Tuesday, December 8, 2009 - The Daily Cardinal by The Daily Cardinal

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KEEPIN’ IT REAL: Advice on how to eat locally grown food in Madison eateries for cheap

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By Grace Urban The Daily Cardinal

Danny Marchewka/the daily cardinal

Under the direction of Brian Gurley and Michael Pfitzer, UW Masters Singers performed their program titled “There Is Sweet Music Here” Monday evening in Mills Hall.

ASM committee discusses density ordinance, alternatives to drinking The Daily Cardinal

The Associated Students of Madison’s Legislative Affairs Committee met with Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, Monday to discuss the Alcohol Beverage Licesnse Density Ordinance as well as other downtown issues pertaining to UW-Madison students. According to Verveer, ABLDO is an ordinance created two years ago that allows only businesses that make a majority of their money

from sales other than alcohol to obtain liquor licenses. Verveer said the ordinance expires by the end of 2010 and said that is too long to wait. He added he strongly opposes ABLDO because it greatly limits the number of businesses capable of gaining liquor licenses in Madison. “I am constantly … hearing from potential business owners that would like to open in downtown Madison who are not

The Daily Cardinal

With Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett’s recent gubernatorial candidacy announcement, candidates from both parties face pressure to begin solidifying their political and economic platforms. Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, a Republican, and Barrett, a Democrat, have stepped up as two of the most serious gubernatorial candidates thus far. Although both Walker and Barrett serve as Economy high-ranking In-depth officials in Milwaukee, the candidates’ past economic policies in Milwaukee and preliminary economic platforms for Wisconsin differ. Both candidates acknowledge high rates of job loss and unemploy-

ment as major setbacks for the state. Jeff Fleming, Barrett’s spokesperson, said job creation is a main component of Barrett’s economic platform. “Mayor Barrett will coordinate public-and-private-sector efforts to bring new jobs to the state. He will design specific strategies that capitalize on Wisconsin’s strengths, including natural resources, a strong workforce, a top-notch high education system and clusters of specialized industry that give our state an advantage,” he said. While Walker agrees with Barrett on the source of the economic problems, his ideas for improving the economy contrast. “If we are to compete for jobs in the global economy, we must lower the tax burden, focus on education and find ways to do more with less—just like families and small businesses are doing every day,” he said in a statement. Both candidates tout “economic

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Tuesday, December 8, 2009

The search for Tyrone Adair, the man suspected of killing his two children and their mothers Thursday, came to a close when authorities found Adair’s body in a silver GMC Acadia Monday morning. Adair, 38, appears to have died from a firearm injury. Authorities have yet to say whether the injury was self-inflicted. According to Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney, the vehicle was present on property on Natvig Road in Cottage Grove for several days before being reported. Two handguns were found in the vehicle. Authorities indicated the property owner did not initially report the presence of the vehicle because he has a friend who generally parks in that area. The Dane County Sheriff’s

Department has been working in conjunction with the Madison and Middleton police departments and the Dane County District Attorney’s Office in the search for Adair since the quadruple murder occurred Thursday. Police stated Adair is suspected of killing Tracy Graser, 33, and Deja Adair, 23 months, both of Middleton, and Amber Weigel, 25, and Neveah Weigel-Adair, 2, both of Madison. Madison Police Department Chief Noble Wray called the situation a “tragedy.” Wray said the incident would likely go down in history as “the worst incident for homicides in Dane County.” Dane County District Attorney Brian Blanchard said the charges brought against Adair for the intentional homicide of Judd and her infant adair page 3

eligible to do so because of the density ordinance,” he said. “I don’t want to avoid potentially cool establishments coming to the downtown area.” Verveer also discussed ASM’s nomination for the replacement of Mark Woulf, the former non-voting technical adviser on the Alcohol License Review Committee who was recently appointed to a voting position on asm page 3

Gov. candidates’ economic plans take shape By Michelle Langer

Suspected murderer Adair found dead

A Seasonal ‘Suite’ Treat

By Sam Berg

FOOD

successes” in Milwaukee as examples of what they could do for Wisconsin’s economy as a whole. Continuous debate surrounds whether Walker or Barrett is responsible for potential improvements in Milwaukee’s economy. Charles Franklin, UW-Madison political science professor, said that each will likely try to take the credit for the good in Milwaukee and pawn the bad onto their opponent. Franklin said these claims are to be expected. Laura Dresser, research director at the Center on Wisconsin Strategy, said Milwaukee and Wisconsin as a whole will likely see continued stagnation in jobs in the coming months. “Milwaukee generates very high levels of racial inequalities, and job losses have been significant and the unemployment increases have been significant,” Dresser said. economy page 3

Lorenzo zemella/the daily cardinal

Madison police officials announced Monday that they found the body of alleged murderer Tyrone Adair in a car in Cottage Grove.

Gov. Doyle meets with legislative leaders, promotes Milwaukee K-12 education reform By Hannah Furfaro The Daily Cardinal

Gov. Jim Doyle met with lawmakers and community leaders at the Capitol Monday to discuss education reform and restructuring the Milwaukee Public School system. Doyle and some members of the state Legislature are pushing for urgent reform, including a controversial mayoral-takeover provision, supporters say are necessary to remain competitive for federal Race to the Top dollars. At the news conference, Doyle said he supported a top-down approach and said he thinks creating “clear lines of responsibility and authority” through mayoral - takeover is the type of change MPS needs. “We’re being handed an oppor-

tunity that may not ever come along again to do something really dramatic to help improve all of the schools in the state of Wisconsin through Race to the Top … It would be a tragedy if usual kinds of political games get played and we don’t take advantage of this opportunity,” he said. Charlie Rose, general council for the U.S. Department of Education, joined Doyle to discuss his experience as a collective bargainer in the restructuring of the Chicago Public Schools. He cited his work on the Chicago Reform Act of 1995 and said the “centerpiece” of the act included mayoral takeover. Opponents of Doyle’s plan, including state Rep. Tamara Grigsby, education page 3

“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”

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Tuesday, December 8, 2009

An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892

TODAY: snow hi 30º / lo 28º

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Masturbation conﬂation with happiness

Volume 119, Issue 62

2142 Vilas Communication Hall 821 University Avenue Madison, Wis., 53706-1497 (608) 262-8000 l fax (608) 262-8100

News and Editorial edit@dailycardinal.com Charles Brace Editor in Chief Justin Stephani Managing Editor Kelsey Gunderson Campus Editor Caitlin Gath City Editor Hannah Furfaro State Editor Ryan Hebel Enterprise Editor Grace Urban Associate News Editor Ariel Shapiro Senior News Reporters Robert Taylor, Kayla Torgerson Anthony Cefali Opinion Editors Todd Stevens Qi Gu Editorial Board Editor Kevin Slane Arts Editors Kyle Sparks Scott Kellogg Sports Editors Nico Savidge Diana Savage Features Editor Sara Barreau Food Editor Isabel Alvarez Photo Editors Danny Marchewka Amy Gifﬁn Graphics Editors Jenny Peek Kate Manegold Copy Chiefs Emma Roller Jake Victor Copy Editors Tessa Bisek, Kevin Mack, Margaret Raimann, Duwayne Sparks

