Cardinal View: Government shutdown is embarrassing, unnecessary University of Wisconsin-Madison
‘The Decision’ 2.0 Why King James can’t go down the same road
+OPINION, page 6
Complete campus coverage since 1892
+SPORTS, page 8
l
dailycardinal.com
Thursday, October 3, 2013
MCSC accuses SSFC of policy violations Clarity requested in appeals process The MultiCultural Student Coalition submitted an appeal to the Student Services Finance Committee this week about what MCSC members see as a “double standard” in SSFC’s treatment of policy violations. SSFC denied funding eligibility to MCSC Sept. 23 because of policy violations in 2011 regarding a contract, which many SSFC members saw as an intentional violation. The organization was sentenced to a 52-week funding freeze. However, SSFC commits numerous policy violations that go unaddressed, MCSC member Libby Wick-Bander said. In the complaint, MCSC proposed among other measures that SSFC’s budget be frozen for two weeks and that the committee “receive no budget for the following year.” “They’re pretty much asking for SSFC to not exist anymore,” SSFC Chair David Vines said at a Student Council meeting Wednesday. Wick-Bander said the proposed sanctions were not the point of the appeal, but it was more about accountability to the campus. “The message is not that we don’t want SSFC to function; we want it to function with integrity,” Wick-Bander said. The main policy violations the complaint outlines deal with inconsistencies between ASM’s bylaws and standing rules in how appeals should be filed. Wick-Bander said she was told to file the appeal in three different ways by three different ASM officials. Vines said he believes work needs to be done on the appeals process but said the process was outlined clearly to MCSC. In addition, the complaint raised concerns such as inaudible meeting recordings, which Vines said may be valid, and inadequate training of members. Vines said the appeal will move to the Student Judiciary. —Tamar Myers
Bands battle to play 2013 Freakfest set
on campus
Chilling at the Chazen
Chancellor Rebecca Blank met with faculty and staff in the Chazen Museum of Art Wednesday afternoon. When asked about the Go Big Read program, Blank said, “I love the whole concept of the big read book.” +Photo by Grey Satterfield
Dane County exceeds national socioeconomic disparity levels By Melissa Howison the daily cardinal
A report by the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families released Wednesday at the 2013 Racial Justice Summit shows dramatic differences between the quality of life blacks and whites experience in Dane County. The report, prepared by the WCCF’s Race to Equity project
team and the Madison YWCA, said it is “not unexpected” that the county’s black community leads a collectively more disadvantaged life than its white counterpart because “the hard truth is that African Americans fare worse than whites on virtually all state indicators in virtually every part of the nation,” according to the report.
However, the “sheer magnitude” of racial inequalities in the areas of unemployment, adult and child poverty levels, juvenile and adult arrest rates as well as several educational factors in Dane County is striking when placed on a national scale. For instance, 25 percent of the
disparity page 3
Racial disparity in Dane County vs. national levels Non-Hispanic Whites
Blacks
graphic by Haley Henschel
Ron Kind forgoes salary during government shutdown A Wisconsin congressman is joining other federal legislators in forgoing his salary while the government remains shut down and approximately 800,000 federal workers remain on temporary leave. U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., announced his intention to decline compensation in a Facebook post Tuesday. “While the government is
shut down, I’m staying here in Washington to work toward a bipartisan solution to end the shutdown,” Kind said in the post. “As long as furloughed federal workers go without pay, I will not take my own salary.” The post has received more than 650 “likes,” 130 “shares” and 106 comments as of Wednesday night, generally congratulating him for his decision.
The government shutdown started Tuesday at 12:01 a.m. after congressional Republicans and Democrats failed to compromise on a spending plan for the government’s new fiscal year. Both houses of Congress and President Barack Obama are currently in negotiations to pass a provision that will end the shutdown.
Frank Productions announced on its Facebook page Wednesday a Spotlight website is open for song submissions from bands looking for a chance to play at Freakfest 2013. Bands can submit one original song or mix on the website before the Oct. 21, at 4 p.m. deadline. Voting will open to the public 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7 and end once band submissions close. The three bands to receive the most votes will be announced Oct. 24. Freakfest administrators will then choose one band from the top three voter picks who will open on Freakfest’s Capitol Stage, followed by Matt and Kim, Neon Indian, Lucius and Sexy Ester. Renee Frank, a Frank Productions marketing representative, said the number of interested bands is expected to exceed last year’s because of the diversity of Freakfest’s upcoming lineup. Frank added, “Whenever we can include local music, we’re going to do it because we support it, and it’s a really cool opportunity.”
Victim scares burglar away through window A downtown resident scared off a potential burglar breaking into a residence on the 500 block West Mifflin Street through an unlocked window early Wednesday morning, according to a police report. Mad i s o n Po l i c e Department spokesperson Joel DeSpain said in the report the victim, 21, was awakened at approximately 4:46 a.m. by the sound of a window being forced open. When the victim turned on the lights, the suspect fled through the thenopen window, which had been unlocked but closed when he entered the apartment. The suspect was wearing all black clothing, including a black hat with possible goldcolored edging and could have been carrying a light-colored backpack, DeSpain said. Responding officers detained a homeless man, 24, who they believed to be connected to the attempted robbery, according to the report. However, Madison police could not immediately establish probable cause and were unable to arrest the man.
