Suicide at UW: What is the administration doing to detect signs of depression in students? NEWS
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FRANCO DELIVERS DEPTH IN ‘HOWL’ Biopic masterfully depicts life of Beat poet Allen Ginsberg
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Tuesday, November 9, 2010
GOP Senators appointed to Joint Finance Committee By Patrick Tricker The Daily Cardinal
Incoming State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, announced the six Republican senators that will serve on the Joint Finance Committee Monday. The committee will be co-chaired by state Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, and vice-chaired by state Sen. Luther Olsen, R-Ripon. Fitzgerald also named state Sens. Sheila Harsdorf, R-River Falls, Joseph Leibham, R-Sheboygan, Glenn Grothman, R-West Bend, and Randy Hopper, R-Fond du Lac, to the committee, which will include two yet-to-be-named senate Democrats. “The Senate Republican team is ready to get to work balancing our budget and reining in government spending while preserving the core functions of government,”
danny marchewka/the daily cardinal
By Ariel Shapiro
SSFC decides WSL, PAVE budgets
After days of silence on the topic, Gov. Jim Doyle addressed his choice to halt production on the high-speed rail line Monday, saying he would leave the decisions on the rail project to his successor, Governor-elect Scott Walker. “While I could force the issue, I believe that this project will only be successful in the long run if the State of Wisconsin and the U.S. Department of Transportation are strong partners,” Doyle said in a statement. Doyle praised the project and said not moving forward with construction would have serious economic ramifications, including potential job losses and the state having to return $14 million to the federal government. Walker was an ardent critic of the rail project throughout his campaign, calling it a
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The Student Services Finance Committee voted to increase funding to the proposed budgets of Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment and decrease funding for Wisconsin Student Lobby Monday. The committee also heard budget proposals from Supporting Peers in Laid-back Listening (SPILL), Adventure Learning Programs (ALPS) and the Campus Women’s Center. The PAVE 2011-’12 budget increased to $82,457. Despite being significantly lower than it was in previous years, the SSFC cut WSL’s proposed budget from $61,811 to $47,999. SSFC member Cale Plamann, who worked extensively with WSL on its budget, made multiple motions to strike funds from and shift hours between WSL’s salaried administrative positions. Plamann said he had “grave concerns” about the group. SSFC Secretary Jason Smathers said he supported cuts to WSL administrative funding but opposed “screwing with” the group’s direct services. Overall, the committee cut $13,812
from WSL’s proposed budget by a vote of four in favor and two, including Plamann, abstaining. SPILL, a group providing anonymous, peer-based online support for students, requested a decreased 2011-’12 budget, while team-building organization ALPS requested a budget increase. The newly re-eligible CWC proposed an increased budget for 2011-’12, requesting an additional $7,000 for programming. The CWC was denied funding for the 2010-’11 fiscal year due to inadequate records and insufficient direct services, according to the SSFC ruling. For 2011-’12, CWC Finance Intern Mirabel Rouze said much of the increased funding would go toward compensating for last year’s cuts, as well as advertising and speakers’ fees. “A lot of our programs have been depleted this year because of our lack of funding,” Rouze said. The SSFC will determine budgets for the CWC, as well as ALPS and SPILL, at their meeting Thursday. The committee will also hear budget proposals from Sex Out Loud, the Working Class Student Union and Badger Catholic.
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Doyle explains decision to stop rail
The SSFC voted to increase Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment’s funding and to decrease Wisconsin Student Lobby’s funding Monday night.
By Alison Bauter
Fitzgerald said in a statement. The Joint Finance Committee makes changes to the governor’s recommended budget before introducing it into the legislature, and all bills requiring funding must be referred to the committee. The committee is considered the most powerful in the Legislature because of their role in the budget process. Hopper, who was DARLING elected in 2008, will be the first legislator to sit on the committee in his first term. Although the assembly members of the Joint Finance Committee have yet
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“boondoggle” and saying he would reject the nearly $810 million in federal funding for it and stop construction altogether. Doyle said if the money is turned away, the U.S. DOT has made it clear they would hand it over to another state. “There has been talk that this money could be used for roads. That is pure fiction,” Doyle said in a statement. “There are already states lined up with rail projects waiting for us to turn back this money.” New York Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo recently wrote to the U.S. DOT to request the funding Wisconsin and Ohio are likely to turn away in order to enhance New York’s own upstate rail lines. Ohio Governor-elect John Kasich has opposed a high-speed rail system that would link Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Star Chef
Wallet taken in State Street robbery Saturday A 20-year-old Madison man was robbed of his wallet on State Street Saturday morning around 12:13 a.m. The victim told Madison police he was walking down the 500 block of State Street when five men approached him. Authorities said one of the five men pushed the victim against a sign post and told him to empty his pockets. The victim gave the alleged thief his cell phone
and wallet. The suspect returned the phone, but kept the wallet, Madison Police Department spokesperson Joel DeSpain said in a statement. The suspect is said to be a 20-yearold black man with cornrows or braids in his hair, around 5'2" with a heavy build. At the time of the robbery he was said to be wearing a blue and white checkered shirt.
ben pierson/the daily cardinal
About 140 people attended Slow Food UW’s “Family Dinner Night” Monday, which featured an appearance from L’Etoile executive chef Tory Miller.
