Weds. May 4 - Tues. May 10, 2022 Weekly Print Edition
Vol. 108, Issue 27 www.thedailyaztec.com
San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913
Faculty criticize SDSU on budget, ‘You just spent $175,000 on a big party’ WATCH OUR FINALE BROADCAST ON OUR YOUTUBE INSIDE THIS ISSUE
OPINION Generation Z participates in hobbies, but not to escape their day-to-day lives. PAGE 3
ARTS & CULTURE Pancho Barraza and Cuisillios give electric performance at Cal Coast Credit Union.
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MUNDO AZTECA La casa estaba llena en Cal Coast Credit Union de La Universidad Estatal de San Diego. PAGE 6
SPORTS Four Aztecs get selected in the NFL Draft. PAGE 8
INDEX News............................... 1-2 Opinion..............................3 Art..................................4-5 Mundo .............................. 6 The Back Page, Sports..... 7-8
by Christian STAFF WRITER
Houser
Some San Diego State faculty are in support of proposed legislation that mandates 53% of the total Cal State University budget must be spent on instruction. The percentage mandated to go to instruction would increase by a fixed amount until a floor of 53% is reached. In the early ‘90s, 53% of the CSU budget was spent on instruction. According to Corpstate, In the year 2000, this percentage had decreased to 41% and has now fallen even lower to 34%. Scott Kelley, biology professor and one of the creators of Corpstate, said he is in full support of this proposed legislation. “I have been deeply concerned for a long time now, especially about the growth of administration and management on this campus and campuses across the United States,” Kelley said. According to Kelley’s site Corpstate, since the 1980s, the number of faculty in many departments across CSU has roughly halved while the total number of administrators has increased by 221%. Kelley has felt the effects of these changes firsthand at
SDSU. “We used to have [repair] staff on every single floor of the biology department, and we used to have janitors come in regularly. We used to have resources and decent numbers of [departmental] staff. Now we have no [repair] staff, they’ve cut all of them, and they’ve cut janitor service,” Kelley said. Kelley said SDSU is mismanaging funds that could be going to students in need. “You just spent $175,000 on a big party. And you have students lining up at the food drive to get food,” Kelley said. The “big party” is in reference to SDSU’s 125th Anniversary celebration that, according to the Times of San Diego, had an estimated cost of around $200,000. “They tell you, we need more fees for students, you [students] should pay more. We don’t have enough money for faculty; we can’t fix your building that’s rotting, literally sewage leaks in my building. They can’t fix it, but they can build an entirely new campus,” Kelley said. In eight of the past 12 years, the CSU system was not provided any funding by the state for deferred maintenance, according to a statement from SDSU. “Since 2015, some limited state funding was identified
Photo courtesy of California Faculty Association
According to a statement from SDSU, in eight of the past 12 years CSUs were not given funding for deferred maintenance from the state.
for the system as a whole, and SDSU has received just under $60M for deferred maintenance and infrastructure since that time. These dollars have been directly invested in projects such as roof replacements, HVAC upgrades, and electrical infrastructure repairs, at both the San Diego and Calexico campuses, with the largest portion being dedicated to the replacement of one of the electrical substations on the San Diego campus,” the university said in an email. While the university has received limited funding for
these problems it is important to note that according to a California State Audit in 2018, SDSU’s total surplus was the highest among CSUs and was over $456 million. Savanna Schuermann, a lecturer in the Anthropology Department, has similar feelings to Kelley on the topic of mishandling of funds and said there needs to be more transparency about where the money is going. SEE SDSU BUDGET PAGE 2
Graduating students reflect on how SDSU changed over the course of the pandemic by Nicholas Ebadat STAFF WRITER
Neikon
Picture this: a San Diego State with an East Commons bustling every weekday around noon, every Thursday at least ten food trucks filed along the concrete rise in front of Hepner Hall, random students sparking conversation about the best view of the city and other students itching to make others a valued member of their club or organization. Seniors like Kobe Mosse, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, have experienced an SDSU when that picture was reality. “When I first started, obviously there was no pandemic and everything was smooth. We would go to classes together. I would see my peers around school, on campus and it was just a vibe. It was more like I felt the college
Photo by Jessica Parga
Students discussed the social atmosphere at SDSU before and after the pandemic.
lifestyle, you know?” Mosse said. “And when the pandemic hit everything went downhill, it just started becoming like it would be boring coming to class. Like nobody wants to come to school, nobody wants to do online learning.” Many tried to recreate a social environment after the long break from campus life. Food trucks came on Thursdays still, but with fewer options met with equally diminished student enthusiasm. Hybrid
classes left students with the option to avoid the trip to campus entirely. To top it all off, a lingering commitment to greater public safety left student interaction to be questioned and hesitated by administration. Senior Molly Best, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Economics minor, reminisced about her favorite memories from life at SDSU. “I loved the football games when we had those [near
campus], the tailgates. I loved being in a sorority. Those were definitely some of my favorite moments and I studied abroad so that was definitely one of the best experiences they gave me,” Best said. “I didn’t like the online classes. I feel like I didn’t learn as much as in person. You didn’t get the same learning experience as in person. No one talks in Zooms, you didn’t get to talk to your teachers, anything like that.” For transfer students like Brian David Lucio Aguilar, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, this academic year was the first time setting foot on campus. When asked how his experience at the university could be described, he said “phenomenal.” “I got to experience pretty much all of SDSU but I wish I could have gotten that experience even earlier,” Aguilar said. SEE ONLINE
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News
The Daily Aztec
May 4 - 10, 2022 EDITOR: Katelynn Robinson • news@thedailyaztec.com
Graduate students push back against
$300 First Year Experience Fee
Photo courtesy of Freepik
Students voiced concerns about the $300 fee they are automatically enrolled in. Students must opt out of the fee, but direction information about how to do this has been scarce.
by John Paul STAFF WRITER
Cavada
The Graduate Student Experience Program, organized by the Office for Graduate Life and Diversity, has been met with student pushback concerning its excessive fees. The GSEP contains the First Year Experience Fee, which is a fee of $300 that can be opted out of. The FYE fee covers the PreOrientation, Orientation and the Office for Graduate Life’s student activities during the first year of graduate school, according to the New Student and
Parent Programs. Upon admission, graduate students who have 18 or more units matriculated are automatically placed into the GSEP, according to the Office for Graduate Life and Diversity. Graduate students who opt out of the program will still have full access to existing and critical support services provided by the university, according to the Office for Graduate Life and Diversity. However, graduate students have not been properly informed about the option to opt out of the FYE fee.