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”
page two 2
l
friday: t-storms
hi 77º / lo 66º
hi 75º / lo 59º
Thursday, October 3, 2013
An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892 Volume 123, Issue 21
News and Editorial edit@dailycardinal.com Editor-in-Chief Abigail Becker
Managing Editor Mara Jezior
News Team News Manager Sam Cusick Campus Editor Megan Stoebig College Editor Tamar Myers City Editor Melissa Howison State Editor Jack Casey Enterprise Editor Meghan Chua Associate News Editor Sarah Olson Features Editor Shannon Kelly Opinion Editors Haleigh Amant • Nikki Stout Editorial Board Chair Anna Duffin Arts Editors Cameron Graff • Andy Holsteen Sports Editors Brett Bachman • Jonah Beleckis Page Two Editors Rachel Schulze • Alex Tucker Photo Editors Courtney Kessler • Jane Thompson Graphics Editors Haley Henschel • Chrystel Paulson Multimedia Editor Grey Satterfield Science Editor Nia Sathiamoorthi Life & Style Editor Elana Charles Special Pages Editor Samy Moskol Social Media Manager Sam Garigliano Copy Chiefs Vince Huth • Maya Miller Kayla Schmidt • Rachel Wanat Copy Editors Hamdi Hamzah • Casey Hutchinson Dana Kampa
Business and Advertising business@dailycardinal.com Business Manager Jacob Sattler Office Manager Emily Rosenbaum Advertising Managers Erin Aubrey • Dan Shanahan Account Executives Karli Bieniek • Lyndsay Bloomfield Tessa Coan • Zachary Hanlon Elissa Hersh • Will Huberty Ally Justinak • Paulina Kovalo Jordan Laeyendecker • Danny Mahlum Eric O’Neil • Ali Syverson Marketing Director Cooper Boland Design Manager Lauren Mather
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 Haleigh Amant • Abigail Becker Riley Beggin •Anna Duffin Mara Jezior • Cheyenne Langkamp Tyler Nickerson • Michael Penn Nikki Stout l
Board of Directors Herman Baumann, President Abigail Becker • Mara Jezior Jennifer Sereno • Stephen DiTullio Erin Aubrey • Dan Shanahan Jacob Sattler • Janet Larson Don Miner • Chris Drosner Jason Stein • Nancy Sandy Tina Zavoral © 2013, The Daily Cardinal Media Corporation ISSN 0011-5398
For the record Corrections or clarifications? Call The Daily Cardinal office at 608-262-8000 or send an email to edit@dailycardinal.com.
dailycardinal.com
A columnist’s change of pace
2142 Vilas Communication Hall 821 University Avenue Madison, Wis., 53706-1497 (608) 262-8000 • fax (608) 262-8100
tODAY: t-storms
andy holsteen artsy a-hol
T
his column is going to be something I’ve never tried before. Normally, I’m a pretty careful writer. I like to go about the speed of a snail and get everything just how I want it. But not this week—I’m writing this column as fast as possible. Maybe it won’t turn out very well, but I think there’s some merit to the thoughts that come to your mind without any premeditation. It’s like, most weeks, you get to see the overanalyzed side of me—and frankly, I’m sure you’re all bored of it. I bet there are some cool topics that can spring up this way. Ummmm, OK, sometimes (like right now) I imagine I’m listening to extremely loud music, but I’m not actually listening to music at all. Is that weird? Idk; I already have really bad hearing, so this is just my way of selfpreservation I guess. Wow, I’m a slower writer than I thought. Actually I already knew I was a slow writer, this was just supposed to be an attempt to turn a new leaf. My grammar has been surprisingly accurate so far, I think. Maybe this is stupid. Oh yeah, the government is broken now. Is that still happening? It’s kind of funny how nobody gives a shit about what’s going on in Washington
Ask the
DEER CARDINAL Deer Cardinal, I’m working on a group project that will span the whole semester. All the groupmates’ schedules are pretty different, and the best time for everyone else to meet up is when I’m at work. How should I communicate with my group members outside of class? —Greta G. Greta the Groupie, Do you have your group members’ email addresses? It’s probably best to email them progress reports. Multiple times a day. Additionally, start a Google document where you can log hourly updates. You can also connect via social media. Make a Facebook group and/or start a project hashtag. If you’re more of a face-to-face person, consider Skyping in while at work. You’ll never be disconnected from the project! It will become your life! The point of a group project is to improve your ability to work with others. Your group members will love that you for afford them extra chances to refine this skill.
For answers to your questions, tweet at the Deer Cardinal. Literally.
until there’s literally nothing getting done. Wow, I’ve really been letting myself go lately. I smell TERRRRIBLE. There are so many things I want to incorporate into my columns, and I’ve never really had the guts to try before, maybe now is the right time. 01001000 01100101 01111001 00100000 01101100 01101111 01110011 01100101 01110010 01110011 I think it’s cool to talk in code sometimes. Unfortunately, since I’m writing this as fast as I possibly can, I’m not in any position to come up with some kind of elaborate secret Illuminati language only two people will care enough about to actually figure out. This is really picking up now. ARE YOU EXCITED?!?!?!?!?! I don’t understand how there isn’t better food on State Street. Yeah, I said it. The dining options (especially latenight) suck. Maybe I’m just a picky asshole about my food, but does that make me a bad person? No. It means we should demand better. I’m actually kind of embarrassed at how pathetically long it’s taken me to get to 380 words: 11 minutes. Did anyone do UltraKey when they were in like fourth grade? I remember it was so hard to get 20 words per minute. Is this not-so-intimate look
inside my mind distressing, depressing or disgusting you? Fuck Twitter. Well, it’s October and you know what that means: It’s time for a bunch of rich people to pretend they care about baseball. All I want is for people to stop their cycles. I’m wearing a shirt today that I bought my freshman year in high school and have only worn one time since then before today. Did that make sense? It’s this shirt I bought in Amsterdam (wooooooooooooah). I think it’s supposed to be a soccer jersey or something, but I have no idea. Ugggg is this over yet? I’m 17 minutes in and have about 130
words to go. OK, let’s do this. For the past 21 years I’ve been living in the U.S.. Where do I want to live? In space, of course!!!!! I don’t want to live on Earth!!!!! NASA plz build me a space suit and shoot me off in a random direction!!!!! Sorry if that was too weird for you. I actually don’t hate being on Earth that much. Well, things are winding down about now, so I guess it’s time for me to insert my weekly lesson. (I’ve literally never had a weekly lesson, but now is probably a good time to start, right?) Here it is: Eat as much meat and cheese as you can in one day and then fast for a week—you will never feel better! Wowowow 22 minutes. Great job, me! How many words do you type per minute? Challenge Andy to a race at andy@holsteens.com.
graphic by haley henschel
news
Thursday, October 3, 2013 3
l
dailycardinal.com
Sustainability Committee discusses ‘green fund’ project The Associated Students of Madison Sustainability Committee met Wednesday to discuss the progress of its current campaigns. Members discussed the committee’s lead project, the “green fund,” and focused conversation on how to pay for it. David Vines, chair of the Student Services Finance Committee, addressed possible ways to fund the project. One option is to obtain money from the student council’s internal budget, Vines said. In addition, the committee plans to suggest one dollar be added to each student’s segregated fees.