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”
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An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892
News and Editorial edit@dailycardinal.com Editor in Chief Emma Roller Managing Editor Todd Stevens Campus Editor Kayla Johnson City Editor Maggie DeGroot State Editor Ariel Shapiro Enterprise Editor Alison Dirr Associate News Editor Beth Pickhard Senior News Reporters Jamie Stark Ashley Davis Opinion Editors Dan Tollefson Samantha Witthuhn Editorial Board Chair Hannah Furfaro Arts Editors Jacqueline O’Reilly Jon Mitchell Sports Editors Mark Bennett Parker Gabriel Page Two Editor Victoria Statz Life & Style Editor Stephanie Rywak Features Editor Madeline Anderson Photo Editors Danny Marchewka Ben Pierson Graphics Editors Caitlin Kirihara Natasha Soglin Multimedia Editors Eddy Cevilla Briana Nava Page Designers Claire Silverstein Joy Shin Copy Chiefs Anna Jeon Margaret Raimann Nico Savidge Kyle Sparks Copy Editors Matt Beatty, Jackie Pecquex, Duwayne Sparks
Business and Advertising business@dailycardinal.com Business Manager Cole Wenzel Advertising Manager Mara Greenwald Accounts Receivable Manager Michael Cronin Billing Manager Lizzie Breckenfelder Senior Account Executive Taylor Grubbs Account Executive Alyssa Flemmer Dan Kaplan Rick Maturo Nick Bruno Carly Ettinger Matt Jablon Graphic Designer Jaime Flynn Web Director Eric Harris Marketing Director Erica Rykal Public Relations Manager Becky Tucci Events Manager Bill Clifford Art Director Jaime Flynn 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 Wisconsin-Madison 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 Hannah Furfaro • Miles Kellerman Emma Roller • Nico Savidge S. Todd Stevens • Dan Tollefson Samantha Witthuhn
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If marijuana was completely legal in Madison
Volume 120, Issue 50
2142 Vilas Communication Hall 821 University Avenue Madison, Wis., 53706-1497 (608) 262-8000 • fax (608) 262-8100
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andrew lahr spare me the lahrcasm
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few days ago, California came just 7.6 percent short from a full legalization of marijuana in its much-hyped and controversial Proposition 19 vote. Needless to say, I almost dropped my croissant upon reading this news during my morning Internet current events binge. Then I started thinking in hypotheticals. One can argue it’s inevitable that marijuana will be legalized in the United States at some point in the future, with fairly credible statistics backing them up. So let’s say tomorrow, being some point in the future, marijuana was declared fully legal in Madison with no strings attached, turning our city into the world’s largest Bob Marley fan club of all time. What would happen? Who would benefit? Would society change for the better? Or would we all succumb to sitting on our couches, giggling whilst watching morning cartoons in Spanish? First, I think it’s fair to say
that if you were to drop a foreign nomad into the heart of Madison with no knowledge of local legislation and had them follow a sociable student around, they’d soon believe the leaf was already legalized. The homeless smoke, Greeks smoke, gamers smoke, student artists and musicians most definitely smoke. Even the biggest geeks on campus will “geek out” just for kicks, maybe to add a little spice to their episode of “Battlestar Galactica” or to help immerse themselves in an intense game of “Dungeons and Dragons” (does anyone play that anymore?). Not to mention we have a yearly holiday in which all tokers unite in a march for their beloved THC on State Street and smoke their brains out, right under the plugged noses of local law enforcement. So would a full legalization of marijuana change things here besides eliminating the minor inconvenience of the awkward drug-dealer-to-client relationship? If you could pick up a pack of joints filled with Afghani Kush at Triangle Market for cheap, I think it’s safe to say more people would be smoking reefer and smoking a hell of a lot more of it. It’s hard to imagine there would be
a positive effect on the academic performances of the majority of students here, especially those who have homework that involves complex equations or chemical reactions. I don’t care who you ask—math, chemistry and marijuana don’t mix. If anyone says otherwise, they’re either Einstein reincarnated or an habitual liar. On the other hand, classes involving art, deep thinking or being easily amused would probably be positively affected. There would be fewer arrests— a lot fewer. Not only would no one be arrested for carrying around dime bags, but I think people would be less inclined to go out and walk the streets hammered, being content to sit around a bong and a pack of Oreos, listening to music or watching movies. Maybe the cops would even be stoned and therefore less motivated to throw convicts in the slammer. The SERF would most certainly be emptier than ever, mainly because swimming and running go along with being high about as well as peanut butter and hot sauce. Taco Bell and Chipotle could expect record sales, as well as Ragstock; and students could actually browse head shops for glass pipes without getting thrown
out for mentioning the word weed. Cigarette sales would plummet—after all, who’s going to buy a pack of Camels when there’s a pack of the green stuff sitting right next to it for the same price? Truth be told, I don’t think anyone knows just what would happen with a full legalization of America’s favorite recreational drug. Maybe a good idea would be to do a test run, legalizing it for a month or so just to test the waters. But then again, curious politicians would probably be too stoned by the end date to change the law back again if it was needed. Have any thoughts on marijuana legalization? Go ahead and e-mail them to Andrew at aplahr@wisc. edu, because he most likely has nothing better to do than read them.
Girl in College Library:
I’m sick of being younger than everyone. Girl 2: Whatever. Everyone is gonna die before you.
Girl in Fresh Market:
It’s hard to fit two grown men on a donkey.
Guy at the Plaza:
My roommates accidentally hooked up one time when they were drunk. Girl: Accidentally ... not meaning her vagina broke his penis’ fall, then they fell over and just kept going.
Girl 1:
I had such a bad night last night. I lost my belly button ring and my Ugg broke. Girl 2: What? How does an Ugg break? Girl 1: I was walking into the library, and when someone pulled the door open it got caught on my Ugg and ripped a big slit in it. Girl 2: Did they offer to pay for it? Girl 1: I don’t even remember how much Uggs cost ... These are so old, they’re almost 2 years old!
Snippets from professor in Birge Hall:
—Achilles won a huge amount of iron, probably meteroritic. Not exactly a reliable system for your raw materials! —The dinosaurs painted themselves into a dinosaur corner.
Girl in Vilas Hall, looking at some old, dirty aprons: What are those things? Were people killed in them?
A TA in the Chem Building:
Guy in Vilas Hall:
So, do we have, like, a mascot for Wisconsin? Like, the UW-Madison...? [Dead silence for about 30 seconds] Girl: The.. Badgers? TA: Oh yeah, okay. I do get out sometimes, I swear!
Girl in Memorial Union:
People say the darndest shit, so submit your Overheards to vstatz@ dailycardinal.com or comment on this weeks’ submissions at dailycardinal.com/page-two.
What makes you think you’re too good for Babcock ice cream? Girl: Sometimes I want an ice cream sandwich from Fresh Market... My latte tastes like green beans!
