Summer music festivals offer more than just good tunes
National Convention Coverage ...features, photos and more! +NEWS, pages 5-8
+PAGE TWO
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Tuesday, September 11, 2012
9/11 sparks interest in Middle East studies By Sam Cusick The Daily Cardinal
The tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001 devastated a nation and resulted in the shipment of thousands of U.S. soldiers to the Middle East, a region where Islam and Arab cultures dominate. While U.S. involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq has created controversy over the past decade, it also sparked great interest among University of Wisconsin-Madison students. Since Sept.11 and the nation’s declaration of war against terrorism, student enrollment in Middle East Studies and Arabic language programs increased dramatically, from 35 students in 2000 to approximately 145 in 2009, according to Professor of African Languages and Literature Dustin Cowell. Following the 9/11 attacks, students became increasingly interested in the cultures of the countries at war with the U.S. and wanted to learn what exactly it meant to be Muslim, Cowell said.
“Before [9/11] there was always some attention to the Middle East, but then we were actually fighting a war in a Muslim territory in Afghanistan,” Cowell said. “And then Islam replaced the adversary for the United States in popular imagination.” However, as students’ interest in the Middle East skyrocketed with the beginning of the skirmish, it also lowered when U.S. military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan decreased over the past few years, according to Cowell. “We saw the biggest increase with the conflicts in Iraq and just after [9/11],” Cowell said. “[The United States] is not looking to expand that kind of war effort in the Middle East, I expect, so there is a leveling off at this point.” However, Professor of Turkic and Central Eurasian Studies Uli Schamiloglu said there are other reasons for the rise and decline of enrollment besides the amount of military presence in Middle East countries.
According to Schamiloglu, the downward trend can be attributed to a recent 47 percent cut from the federal government in addition to the termination of government funding allotted to universities after 9/11 to promote “critical languages” such as Arabic among students. “[The cuts have] a strong impact on a lot of programs,” Schamiloglu said. “So from that point of view, that means that the institution may have fewer resources for offering these courses.” Despite the decline in enrollment, Schamiloglu said educating students about Middle Eastern and Muslim countries is important because it helps them avoid misinformation and harmful stereotypes. “Too often you could say that our society is inward-looking and insular, especially in recent times,” Schamiloglu said. “There are a lot of people who know English and know something about our culture and its not always the case that Americans understand foreign cultures.”
grey satterfield/the daily cardinal
The Chemistry building could get additional lab space through renovations planned in the next Capital Budget.
Chemistry renovation could create more labs By Cheyenne Langkamp The Daily Cardinal
Future University of Wisconsin-Madison students may have an easier time registering for introductory chemistry courses and be able to conduct more experiments in new lab facilities if building project plans receive additional funding from the UW System. The UW System Board of Regents approved the 2013-15 Biennial Capital Budget in their August meeting, but it remains subject to further approval by Gov. Scott Walker and the state legislature. According to Regent Katherine Pointer, the student representative on the Board, the project
focuses on correcting a current lack of general chemistry lab space, which prohibits the university from offering more courses. Pointer said the extra chemistry building could especially benefit general chemistry classes such as Chemistry 103 and 104, which are the two courses with the highest enrollment during the fall and spring semesters. The courses currently lack sufficient lab space to accommodate the number of students who wish to enroll, according to Pointer. Pointer said while the $103.5 million project focuses on
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Mac Miller, Big Gigantic to headline at Freakfest event
on campus
Hip hop for education
Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings leads a seminar on the role hip hop culture can play in developing new strategies to encourage students in underprivileged areas to succeed academically. + Photo by Grey Satterfield
When Madison celebrates Freakfest 2012 on State Street Saturday, Oct. 27, University of Wisconsin-Madison students can expect to see Pennsylvanian rap star Mac Miller and electronica collective Big Gigantic take the main stages. Frank Productions, the company city officials collaborate with in coordinating the event, spent more money this year in recruiting talent than in previous years due to disparagement from UW students, according to Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4. “I am really thrilled that Frank Productions has taken to heart the criticism from prior years that the [music] talent was rather sub-par overall,” Verveer said. “I hope this year’s lineup announced today will attract more interest than we’ve seen in recent years.”
Other major acts performing at this year’s Freakfest are Dutch electronic dance band Nobody Beats The Drum, Minneapolis band Roster McCabe, northeastern phenomenon Gentlemen Hall and Kids These Days, a band hailing from Chicago. New this year is the option to purchase a V.I.P. viewing area ticket, which will allow partygoers to watch performances in prime areas adjacent to the stage on Capitol Square and at Lisa Link Peace Park, according to Verveer. V.I.P. tickets are $35. Students can purchase tickets at the gate, which opens at 7 p.m., for $12 and also in advance for $8 starting Sept. 14 through ticketmaster, the Frank Productions website or at various business locations on State Street. Business outlets will sell tickets through Friday, Oct. 26.
“…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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Tuesday, September 11, 2012
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Tuesday: Partly Sunny
hi 84º / lo 55º
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When summer festivals turn nakey Jaime Brackeen bracks on bracks on bracks
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here are some things in life you cannot un-see… or unfeel, for that matter. But I think you’ll need a little more background information before I reveal to you the gritty details of my scarring summer experience and the events that led me to reform my views on hygiene, drugs (almost) and society’s capacity to maintain some semblance of human decency. As one of your two current Arts editors here at this fine publication, I had the good fortune of attending a few summer music festivals for free in the name of discovering the latest and greatest in electro, rock and indie for our avid readers. I spent the first half of my summer traversing the many interstates and roadways of the Midwest on my way to first Manchester, Tenn., for Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, then Rothbury, Mich., for Electric Forest Festival, and finally Chicago, Ill., for Pitchfork Music Festival. As amazing as all this sounds—and don’t get me wrong, it was truly amazing to see so many talented musicians—it also exposed me to a whole new level of weirdness I had never known existed in the summer festival scene. After an 11-hour car ride to Manchester I found myself delirious for fresh air. Little did I know the air would only stay fresh for so long. Manchester is like its own thirdworld country during the four days and nights of Bonnaroo. People sleep in shoddily pitched tents as their cars sit dormantly gathering dust, and if you do not have the credentials to enter the press or artist area, say goodbye to your phone battery. Then there’s the shower situation. It’s either pay $7 to stand in a boxy, makeshift bathing station for a few chilling minutes or go without. Needless to say, I did not waste my precious monetary resources on said shower box, which leads me to… confession hour: During Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival 2012 I went four days without showering.