Presidential Task Force progress after two years by Catlan Nguyen EDITOR IN CHIEF
When first formed in the fall of 2019, the San Diego State Presidential Task Force set out analyze how alcohol and drug use plays a role in the college student experience. This group was formed after the death of freshman Dylan Hernandez in fall 2019, and some changes they’ve made include implementing the Amnesty policy and Good Samaritan policy, hiring a Fraternity and Sorority Life Director and putting more efforts in expanded Aztec Nights events to discourage drinking and partying among students. “Our goal is not just to punish,” Director for Student Rights and Responsibilities Lee Mintz said. “We don’t want to punish. It’s not a punitive process, it’s an educational process. When we meet with students, we want to understand the ‘why.’” The Amnesty policy was implemented in April 2021 and it allows students to get help for themselves or others without the fear of receiving disciplinary sanctions through the SDSU conduct process. The Good Samaritan policy removes conduct penalties for certain alcohol and other drug violations. This applies when a student organization seeks timely assistance from appropriate emergency personnel and SDSU staff for any student impacted by alcohol or other drugs at a student organization activity. Generally, students reporting incidents of sexual violence or hazing, or calling for medical assistance for alcohol or other drug-related incidents will not be subject to student conduct charges related to alcohol or other
drugs, according to the university. “Exceptions to this may include matters related to sexual violence (i.e., if a student sexually assaults a member of the campus community and then calls for assistance, if the victim needs medical assistance related to alcohol or other drugs - whether or not provided by the perpetrator, the perpetrator themselves will not receive amnesty), sales or distribution of alcohol or other drugs, physical assaults, and/or matters related to discrimination and harassment,” the university said, in an email. “Individual circumstances vary depending on the incident.” This also does not include all exceptions to the Amnesty and Good Samaritan policies. “Our first priority is making sure that people are safe,” Mintz said. “If you’re the person that reports, or you’re the person that gets help for yourself or others, you won’t be in violation of university policy.” The university has seen an increase in reportings from individual students, according to the Hazing Prevention Task Force Co-Chairs Mintz and Caryl Montero-Adams “I don’t think the number of incidents have increased,” Mintz said. “I think that people are reporting more because they’re more comfortable knowing that they’re not in jeopardy of getting their friend in trouble.” The Presidential Task Force currently has vacancies for Student Representative positions, Fraternity and Sorority Life Advisor, a University Senate Representative and a University Police Department Representative. Students have been attending task force meetings and more students have been invited to participate, according to the university. SEE ONLINE
“What this feels like to me is, the program is relying on graduate students missing the deadline to opt out and forcing them to then pay a $300 enrollment fee, which is predatory,” chemistry graduate student Colton Breyer said. The only information regarding the program and the option to opt out was a single sentence buried within an email, according to chemistry graduate student Ellen Kuang. The website to properly opt out of the fee was not included in this email. “I personally think it’s incredibly predatory considering that it’s not an ‘opt-in’ program but rather an ‘optout’ program…This was thrown upon us without any consultation…” Kuang said. Breyer adds emails surrounding the GSEP and FYE fee are often sent straight to the spam or junk folder of student emails. As of now, graduate students are still uncertain whether these fees are paid out of their loans or out of their pocket. Graduate students who have been unknowingly opted-in consider the orientation events within the GSEP to be a standard practice. “Us graduate students, the time that
we do have is quite precious to us…If I don’t have to, I would honestly rather not have to go some of those things, and feel that I need to get my money’s worth because I’m being forced to pay $300 for it,” Kuang said. Breyer shares his experience that graduate students are some of the most financially burdened individuals due to working paycheck and paycheck with debt from previous education. “We’re really all not particularly fond of it. We’re already having to pay a lot out of pocket…Asking us to shell out more is absolutely unreasonable,” Kuang said. Graduate students have pitched an alternative for the FYE fee. Instead of being an “opt-out” program, the GSEP should be an “opt-in” program. “The frustrating part about the whole thing is most of the services included in the $300 fee should be free resources for the student and not an additional tacked-on fee,” Breyer said. As a graduate student within the College of Science, Kuang already has access to similar programs that the GSEP expects them to pay for.
Faculty criticize SDSU budget:
Dunster said. This 53% proposal would not cost the taxpayer and would only ask for oversight of the allocation of funds as it had done in the past. “In fact, it used to be many years before I came. The legislature did allocate the percentage to instruction when they funded the CSU. Somewhere along the line, the chancellor and the long beach administration convinced them to allow the administration to take care of the funds,” Dunster said. “It’s like putting the foxes in charge of the hen house.” SDSU said the budget process includes advisory consultation with the University Senate Committee and on University Resources and the President’s Budget Advisory Committee. The university also shares graphs and data on the university budget on its Budget Transparency Portal. “The university carefully assesses all budget concerns and works diligently to ensure the most appropriate allocation and use of financial resources to meet the mission and goals of the university,” SDSU said.
continued from page 1
“It’s just the same old bullshit, the same status quo. Enrollment keeps going up; the university is growing. Pay for administrators keeps going up. The number of administrative positions continues to increase. Yet, at the same time, student fees keep increasing; tuition is going up. As a lecturer, I know the money is not going to me. Where’s all the money going? Anytime you try to ask, you get these really vague answers,” Schuermann said. Schuermann asked for more information on the allocation of funds at SDSU and across the CSUs. “I think there is mismanagement of funds going on. Transparency is really important. If that means a thousand or two thousand page handbook detailing exactly where it goes, then put it out. We will read it,” Schuermann said. Kelley and Schuermann said the call for 53% of the CSU budget to be spent on instruction would help foster a better education for students at SDSU. “That’s why we are supposed to be here. That’s why I’m here, is for students to learn. To crack those eggs open, to be excited about understanding the world and go change it hopefully. I don’t know if that’s really the mission of everyone. It seems like SDSU is more interested in its own aggrandizement and reputation rather than serving the students that are there right now,” Schuermann said. Mark Dunster, mathematics professor and contributor to the proposal, said the legislative route is the best way to change how CSU is allocating its funds. “It should be an easy sell to the legislature because they don’t have to do anything except enforce it,”
SEE ONLINE
Photo by Joseph Barr
SDSU spent $175,000 on the 125th anniversary.