Business and Advertising business@dailycardinal.com Alex Kusters Business Manager Katie Brown Advertising Manager Mindy Cummings Billing Manager Cole Wenzel Accounts Receivable Manager Ana Devcic Senior Account Executive Mara Greenwald Account Executives Kristen Lindsay, D.J. Nogalski, Jordan Rossman Sarah Schupanitz Tom Shield Online Account Executive Mara Greenwald Graphic Designer Eric Harris, Dan Hawk Web Directors Mia Beeson Marketing Director Erin Schmidtke Archivist The Daily Cardinal is published weekdays and distributed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and its surrounding community with a circulation of 10,000. The Daily Cardinal is a nonproﬁt organization run by its staff members and elected editors. It receives no funds from the university. Operating revenue is generated from advertising and subscription sales. Capital Newspapers, Inc. is the Cardinal’s printer. The Daily Cardinal is printed on recycled paper. The Cardinal is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press and the Wisconsin Newspaper Association. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The Daily Cardinal are the sole property of the Cardinal and may not be reproduced without written permission of the editor in chief. The Daily Cardinal accepts advertising representing a wide range of views. This acceptance does not imply agreement with the views expressed. The Cardinal reserves the right to reject advertisements judged offensive based on imagery, wording or both. Complaints: News and editorial complaints should be presented to the editor in chief. Business and advertising complaints should be presented to the business manager. Letters Policy: Letters must be typewritten, double-spaced and no longer than 200 words, including contact information. Letters may be sent to editor@dailycardinal.com.

Editorial Board Charles Brace Anthony Cefali Qi Gu Nico Savidge Jamie Stark Todd Stevens Justin Stephani l

Board of Directors Vince Filak Alex Kusters Joan Herzing Jason Stein Jeff Smoller Janet Larson Chris Long Charles Brace Katie Brown Benjamin Sayre Jenny Sereno Terry Shelton l

WEDNESDAY: snow hi 30º / lo 2º

ERIN KAY VAN PAY hail to the vp

NYWHERE THERE IS A TEENAGE BOY M A S T U R B AT I N G , U.S.—In a rare yet poignant moment, 18-year-old Markus Brandt came of age as he looked out his window at the stars after a long session of unfulfilling masturbation. “There’s got to be more to life than this,” the college freshman and former starting free safety of his high school football team said quietly to himself. Brandt had been manually pleasuring himself “for years,” but has never had an ejaculation as desperate or unsatisfactory as the one he had earlier tonight. “It all started at Club Arbitrary Name Referring to Aspect of the University,” said Brandt, who is stocky, yet slightly attractive. “Jen and I grinded all night, even

to the slower songs, but she had class in the morning, so I just ended up dropping her off at her dorm after the dance.” Jennifer Powell, the girl Brandt has been crushing on since Welcome Week, only agreed to go to Club Arbitrary Name Referring to Aspect of the University with him because she knew he had a fake ID. “So when I got home, I immediately went up to my room and pulled one out,” says Brandt. “Thank God my roommate was asleep. I would have had to do the old waistband trick if he would have tried to talk to me.” The masturbation itself lasted a mere six minutes, which is actually “way longer than usual,” according to Brandt. Also, the only help he had available at the time was a two-minute clip of Name of ’80s Porn Star that he had to keep looping. “It was terrible. The quality was terrible. The music was terrible,” Brandt said dejectedly. “But I was using my old computer

because everything else on my new one had gotten deleted when the system crashed last week.” All of these unfortunate events led Brandt to begin questioning his existence and the meaning of life. “I mean, is this it? Am I doomed to an eternal cycle of jacking off alone in the dark? Is there someone out there who feels the same way? Who isn’t a dude?” Brandt hopes that during his first month at University Where Students Are Sexually Frustrated he will find a soulmate who can fill the seemingly endless void in his existence, or at least someone who will give him an HJ. “I heard from my older brother Danny that girls always put out the first few weeks of school because they don’t know any better,” said Brandt, who subsequently realized what his brother was implying and began to hate himself even more. “Aw, man. I can only get girls who don’t know any better.” Brandt’s older brother Danny

met his girlfriend at a Fraternity with Few Morals and Minimal Community Service party, got her pregnant within months and was forced to get a job at Horrible Kitschy Restaurant to help pay child support for an infant with colic and a gluten allergy. “Danny’s life is awful,” Brandt said. “But at least he’s had sex.” In the near future, Brandt sees himself taking a spiritual journey in search of the answer to his post-masturbatory question. “I know I will find meaning in my life. I just have to keep doing what I’m doing, and hopefully I’ll grasp something concrete,” Brandt said. “I may get Disease Resulting from Excessive Masturbation in the process, but at least I will hold the key to happiness when I’m finished.” If you have ascertained the meaning of life from One’s Own Very Personal Experience, please share your wealth of incredible stories and discoveries by sending them to VP at evanpay@wisc.edu.

ASK THE DEER CARDINAL Life is hard. The Deer Cardinal is here to help.

Deer Cardinal, I’m legitimately going to fail this ﬁnal. I haven’t been to lecture once, and I don’t have any friends to mooch notes off of. How the hell can I pass this class? -Frank R. Monamaloola, Frank! I’ve been in a similar situation before, and I’ve perfected a technique, given that you’ve attended at least a few discussion sections. First, identify the smartest person in the class who takes hand-written notes, and identify her notebook type and color. Next, go buy an identical notebook. Finally, you’re ready to make the switch. Casually sit next to her in discussion, and when the class is almost over, create some kind of distraction. It can be anything really: a spilled drink, you could yell and point out the window that you saw President

Obama walk by outside, expose your genitals... the possibilities are limitless. Once you’ve made the switch, run out of class to the nearest library and send an e-mail to the student explaining “how stupid you are” for “accidentally” grabbing her notebook, and say you’ll return it as soon as you get out of class that afternoon. Instead, spend the next hour or so photocopying each and every page of notes before returning it apologetically and disappearing into the night. Sure, it’s a bit of a jerk move, but if the class isn’t graded on a curve and you’re not planning on seeing this person again, there’s really no harm to it. So ready your excuses and your spare change for the photocopiers at Helen C., Frank, because you’re going to pass this class with ﬂying colors. Deer Cardinal, I need to get home after my last