Vines said the hope is to raise $80,000 cooperatively, earning $40,000 from each source. “We think that the ‘green fund’ is an important issue on campus and that students will be willing to pay one or two more dollars,” said Chair Will Mulhern. Committee members finalized a date for the upcoming Sustainability Fair, which will be held on Thursday, Nov. 14 from 5-7 p.m. in the Idea Room of the Education Building. The fair will be open to all students but will be tailored to environmental groups. Also, freshman intern Jessica
Brand introduced a potential project that would strive to make the university a smoke-free campus. The initiative would not only increase air quality, but would also decrease pollution stemming from cigarette butts. Brand said she is excited about getting involved with the committee. “I am physically making a change on Madison’s campus and that is what I want to do with my life,” Brand said. “Though I am completely undecided as to my major, I know I want to be making tangible improvements to the world around me.” —Emily Gerber
Legislators unveil new reform for sports grant State Senate and Assembly Democrats put forth alternative eligibility requirements for securing the Sporting Heritage Grant Wednesday in the wake of an ongoing and increasingly concerning process that led to the United Sportsmen of Wisconsin receiving the $500,000 grant, according to Democrats. State Rep. Nick Milroy, D-South Range, along with other Democratic members on the Natural Resources Committee, revealed new legislation that preserves the Sporting Heritage Grant, but amends the nomination process. The bill highlights three stipulations that must be met in order for an organization to be eligible. An organization must “educate and train,” “conduct programs to recruit” and “conduct programs to encourage” persons engaged in hunting, fishing and trapping. State Assembly Democrats expressed commitment to the bill’s goal of properly presenting the grant. “As a lifelong fisherman, I am deeply invested in ensuring that Wisconsin’s next generation is provided the opportunity to learn about and love our great outdoors,” state Sen. Robert Wirch, D-Somers said. State Sen. Neal Kedzie, R-Elkhorn, who chairs the Senate Natural Resources Committee, released a statement calling for “careful consideration” regarding resource availability and the necessity of the grant. The bill had previously been awarded to United Sportsmen after concerted lobbying efforts by Republican legislators. 18 Republican legislators sent a letter to the Wisconsin Sporting Heritage Program Grant Application Committee promoting United Sportsmen as an organization meeting and exceeding the grant’s eligibility requirements. The bill will be circulated for co-sponsorship in the state Legislature. —Eoin Cottrell
xinyi wang/cardinal file photo
Sustainability Chair Will Mulhern and committee members discussed finances for a ‘green fund’ project at a meeting Wednesday.
Student Council appoints Mary Prunty as new ASM Finance Committee chair
University of Wisconsin-Madison sophomore Mary Prunty will replace Andrew Kidd as ASM Finance Committee chair.
Student council members voted 15-6 Wednesday to appoint University of Wisconsin-Madison sophomore Mary Prunty as Finance Committee chair, replacing Andrew Kidd. Kidd officially resigned as both Finance Committee Chair and a student council representative in a letter ASM Chair David Gardner read out loud at council. The Finance Committee is responsible for allocating events and travel events to registered student organizations. Kidd, a graduate student, said he could no longer commit time to Associated Students of Madison because of a need to focus on his own research. He described his time in ASM as “extraordinary” and said he would continue to pray for the “many successes and endeavors” of student council. Prunty has been previously involved in student government as an intern and is involved with ASM University Affairs Committee.
Prunty said she hopes to make the events and travel application grant more understandable. “Andrew Kidd did a really great job … and I just hope to uphold his values of finance committee and also make sure … this committee is accessible,” Prunty said. Representatives also elected Rep. Erik Larson, who ran unopposed, to fill a student council representative position on the Finance Committee. Also at the meeting, Vice Chair Mia Akers told student council representatives only $2,000 is left in a $10,000 fund used to give disability accommodations to students participating in registered student organizations that receive event and travel grants from ASM, which she said could show a need for alterations to the budget. Akers said she wants to develop a process for allocating this money, as none currently exist. —Tamar Myers
2013 freshman class is largest in UW’s history
make up a majority in any one of the 20 city districts, which disallows a united voice to emerge. According to the report, increasing the political visibility of the
black community, in addition to adding interactive, communitybuilding centers to predominantly black neighborhoods would improve their quality of living.
amy gruntner/the daily cardinal
The 2013 freshman class at the University of WisconsinMadison is the largest in the school’s history and also one of the most diverse, according to an Office of the Registrar’s statement. This year’s freshman class is made up of 6,339 students. Minority groups make up 10.8 percent of the class, which is the largest percentage in the past decade. It also includes 18.9 percent first-generation college students. In-state students increased to 3,837, the largest number since the class of 2001. The percentage of Wisconsin residents who were offered admission also increased 9.5 percent since last year. “Recruiting Wisconsin students who will flourish in our academic environment is an institutional priority and our efforts work toward that goal,” Interim Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Steve Hahn said in the release. Finally, total enrollment is up one percent this fall, increasing from 42,820 students last year to 43,256 this year.
disparity from page 1 county’s black community was unemployed in 2011, compared to 4.8 percent of the non-hispanic white community. In other words, the unemployment rate for blacks in Dane County was 5.5 times higher than for white people living in the area, while the unemployment rate for the national black community sat just over two times that of the white population nationwide. Similarly, of the 9 percent of the total youth population in Dane County, black children account for nearly 60 percent of the foster care population, and approximately 50 percent of black students in the Madison Metropolitan District do not graduate with a regular diploma in four years compared to 16 percent of their white classmates. The report focuses on the abnormally high correlation between poverty and skin color in Dane County, and says that although calculated prejudices may not have primarily caused the inequities, the “extent to which economic depravity has become profoundly racialized” threatens to continue fostering damaging stereotypes, creating a cyclical effect. The report said blacks do not
A V E N U E N E A R YO U !
DE TEMPS ANTAN FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2013, 8:00PM THE SETT, UNION SOUTH
AOIFE O’ DONOVAN
KRISTINE ANDREASSEN OPENING FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2013, 8:00PM THE SETT, UNION SOUTH
RACHEL BARTON PINE
WITH UW SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2013, 8:00PM MILLS HALL
608.265.ARTS UNIONTHEATER .WISC.EDU
news 4
l
Thursday, October 3, 2013
dailycardinal.com
Former Nixon aide to speak on campus A former adviser to Richard Nixon during the Watergate era will deliver a lecture Friday on the second floor of the Gordon Dining and Events Center. His talk, “Crossing the Line: Watergate, the Criminal Law and Ethics,” will elaborate on the choices he made regarding his involvement in the Watergate scandal as they relate to professional ethics of law. Although John Dean was not involved in the Watergate break-in, he was deeply complicit with the cover-up scan-
dal. His knowledge about the administration’s criminal activity made him a key witness for the prosecution in the Senate Watergate hearings. Dean, who called the Watergate scandal “a cancer on the presidency,” planned on confessing in 1973. However, a meeting in which Nixon offered considerable financial incentives convinced him to change his mind and postpone, according to a university release. The free event will be open to the public and will start at 4 p.m.