Board of Directors Jason Stein, President Emma Roller • Cole Wenzel Samuel Todd Stevens • Mara Greenwald Vince Filak • Janet Larson Alex Kusters • Jenny Sereno Chris Drosner • Melissa Anderson Ron Luskin • Joan Herzing
© 2010, The Daily Cardinal Media Corporation
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Tuesday, November 9, 2010
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ALRC does not make decision in R Place on Park hearing By Maggie DeGroot the daily cardinal
The Alcohol License Review Committee did not make a final decision on possibly revoking R Place on Park’s alcohol license at a hearing Monday.
“The hearings will most likely go on for one or two more meetings.” Mike Verveer Alderman Dist. 4
Danny marchewka/the daily cardinal
Father Eric Nielsen spoke in front of the Madison Landmarks Commission to promote proposed plans to renovate the St. Paul Catholic Student Center and Residential College.
Committee finds proposed size of Catholic center too big By Grace Gleason The Daily Cardinal
The Madison Landmarks Commission discussed how the proposed plans for the St. Paul Catholic Student Center and Residential College could potentially affect Pres House, a 103-yearold campus Presbyterian chapel and Madison historic landmark. The committee said Monday it was concerned the scale and height of the new building would be out of context amid the smaller structures in the area. “Its size and mass, in my opinion, have an adverse effect on the historic character of the adjacent landmark,” committee chair Daniel Stephans said. “It comes down to the height, is what it amounts to.” Although the committee members were positive about the building’s design, the appeal of the architectural plan was not enough to alleviate committee members’ concerns about the building’s size.
committee from page 1 to be appointed, assembly Republicans elected their two top leaders for the upcoming legislative session Monday. State Rep. Scott Suder, R-Abbotsford, will be the Assembly Majority Leader, and Rep. Jeff Fitzgerald, R-Horicon, Scott Fitzgerald’s brother, will serve as Speaker of the Assembly. “After a historic election that
“I think it’s a beautiful, beautiful building … but it dwarfs the other buildings,” committee member Robin Taylor said. Architect Matthew Alderman said the simple design of the building’s side could create a “backdrop” for Pres House.
“I think it’s a beautiful, beautiful building ... but it dwarfs the other buildings.” Robin Taylor committee member Madison Landmarks Commission
“I think the architecture is a good citizen,” Alderman said. “It responds well to its civic environment.” Father Eric Nielsen, St. Paul’s director, said the current facilities are no longer adequate to house the Catholic center’s activities. He put Republicans in charge of all state government, I look forward to helping the good people of Wisconsin get back to work,” Jeff Fitzgerald said in a statement. “The voters spoke with a clear voice calling for smaller government and private sector job growth.” Assembly Democrats and Republicans will announce their appointments in the coming weeks.
Want to see more photos from this weekend’s Border Battle against Minnesota?
Check out The Daily Cardinal’s slideshow of Wisconsin men’s and women’s hockey in action against the Gophers online at
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said the center needs a warmer, more inviting and traditional space to appeal to students. “Students that are coming to the university now find [the existing center’s architecture] cold and iconoclastic; they’re looking for something that reminds them a little bit more of the church they go to at home,” Nielsen said. “That’s a prime motivator for us.” The $45 million project would be a redevelopment of the current Catholic center at 723 State Street. The proposed 14-story, 10,000-square-foot space would serve a spot for social gatherings and would include a residence hall for up 200 people and a chapel that could seat up to 500 worshipers. The Madison Urban Design Commission, Madison Planning Commission and Common Council must first approve the project. The Urban Design Commission will receive an informational presentation Nov. 10.
Man robbed at knifepoint Sunday A 23-year-old Madison man was robbed at knifepoint on Bowen Court early Sunday morning. Two men approached the victim on the 1200 block of Bowen Court around 12:23 a.m., according to the police incident report. One of the men had a knife and demanded money from the victim, police said, which the victim gave him. “The victim said the second assailant was not actively involved in crime’s commission,” Madison Police Department spokesperson Joel DeSpain said in a statement. One suspect is said to be 20 to 30 years old, 5'8" to 5'10" with an average build. At the time of the robbery he was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans, with a dark-colored bandana over his face. Police said the suspect was armed with a knife during the robbery. The other suspect was also said to be 20 to 30 years old, 6', and 160 to 170 lbs. He was allegedly wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans.
The ALRC met for several hours and heard from two witnesses from the Madison Police Department, Ald. Mike Verveer, Dist. 4, said. “The city had no more wit-
nesses prepared,” Verveer said. “So [the ALRC] again recessed until a future meeting.” The majority of the rest of the city’s witnesses will most likely be police officers or neighbors near the bar, according to Verveer. Roderick Flowers, owner of R Place on Park, and his attorney Anthony Delyea will also have several witnesses to call on. “The hearing will most likely go on for one or two more meetings,” Verveer said. The hearings may result in a revocation of the bar’s license following a complaint filed by Madison Police Captain Joe Balles. Balles filed the complaint after 25 separate disturbances, including several shootings, at the bar dating back to May of 2010. The next hearing has not yet been scheduled.
danny marchewka/the daily cardinal
Representing the City of Madison, attorney Jennifer Zilavy called on two Madison police officers as witnesses at the hearing on Monday.
