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Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Soglin proposes cut to 2013 Overture funding By Abby Becker The Daily Cardinal
Graphic by Dylan Moriarty
Numerous University of Wisconsin-Madison buildings will be closed or have restricted access on Thursday to accommodate President Barack Obama’s rally on Bascom Hill.
Classes, tests moved due to Obama speech By Sam Cusick The Daily Cardinal
As University of WisconsinMadison employees begin work all over campus to prepare for President Barack Obama’s visit Thursday, professors and students are finding ways to continue academic business as usual. Due to the president’s visit, all buildings located on Bascom Hill
will be closed Thursday, and several other surrounding buildings will have restricted access, disrupting many classes. Jon Pevehouse, professor of political science, decided to reschedule his exam planned for Thursday to the following week out of concern that the rally would disrupt the exam. “I have been on campus during
Police announce road closures Due to a visit from President Barack Obama Thursday, Madison residents should keep several road closures in mind when navigating the city, especially on the University of WisconsinMadison campus. Madison Police Department spokesperson Joel DeSpain said the entire Isthmus area will experience delays. Observatory Drive will be closed from Park to Charter Streets and will be westbound only from Charter to Babcock Streets. Langdon Street will be closed west of Lake Street, and Park Street will be closed north of University Avenue.
Additionally, Charter Street will be closed north of Linden Drive. The MPD will have additional officers in the area and will follow a security plan specified by the United States Secret Service, according to DeSpain. The University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department, Dane County Sheriff’s Office, Madison Fire Department and State Patrol will also monitor the event. DeSpain said MPD officers will patrol campus and the motorcade route to control intersections. When President Obama visited Madison in 2010, the cost for police presence totaled $185,543. Abby Becker / The Daily Cardinal
these rallies before and everything gets so fundamentally disrupted for several hours on either side of it,” Pevehouse said, “so I just decided that in terms of a test-taking environment it would be much healthier to have it [next week].” Physics 104 Professor Sridhara Dasu decided to move the location of his exam, which was originally scheduled to take place in Bascom Hall. However, Dasu is still holding the exam at the previously scheduled time of 5:45 p.m. on Thursday. “I think that most students are conscious of the fact that life goes on whether President Obama visits or not, so they’re expecting [to take the test],” Dasu said. “We just moved farther out on campus so that we won’t be immediately affected by the crowds and all of that.” Dasu also said he thinks students will appreciate him not moving the exam time because they have been planning to take his exam at the scheduled time since the beginning of the semester, and an alternate time may not work for everyone. UW-Madison sophomore
Mayor Paul Soglin introduced his $266.4 million 2013 City of Madison operating budget Monday, which proposes decreasing the Overture Center’s requested funding by $1 million. After months of debate over funding in 2011, the Overture Center began operating Jan. 1, 2012, as a private, non-profit group instead of acting as a city-run organization as it had in previous years. Although Soglin granted $1.85 million to the Overture in 2012, his 2013 budget only dedicates $850,000. The Overture has requested $2 million from the city for the past two years but has not received that amount, according to Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4. Overture spokesperson Robert Chappell said he is disappointed with the city’s proposed funding. “We understand this is a long
process,” Chappell said. “Our executive team and our board of directors will be working closely with the council and the mayor’s orifice to clarify a solution is sustainable.” Chappell said it is too early in the budgeting process to speculate how the proposed budget, if passed as is, will affect the Overture. Verveer, an Overture Center Foundation board member, said the proposed $850,000 is dramatically different than what Overture requested. “Restoring at least some of Overture’s current grant will be a priority for me in the budget process,” Verveer said. The mayor’s proposed budget includes $50,000 to fund additional officers in the downtown area on weekend nights and reallocated an additional $50,000 from the Downtown Safety Initiative toward
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Tammy Baldwin to speak at Obama rally Thursday U.S. Senate candidate Tammy Baldwin will join President Barack Obama for a campaign event on Bascom Hill Thursday that is expected to draw thousands of supporters. Baldwin told supporters in an email Tuesday she is excited to join the president and talk about their “shared vision of building a progressive nation from the middle class out.” Like the Presidential election in Wisconsin, the U.S. Senate race between Baldwin and former Gov. Tommy Thompson is a hotly-contested, nationally-significant race. The outcome could decide which party controls the Senate, so nation-
al groups are pouring campaign funds into the state. The most recent Marquette University poll shows Baldwin and Thompson still in a close battle, with Baldwin pulling slightly ahead. As each campaign jockeys for votes, joint appearances by the presidential and senate candidates can benefit both campaigns and have become the norm in Wisconsin. As the latest example of join campaigning, the Thompson campaign announced Tuesday vice presidential candidate and Wisconsin native Paul Ryan will hold a fundraiser for Thompson, whose campaign is struggling for funds, in Milwaukee later this month.
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Student Judiciary voids fall Finance Committee decisions By Cheyenne Langkamp The Daily Cardinal
The Student Judiciary ruled all Associated Students of Madison Finance Committee decisions made in fall 2012 void Monday following a student group’s complaint over a recent funding decision. The Finance Committee, which delegates funding to registered stu-
dent organizations for operations, events and group travel, denied the University of Wisconsin-Madison chapter of the National Lawyer’s Guild its full travel grant request on Sept. 11. The group then filed a complaint to the SJ Sept. 20, requesting review of the committee’s decision to not fund travel expenses
for an additional group member to attend a conference. In a unanimous decision written by SJ Chief Justice Nick Checker, the judiciary ruled in favor of NLG, saying the Finance Committee failed to make its decisions in a viewpoint neutral manner, or with
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on campus
Posters for the president
Students make signs Tuesday for President Barack Obama’s upcoming rally on Bascom Hill. + Photo by Abigail Waldo
“…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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Wednesday, October 3, 2012
An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892 Volume 122, Issue 24
News and Editorial edit@dailycardinal.com Editor in Chief Scott Girard
Managing Editor Alex DiTullio
News Team News Manager Taylor Harvey Campus Editor Sam Cusick College Editor Cheyenne Langkamp City Editor Abby Becker State Editor Tyler Nickerson Enterprise Editor Samy Moskol Associate News Editor Meghan Chua Features Editor Ben Siegel Opinion Editors Nick Fritz • David Ruiz Editorial Board Chair Matt Beaty Arts Editors Jaime Brackeen • Marina Oliver Sports Editors Vince Huth • Matt Masterson Page Two Editors Riley Beggin • Jenna Bushnell Life & Style Editor Maggie DeGroot Photo Editors Grey Satterfield • Abigail Waldo Graphics Editors Angel Lee • Dylan Moriarty Multimedia Editors Eddy Cevilla Science Editor Matthew Kleist Diversity Editor Aarushi Agni Copy Chiefs Molly Hayman • Haley Henschel Mara Jezior • Dan Sparks Copy Editors Ali Bartoli • Sarah Hammann
Business and Advertising business@dailycardinal.com Business Manager Emily Rosenbaum Advertising Manager Nick Bruno Senior Account Executives Jade Likely • Philip Aciman Account Executives Dennis Lee • Chelsea Chrouser Emily Coleman • Joy Shin Erin Aubrey • Zach Kelly Web Director Eric Harris Public Relations Manager Alexis Vargas Marketing Manager Becky Tucci Events Manager Andrew Straus Creative Director Claire Silverstein Copywriters Dustin Bui • Bob Sixsmith 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. The Daily Cardinal is published weekdays and distributed at the University of WisconsinMadison and its surrounding community with a circulation of 10,000. 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 word processed and must include contact information. No anonymous letters will be printed. All letters to the editor will be printed at the discretion of The Daily Cardinal. Letters may be sent to opinion@ dailycardinal.com.