ﬁnal, but I don’t want to spend any money. How can I secure a ride back to my hometown without dropping a dime? -Curtis F. What up, Curt— The easiest way to pull this off is to identify someone in your dorm with the same destination as you. Send them a Facebook message saying your dad was supposed to come pick you up, but he’s going to be too busy in the hospital with your mom, who has been stricken with a debilitating case of scurvy. Use genuine and heartfelt language about how “you don’t want to cause any inconvenience” and how you’ll “deﬁnitely help out with anything I can.” The second phrase is key: Do NOT use the words “gas money.” The day of, grab some of your roommate’s snacks like usual when he’s at class, and snag a few of your old burned

CDs from high school. Then, go find your ride and plop your stuff in the back, before loudly complaining how many stores you had to search to find this specific type of snack and how long you agonized over the tracks to the CD you burned specifically for this trip home, aptly named Summer Jamz ’04. If after all of this, your ride still asks for a bit of money at the end, search through your wallet and bemoan that you “totally left that $20 back in the dorm” and promise to “hit him back” whenever you see him next. Then, transfer schools. To learn more ways to cut corners, e-mail the master at deercard inal@dailycardinal.com.

still wants to hear from you!

$1000 for 1000 words Essay Contest EXTENDED DEADLINE: Dec. 15, 2009. E-mail editor@dailycardinal.com

For the record Corrections or clariﬁcations? Call The Daily Cardinal ofﬁce at 608-262-8000 or send an e-mail to edit@dailycardinal.com.

The Sixties plus 50: War, racism and sexism ignited campus demonstrations in the decade that began a half-century ago. Space was the new frontier and worries about the earth gave birth to the environmental movement. How far have we come, how far do we have to go in 2010 and beyond?

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Tuesday, December 8, 2009

news

Nitty Gritty managers address liquor license application

Ben Pierson/the daily cardinal

Lee Pier and Eric Suemnicht, both Nitty Gritty managers, discussed their application for a liquor license at a news conference Monday.

Nitty Gritty managers Lee Pier and Eric Suemnicht held an informational session at the restaurant Monday as they apply for a new liquor license. The restaurant is a hot-spot for students and is known as the “number-one place for birthdays” in the area. Pier and Suemnicht collectively own a 50-percent share of the Nitty Gritty in Middleton and hope to assume ownership of the Madison location by the end of the year. According to Pier, they anticipate a smooth transition. “The only thing that’s changed is the two guys who have been running [the Nitty

Gritty] will now be the owners,” he said. “It will still be Marsh Shapiro’s Nitty Gritty.” He said they intend to retain all staff but “don’t intend to increase payroll.” Pier explained the two plan to take a hands-on approach to running the Nitty Gritty and do not anticipate much of a change in their roles once they assume ownership except being more involved “on the financial side of things.” Whether Pier and Suemnicht receive the new liquor license depends upon the decision of the Alcohol License Review Committee at its Dec. 16 meeting, as well as the decision of the

Common Council at its Jan. 5 meeting. Pier and Suemnicht, who have been working on the transfer of ownership since 2001, said they do not foresee an issue with the approval of their application. “As of right now we have found no reason not to be cautiously optimistic,” Pier said. Suemnicht said the two do not intend to hold any celebration as of yet, but will “wait until [they] know for sure this is going to happen” before making any plans. “We’ve been working on it so long, it hasn’t quite hit us yet,” he said. —Grace Urban

Deal reached on drunken driving legislation

UW-Madison student to run for Dane County Board of Supervisors position

In an extraordinary legislative session expected to take place Dec. 16, the state Legislature will likely approve a bid calling for wide-ranging drunken- driving reform. At a news conference Monday, state Sen. Jim Sullivan, D-Wauwatosa, and state Rep. Tony Staskunas, D-West Allis, said they have reached an agreement on restructuring and increasing the severity of penalties related to drunken-driving offenses. “We worked to contain costs

UW-Madison student Analiese Eicher declared her candidacy for the Dane County Board of Supervisors Sunday. Eicher will officially announce Tuesday her candidacy for the fifth district, which largely represents students. Former UW-Madison student Wyndham Manning currently holds the position. According to a statement released by her campaign,

asm from page 1 the committee. He said he encourages ASM to nominate a woman to the position. “There has been strong pressure to nominate a female,” he said. “I think it is pathetic that there is only one female voting member on the ALRC.” Verveer said, however, that he feels the responsibility to make the ALRC more diverse should not solely rest in the hands of ASM. “It’s somewhat disconcerting that [Mayor Dave Cieslewicz] is asking ASM to create the diversity on the committee when

and force problem drivers to change their behavior while providing additional resources to help break the cycle of addiction and further reduce this problem,” Staskunas said in a statement. The reform agreement would criminalize a first operating while intoxicated offense if a minor is in the car. The new legislation would also make a fourth OWI offense a felony if the driver was charged within a five-year period for a previous OWI offense. he didn’t do much to create it himself,” he said. Verveer also discussed ways to provide more alternative weekend activities in Madison for students who are under 21. He said many downtown venues cut 18+ events that could have provided underage students alternative weekend activities because they choose not to buy the necessary licenses. “You just can’t make enough money off of folks who aren’t drinking,” he said, advising ASM members to lobby directly to the bars if they want more alternatives to drinking on the weekends.

The agreement contains all the main provisions outlined in the separate Assembly and Senate bills. Those bills passed unanimously in both the Assembly and the Senate earlier this fall. “As soon as the agreement we have reached between our two bills is voted on, Wisconsin will have tougher sanctions for drunk drivers and expanded prevention and treatment options,” Sullivan said in a statement. —Hannah Furfaro

Eicher plans to “discuss her decision to run for the County Board and … give residents of the fifth district insight into her values and her background of campus involvement and political experience.” Eicher currently serves as the chair of the College Democrats of Wisconsin and membership director for College Democrats of America.

Danny Marchewka/the daily cardinal

Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, addressed problems with the alcohol licensing with ASM Monday.

adair from page 1

education from page 1

economy from page 1

daughter have been dismissed. However, Blanchard added “there is extremely strong evidence these were four homicides by one person … now deceased.” Mahoney said the murders are most likely the result of a domestic violence situation. He added there was evidence there had been an attempt by Judd to break off her relationship with Adair. “This speaks to the prominence and potential dangers of domestic violence,” Mahoney said. However, Wray stressed MPD is “not able to drill down a motive at this time.” Middleton Chief of Police Brad Keil expressed gratitude for everyone “working around the clock” and the amount of coordination that took place between departments. Dane County Coroner Ray Wosepka said autopsies of the victims and Adair are currently taking place, and further announcements will be made regarding cause of death once they are completed.

