paul White from the University of Minnesota. The finalists are scheduled to visit campus in April to meet with UW-Madison students as well as faculty and staff members. A search-and-screen committee of faculty, staff and students will be formed to choose which finalist will replace interim director Tom Reason. be [listed] ... the contracts and change orders—there should be some information about that. To what level of detail, I’m not certain,” Magney said. UW System officials were unavailable for comment because of a mandated furlough day. State Sen. Robert Cowles, R-Green Bay, was involved in developing the law and said he was “very disappointed at the lack of implementation.” “This is transparency for who is contracting with the state,” he said. “We’re definitely very interested in following up on this.” Magney said the law also does not set up penalties for agencies that fail to obey the law. “The Legislature didn’t give us enforcement power,” he said. “The law gives us no mechanism to make them comply.” of federal funds for a MadisonMilwaukee line. However, funding for a Minneapolis line has not yet been approved. Janet Piraino, Mayor Dave Cieslewicz’s chief of staff, said although Cieslewicz thinks it would be beneficial to have the high-speed rail stop as close to downtown as possible, he realizes there are still a number of approval steps needed before a Williamson Street stop could become a reality. “We’re waiting for information from the federal and state transportation officials before we can say how likely it will be,” Piraino said. “We’re surely going to try to make a downtown station work.”
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
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Capitol Square among Madison areas to undergo renovations By Allison Geyer The Daily Cardinal
The city’s Downtown Construction Projects meeting Monday outlined the city’s plans for improvements and road construction in several campus and downtown areas. The first of these projects is expected to begin within the next few weeks, according to city engineer Chris Petykowski. The project is focused on the reconstruction of Lisa Link Peace Park near State and Broom Streets. The new design will feature more green space, a small amphitheater, increased seating and a visitor center with public restrooms. The renovation is expected to be completed by Sept. 3. “It’s going to look entirely different,” Petykowski said. The Capitol Square will also face reconstruction and street improvements on five of its eight blocks this summer. “The last few years we’ve been doing one or two blocks at a time,” Petykowski said. “This is going to be the big project this year.” Between May 17 and Sept. 1, the city will install new sidewalks and curbs in addition to replacing old benches and flower beds.
primates from page 1 pull their hair out,” he said. Bogle also questioned the overall effectiveness of primate research conducted at facilities like the Harlow Center. The transition from basic primate research to actual clinical
Construction is not expected to interfere with Capitol Square events such as the Art Fair on the Square or the Dane County Farmers’ Market, according to Petykowski. “We’re going to have internal deadlines,” he said. “I’m not going to let the whole square turn to dust for the whole summer.”
The city has also scheduled road construction projects at the intersections of University Avenue and Park Street and University Avenue and Campus Drive, which were left out of last year’s large renovation project. Set to begin May 17, the road work will shut down the section of Park between University and West Johnson Street.
isabel Álvarez/the daily cardinal
City engineer Chris Petykowski discussed possible downtown renovations Monday.
research is dismal, he said. “Because it might down the road do us some sort of good, we can discount their life,” he said. “That’s not right.” Kaufman said he realizes improvements in primate research are necessary but believes in the importance of
continuing primate research. “It is correct to say that the hit rate in biomedical research is not nearly so high as we’d like it to be. It is incredibly incorrect to say it doesn’t matter,” he said. “There is nothing that goes into humans at a high biological level that doesn’t pass through animals.”
featuresscience Better, faster, stronger: In search of a more natural way to run 4
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Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Story by Kelly April
Researchers in the Division of Physical Therapy at UW-Madison are looking into the science behind running and form to see if technology, like in-soles, can help prevent overuse injuries by creating a more natural stride.