Editorial Board Matt Beaty • Riley Beggin • Alex DiTullio Anna Duffin • Nick Fritz • Scott Girard David Ruiz
Board of Directors Jenny Sereno, President Scott Girard • Alex DiTullio Emily Rosenbaum • John Surdyk Melissa Anderson • Nick Bruno Don Miner • Chris Drosner Jason Stein • Nancy Sandy Tina Zavoral © 2012, The Daily Cardinal Media Corporation ISSN 0011-5398
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Getting used to my noisy neighbors
2142 Vilas Communication Hall 821 University Avenue Madison, Wis., 53706-1497 (608) 262-8000 • fax (608) 262-8100
Today: sunny
Riley Beggin beggin ‘n’ eggs
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n a town like Madison, we do a lot of moving. Once we get tired of one place (or run out of rent money, let’s be honest), we’re off to the next crappy hole-in-the-wall apartment our parents kind of want to cry about when they visit. Considering how mobile we, as a student body, are, you’d think that we’d be used to it by now. I’ve found this is certainly not the case. Last year, I lived in an apartment near the “Sophomore Slums” neighborhood (which is such a farce of a name—what kind of slum has heated underground parking?). After nine months of sleeping with earplugs in and yelling at bros across a courtyard for playing Rusko at 8 a.m. on a Sunday, I was ready for something a little more off the beaten path. Off-campus housing is a tricky situation in this town, and where you live almost always guarantees certain problems and certain perks. Living in the Vilas neighborhood? Prepare to gain at least 10 pounds as a direct result of the McDonald’s walk-up window. Living off Langdon? Annoying house remixes of “Call Me Maybe” will be audible ‘til 5 a.m. Living in what the new Apple Maps calls “Miffland?” One day, if you’re lucky, Montee Ball will be getting handcuffed in your front yard. When I took the plunge and signed my lease, I visualized a serene, tranquil Mansion Hill
abode. Preferably, it would be a lot like an actual mansion, and have a nook complete with a waterfall, a large leather armchair and an attractive-but-doesn’t-know-it barista making me coffee every morning. Needless to say, it wasn’t all I hoped it would be. Lack of waterfall and barista aside, the major disappointment was the realization that the walls were paper thin. As I attempted to sleep through my first night in the place with earplugs and a verified fortress of pillows around my ears, I rued the day that I chose an apartment at the top of a hill on a busy street (gettin’ those cars into third gear apparently isn’t easy). However, it wasn’t until this last weekend that my roommate and I realized the comedic benefit of our situation—if we are ever
sober and awake at 2 a.m., we become the audience to a litany of lovers’ quarrels, girl fights and drunken jabber. This weekend’s entertainment was the argument between a couple who had decided to leave a party early to lecture each other about how much they had sacrificed for the other’s benefit. Interspersed in their accusations were indicators of a highly entertaining night, like “I gave you everything I had, everything… and then you threw me to the ground and stole my fucking dog!” Oh, how I’d love to be a fly on the wall
If we are ever sober and awake at 2 a.m., we become the audience to a litany of lovers’ quarrels, girl fights and drunken jabber.
at that party. Another surprise transition lay in moving from a third-floor apartment to a first-floor one, with bedroom windows looking directly onto the alley (where this aforementioned fight occurred) at ground level. Combined with my inability to budget proper lighting into my expenses, my need to keep the blinds open has resulted in several neighbors, homeless people and maintenance folks seeing me in my birthday suit. Grace is not an adjective I would choose to describe myself with, nor do I keep my room incredibly clean. So when the stray woman walking her dog or neighbor taking their garbage out catches a glimpse of me in the nude, I have more than once acted upon my impulse to run, tripped over something and ended up facedown on the floor of my room. Speed and dexterity are my middle names, what can I say. Considering I am more than a month into living in my new abode, I have a feeling these moving pains may be something I’ll have to get used to. Maybe they’re a part of every new place you live. But I sure as hell am not getting thrown to the ground and getting my fucking dog stolen. Like your neighbors’ quarrels with a side of stolen dog? Email Riley at rbeggin@dailycardinal. com and maybe she’ll invite you over for the show. But probs not.
Graphics by Dylan Moriarty
What is at stake for our generation in this upcoming election? Tell The Daily Cardinal in 1,000 words and you can win $1,000!
email your response to edit@dailycardinal.com by Oct. 20
news
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Upcoming forum to examine diversity issues on campus Vice Provost for Diversity and Climate Programs Damon Williams held a press conference Tuesday outlining the schedule for the 2012 Diversity Forum, which will take place Friday, Oct. 12. Lani Guinier, a civil rights attorney and Harvard Law School professor, will be the keynote speaker at the forum. Guinier will discuss the process and consequences of the affirmative action case to face the U.S. Supreme Court beginning in October. The forum will also include five breakout sessions that will address topics ranging from religious diversity on campus to diversity concerns in the University of WisconsinMadison’s human resources redesign, according to Williams.
Additionally, a “diversity impact report” will be released at the forum, detailing the current diversity demographics for many areas at UW-Madison. Williams said he expects over 600 participants for the event, including almost 450 staff and faculty members and approximately 200 students. “I think participation in the forum is important because you get a chance to be a part of a community who is going to be engaged in a discussion about possibilities,” Williams said, “and about what the priorities are for diversity at the university.” All of the events in the forum are free and open to the public —Sam Cusick
classes from page 1
president currently in office,” Krupp said. “I think that experience of getting to see [Obama] speaking live is something that many people don’t have an opportunity to see.” The university sent an email to students Tuesday, which said all building closures are subject to change and asked students to be patient as more details emerge.