D-Milwaukee, and state Sen. Spencer Coggs, D-Milwaukee, said they believe a collaborative partnership between the school board and the city is more democratic. Kevin Benish, spokesperson for Grigsby, called Doyle’s plan “hostile” and “undemocratic.” “Rep. Grigsby sees today as yet another attempt by the governor to try to garner support for this hostile takeover of MPS. Just as we have seen in previous attempts, I don’t think there’s the support that they are claiming there is,” he said. Benish said the institution of mayoral takeover in other cities has been proven unsuccessful, citing Chicago, New York and Detroit. “We have taken a close look and seen not only results that are not promising but evidence that they can do harm. We think that collaboration provides a much better framework,” he said. —Ryan Hebel contributed to this report.

As Wisconsin’s largest city, setbacks in Milwaukee bring large problems for the state as a whole. Since both Walker and Barrett have only had a few months, or in Barrett’s case, a few weeks, to establish their viewpoints, there is still much to be heard. “In the next few months it will be very interesting to watch how they add breadth and depth to their campaign. We’ve still got a long way to go in how they will answer to a much broader range of questions,” Franklin said.

comics 4

Come Together. As snow falls, snowflakes connect to make bigger snowflakes. dailycardinal.com/comics

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Digging your way through the snow

Today’s Sudoku

Evil Bird

By Caitlin Kirihara kirihara@wisc.edu

Angel Hair Pasta

By Todd Stevens ststevens@wisc.edu

Sid and Phil

By Alex Lewein alex@sidandphil.com

Solution, tips and computer program available at www.sudoku.com.

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.

Today’s Crossword Puzzle

Charlie and Boomer

Washington and the Bear Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com

Musically Talented ACROSS Salary limit 1 4 Warmongering bugs 8 Teetotaler’s vehicle? 13 “Monopoly” board abbr. 14 Slow gastropod 15 Economize on the wedding 16 Was in theaters 17 Merge 18 Relaxed in the fitting room? 19 In perfect health 22 Hebrew’s first letter 23 Win at musical chairs 24 Pacifying gesture 27 Target of a pass 31 Advertising medium 33 Former name of Tokyo 34 Van Gogh floral subject 36 “Dear” book 37 Not give a definite answer 41 Holmes of “Batman Begins” 43 Bottom of a clog 44 Psychic skill 47 Pass, timewise 49 Title for Jesus (with “the”) 52 Theater lightingeffects device

53 Faux ___ (social misstep) 55 Farmer’s market container 56 Cornucopia 60 Majorette’s twirler 63 Ancient marketplace 64 Outspoken champ 65 Guadalajara goodbye 66 Oil and vinegar holder 67 D.D.E. was one 68 Distinguishing flavor 69 Large brown seaweed 70 Ten-millionth of a joule DOWN 1 Certain transportation cost 2 Benefited 3 Like Oral Robert’s ministry 4 “ ___ and the King of Siam” 5 Artless one 6 Furry tree-dweller of the Amazon 7 Slow summer sellers 8 Affluent 9 Ingredient in lotions 10 Sludgy stuff 11 Covert ___ (military assignments) 12 Birth name signifier 14 Fish eaten at bars 20 Arm-over-arm swinger 21 Dance maneuver

4 Run the show 2 25 “Jingle Bells” preposition 26 Get leverage, in a way 28 “QB ___” (Uris novel) 29 Diving eagles 30 Lack of laxness 32 Cause for penitence 35 Buy-one-get-one event 38 Bellboy’s bonus 39 Answer 40 Had no catching up to do 41 Beer bash buy 42 Yard filler 45 Frontier figure 46 Hunting, as for food 48 Acoustic organ 50 Ostentatious display 51 Before, in verse 54 Nibble between meals 56 Amusing antic 57 Storybook monster 58 Fair’s opposite 59 Attend a boarding school 60 Baseball hitter? 61 Oral health org. 62 “____ a pity”

By Natasha soglin@wisc.edu

By Derek Sandberg kalarooka@gmail.com

arts

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Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Top 10 Bands of the 2000s Wilco by Justin Stephani, Arts Editor 2009 “I am so / I am so / Out of tune,” Jeff Tweedy sang at a solo acoustic set he performed as a rogue while recording Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, simultaneously turning it into a lamentation of personal, professional uncertainty. Overall, its directness is so mysterious, ambiguous and genuine it discomforts and reassures at the same time. Despairingly crying out in self-awareness, Tweedy emotes a candidness that only a Ditch Trilogy-era Neil Young would be bold enough to pull off, calmly ﬁnishing the stanza, “With you.” This is what makes Wilco more than just another of the 2000s’ melodically driven adult-contemporary bands: They avoid clichés and conventions as their intensely introverted nature lends dissonance and ambiguity in hard times, and relaxed solemnity in easier ones. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot connects disjointed organic melodies with desperation and anxiety to succeed. A more curious mystery of the unknown rests on a newfound, sturdier base for A Ghost is Born. The aboutface comes lined with conﬁdently relaxed, yet still ambiguously pas-

tiche lyrics on the country-inflected Sky Blue Sky. And as the group’s comfort and stability in the industry has increased, so has the fundamental foundations of their music. On Wilco (the album), their introverted, meandering insecurities disappear almost completely, leaving nothing but Tweedy and the guys casually playing with melodies and form. They are becoming more traditional and predictable with their newfound comfort, but you can’t deny their abilities as songwriters nor the breath of fresh, creative air they brought music this decade when bubble-gum pop really began flexing its muscle. The documentary “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” tracks that breath of fresh air as the band records YHF, displaying the tensions between rock-star aspirations and artistic integrity that would come to define the decade’s dichotomy between commercial and critical success. The unofficial online release of YHF also unknowingly foreshadowed modern distribution strategies. Yet as representative as the album and documentary are of

the ’00s, the DVD most overtly displays the group’s musicianship. With performances of most of the songs from YHF (and some from older albums), the band stretches each song every which way. Witnessing them try out each melody with an assortment of outfits before finally deciding on the appropriate attire makes the album’s cohesion that much more impressive and imperative. This allows each album to be a distinct and self-contained representation of a chapter in the group’s existence. Wilco is something of an autobiographical journey of Tweedy himself. As the group’s enigmatic and eccentric leader, the music serves as his emotional outlet with melodies fleshed out by his personal cast of musicians. If Tweedy is the face and mind behind the music, he outfits himself with a fitting body of artists around him to control his actions while he pours his soul through the speakers. This allows each album to carry its own personality. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is intimate, raw, affecting,

melancholy and tense. So many traits can be thrown at it, yet it’s a sense of desperation serving as the emotive vehicle on YHF, a direct reﬂection of the group’s uncertainty at the time. Progressing from there, the group has become more controlled and fundamental in its sound, leading to a traditional style seemingly reﬂective of Tweedy’s increasing comfort and maturity in the industry. Yet by no means has the group’s integrity wavered, as the songwriting and musicianship remains as sturdy as ever. It’s simply no longer encoded in deeply emotional abstractions. The music remains a constant lifeline behind their tumultuous existence. They are musicians just looking for anywhere to play and anyone who will listen. In a time when commercial music was becoming Disneydominated, musical artists needed a group like Wilco to not give a shit about what labels or critics thought about their music—a Young-esque mentality that would help inspire a decade’s worth of e-publicized artists to make music for the pure cathartic sake of making music.