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he road ahead of you is aglow with thousands of tiny sparkling snowflakes, like diamonds in the distance. The air on your face is brisk and refreshing, but it harmonizes with the warm sun. There is bliss in these moments of winter, experienced in the solitude of a long run, where your only purpose is to continue to put one foot in front of the other. But what if you could no longer run? Running is one of life’s most simple pleasures. For most people—young, old, heavy, thin—all you need is a little time and some inspiration. Throw on a pair of shoes and you are ready to head out the door. That is, unless you are afflicted with an overuse injury. Overuse injuries involve damage to the tissues and bones of the lower leg and foot and include shin splints, stress fractures and plantar fasciitis. They cause not just debilitating pain but can result in broken bones and long-lasting damage. Runners afflicted by these injuries can be sidelined for months. Doctor Bryan Heiderscheit, professor of physical therapy, and colleagues at the University of Wisconsin-Madison want to make
sure this no longer happens. They are conducting research to better understand the causes of overuse injuries, and have focused on reducing the impact forces associated with running. Every time a runner’s foot strikes the ground, the “footground collision,” the runner’s feet and lower legs must absorb the impact of that collision. The force of impact can be equal to five times the body weight of the runner and may be the cause of overuse injuries. Somehow weakening these impact forces may ultimately prevent injuries. Research has focused on how to reduce these forces. Some studies show that regularly replacing running shoes can decrease running-related impact and injury. But another study recently found that running barefoot decreases impact forces and may reduce injuries. Heiderscheit has taken a more practical approach. In 2008, his group published a study in the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association examining whether cushioned insoles—foam and polyurethane inserts that are fit into running shoes to help provide cushion, support and shock absorption—reduce the impact
ISABEL ÁLVAREZ/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Now that winter’s over, students are heading outside for their runs. Cold weather adds to the stress running puts on the joints, especially the knees and the shins. forces associated with running. “Trying to convince someone to run barefoot in winter in Wisconsin is tough,” said Heiderscheit. “If you change your shoes, OK, but throw in some insoles and extend the life of your shoes. That’s $10-15 wellspent, as opposed to $100 for new shoes.”
“You have to account for the human element of running.” Dr. Bryan Heiderscheit professor of physical therapy UW-Madison
But the scientific evidence regarding insole use is conflicted. While some studies have shown that insoles decrease impact, other studies have shown no effect. Part of the trouble in reaching a consensus owes to the many variables at work when people run. For instance, a runner who simply increases the number of steps they take while running also unconsciously changes their posture, the length of each step, and the way their feet strike the ground.
CAITLIN KIRIHARA/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Foot-ground collision: An in-depth look The contact between the runner’s foot and the ground during normal running is akin to a collision. The runner experiences up to five times their body weight in impact force. This force is distributed to the runner’s lower extremities, meaning the ankles, shins, knees, hips and all associated muscles must work together to properly handle the impact. Stress results when any one of these takes on an abnormal amount of the force and can result in any number of what are termed overuse injuries, including: stress, fractures, ‘runner’s knee’, iliotibial band syndrome (IT band) and plantar fascitis.
“Insoles are machine-tested for their ability to absorb impact, and of course they do,” Heiderscheit said. “But you have to account for the human element of running. Do the insoles change the way a person runs, does their posture change, or do the insoles work by doing what they are supposed to do: absorb impact?” Heiderscheit and his colleagues looked at just this in their study. They first tested whether cushioned insoles reduced running-related impact forces. Sixteen healthy male and female runners with no history of overuse injury participated in the study. They were given running shoes and cushioned insoles to wear and the researchers took measurements when the runners ran in the shoes alone or in both the shoes and the insoles. The researchers were able to measure the strength of the impact of foot-ground collisions by having runners run over a plate on the ground that measured the force of the impact. The plate also recorded the amount of time between when a runner’s foot first touched the plate and when the highest force was reached. This time directly corresponds to the impact on the runner’s feet and legs. Shorter times require the force of impact to be absorbed faster and put more stress on the runner’s feet and legs. The researchers also used a second method to measure force, called tibial acceleration. The tibia is one of the two major bones in the lower leg and it is thrust forward each time a runner’s foot collides with the ground. By measuring how quickly it moves forward, scientists can estimate the impact to the leg. Heiderscheit and colleagues found that cushioned insoles did reduce the impact. When running in insoles, runners experienced weaker impact forces that were absorbed by their feet and legs over a longer period of time. They also experienced less tibial acceleration. Runners wearing insoles may change their posture because of the increased comfort of insoles. Some studies have shown that if a runner changes his or her posture upon foot-ground colli-
sion, the impact of the collision is lower. So Heiderscheit then looked at whether the cushioned insoles were actually absorbing the impact or if runners were changing their posture. A change in the angle of the knee indicates a change in posture. Heiderscheit observed that runners did not change the angle of their knees upon foot-ground collision when running in cushioned insoles. The researchers concluded that cushioned insoles reduce the forces associated with running by absorbing the impact. While using insoles is an inexpensive solution for reducing the impact on our legs while running, Heiderscheit was quick to point out this was not an injury study. “That is the next leap,” he said. “This is the key piece we need. There are not a lot of injury studies but we are headed that way now. There are a lot of challenges.” What are these challenges? Funding, for one thing. People are running well into later life and one of the fastest-growing groups of runners is the baby boomer generation according to Heiderscheit. But researchers doing injury studies in people within this age group must compete for funding with researchers studying cancer and heart disease. Other challenges include identifying all of the risk factors that lead to running injury and controlling all of the things that can affect how a person runs, including their diet, how much sleep they have had and what shoes they wear. If researchers can overcome these challenges, there is hope on the horizon for injured runners. Heiderscheit’s group is now studying whether people can change the way they run, to reduce their risk of injury and help them recover from injury. His lab has been able to help people modify their running stride, or the steps they take while running. For people who once ran with pain, these modifications have provided some relief and many are now able to run pain free. By taking the impact out of running, Heiderscheit and his lab are having a lot of impact on the lives of runners.