In the real world, the one I normally frequent, the lengthiest period of time I usually allow between showers is one day, but in the realm of ‘Roo it became somewhat refreshing to let the filth amass. Needless to say, my first shower back in civilization was a near-religious experience, except for the depressing moment when I realized the tan I thought I had was, in fact, just layers of dirt. As the warm water beat against my back I watched my dreams of a bronze glow on my moony skin literally go down the drain. But all in all, my first trip to Manchester made for a pleasant experience and gave me a taste of the drug culture currently permeating America’s society of fledgling festivalgoers. However, it wasn’t until Electric Forest that I got to experience the full, mushroom-fused meal. Electric Forest had some quality acts and a clear focus on music and art, but the underlying tone of this weekend in Rothbury, Mich. was the goal to trip balls as hard as possible. From my camping neighbor to the left lighting off hundreds of flaming paper lanterns into the night sky and explaining to me that, though he hasn’t done drugs in a few months, he did so much LSD at that time that he was still tripping, to the group of friends I saw one night in the forest dressed in panda costumes frolicking (in its most literal usage of the word) amongst the trees and foliage giggling to no one in particular, I suddenly found myself in the underrepresented sober minority. At first, it was amusing dodging the hoards of scantily clad hula hooping girls with their glowing rings. But, I’m sorry—I draw the line at public blowjobs. I told you, there are some things you can’t un-see. Working my way closer to the front for a bass-laden Datsik concert, I spotted an opening in the crowd ahead I thought I could easily squeeze into. When I arrived, I discovered two blissed-out teenagers were causing the random gap as they curled around each other in a fervent lip lock. Ah, young love. I tried to avert my eyes and focus on
the music, but they were causing quite the spectacle and suddenly the next time I found myself glancing in their direction I could not help but notice she was taking off his pants. Yup, this probably 16-year-old girl clothed in a modest sun dress was stripping her boyfriend (I hope) in front of at least 100 people within viewing range and hundreds if not thousands more who remained completely unaware of this impromptu disrobement. My glances in their direction became more frequent despite my growing repulsion as he went from dropped trow to totally nude below the waste and was now putting up a mild struggle for this girl on a mission as she proceeded to move down south. Yet finally, he stopped caring about the 50 pairs of eyes now staring straight at his manhood and gave himself over to the waves of ecstasy (let’s be real here, probably in both senses of the word). There came a point where I was right next to them with no means of escape and in his mounting euphoria the bro in question began reaching out to his girl to relay the level of pleasure he was receiving. He grabbed my ankle instead. I cannot begin to express my discomfort and disgust at finding myself caught in this lovers’ snare. I quickly kicked his hand away while spastically shouting, “Wrong girl!” over the blasting volume that accompanies a dubstep show. My cries fell on deafened ears. I was forced to kick his groping hand away at least three more times before finally barreling through a group of bro-tank clad fist pumpers and away from the oral hoopla I had so distressingly found myself a part of. About five minutes later, in glancing
behind me I spied the couple departing through the crowd—her sporting a completely oblivious look and he completely nude. I’m not sure why his shirt had to come off post bj, but go big or go home, right? I’m not interested in tripping on drugs at concerts, but I try not to judge people who enjoy it. However, I DO NOT WANT TO SEE YOUR PENIS WHILE I AM GETTING MY WOMP ON. If you’re going to roll, please do your best to keep it in your pants while in the public’s presence, and girls, please do not exacerbate the situation. It’s gross, and it’s a vision that never really leaves you. Needless to say, due to the interesting circumstances at these two camping festivals, I could not have been happier to return to my friend’s house each night during Pitchfork to sleep in a bed and bathe. Riding the summer music festival circuit can give you great insight to musical up-and-comers but it also provided a gateway into the animalistic sides of society I didn’t even know existed. I had a lot of fun at these festivals, but I think I’m ready to settle back into my usual regiment of smaller shows at security-controlled venues this semester where the worst thing that usually happens to me is raunchy gas from the people up front.
Graphic by Angel Lee
Feeling old is really just a young man’s game Michael Voloshin voloshin’s commotion
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want to preface this by saying I am only 20 years old, but man do I feel a lot older. It’s really an insane feeling; here I am being in the 20th percentile in age of America (don’t fact check me), and I feel like I’m getting old. I’m not even legally old enough to drink, let alone rent a car, but all I want to do is knit a sweater for my future grandchildren and start every sentence with “back in my day…” I guess this is what growing up is all about; the days feel shorter, the relationships are harder to come by and the constant fear of being forgotten is always in the back of your mind. Holy shit that got dark. But honestly, growing older is a
good thing. In a year I’ll be able to drink fishbowls at Wando’s and never worry about paying $20 to a bouncer. In two years I’ll be able to start my life as a college graduate and start at the bottom of the totem pole once again. In 10 years I’ll be married, living in the suburbs with a dog named “Steve” and a daughter named “Sunshine” (for the LOLs). And soon enough I’ll retire and play a game I hate (golf ) in heat I can’t stand (Florida) with people I don’t really know (Alzheimer’s). Okay… too dark again. But seriously, there is nothing good about growing up. How did I go from skinny, tiny high school freshman to not-so skinny and average sized college upperclassman in a blink of an eye? I miss the good old days of Saturday morning cartoons, thumb painting and recess. All you had to do to make friends is admit the White Power Ranger was the best and Michelangelo was the
funniest Ninja Turtle. Where the only law you had to be aware of was your parents, and even then if you did something wrong you could blame it on their parenting (“I learned my bad manners from you mom!” –me, age 13). It’s a sad paradox that when you’re young you wish to be older, and when you’re old you wish to be younger; by this logic the perfect age should be 14 years old (again, don’t fact check me). Maybe I feel old because I’m now older than 50 percent of this university. I’m still young and I still have my whole life in front of me. I could travel to countries I never knew existed (seriously, where is Lesotho?), create items never thought of before (a snuggie with leg holes), and make friends with people that could positively impact my life (I’m looking at you, Elvis Costello). However, I feel like looking ahead is a cop-out on life. If you consistently wait on the next
move you’re never going to see the pieces in front of you (chess reference!). I know I feel old now, but that is only now. In 20 years I’m going to look back on this article and think “you think that’s old! Try 40.” I’m one of those people that always looks to the future, hoping that it is better than the present, and I don’t believe I’m alone in this. So here it is readers: carpe diem, sieze the day, fucking #YOLO, I don’t care. Start treating every day with respect. Understand that this day could be the best day of your life, or it could be the last. Stop looking for puppy costumes online, stop calling people derogatory terms on YouTube and stop not living your life. Go out there and smell the roses, meet new people, take a ballroom dance class. Realize that your time on the earth is short and you’re not getting younger, you need to live. Or don’t, I’m not your psychologist.
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Developers present apartment complex By Abby Becker The Daily Cardinal
mohamed aqeel/the daily cardinal
City transportation leaders present a preliminary study outlining an express bus system for Madison Monday.
Officials propose new transit system By Sam Garigliano The Daily Cardinal
City transportation officials presented a preliminary study at an informational session Monday looking into the possibility of establishing Bus Rapid Transit as a supplement to Madison’s public transportation system. A bus rapid transit system is an express transportation service designed to decrease commuting time between highly populated areas of employment and residence, according to the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission’s report. “BRT has the potential to vastly improve transit service in the Madison area,” Madison Area Transportation Planning Board member Bill Schaefer said. Madison Metro’s general manager Chuck Kamp said Madison’s transit system served a record 14.9 million riders in 2011, creating a “need to make some capacity improvements.” Joe Kern, a private consultant for the study, said BRT aims to cut down on waiting time, bring in new clients and upgrade efficiency and comfort of transit.
Some of the defining features of BRT include larger buses, express service every 10 to 15 minutes, waiting stations with up-tothe-minute bus arrival times and fewer stops located further apart, that reach the city’s surrounding areas such as Fitchburg and Sun Prairie, Kern said. The new transportation system would require specifically designated lanes for BRT vehicles in convenient locations, according to the study. Fitchburg Ald. Steve Arnold, District 4, said taking a four-lane road like Johnson Street and designating one lane for BRT vehicles would be a good use of the express transit system. But Arnold also said there are complications to BRT, such as street parking. “You have to handle street parking sensitively, because moving street parking out from Monroe Street or [Williamson] Street would be a local business killer,” Arnold said. Transportation officials and stakeholders will continue to plan and estimate the benefits, costs and impacts before presenting their findings in February.