Lauren Krupp, who plans on attending the rally, said she was “thankful” her ILS 201 professors rescheduled her test, which was originally scheduled for Thursday. “It’s not just a random speaker coming to Madison. It’s not even just a president, but it’s a sitting
on campus
Feminist and Fabulous
Speaker Mia McKenzie discusses her experiences Being a Queer Black Femme Nerd in a Ridiculous World at Memorial Union Tuesday evening. + Photo by Shilpa Kalluru
Romney asks GAB for absentee extension The Romney campaign sent a letter to Wisconsin election officials Monday asking local voting districts that did not send military absentee ballots overseas by the Sept. 22 deadline to do so immediately. The letter said at least 30 Wisconsin municipalities did not send ballots by the Sept. 22 deadline, which is 45 days before the election. According to the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voter Act, all military personnel must receive their bal-
lots 45 days before the election, and must return them by Nov. 9 for their vote to count. Anthony Principi, National Chair of Veterans and Military Families for Romney Coalition, also requested in the letter to Government Accountability Board Chairman David G. Deininger that officials extend the original Nov. 9 deadline for receiving absentee ballots. The extension would apply to ballots still not sent out to overseas military personnel. Principi said in the letter
Deininger should immediately send the ballots to military voters, extend the deadline that election officials can receive the completed ballots and notify the recipients of the ballots of the new extended deadline. Additionally, Principi said he is disappointed with the GAB’s “[in]attention to the voting rights of men and women in uniform,” and urged election officials “to take immediate action to correct recent violations of military voting rights.”
Downtown polling place moved to Fresh Madison Market
Xinyi Wang/the daily cardinal
Common Council will vote on Mayor Paul Soglin’s proposed $266.4 million operating budget for 2013 in mid-November.
budget from page 1 city-wide safety programs. But the majority of the reallocated DSI funds will go toward the downtown, according to Verveer. Verveer said retaining funding for greater police presence in the downtown area is critical, especially in the wake of the violence on University Avenue this past summer, including a shooting that left three injured.
judiciary from page 1 an objective approach that does not take any group’s philosophy into consideration, as is required by law in all funding decisions. Under viewpoint neutrality policy, all committee members are required to explain on the record where the group did or did not meet funding criteria before formally voting, a process the Finance Committee failed to follow in all previous decisions this year. According to the SJ ruling, Finance Committee will rehear all grants which were voted on this fall and require all members to state their vote on the record in the second round of hearings. “That such systemic procedural deficiencies have persisted through
Soglin said he did not allocate a half a million dollars in the proposed budget, which Common Council members can vote to use toward funding groups like Overture or lowering property taxes, according to Soglin. The city’s financial committee will review the operating budget before it goes before city Council in mid-November. Leo Rudberg contributed to this article. the entire funding cycle thus far is an egregious oversight on the part of the Finance Committee that, frankly, boggles the mind,” Checker wrote in the decision. According to ASM Press Office Director David Gardner, it is unlikely that previously approved grants will be denied funding in a second hearing. “There’s potential that some of those people who voted yes or no, if they were to have voted that way because they were not being viewpoint neutral, will likely vote to abstain,” Gardner said. Gardner also said groups who are reapproved in a second Finance Committee hearing but have already paid money “out of pocket” to fund their grant will be retroactively reimbursed for the amount.
Students and downtown residents will now be able to vote in the Nov. 6 election and shop for groceries in the same building. Madison’s city Council voted Tuesday to move a downtown district’s polling place from the fire station on West Dayton Street to the second floor of Fresh Madison Market at 703 University Avenue.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said he has been frustrated with using the fire station as a polling place because of its distance away from the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. “My biggest concern has always been that we’re frankly disenfranchising the majority of the voters that live in that area because a majority of them are clearly all
UW students,” Verveer said. District 4 encompasses much of the downtown and includes student housing areas such as University Avenue, West Gorham, West Johnson and State Streets. “I hope that in a small way... [the new location] will encourage voting and will improve the voter turnout,” Verveer said.
Student leaders discuss mental health, campus safety Student government leaders met Tuesday to discuss campaigns addressing mental health and safety on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. In its June meeting, the Associated Students of Madison Student Council voted to implement a yearlong campaign to address a lack of awareness of the mental health resources offered on campus. University Affairs Chair Becca Buell updated the Coordinating Council, which consists of leaders from the three branches of ASM
and its grassroots committees, on the campaign’s recent progress, including plans to collaborate with University Health Services. According to Buell, ASM hopes to work with UHS to implement a campus-wide Mental Health Day. “[UHS] did a similar event in the spring,” Buell said. “The way ASM can really make it better is through marketing and adding student voice and power to the equation.” Coordinating Council also received an update on ASM’s Campus Safety campaign, which
will work to provide new students with more information on safety concerns upon their arrival at the university, as well as explore further campus safety improvement by enhancing campus lighting and nighttime transportation. ASM has invited students, the University of Wisconsin Police Department, the Madison Police Department and city officials to attend a town hall meeting Oct. 10 to provide feedback on safety concerns, according to ASM Press Office Director David Gardner. —Cheyenne Langkamp
Suspects plead not guilty in Montee Ball battery case A Dane County judge ruled spokesperson Joel DeSpain. veillance cameras in the area, Tuesday three University of The three students pleaded Circuit Court Commissioner Wisconsin-Madison students not guilty to the substantial Todd Meurer determined there accused of attacking Badger run- battery charges at their pre- is enough probable cause to ning back Montee Ball could stand liminary hearing. send the three students to trial. trial on felony battery charges. Based on eyewitness Assistant District Attorney UW-Madison seniors accounts and footage from sur- Michael Finley said Venerable’s Wendell Venerable and defense attorney filed a Deonte Wilson and request for a speedy trial, junior Robert Wilks which should occur withallegedly attacked Ball in 90 days from Tuesday. at approximately 2 a.m. Before a trial is Aug. 1 as he was walkscheduled, Finley said ing along University the court will need to set Avenue with friends, up a pre-trial conference according to Madison to discuss the case with WILSON WILKS Police Department VENERABLE a judge.
arts ‘Borderlands 2’ lives on edge of glory 4
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Adam Paris SEGA what?!