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‘I didn’t have
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Lorenzo Zemella/the daily cardinal
UW-Madison administrators have jump started a new program in an effort to curb student suicide. out to each other to begin resolving these issues. “I think it’s that whole idea of really listening UW-Madison senior Albert “Alby” Luciani to your friends and really being there,” Berquam took 60 muscle relaxants and lay down in his said. “I’m not saying that Alby’s friends weren’t. closet, hoping to quietly slip away. I think he did a good job of cover up. In that “I didn’t wake up in the hospital,” he said. “I case, it’s not like it’s your responsibility as a woke up in front of my ma and she was bawling. friend to figure it out.” It was the day I was supposed to graduate, so my However, Danielle Oakley, UHS director of ma was on her way to my house in the morning. counseling and consultation, said 90 percent of She came in and found me there and took me to people who commit suicide allude to their plan the hospital.” in some way. Shaken by Luciani’s story, members of University Health Services and the Office of the Dean of Students are jumpstarting a program to bring “It was a solid year and half of greater awareness to suicide on college campuses. A publicity campaign and university task everybody I knew was dying.” force are the first steps in a long-term plan to educate the community about intervening when a student shows signs of depression or suicidal Albert Luciani tendencies, according to Kathy Kruse, an assisUW-Madison senior tant dean in the Division of Student Life. “I’m talking probably a three-year plan on different things: Reaching out to faculty, getting people involved to know even who to reach to In addition to efforts by the Office of the or who to call if faculty experience this in their Dean of Students, UHS is implementing new classroom or what have you,” she said. programs to combat student suicide, the second These efforts build on resources already in leading cause of death among college students. place, such as UHS counseling services and the Through an online program called At Risk, crisis hotline. UHS plans to train community members to Kruse said the university plans to begin the recognize the signs of depression and respond program this spring with Luciani’s help. effectively to students with mental health issues. An active member in Phi Beta Lambda fraOakley estimates that At Risk will cost the ternity and the School of Business, Luciani was university $28,000. For this price, the parent a successful student who exhibited no suicidal company, Kognito Interactive, will make the inclinations prior to unexpected family circum- software available to all 60,000 UW-Madison stances in his junior year. faculty, staff and students in addition to tailorSix of his family members got cancer, his ing the program to the university based on stumother had a stroke, he thought his brother was dent and faculty feedback. going to die and his girlfriend of four years cheatUsing avatars, Kognito Interactive creates ed on him with his best friend from childhood. “virtual role-play simulations and games where “It was a solid year and half of everybody users develop interpersonal skills and learn to I knew was dying. I didn’t have any reason effectively manage challenging conversations,” to live,” Luciani said. “Then I just got really according to their website. sad and I didn’t want anybody to know I was UHS hopes to implement the program by upset…I literally didn’t leave my room. I made fall 2011, according to Sarah Van Ormann, every excuse not to be social. I let go of every Executive Director of UHS. single friend I ever had.” Luciani, however, said he would have resisted Dean of Students Lori Berquam, who worked help from university counselors because any with Luciani, said depressed students and the peo- intervention would have interfered with his plan ple around them share the responsibility to reach to end his life. More important than a counselor, By Alison Dirr The Daily Cardinal
he said, is that the university put troubled students in contact with loved ones. “The whole goal of this [program] is to be able to identify those signs and get that kid in trouble in contact with somebody that they care about. If my little brother Mikey came and I saw his face, it would have been over. I would have changed my mind,” he said. Kipp Cox, an assistant dean and director of Student Assistance and Judicial Affairs, said his department contacts parents or guardians five to ten times each semester. “We’re not just calling and telling the parent, like tattling that your kid has a problem,” Cox said. “It’s more about how can we partner with you as a parent to help your son or daughter or student.” Luciani said he began to realize the impact his death would have had when 53 of his friends and family members visited him in a mental institution where he spent two days after his release from the hospital. Now, in his senior year in the business school, Luciani is spending time picking up the pieces. But life looks a lot brighter from this side. “I saw the worst in everything,” Luciani said. “I’d walk down the street and get pissed off because a kid was crying in public and his ma wouldn’t shut him up. Now I just smile and put on my headphones like a normal college kid.”
Suicide: More than a statistic 90% of people who do commit suicide have talked about it in some way to others. There have been 3 suicide cases at UW-Madison in the last year. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students after vehicle accidents. Source: Danielle Oakley, UHS director of counseling and consultation services.
arts Franco fantastic in ‘Howl’ dailycardinal.com/arts
By Jacqueline O’Reilly The Daily Cardinal
Making a movie about the life of a great artist is a big responsibility. Some have done so successfully: Vincente Minnelli’s “Lust for Life,” a film about the relationship between Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin, is considered by many to be the best film about an artist ever made. Others have not faired so well. “Factory Girl” tells the story of Andy Warhol’s muse, Edie Sedgwick, and was reviewed by many as shallow. So what do you do when telling the story of a man who defied social norms, was disgusted by mainstream media and wasn’t even looking for fame in the first place, just to get published? How do you make sure you don’t make a mockery of yourself, and more importantly, the artist in question? You do a damn good job. Directors Rob Epstein and Jeffrey
Friedman knew this, as their film, “Howl,” beautifully depicts poet Allen Ginsberg and his most famous work. The movie is segmented into three portions. The first is the past. Delivered in black and white, the introduction tells of the adventures, love and desire for freedom that led Ginsberg to create his seminal poem. The second portion, posed in the present, is set in San Francisco, where “Howl” and the book store owner who printed it are on trial for obscenity. The final portion is a visualization of the poem itself, an illustrated narrative that flashes by as “Howl” is read aloud. As impressive as all three parts are, it is during the present, obscenity trial portion of the film that “Howl” hits its stride. This is due largely to the phenomenal acting. Jon Hamm plays Jake Ehrlich, the lawyer who defended the book store owner, and does a phenomenal job conveying the
significance of Ginsberg’s work. Jeff Daniels, Mary-Louise Parker and David Strathairn also use their talents in a courtroom scene that depicts the debate and confusion that surrounded “Howl.” However, James Franco is by far the film’s standout. His portrayal of Ginsberg is effortless, as he is able to get inside the vulnerably brilliant poet’s mind. From his body language to his nowfamous language, the young actor does the poet profound justice, delivering a performance few will be able to forget. The one place the movie falters is its depiction of “Howl” itself. Poetry is powerful because it means something different to every reader. While the film’s attempt to illustrate the poem is understandable, even enjoyable, there is something about the illustrations that feels forced. What made Ginsberg’s masterpiece impactful and controversial
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Photo Courtesy Oscilloscope Laboratories
In “Howl,” James Franco is able to casually embody the tendencies of Beat poet of Allen Ginsberg, giving a performance few will ignore. were the words that constructed it. By using such visually stunning artwork to manifest the ideas of “Howl,” the greatness of the poem is overwhelmed and the individual interpretation lost. Despite this, “Howl” is a fantastic take on a profound piece of literature. When you turn your own interpretation of an artist’s
work into a motion picture, there are bound to be some critics who don’t care to hear what you have to say or who would rather let their own interpretations be the only one they take seriously. While this instinctive reaction is understandable, “Howl” deserves credit for its thoughtful point of view.