Residents in the StateLangdon Neighborhood heard a proposal Monday for a new student apartment complex, which would require the demolition of three buildings. Developers Jeff and Chris Houden presented a proposal to deconstruct 145 Iota Court and 619 and 625 Henry St. to make way for a new eight story student apartment building. They also plan to add two stories to the Cliff Dwellers building at 140 Iota Court and construct a pedestrian walkway near the complex. The Houdens own a number of student properties in the downtown area, including the Palisades at 535 W. Johnson St., and have been working to rede-
velop this area for some time. “We’ve been working to try to redevelop for quite a while,” Chris Houden said. “We’ve been in this vicinity our whole life,” The proposed development would affect University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Chi Psi fraternity house, located at 150 Iota Court, and several area co-ops like Ambrosia, 225 East Lakelawn Place, and Nottingham, 146 Langdon St. Members of the Chi Psi fraternity and other neighborhood residents expressed concern about maintaining the neighborhood’s “integrity,” because the buildings proposed for demolition are in a national historic district. “Preserving the history of the neighborhood is probably first and foremost,” Chi Psi President
jessica chatham/the daily cardinal
A proposed development would deconstruct three older buildings at 145 Iota Court as well as 619 and 625 Henry Street to make way for a new eight-story apartment building.
HR design plan set to be released in late September A new plan that will redesign the human resources system at UW-Madison will be officially announced on Sept. 21, according to a timeline released at a university governance meeting Monday. The new design project aims to create an updated and more efficient personnel system through changes to staff benefits, compen-
sation and recruitment. Work first began on the proposal in August 2011 and the final plan will be subject to approval by the Faculty Senate, Academic Staff Assembly and Board of Regents before moving to the state legislature. Looking forward, Academic Staff Executive Committee Chair
Man allegedly assaults woman on East Washington
chem from page 1
A man allegedly sexually assaulted a Madison woman on the 4500 block of East Washington Avenue early Sunday. While at a downtown bar, a 29-year-old woman met an African American man between 30 and 39 years old who said he was selling clothes and purses out of his
increasing lab space, it would also provide additional offices, classrooms and lecture halls. UW-Madison Chemistry professor Fleming Crim said the building is severely out-of-date and has needed improvments for more than a decade. Crim said lecture halls in the chemistry building “are like something out of Dickens” and it is challenging to teach 21st century chemistry in a building constructed in 1967. “The laboratories were built at a time when the way you taught chemistry was more like going and ‘turning the crank’,” Crim said. “Now [teaching] is a lot more interactive with people working together, and you want people involved with each other and with teaching assistants.” According to Crim, the physical layout of the labs is inadequate due to insufficient air circulation throughout the labs, which prevents students and professors from conducting most experiments involving
SUV, according to Madison Police Department spokesperson Joel DeSpain. According to police, she agreed to meet him in a parking lot on the 4500 block of East Washington Avenue because she was interested in his merchandise. After they entered his car at approximately 4:25 a.m.,
the man allegedly sexually assaulted her, according to DeSpain. The woman said she “screamed, kicked the man and was able to get out,” according to the report. DeSpain said she then returned to her own car and drove to a friend’s house where she called the police.
Drunk driver disrupts Ironman Wisconsin triathlon A drunk driver disrupted Ironman Wisconsin athletes Sunday as he crashed through the course at North Park and Langdon Streets. A University of Wisconsin-Madison police officer located a vehicle traveling on North Park Street toward State Street Mall, disregarding traffic barricades set up for the triathlon
set up at North Park Street and University Avenue, according to UWPD Sgt. Aaron Chapin. Chapin said in a statement Michael Potter, the driver, ignored changes in the flow of traffic and drove over cones, nearly hitting pedestrians, Ironman competitors and the officer on duty. No one was injured during
and UW-Madison senior Greg Hitch said. President of the State and Langdon Neighborhood Association and UW-Madison senior John Magnino said his main concern for the area is improving safety, which is accomplished through the Houdens’ plan to implement more street lighting in the area. Ald. Bridget Maniaci, District 2, said her goal with this development is to enhance the living environment and street’s appearance for the neighborhood at large. “The development team has a high bar in front of them that they’ll have to meet to show that what’s being proposed is going to be a benefit to the current conditions,” Maniaci said.
the incident and the Ironman course remained open, according to Chapin. UWPD officers arrested Potter for driving a vehicle while intoxicated and without a license in addition to disobeying traffic signs. Potter will remain in the Dane County Jail until his initial court appearance, according to the statement.
Jeff Shokler said he is not expecting any “showstoppers” because of the Staff’s involvement throughout the planning process, but he is anxious about the short time the assembly has to form a proper response to the plan. The assembly will take a final vote on the plan in their October meeting. hazardous materials. “We want to get these [facilities] up to the standards we think we should have at the University of Wisconsin,” Crim said. Biomedical Engineering student Mike Stitgen, who has taken a total of five chemistry courses, said while he never felt like his lectures, discussions or labs were cramped, he does believe there is room for improvement. Still, Stitgen said he thinks there are other campus buildings that are more deserving of an upgrade. Pointer said as a student she is looking forward to the improvements that come with new campus instructional facilities. “Not only does it help students in terms of scheduling classes, but also it broadens the capabilites for students to learn, to experiment,” Pointer said. “To be in these top notch facilties is a huge advantage and is really great for UW-Madison because that’s part of who we are.” An agricultural sciences facility project costing a total of $19.4 million was also approved in the budget.
arts Sexiness and drab ‘Coexist’ for The xx 4
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Tuesday, September 11, 2012
By Cameron Graff The Daily Cardinal
ALBUM REVIEW
Coexist The xx Despite what NPR and your resident barista-pseudo-snob seem to think, The xx are no longer a small band. Sure, they still sound small (think a thinner Burial, with some serious Sunday-morninghangover-malaise going on), but in between sessions of whispering painfully earnest nothings into weeping microphones the band now occupies themselves with winning Mercury Prizes and jamming moodily to gigantic festival crowds. Their debut even recently made number 15 on Pitchfork Media’s prestigious People’s List (a sort of mass compendium of things that white college students approve of ). Like it or not, this isn’t the same bash-
ful trio of post-dubsteppers the blogosphere fell in love with three years ago. The xx are now a big band with a big, exciting future— unfortunately, no one seems as unaware of that fact as the band themselves. Jamie xx recently claimed that the band’s sophomore effort, the upsettingly passively-titled Coexist, draws inspiration from London’s bustling club scene. If “The Inbetweeners” and “Skins” have taught me anything though (and they really haven’t), it’s that club music should be thunderous and repetitive—something The xx only half get right here. As much as I snidely deride club music, the one thing you can never fault the latest banger for is lack of energy, and Coexist is deeply starved for propulsion and kinetics. The songs all maintain the sexy, midnight slinkiness of the debut, but there’s zero payoff to any of the tracks, zero excitement. Opener “Angels” starts out slow and pretty, with Romy Madley Croft trilling her usual “love is everything” lyrical fodder over patient guitar pluck-
ing, and for a while, it works. But as bass thunders quietly off in the distance and a broken drum machine clatters in the corner, it’s hard not to imagine a world where The xx chose catharsis over ambience. The track builds and builds, but there’s never the explosive release the music hints at. Second single and second song “Chained” doesn’t fare much better either—Jamie xx manages to summon an actual beat here, but even the clattering Burial percussion can’t save a song with no melody and no hook to speak of. The track runs on pure atmosphere and mood, stranded uncomfortably somewhere between The xx’s duel MGMT and James Blake sensibilities. And that would be fine as an isolated problem, but when the majority of the tracks suffer the same malaise it ends up being tough to ignore. And, at a certain point, tiptoeing around the issue offers diminishing returns, so I’ll just say it: Coexist is a boring album. It’s an incredibly well puttogether and heartfelt ensemble of meandering tracks that all sound basically the exact same.