May 4 - 10, 2022 EDITOR: Aaliyah Alexander • opinion@thedailyaztec.com
Opinion
The Daily Aztec
3
New A24 film tackled Does Generation Z even everything all at once know what hobbies are? By Athena Jreij
By Aaliyah Alexander
STAFF WRITER
OPINION EDITOR
Editor’s note: this article contains spoilers from the film “Everything Everywhere All At Once.” Upon first watching the preview to A24’s new movie “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” it piqued my curiosity as another deep dive into the multiverse concept. However, after I watched the film I found it to be so much more, possibly the best release of 2022 yet. The film centers around Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh), a Chinese immigrant who runs a laundromat with her husband, Waymond (Ke Huy Quan), and daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu). The family appears to live a normal hustle-and-bustle lifestyle until Evelyn is transported to another universe during an audit appointment at the IRS office. Throughout the course of the film, Wang is called on to defeat the multiverse’s biggest threat, Joju Tabaki, who is soon revealed as her daughter, Joy. What unfolds from here pulled out laughs, tears and everything in between. From hotdog fingers to mixed martial art madness – the audience is left wondering what’s next in every scene. Beyond this, the film stands out for its new spin on the multiverse concept, the cast’s diversity and its intersection of relevant social issues. The Daniel’s production offers a new angle on the multiverse concept. As a viewer, it was refreshing to watch a different take on the sci-fi concept outside what we’ve seen from entities like Marvel in the recent “Spiderman: No Way Home” or the upcoming “Doctor Strange” film. An action packed plot that isn’t just another superhero movie, “Everything Everywhere…” combines serious issues with an unexpected, yet necessary, comedy and a diverse cast to bring it all together. Beyond its refreshing nature, the cast’s diversity is one that should be celebrated. The film combined all stars like Yeoh and Quan while introducing new faces to the movie screen like Hsu, showing a beautiful representation of the AAPI community — one that we don’t see often at the box office. Diverse movies like this one should be celebrated so Hollywood knows we want more of them! This diversity allowed the film to explore relevant social issues like intergenerational trauma, LGBTQ+ acceptance, and the tough relationship dynamic between mothers and daughters. Throughout the film, there is a misunderstanding between Evelyn and Joy, a need for listening and communication.
Gone are the days where one could completely immerse themselves in a hobby without being that good at it and not feeling the pressure to monetize it. Don’t get me wrong. I like how this generation has the opportunity to turn just about any passion into income. However, the benefits of having a hobby to escape daily pressures and stress has been traded for a life devoid of any wholesome leisure. Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2021) are arguably the most creative and statistically the most diverse generation, according to USA Today. With all of this creativity pulsing through our veins, why are we also a generation riddled with crippling anxiety and depression? Being known as “digital natives,” our lives quite literally revolve around technology. “Growing up in a hyper-connected world can evoke intense feelings of isolation and loneliness in some youth,” the Annie E. Casey Foundation said, in an article. “It can also fuel a steady drumbeat of negative news stories, a fear of missing out and shame in falling short of a social mediaworthy standard.” Although we are probably the most creative generation so far, our creative energies aren’t necessarily balanced between passion-fueled careers and imperative recreation. We may all have passive activities we like to partake in, but they’re not technically considered hobbies. Dan Scotti from Elite Daily highlights the difference between pastimes and hobbies: hobbies are things you have a genuine interest in and pastimes are there simply to past time. To put it into perspective, my generation believes that going to the gym is a hobby, binging television shows is a hobby, and swiping through Tinder is a hobby. According to Scotti, those things are pastimes, not hobbies. Essentially, “a hobby should tell a lot about you,” Scotti said. “How you choose to spend your free time is one of the most intimate, revealing characteristics about your general being.” It is difficult to find the time nowadays for hobbies, but if we intentionally reallocate the time we use mindlessly scrolling on TikTok or the time we use complaining about how bored we are, time should appear with no problem. In Psychology Today, associate professor of psychology at James Madison University in Virginia Jaime L. Kurtz highlights reasons why it’s beneficial to pick up a hobby. She
Courtesy of Maddy Peng Miller
Fan art created by Instagram user @ultimatevagina for the film ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once.’
Joy is crushed under the weight of her mother’s expectations and Evelyn is suffocated by her disconnection with reality. Unsatisfied with her own life, Evelyn lives vicariously through Joy, which eventually transforms her into the colorful villain, Joju. This issue is compounded with Joy’s sexual identity. Evelyn struggles with acknowledging Joy’s sexual identity as a lesbian. But Joy is looking for not just tolerance, but acceptance and embrace from her mother. Standing alongside films like Disney’s “Encanto” and “Turning Red,” “Everything Everywhere…” explores the tricky relationship between an immigrant maternal figure and the first generation daughter. It highlights the decades of unresolved pain from familial expectations that have been passed down, but the love that perseveres along with it. Buzzfeed News reporter, Scaachi Koul said, “The movie affected me so deeply because I saw myself and my mother in it at every turn; I saw how much we love each other, but how often we’re wrapped up in our own worlds and expectations.” “Everything Everywhere All At Once” wraps all these concepts in a messy, multiverse bow that the audience is left dying to unwrap. Like many other great films, the A24 production lives on past the screen, leaving viewers with lasting questions about their own life. If it isn’t this article that pushes you to the theaters, let it be the 97% tomatometer and 91% audience score the film received on Rotten Tomatoes. Athena Jreij is a junior studying journalism.
mentions hobbies promote flow, structure, new social connections, stress relief and an interesting aspect to you as an individual. As a full-time student who works parttime, I can attest to the value of having a hobby or two. It’s nice having something I can do that’s not tied to an outcome of any sort. It’s just there for me to explore my interests and passions. This isn’t to argue against turning a passion that was once a hobby into a source of income. If anything, that’s what I encourage people to do. However, when a hobby is monetized, it loses some of its appeal overtime, so it’s important to explore new hobbies alongside the ones that transcend the title of “hobby.” So, Gen Z, let’s put down our phones for a second and bring back hobbies for the sake of just having one. Aaliyah Alexander is a junior studying journalism and media studies. Follow her on Twitter @aaliyahdanyell.
Photo by Aaliyah Alexander
Alexander pictured in a hammock while taking a picture of her ‘current read.’
Normalize having life outside of academic achievements By Maitland Klingberg STAFF WRITER
Have you used the RogerHub grade calculator recently? I know I have. There is a cheap thrill in seeing what grade you need to achieve in order to pass a class. RogerHub can alleviate or increase the stress you may be experiencing over the next two weeks because yes, you guessed it, final exams are upon us. This should not be a surprise, yet so many students find themselves in a bind. Perhaps you are wrapping up that last essay or trying to cram in a semester’s worth of material overnight. At the end of the day, please remember that academics should not be prioritized over your mental health. Last semester, I was practically glued to my desk. It was rare if my friends saw
Courtesy of Maitland Klingberg
Klingberg pictured going to take final exams after long night of studying.