arts
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Tuesday, March 16, 2010
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Singer-songwriter title carries weight JUSTIN STEPHANI j.j. dilla
PHOTO COURTESY MUTE RECORDS
In the past, Liars have been held back by comparisons to Radiohead and J.G. Ballard. On their latest, Sisterworld, the band is able to create a ficticious reality all their own.
Liars not faking it on latest By Anthony Cefali
repugnant aftertaste. “I’m supposed to save you now,” Andrew sings. “But my hands are flipping There are myriad forms of laughter. Laughter out.” It is exasperation, a man grabbing at straws can indicate unbridled joy, like the laughter looking for redemption or some sort of pivot friends share, the kind that is paired with point back to reality. But Sisterworld really isn’t misplaced idioms or flatulence or whatever. concerned with reality. Diametrically, laughter can also be the first sign “Here Comes All the People” tells a tale of of a mind spiraling downward; a laughter that arson and tragedy. An ominous voice constantly indicates outward signs of delirium tremens and whispers, “We should start a fire,” and the sentian inability to cope with our particular reality. ment lingers, hiding itself in the waves of reverb Liars fall into the latter category with a laughter and muddy symbols. The guitars are so distinct, full of hysterical realism. heartily steeped in spring reverb rendering it Since the start, the Radiohead comparisons impossible to trace the sound back to the source. and indirect J.G. Ballard allusions have fol- Again, in this uncertainty, Liars thrive. lowed the Liars’ sound, even held them back Sisterworld lurches on at a very similar a little bit. But Liars have moved beyond into tempo. “Drop Dead” and “Drip” are harsh their own, first with the inimitable Drum’s meditations. “Goodnight Everything” should Not Dead and now with their be a lullaby before the big CD REVIEW latest dive into a perverse and sleep; instead it is muddied fractured universe, the alien with a disorienting brass secand oft-ethereal Sisterworld. tion intent on causing nightSisterworld conjures up mares, aiding Sisterworld’s images of a cold and unforgivaesthetic. The songs are alive, ing reality, the kind featured even if the tempo indicates so prominently in Ballard’s a heartbeat at a resting rate. The Atrocity Exhibition. It is The only pace breaks come Sisterworld ambitious and unforgiving, if in the tracks “Scarecrows Liars a bit abrasive at first. There is on a Killer Slant” and “The a hurt sexuality to the album, Overachievers,” both tips of twisted around the arbitrary nature of human the hat to their post-punk roots and infatuation interactions and given voice by Sisterworld’s with early Sonic Youth guitar buzz. The rest of morose sing-a-long choruses and guitars that the album seems in no hurry to get anywhere, float like a body down a stream. Sisterworld isn’t just building on the tension and allowing the just an album, but an outstanding concept. It is releases to become more pronounced. another world created to hold all the negativity “Proud Evolution” is the first full reprieve we choose to ignore in this one. of the album. It’s a sigh of relief that seems Sisterworld begins precariously, like crawl- to shift the whole album from minor to ing on eggshells. The opening track, “Scissor,” major key for five minutes without sacrificprovides the two-world split. Brooding cello ing any of the carefully calculated anxiety. creates a Philip Glass-like tension that is Inside, the drums push into a march with alleviated with abrupt guitar, breathing new a rusty synthesizer that would fit nicely in life into the song. The nervous strings are a Deerhunter song. “Proud Evolution” is tactfully strewn throughout the album. Each tumultuous and eager, preparing us for the time, they dictate a nauseous call-and-answer fallout at the end of Sisterworld. from the other instruments, eliciting a feeling The otherworldly experience wraps up with of nervous breakdown. “Too Much, Too Much.” The song is a confesLead-singer Angus Andrew displays both sion, beautifully shrouded in the idea of regenerunsettlingly high and low vocal registers with ation. The whole album has been a celebration an eerie drawl. In Drum’s Not Dead, Andrew of entropy, escalating madness beyond what we used his vocal dynamics to create a dialogue. can stand. Like Ballard’s writing, Sisterworld is In Sisterworld, it becomes a more textural addi- an artistically assembled series of notes towards a tion that compounds the anxiety. It highlights nervous breakdown. Sisterworld is a place where the hysteria, widens the divide and leaves a only madness makes sense. THE DAILY CARDINAL