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s far as games have advanced in storytelling and acutely/creepily detailed facial animations, there’s an implicit joy in shooting hordes of enemies that will probably never fade away. The first “Borderlands” was built around this almost carnal activity, but its success depended on the utilization of an intuitive co-op system and the addicting search for superior loot. “Borderlands 2” sticks close to this central tenet that made the first game so endearing, but blows out many features that were ignored in its predecessor. While the expansive enemy variety and impressive main quest line both represent large strides forward, “Borderlands 2” is deterred by a glut of uninspired side quests and a wealth of technical snafus. Gearbox was well aware of the shortcomings of their mundane story in the first title and addressed these complaints with a far more robust storyline. Set five years after the vault hunters opened the vault unleashing Eridium on Pandora, a man named Handsome Jack has taken over the Hyperion Corporation and rules the planet from his ever-present base on the moon. Although the story is much improved (mainly due to more fleshed out characters and a central antagonist), it’s still a fairly cookie-cutter tale that fails to thoroughly compel the player to actively pursue what may happen next. The storyline’s main high-
lights are the actual quests and set-pieces that go along with players’ journey against the tyranny of Handsome Jack. Boss battles have far more depth and tact this time around, requiring players to be constantly aware of what the next assault may entail. Some minor set-piece moments also provide players a break from the linear shooting galleries that plagued so many of the first title’s missions. Beyond the main storyline are a plethora of side quests that take place all across Pandora. While the sheer quantity is impressive, the quality is severely lacking. Most are repetitive fetch quests that some players may not mind, but in a world where no characters are particularly engrossing and the landscape fails to enrapture, these missions quickly become little more than mindnumbing chores. Pandora itself isn’t particularly improved, but the enemies and their artifical intelligence is a giant step forward from the bullet sponges of the first game. Drones fly around to heal robots, skags provide buffs to their pup counterparts and bandits utilize teamwork to help their cause. As a result, combat is far more challenging and rewarding throughout the experience. For most players though, the main draw of “Borderlands” is the never-ending pursuit of better weaponry and tools to improve their characters. This system is as addicting as ever, providing an exorbitant amount of weapon and armor variety that’s sure to keep players satisfied for months. Playing solo through the campaign is enjoyable, but co-op is truly the optimum “Borderlands” experience, particularly near the
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photo courtesy borderlands2.com
Gearbox addressed its shortcomings with the original Borderlands to ensure the second game boasts a fuller storyline and more choices for players to enjoy. end when solo play becomes frustratingly difficult. One of the main appeals of the first game was the dropin drop-out co-op that allowed up to four buddies to tackle the dangers of Pandora together. This user-friendly system returns and players can easily invite friends or find random games online through a match browser screen. Local co-op is also included but only two players are allowed on a screen and the user interface is still messy. “Borderlands 2” is a far more expansive and fully fleshedout title than Gearbox’s first effort, but their grander vision
also brought along an annoying amount of glitches. Enemies clipped through environments in many firefights or they wouldn’t recognize me shooting while I was directly behind them. Two separate boss battles even ended with destroying their glitch-laden inanimate bodies without any retaliation. It’s impossible to deny Gearbox’s response to the primary complaints from the first title. Enemy AI is far more complex and the storyline is much improved albeit still not overly moving. The technical issues are a hindrance but the primary problem is that Pandora isn’t
compelling enough to buoy the monotonous fetch quests that plague the ancillary content outside the main storyline. At the same time it’s hard to argue with the ever reliable shoot, loot and shoot again formula Gearbox has perfected here. With near limitless guns, new-game plus and four distinct classes, it’s a safe bet players will still be searching for their bazillionth weapon months from now. Grade: B+ Did you get a thrill out of the quests in “Borderlands 2”? Tell Adam exactly what he is missing out on at arparis@wisc.edu.
Casting literary shadows with precedent of the past Sean Reichard your raison d’être
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recedent can be unkind to the young. Art, history, generations—these can be unseemly hanger-ons. And they are, to the extent that we buy into their more depraved aspects. Most authors can name their influences. John Steinbeck’s favorite works were “Don Quixote,” “Moby-Dick” and stories of King Arthur. Martin Amis is quick to crow his idols: Saul Bellow and Vladimir Nabokov. Such conventions are normal. No art springs fully fleshed and Athenian without rumbling around Zeus’s head a while. But how much do you need to understand Zeus to appreciate Athena? It is the trope of a parochial mindset to try and diminish Athena as the mere product of Zeus. Arguments harkening back to a golden age ring with the same arrogance. Children will chafe against admonishments by their elders, whether or not those admonishments are substantial. So follows with the pernicious side of charting influence.
Obsessing over influences, with the intent to categorize them, is an attempt to find currency in legacy. The attempt to establish a literary tradition. And the obsession with tradition implies that whatever came before, the influencer, is better than what came after, the influenced. Take Steinbeck. The dogma of influence would hold that, rather than simply read “East of Eden” or “The Winter of our Discontent,” we should go back to “Don Quixote” and “Moby-Dick” in order to understand those works. This dogma would place preference on the older works, maybe dismiss Steinbeck entirely as a shoddy derivative. I enjoyed reading “MobyDick” in high school and would do so again. And I remember the week spent reading “Don Quixote” as pleasant if oddly hazy. Nonetheless, I would rank Steinbeck as a better author than either Melville or Cervantes, based on those presentations. The above examples show when art, history, generations fail us—when precedent is not just an enemy, but necrotic: a banshee wailing through the annals of time. Influence and precedence
are unavoidable. Things cannot emerge from the void, snatched and coagulated out of nothing— that’s only happened once, and perhaps the immensity of that achievement eludes us mere mortals. We work with what we have. Finite as it is, humanity essentially has the universe at its disposal.
Charting influence in literature and attempting to move out from under the shadow of precedent can be heady.
Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote in “Nature,” “Why should not we also enjoy an original relation to the universe?” Why indeed? Life is not a string of debts to be made back to creditors, nor is art, nor is history. Tradition would have us try and live meekly in monthly installments. A child is not born into obeisance—they owe their parents birth, which is fleet and accidental, compared to the span of their life. Literature of the present should not be the wan afterglow of another time’s fierce fire. What a landscape, if we are
nothing but the influenced, held in check by the increasingly immobile influences of the past? Another phrase snatched from “Nature:” “Why should we grope among the dry bones of the past?” Why should we condemn ourselves to such gray dullness? To ash and sepulcher? There is an inevitability to the dry bones—they dwell in our marrow, in the buildings daily besieged by the elements, in the aging bindings and ink of our books. A book may only last so long as we accommodate its datedness, the increasing gap between itself and the present, as much as we will accommodate human history and prior generations. Now, prior generations can be mitigated, embraced, scorned, what have you. History can be our inheritance, not our burden. Literature may be read, not as a testament to the inherent dignity or superiority of a time, but as an artifact, a link, an inspiration. The dry bones of the past are not foreboding. Melville’s whale, long beached, alabaster at high noon, with the scud and sea moving in turbulence in the background can still inspire us. The bones carry an inkling of the flesh which clothed it and the blood
which moved it. Don Quixote’s windmill, as well, dilapidated after five centuries of Spanish storms and standing still, may hearken back to when it filled a doddering, muddled Spaniard with sublime awe and purpose. Even if it no longer works as a windmill, it is steeped in its past. So it is with the Parthenon: the space erected against time, occupied by shades of another time, the air intermixed with their memory. So it is when you look at your parents and realize they too were young, as bound by influence and precedent as you are. Charting influence in literature and attempting to move out from under the shadow of precedent can be heady. It’s the same case with growing up, or learning history. But, no matter what, the inspiration derived from influences is not weaker than the influence itself. And influence is better drawn or stolen than foisted. Art, history, generations are not a testament to themselves; they are a testament to what will come after. What came first, the chicken or the egg? Or at least, which is more important? Send your thoughts to Sean at sreichard@wisc.edu.