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That’s the risk a band runs when they pioneer a sound and choose to inhabit the same space on the followup; after a while, the novelty just kind of wears away, and all you’re left with are an impressive stable of one-trick ponies. It wouldn’t be so bad if The xx didn’t flirt with ennui so passionately by their very nature, but when the band decided to strip away the things that made them so bearable (if not endearing) in the first place, like actual hooks, they clearly decided wrongly.
The songs all maintain the sexy, midnight slinkiness of the debut, but there’s zero payoff to any of the tracks, zero excitement.
“Swept Away,” the only track to puncture the four-minute mark, is the clear standout of the collection, if only because it’s the easiest to pick out from a lineup of its ilk. Here Jamie delivers on his promise of “club music,” hand claps and propulsive tom hits and
everything, and, combined with some sultry bass and crystalclear guitar lines, the whole thing ends up just being wonderful. “Fiction” comes as a close second, and “Missing,” entirely empty aside from a glacial beat, tremolo guitar and Romy and Oliver’s interweaving vocal lines, practically sweats earnestness, so much so it’s impossible to dislike. But three songs out of 11 hardly does a good record make—and, as much as I want to love The xx and their particular approach to jet-black pop music, I just can’t forgive an album so incredibly nonplussed with its own homogeny. The sophomore slump is a widely acknowledged phenomenon in most walks of life— after an immediate round of success, it’s much tougher to trailblaze rather than rest on one’s laurels and coast on established momentum. Even if Coexist is a drab, colorless affair, I’m not content to write off The xx as a one-hitwonder quite yet. Their debut was good enough to warrant that at least. Now, all that’s left to do is wait and hope that time doesn’t prove me wrong.
Leave headphones at home for this blend of beat(poet)s By Jaime Brackeen The Daily Cardinal
Make no mistake, Saul Williams’ latest book, “Chorus” is NOT your average anthology. “I don’t really give a fuck about anthologies; they just never interest me,” he said in an interview with The Daily Cardinal. This brazen voice from the slam poetry, music and theater worlds is encouraging anyone who will listen to use their own. Williams seeks to unearth the creative potential in every individual through art. “I think that art empowers people,” he said. “It plays a powerful role in people finding the strength and courage in [them] blossoming into the people that they’re destined to be. “I think certain times it can inspire that thing in someone that gives them courage or alternative energy aside from what society offers them on a commercial basis. And I just want to be able to contribute to and be something useful to, you know, whatever drives them to whatever creative inspiration they may have.” The result of this passion and love for creation soon resulted in what comes of most relationships with strong emotional ties: a mixtape. Though this particular amalgamation is of the literary variety. Also, rather than 20-some tracks, “Chorus: a literary mixtape” brings together the voices of 100 both well-known and obscure artists. “You know, it’s not a traditional anthology in that the names of the poets and the names of their poems are not over their poems,” Williams said, “they’re in the back of the book like film credits. “So really I’m just a curator at like an art gallery displaying other people’s work.” Williams then used his own
voice to meld the poems together, highlighting stanzas and lines with what he calls the “red poem,” displayed in noticeably lighter font in the actual text. This red poem acts as a thread, running the entire length of the book, stitching each individual piece together to construct a cohesive tapestry of language. “But you need to read the book twice to get it,” he added. In perfect pairing with the unconventionality of this literary fusion, Williams used the Internet—often so full of shouts, rants, musings and a general cacophony of voices—to find the fabric of his work. “I put out the word to social media for poets to send me their work to conduct an experiment—I received 8,000 poems in a month,” Williams said. With the help of two friends, he soon narrowed the entries to 100 poems and then reworked, rearranged and re-envisioned each one on the wall of his home in Paris, France for the next six months. What has come of the project is truly one united voice worth listening to. “It was my way of saying thank you to all of the poetry community that I’ve met, you know, as I’ve traveled you know, around the world meeting young poets,” he said in earnest. A worthy message, considering Williams was once a blossoming wordsmith himself. He got his first leg up with a role in the film “Slam” back in 1998 and has been performing ever since—and as the words flow, it does not appear he will be stopping any time soon. You can catch the lithe lines of inner emotion straight from the curator’s mouth for free this Thursday, Sept. 13 at 9:30 p.m. at the Memorial Union Terrace where Williams will be verbally bumping his literary mixtape.
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2012 National Conventions
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The Daily Cardinal traveled to Tampa, Fla., and Charlotte, N.C., to cover the 2012 Republican and Democratic National Conventions.
Grey satterfield/the daily cardinal
Shoaib Altaf/the daily cardinal
A Ron Paul supporter rallies in support of the Texas congressman, who has not endorsed GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney.
The Democrats became the first political party to officially support same-sex marriage in its platform, which passed unanimously.
Inter-party tension exposed at RNC
LGBT Dems move from fringe to spotlight
By Tyler Nickerson The Daily Cardinal
In living rooms across the country, people watching the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., saw a party united behind its presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his running mate Congressman Paul Ryan, D-Wis. But what most Americans did not see may be the biggest takeaway from the convention. Tension between Republicans who supported the RomneyRyan ticket and the vocal minority supporters of iconic Texas Congressman Ron Paul was palpable and reflects the realities of a diverse party oftentimes at odds with itself.