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singer-songwriter, by traditional standards, depicts a bard-like guitar player who can interweave abstract or direct tales of social, personal or political commentary. The most common image behind this phrase has to be a young Bob Dylan, crafted in the mold of Woody Guthrie and singing with a similar country flavor and “This Machine Kills Fascists” political motivation. This ideal evolved with technology and genre amalgamation, but to this day, grasps at that mysticism of being the informed poet, using either a guitar or piano to spread musical messages. In other words, singer-songwriters, according to this traditional ideal, are not supposed to be superficial pop artists. They know music is meant for more than that. Over the years, however, this mysticism has needed to stretch to find suitable icons. Granted, names like Donovan, John Lennon and Paul McCartney in the UK, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young from Canada and countless Americans carried the torch true to its tradition for several years, even decades, in their harbored spotlights. But in the late 70s and early 80s, genre crossroads led artists down the paths of punk rock, new wave, emerging hip hop ideals, vibrant, iconic pop, etc. Technology led musicians away from those simple but crucial foundations behind the singer-songwriter, and thus, the cornerstones of music as an art form. Should Michael Jackson, Prince and Madonna be considered among the great singer-songwriters of the 80s? How about Nirvana taking the 90s crown? Contemporary artists attached to the singer-songwriter tag laughably vary from Dave Matthews Band to Mariah Carey. Not to appear snobby, but their pop appeal lends both artists— and myriad others from all decades including Prince, MJ, etc.—an aesthetic gloss that dilutes any message they may be trying to get across with cheesy conventions. I still enjoy several of these artists thoroughly, but the sad part is hearing heaps of talent get caught up in this mainstream monster, and, as a couple friends and I were discussing recently, Lady Gaga appears to be the biggest victim yet. Her latest album points to
this through its title, The Fame Monster. While it also points to surprising amounts of promise and classically tailored talent from a strong, intelligent female, all indications ultimately see her failing to stretch beyond a mainstream mold. On the surface, seeing such talent fall to corporate media monsters and technological toys (whether musical intentions are good or not) makes the singer-songwriter ideal seem a lost cause in today’s market of superficial pop sensibilities. Rather, they are just few and far between, and always hiding in unassuming settings too humble to attract spotlights. Until October 21, 2003, I steadfastly contended that Elliott Smith reigned as songwriter supreme, and I still hold him in the highest regards next to any other musical artist. And though many will cry Conor Oberst or Bon Iver here, today the crown may reside in Sweden, with the Tallest Man on Earth, also known as Kristian Matsson. After shortchanging his debut with a couple hasty listens, the conversation provoked me to rediscover him on Blogotheque performing candidly in a tiny guitar store in New York; acoustic guitars hang from the ceiling and walls as if the store is overflowing and Matsson meanders through picking up varied products to supplement his ongoing crooning. His music appears to naturally flow through him (both on video and in speaker), constantly waiting to be fleshed out through his almost virtuosic finger picking and eerily Dylan-esque voice. The video’s refreshing, genuine display is a breath of fresh air to any music appreciator, proving music’s purpose can always be served by the simple, humble types who will forever prefer to see themselves performing in a bar only to join the crowd afterward and share drinks with friends and fans. Ingenuity resides in their obscure, almost layman presence, which ironically lends their powerful messages sturdy, honest legs. So while, technically, the singer-songwriter attachment should remain valid in any instance where pop music, in its traditional sense, is created, the phrase ultimately holds the weight of musical integrity when carried in the way Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and now, Elliott Smith and Kristian Matsson make ideal. Do you think Lady Gaga is a singer-songwriter for the new milleniuum? Explain why to Justin at jstephani@wisc.edu.
PHOTO COURTESY GRAVITATION
While artists like Bob Dylan and Donovan immediately come to mind when discussing singer-songwriters, artists like The Tallest Man on Earth embody the musical style today.
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Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Singing Your ABCs
Today’s Sudoku
Beware of your snack craving: More than 10 people a year are killed by vending machines.
Evil Bird
By Caitlin Kirihara kirihara@wisc.edu
© Puzzles by Pappocom
Ludicrous Linguistics
By Celia Donnelly donnelly.celia@gmail.com
Solution, tips and computer program available at www.sudoku.com.
Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.