me working on something that wasn’t school related. The habits I created were unhealthy, but I didn’t care. I loved seeing my Canvas page flooded with A’s. It was my way of telling myself that I was worthy after having an average high school career. If my grades slipped under a 90 gradepoint average, I felt like my world would come crashing down along with them. I refused to do anything remotely fun because my only concern was getting my grades back up. These overwhelmingly negative thoughts showed me that caring about doing well in school is one thing, but obsessing over it is another. Academic validation can still be your kryptonite, but students, like me, need to accept it is okay to have a life away from Canvas. It is hard to believe, but grades do not define your worth. They are also not a reflection of your intelligence. Don’t beat
yourself up if you did not meet your expectations. Learn from your mistakes and move on. If you notice you’re getting caught up in your thoughts lately, here are several ways you can be kind to yourself: 1. A cold glass of water can work wonders, so hydrate! 2. Take a 20-minute walk around your neighborhood. 3. Silence your phone notifications. This helps more than you know. 4. Talk to an older student about your concerns. Chances are they have been in your shoes too. 5. Make a Spotify playlist based on your mood. 6.Call a close friend or relative and rant to them. SEE ONLINE
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The Daily Aztec
Arts & Culture
May 4 - 10, 2022 EDITOR: Ryan Hardison • arts@thedailyaztec.com
Pancho Barraza leaves the crowd energized at Cal Coast Theatre By Karina Bazarte & Karelly Vidrio ASST. MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR & STAFF WRITER
It was a full house at San Diego State’s Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, when the opening regional Mexican banda group Banda Cuisillos and regional Mexican singer Francisco Javier Barraza, better known as “Pancho Barraza,” took the stage on Saturday, April 23. Everyone who came saw Pancho Barraza give an epic performance on his 30thanniversary tour, making his fans drenched in sweat as they sang and danced to their favorite singer all night long. In the beginning, Banda Cuisillos enlightened and prepared the crowd for a night full of dancing. The band was originally formed in Tala Jalisco in 1987, and they always represent their ancestors’ attire. The band wore light blue pants, brown poncho sweaters, blue headbands, light brown boots and dreamcatchers. “The concert was a good representation of Mexico itself. It was a colorful environment filled with music and with a strong
Photo by Karelly Vidrio
Members of Pancho Barraza performing and hyping up the crowd by making sure everyone were on their feet. Everyone was left feeling energized and elightened during the concert.
aspect of Mexican culture,” Kimberly Jimenez, a fan at the concert, said. Cuisillos had powerful energy that was shown throughout the whole concert. Many fans had headbands that said the band’s name showing their love for them. With songs like “Mil Heridas,” “Vanidosa” and “Ya No Mires Asi,” the lively music made fans dance as soon as they hit the stage. Jimenez described the feeling she got when she saw people express Mexican culture. “The demographic and the background of the attendees felt
like home,” Jimenez said. “The men wore the typical ‘sombreros.’ I felt like I was in a Mexican town party like my mother speaks from her youth.” When it was time for the main event, and the fans patiently waited until dancers wearing the colors yellow and blue came out to dance. The crowd lost it as they started to jump and scream with joy for the main event. Barraza, originally from Juan Jose Rios, Sinaloa, Mexico, made his fans sing along to one of the most popular of his songs like, “Mi enemigo era el amor” (My enemy was love), “Ignoraste mi
lagrimas” (ignored my tears) and “Musica romantica” (Romantic music). Making the crowd not stop dancing and singing his best hit. The singer had an extraordinary show performance with the captivating choreography of his dancers. Banda, mariachi and chorus singers gave life to his performance. “Other artists will not engage with the fans. When Pancho Barraza sang I felt the heartbreak and I felt the love,” Jimenez said. “I had listened to his song ‘Ignoraste Mis Lagrimas’ before, but the way Band and Mariachi played it instantly took me to that special person I couldn’t keep.” During his performance, Barraza paid tribute to the legendary Mexican singer Joan Sebastian who passed away in 2015. Images from Joan Sebastian, well known as “El Rey del Jaripeo” were projected on the sections of the screen in the background of the show in honor of him. The set led to an excellent show since the public was on their feet for the whole concert. “He wasn’t what I thought he would be,” Jimenez said. “I was left stunned and based on his performance, vocals, and charisma onstage I am now a fan.”
CannaClub provides students with information about the ‘highs and blows’ of marijuana usage By Aaron Velasquez STAFF WRITER
Cannabis is a growing worldwide market, and at San Diego State, CannaClub hopes to take advantage of this business opportunity to educate consumers and industry hopefuls about the benefits of cannabis. With the legalization of recreational marijuana in California in 2016, the industry has amassed over $4.4 billion in sales in just 2020 alone, according to Statista.com. CannaClub president and SDSU senior Daniel Cordova speaks about how the club educates members on this continuously growing business market. “We had a panel board earlier this semester with all types of cannabis people, we had people who focus in CBD (cannabidiol), from out of state, places where they don’t even have recreational cannabis,” Cordova said. ”We just wanted to see all the different nuances of cannabis, we teach people about all the nuances of a developing market cause cannabis is definitely not a mature market yet at all.” CannaClub has held many events throughout the semester reflective of the club’s foundations of education, career development and community. Events such as sound bath
Photo by Aaron Velasquez
With recreational marijuana only legalized in 18 states (along with the District of Columbia) as of April 2022, CannaClub teaches members with varying knowledge all about the cannabis business.
meditations and visits to a local marijuana manufacturing facility. CannaClub co-president and SDSU junior Emilio Estrada believes the firsthand experience the club offers can help introduce members to the cannabis market. “I feel like also taking people to different field trips that we have…. where we go to grow ops (grow operations) and whatnot and we really try to just get everybody to see firsthand how the process works,” Estrada said. Through discussion with their members, Cordova said the executive board is able to educate themselves on topics their community wants to learn more about. The club shares its research through presentations,
infographics and bringing resources related to cannabis, such as industry professionals or job opportunities. In the years since legalization, cannabis has been able to bring new products to the marijuana market, making strides in both the medicinal and recreational uses of cannabis. Lauren Skinner, a sophomore at SDSU and the community communication director at CannaClub, explained how some cannabinoid products can help ease new users into cannabis without the fear of experiencing anxiety or paranoia. “A lot of people obviously know just about THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) and
CBD but there’s a lot of other cannabinoids,” Skinner said. “People can smoke delta eight now, there’s delta nine, delta 10 – there’s all these different parts of it and I think it’s being more accepted with that kind of education cause it’s not just ‘oh I’m just getting high.’ It’s ‘I’m smoking a legal amount of this and this for this medical benefit.’” By highlighting the medicinal benefits of Cannabis, CannaClub hopes to break the stigma surrounding Cannabis users. A stigma long supported by unjust marijuana laws which the American Civil Liberties Union says led to Black people having been four times more likely than White individuals to be arrested for marijuana laws, even though studies show both races use marijuana at the same rate. SEE ONLINE
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EDITOR IN CHIEF Catlan Nguyen MANAGING EDITOR Trinity Bland NEWS EDITOR Katelynn Robinson OPINION EDITOR Aaliyah Alexander MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR Noé Sandoval ASST. MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR Karina Bazarte ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Ryan Hardison ASST. ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Cristina Lombardo SPORTS EDITOR Jason Freund ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Andrew Finley SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Sara Rott PHOTO EDITOR Noelani Sapla MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Mackenzie Stafford ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Jayne Yutig GRAPHIC DESIGNER Emily Forschen
STAFF WRITERS John Paul Cavada Isabella Dallas Nicholas Neikon Ebadat Taylor Harris Christian Houser Gwenyth Hoebing Athena Jreij Maitland Klingberg Aaron Velasquez Karelly Vidrio SENIOR STAFF WRITERS Morgan Prickett CONTRIBUTORS Isabella Kunde ________________________________ ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Brian Arnold GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST Luis Valenzuela EDITORIAL 619.594.4190 editor@thedailyaztec.com ADVERTISING 619.594.6977 advertising@thedailyaztec.com PRINT The Daily Aztec publishes 5,000 copies of its weekly print edition every Wednesday throughout the semester WEB Daily content is available at www.thedailyaztec.com QUESTIONS/COMMENTS letters@thedailyaztec.com The views and opinions expressed in this issue do not necessarily reflect those of The Daily Aztec.