Don’t dismiss Michael Cera, ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’ a future cult-classic david cottrell co-ttrell it on the mountain adison’s Majestic Theatre hosts semi-regular latenight screenings of the beloved Cohen-brothers cult classic “The Big Lebowski.” These screenings, dubbed the “Brew and View,” usually sell out quickly and end up packed with avid fans, some dressed in costume, sipping $4 White Russians. Despite positive critical reception, when “The Big Lebowski” first opened it was a box-office flop. In 1998, it opened at number six at the box office, made less than $6 million and left theaters after just four weeks. However, slowly but surely a fan base for the movie grew purely by word-of-mouth. Eventually DVD sales put “The Big Lebowski” in the black three times over. Like “The Big Lebowski,” “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” opened this summer to critical praise but box office failure. “Scott Pilgrim”’s box-office flop was one of the biggest so far this year. It opened at number five, below movies like “Inception” that had been out for weeks, taking in only $10 million. For a film with an estimated budget of around $60 Million, a $10 million opening is a disaster of epic proportions. Normally, Universal would have no hope of ever breaking even. But that may turn out not to be the case. There may still be hope left for Universal and inventive films everywhere. I have a feeling that “Scott Pilgrim” may just be the next “Big Lebowski”—the next cult classic. After all, director Edgar Wright’s last two movies “Hot Fuzz” and “Shaun of the Dead” are already DVD favorites. The critical praise was there from the beginning. Ever since Edgar Wright showed a group of directors an early rough-cut, there had been good word on the street. Jason Reitman,
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director of “Up in the Air,” called the movie a “game changer” and said that if he had a movie coming out this year, he wouldn’t want it released anywhere near “Scott Pilgrim.” Kevin Smith, director of “Clerks” and “Dogma,” said, “It’s spellbinding, and nobody is going to understand what the fuck just hit them.” Smith went on to describe the movie “as ‘Say Anything’ meets ‘Kill Bill.’” That’s one of the best descriptions I’ve heard of the film, and that may be one of the fundamental reasons why “Scott Pilgrim” was a flop. It’s really hard to explain to someone what exactly “Scott Pilgrim” is. It’s not a superhero movie. It’s not a romcom. It’s not an indie dramedy or a big action movie. One of the best, abstract descriptions I have heard is that “Scott Pilgrim” is like a musical with stylized “fight numbers” instead of musical numbers. And if an ardent supporter of the film such as myself can barely manage to describe it, maybe there wasn’t much hope for Universal to be able to do it in a 30-second TV ad. The reality is that “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” is simultaneously a groundbreaking and incredibly entertaining film. Edgar Wright’s attention to detail and shot composition are astounding, and the eye-popping visual effects demand your attention. There is so much crammed into every frame of the film you have to see it multiple times before you can truly appreciate everything the film has to offer. It really is a visual masterpiece in every respect. Michael Bacall’s script is filled with a plethora of quotable quips that will stick in your head. There are so many, in fact, that it is quite easy to miss a lot of the great dialogue the first time you see it. The movie moves at the speed of light, and it must, in order to fit in everything that it has. I’ve seen “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” four times now, and each time my appreciation has deepened. Each time I’ve found new jokes, pop culture allusions and references, hidden details and missed lines.
Want free Lotus tickets? The first person to correctly answer the following question will win a pair of tickets to the show.
What city is Lotus from? Send your answer to arts@dailycardinal.com and you could win!
And that’s what really comes to define cult classics: They have to hold up to repeat viewings. With “Scott Pilgrim,” there’s so much jam-packed in there that you are bound to find something new with each successive screening. It may be indescribable and you may not know exactly what hits you, but I think you’ll love it all the same. I know everyone is sick of Michael Cera. He should quit typecasting himself and prove he has acting ability beyond playing slight variations of himself. But until he does, please don’t write off “Scott Pilgrim” just because his mug graces the cover. Even if you think Cera
can’t play anything other than a socially awkward adolescent, that’s ok, because that’s what he needs to play in “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.” And it’s such a tremendous film that there’s enough there for even the Michael Cera detractors to love. Frankly, at this point, as a film fan, I would be worried if “Scott Pilgrim” doesn’t find success in its home video release. “Scott Pilgrim” was one of the most creative, imaginative and unique films I have seen in years. And if a film like “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” can’t make money anymore, what hope is there for the future? Are we destined for a world of bland, unoriginal movies
that are just amalgamations of the 20 genre movies that came before? This Friday and Saturday night, WUD Film is showing midnight screenings of “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” in the Memorial Union Play Circle Theater. If you haven’t seen it, go check it out. And if you’ve already seen it, bring your friends. If I’m wrong, you can definitively write off Michael Cera as the worst thing to happen to cinema since someone paid Uwe Boll to make a film. But if I’m right, you just might find one of your new favorite flicks. Don’t need to see “Scott Pilgrim” to know Michael Cera has no talent? Let David know at dcottrell@wisc.edu.
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I SEE EVERYTHING. Quasars (associated with black holes) are thought to be the brightest objects in the entire universe. dailycardinal.com/comics
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Enjoying this 60 degree weather
Today’s Sudoku
Evil Bird
By Caitlin Kirihara kirihara@wisc.edu
© Puzzles by Pappocom
Branching Out
By Brendan Sullivan bsullivan3@wisc.edu
Solution, tips and computer program available at www.sudoku.com.
Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.
CONNECT THE DOTS!