The Graph Giraffe Classic
By Yosef Lerner graphics@dailycardinal.com
Today’s Crossword Puzzle
Crustaches
Charlie and Boomer
By Patrick Remington premington@wisc.edu
By Natasha Soglin soglin@wisc.edu
Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com
Natural History ACROSS 1 Work at a fashion shoot 5 Hope chest material 10 Baby newts 14 Acme 15 Be grandiloquent 16 Edible paste 17 Juicy picnic treat 19 Country on the Persian Gulf 20 Altruistic one 21 Wall Street news items 23 Knock it off 26 Ending for “hard” or “soft” 27 Arab chief’s realm 30 Zoroastrian sacred writings 33 Snapple assortment 34 Maroon, like Crusoe 36 Engine wheel 37 Far from plentiful 38 Volkswagen model 39 Word with “primary” or “intensive” 40 Maximum degree (Abbr.) 41 Speed demon’s cry 44 Be the first band to play 45 “All I got was this lousy ___”
7 Uniformity 4 49 Not worth discussing 50 Hindu gods 51 Kitchen absorbers 54 Sleep-inducing drug 58 Jeans maker Strauss 59 Basker’s buy 62 Between islands 63 Dog’s reward 64 It may cover a wet diamond 65 Bald, as tires 66 Barely flows 67 Quick-footed DOWN 1 Bear feet 2 Big and bright fish 3 Words with “high standard” 4 Crunch abs, e.g. 5 Communist Party member 6 Afore’s poetic cousin 7 Lentil dish on an Indian menu 8 Tiny bit to split 9 Urban modernization 10 Asylum seeker, perhaps 11 Apartment building safety feature 12 Russian ruler of old 13 Your brothers, to your father 18 Really need a
shower 22 Dance party with techno 24 Singles and jingles 25 Gave off 27 ___ one’s stuff (show off) 28 “Time ___ all wounds” 29 Bulldozer 31 Shipping-weight deductions 32 Service finishes 35 Utensil for sifting flour 39 Is comprised (of) 41 Wannabe prince of fairy tales 42 Bears witness 43 Throws off oppression 46 Sea off Greece 48 Big wine valley 51 Deli side dish 52 Mexican coin 53 Doubt-free 55 Quickly, quickly 56 Yukon or Guam (Abbr.) 57 See in a crowd 60 Maiden-name intro 61 Word with “generation” or “gender”
Washington and the Bear
By Derek Sandberg kalarooka@gmail.com
opinion dailycardinal.com/opinion
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
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view Cardinal View editorials represent The Daily Cardinal’s organizational opinion. Each editorial is crafted independent of news coverage.
textbook committee superfluous
L LIANA ZORN/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Video didn’t kill the radio star, but Uncle Sam might KATHY DITTRICH opinion columnist
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he most recent chapter in the saga of radio royalties played out earlier his month when more than 400 broadcasters visited Washington D.C. and lobbied Capitol Hill in opposition to the Performance Rights Act. The PRA has passed both the House and Senate Judiciary Committees but has not yet been scheduled for a vote in either body. The PRA, and the radio royalties proposed by the bill, stand to destroy radio as we know it. Consequently, the controversy and discussion surrounding the proposed royalty fees are not going to disappear anytime soon. For years, radio and the recording industry have operated under the agreement that radio plays, and thus promotes, music free of charge. For 80 years this has been the understanding that the broadcaster and record labels in this country have functioned under. But now, the recording industry is bankrupt, as it has failed to adapt to the new model of music downloading and wants money. Backed by Hollywood, big celebrities and therefore liberal Democrats, the four big record labels in the U.S. are demanding that radio cough up a considerable chunk of change in order to play their copyrighted music. Dave Black, general manager at WSUM, who recently returned from D.C. where he joined lobbyists with the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association, argues that the royalty fees currently proposed in the Performance Rights Act would cripple many radio stations. “The argument that the Wisconsin Broadcasters made is, if we have to pay these royalties, and for a commercial station it’s hefty, it’s huge, then we will have to probably lay people off,” he said Basically, performance royalty fees would force radio stations to lay off workers in order to pad the pockets of the big music industry businesses. Luckily, a provision has been made for non-commercial radio
stations, like WSUM, that would only require such stations to pay $1000 a year in performance royalties. Thanks to this provision Black is optimistic about the future of WSUM in Madison, saying, “We’re pretty lucky, we’d probably be okay; but Whitewater, that’s 1/16 of their budget.” Low budget radio stations, like UW-Whitewater’s student radio station WSUW, if unable to fork over $1,000 a year to the recording industry, would be forced off the air if the Performance Rights Act were passed. The proposed royalty fee, even the reduced provision for noncommercial radio, would force the closure of small radio stations across the country. And many radio stations able to make the payment would be forced to make difficult budget cuts to do so. “(Record labels are) dirty rapacious bastards, and there is no way we should be feeding their pockets.” Dave Black general manager WSUM