“The Republican Party would have been ... wise to include a lot of what Ron Paul stands for.” Joe Diedrich director of operations Young Americans for Liberty
Thousands of Paul supporters, a significant number of them in their teens and 20s, descended on Tampa in late August, bringing with them Ron Paul signs, Ron Paul T-shirts, Ron Paul pins and lots of Ron Paul noise. While Paul ran for President as a Republican, his ideas diverge from the established GOP platform in several key areas. He is Libertarian, meaning he does not think government should not interfere in issues like marriage, drugs and abortion. He is also anti-war and has advocated for certain fiscal and monetary policies that do not have unanimous GOP backing, like a return to the gold standard. Known for his lone-wolf politics,
only one of the 620 bills Paul has sponsored during his more than 22 years in Congress has been signed into law. However, the recent emergence of the Tea Party movement has brought many of his ideas into the mainstream political spotlight, and some of his previously contentious proposals, like the “Audit the Fed” legislation which would investigate the activities of the Federal Reserve, are gaining traction. Still, Joe Diedrich, Director of Operations for the UW-Madison chapter of the libertarian group Young Americans for Liberty, says there is a big difference between the Tea Party and Ron Paul. “A lot of Tea Partiers are right along with the Republican party in terms of foreign policy and in terms of civil liberties issues, where Ron Paul is different in those respects,” Diedrich explained. Even though Paul supporters, Tea Party supporters and party line Republicans all fall under the umbrella of conservatism, the differences are often stark and were on full display in Tampa. At a Paul rally outside the Tampa Bay Times Forum the night of Romney’s speech, a Romney supporter screamed at a Paul supporter, “This is bull sh**! Ron Paul is talking non-Republican!” The Paul supporter quickly responded, “We are the Republican Party.” Diedrich said this November, a lot of Paul supporters will not vote for Romney because “they think Romney is not much different than Obama.” Diedrich said the GOP presidential nominee has not yet earned his vote. “The Republican Party would have been, and would be going forward, wise to include a lot of what Ron Paul stands for,” he said. “Not
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By Adam Wollner The Daily Cardinal
U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., the first openly gay nonincumbent ever elected to Congress, seemed almost overwhelmed as she stepped up to the podium to address an overflowing room of more than 250 members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender caucus at the Democratic National Convention, a group that once was at the very outskirts of the party. “I remember earlier days of this caucus and we wouldn’t have needed a room nearly this size and we probably would have all known each other by a first-name basis by the end of the convention week,” Baldwin, a longtime rock star among the LGBT community, said. Now, more than a decade later, the Democrats became the first major American political party to include support for gay marriage in its official platform, which passed without dissent last week at the DNC. “It’s what we stand for; inclusivity and respecting diversity,” Eau Claire delegate Judith Willink said in an interview with The Daily Cardinal at the DNC. The Democrats’ endorsement of gay marriage represented a culmination of a relatively quick turnaround for the party on the issue, initiated by its leader, President Barack Obama. Most notably, he repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” a policy that banned openly gay and lesbian soldiers from serving in the military, in late 2010. Several months later, the Obama administration stopped defending in court a federal law called the Defense of Marriage Act, which defined marriage as between one man and one woman. Then over the summer, Obama’s “evolution” on the issue completed when he endorsed gay marriage, a reversal of his stance just four short
years ago during the 2008 campaign. Baldwin told the LGBT caucusgoers that these policy changes have helped give the community a greater voice within the party, which could lead to even further progress. “If you’re outside the room, they’re talking about you,” Baldwin said. “If you’re in the room they’re talking with you and that changes everything.” But as Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius pointed out, many of the Democrats’ gay-friendly policies are administrative rules and did not actually have to pass through Congress. She said this means Republican presidential and vice presidential nominees Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, who have voiced their opposition to gay marriage, could relatively easily reverse these policies if elected. “So there is nothing more important about the freedom and prosperity and future of all Americans than to make sure Barack Obama continues as President of the United States,” Sebelius said to the LGBT caucus.
“It’s what we stand for; inclusivity and respecting diversity.” Judith Willink delegate
Though Baldwin is leaving the Second Congressional District seat she has held since 1999, Madison will likely remain at the center of the LGBT debate. Her good friend, state Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, who is also openly gay, is the favorite to take her spot in the House. “Wisconsin is a very special place,
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All photos from the Democratic National Convention taken by Shoaib Altaf. All photos from the Republican National Convention taken by Grey Satterfield. For the full albums, go to dailycardinal.com. Note: The Daily Cardinal did not receive floor access at the Republican National Convention, and was unable to shoot close-up photographs of the main speakers.
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paul from page 5 only in the platform but in their actions in congress and other governmental spheres.” However, Wisconsin U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson said he thinks such inter-party conflict is not anything new, nor is it bad for the party. “Both political parties have a pretty broad spectrum of individuals with a broad spectrum of beliefs,” Johnson told The Daily Cardinal at the RNC. “What pulls a party together are the main issues, the big priorities that people agree on.” If those issues, which are the size of government and increasing national debt, according to Johnson, are what’s pulling the party together, then differing stances on social issues seem to be driving it apart. Paul has a huge, enthusiastic youth following, and
University of WisconsinMadison College Republicans Chair Jeff Snow said Paul’s libertarian social views and fiscal conservatism is what attracts a loyal youthful following and the party may have to adapt its platform in the future to keep up with the social leanings of the coming generation. “That’s the trend that’s happening,” Snow said at the RNC. “More youth voters tend to be more fiscally conservative and socially liberal.” Early this summer, Paul held a rally at the Memorial Union Terrace that attracted thousands of excited and enthusiastic UW-Madison students. Time will tell what the long-term impact the Paul movement and its youthful following will have on the Republican Party, but his influence within the Republican Party at the convention was hard to ignore.
shoaib altaf/the daily cardinal
In 2008, 66 percent of voters aged 18-29 voted for Barack Obama. This election cycle, in a recent poll, Obama’s lead in the demographic is slightly shrinking, 56 to 37 percent.
Obama, Romney battle for youth vote at conventions By Adam Wollner and Tyler Nickerson The Daily Cardinal
President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney may not agree on much, but their campaigns made clear over the last two weeks in Tampa and Charlotte the 2012 election foes share one commonality: they both are pushing heavily to capture the youth vote that helped sweep Obama into office in 2008. In the 2008 presidential election, Obama handedly beat thenRepublican presidential nominee John McCain among the 18 to 29 year old demographic, which made up about eighteen percent of the electorate, 66 percent to 31 percent. So far in the 2012 campaign, however, Obama appears to be slightly losing his grasp on the under-30 vote. An August CNN/ORC International poll taken before the Republican and Democratic conventions shows 56 percent of young voters support Obama while 37 percent plan to vote for Romney, this year’s GOP nominee. “Young people are a little more conflicted this time around,” University of Wisconsn-Madison political science professor Barry Burden said. “Four years ago, everything was pointing in one direction, now each side has something to offer.” Throughout their party’s convention, Democrats repeatedly praised Obama’s efforts to make college more affordable for middle- and lower-income students. In 2010, the president signed a law that federalized the student loan system and tied the maximum Pell Grant a student could receive per semester to the rate of inflation while increasing funding for the program by $68 billion over 11 years. In his nomination acceptance speech, Obama also pledged to cut tuition growth costs in half over the next decade. “Minimum, we have to make sure that we’re bumping up what’s available for financial aid and try to level off the playing
field so that no one who’s a good student is not allowed to go to the UW just because they can’t afford to,” congressional candidate and state Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, said in an interview with The Daily Cardinal at the Democratic National Convention. In contrast to the Democrats’ approach to prioritize education issues to appeal to younger voters, Republicans touted their economic platform, arguing decreasing taxes, regulations and government spending would create an economic climate that would allow recent graduates to find employment and pay off their student loans. “College graduates should not have to live out their 20’s in their childhood bedrooms, staring up at fading Obama posters and wondering when they can move out and get going with life,” vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan said to huge applause at the Republican National Convention.
“When Paul Ryan talks about his ideas to make a pro-growth economy ... I think young people will definitely respond to that.” Jeff Snow chair UW-Madison College Republicans
Aside from college financing issues, Democrats also stressed that the president’s signature heath care law allows individuals age 26 and under to stay on their parents’ insurance and pushed social issues, such as gay marriage and abortion rights, which young voters typically favor. “These are youth issues just as much as college affordability and other things that are traditionally set as youth issues,” Obama’s campaign communication director Brent Colburn told the Daily Cardinal at the DNC. While historically Republicans have struggled to connect with young voters on social issues, they are hoping they will attract more young vot-
ers this election by focusing on the downbeat economy and dismal jobs situation. UW-Madison College Republicans Chair Jeff Snow also said the 42-year-old Ryan will help attract youth voters to the ticket because he offers a vision for the future.
lgbt from page 5 despite a few hiccups,” Pocan said. “We are a state that embraces acceptance and diversity.” Baldwin said if she was voted into the Senate this November and Obama was re-elected, she would actively push him to go beyond his first term accomplishments to continue using his executive power, rather than go through what will likely be a divided
Congress, to ensure equality for and prevent discrimination against the LGBT community. “We live in a fairer America, but we’re not there yet,” Baldwin, who would become the first openly gay U.S. senator if she defeats former Gov. Tommy Thompson this November, told reporters at the convention. “True equal opportunity is not yet recognized throughout this country, so we have a lot of work to do.”