Eatin’ Cake
By Dylan Moriarty eatincake@gmail.com
Crustaches
By Patrick Remington premington@wisc.edu
Today’s Crossword Puzzle
Hot Sauce
By Oliver Buchino buchino@wisc.edu
Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com
CLOSE AND CLOSER ACROSS 1 Butcher’s side 5 “Too many cooks spoil the broth,” e.g. 10 Cash-free transaction 14 Continental dollar 15 Plant with two seed leaves 16 Give up, as territory 17 In the neighborhood 20 Memorable, as a day 21 Singer ___ King Cole 22 ___ out a living 23 Word with “little” or “late” 24 Descendant of Noah’s eldest son 27 Poison ivy contact result 29 Greensboro protest of 1960 32 Piece-loving lobby? 33 Perform one’s scenes 36 Evade 38 Relatively close 41 Sleepy Hollow’s was headless 42 Busy ___ bee 43 William Tell’s canton 44 Lets off steam 46 About 15 grains 50 Start to be active 52 Sporty truck, briefly
55 In-flight announcement 56 Weeding tool 57 Endured 60 Nearby 63 Sailing the waves 64 Curriculum ___ (brief resume) 65 “Will there be anything ___?” 66 Not counterfeit 67 Perform penance 68 South Yemeni port DOWN 1 Word with “Water” or “standard” 2 California motto (“I have found it!”) 3 Deteriorates 4 Basketball game stopper 5 Build on 6 Marks for lazy listers 7 Need an aspirin 8 Suffix with “theater” 9 Time-saving abbr. 10 “Now git!” 11 Pursued, as a career 12 “Lemon” or “lime” ending 13 According to 18 Ping-pong partition 19 Harmony 24 Gulf off Libya
25 Allowance after tare 26 “The Gold-Bug” author’s monogram 28 They may be tossed in the ring 30 “Did you get the flowers ___?” 31 Padre’s sister 34 Annoyed continually (Var.) 35 Stopwatch or hourglass 37 Hairdo or rug type 38 Was decked out in 39 Isle of Man location 40 Palindromic Bobbsey twin name 41 Flight-connection site 45 Brunei monarch 47 Said again 48 “Ten-hut!” reversal 49 Football video game name 51 Bottom line 53 Laugh that’s less than a guffaw 54 Before, to Hamlet 57 Airhead 58 Able to see right through 59 Geometry calculation 60 Place for cookies 61 Walk all over 62 Mature female germ cells
Washington and the Bear
By Derek Sandberg kalarooka@gmail.com
opinion
dailycardinal.com/opinion
Network news should man up and admit to biased coverage miles kellerman opinion columnist
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ast Friday, MSNBC suspended Keith Olbermann indefinitely for his contributions of $2,400 to three Democratic political candidates. The network claims the donations are in conflict with their news policies and that Olbermann’s contributions could jeopardize both his and the network’s neutrality. The unpaid suspension has caused quite a bit of debate over whether cable news anchors should be allowed to contribute to political campaigns and whether the suspension was a just punishment for the breach in policy. Should a journalist be able to exercise his or her right to participate in politics through campaign donations? Does a financial contribution to a political candidate prevent a journalist from remaining impartial? Does pure neutrality even exist in the human conscience? These are all valid questions, but perhaps we’re missing the point. Issues of this nature are only relevant under the assumption that cable news networks are truly news organizations, and that the talking heads fighting for your mind every night are really journalists. Anyone who’s seen an episode of Olbermann’s “Countdown” should not be surprised by his monetary contributions. His program has established a crystal-clear liberal favoritism, and MSNBC as a whole has hardly hidden that it favors Democrats. At the opposite end of the spectrum lies FOX News, whose “Fair and Balanced” slogan contradicts the onslaught of conservative rhetoric spewed by Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity on a regular basis. Ultimately, MSNBC’s greatest mistake is pretending that “Countdown” and “The Rachel Maddow Show” are neutral. The network has drawn
an imaginary line in which financial contributions cross the threshold of what’s acceptable. But this is a veiled attempt to claim impartiality. Why is a campaign contribution so taboo when it’s perfectly acceptable for Olbermann to spend the entirety of his program attacking Republicans and FOX News? Both MSNBC and FOX need interventions, because they’re clearly in denial. The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem, and both networks need to recognize that through their choice of anchors and the content of their programs, they are biased agencies telling their viewers how to interpret events. Let’s imagine how each network would describe their programming after having realized their errors: “Hello from MSNBC! After much thought, we’ve realized that our suspension of Keith Olbermann is really just a weak attempt to pretend we have no political bias. I mean have you seen a recent show of Rachel Maddow? She is a brilliant young woman who knows how to do her research, but she’s about as partisan as Steve Colbert. And Olbermann! His regular segment, “Worst Person In The World” is pretty much guaranteed to include Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, Lindsey Graham or Bill O’Reilly. “The majority of his show is committed to calling out FOX, but we gladly support this childish back-andforth instead of actually covering the news. Need more evidence? Take a look at our 2008 election coverage in which Chris Matthews described the ‘thrill going up [his] leg’ every time he heard Barack Obama speak. What’s that you say? President Obama has introduced legislation to make the donkey the official state mammal of New York? Call Olbermann, the second coming of Christ has done it again.” “Not so fast MSNBC. We here at FOX News taught you everything you know. We’re owned by News Corporation, whose chairman, Rupert Murdoch, approved a donation of $1 million to Republican candidates in
2010. Sean Hannity donated $5,000 to Michele Bachman’s political action campaign and $2,400 to the campaign of Republican Sean Gomez before having both on his show. Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee, also hosts of our regular-running FOX programs, led multiple Republican fundraisers across the country. Fair and Balanced? Hah! We’re really not even trying to pretend anymore. Bill O’Reilly used to be our least-neutral figurehead, but with the additions of Palin and Hannity, he’s probably our most reasonable news anchor. “I mean, just look at our golden child, Glenn Beck. Yes, he appears mildly insane. Sure, our choice to give him a show is an irresponsible abuse of our power as a prominent news network, but damn he gets good ratings. There’s something about those accusations of socialism and racism, the crying on camera and the absurdity of his arguments that really seems to connect with the American people. Did you know that if you take the first letter of every Democratic candidate’s name it spells ‘SATAN’! Are you scared yet? We need you to stay scared so we can keep you misinformed.” While these portrayals describe exaggerated biases of both FOX News and MSNBC, the slants communicated through either network are undeniable. The only viable question left to raise in light of Keith Olbermann’s suspension is why these two networks continue to hide their obvious favoritism. When the American public surf news channels and come across the anchors of both networks, we’re putting our opinions up for auction. Hannity, Olbermann, Beck, Maddow, O’Reilly—they have an agenda, and no matter how they spin it, they’re trying to convince you to think like them. Next time you come across one of these talking heads, turn off your television and make your own conclusions. Better yet, just read The Cardinal. Miles Kellerman is a sophomore with an undecided major. Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Cardinal View editorials represent The Daily Cardinal’s organizational opinion. Each editorial is crafted independent of news coverage.
late lease deadline benefits students The predominant belief of many students on campus, particularly freshmen, seems to be that if you don’t sign a lease on an apartment by December, you will end up living in an old refrigerator box. But this belief could not be further from the truth. In reality, students have a wealth of choices in the rental market. Unfortunately, freshmen who have only been on campus for less than three months aren’t aware of this—putting them in prime position to be taken advantage of by rental companies.