It’s clear that radio has nothing to gain from the Performance Rights Act, but what may be less clear is exactly who does stand to benefit from radio royalties. Supporters of the royalty provision have been attempting to convince the general public that it is the artists who would be rewarded and who would see a big chunk of the royalties collected. Even the New York Times recently reported, “After administrative fees, the money would essentially be split evenly between the performers and the recording’s copyright holder, in most cases a record label.” Opponents to the PRA, however, paint another picture. Black maintains the performance royalty legislation is a result of lobbying efforts by the recording industry to increase its own coffers and has little to do with ensuring artists get a fair cut of the profits. “The record labels,” he says, “are going to make out like bandits on this, and they are bandits.” He adds, “They’re dirty rapacious
bastards, and there is no way we should be feeding their pockets.” It’s difficult to disagree with Black’s prediction when the current music industry model awards a mere two to three cents per 99-cent iTunes download to the artist. When it comes to music royalties, record labels have a history of screwing over their artists and Black argues that it would be no different with radio royalties. Artists do not look to gain from the PRA because, as Black explains, “The recording industry collects the royalties and they decide how much they parse out. They don’t open their books, so they may be fairly distributing them, they may not.” In recent years, success by Radiohead and the band’s album In Rainbows demonstrated the consumer’s willingness to fairly and generously compensate and reward musicians for their work, while the proliferation of illegal downloading has spoken to the consumer’s distrust of and contempt for the recording industry. This is why performance royalties that do not serve artists are unacceptable. They instead seek to increase the profits of the four largest record labels and their respective investors while destroying the quality and diversity of radio in this country. Luckily, a majority of House members feel this way, and under the leadership of U.S. Rep.’s John Dingell, D-Mich. and Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., opponents to the bill have passed a non-binding resolution, the Local Radio Freedom Act, which as of March 12 has the backing of 258 House members and 27 Senators. For 80 years the radios of this country have played the music they wish to play and in doing so have benefited both musicians and record labels. The record labels should not be demanding money from broadcasters when they are already reaping the benefits of free publicity. Furthermore, the potential harm done to broadcasters in this country, if legislation is passed that demands royalty fees, is far too horrifying to be overlooked. Kathy Dittrich is a senior majoring in English and French. Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
ast week ASM’s Academic Affairs Committee proposed the creation of a standing committee to address textbook issues as a more permanent way of addressing the financial burden of textbooks on campus. The proposed committee would be comprised of three students, three faculty members and three academic staff and, according to ASM Academic Affairs Chairman Jonah Zinn, would focus on “things like electronic textbooks, open-source textbooks, getting departments to focus on certain textbooks, library reserve programs and the possibility of creating a textbook rental program.” While we agree that the expense of textbooks is immense, and reducing this cost should be a priority for student leaders, the creation of a committee in and of itself does not solve the textbook crisis here on campus. The creation of a committee specifically dedicated to textbook issues, while not necessarily a bad idea, may be slightly superfluous. In fact, it often seems as though the only thing ASM does accomplish is create committees designed to accomplish something. Zinn argues for the necessity of the committee saying, “We want to make sure we get faculty buy in, academic staff buy in and student buy in on this issue.” But we are concerned about the level of student input in any decision reached by the proposed committee. The underrepresentation of students on the proposed committee is concerning. Student members would make up only one-third of the committee, meaning any recommendations would not necessarily represent the student perspective. As ASM’s primary responsibility is to represent the interests of students, this is unacceptable. It remains to be seen why a faculty advisor to the Academic Affairs Committee would not be sufficient in gaining input from across the university. While the input and participation of faculty and staff members is essential to the long-term success of reducing textbook costs, any recommendation made by a committee should represent the views and interests of the student
body. Admittedly, a lack of faculty participation and action has been a main roadblock to reducing student textbook expenses. For example, despite requirements for instructors to make required reading material information available to students, not all do so. It is about time that further measures are taken and other options explored, but it fails to be seen why Academic Affairs cannot tackle textbooks itself. By Zinn’s own admission, Academic Affairs is not overburdened by textbook issues. The creation of a committee seems unnecessary, and even harmful if said committee was to be dominated by faculty and staff. We support a student-led effort by ASM to make textbook reform a reality on campus, and we encourage their solicitation of faculty and academic staff input. This would involve exploring the possibility of textbook rentals on campus and the possibility of making cheaper spiral bound or older editions available to students.
The creation of a committee specifically dedicated to textbook issues, while not necessarily a bad idea, may be slightly superfluous.