“We’re not seeing any evidence at all of a lack of enthusiasm of a lack of support for the president.” Andy Suchorski chair College Democrats of Wisconsin
“Youth unemployment is obscenely high, it’s not normal,” Snow told the Daily Cardinal at the RNC. “When Paul Ryan talks about his ideas to make a pro growth economy through his fiscal reforms, through his tax reforms, I think young people will definitely respond to that.” College Democrats of Wisconsin Chair Andy Suchorski disagreed, arguing young voters will be just as engaged with the Obama campaign this time around as in 2008. Especially as college students return to campus, Suchorski said college Democrats across the country will launch a massive effort to register students and get them to the polls to vote for Obama. “We’re not seeing any evidence at all of a lack of enthusiasm or a lack of support for the president,” Suchorski said. However, Professor Burden said youth involvement and turnout will not be as robust as it was four years ago, when 51 percent of 18 to 29-year-olds cast ballots. He added young voters were attracted to the optimism and “cool” vibe of Obama’s 2008 run, while this year’s presidential campaign has been much more negative, which could turn off political newcomers. “The 2012 campaign doesn’t have quite the cache of 2008,” Burden said.
shoaib altaf/the daily cardinal
U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., would become the country’s first opely gay senator if elected this fall.
Want reactions, commentary and analysis from Wisconsin political figures and activists at the national conventions? Check out dailycardinal.com for video interviews and more.
opinion E-Books cheaper but with drawbacks dailycardinal.com
He believes that a transition is needed if our school is to come out of the recent budget cuts relatively unscathed. However, while I do believe this can be a good idea for both the students and the university, W-Madison and more not all students can be treated the than two dozen other same. Many students will have higher education insti- trouble with the introduction of tutions are taking part in a proj- more digitally focused curricula. ect to evaluate the use of e-books It isn’t fair for the administraand other electronic alterna- tion to offer solely digital outlets tives to conventional learning. because it’s cheaper. The idea is to look at the impact I am one of those students who e-books have on student learn- absolutely hates e-books. They ing and interactions between are hard to read without getting professors and students. a headache and I am pretty sure On average, students spend they are the reason I now have to $1,140 on books and supplies wear glasses. There is just someduring the academic thing about the feeling school year. With the and crisp smell of a new introduction of more book (or grimy if you buy digital alternatives used) that e-books can’t that number could compare to. dollars spent drop dramatically. Also, when I study, I on average Textbooks are a huge tend to flip back and forth by college burden for many stubetween the problems students on books. dents and can cause and the answers, which, unnecessary stress. I from my understanding, know that every time is hard to accomplish I buy my books, even with e-books. I like to How much faster after finding the lowwrestle with my books, college est price, I am cringoutline things and write textbooks ing at the grand total. in the margins. This is appreciated I think turning to how I learn most effecin price compared to new alternatives, espetively, but I can’t do those inflation cially in the economic things if I don’t have a from climate UW-Madison physical copy of the text1986-2004. faces, is a great idea. book in my hands. This is a great way for And don’t tell me I the university to save can print off the pages money by looking into online, if I like having physical copself-paced classes as well as help ies. How is that any cheaper students afford a higher educa- than just buying the textbook tion. I know Interim Chancellor from the beginning? If I printDavid Ward feels the same way. ed pages off from one of my
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
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nick fritz opinion columnist
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Graphic by Angel Lee
books now I would be looking at nearly $60 just in printing costs and almost $120 for a copy of the e-book, according to the University Bookstore web site. Not to mention, that’s the price for a 180-day rental. So I don’t even own the damn thing! Turns out, I could buy the book online for $115 and still have the opportunity to sell it at the end of the semester. So which option is really cheaper in my case? To change the system com-
pletely would actually leave some students worse off. This in no way means that the university will do that, but it should be taken into consideration when making these kinds of decisions. Digital textbooks have some limitations just like physical copies do. While some limitations are similar such as cost, other drawbacks, like Internet access and the learning style of each student will need to be studied very closely. I am glad the university is
looking into alternative ways of teaching. It shows that we are “staying with the times,” so to speak. However, close examination is required for a dramatic change like this. I can only hope that the powers that be realize this and know that providing students with every available option is better than choosing the cheapest. Nick is a senior majoring in marketing. Did e-books make your eyes go bad too? Let us know at opinion@dailycardinal.com.
Official review for police shootings needs to improve in Wis. David ruiz opinion columnist
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arlier this summer, Wade Page opened fire at a Sikh Temple in Oak Creek Wis. The first reporting officer, Lt. Brian Murphy, was shot 15 times before another officer brought Page down with a rifle shot to his mid-section. Footage from the officers’ dashboard cameras was released yesterday, allowing the curious to gain a more complete image of the grisly scene and the role the two officers played in ending the attack. Sam Lenda, the second responder who ultimately brought
Page’s shooting spree to an end (Page ended his own life after being hit by Lenda’s round), is beyond reproach in his use of deadly force. Unfortunately, most cases when an officer fires a gun are neither as publicized nor as clear cut as the shooting this past summer. Eight years ago, 21-year-old Michael Bell was shot by police officers in front of his mother and sister. There were four police officers on the scene. Bell was unarmed; officers claimed that he reached for their weapons but there was an absence of fingerprints or any other corroborating evidence for this claim. Since this incident, Bell’s father has fought to change how police shootings are investigated in Wisconsin. The problem with investigating officers who fire their weapon is that the possibil-
ity of a bias tainting the investigation is sky high. Wisconsin’s review process for incidents when an officer fires on a suspect are too lax in preserving the neutral viewpoint of an investigator. Just this past week, a Fitchburg officer shot and wounded a man who is now receiving treatment at an area hospital. His injuries have been reported not to be life threatening. The Fitchburg officer, and a Madison officer who was on the scene, have both been placed on paid administrative leave while the Department of Criminal Investigation investigates the particulars of the shooting. The DCI is a statewide agency whose officers have jurisdiction across Wisconsin and investigate a wide variety of different crimes. This agency
can at least claim neutrality in their investigation; however, DCI is not always called in for these cases.
Unfortunately, most cases when an officer fires a gun are neither as publicized nor as clear cut as the shooting this past summer.