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May 4 - 10, 2022 EDITOR: Ryan Hardison • arts@thedailyaztec.com
Arts & Culture
The Daily Aztec
5
BeReal showcases facetune-free photos to friends in real time
Review: ‘Hardy Boys’ let loose in season two
By Isabella Dallas
By Nicholas Neikon Ebadat
STAFF WRITER
“Life is not a highlight reel of someone’s best moments. Life is whatever I’m doing at 5:47 p.m. on Sunday.” With social media’s recent attempts to reject highly curated, essentially perfect, posts with “casual photo dumping,” the pressure to engage in something casual on Instagram now comes with an additional secret level of performance. Everything has become about capturing and romanticizing the effortless aesthetic of everyday life; it’s a filtered, unfiltered lifestyle. BeReal, however, is a newer social media app developed in France by Alexis Barreyat in 2020 that contradicts everything Instagram and other similar platforms require. All BeReal users receive a daily notification sent at a random time where they are given two minutes to take a photo of themselves and their surroundings. The time limit paired with the unexpected timing of the notification forces users to be real (literally). There’s no time to find the perfect pose or background, you simply have two minutes to capture a snapshot of your life with both the front and back cameras of your phone. It’s thrillingly mundane. The photos are supposed to be a realistic representation of your everyday activities which makes it remarkably authentic. There’s really little romanticizing with BeReal. The description on the app store writes: “BeReal is life, Real life, and this life is without filters. BeReal is your chance to show your friends who you really are, for once. BeReal can be addictive. BeReal
Photo by Isabella Davis
Friends are able to show real unedited versions of themselves to friends. No facetuning allowed!
might piss you off. BeReal won’t make you famous, if you want to become an influencer you can stay on TikTok and Instagram.” There are no filters, no likes, or followers on BeReal. After requesting friends, users are welcomed by a feed filled with casual uploads, comments and “RealMoji” reaction pictures below everyones posts. Users also have to upload first in order to see their friends’ uploads, which makes lurking impossible and provides another enticing incentive to ‘be real.’ While you can retake a picture, the app does tell your friends how many retakes it took (finding this out was embarrassing, so you’re welcome for the warning). If you miss a BeReal there are no penalties, but in order to see real
you must be real. It will, however, disclose how late you were, and in case you were wondering, yes, you can be 27 hours late. BeReal is now quickly taking over college campuses across the United States, and San Diego State is no exception. Why does it appeal to so many different people? Freshman marketing major Claire MacDonald, talks about her experience with the app and how it has transformed her idea of social media’s potential. “I first downloaded BeReal in midFebruary, after one of my friends texted me the invite. For the first month, I probably had no more than four friends on the app. Slowly, everyone I knew at SDSU started to join and now it feels just as popular as any other platform,” MacDonald said. “It’s fun because I only really have my super close friends on it so there’s no pressure. I get to take a quick peek into my friends’ day to day lives without it being this big deal. As someone who has struggled with the influx of social media pressure, this is such a great way to stay connected with my real friends. It’s freeing.” It’s refreshing to be real. This app accepts people for their “worst case scenario,” and what can be better than that? With nothing to lose and only real connections to gain, BeReal is definitely worth the download, and MacDonald thinks it’s an accurate representation of life, with boring and exciting moments equally on display. “Life is not a highlight reel of someone’s best moments. Life is whatever I’m doing at 5:47 p.m. on Sunday,” MacDonald said. “Sure, sometimes you get lucky and you’re at the beach or with a group of friends. Other times you’re not so lucky, but it is what it is. It’s real.”
Vada Vada rock the Music Box By Gwenyth Hoebing STAFF WRITER
Photo by Gwenyth Hoebing
Wyatt Shears is apart of the iconic duo The Garrden. On April 24 Shears’ performed at the Magic Box in San Diego creating an ecentric environment for the crowd.
On Sunday, April 24, Enjoy performed at Music Box San Diego for the second to last show of his brief New York/Southern California tour, playing an unforgettable set for San Diego locals and Vada Vada enthusiasts. Doors opened at 7 p.m. as fans flooded the front of the pit to secure a good view of the show. A niche group of the experimental music obsessed might find themselves in the ‘Vada Vada’ rabbithole at some point. Vada Vada is closely associated with a collective of artists showcasing unique experimental sound. Most well known in Vada Vada is the iconic twin duo The Garden, consisting of bassist
and vocalist Wyatt Shears and drummer Fletcher Shears who come together to form an eccentric electronic punk sound. They coined the term Vada Vada to represent “total freedom of expression without boundaries or guidelines of any sort,” as they mention on their website. Both members of the duo have side projects of their own. Wyatt Shears makes his own music as Enjoy and Fletcher Shears’ showcases his sound through his project Puzzle. Both are known for their oddly distinctive styles, experimenting with different electronic elements and sound effects. The Garden has previous ties with San Diego State, dating back to 2018 when SDSU’s Aztec Music Group interviewed the duo before the pair picked up traction amongst a broader group. The Mainliners, an up and coming Los Angeles based band, opened the show by playing some hearty punk rock tunes, whirling the crowd to form energetic moshes. Mace, a Vada Vada fan who attended the concert, estimates to have been to around 25 shows in total. “I liked The Mainliners set, they’re definitely one of the best openers the twins have had for a Vada Vada show in awhile,” Mace said. The second opener, Tommy Midnight, slowed it down with a unique and ambient set. His soft vocals leaned towards passionate spoken poetry at times, and occasional guitar and keyboard synths created a still atmosphere, allowing fans a moment to catch their breath between the two high energy performances.