Of course, some rental companies have cried murder over the proposal.
Fortunately, there is legislation in place to address this problem. In March, The Daily Cardinal Editorial Board endorsed a proposal by Ald. Bridget Maniaci, Dist. 2, that would push the start of the leasing season back from Nov. 15 to late January. Although originally scheduled for tonight, the Common Council’s vote on the proposal has been pushed back to Dec. 14. Still, we urge the city’s alders to vote in favor of this common-sense idea. The problem the proposal addresses is education. In reality, there is no actual problem with supply in campus area housing—only an imagined one. This is due to students rushing into rental agreements only a few months into the year, resulting in living arrangements with room-
—No. As long as smokers aren’t bothering people, I don’t see a problem with it.
—Yes, no one likes to smell like a bowling hall or a downtown Milwaukee front porch while they are trying to get educated. The campus is already filled with smells that should be prohibited. We could do with one less. —I don’t think smoking on campus should be completely banned because smoking is an addiction. It’s already stressful enough to be a student, and the stress level of smokers around campus would be further elevated with a complete restriction, thus creating more problems and levels of stress. —I figure if people really want to smoke they should have some place they can do it. That place, however, is not right outside my dorm room window. So, as long as the people smoking abide by the rules, I have no problem with it.
—While in general I would like it if everyone stopped smoking tobacco, I don’t like the idea of restricting smoking throughout campus. I support indoor bans everywhere, especially looking at cases of lung cancer through secondhand smoke, and I wish the current restrictions of smoking close to university buildings were better followed and enforced. Smoking in the open, however, should not be banned unless we feel as a society completely making tobacco illegal, which I also do not support. —No. It’s one thing to ban smoking in institutions, where secondhand smoking is more dangerous to those around you. However, a UW campus-wide smoking ban would include public property, parks, individual’s homes, etc. You cannot infringe upon a person’s right to smoke in public, much less in the privacy of their own homes.
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—Yes. The smoking chars my Chinese books and the chemistry of a cigarette doesn’t offer anything new to study.
Should smoking be banned on the UW-Madison campus?
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—I don’t think it’s a realistic goal. There are so many people who work on this campus or at least go through the campus to get to work who aren’t even affiliated with the school and banning smoking would affect them as well, not just students and faculty. It’s a nice idea and I get why people would want to walk to class without a huge smoke cloud blowing in their face from the person in front of them, but too many people outside of the school would be affected by this change. Plus, I don’t think many people would actually follow it, considering I don’t know any one of my friends who follow the nosmoking-closer-than-25-feet-fromthis-building rule. —Yes, nothing is worse than gasping for air on the way up Bascom and ingesting a mouthful of dirty smoke.
mates one hardly knows and housing searches that are rarely thorough and often hurried. The delayed leasing date would allow first-time renters to get to know their future housemates more closely and would provide them with more time to get information about renting. In addition, current tenants are forced to make a decision on renewing their leases long before they have experienced how their unit holds up to Madison’s brutal winters. The new ordinance would solve this problem. Of course, some rental companies have cried murder over the proposal. They say students studying abroad in the spring will be unable to find housing. But students will still be able to find available apartments in the summer, not to mention those who choose to study abroad should be able to rely on the judgment of their roommates when choosing an abode. Naysayers have also said students will camp outside rental offices the night before the new leasing date for choice apartments. However, this already happens with some of downtown Madison’s most desired student properties. And while there is a risk these incidents will increase, we hardly see this ballooning as a problem with a January signing date. Other claims, such as those saying this will unfairly benefit University Housing, are flat-out baseless claims. The system as it is now does not work. The new leasing date proposal has a strong upside with only moderate risks. For the good of firsttime renters, some of the most vulnerable consumers in Madison, the Common Council should approve this plan. —That’s the dumbest shit I’ve ever heard. You’re outside— deal with it. —Yes, it’s too detrimental to society. Secondhand smoking endangers other people’s health. —I support a complete ban of smoking on campus because smoking still affects people who don’t smoke-—even if it is in a designated area. For example, if I’m walking to class and pass people who are smoking, then whether I want to or not I still inhale that secondhand smoke. Only about 30 percent of Americans smoke, why should the health of the other 70 percent be affected by a smoker’s poor choice? —Yes. I want to use the education I’m spending thousands of dollars on, not die from secondhand smoke before I graduate. —Smokng shouldn’t be banned. I hate secondhand smoke, but it’s stupid to ban one substance on campus that’s legal everywhere else.
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dailycardinal.com/sports
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
2009-’10 NHL powers struggle to recapture magic this season
Football
Ryan Evans compelling evandence
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kyle bursaw/cardinal file photo
Sophomore Montee Ball, who filled in this Saturday for injured running backs John Clay and James White, piled up 127 yards, a career best, while scoring two touchdowns as the Badgers routed Purdue.