life&style Best stores for thrifting on State Street
By Erin Aubrey The daily cardinal
Before college, I thought of thrift stores as smelly places with compilation of crumbling clothing from the baby boomer era. Unfortunately, my mild addiction to online shopping and inability to pass Urban Outfitters on State Street without going in took a toll on my bank account. After flirting with the poverty line for the better portion of my freshmen year I decided to give thrift stores a chance.
Goodwill 651 State Street Madison, WI
Goodwill is a great stop if you’re looking for a guilt-free shopping fix. All of the proceeds from Goodwill’s massive thrift store network are used to provide job training, career services, and other community programs for those who have disabilities or lack job experience. Goodwill mainly sells clothing, but they also have a good selection of household items. You can find anything from a wig for your Lady Gaga Halloween costume to a set of chairs for your kitchen table. Goodwill may sell some ques-
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tionable articles, but if you’re willing to scour the racks you can find some unique items. Even though there isn’t a huge selection of vintage or designer items, it’s all about the search. The size of the Goodwill on State Street makes it a great place to spend some quality free time going through racks. The designer goods are there, you just have to find them. In addition to the location on State Street, there is another Goodwill located just a short car ride away in Monona that offers a wider selection.
ReThreads 410 State Street Madison, WI
ReThreads is a great option if you’re looking for high-end thrifting. The employees do the work for you by selecting items that are in style, in season, and in great condition. ReThreads also has a sizeable selection of designer duds. Because of this, their prices are higher than your average thrift store. However, if you’re in it for some great designer finds, it’s the place to go. Not enough room in your closet for all those new clothes? ReThreads sets its self apart
Tyler galaszewski/the daily cardinal
ReThreads on State Street is the perfect store to start digging for great finds for thrift shop newbies. ReThreads has a great layout making it easier for newbies to find great pieces. because you can sell your clothing at the store. You can either sell items for cash or trade for an in-store credit to satisfy your sartorial needs. ReThreads is great because it offers a student discount. If you didn’t have much luck at ReThreads’ State Street location, be sure to check out their other location in West Madison.
Ragstock 327 State Street Madison, WI
With three floors of fabulous thrifting, Ragstock has yet to disappoint. The store is unique because it carries both new and used items. Ragstock has a decent selection of trendy new clothing and accessories like scarves, sunglasses and jewelry. At such low prices, accessories are the way to go at Ragstock. However, the real appeal of
Ragstock is in their eclectic collection of vintage pieces. Ragstock boasts an impressive selection of cowboys boots, ’90s jackets, festive sweaters and Japanese baseball jerseys. This diverse selection makes Ragstock the number one place on campus to shop for any themed party or Halloween costume. Ragstock not only provides packaged costumes, but also has a great and wide selection for you to create your own unique Halloween costume.
Thrift Store Tips 1. Get up close and personal Check the hardware—look over zippers and buttons. Don’t forget to look for dirt, see if there’s smells and more.
tyler galaszewski/the daily cardinal
Goodwill is the place to go when you want to feel good about dropping dollars on new clothes, accessories and more. Goodwill’s mission is to help build better communities.
Discovering the best coffee shop in downtown Madison By Aliz Savay The daily cardinal
Let’s face it: college students are obsessed with coffee. We have been programmed to function on little sleep, constantly either studying or partying. As the expression goes: work hard, play hard. We wake up, needing coffee to start our day and little caffeine boost throughout the day to stay awake during our classes. Redamté, located right above Pita Pit on State Street, is a coffee shop. Featuring all fairtrade organic coffees and various entrees and baked goods, Redamté provides the best environment for students and adults alike to study or simply pass the time. Having been to all of the coffee shops not only on State Street, but also around the greater Madison area, I have never been disappointed so many times. Each time I go into a coffee shop, thinking that it will be amazing, but it is
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never what I hope for. The day that I gave in to temptation and finally took those steps up the stairs to Redamté was when everything changed. Walking in, I was surprised by the calm atmosphere, as they were playing the Modest Mouse station on Pandora, the menu was written in chalk and they had numerous extremely comfortable couches. I ordered a medium extra hot chai tea latte with almond milk— my usual when testing out coffee shops. Surprised by the fact that they actually had almond milk, both Coffee Bytes and the Espresso Royale are the only others, I already knew this experience would be a good one. Taking the first sip, I was instantly hooked, and drank my latte quickly, trying to hide my excitement for finally discovering the best coffee shop in Madison. Not only do they offer delicious coffees, but they also have
gourmet food and specials every day. However, sometimes, you must think past the food and coffee, and on to the mission of a coffee shop. Redamté truly seeks to make the world a better place, and they have a saying that goes, “We believe that by sharing our strength, we can truly change the world. It can begin with a cup of coffee.” They have taken up partnerships with numerous organizations, including Beautiful Child and Faith Orphange. Additionally have many specials such as Thirsty Thursday, in which a gallon of clean drinking water will be donated for every drink purchased. Redamte truly cares about the environment and the people in need all around the world. They not only provide the best coffee, food, and treats on State Street, but most importantly, do it for the right cause.
2. Try it on! Even though trying on clothes straight from the thrift store seems a bit dirty, it’s an easy way to make sure you like the piece. Wear a tank top and leggings thrifting so you can easily try on different pieces without risking any infections.
3. Look at the label Keep any eye on the labels. Pieces with brand names are usually the items that are of higher quality and should last longer. Looking at the label can also indicate whether or not the item is actually vintage. 4. Don’t forget about DIY Found a piece you fell in love with, but it doesn’t fit quite right? Don’t be afraid to redesign the piece using those handy DIY skills. Pinterest is filled with ideas.