State Department of Justice issues 200,000th concealed carry permit The Wisconsin Department of Justice granted the state’s 200,000th concealed carry permit Monday, according to a release from the state attorney general, highlighting an issue that has fueled disagreement since the concealed carry law passed in November of 2011. After the law passed, citizens could begin applying to carry their firearms in public places. The state application requires applicants to complete a firearms training course and answer 17 questions focused on discovering an applicant’s criminal, mental and citizenship history. All applications are processed in the state DOJ. The original application fee was $50, but it was recently reduced to $40, according to the release. Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said in the statement he was “pleased” to offer the “public service” that allow citizens “to exercise their Second Amendment rights.” Jeri Bonavia, the executive director of Wisconsin AntiViolence Effort, said the number of permits issued brought
her “a little bit of a comfort” because it only represents a “small percentage” of the Wisconsin population.
“This notion that we will be a safer society if we arm up is one that I don’t buy into.” Jeri Bonavia executive director Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort
She added the concealed carry concept still concerns her. “This notion that we will be a safer society if we arm up is one that I don’t buy into,” Bonavia said. “We have a right to expect absolute vigilance and excellent behavior across the board if people are going to be carrying guns in public places.” The Wisconsin Department of Justice receives between 500 and 1,000 concealed carry license applications every week, according to Van Hollen’s statement, and most applications are processed within the week. —Jack Casey
on campus
Let it sink in
Dave Hart speaks on Wisconsin’s sinkholes during a Wednesday Nite @ the Lab lecture. + Photo by Will Chizek
photo courtesy of steve lawrence
Fried and Fabulous owner Steve Lawrence displays a rainbow flag in support of the LGBT community to respond to anti-LGBT protesters in the area of his food cart.
Fried and Fabulous responds to protesters To prove “love conquers hate,” Fried and Fabulous owner Steve Lawrence responded to anti-gay protesters seen demonstrating on Library Mall recently by hoisting a bright gay pride flag over his popular food cart Wednesday. Lawrence first came out while studying as a University of Wisconsin-Madison undergraduate, during which time he was heavily involved in Zeta Beta Tau, and said his public
status as a member of the gay community has not impacted his business. “People aren’t going to refuse to eat your fried food because you’re gay,” he said. “They’re going to eat it because it’s delicious.” This is not the first time Lawrence’s cart has donned the rainbow-striped banner. However, he said he felt especially inclined Wednesday because “while certainly
everybody has the right to express their point of view,” according to Lawrence, “if somebody is going to stand up there and say things that are offensive, I think it’s important that those who disagree don’t remain silent.” He added, “I do think that being an out and proud business owner makes that statement every single day, it just needed to be a little bit stronger this week.”
arts
dailycardinal.com
Thursday, October 3, 2013 l 5
Go check out ‘Chicago’ By Sara Schumacher THE DAILY CARDINAL
The classic 1956 flick ‘The Man Who Never Was’ is playing free at The Chazen Museum of Art, Sunday, Oct. 6, at 2 p.m.
Chazen to show battletested flick Sunday By Caleb Nesser THE DAILY CARDINAL
Is it sad that asking for a film to be fun AND intelligent is usually hand-waved with an unsatisfactory “Well, most people just won’t get it, so why bother”? I think it’s a tragedy. I like films to be intelligent. I like ideas and consequences that make me think. I’m weird like that. It’s harder and harder to find truly intelligent films these days. The media market is sunk in such a sulfurous mire of crude, cheap, pandering nonsense that sometimes it’s hard to distinguish what is genuinely brilliant from the miasma engulfing it. Thank Vint Cerf, then, for the Internet, where delving into the vast accomplishments of past masters is only a few clicks (and maybe one or two questionably legal websites) away. Past filmmakers had less to work with and were in the infantile stages of their craft, usually having to make stuff up as they went along when the tech or the composition didn’t exist. Not everything was perfect, and certainly not everything was even competent. But for what little they had to rely on in terms of spectacle, they knew they had to make up for it with actual depth and quality of content. To disentangle this quibbling mess of thoughts, I went and watched “The Man Who Never Was” this weekend, a British World War II espionage film made in 1956. The setting is England, almost exclusively, and concerns two British commanders executing a plan to trick Nazi intelligence with false battle plans, using nothing more than a dead body and an expertly crafted lie. Let’s get one thing straight: This is not a war film. I hesitate to even call it an espionage film, but it has the general trappings of one. It’s much more a case study of the people who actually handled the plan and the challenges they faced. The filmmakers have certainly shown their work, although they probably cheated quite a bit; the film is based off of real-life Lieutenant Commander Ewen Montagu’s account of the events. The script crackles with an electric, snarky energy, delivered inimitably by Clifton Webb (who portrays Montagu) and his co-actors. Webb in particular leaves a powerful, lasting impression. The film balances a very clinical attitude toward the horrors of war alongside very human moments of love, loss and the enormity of the main cast’s undertaking. Hearing
German shells rain upon London in the night, watching the stony-faced silence of military men as the screams of the frightened and dying echo through the cold streets—poignant doesn’t even begin to do it justice. I may start to sound like an old parrot (for those three of you who read my review of “Prisoners”), but where “The Man Who Never Was” shines is in its characters. I love how the film respects the intelligence of its viewers by asking them to follow these men and women through their lives without exposing who they are and why their struggles matter. The movie assumes it should all be bloody obvious. There’s a war on, and a lot of people are going to die. I mentioned Clifton Webb earlier, and I’ll mention him again now because he certainly deserves it. As precise, stoic and calculating as Montagu is, we still get a sense of the frayed nerves beneath his elegantly trimmed beard. He’s a human, just like the rest of us, but he’s cunning and damn intelligent. It was his plan, after all. It’s a genuine cerebral competency that you very rarely get from military characters in most media. And special mention must be made to Gloria Grahame as a librarian named Lucy, caught in a relationship with a Royal Air Force soldier and dreadfully aware of the consequences she faces in accepting his engagement ring. Grahame walks through the film as though she is in a dream, or perhaps desperately wants to be, and she feels just so small and sad and lonely. Her final scene is desperate and heart-wrenching, and definitely not something for new, happy couples to watch on a date. I don’t often tolerate warrelated media, unless it leans toward deconstruction (a la “Saving Private Ryan”) or the bleakness of the consequences (“Pan’s Labyrinth,” “Schindler’s List,” “Fallout”). “The Man Who Never Was” is something along those lines. Something that truly respects the story it tells. It reminds me a bit of “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” without all the needless complexity and awkward structure. It’s a film that is truly intelligent without limiting its audience, thanks to a marvelous cast and screenplay. Even if war movies aren’t your thing, I highly recommend seeing this one at the Chazen Museum this Sunday, Oct. 6, at 2 p.m.