No. 6 Wisconsin heads into final season stretch By Ted Porath the daily cardinal
Wisconsin football head coach Bret Bielema discussed both his team’s 34-13 victory over Purdue this past weekend, as well as the Badgers’ (4-1 Big Ten, 8-1 overall) upcoming contest against Indiana during his weekly press conference Monday. Bielema awarded this week’s offensive MVP to sophomore running back Montee Ball, who saw increased action after junior John Clay and sophomore James White suffered injuries. Ball was instrumental in the Badgers’ victory, racking up a career high 127 rushing yards while scoring two touchdowns. “Can’t say enough about Montee and what he did … getting himself prepared and stepping in when John [Clay] went down in the second half,” Bielema said. “Montee was really special.” The defensive MVP was awarded to a pair of juniors: cornerback Antonio Fenelus and defensive tackle Patrick Butrym. Fenelus was the Big Ten codefensive MVP of the week, racking up nine tackles and icing the game with an interception return for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Butrym, meanwhile, dominated the trenches all game long, recording five tackles. “[Butrym] probably had the best game in his career to this point,” Bielema said. “He just really did a nice job getting off blocks and making plays.” Bielema indicated he was excited to return home this week, realizing how long it had been since the Badgers’ last home game—a victory over then-No. 1 Ohio State. As Bielema reflected back on that game against the Buckeyes, he realized how big of a factor the crowd was in the team’s victory, especially the student section. On their last road trip, Bielema stated that it was always a little disheartening to go to different venues and see other student sections
filled an hour before the game even started. Bielema then issued a challenge to all UW students. “Anything we can do to encourage students … If we can get the student section going, I think it would be a very special thing to close out the rest of the year,” Bielema said. Bielema realizes that every game from here on out is critical in the Badgers’ run to a possible BCS bowl game, and that run will start this weekend against Indiana. Indiana (0-5 Big Ten, 4-5 overall) comes into this week’s game having just lost an 18-13 nail-biter over No. 16 Iowa. Indiana is an explosive offensive team, ranking 11th in the nation in passing yards per game.
That offense is led by senior quarterback Ben Chappell, who ranks first in the Big Ten in both passing yards and completions. “Chappell has a great ability to throw all kinds of passes,” Bielema said. “It’s a very difficult preparation. He doesn’t get sacked very often because if he does get pressured he’s not going to take that sack, he’s going to get rid of the football. It’s a difficult preparation for us.” This will be the 57th meeting between Wisconsin and Indiana, with the Badgers leading the series 36-18-1 overall and 20-81 in Madison. Wisconsin has won five of the last six at Camp Randall Stadium.
kyle bursaw/cardinal file photo
Indiana quarterback Ben Chappell racked up 323 yards on 25 completions when the Badgers faced Indiana last season.
n extremely surprising trend has manifest itself throughout the first five weeks of this year’s NHL season. Some of the strongest teams from last year have struggled to find their playoff forms in this season’s first month. Two glaring examples of this trend are in the Eastern Conference, where the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils—the No. 3 and No. 2 seeds in last year’s conference standings, respectively—find themselves next to last and dead last in the East heading into November. Both teams won their respective divisions last year—the Sabres with a 45-27-10 record, good for 100 points; and the Devils with a 48-27-27 mark, earning 103 points. But for those teams thus far, their impressive records have been M.I.A. The two teams have had their fair share of problems that have led to their rapid downfall. The Sabres have fallen victim to crippling inconsistency. This is a talented team, there is no doubt about that. Left winger Thomas Vanek, defenseman Tyler Myers and goaltender Ryan Miller are the core of a team that was expected to repeat in the Northeast Division this season. But things have not gone as planned. Tyler Myers, the reigning rookie of the year, has seemingly succumbed to a terrible sophomore slump. Myers is an NHL-worst -12 on the season, and through 15 games has only four points to show after scoring 48 points in 82 games last year. He has also looked hesitant with the puck, making him prone to giveaways. Buffalo GM has said that it looks like Myers doubts himself on the ice, not trusting that his first instinct is the best one. Thomas Vanek, the Sabres’ $7 million man, has also struggled out of the gate. He has seven points so far on the year, definitely a number smaller than what he has proven he can put up. Reigning Vezina Trophy winner Ryan Miller has by no means had a bad season so far, posting a 2.71 GAA and a .903 save percentage. But that is a far cry from the production from last season when he boasted a 2.22 GAA and .929 save percentage. Miller has also missed the past few games with a lower body injury, leaving his backup Patrick Lalime to mind the net. Lalime has not helped the Sabres’ fortunes—he has lost every game he’s started, putting up awful numbers (3.31 GAA, .888 SV%) in the process. Miller is the unquestioned leader of the Sabres, and without his presence on the ice every night the Sabres have at times looked lost and uninspired as a result. Coach Lindy Ruff even benched captain Craig Rivet to try to fire up his team during their recent stretch of terrible play, but even that didn’t inspire them.
Many believe the Sabres’ success last year was directly tied to Miller’s superb play, so Sabres fans like myself can only hope that Miller’s return will signal a turnaround in Buffalo. He can’t do it alone, though; The rest of his cast needs to step up their games. As disappointing as the Sabres have been this year, they can look to New Jersey and think, “Well at least we’re not those guys.” Coming into the season, the Devils were expected to be one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, and who would have thought differently? They are led by a solid group of forwards consisting of Zach Parise, Ilya Kovalchuk, Jamie Langenbrunner, Travis Zajac and Patrik Elias. They also have the greatest goalie the NHL has ever seen in Martin Brodeur. There was little not to like about the Devils’ chances coming into the year. But somewhere along the line, things started going downhill very quickly. The Devils have limped out of the gate to a 4-10-1 record, good for dead last in the conference. The string of events that have highlighted the season thus far for New Jersey are nothing short of ridiculous.
Some of the strongest teams from last year have struggled to find their playoff forms in this season’s first month.
It all started with Kovalchuk being a healthy scratch. Kovalchuk, the Devils’ $100 million man was benched for a game for being late to a team meeting. This story set off a media fire storm and became a huge distraction, never a good thing for a team that was already struggling. Kovalchuk and his enormous contract have been a problem for the Devils all year. Many people, including former Devils player Bobby Holik, have said it is because of that contract that the Devils have struggled. He said signing Kovalchuk to that deal this offseason has hamstrung the organization. New Jersey’s problems do not end with Kovalchuk, however. The Devils have only scored 25 goals in their first 15 games, and their power play ranks near the bottom of the league. It certainly hasn’t helped New Jersey’s cause that superstar forward Parise is out for three months with a knee injury, and Brodeur has missed a significant amount of time as well. Whatever the problem is, no one would have predicted at the season’s outset that these two teams would be middling around last place as the calendar turned to November. Only time will tell if, as the season goes on, the Sabres and Devils find a way to resurrect their thus-far-disappointing seasons. Is there still a chance for Buffalo and New Jersey to get back in the winning spirit this season? E-mail Ryan at rmevans2@wisc.edu.