Put a bird on it and write for The Daily Cardinal Email editor@ dailycardinal.com to see how you can get involved.
opinion 6
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Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Letter: Domestic
violence affects students
By Maggie DeGroot Pave advocate
When it comes to sexual violence, particularly domestic/dating violence, it is easy for students to dismiss the issues believing it an issue that does not affect them. Unfortunately, students are more at risk than many believe. According to domestic violence expert Dr. Sandra Stith, about 30 percent of college students have been in relationships involving physical aggression and even more have been in emotionally abusive relationships. Beginning today, Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment (PAVE), a student organization on campus, will be recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month throughout the month of October. DVAM is a nationally recognized time of both observance and action. PAVE is taking a stand for the University of Wisconsin-Madison by creating awareness about domestic violence’s existence on campus. Domestic/dating violence is an ongoing pattern of controlling and coercive behaviors by one person in a relationship. This may include physical, sexual and psychological attacks, as well as controlling finances, perpetrated by adults or adolescents against their former or current intimate partners. Control and coercion distinguish appropriate disagreements and arguments from an abusive relationship. When the two individuals no longer have equal power in the relationship, it becomes abusive. Domestic violence can affect any individual regardless of sex, gender, race or sexual orientation. Domestic violence is not a “women’s problem,” but rather a problem for entire communities, such as the UW-Madison campus. Some students may think, “Domestic violence only happens to married couples, so this issue doesn’t really affect me at all since I’m not married and just a college student.” Unfortunately, domestic/dating violence affects all types of relationships—marital or not. Domestic/ dating violence is common even on college campuses like ours. In fact, 18 to24 year olds make up 11.7 percent of the general population, but accounted for the majority (42 percent) of violence by their boyfriend or girlfriend. This means, contrary to
people’s beliefs, even our fellow UW-Madison students could possibly be survivors of domestic violence or involved in an abusive relationship. When it comes to domestic/dating violence, there is oftentimes no physical evidence. For victims, it might be easy to cover up any physical evidence such as bruises, but the effects of domestic/dating violence are nearly impossible to be erased. In addition to physical violence, there are also behavioral warning signs of domestic/dating violence such as extreme jealousy, controlling who the partner can spend time with, ultimatums or threats. If you believe you may be in an abusive relationship, it is not your fault. Remember that you are not alone. There is help for anyone in an abusive relationship and you can get out of it, even though it might seem impossible. The city of Madison community as well as the university offer plenty of outlets for assistance. It is unfortunate that chances are even if you are not experiencing some of dating/domestic violence, someone you know is. There are ways for you to speak out against this issues and become an ally for domestic violence victims. Be an advocate. The National Day of Unity, a day started by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) to connect advocates against domestic violence together. A day of awareness raising turned into an entire month, and that is how DVAM is now celebrated throughout the entire month of October. If you believe you are in an abusive relationship, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-723 for assistance. Locally, you can call Madison’s Domestic Abuse Intervention Service’s hotline at 608-251-4445. PAVE is a student organization dedicated to preventing sexual assault, dating/domestic violence and stalking on the UW-Madison campus through education and activism. PAVE’s general member meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Oct. 18 in the PAVE office, room #3147 of the Student Activity Center. For more information or to find out how to get involved, e-mail communications.pave@gmail.com.
dailycardinal.com
Obama and Romney are too close for comfort Steven nemcek opinion columnist
T
he website politicalcompass.org has mapped out the 2012 presidential candidates on its grid based on all elements of their policy, and the results should horrify anyone who bothers to look. On the organization’s graph of political positions, they have a scale of the political “left” and the political “right” on the x-axis and authoritarian and libertarian on the y-axis. On the graph, the points representing Obama and Romney nearly overlap, which should send a strong message to voters; whatever happens this election cycle, nothing is going to change. The policies advocated for by the executive of the United States, for all practical purposes, will be nearly identical. Also, because both candidates represent right-of-center authoritarian viewpoints, with Romney being a smidgen more right and more authoritarian than Obama, civil rights activists, libertarians and other espousers of freedom should be worried. I recognize that many individuals were enamored of Obama’s sweet talk and his ability to inspire, dazzle and entwine his words with very real hope and change. I will be very frank with what I am about to say next: snap out of it. Snap out of the delusion, and objectively and realistically look at what Obama has done in the last few years. As the peace president, Obama has created the unprecedented practice of ordering the assassination of American citizens around the world without giving these individuals the rights of speedy and fair trial as guaranteed by the sixth amendment to the constitution. Obama has created an unrestrained drone war with as many as four different countries. In Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia and Yemen, Obama’s drones
Ben pierson/cardinal file photo
President Barack Obama, pictured above when he last came to Madison in 2010, is unlikely to mention any of the topics Steven takes issue with in his speech Thursday on Bascom Hill. have reigned terror on civilians. In Pakistan, in particular, Obama has authorized six times the number of drone strikes than George W. Bush did during his entire eight years in office and has killed as many as 2,618 people, up to four times the number killed by Bush. In addition, while our government officially states that no civilians have been killed during these strikes, protests around these countries seem to indicate otherwise. Indeed, Pakistan voted to unauthorize our use of this warfare tactic, which Obama has simply ignored. Further, a study released by the Stanford University Law School and the New York University Law School indicates only 2% of those killed by drone strikes were high level targets. In addition, Obama renewed the Patriot Act for which he criticized Bush, waged war on Libya without congressional approval, maintained a presence in Iraq as big as the Vatican, didn’t shut down Guantanamo Bay, has deported more illegal immigrants than Bush and sold $30 billion worth of weapons to the dictatorship in Saudi Arabia. Any serious liberal should condemn these sorts of actions as being the very antithesis of peace and the very antithesis of change.