Grade: A
Fred Ebb and John Kander’s musical “Chicago” is a classic, but it’s not the wholesome kind with prairie dresses and singing about the beginnings of young love. It’s sensual and powerful, with women who know what they want and will do anything to get it. The Broadway Across America tour slinked into Madison Tuesday night and will feature scantily clad performers sashaying across the stage until Oct. 6. The recipient of six Tony Awards and two Olivier Awards,
the show is set in 1920s Chicago and revolves around two women who are in the Cook County Jail for murder—even though they say the men had it coming. Velma Kelly (Terra C. MacLeod) and Roxie Hart (Paige Kelly) are rivals from the moment they meet. Both women crave fame and strive to capture the attention of the press. They need Billy Flynn, played by John O’Hurley, to get them acquitted so they can move onto singing and dancing across a vaudeville stage instead of languishing in jail, fighting over the shoes they will wear to court.
But one actress comes out on top in this stage rivalry. MacLeod is sensual and strong. Her movements are powerful yet seductive. Her dancing is technically better, her delivery of lines is sharper and her characterization of the famed murderess Velma Kelly is clear from her first scene. She may seem a bit old to be playing Velma, but she can strut across the stage and belt notes like no one else in the show. “Chicago” is playing at the Overture Center through Oct. 6. Read the full story at online at www.dailycardinal.com.
Stop copping out on film debates AUSTIN WELLENS all’s well-ens well
O
K guys, so it’s time to face some facts. There’s going to be another “Star Wars” film. We can’t stop it. And J.J. Abrams is going to direct it. That much we know. When these truths were dropped earlier this year, the Internet got all up into an uproar, as they are wont to do. There was the slew of hate for the very idea of a new “Star Wars,” and a torrent of hate for Abrams, mastermind behind ultimately empty puzzle boxes like “Lost” and “Alias.” Of course, one of the overarching themes of this malcontent maelstrom was the oft-quoted complaint about Abrams—his inexplicable love of lens flare. Now see, here’s the thing: I was as un-thrilled by the announcements and choices being made as the next fella. I get it. But what I don’t get is the meme-like repetition of what is ultimately a really, really minor issue, especially put up against some of the real, legitimate complaints there are to make about his filmmaking. Because basically, if the most interesting thing you have to say about a filmmaker is “he uses lens flare too much, heh heh heh,” then, either A: You’re not interested in actually talking about them in a meaningful way; or B: You haven’t actually seen the movies. Either way, it’s bad. In the case of Abrams, this can actually be a sort of face-saving move, as this really superficial, surface-level comment can help to cover up a lot of the pacing and structural issues, or even all the touches that are totally unnecessary in the vein of lens flare that plague a movie like “Star Trek Into Darkness.” But it’s still bad. This denies us the opportunity to talk seriously about his work, and in the case of talented filmmakers, can be seriously damaging to their reputation and an obstacle to real conversation. Take for example my favorite director, Wes Anderson. While peeps in the know are aware of just how emotionally resonant and complex films like “The Royal Tenenbaums,” “The Darjeeling Limited” or even “Fantastic Mr. Fox” can be, there are just as many who dismiss him as being
“quirky,” “indie quirk” or most frustratingly, “hipster.” Other than just overgeneralizing the work of an intensely talented artist, this form of simplification is damaging because it takes a lot of what makes Anderson work and turns it into a criticism, as the “quirk” they’re hitting at is actually the sum total of the tools he uses to craft his highly effective, highly individualized style. When people blow off Abrams and Anderson like this, they do so based on things that are omnipresent in their works and function as their cinematic signatures. The things people base their generalizations of David Lynch on (the black and white, bizarre and seemingly “meaningless” imagery) are generally drawn just from “Eraserhead.” Not only is this taking down some really brilliant filmmaking, it’s completely ignoring an extremely deep and fascinating filmography. But regardless of to whom or how it’s being done, the fact is this latching onto the most obvious aspect of a filmmaker’s work and boiling him down to just that, is harmful and innately negative. If a film is described as “bizarre” and only “bizarre,” of course the commentary will be harsh, because for work as complex as a film, disrupting the coordination of any few elements leads to a com-
plete collapse of the finely crafted whole and the destruction of its art, which is terrible and the symptom of a systematic issue with the way some people watch movies: It’s easier to pick the most obvious element of a film—usually the one that they understood the least— and rag on it for being “pretentious” or “quirky” or whatever lens flare is, because it means they can get away with a less thoughtful reading of the movie. But more than just being lazy, this is dangerous because these attitudes are pervasive, and they get spread, and soon David Lynch is “the weird one” and Wes Anderson is “the hipster,” and people who want to talk about them in a casual context are “film snobs.” So, the solution: It’s pretty simple—call people out on it. When they scoff at Abrams’ lens flare, ask them why they don’t like it. Or what they thought of any other aspect of the film. Challenge them to actually engage you, and the film. Either they’ll stop trying to discuss films they haven’t thought enough about or they’ll up their game, get on your level, and you’ll have a new friend with whom you can have some real film talk, which is really the best kind of friend. Argue (well) with Austin at wellens@wisc.edu.
opinion l
6
Thursday, October 3, 2013
dailycardinal.com
view Cardinal View editorials represent The Daily Cardinal’s organizational opinion. Each editorial is crafted independent of news coverage.