This list was compiled by tallying the votes from each of the decade’s Daily Cardinal arts editors.

Upcoming Timeline 10 — Animal Collective 9 — Outkast 8 — Neko Case 7 — The Strokes 6 — Arcade Fire 5 — Kanye West 4 — Wilco 3 — Wednesday, Dec. 9 2 — Thursday, Dec. 10 1 — Friday, Dec. 11

featuresfood

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Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Area restaurants exemplify living local Catering to customers’ desires, these local eateries provide top-notch food worth every local penny By Ben Pierson THE DAILY CARDINAL

Like a sorcerer, a good chef conjures warm spirits by charming basic ingredients into a magical ecstasy of the senses. This happened the last time I went out for breakfast as I was truly bewildered by the perfection embodied in the herbed chèvre croissant at Café Soleil. To my pleasant surprise, this “luxury bread” satiated my breakfast urges for just $3.50. Another recent mystic experience was the rustic braised pork crêpe from Bradbury’s. For $7 my palate was bullied and beaten by flavor and texture until I had my fill. The dish was so fantastic I did a good American deed and cleaned my plate. I could blather on forever about the tantalizing entrées and appetizers I have gobbled here in Madison, but there seems to be one thing uniting them. They all incorporated fresh, local ingredients. Why would anyone ever go to a restaurant that did not serve quality fresh food when other options are available? An urge for sauce-laden savory indulgences—the ones that come in

greasy cardboard packaging from pizza parlors, fast-food joints or Chinese carryout restaurants—is a fine excuse for imperfection. But when quality food is desired, there is little reason, especially in Madison, to settle for anything less than the freshest. Madisonians have a legendary list of eateries that source a hefty portion of their menus from local gardens, farms and dairies. The best chefs spend early morning hours perusing daily farmers markets. In the summer there is at least one daily farmers market in Madison Tuesday through Sunday, and many locally minded eateries have established longstanding partnerships with the farmers that cater to them. For example, Madison Originals is a nonproﬁt association of independently owned restaurants who vouch for the area’s fantastic bounty of produce, cheeses, meats and even beer and spirits by featuring them on their menus. Why bother with industrially grown vegetables in aluminumlined sacks or vacuum-packed mystery meats when we can buy better, less-metallic-tasting food at roughly the same cost?

Quality food makes good business sense, too. It can lure and keep more loyal customers, netting more profits than lower-cost and lower-quality food establishments that earn a bit more per customer. To see the difference, compare two State Street gyro options: Opa! and Parthenon. Upon walking into Parthenon, the customer is greeted with a busy lunch counter offering quick, unadorned service. The food comes out relatively fast as it moves down the assembly line. “Gyro and a fry, please.” “That will be nine bucks, thanks. Next.” When the food arrives, the fries are usually crispy, the pitas are fluffy and everything tastes fine, save for the overly strong raw onions, mushy tomatoes and ridiculous amounts of tatziki. But those are just distractions to the main attractions: crispy fries and meat. After eating there countless times, I’ve left about half of the time completely satisfied, though perhaps a little bloated. Parthenon was a favorite for years. I could not avoid the fries. But then came Opa!, and my world

was changed. For just $7, nearly 75 percent the price of Parthenon, I was given an equally generous plate of meat, pita and vegetable garnishes. Here is the kicker. Everything at Opa! is made in-house, and most of it sourced locally. Why bother with industrially grown vegetables in aluminumlined sacks or vacuum-packed mystery meats when we can buy better, less-metallic-tasting food at roughly the same cost?

These details shine through in the food. I got the feeling the chef believed fresh food was the only reasonable thing to offer guests, underscored by a small footnote near the bottom of the menu. Everything at Opa! was better than the alternative. Market-fresh quality clearly won out. If fresh, local food tends to be better than canned, telling the difference before ordering is important. There are several websites listing restaurants that incorporate the freshest and most local

meats, cheeses and produce into their dishes. REAP (Research, Education, Action and Policy on Food Group) shows Dane County restaurants that put fresh, organic food on the table, and Dane Buy Local maintains a list of members who have made a commitment to buy from local, fresher vendors whenever possible. Slow Food UW holds workshops with local-conscious chefs and businesses on campus. Aside from these options, you can always go into a restaurant and ask a cook or server where the food comes from. If they have no idea, then their food probably is not local. The Weary Traveler, The Old Fashioned, Pizza Brutta, Opa! and Café Soleil are some tasty and affordable “freshies,” but there are many more. Find some great options at madisonoriginals. org. The freshest, highest-quality local food is becoming ever more available in Madison restaurants. So if you desire a good meal with friends, aside from satisfying drunken munchies, look for one of these local restaurants and you will not be disappointed.

Lazy Days Chili By Sara Barreau

As the chill of the changing seasons begins to sink into your bones, turn to some hearty, healthy chili for a meal that is guaranteed to keep you satisfied through finals. I concocted this recipe after looking for something to do inside this past weekend, avoiding the outdoors at all costs. Whether storing containers in the freezer for quick, homemade meals next semester or looking to impress your friends at a football party, this recipe makes 21 mouthwatering servings sure to warm you to your toes.

Ingredients 2 tbsp unsalted butter 1 large yellow onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, chopped 2 lbs 97% lean ground beef 1 - 28 oz can crushed tomatoes 2 - 28 oz cans diced tomatoes 3 tbsp tomato paste 1 - 15oz can Large Butter beans 2 - 15oz can Great Northern beans 1 - 40oz can Red Kidney beans 2 tsp cayenne pepper 2 tsp red pepper flakes 2 tsp dried organo 1 tbsp ground cumin Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation Melt butter in large stock pot over medium-low heat. Add onions, cook until soft and transluscent, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, cook an additional 2 minutes. Add ground beef, ground turkey works well here also, and cook until completely browned, stirring often. Then drain the liquid, or skim it off once the chili is finished and cooled. Add tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, allowing the mixture to simmer for about 20-30 minutes.