Transitioning to social and economic freedom, Obama and Romney are again identical. Both Romney and Obama supported the bailouts (anti-capitalistic in nature), and Romney created the very idea of the Obama tax used in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Both candidates flip-flopped on their views of gay marriage. Both candidates think that marijuana should be illegal. Both candidates support the federal reserve printing money to stimulate the economy, which if looked at objectively is an inflationary tax that destroys the poor, the middle class and those with small amounts of capital. Occupy Wall Streeters should cringe at both candidates blatant favoritism to the wealthy; this sort of crony capitalism is a form of Keynesian economics which is wholly independent from free trade and free market ideals. I think sometimes it may be easier to criticize candidates than to provide solutions or alternatives. So next week I will discuss the third party candidates and why I feel they represent the only rational choice for individuals hoping to restore fiscal and social sanity to this country. Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
U.S. should follow Canada’s lead and get rid of the pointless penny evan favill opinion columnist
W
ho among us remembers heading down to the grocery store and picking up a postcard for a penny? No? A stick of gum? There’s just not too much out there that can be bought with those little scraps of copper-plated zinc lying around taking up space in your spare change jar. Personally, I keep them handy for when I want to buy a cup of coffee and my total’s just a wee bit north of a nice round number. But let’s face it, there’s very little that screams “Convenience!” in your ear when you load up your coin purse and/or pockets with a
bunch of pennies. That goes for any kind of coin really, but I find carrying around five nickels is much more preferable then 25 pennies. So really, there’s nothing particularly useful that can be done with pennies on their own without hurting your back lugging them around in a duffel bag, besides spitefully paying a parking ticket. The way I see it, the time has come to do away with this outmoded chunk of metal and upgrade to a better business model. The fact remains that this coin isn’t just a problem for the consumer. I’m sure many of you have heard the rumor that it costs more to produce a penny than it is actually worth. This has been true for the past few years, and it’s only getting more expensive. Nowadays, it
costs the U.S. government precisely 2.41 cents to produce a single penny, compared to the nickel’s 11.18 cents. This is not to mention that the time spent digging around in registers and pockets for pennies at a store wastes time, and although it’s a pretty small amount it adds up. While it’s hard to quantify exactly how much money is wasted as a result, estimates range from $300 million on the low end to $1 billion on the high end. Either way, that’s a lot of cash being lost in the private sector; about $3.65 per person for the higher estimate. And who has time to go around collecting 365 pennies? This all pales in comparison to the fact that many people, rather than deal with the clutter of this copper monstrosity, throw them
out. That is correct; many are tossed into the trash can never to be seen again. Unless you’re keen on looking through other people’s garbage for pennies, I guess. While I disagree with throwing away perfectly legal tender, I can see the logic these people exhibit. Their grandparents may protest (a penny saved is a penny earned and whatnot), but that’s probably because they’re still thinking of pennies in terms of the 1970s when a penny was worth as much as a nickel is today. The United States has discontinued coins before for the same reasons there would be for the penny (that would be the halfcent piece), except they were still worth more than a penny is today. So what’s stopping us from
going the way of the Canadians and announcing that we’re no longer making pennies? Well, for the most part, it’s an unpopular course of action. I can appreciate that. I like Abe Lincoln as much as the next guy, and there’s no denying that the penny is probably our most iconic coin and therefore part of our national identity. However, this doesn’t pragmatically justify the waste of convenience and money that is the penny. I doubt very much that if all the pennies in the world simply disappeared, there would be much to mourn over. I, for one, would be glad for the obnoxious jangling weight gone from my pockets. Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
comics dailycardinal.com
I could go for a muffin right now... Baby puffins are called pufflings. Wednesday, October 3, 2012 • 7
DRAW ME SOMETHING! COMING SOON
What would you like to see here? Your professor riding a unicorn on a derby track? Your favorite TV show character partying with Bucky on Bascom Hill?
Evil Bird
By Caitlin Kirihara kirihara@wisc.edu
Eatin’ Cake
By Dylan Moriarty www.EatinCake.com
Caved In
By Nick Kryshak nkryshak@wisc.edu
Starting the week of October 8, The Daily Cardinal will draw your request and post it here for you and your friends to see.
Send a short description of your request to graphics@dailycardinal.com Also follow us on Twitter @dailycardinal Today’s Crossword Puzzle
Graph Giraffe Classic
Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com
Crossword Is Better ACROSS 1 Carousel contents 5 Brighton bloke 9 Roman wraps 14 Russian-spacecraft series 15 Freight car hopper, stereotypically 16 Eaglet nursery 17 Word with “history” or “hygiene” 18 Physics particles 19 ___ brulee (French custard) 20 Dr. Seuss classic (with “The”) 23 Telepathic gift 24 Rector’s colleague 25 Represent by drawing 27 Famous “cannonball” of song 30 Shiver-inducing 33 Unfeathered wing? 34 Poetic metrical units 37 Brew in a teapot 38 Ill-mannered type 40 Ruin of a statue, perhaps 42 Squirrel’s home 43 Readies for swallowing 45 “... tree falls in the forest and ___ ...” 47 Night before 48 Home for ecologists
0 5 52 53 55 57
Delights Cross to bear Actress Sarandon Barley bristle Symbol of concentration 62 North Dakota State Fair site 64 Washday unit 65 Some of this and some of that 66 Ryan who played Granny 67 Fail 68 Frees (with “of”) 69 Restrain from acting 70 Risked being pulled over 71 Part of a church DOWN 1 Solid voters? 2 Invisible surrounding quality 3 Tiny flying nuisance 4 Mouth moistener 5 Make small talk 6 Bit of an uproar 7 Doubleday of baseball 8 A Spice Girl 9 Stratagems 10 Above, anthem style 11 Special Forces member 12 Intends 13 Escape through a crevice
21 Decree ___ (legal term) 22 Menu phrase, perhaps 26 “The Simpsons” creator Groening 27 Screen siren Raquel 28 Tropical greeting 29 State flower of Texas 30 Japanese food paste 31 Four-time Kent portrayer 32 Fencing weapons 35 ___ Blanc (France’s highest peak) 36 Street buddy 39 Bed size smaller than full 41 Partial 44 Talk like Porky Pig 46 Zest for life 49 Blond shade 51 Type of cat or rabbit 53 Buttinsky 54 Proclamation of the czar 55 In the center of 56 One way to transfer money 58 Misfortunes 59 Film excerpt 60 Doesn’t just stand by 61 Cooperate with a photographer 63 Unlettered phone number
First lassic in Twenty
By Yosef Lerner graphics@dailycardinal.com
By Angel Lee alee23@wisc.edu
By Melanie Shibley shibley@wisc.edu
Sports
Wednesday October 3, 2012 DailyCardinal.com
Kansas’ Self earns extension after forging his own path
Football
Vince Huth huth the truth
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Grey satterfield/the daily cardinal
Wisconsin quarterback Joel Stave got his first taste of Big Ten action in Nebraska last Saturday, but the team’s offense will have to improve to survive the rest of the conference slate.
Badgers aim for four quarter performance By Ryan Hill The daily cardinal
The Wisconsin Badgers football team (0-1 Big Ten, 3-2 overall) suddenly has another mantra besides the “1-0” approach to add to its arsenal. After their learning experience last Saturday against the Nebraska Cornhuskers (1-0, 4-1), it seems as if each and every Badger has one thing on their mind when looking into future games. “We just have to play a fourquarter game,” senior running back Montee Ball said, while also mentioning he thought the team “let off the gas” in the second half. “We just have to start fast and end even stronger.”