This past August, a man was shot by police officers in Appleton, Wis. The officer was promptly put on paid leave and an investigation was carried out by the nearby Green Bay Police Department. The GBPD handled it as any other murder investigation by examining the evidence and surveying
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witnesses. Police departments in the state are in charge of their own judgements whenever an officer discharges his weapon. There are no imposed external reviews for the shootings. The district attorneys’, who are publicly elected officials, are a weak conduit for leading the investigations into deaths and injuries at the hands of police officers. Because of Wisconsin’s rural demographic, the internal affairs offices that larger police departments can staff are impossible for all but the largest police departments in the state. Investigations into police shootings need to be taken more seriously before a half-recorded shooting becomes a PR disaster for Wisconsin’s finest. David is a senior majoring in english literature and minoring in computer science.
comics
Stephen Ambrose says... The past is a source of knowledge, and the future is a source of hope. Love of the past implies faith in the future. dailycardinal.com
10 • Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Today’s Sudoku
No exams to take yet
Evil Bird
By Caitlin Kirihara kirihara@wisc.edu
© Puzzles by Pappocom
Eatin’ Cake
By Dylan Moriarty www.EatinCake.com
Caved In
By Nick Kryshak nkryshak@wisc.edu
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.
Today’s Crossword Puzzle
Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com
TORN APART? ACROSS 1 Exiled Irani 5 Has a hitch in one’s giddy-up 10 In wonderment 14 Smidgen 15 “So long” on the Seine 16 Yawn inducer 17 Living royally since birth 20 Father, Son and Holy Ghost, e.g. 21 “... need is a friend ___” 22 Sound processor 23 ___ du Flambeau, Wisc. 26 Exclamation of affirmation 27 Stage scenery 30 Perlman of TV and film 32 Perignon’s title 34 Do a slow burn 36 Type of doll for the vengeful 39 Frank account? 40 Sleep restlessly 42 Karloff of scary films 44 Evening affair 45 Genesis follower 47 ___ generis (of its own kind) 48 100-yard race
52 Room for indoor sports 53 $ dispenser 55 Disorderly crowd 57 “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, ___” 58 Take credit? 61 Caliph’s faith 63 Be a braggart 67 Small clue 68 Less damp 69 Res ___ loquitur (legal phrase) 70 Spread on the table 71 Sweepstakes submission 72 Outer banana DOWN 1 Word with “house” or “baby” 2 A cheer 3 Outfit 4 Jessica of the PTL scandal 5 Skedaddle 6 First Lady McKinley 7 Revealing garment 8 It may be offered for your thoughts 9 Some leathers 10 Monastery resident 11 The rescuer of Little Red Riding Hood 12 Make a mistake 13 Place to chill 18 That’s a moray 19 Distillation leftovers
4 Brouhahas 2 25 Musical endings 28 Always, to an old poet 29 Take a whack at 31 Stay away from 33 Pre-stereo records 35 Stuck in mud 37 Place for bones 38 Intense hatred 40 Slide instrument 41 Lounge group, maybe 42 Ask for alms 43 Moron’s prefix? 46 Walked decisively 49 Not straight up 50 Limited in number 51 Sunday songbook 54 Lament 56 Coal container 59 Dog in “Beetle Bailey” 60 Order in the court? 62 Send, as a parcel 63 In spite of, in short 64 Painter’s medium 65 Above, to Shakespeare 66 Like some senses of humor
lassic
By Steven Wishau wishau@wisc.edu
Classic 1992
By Melanie Shibley shibley@wisc.edu
sports
dailycardinal.com
Volleyball
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
offense from page 12
Ording earns Big Ten defensive player of the week honors By Vince Huth the daily cardinal
A strong performance in Wisconsin volleyball’s (8-1 overall) nine-set, three-game sweep at this weekend’s InnTowner Invitational brought more than just a team crown for senior middle blocker Mary Ording. The Carmel, Ind., native was named the Big Ten’s defensive player of the week Monday after accumulating 13 blocks over the weekend. Ording’s tournament-best six blocks against Drake Friday night highlighted her 1.44 blocks per set average for the weekend, which raised her season average to 1.37.
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Number of blocks Mary Ording tallied this weekend
12
Total number of blocks for UW’s three opponents this weekend
kyle bursaw/cardinal file photo
Senior middle blocker Mary Ording was in on 13 blocks this weekend, and the Big Ten Conference took note.
With Ording and junior right side hitter Julie Mikaelsen—the tournament MVP—turning things up for the Badgers, the team looks to be in good shape with less than two weeks to the Big Ten conference opener at Northwestern. Ording has never before won a Big Ten weekly honor, and no Badger has won the defensive player of the week award since Brittney Dolgner in 2009.
When we do have a good first down we have to get to third and manageable or keep moving the chains. “It didn’t feel like we had any multi-first down drives.” In UW’s first 11 possessions, the offense failed seven times to gain more than 10 yards. The Badgers went three-and-out five times Saturday and mustered just two drives of six plays or longer. Both of those came in the fourth quarter with the first, a 12-play, 46-yard march ending with a failed fourth-and-one attempt and the second ending in Wisconsin’s only touchdown of the day. On the fourth down attempt, UW tried to hurry to the line of scrimmage and run a quarterback sneak before the Beavers defense could get aligned, but the play developed slowly and O’Brien was stuffed short of the first down. “That’s something that has to happen at the line of scrimmage,” UW head coach Bret Bielema said. “I think our guys were a little thrown off, you could see that it was clearly short, but they were looking [at the spot of the ball] and kind of missed the surprise element there.” After amassing just 64 yards on 24 plays in the first half, the Badgers hurt themselves in the second half by turning the ball over on each of their first two possessions. O’Brien threw an interception on the opening drive when he left a vertical throw down the left sideline too far inside for redshirt freshman wide receiver Jordan Fredrick. “If I remember correctly they were in two-man under,” Bielema said, referring to a man-to-man defense with two high safeties. “The one thing you can’t do against it is throw it inside.” The Badgers started their second drive of the third quarter with great field position after a botched OSU punt, but stalled nine yards short of the end zone when O’Brien was hit and fumbled, and Oregon
firing from page 12 by Bielema is clear: Wisconsin will not accept losing. The Badgers went through a total revamp of the offensive coaching staff this offseason, hiring six new coaches on that side of the ball. With Markuson’s firing, the rest of the staff has now been put on notice.
If this firing puts Wisconsin even one step closer to reaching that goal, then I am all for it. Fans and experts alike were critical of new offensive coordinator Matt Canada’s play calling through the first two games. Canada leaned on the passing game to dig the Badgers out of their hole on Saturday, and it backfired. He let redshirt junior quarterback Danny O’Brien throw the ball 38 times and only gave senior running back Montee Ball 15 carries. That’s not Wisconsin football. On a key fourth-and-one in
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State sophomore defensive end Scott Chrichton recovered. Up front, the Badgers’ offensive line was consistently pushed back, leaving a stable of talented running backs stuck in the starting gates much of the afternoon. “They played their (middle) linebacker a little deeper which allowed him to run over the top on some plays,” Bielema said. “We really thought some of our zone plays with the option to cut back were going to be really good and obviously they were shut out.”