Drain beans and add to the pot. Allow the chili to cook about 10 minutes longer. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped onions, shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream, or allow to cool. If you are freezing some of the batch, seperate into smaller containers after the chili has cooled down some.

Claire looks back on sweet endings to life’s most savory moments CLAIRE WIESE chocolate e’claire

ell, Badgers, we’ve arrived at my final column. It’s been a great year, and I’ve enjoyed speaking to you twice a month, sharing food goodies and stories. To fit with this theme, I thought I would write this final column about endings. And what’s the basic ending to every meal? That’s right: desserts! Some say, myself included, dessert is the best part of a meal, and in most circumstances, this is 100-percent true. However, just like some endings in life, desserts can leave a bittersweet aftertaste. So, in honor of finals and entering into new beginnings, here are a few of life’s just desserts. First, an ending we’ve all been through: graduating from high school. When June of your gradu-

ating year rolled around, you felt scared. I know I was. I felt like I was leaving the longest-running comfort system for a new state, classes and friends. When all of those issues and feelings combine, it becomes sour, like a piece of Warhead sour candy. However, that sour feeling goes away soon enough, and August arrives. Then you settle into the sweet and satisfying ﬁnish as you realize that being away from home was maybe not as scary as you originally thought. The next ending is a twoparter, because leaving a job can either be a good thing or a very bad thing. Let’s go with the bad news first. When you’re working at a job and everything goes smoothly, you dive in head-first, much like eating a bowl of your favorite ice cream. Then you hit a few bumps but think nothing of it. Soon, the inevitable occurs, and you realize those bumps are really gross, old walnuts, and you go into your boss’ office for the “talk.” Overall, firing does leave a

bad taste in your mouth, but there are plenty of flavors of ice cream to try throughout the rest of your career. Don’t let the fear of brain freeze bring you to a halt. Sometimes, being done with a job can be a good thing. In that case, leaving can be as simple and wonderful as a huge slice of chocolate cake after an awful meal. In the words of my friend, “Thank God something good came out of this. And now I get to leave!” This feeling can’t come from just any chocolate cake. It has to be the best, richest and most mouthgasmic cake you’ve ever tasted. Savor the moment of blissfully succulent freedom as long as you possibly can before putting your nose back to the grindstone. Or in the case of dessert before you head to your old friend, the treadmill. Next is something we have all been through: the end of a relationship. No matter how in love you were, or how mutual you tell yourself it was, breaking up

sucks. So does bad chocolate. Any cocoa connoisseurs can attest to this. Not only do most people go to chocolate for comfort, munching on less-than-tasty Hershey’s just leaves you wanting more and feeling fat and unwanted. However, like ice cream, there are plenty of chocolate bars left on the shelves, just waiting to be opened. Be choosy, but taste test with gusto and you’ll wind up all the wiser. For all of you seniors out there, this last one will come soon enough: graduating from college. Like high school, commencement season can bring up feelings of sourness and sadness. However, college is much better than high school and therefore deserves a better dessert metaphor. So, college is like a cupcake, in that it is a small, wonderful and blissful time in your life that ends all too quickly. Especially if it has red and white icing. Enjoy the sweet moments from your college experience, and look ahead to the sweet moments of your future. They’re waiting for you, cradled in silver liners.

Finally, no column about endings would be complete without bringing up this ending: my time as a columnist. It’s been a great year, and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading it every few weeks as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it. I had to wrack my brain to think of a dessert that could encompass the past 12 months, but I think I came up with it: a small yet delicious dessert from a foreign place while on vacation—a chocolate truffle. Something small but satisfying. I learned a lot, from aphrodisiacs to the weird food my friends eat during finals. It did feel like I was on vacation, as this column has been a nice reprieve from writing assignments. And, because it felt so small, I’m sad to see it go. Hopefully I’m off to bigger things in the future, but I’ll never forget my time here in the Food section! Before digging into that pint of brownie swirl, tell Claire how much you’re enjoyed her column at crwiese@wisc.edu.

opinion Smoking ban infringes on personal freedoms dailycardinal.com/opinion

ANDREW CARPENTER opinion columnist

round the nation universities are taking antismoking policies to the next level by banning smoking everywhere on campus. While no Wisconsin schools have extended smoking bans beyond 25 feet from public buildings, yet UW- Plattville has begun talks to institute a schoolwide smoking ban. With its traditionally harsh stance on smoking it seems inevitable that Madison will follow suit. For students and residents, now is the time to take a stance against these bans. If we wait to voice our support for freedom of choice, our school will soon be faced with the same initiatives currently being considered at Purdue University and being enacted in 2011 at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

Banning smoking and creating penalties for having a cigarette is not enocouragement, it is an act of force.

A cornerstone of the Michigan plan is that students will not be ticketed for smoking on campus, but rather will have to attend meetings designed to convince them to quit smoking. That’s right, Michigan thinks it can convince people to stop smoking.

Anyone who has tried to convince a family member or friend to quit smoking knows that this type of plan will never work. Unless they were born in a carton, smokers already know their habit is an unhealthy waste of money. Forcing intelligent college students to attend antismoking meetings is nothing more than a patronizing attempt to humiliate a group of people who should have the freedom to make their own decisions, healthy or not. Officials at universities where bans are being proposed claim they want to encourage students to be healthy. Posting fliers talking about the dangers of smoking would count as encouragement for a healthy community. But banning smoking and creating penalties for having a cigarette is not encouragement, it is a decree. Students who quit smoking or never start as a result of a university smoking ban aren’t choosing a healthy lifestyle—they are being forced into someone else’s definition of what health should be. If campus officials at schools like Purdue think they can force their own version of health onto their students, why should they stop with smoking? Being overweight, eating unhealthy foods, not wearing a helmet and even tanning are all examples of activities that can be considered unhealthy. What is there to stop schools that ban smoking in the interest of health from combating any of these other risky behaviors that students engage in on a daily basis? For those who don’t smoke, the idea that someone else should force you to live their own version of a healthy lifestyle only becomes threatening when we realize many of our own habits and activities fall into the same category as smoking.