Between sets, the crowd surged to the stage anticipating Shears’ appearance. Those looking for a tamer concert experience gathered on the second and third floor of the Music Box venue, wanting a good view without the hassle of fighting for a good spot in the pit. At around 9:30 p.m, Enjoy finally took the stage, opening with his song “Genetic Tree,” from his most recent album “Sessions with a Nasty Old Tree.” SEE ONLINE
STAFF WRITER
The popular long running mystery book series, “The Hardy Boys,” has a Hulu exclusive television series that just released its second season. The show takes a step further into the fictional elements of the first season to muddy up what makes the show special: its young characters putting clues together to do the right thing when no one else will. As the brothers Frank and Joe Hardy, played by Rohan Cambell and Alexander Elliot, have become a little more adjusted to living with their aunt in a new town, a local boy’s disappearance prompts the boys and their friends to dive into another case. The first season set the show’s expectations to be faithful to the books in tone, while simultaneously diverging from some of the details of the books to make a necessary switch to today’s standards of storytelling. For example, the books detail a stayat-home mother who is only slightly concerned for her children and world-class detective husband as they are constantly getting into trouble. The show solves this concern in a way that makes sense and moves the story forward. In addition, the show makes creative choices that feel related to the audience it was made for. Joe Hardy is made much younger in the show as he is 12 years old rather than the book’s 17-year-old version of the character. Frank is made 16 instead of the book’s 18-year-old version. The time period of the show is also set forward from the books to the ‘90s; a time with no smartphones, flatscreens or social media. An overarching story in the first season centers around a MacGuffin the Hardy boys need to keep out of the wrong hands. Conveniently for the writers, this brings all the trouble you could imagine showing up at their doorstep. The item also introduces mystical elements to the show that albeit gives a reason for why two children and their friends are the most competent people in an entire town, but cheaply creates solutions to the pair’s most pressing questions. Something that the show does extremely well, however, is the characterization of the core characters and dynamic between the detective group. Despite Joe being so young, he’s the type of kid to be wise beyond his years and has trouble interacting with others his age. SEE ONLINE
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Mundo Azteca
The Daily Aztec
May 4 - 10, 2022 EDITOR: Noé Sandoval • mundoazteca@thedailyaztec.com
El género regional mexicano llega a la universidad con la musica norteña por Karelly ESCRITORA
Vidrio
La casa estaba llena en Cal Coast Credit Union de La Universidad Estatal de San Diego. El cantante mexicano Francisco Javier Barraza, mejor conocido como “Pancho Barraza” y la “Banda Cuisillos’’ subieron al escenario el sábado 23 de abril por la noche. Todos los que vinieron a ver a Banda Cuisillos y Pancho Barraza recibieron un excelente show. Los fanáticos no pararon de cantar y bailar con su cantante favorito durante toda la noche. Pancho Barraza brindó una actuación épica en su gira por su tour de aniversario, hizo sudar a todos sus fanáticos. Celebrando sus 30 años de trayectoria como cantante del género regional mexicano. Los primeros en abrir el show fueron, la banda regional mexicana “Cuisillos’’ quienes iluminaron y prepararon al público para una noche llena de baile. La banda de 1987 originaria del grupo de Tala Jalisco, representó el atuendo de sus antepasados. La banda vestía pantalón celeste, suéter tipo poncho de color café, diadema azul, botas café claro y estampados de atrapasueños. “El concierto fue una buena representación de México. Fue un ambiente colorido lleno de música y con aspectos fuertes de la cultura mexicana”, dijo Kimberly Jiménez, una fan que asistió al concierto del sábado por la noche. La banda Cuisillos tuvo una energía poderosa en el escenario que se mostró durante todo el concierto. Muchos fanáticos tenían cintas en la cabeza que decían el nombre de la banda mostrando el amor hacia ellos. Con canciones como “Mil Heridas”, “Vanidosa” y “Ya No Mires Así” hicieron bailar al público. Jiménez describió el sentimiento que
tuvo cuando vio a la gente expresar la cultura mexicana. “El background y las personas que vinieron se sintió como en casa”, dijo Jiménez. “Los hombres usaban los típicos sombreros. Me sentí como si estuviera en una fiesta de pueblo mexicano como habla mi madre de su juventud”. Era hora del evento principal y los fanáticos esperaron pacientemente. Hasta que salieron a bailar bailarinas vestidas con los colores amarillo y azul. La multitud se volvió loca cuando comenzaron a saltar y gritar de alegría por el evento principal. Pancho Barraza originario de Juan José Ríos, Sinaloa, México, hizo cantar a sus fans una de sus canciones más populares como, “Mi enemigo era el amor”, “Ignoraste mis lagrimas’’ y “Música Romántica”. Haciendo que la multitud no parara de bailar y cantar sus mejores hits. El cantante tuvo un espectáculo extraordinario con su cautivadora coreografía de sus bailarines. Banda, mariachi y coros fueron los que dieron mucha vida a su presentación. “Otros artistas se relacionan con sus fans. Cuando cantó Pancho Barraza sentí el desamor y el amor”, dijo Jiménez. Había escuchado su canción “Ignoraste Mis Lágrimas” antes, pero escucharla en vivo me llevó a esa persona especial que no pude conservar”. Como buen mexicano, hizo un homenaje a Joan Sebastian. Imágenes de Joan Sebastian conocido como “El rey del Jaripeo” fueron proyectadas en las secciones de pantallas de fondo del espectáculo en su honor. Todo el conjunto derivó a un excelente espectáculo de concierto ya que el público estuvo de pie toda la noche bailando y cantando. “No me lo esperaba, me quedé atónita y en base a su presentación, voz y carisma en el escenario, soy su fan” dijo Jiménez.
Foto por Karelly Vidrio
Pancho Barraza en el anfiteatro de CalCoast dando su show de música norteña para la audencia.
Foto por Karelly Vidrio
La Banda Cusillo y Pancho Barraza en el anfiteatro de CalCoast en SDSU.