Government shutdown is an embarrassment
W
ell, it happened again. The spoiled rich kids threw a fit because they couldn’t get their way, and now everyone around them is scrambling to pick up their mess. Except this isn’t a movie, it’s the real world, and it isn’t high school, it’s Congress. To quote Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., “You don’t get to hold the entire economy, the entire country hostage because you don’t like the outcome of an election.” Yet, seemingly, that is exactly what was done. This absurdly childish behavior has many implications for us, both as students at a public research university and as citizens of the country as well as the world. The government shutdown involves more than 2 million federal workers not receiving their paycheck, and veterans
may not receive their benefits if the shutdown lasts more than two weeks. Federal agencies such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention will have to stop its yearly flu program, and the Food and Drug Administration will have to stop most of its food-safety operations. Senators’ offices are also closed. For example, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis, posted on her website that federal law and Senate rules mandate her offices and website must be shut down. On a level closer to home, University of WisconsinMadison researchers who would normally be applying for federal funding, now have to wait until after the shutdown ends to submit funding requests, according to the
National Institutes of Health. Another critical factor to consider in this saga of embarrassing drama is the government shutdown damaging the trust people have in the federal government. Perhaps the most damaging effect of the government shutdown is the crippling of the United States’ reputation as a result. There goes the concept of the good ol’ American exceptionalism—a reputation, admittedly, we do not perhaps deserve. Put simply, our system of government is a laughing stock. After the opinionated editorial by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in The New York Times, basically casting serious doubt on our idea of American exceptionalism, you would think we would want to tread lightly.
A few politicians are letting a petty ideological problem get in the way of doing their one job, and now the American people are suffering for something they had little control over.
The Affordable Care Act, even with the government shutdown, has gone through regardless, making the shutdown a quite literal temper tantrum thrown by Congress. It is
extremely embarrassing to our women running our Congress, country that our political ideol- or are they simply a group of ogy (defined by a very small part catty teenage girls attempting to of our country— the extreme fight this out? At the moment, right) has taken prethis question seems cedence over Congress pretty obviously doing its job. How in answered. the hell is America supThank you for shutposed to be taken seriting down the governously if we are allowing ment. This is definiteThe the government to shut ly what our editorial percentage of Ameridown simply because a board, and millions of cans who majority of the House of other American citiapprove of Representatives is “mad” zens, wanted. Congress’ about “Obamacare?” No. Actually, shutperformance The Affordable ting the government Care Act is the ONE down to make a point CENTRAL PIECE is downright irreof legislation definsponsible. A few poliing President Barack ticians are letting a Obama’s presidency. He has petty ideological problem get in cooperated on numerous other the way of doing their one job, issues of critical importance, and now the American people including foreign policy. He are suffering for something also recently asked Congress’ they had little control over. permission with regard to This is not representative of Syria, but the ONE THING the American people; it is repthat he is unwilling to com- resentative of a few people who promise on, which is going can’t swallow their pride. through anyway, is something At this point, a government Congress is not willing to let that’s shut down is not going go. It is a failure of our govern- to make solving problems any ment, of our system of checks easier, and this should not be and balances. a strategy for when two parWith Congress’ approv- ties (or three in this case) can’t al rate being only 10 percent agree. This editorial board’s as it is, what kind of stupid- faith in the government was ity has to be involved to make already pretty shaky, and now Congress think this is a smart it’s unequivocally broken. Is Congress letting you down, move? It’s childish, embarrassing and quite frankly a stain on too? Let us know your opinthe image of American democ- ion! Please send all feedback to racy. Are respectable men and opinion@dailycardinal.com.
10
This column’s author would prefer to remain anonymous
T
here’s too much hackjob journalism circulating the Internet. It seems several factors are contributing to the current subpar standard of the Fourth Estate—apathetic consumers, skewed personal value systems, the need for immediacy above accuracy and enlightened commentary, our obsession with certain polarized, categorical arguments which, more often than not, entirely miss the greater picture—and legitimate discourse is suffering because of them. But one aspect almost always overlooked is the byline. I think it might be responsible for more examples of poor reporting and editorializing than we are willing to admit. For anyone not in the know with media lingo, a byline is where a writer’s name goes, usually right below the headline. Usually, it’s the second thing someone sees when reading an article, and herein rests the problem. Especially in the age of social media, someone writing for a major media outlet can easily have their name circu-
lated hundreds of thousands of times. In a best-case marketplace of ideas, the premier writers, reporters and analysts should naturally become the most prominent, as they, more often than not, will come closest to finding truth. From this perspective, a pseudo-laissez-faire system makes sense, because it spurs the uber-talented to live up to their potential.
We need reporters and journalists who aren’t afraid to think outside ofthe box.
Looking at this situation with a capitalist mindset, my argument—bylines are sacrificing the integrity of contemporary journalistic standards— seems not only far-fetched, but blatantly wrong. And I respect that line of thought. Let us, just for this article, take another approach though: one in which we consider any
form of self-promotion, even as facially innocuous as attaching one’s name to something, an innate flaw. As someone constantly under public scrutiny, sometimes, whether it’s conscious or not, one will morph their work for the sake of self-preservation. Because when your name is pasted on something that will be seen, and possibly hated, by an unknowable number of people, playing it safe becomes an appealing option. This is something plaguing all forms of media—no one is taking appropriate risks. Reporters and editorialists are too concerned with making an argument or following stories to which their audience will respond well above what actually needs to be said or exposed. Are money-needy media outlets, willing to post anything that will generate hits, partially to blame for this? Undoubtedly, yes. Regardless, bylines create an environment in which a writer’s personal interests can become more important to them than informing people reading their stories. And that can’t be tolerated.
Now, I don’t think every single person who writes for a media outlet needs to or should get rid of their byline. The New Yorker shouldn’t force Andy Borowitz to retag his column as “The Anonymous Satirist Report.” If Neil deGrasse Tyson makes a guest appearance in The Chicago Tribune, I want to know I’m not reading some staff reporter’s explanation of astrophysics. And I certainly don’t expect bloggers to drop everything and become totally faceless because, well, bloggers should keep doing their thing.
We need editorialists willing to say, “Fuck this.”