For students who do live an exceptionally healthy lifestyle and always wear their helmets, it may make sense to force others to make the same healthy decisions. But this viewpoint showcases a very narrow vision of what health is. Relaxation, having fun, looking good and living exciting lives are all reasons why people choose to make decisions that are detrimental to their physical health. Smokers know they are hurting their lungs when they reach for a lighter, but they don’t care because they value other aspects of their lives more. The beauty of our country and free- thinking campuses comes from each individual’s ability to choose which aspects of their life are important and then to act out those choices. When a university makes those value judgments for it’s students they take away the best part of life. This doesn’t mean that smokers should be let off the hook. In order to maintain the freedom to smoke they must make sure their decision doesn’t impact others who may have different values. Luckily Madison’s smoking community knows this and does a good job of keeping their smoke to themselves. It makes sense to ban smoking in our public buildings, but as long as smokers maintain their freedom responsibly, the ban must stop there. We must not let the assault on freedom taking place at other Midwest universities come to our school. Stand up for freedom of choice even if you are not a smoker, because your freedom will be next. Andrew Carpenter is a senior majoring in communication arts and psychology. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

Republicans don’t need Palin’s image By Ben Turpin THE DAILY CARDINAL

Recently, Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker has expressed an interest in having former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin endorse him. As a viable candidate with a record of solid results in fiscal policy (the area Wisconsin needs the most help with by far) in particular, this is a major step in the wrong direction for him. Now that Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett has decided to enter the race for governor, the last thing Scott Walker needs is the endorsement of the obscure Alaska governor turned regular national punch line. Walker needs to stick to campaigning on the issues and on his own experience and past successes. Sarah Palin has deﬁed all odds by somehow becoming the face of the Republican Party, thrilling those on the extreme right side of the social issue spectrum and leaving many of the rest of us stunned and wondering how on Earth we’ve arrived at such a juncture. The majority of people had no clue who she was when John McCain announced her as his shocking choice to run as the vice presidential candidate on his ticket. But they quickly found out through a humiliating series of events that ranged from revelations about possible corruption in Alaska to sev-

eral interviews so bad that “Saturday Night Live” turned them into regular, extremely popular sketches featuring Tina Fey as Palin. Palin may be the greatest gift to comedians of the world in the history of politics. Some highlights include (and there are so many to choose from): not knowing what the Bush Doctrine was, claiming foreign policy experience by virtue of Alaska’s proximity to Russia and the infamous “deer in the headlights” quote that somehow connected bailouts with health care and a plethora of other completely unrelated issues.

The biggest challenge for the [Republican] Party may be winning over the younger generation of voters.

Since the presidential campaign, it’s only been more of the same for Palin, whether it be the ethics inquiries, the revelation that she took her children on trips they were not even invited to at the expense of Alaska taxpayers or her well-publicized ﬂame war with Levi Johnston, the father of her teenage daughter’s baby. And again, these are only a few of the more proliﬁc

examples. In addition to her penchant for memorable sound bites, Palin’s completely uncompromising, extreme right wing views, particularly on social issues, have completely alienated Democrats and many people in her own party. However, in spite of all of this, she is arguably the most visible Republican of today. The Republican Party is currently going through a significant identity crisis. There has been talk of whether it will even survive. The biggest challenge for the party may be winning over the younger generation of voters. This will be significantly more difficult if the GOP becomes synonymous with people like Sarah Palin. The party is going to need intelligent candidates who are well informed on the changing face of U.S. voters, and like it or not, it will need to make concessions on some issues. Sarah Palin is the polar opposite of the image the party, and its legitimate candidates, like Scott Walker, need to project today. The GOP needs to reform its stance on some issues and redouble its stance on others. The last thing it needs is a circus sideshow, but unfortunately, that is exactly what it’s been given. Ben Turpin is a junior majoring in psychology. We welcome all feedback. Please send all responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

view Cardinal View editorials represent The Daily Cardinal’s organizational opinion. Each editorial is crafted independent of news coverage.

foster connections for campus diversity

ebates over UW-Madison’s holistic admissions policy often boil down to one issue: Are efforts to increase diversity a means to some altruistic end—such as offsetting socioeconomic disadvantages—or a desirable end in themselves by exposing students to as many ideas and cultures as possible? In 2003, the Supreme Court sided with the latter, ruling that diversity on college campuses was a “compelling state interest” and race was allowable in admissions so long as it was not the only factor considered. We acknowledge that because of historic and lingering discrimination, certain racial identities do foster unique perspectives in students. Race, in other words, should be a part of UW-Madison’s admissions process.

A more productive approach would be to make UW-Madison a more welcoming place to diverse ideas and cultural experiences.

But the question we should be answering is not whether racial diversity can enrich the education experience for others, but whether the current climate at UW makes the most of its racial variety by welcoming interactions between different races as well as other marginalized perspectives. If the whole point of Plan 2008 was to bolster racial diversity through admissions, it would be hard not to call the initiative a success. After all, according to the Ofﬁce of Academic Planning & Analysis, UW-Madison’s target minority student population— encompassing blacks, Hispanics, Southeast Asians and Native Americans—grew 21 times faster than the overall campus population between 1999 and 2008. But only focusing on Plan 2008’s effect on UW-Madison’s racial composition neglects other, equally valuable perspectives. When students

with different socioeconomic and geographic backgrounds, religions, sexual orientations, cultures, work experience, politics and life experiences are fused together, the educational experience is enriched for everyone. Unfortunately, the university has paid less attention to many of these factors. In 2006, for instance, only about 23 percent of UW-Madison freshmen from Wisconsin came from families with incomes in the state’s bottom 40 percentiles. Such statistics suggest a homogeneous student body in terms of income level, though at least economic diversity is measurable, unlike some factors. For example, straight students could very well benefit from making acquaintances with bisexuals just as Buddhists and Catholics could benefit from dialogue, but it would be intrusive and awkward for university applications to collect such personal questions that, unlike race, can be and often are concealed to protect against prejudice. Instead, encouraging a more cohesive campus community where students from different backgrounds interact more regularly would be much more valuable than building up a diverse assortment of individuals only to stand by passively as they drift into cliques of familiarity. There are many ways to achieve more interaction between students who might not otherwise meet. Cornell University’s Breaking Bread program, for instance, gives student groups incentives to find similarities and reach out to other groups by reimbursing those who host joint events. With so many student groups at UW-Madison denied funding from the General Student Services Fund already this year, many groups would probably jump at the chance to combine forces with one or even several organizations in hosting an event if that was required to receive university funds. This is just one example of the types of creative solutions UWMadison must consider to make sure they’re not just hoarding unique perspectives, but also creating a campus of tolerance, empathy and open discussion.