Despedida de graduación de los editores de Mundo Azteca por Noe Sandoval EDITOR DE MUNDO AZTECA
Foto por Noe Sandoval
Noé Sandoval, estudiante de periodismo y relaciones publicas, Clase de 2022
Por mucho que sea difícil, estoy escribiendo mi despedida no solo de mi experiencia en el Daily Aztec y Mundo Azteca pero también en la Universidad Estatal de San Diego. La verdad es que me cuesta escribir y recordar todo lo que he pasado en mi tiempo aqui. Por lo general, estoy muy agradecido por las oportunidades que he tenido estando aqui pero admito que no fue facil. Estos cuatro años fue como una montaña rusa comenzando en un pasaje disfrutable pero después yendo a en lugar lleno de vueltas y revolcaciones. Estoy feliz de salir por Karina Bazarte EDITORA ASST. DE MUNDO AZTECA
Foto por Joaquín Valdez
Karina Bazarte, estudiante de periodismo Clase de 2022
Mi tiempo en la Universidad Estatal de San Diego ha llegado a su fin. Finalmente puedo decir que tengo una licenciatura algo que siempre quise lograr. Me enorgullece decir que finalmente lo logré. SDSU siempre estará en mi corazón. La radio universitaria KCR SDSU, la Asociación Nacional de Periodistas Hispanos SDSU y The Daily Aztec Mundo Azteca son las organizaciones que siempre apreciaré. En KCR SDSU conocí a mi querida amiga Carolina Rivera, quien se convirtió en mi copresentadora de nuestro programa Morritas Night. Morritas Night fue lo más increíble que hice en SDSU porque me encantó el tiempo que compartí con mi amigo. También me encantó entrevistar
aqui con nuevas enseñanzas aprendidas y nuevas amistades hechas. Como todos, lo dificil fue la pandemia. Estando en lo virtual y ver el mundo cambiar lo fue facil para mi afectando mi bienestar y mi salud mental. La verdad es que yo me admiro yo mismo porque a veces siento que no debo estar aqui, o como le dicen el síndrome de impostor. Dedico todo mi trabajo a mi familia porque estamos en dos años de luto. El hecho de perder a uno padre afecta mucho la vida de uno que me pone a cuestionar todo lo que hago en la vida. Sin embargo, he llegado hasta aqui y sé que estoy orgulloso de todo lo que he hecho. Mi tiempo en el periódico tuvo sus
momentos divertidos y asombrantes. Llegando hasta el final de esta etapa, siento que he cambiado bastante y en maneras que no lo esperaba. Pero aun sigo creciendo y aprendiendo. Mi consejo para los demás es que las dificuldades vienen pero es como uno los enfrenta que vale. Ademas, es normal sentirse agotado, estresado y desanimado. Lo importante es seguir adelante porque aunque sientas que nada bien está por venir, la prueba está en nunca rendirse.
a mi buen amigo J. Alexander. Siempre apreciaré los momentos, las charlas y los logros de ser el mejor programa de entrevistas de 2020. NAHJ ha abierto tantos recuerdos y oportunidades maravillosos. NAHj me conectó con mi increíble mentora Vanessa Nevarez, a quien sé que considero una de mis amigas y familia más cercanas. Con NAHJ tuve la oportunidad de recibir mi primera beca, pasantía y asistí a una convención virtual. La organización también me bendijo con grandes amigos como Daniel Guerrero, Antonio Márquez, Luis López y Noe Sandoval. Gracias NAHJ familia por permitirme ser su presidente. El Daily Aztec siempre tendrá mi corazón.
Copies of the tax filings for the
VER EN LINEA
TAX FILINGS
VER EN LINEA
AVAILABLE ASSOCIATED STUDENTS SDSU
for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021 are now available at the Associated Students Office, Room 320, Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union or on our website at as.sdsu.edu
619-594-6555 as.sdsu.edu
May 4 - 10, 2022 EDITOR: Jason Freund • sports@thedailyaztec.com
Sports
The Daily Aztec
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Women’s tennis win Mountain West By Morgan Prickett SENIOR STAFF WRITER
San Diego State University’s women’s tennis team won the Mountain West Conference Championship after a 4-1 win in the final over the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. “The team felt like it was our title to win,’’ head coach Peter Mattera said to goaztecs. com. “It was just a tremendous effort by this team.” The title is the Aztecs’ first conference title since 2003 and automatically sends them to the NCAA Team Women’s Championship for the 23rd time in school history. Going into the tournament, the Aztecs had two players named to the 2022 Women’s Tennis All-Conference teams. Seniors Bunyawi Thamchaiwat — who is No .78 in the national ITA rankings — and Tamara Arnold were placed on the allconference singles and doubles teams. The Aztecs’ road to becoming Mountain West victors started with a quarterfinal matchup against the University of Wyoming on Thursday, April 28. In commanding fashion, the Aztecs defeated Wyoming 4-0. The duo of senior Alicia Melosch and junior Cécile Morin secured a 6-2 doubles win followed by seniors Nnena Nadozie and Regina Pitts, who won in a 7-6 (3) tiebreaker to secure the doubles point. Thamchaiwat, Melosch, and junior Julia Jordan then secured the win for the Aztecs by winning their singles matches before the others could finish.
Photo courtesy of SDSU Athletics
The Aztecs celebrate after winning the Mountain West Conference Championship over the UNLV Rebels. It is SDSU’s first conference title win since 2003.
The Aztecs were then matched up against Colorado State University in a semi-final battle on Friday, April 29. Yet again the Aztecs dominated the competition, this time winning 4-1. For just the ninth time this season, the Aztecs dropped the doubles point with only the No. 85 ranked duo of Thamchaiwat and Arnold picking up a win, with a convincing 6-0 victory.
Despite going down early, the Aztecs fought back and won four singles matches to secure the semi-final victory. Nadozie, Arnold, Jordan, and Melosch were the four Aztecs to rally the team to victory with their consecutive singles wins. The Aztecs were now Mountain West Championship bound in a matchup against UNLV on Saturday, April 30. Coincidentally, in 2019 when the last
Mountain West Championships were held, the final also featured both SDSU and UNLV with UNLV taking the win 4-0. This time it was the Aztecs who broke into celebration as they defeated UNLV 4-1. San Diego opened the match on the back foot after again dropping the doubles point. But much like the previous day, The Aztecs rallied back after losing their doubles point and took control of the game. “To be able to come back again today speaks to our overall team depth and our confidence regardless of who we are playing and what the situation is,” Mattera said to goaztecs.com. “They believe in themselves and each other. We were down 1-0, just like yesterday, and to go out after a five-minute break and not let it bother you. We were determined. We wanted the conference title. We wanted to go to the NCAAs. We were not going to let being down 1-0 bother them.” Thamchaiwat, Arnold, and Melosch all won their matchups, but it was who Nadozie clinched the Mountain West title for the Aztecs with a 6-4,6-2 win over UNLV senior Izumi Asano. “It is so fitting that Nnena (Nadozie) got to clinch the match. I could not be happier for her,” Mattera said. Next, the Aztecs will face the University of Southern California in the first round of the NCAA tournament after being drawn against them on Monday, May 2. The match will take place Friday, May 6 at 10 a.m. at Pepperdine University.
No. 22 Softball takes care of business against San Jose St.
Photo courtesy of SDSU Athletics
Senior pitcher Maggie Balint dazzled once again against San Jose State, mowing down seven Spartans in five innings of one-run softball to secure the first win of the three game series.