As far as we are concerned, any attention to this issue is good attention. But the need for another committee has yet to be proven. Student leadership is key for progress, but until instructors are willing to delineate reading assignments by chapter or section rather than page numbers, it remains to be seen how committed faculty are to reducing textbook costs, and unless they band together as a whole three representatives on a committee likely won’t change that. We are encouraged by the success of ASM’s textbook swap and support the input of faculty and staff when it comes to looking at ways to reduce textbook costs. However we would caution that the creation of a committee, for the sake of creating a committee, is not only a waste of time and resources but also detrimental to the cause.
Today in The Daily Cardinal’s opinion blog, The Soapbox, Todd Stevens responds to Qi Gu’s column on the merits of raw milk. Check out more posts online at www.dailycardinal.com and click on “The Soapbox”
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Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Women’s Basketball
Badgers earn No. 7 seed, will face Vermont By Mark Bennett THE DAILY CARDINAL
The Badgers are going dancing. For just the seventh time in program history and the first since 2002, the Wisconsin women’s basketball team received an at-large berth in the NCAA tournament. Following a 21-10 season and a third place finish in the Big Ten Conference, the Badgers were awarded a No. 7 seed in the tournament. Wisconsin will face the 26-6 Vermont Catamounts, 2010 America East Conference champions, in South Bend, Ind. Sunday. “To see your name up there and see where you’re going and it’s close to home so we can get our fans there, your mind is just spinning,” head coach Lisa Stone said. “I’m so happy for our team. I can’t say enough about our players and my staff.” The Badgers, projected by many analysts for weeks to be awarded an eighth or ninth seed in the tournament, were rewarded for their strong performances in the Big Ten Tournament. Wisconsin dominated perennial powerhouse Purdue in that tournament,
ending the Boilermaker’s 16-year run in the NCAA tournament and narrowly fell to conference champions Ohio State in the semifinals. Wisconsin will play their first round contest at the Joyce Center on the Notre Dame campus this Sunday at 11:20 a.m. The winner of Wisconsin and Vermont will take on the winner of second seed Notre Dame (27-5) and fifteenth seed Cleveland State (19-13) March 23 at 6 p.m. “We’re thrilled, I think it’s a great seed for us, and going into the tournament I think we expect a lot from this seed,” junior guard Alyssa Karel said. Although Karel admitted that she had been hoping for a chance to play the first round in her home town Minneapolis, the Badgers’ leading scorer is thrilled to be able to play so close to home. “It’ll be great to hopefully get some more fans come in. A lot of our families will [also] be able to make the trip now.” Vermont will make their sixth NCAA tournament appearance overall and is looking to grab its first
ISABEL ÁLVAREZ/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Members of the Wisconsin women’s basketball team celebrate their No. 7 seeding in the NCAA Tournament; they will play Vermont Sunday.
program victory in the big dance. This is the second season in a row that the Catamounts have qualified for the tournament—last year Vermont lost to the eventual NCAA national champion Connecticut Huskies in the first round, 104-65. When asked what she knew about the Catamounts, Karel admitted, “Absolutely nothing. I know nothing about Vermont.” Coach Stone similarly admitted that she knew very little about the Badger’s opponents but assured that they would be a tough team to match up against. “I don’t know a lot about them yet, but they are a team that is going to be excited to be there just like we are,” Stone said. “I know that they will play hard and they’ll be excited.” Vermont has won 10 of their last 11 games and defeated Hartford 5550 in the America East Conference championship game to advance to the NCAA tournament. Leading the Catamounts this season are two outstanding senior guards. Mary Kotsopoulos is averaging 17.3 points per game while Courtnay Pilypaitis averages 14.8 points and 8.0 rebounds per contest. Vermont has also proven to be a threat from beyond the arc this year, converting on over 35 percent of their 3-point attempts on the season. Along with the rest of her teammates, senior guard Teah Gant is especially excited to finally be able to compete in the NCAA tournament in her final season. “It’s a great feeling. I know a lot of people don’t get this opportunity and the last three years we got to go to the WNIT but the NCAA, going to the big dance, [I] can’t really explain it,” Gant said. Sunday afternoon’s contest will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and tickets to cheer on the Badgers in person go on sale this morning at 8:30 a.m.
LORENZO ZEMELLA/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO
Alyssa Karel was a key factor in Wisconsin’s strong showing in the Big Ten Tournament, which helped them earn a good seed.