Major news producers, however, should seriously consider eliminating their bylines—not because it will have any immediate fiscal benefit, but because it can potentially produce far
superior work to what is coming out of the current media field. This is something maybe worth adding to the ethics lexicon. We need editorialists willing to say, “Fuck this;” we need reporters and journalists who aren’t afraid to think outside of the box. Both species seem to be endangered at the moment because they’re paralyzed by the prospect of blemishing their careers. So what will motivate talented writers to become journalists if they won’t even get to see their name attached to everything they put out? First off, you don’t need to be a Tom Wolfe or a Hunter S. Thompson or a Juan Didion to be a good reporter. And maybe this issue doesn’t exist at all if fewer people convince themselves their destiny is to become the next big thing. But then again, there may be no escaping our 21st century narcissistic tailspin. I’m hopeful there are enough people who legitimately care about the truth to sacrifice their own personal fame. Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
Letter To The Editor
Anti-cruelty efforts on campus must be more widespread, awareness of issue must be raised By Josh Kissel UW-Madison student
The oversight process for animal experiments is broken. First, our on-campus animal experimentation oversight committee repeatedly approved an application for experiments on cats that didn’t
adequately justify why animals are needed or how many would be used. This is no surprise as there are millions of dollars attached to the project and the committee is made up almost entirely of people who run and work in animal labs on campus. Now, the same federal agen-
cy that green lights, funds and publicly defends this cruel and worthless experiment is the one responsible for investigating whether or not there has been mistreatment of animals. Again, unsurprisingly, the agency sugar-coated any problems it found and has allowed the project to continue.
Further, UW had the state pass a law last year totally exempting it from state anticruelty laws. In light of all this, I was happy to see PETA at the UW career fair last week soliciting help from students to expose and end cruel experiments on animals on campus.
Josh is a philosophy and history major with certificates in environmental and European studies. Are issues you’re concerned about being ignored on campus? Is there a specific issue you would like to target? Tell us about it! Please send all letters and feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
comics
It’s not just the animals who want to kill you—it’s the climate, too. Australia got so hot earlier this year that the Bureau of Meteorology had to add two new colors (purple and pink) to its weather maps.
dailycardinal.com
That’s a lot of salad
Today’s Sudoku
© Puzzles by Pappocom
8 6 4
5 1 6
7
9 2
8
Thursday, October 3, 2013 • 7
By Nick Kryshak nkryshak@wisc.edu
9 3 9
1 4 2 3
Caved In
3 7 1
1
7 9 3
Solution, tips and computer program available at www.sudoku.com.
HARD Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and# 73 every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.
4 2
8 5
5
8 6 7
2
7
4 6
4
Today’s Crossword Puzzle
1 2 3 6 9 4 5 8 7 2 4 8 1 6 1 1 2 3 6 8 4 8 6
HARD
8 4 3 7 1 2 6 9 5
6 2 5 3 8 9 7 1 4
ACROSS 1 What an overloaded bookshelf does 5 Back’s partner 10 The “M” in E=MC2 14 With time to kill 15 Egg source 16 Superior relative? 17 Silty soil 18 Accumulate, as a 1 debt 5 7 3 9 2 19 Galvanizing metal 7 1 6 9 3 8 20 He won 13 Gold Glove 9 Awards 4 8 2 6 7 22 Goes the other way, 5 in9a way 2 8 4 1 23 It has its ups and 4 downs 3 5 6 7 9 24 6 Queen 7 1of Mount 4 8 5 Olympus 8 Not 2 imaginary 4 5 1 3 26 29 Sgt. or cpl. 2 6 3 7relief 5 4 33 Castaway’s 33 7 “Famous” cookie 8 9 1 2 6 maker 39 “O Pioneers!” novelist Cather 40 37-Across or Spelling 41 Medieval stringed instrument 43 Hair-removal name 44 Floor 46 Ancient ark builder 47 Adam and Eve’s grandson
w.sudoku.com
48 Buddhist priests or nuns 50 Coal mine waste 52 Thicke of “Growing Pains” 54 Time for dodgeball, maybe 59 Opposite of under 62 ‘60s moonwalker 65 Bethlehem visitors 66 Spock’s is blue-green 67 ___-tat (snare drum sound) 74 68 1/640 of # a square mile 69 Without a date 70 Psych finish 71 Clod-busting tools 72 Big books 73 Cowl wearer
8 Eatin’ Cake Classic
4 5 1 6 2 3 DOWN 1 Missile pits 9 2 Napping 3 Pottery coating 8 4 Trucks at a truck 7 stop 5 6 7 8 9 10
Abjure Certain gamete Eastern royalty Sometimes it hurts Wi-fi connection? Lowest balcony in a theater 11 “Carmen” solo 1 2 When doubled, a New York prison 13 Brief moments
4 3 7 9 6 2 5 1 8
6 5 8 3
4
1
5
4 6 HARD
# 75
Page 19 of 25
7 9 2 1 6 8 5 3 4
8 5 3 9 4 2 1 7 6
4 1 6 5 3 7 2 8 9
2 8 9 7 5 6 3 4 1
6 5
1 7 2 4 9
8 2
1 4 8 7
7
4 # 76
Artistically Impaired
8 3 7 2 1 6 2 5 9 1 4 8 6 9 5 7 3 4
5
By Dylan Moriarty www.EatinCake.com
3 5 1
21 Pencil holder, at times 25 Cannery or Catfish 27 Prayer word 28 University of New Mexico athletes 30 The McCoys, for one 31 A dish with some of this and some of that 32 Planet in a 1938 radio “invasion” 33 Quick thrust, in fencing 6 ____2sapiens 1 5 7 9 34 35 Persepolis’ land, 1 today 9 6 4 8 5 36 5 Common 8 9 deliveries 2 3 4 38 Sleek, whiskered 8 swimmer 4 3 1 6 7 42 Gesturing game 5 2 8swimmer 4 3 47 5 Bioelectric 43 9 Midnight 1 7 meeting 9 5 of 6 witches 2 Foam 3 4alternative 7 1 for 8 51 shavers 4 6 8 3 9 53 Bid of zero tricks 2 55 9 Increasingly 7 5 6 rare 2 1 computer accessory 56 Bard’s inspiration 57 Type of 1960s protest 58 Mini-meal 59 Asian nursemaid 60 Word with “shell” or “Bell” 61 Shrek is one 63 Camera lens feature 64 Postal delivery area
8
8 9
By Erik Thiel ebthiel@wisc.edu
# 75
Give me guacamole or give me death
7 3
3
6
# 74
6
Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com
6
HARD
The Funny One
7
5 7
5 6 1 3 8 4 7 9 2
3 7 4 2 9 1 6 5 8
By Alex Pirkey apirkey@wisc.edu
1 2 5 4 7 9 8 6 3
9 3 8 6 1 5 4 2 7
# 76 6 5 2 3 4 9 1 7 8 6 4 9 4 8 7 6 2 1 3 5 7 1 6 7 8 5 3 2 4 9 8 6 7 5 1 4 8 9 2 3 2 8 3 9 2 7 6 5 1 4 3 By Andy Holsteen 4 1aholsteen@wisc.edu 2 5 3 9 8 6 7 9 3 5 1 9 8 4 6 7 2 1 7 8 6 3 2 5 4 9 1 5 2 9 4 6 1 7 3 5 8
24 Jul 05
Sports
thursday October 3, 2013 DailyCardinal.com
Men’s Soccer
Badgers rebound against Marquette By Louisa Lincoln and Chris Bates The daily Cardinal
Coming off a five-game road stretch and two tough losses, the Wisconsin men’s soccer team (0-0-1, Big Ten, 6-2-1 overall) came back in a big way to defeat in-state rival Marquette (1-0-0 Big East, 5-3-1) 1-0 at the McClimon Soccer Complex Wednesday. Following a 3-1 loss in their Big Ten season opener to Penn State Sunday, the Badgers were looking to return to a winning streak, according to senior forward Nick Janus. “We kind of came together after that Penn State loss because