By Isabella Kunde CONTRIBUTOR
After a well fought victory against UC San Diego this past Wednesday, San Diego State softball swept San Jose State after scoring twenty five runs in three games. Game One: SDSU 7, SJSU 1 Senior Taylor Adams went 3-for-3 for the Aztecs, who out hit the Spartans 12-5 in the first game of the series. The Scarlet and Black came out swinging to start the game, loading the bases and scoring their first run off a single to left by freshman AJ Murphy San Diego State’s offense was dominant in the third inning as well, getting contributions from Adams, senior Alexa Schultz, freshman Makena Brocki and sophomore Macey Keester. The Aztecs furthered their lead with four runs on four hits, an error and a walk, making the score 5-0. The Spartans’ offense was only able to chip one run off senior pitcher Maggie Balint in the bottom of the third. A two-out single by sophomore Ashley Rico brought home senior Alyssa Graham, who was
called safe off an obstruction at the plate ruling, cutting the Aztecs’ lead to four. The Aztecs had no problem responding to SJSU’s run as Adams started the fourth inning with a walk and stole second. Senior Danielle Romanello got Adams home on a double and Murphy brought in the final run for the Aztecs with a single, increasing their lead to 7-1 Balint dominated the first five innings, allowing only one unearned run while striking out seven batters. Freshman Dee Dee Hernadez relieved Balint in the sixth inning, striking out two and remained scoreless for two innings. Game Two: SDSU 10, SJSU 2 The Aztecs run-ruled the Spartans in their second match of the weekend, out hitting them 10-4. San Diego State got momentum in the first inning when freshman AJ Murphy brought home two runners off a single. The Spartans were able to respond to the Aztecs’ fast start, scoring two runs in the bottom of the second on a double by sophomore Malia Luna. Keester drew a walk to begin the third, stole second and was brought home on a
triple by freshman Bella Espinoza. Schultz got an RBI in the fourth sending Adams home, adding to the Scarlet and Blacks’ lead 7-2 The Aztecs loaded the bases in the fifth inning with Adams, Espinoza, and Romanello each knocking in runs to increase their lead to 10-2 and taking complete control of the game. Adams and Murphy lead the Scarlet and Black’s offense combining for seven RBI’s. Adams went 6-for-6 after this matchup with four RBI’s. Game Three: SDSU 8, SJSU 3 The Aztecs completed the series sweep against the Spartans, out hitting them 147. Sophomore Mac Barbara got the momentum going with a lead off homer in the first inning — collecting her 14th homer of the season. Barbara showed up again in the second inning with a two out double scoring Brocki to make it 2-0
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Romanello increased the Aztecs lead to three after she collected an RBI in the third knocking in Schultz. Barbara drove in her third run of the game in the fourth inning. Sophomore Jillian Celis followed with a sacrifice grounder scoring Espinoza, putting the Aztecs up 5-0. San Jose State was finally able to get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out triple by senior Jenessa Ullegue scoring freshman Jules Ronquillo and making the score 5-1 heading into the final inning. Brocki and the Aztecs offense answered back the following inning with a basesloaded double that gave SDSU a 8-1 lead. The Spartans put up a fight in the bottom of the seventh after loading the bases with three singles off Dee Dee Hernandez, but Hernandez was able to get out of the jam striking out the next two batters and getting some help from her infield for the final out.
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The Daily Aztec
The Back Page
May 4 - 10, 2022 Editor: Jason Freund • sports@thedailyaztec.com
Four Aztecs get selected in NFL Draft By Jason Freund SPORTS EDITOR
It was a phenomenal 2021 season for San Diego State football. Twelve total wins including two against Pac-12 teams and a big win in the Frisco Bowl over No. 24 UTSA. The cherry on top, if you can call it that, came in the 2022 NFL Draft. For the first time since 2012, four SDSU football players heard their names called in the NFL Draft. Going first was star defensive end Cameron Thomas, who will be chasing down quarterbacks like Matt Stafford and Jimmy Garoppolo in the NFC West after being selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round with the 87th overall pick. A hamstring injury hindered Thomas throughout his preparations for the Draft, keeping him out of the Senior Bowl and
limiting him at the NFL Combine and SDSU’s Pro Day. While his patience was tested, it was eventually rewarded as he goes to a team that employs future Hall of Famer J.J. Watt on their defensive line, who Thomas modeled his game after. In his final season as an Aztec, Thomas led the Scarlet and Black with 20.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks en route to being named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year. To New York goes tight end Daniel Bellinger, who will don a Giants jersey after being selected by the Big Blue in the fourth round. The sixth tight end drafted, the runheavy SDSU offense hindered Bellinger in the Draft as he was limited in the amount of passes he caught at SDSU. An excellent run blocker, his lack of catches led many to believe he would go closer to the sixth round. An excellent day at the Combine
Top photo by Andrew Finley, bottom photo by Noelani Sapla
(Top) Cameron Thomas (99) was the highest Aztec to be selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, going in the third round to the Arizona Cardinals. (Bottom) Punter Matt Araiza was selected in the sixth round by the Buffalo Bills.
Photos by Noelani Sapla
(Top) Daniel Bellinger will be heading to New york afer being selected in the fourth round by the Giants. (Bottom) Zachary Thomas - Cameron’s brother - was selected in the sixth round by the Chicago Bears.
bumped his stock up and New York capitalized by taking him with the seventh pick of the fourth round. He will be able to make his case for starting time as after Evan Ingram left for free agency. Most surprisingly, however, is the fate of punter Matt Araiza. The Ray Guy Award winner was the third punter selected in the Draft, much to the amazement of NFL Network broadcaster Rich Eisen and SDSU fans. The Buffalo Bills cashed in, selecting The Punt God with the first pick of the sixth round. Many were expecting Araiza to be selected early on Day 3 of the draft, but the lefty punter continued to slide further and further as teams passed up on him. There are multiple theories as to why Araiza wasn’t selected, but he and his booming leg will now head to Buffalo. While the Bills tied the Cardinals for the least amount of punts in the 2021 (52), they may be more inclined to do so with Araiza fielding the ball as he averaged 51.4 yards per punt and sent six footballs over 70 yards.
Offensive tackle Zachary Thomas — Cameron’s brother — heard his name called three rounds later in the sixth round by the Chicago Bears. While Zachary Thomas has mostly played at the tackle position in college, a move to guard isn’t impossible as it would better utilize his run-blocking skills. If he gets to see the field, he will be making sure quarterback Justin Fields and running back David Montgomery. In 2012, another quartet of Aztecs got the call that they had been selected by an NFL team. Running back Ronnie Hillman, linebacker Miles Burris, quarterback Ryan Lindley and defensive tackle Jerome Long all went on to play football at the professional level. Many Aztecs will still get an opportunity to play in the NFL after signing as undrafted free agents. Running back Greg Bell (Detroit Lions), safety Trenton Thompson (Giants), offensive lineman William Dunkle (Philadelphia Eagles), linebacker Segun Olubi (San Francisco 49ers) and defensive back Tayler Hawkins (49ers) all signed after the Draft.