“[We had] no flow and didn’t establish the run game. If you don’t establish the run game it’s going to be pretty tough.” Montee Ball running back Wisconsin football
Ball steadfastly refused to lay any blame on the offensive line, but it’s clear the unit—and the entire offense— will need to be better when the Badgers face a 2-0 Utah State team Sept. 15 at Camp Randall Stadium, and as league play approaches. Wisconsin played more than half the game without its best receiver, redshirt junior wide receiver Jared Abbrederis. He left the game after taking a wicked high-low hit across the middle. That left UW with no experienced playmakers on the edge and made production even tougher to come by. “That’s not an excuse,” Bielema said. “It’s ‘next man in’ and it’s my responsibility to make sure they’re prepared.” “We determine our success,” he added. “Obviously you play an opponent and go against them in a competitive manner, but how we prepare and how we execute our assignments on Saturday determine the results.” In the Badgers first trip to the Beaver State since 2001, the results were not pretty. the fourth quarter, the Badgers ran a QB sneak with O’Brien, who gained zero yards, instead of handing it off to Ball. That’s not Wisconsin football. If the offense comes out next week against Utah State and lays another egg, it could be Canada who is shown the door next. It is refreshing to see a coach who is not afraid to make the changes needed to turn a struggling team around. Too many in that profession are all too willing to accept the status quo or all too scared to make a change. Some may see this as a panic move by a scared coach—I don’t see it that way. This season is not over. A Big Ten Championship and a third straight trip to the Rose Bowl are still completely within the Badgers’ grasp. If this firing puts Wisconsin even one step closer to reaching that goal, then I am all for it. Do you think Bret Bielema made the right move in firing Mike Markuson? How will Wisconsin fare the rest of 2012 with Bart Miller running the O-line? Email Matt at mmasterson@dailycardinal.com.
Sports
tuesday september 11, 2012 DailyCardinal.com
Football
Bielema responds to Markuson firing Coach addresses in-season coaching transition, fallout from loss at Monday press conference
mark kauzlarich/cardinal file photo
Head coach Bret Bielema reacted to the team’s poor rushing attack by firing offensive line coordinator Mike Markuson. By Peter Geppert the daily cardinal
Gut check time is coming earlier than normal this year for the Wisconsin football team (1-1 overall). After enduring their only two regular season losses last season in heartbreaking
fashion during the first pair of true road games, the Badgers must now put themselves back together after a demoralizing 10-7 road defeat to Oregon State (1-0 overall) on Saturday. “We’ve won a lot of games, but it was interesting to me
that after one non-conference loss people have begun to say I don’t know what I’m doing,” head coach Bret Bielema said at his Monday press conference. “I find that to be very challenging, to say the least.” After scoring a late touchdown to get within a field goal, the Badgers’ fate was sealed in the final moments of the fourth quarter when an onside kick recovery by sophomore kicker Kyle French was controversially overturned. It was ruled upon further review that French had recovered the ball before the required 10 yards. “We’ve practiced that play so many times, and Kyle was confident that it went 10 yards after the play,” Bielema said. “The only thing you can really do is practice to make sure that we execute better in the future and leave no doubt.” The fallout from the loss came more quickly and more severely than most expected, as first year offensive line coach Mike Markuson was let go on Sunday after just two games with the team. Even though a coaching change in the middle of the season is usually a signal of instability and uncertainty in a program, Bielema dismissed any ideas that the move was made because of a knee-jerk reaction.
“Panic is for the outside world, reality is what I live in,” Bielema said. “There have probably been a lot of things I’ve done over the last seven years that people wouldn’t think of as normal, but as long as we’re successful I’m going to stick with my plan.” Replacing Markuson will be former offensive quality control coach Bart Miller, who is in his second year at Wisconsin. Miller will be tasked with improving a group that has struggled to impose its will against two undersized defensive fronts to start the season.
“There have probably been a lot of things I’ve done over the last seven years that people wouldn’t think of as normal, but as long as we’re successful I’m going to stick with my plan.”
Bret Bielema head coach Wisconsin football
“We haven’t had success, so in order to get where we want we’re going to transition and go from there,” Bielema said. “The talent level has been there.
Bielema made right move to let go of O-line coach
Football
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It’s no question the Wisconsin offense has struggled through its first two games this season. Senior running back Montee Ball’s 21-game touchdown streak was broken Saturday in Corvallis.
Badger offense horrid in defeat By Parker Gabriel the daily cardinal
CORVALLIS, Ore.—No matter how you slice it, the Badgers’ (1-1 overall) offensive performance Saturday was one of the poorest in recent memory. The point total in Wisconsin’s 10-7 loss to Oregon State is the lowest since a 48-7 drubbing at Camp Randall Oct. 11, 2008, at the hands of Penn State. The 35 net rushing yards is the lowest total since Ohio State held the Badgers to just
Where this year’s group ends up will depend on how they respond and what they do moving forward.” The Badgers will look to bounce back against a tough Utah State (2-0 overall) team that has proven to be persistent against quality competition. The Aggies are coming off a 27-20 overtime victory over in-state rival Utah, their first such win since 1997. Last season Utah State gained national recognition in a spirited 42-38 season-opening loss to the thendefending national champion Auburn Tigers, in which it took two last minute touchdowns for the Tigers to avoid the upset. “Watching that game was something that jumped out, too,” Bielema said. “Not just because they are on our schedule, but also because it was dramatic and raised their profile. They have key playmakers all over the field and can create big plays on defense.” On the injury front the Badgers took a huge blow in their secondary this weekend when senior defensive back and team captain Shelton Johnson broke his arm, an injury that is expected to keep him out six weeks. Redshirt junior wide receiver Jared Abbrederis was described as day-to-day after taking a big hit in the second quarter.
12, Nov. 3, 2007. Senior running back Montee Ball was held without a touchdown for the first time in 21 contests. “[We had] no flow at all and didn’t establish the run game,” Ball [15 carries, 61 yards] said Saturday. “And with our offense, with the tradition we have, if you don’t establish the run game it’s going to be pretty tough.” The lack of a running game hurt UW in two key ways. It kept offensive coordinator Matt Canada from being able to effec-
tively use the play-action passing game and it meant the Badgers ended up in too many secondand third-and-long situations. “When you put yourself in second-and-long it sort of limits the playbook and then on third-and-long it really trims it down,” redshirt junior quarterback Danny O’Brien (20-38, 172 yards, one TD, one INT) said. “There aren’t many great thirdand-ten conversion plays.
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oaches don’t get fired after two games. It just doesn’t happen. Excuses are made, scapegoats are blamed, but no one loses his job after just two games. Right? Well apparently nobody ever relayed that message to head coach Bret Bielema, who canned offensive line coach Mike Markuson after just 120 minutes of gameplay with the Wisconsin Badgers. Whatever it was that Markuson was trying to do with this offensive line, it’s clear that it wasn’t working. With arguably the best stable of running backs in the nation, Wisconsin has only been able to run for 203 yards this season. To put that number in perspective, the Badgers ran for more than 203 yards in 12 of their 14 games last season. So far this year, 29 different individual players have run for 203 or more yards. UCLA’s Jonathan Franklin has more than doubled the Badgers’ production (431 yards) on just 41 carries. This type of production is simply unacceptable. “We weren’t getting any push at the line of scrimmage,”
Bielema said after UW’s 10-7 loss to Oregon State. “I know that there weren’t any clean holes for [our running backs] to run through.” Wisconsin’s offense is, and always has been, built around a mammoth offensive line that imposes its will on smaller defensive linemen. Despite losing three starters from last season, this line still averages around 6-foot-5, 320 pounds. It should have no problem handling D-linemen who it outweighs by 40 or 50 pounds apiece—but it does.
It is refreshing to see a coach who is not afraid to make the changes needed to turn a struggling team around.
There is no excuse for the offense’s poor production thus far, and to his credit Bielema isn’t trying to sweep it under the carpet. He’s embracing it and is doing what he feels is necessary to turn things around. “I’m not in this profession to lose football games,” Bielema said. “Any loss absolutely disturbs me to no end.” The message being sent here
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