Big Ten Statistics Average offensive yards produced this season
No. 7 Michigan State - 384.8 yards/game No. 8 Minnesota - 384.6 yards/game No. 9 Penn State - 379.6 yards/game No. 10 Iowa - 361 yards/game No. 11 Illinois - 349.8 yards/game No. 12 Wisconsin - 309.2 yards/game
The team’s inability to put together a complete game is surprisingly new to most Badger fans, as last year there were few instances where quarterback Russell Wilson and company couldn’t put together scoring drives seemingly each and every quarter. The year before yielded the same results with the ultra-efficient Scott Tolzien under center. “I think that [not finishing] is a little bit new for us,” redshirt junior center Travis Frederick said. “What we’ve always done is gotten stronger towards the end. I think traditionally that’s how it’s been.” The Badgers failed to put
up 30 points just twice last learning experience.” season—once in a 33-29 loss to Once again, Frederick was Ohio State and again not timid in saying in a 28-17 win against that the bulk of the Illinois—but this blame in the second year, expectations half collapse should are quite different for fall on the shoulan offense that is not ders of the offensive Total rushing yards gained by as high-powered as it linemen. Although Badgers has been in the last he has reiterated Saturday, their couple of seasons. that work still second lowest Running the ball needs to be taken total this season carries much more care of, he has seen weight this year comprogress week in pared to last year’s and week out. Wisconsin’s team, when Wilson “I think we national rank in average rushing could complete passes learned that we yards per game at will. Two years ago, always continue to this season the Badgers could get progress,” he said. away with handing “We still have a the ball off 28 times in ways to go and we a row, which even took place in just need to learn how to play a Big Ten matchup. football for four quarters.” This year, the Badgers have Frederick also believes undoubtedly had to experiment that Nebraska’s second-half a little bit by trying to find the comeback had much more to ideal balance. do than just the momentum Redshirt freshman quar- change that went along with terback Joel Stave thought the enormous amounts of that this balance was espe- noise the Cornhuskers student cially apparent in the first half section generated. against Nebraska, but says that at this point in the season, any way that the team can move the “We still have a ways to go chains will suffice. and we just need to learn “When you’re able to run how to play football for the ball, it makes it easier for four quarters.” any offense,” he said. “But regardless of if we’re running Travis Frederick the ball well or not, we have to redshirt junior center Wisconsin football be able to continue to just move [the ball].” Lucky for Stave, he may have already had his toughest “I think [Nebraska] had start of the season under his some energy once the momenbelt. And even in an intimidat- tum changed,” he said. “But as ing environment, he managed far as them playing any better, to lead an otherwise strug- I don’t think there was much gling offense to some of its best change. I do think that it came drives of the season. down to the offensive line and “I learned that [Memorial how we didn’t play as well as Stadium] is a loud, loud place,” we could have. he said, grinning. “To play in “We came out and [started a place that you can’t really strong] last week, so if we just communicate in the huddle extend that into four quarters and at the line is a very good we can be successful.”
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109th
ost in the thick of the regular NFL refs returning and a slew of wild college football games this weekend was a significant development in college basketball: Kansas head coach Bill Self extended his contract with the school through the 2021-’22 season. It’s possible that’s only a significant story to college hoops fans. It’s also possible even they thought nothing of it. And it’s likely I just really wanted to write a column about college basketball. I wasn’t surprised to hear KU extended Self; the guy has led the Jayhawks to either an outright or co-Big 12 regular season conference title every year since 2004-’05, Self’s second season in Lawrence (KU tied for second in the conference during Self’s first season). Included in that run is a national championship in 2008-’09. Kansas also reached the national championship game last season (where it lost to the Kentucky Freshmen) without a slew of star players or NBA talent. Forward Thomas Robinson was a top-five pick in this summer’s NBA Draft, but the Jayhawks’ roster last season was composed mostly of solid role players. In other words, Self maximized the talent out of his guys.
While the four-year deal appears to show faith in Self, I can’t help but view it as a backhanded compliment.
The KU campus is one of a handful in the nation where the men’s basketball program is far more popular than the football team, and Self has been the model of consistency during his nine years in Lawrence. In fact, he has more wins than any college hoops coach over the past 10 seasons. Quite frankly, I was surprised athletic director Sheahon Zenger didn’t lock up Self to a longer deal. I was surprised by the fouryear extension because one of KU’s assistant coaches, Danny Manning, left after last season
to take the head coaching job at Tulsa. Manning, who led Kansas to a national championship as a player back in 1988, had loads of success training the Jayhawk big men during his final five seasons on the coaching staff. The aforementioned Robinson went from playing less than 15 minutes per game as a sophomore to a Naismith Player of the Year candidate and double-double machine as a junior. The play of forwards Marcus and Markieff Morris—both a year older than Robinson—was the only reason he didn’t play much as a sophomore. The Morris twins went on to be lottery picks in the 2011 NBA Draft, and Cole Aldrich, a 2010 lottery pick, reaped the benefits of Manning’s tutelage before them. With the exception of Self, you’d be hard-pressed to find a guy on that KU staff that commanded more respect than Manning. He played a big role in Kansas’ success the last five years, and I think KU needed to show its confidence in Self when Manning left. While the fouryear deal appears to show faith in Self, I can’t help but view it as a backhanded compliment. It took some time for Self to earn his stripes in Lawrence. His early success at KU was chalked up to simply winning with former Jayhawks coach Roy Williams’ recruits. Kansas’ spot atop the Big 12 conference year-in and year-out under Self wasn’t enough to quiet the critics, but the Jayhawks’ national championship in 2008-’09—the roster for which was composed entirely of Self’s recruits—finally solidified Self as the right man for the job. I remember rooting for the Jayhawks in that title game as though they were my hometown team; I so badly wanted Self to garner the respect he deserved. Plus I had $40 on KU, so there was that, too. Bill Self is under contract at Kansas for the next 10 seasons. The athletic department made the appropriate move to extend him, but it’s as though Zenger had a meat lovers’ pizza and only offered Self the crusts. He’s earned more than that. Do you think Self earned his new extension? Let Vince know what you think at sports@dailycardinal.com
Badger women finish ninth The Wisconsin women’s golf team finished ninth in the Windy City Collegiate Classic in Glen View, Ill. Tuesday. The Badgers faced off against some of the top teams in the country and finished with a collective score of 905 to earn their top- ten finish. Senior Lindsey Danielson finished with a three-over 75 on Tuesday to finish 13th overall
individually, and top among Wisconsin golfers. Junior Kris Yoo carded a nine-over, 225 for the tournament, finishing tied for 26th overall. The Badger women’s next competition will be in the Hoosier Fall Invite, which will be held at the Belterra Resort in Cincinnati, Ohio, on October 13 and 14. Matt Masterson/ The daily cardinal