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sports 8

dailycardinal.com/sports

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Men’s Basketball

Wisconsin enters rankings for ﬁrst time UW ranked No. 20 in AP, No. 23 in USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll By Mark Bennett THE DAILY CARDINAL

Head coach Bo Ryan and the men’s basketball team are reaping all the rewards they deserve after last week’s success. The Badgers are coming off arguably one of the biggest wins in the program’s recent history, a 73-69 victory over No. 5 Duke Dec 2. Wisconsin followed that with a 33-point victory over Grambling State Saturday. For the team’s effort, the Badgers find themselves in the top-25 national rankings for the first time this season. The Badgers are ranked No. 20 in the AP Poll and No. 23 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll. “I don’t even know if our guys would know one way or the other if we were or weren’t ranked.” Bo Ryan head coach UW men’s basketball

Picked by many at the beginning of the season to finish the season in the bottom half of the Big Ten standings, Wisconsin now sits as the fourth-highest nationally ranked team in the conference, behind Purdue, Michigan State and Ohio State. The rankings are not a distrac-

BADGER BITS Women’s Basketball The Badgers dropped their second consecutive game Sunday against No. 3 Ohio State, losing 70-55. After beginning last week undefeated, Wisconsin is now 7-2 after falling to N.C. State last Thursday and the Buckeyes on Sunday. The Badgers had their eyes on the upset after taking an eightpoint lead into halftime against Ohio State. But the Buckeyes outscored Wisconsin by 23 points in the second half to grab the victory. The Badgers shot a respectable 24of-50 from the ﬁeld, but turned the ball over 22 times. Junior OSU center Jantel Lavender scored a game-high 23 points on 7-of-18 shooting from the ﬁeld. Lavender also hauled in 10 rebounds for a double-double. Wisconsin was led by its two guards, senior Teah Gant and junior Alyssa Karel, who each scored 10 points. UW wraps up its six-game road swing against Marquette Friday.

tion for the team, though. “I don’t even know if our guys would know one way or the other if we were or weren’t ranked,” Ryan said. “They always know the next team wants to beat us, and we want to beat the next team.” Additionally, for his personal effort, senior guard Trevon Hughes was named Big Ten Player of the Week. This is the first such honor for Hughes, and the first for a Wisconsin guard since Kammron Taylor in 2007. Hughes averaged 23 points per game on the week, including a career-high 26 points against Duke, with 19 of those coming in the second half. “This has been [Hughes’] best year,” Ryan said. “He’s been the most focused. Not that he wasn’t before, but just this is his time.” Hughes and his teammates will look to carry last week’s success into this coming week as they take on two in-state foes. Wisconsin begins the first of three contests with in-state Division I teams when it takes on the UW-Green Bay Phoenix (2-0 Horizon, 8-2 overall) in Green Bay Wednesday. The Badgers have never lost to Green Bay, taking a perfect 15-0 record into the matchup. Last season when the two teams met, Wisconsin came out victorious by a 20-point margin. Bo Ryan isn’t expecting the game to be as easy this season. He knows Green Bay is prepared to bring its best. “They’re on a roll,” Ryan said. “We know what we’re going into up there. It’s going to be a heck of a battle.” On Saturday, the Badgers face off against their biggest in-state rival, Marquette, at the Kohl Center.

KYLE BURSAW/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

Senior guard Trevon Hughes was named the Big Ten Player of the Week Monday after scoring 26 points against Duke and 20 against Grambling State. Hughes is averaging 16.7 points per game this season. Always a highly charged game, Wisconsin is looking for revenge after a tough loss last season in which the Golden Eagles edged out the Badgers 61-58 in Milwaukee.

Ryan knows games against instate rivals always carry a certain amount of added intensity. The Badgers embrace every opportunity to face those rivals, though.

“It’s always for the right to say this or the right to say that,” Ryan said of the rivalry. “You can’t get any more competitive games that I’ve seen.”

Ovechkin’s penalty product of poor NHL discipline NICO SAVIDGE savidge nation

a st night, Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin returned to action after serving a two-game suspension for an illegal hit he laid on the Carolina Hurricanes’ Tim Gleason. While it is good to see a superstar like Ovechkin finally serve some time for bending and breaking the rules, his suspension sheds light on the NHL’s spotty discipline policy. During the Capitals’ Nov. 30 game against the Hurricanes, Ovechkin took out Gleason with a knee-on-knee hit in the first period, sending both players down to the ice and injuring Ovechkin. For the NHL, this was a doublewhammy of bad news. First, its golden-boy star was potentially hurt for a long time (although it turns out the injury was mild), as he couldn’t put pressure on the knee as he skated off. But more importantly, that same golden boy was injured while delivering a dirty hit in which he led with his leg, endangering both Gleason, who was also hurt, and himself. The league had to face one

of its biggest current discipline problems: its major inconsistency in suspending players, especially when it comes to superstars. And in the NHL, superstars don’t come any bigger than Ovechkin. A day after the hit, word came down from the league that Ovechkin would be suspended for two games, and although many analysts were happy to see him receive a well-deserved suspension, it was not harsh enough. The NHL should have made more of an example out of Ovechkin and given him a punishment to show that no player, regardless of how much they improve the sport’s image, will be allowed to tarnish it with illegal play.

When he starts endangering other players, “carefree” turns to “reckless,” and the league must draw the line.

Because he was hurt on the play, Ovechkin probably would have missed one if not both of those two games anyway, something that certainly takes away the suspension’s power. But even if he wasn’t injured, the nature of

the hit and Ovechkin’s career of questionable plays warrant further punishment. Hits like the one he had on Gleason are, regrettably, an extension of Ovechkin’s “bad boy” mystique. The seemingly carefree way Ovechkin plays and the same unpolished demeanor that makes him such a fan favorite are the kinds of things that tick off not just hockey purists, but also fellow players. I have no problem with the way Ovechkin celebrates or the way fans who couldn’t give a crap about hockey before a few seasons ago love him so much. But when he starts endangering other players, “carefree” turns to “reckless,” and the league must draw the line. If this were the first time Ovechkin had thrown a dirty hit, I could forgive the NHL for handing down a light punishment or none at all. But while it is the first time he has been suspended for it, it certainly wasn’t Ovechkin’s first offense. There is no shortage of other examples of times when Ovechkin has delivered hits that could be seen as illegal, and the NHL has to show that they will not allow that to continue. Ovechkin should have been suspended for five games, the same punishment given to

Georges Laraque for a similar hit on Niklas Kronwall, but was not because of his superstar status. Clearly, the league and many fans have no problem with Ovechkin’s more harmless antics, but when he starts endangering players with dirty hits, they must come down as hard on him as they have on less well-known players. One of the NHL’s biggest faults is its much-maligned, inconsistent suspension policy and the preferential treatment it seems to give to its biggest stars. If Ovechkin were some unknown third-line forward for the Capitals, he could have never gotten away with a small punishment for a hit like that. But because of the notoriety he’s brought to the sport and his international fame, he can cross the line and not face a very harsh punishment from the league. Yes, Alex Ovechkin has done some great things for hockey in his years in the NHL, but that is no excuse for playing dirty. The league must drive home the point that he can celebrate as much as he wants, but if he continues using illegal and dangerous hits he will face the same repercussions as everyone else. How do you think the NHL should have handled Ovechkin’s suspension? E-mail Nico at savidgewil ki@dailycardinal.com.