Big Ten sends four teams to Tournament Ohio State, Michigan State, Iowa to join UW Three Big Ten Conference foes will follow Wisconsin to the NCAA tournament this year. No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes grabbed the second seed in the Dayton Regional. After finishing the season with a 30-4 record, the Big Ten regular season and tournament champions will face off against St. Francis (Pa.) (17-14) Sunday in Pittsburg. Michigan State, a team that is currently No. 25 nationally, was awarded the fifth seed in the Kansas City regional. Wisconsin is the seventh seed in the same region. The Spartans, who finished runners up in the Big Ten, and will a 22-9 record overall, with play No. 12 Bowling Green Saturday in Louisville, Ky. Rounding out the Big Ten and receiving the league’s fourth bid is eighth seed Iowa. The Hawkeyes finished tied with Wisconsin for third place in the Big Ten and were runners up in the conference tournament. Iowa (19-13) will take on ninth seeded Rutgers Saturday in Palo Alto, Calif. This is the 17th time in the past 18 seasons that the Big Ten has placed at least four teams in the NCAA tournament.
Ditch your bracket and just watch to really enjoy the tourney NICO SAVIDGE savidge nation
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ou would be hard pressed to find a better week for sports fans than this one. Spring training is in full swing, the regular seasons of the NHL and NBA have hit the home stretch, college hockey starts its playoffs and, oh by the way, we also get the most glorious 48 hours in sports: the first two days of the NCAA basketball tournament. We’ll all spend the first three days of the week pouring over the 65-team bracket, debating bubble teams and picking Cinderellas, devoting what most people would consider entirely too much time to making tournament predictions. And here’s the best part: when the horn sounds on Friday’s final game, when the 32nd basketball game is done, almost all of our brackets will be in shambles. That underdog you picked for the Elite Eight? Bounced in
the first round. The powerhouse you thought was a lock for the Final Four? Gone before the Sweet Sixteen. Those hours you spent combing through every ESPN analyst’s bracket? Lost forever. Sure, filling out (and obsessing over) your bracket is a time-honored tradition of March Madness, but it takes away from the experience of watching the tournament. When you just watch the games you can appreciate them so much more than when you have a bracket. I realize the appeal of NCAA tournament predictions: they give every fan a built-in rooting interest in each game (Wisconsin fans will give a damn about a game between UNLV and Northern Iowa when they have money riding on it) and inspire debates between just about everyone, regardless of their normal sports interests. But over the past few years, filling out a bracket has done nothing but annoy me and detract from the fun of the tournament. I have an admittedly meager knowledge of college basketball, but I’d like to think I can do
better than the last place finishes I’ve amassed in my most recent tournament pools. Plus, pools and brackets deprive countless fans of the ability to just enjoy March Madness games for what they are—spontaneous and exciting. George Mason’s run to the Final Four came in one of the best tournaments in recent history, and while people were excited to see an underdog do so well they were probably more than a little angry that it messed up their brackets.
Filling out a bracket has done nothing but annoy me and detract from the fun of the tournament.
By trying to pick “the next George Mason” and call the biggest upsets, we lose the exciting mystery of the tournament. Every once in a while we have the stones to call an upset, even
less often we get that upset right and lord that over our friends for weeks, if not years, but more often the incentive is to pick (and cheer for) the favorites. If some No. 13 seed was beating a No. 4, you can’t cheer for the underdog since you’re in a pool and that No. 4 has to make it into the Elite Eight because, damnit, you could really use $50. “Bracket busters” might make for fun stories, but they’re a pain in the ass if you needed that high seed to advance. That’s why, this year, I’m dropping out of bracketology. I’m still going to be part of a pool (I realize that’s more than a little hypocritical, but hey – money’s tight), but once I fill out my bracket the first time I’m done looking at it from that point on. No revisions, no second-thought picks, no obsessing, I’m not even going to check up on it during the tournament. Also I probably won’t base my picks on basketball knowledge, mostly due to my lack of it, but also because that’s failed me in the past. Maybe this year, I’ll pick win-
ners based on who has the most badass mascot (other than Bucky, of course). That would explain my Final Four of the Lehigh Mountain Hawks, Oakland Golden Grizzlies, North Texas Mean Green and national champion Sam Houston Bearkats (yes, that’s how they spell it). Sorry, Richmond Spiders, I had to leave you out because those things scare the crap out of me. Or perhaps it should be who has the best fight song (excluding On Wisconsin), which explains my 2010 national champion, Georgia Tech, and their song “I’m a ramblin’ wreck from Georgia Tech and I’m a helluva engineer / A helluva, helluva, helluva, helluva, helluva engineer / Like all the jolly good fellows, I drink my whiskey clear / I’m a Ramblin’ Wreck from Georgia Tech and a hell of an engineer.” Either way, it can’t be any worse than how I’ve fared my last few years. How should Nico pick his bracket and/or overcome his fear of spiders? Let him know at savidgewilki@wisc.edu.