we knew we should have had that one,” he said. “We knew we had to win tonight, and tonight was big.” The game started with both teams going back and forth, trading possession in an aggressive first half. Thanks to the strong defense of both teams, the ball was kept out of the back of the net despite a combined seven shots from both sides. The Golden Eagles came out strong at the beginning of the second half but Wisconsin fought back, with Janus scoring the only goal of the game on a header in the 71st minute after an assist from senior forward
Chris Prince. The goal stemmed from a defensive stop on the right side by redshirt sophomore defender Carl Schneider, which ignited a quick counter attack, garnering praise from head coach John Trask. “Our right side completely dominated their left side and that was where the goal came from,” Trask said. “Carl Schneider was a man tonight. I mean physically, mentally, every part of his game was quality tonight.” Until Wednesday, Wisconsin had not beaten Marquette since 2009, losing a 2-1 heartbreaker in double overtime last year. This
The Daily Cardinal Sports section’s top tweets: 9/26-10/2
We spend an inordinate amount of time on Twitter, so we’ve decided to justify that wasted time by compiling the week’s top tweets. They might be funny, they might be motivational and they might be none of the above, but as long as the tweets come from a past or current Badger player or coach, they pass the only prerequisite to make our list.
What do you think of this week’s top tweets? Is there another 140-character dispatch of goodness that should replace one of the tweets on this list? Tweet at us @Cardinal_Sports with your favorite tweets!
represents a big step forward for the Badgers in the I-94 rivalry. “I mean, we played against all those guys in high school so it’s a big rivalry and it felt good to finally beat them,” Janus said. “We want to prove that we are a team that is competitive for the NCAA tournament and to do that you have to beat the big teams, and beating Marquette is a huge step for us.” Coming back to McClimon after a road-heavy stretch and getting a win against Marquette was special, according to Trask. “There’s a lot of emotion on the line, it just amounts to a bigger game,” Trask said. “I think
probably the difference, in all honesty, is that we are at home. The fans came out, I thought we had great support. Our guys love to play at home. This is as good as it gets in college soccer.” Trask knows that the team can’t look ahead to its next Big Ten game against Indiana Oct. 11 and overlook the upcoming matchup against Drake next week. “Drake is going to come in here and be tough and be feisty,” he said. “It will be a very, very demanding game on Tuesday. If we start thinking about Indiana, we won’t beat Drake. We have to focus 100 percent on Drake.”
The new LeBron James Redemption for The Chosen One Jonah Beleckis real talk There is breaking news regarding LeBron James. However, the news is that there will be no news. But let’s be real, when isn’t LBJ a top storyline? James announced he will not discuss whether he will leave the Miami Heat until after the upcoming season is completed. The potential seismic shifting of superstars is newsworthy in all sports. But James’ history makes this ever more intriguing. “The Decision” aired three years ago this past July. Cleveland Cavalier fans have made scarce progress in forgiving the hometown hero, who left and went to three NBA Finals, ultimately winning two of them. Despite being an avid Chicago Bulls fan, I have respect for James, whose game and character have evolved and matured more in a Miami Heat uniform than they ever did in a Cleveland Cavalier uniform. While much of his raw ability developed in Cleveland, his jump from being one of the league’s best players to simply being the best is more impressive than some of his high-flying throw-downs. James was smashed during and after “The Decision.” He still is probably the most hated player in the league, and no matter what he does a significant number of those people will keep their feelings his whole career, or at least until he stops winning everything. I will not defend all of James’ actions. Many of the criticisms from years ago were accurate. He should not have been considered the best player in the league without winning a championship, and he created much of the media tornado he was viciously sucked into by handling “The Decision” in a less-than-professional manner. However, where James won me back was one year post-decision. The Miami Heat lost to the Dallas Mavericks in six games and James averaged just under 18 points per game, which was 8.9 ppg fewer than his regular season aver-
age. He had proven his critics right. He gave the angry fans everything they wanted. On the sport’s biggest stage he averaged three points in the fourth quarter. James started off his time in Miami embracing the bad guy role. He was relatively reasonable in the attempt because there were many minds he would never change again, so why not use the negative energy to fuel him in an “us against the world” mentality? The problem is that James is not like Michael Jordan. Being arguably the greatest basketball player in the history of the planet is a title that required Jordan to play angry, without any regrets about it. I’m not making any comparisons basketball-wise (if I were, James would have a long way to go), but their personalities could not be more different. James can’t—and never will— be a true bad guy. He laughs too much, he smiles too much, he has too much fun to keep up that persona. After suffering defeat, James not only developed his game to be the best closer in the league, but his maturity drastically increased. And that process began after a simple apology. He saw how he was portrayed (it would have been hard to miss) and he no longer wanted to be the villain. He made a mistake and he admitted it. Who hasn’t done that before? The full extent of how significant this apology was for James’ maturity will never be quantitatively explained, but his road to becoming the good guy again is a much more pleasant one. How James handles the next decision of his career will be another milestone in gauging his character. I don’t mean what team he goes to or if he wins or loses, but if he takes his second chance and is able to make the decision respectfully and honestly, then he will earn back many of the fans he lost in 2010. Do you think LeBron James will stay in Miami after next season? Does it matter where he goes and will he ever regain the support he once had in Cleveland? Tell Jonah what you think by emailing jbeleckis@dailycardinal.com.