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Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Issue 11, Volume 85

getting insured Houston has high rates of those without health insurance. Where can students get coverage? | pg. 2

InSIDE: nATIOnAlS vs. ASTROS SERIES pREvIEw pg. 6-7

2 | Wednesday, October 23, 2019

NEWS ian everett, EDITOR

THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS

NEWS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

713-743-5314

health

An in-depth look at student health insurance From campus-provided coverage, to family plans, to the uninsured, here are the realities for Cougars thinking about their needs Ian Everett Sydney Rose

Features Editor senior staff writer @ianeverettuh @sydneyrose1029

The presence of health insurance isn’t felt until it’s desperately needed, but students, who have other worries like midterms and homework, might take their options for granted. Even students in the prime of their health aren’t exempt from accidents like broken bones or life-altering conditions and diseases, like cancer. Students should be in the know about the plans and benefits available to mitigate these potential pitfalls. “Students who are wellinformed have a greater chance of maximizing their plan benefits,” said Student Health Insurance Coordinator Naomi Odom. Regular checkups with the doctor, dentist and optometrist are recommended to spot early problems. Professors and workplaces often ask for doctors’ notes to justify missing a class, and in

that case, students might skip a visit in favor of taking an unexcused absence. But common colds, fevers and stomach bugs can be taken care of at the UH health clinic, cheaper if you’re on the campusprovided plan. “Students who are insured with the Student Health Insurance Plan are covered at 100 percent when using the UH Student Health Center,” Odom said. “So this would save money on copays, co-insurances and deductibles.” On the other hand, getting the UH coverage is expensive, with a price tag over $2,500 for the domestic/voluntary annual plan, and more than $1,000 for the international mandatory plan. “Although no premium is entirely inexpensive, we would consider SHIP’s premium to be very competitive to other outside private insurance plans,” Odom said. The Cougar researched the details of these different plans and spoke to students about their choice of health coverage.

JIselle Santos/The Cougar

What UH coverage looks like So what are the details of the Student Health Insurance Plan? The plan sells itself when considering other options out there, Odom said. “We educate and empower our students to familiarize themselves with their health plan benefits,” Odom said. Undergraduate students who are enrolled in at least six credit hours can enroll in the SHIP.

The price for the domestic annual plan is $2,590, while a Fall only plan is $864, a Spring/ Summer plan is $1,726, and a Summer only plan is $651. Students enrolled in the SHIP can expect a $10 copay for general visits to the Health Center, according to the center’s cost of services. Surgeries, in-office physician fees, and lab procedures through the Health Center are covered 100 percent by the SHIP. With network providers, after a $100 copay, SHIP will also cover 80 percent of hospital room and board expenses, diagnostic x-ray services, and after a $150 copay, the plan will cover 80 percent of emergency services expenses. International students with “F” or “J” visa statuses must be covered by the SHIP or an equivalent plan, regardless of credit hours, according to the

Health Center information page on their plans. At the time of registration, international students will automatically be enrolled in the SHIP and charged to their student financial account. “Learning about the basics such as copays, deductibles and as to whether or not a specialist is ‘in or out of network’ will result in a better experience for the consumer,” Odom said. Odom also said students who visit their physician a few times a month for chronic conditions, such as allergies, could see a greater return by enrolling in SHIP compared to a family plan. Odom felt it’s up to students whether to choose SHIP or another plan. “I believe this decision should be made based off of the student’s individual needs and financial situation,” Odom said.

Coverage costs by semester The campus plan is different for U.S. students than international students, who must be covered by UH or an equivalent plan.

$2,590 $1,086 Domestic Annual 9/01/19 - 8/31/20

$864

international new fall 8/01/19 - 12/31/19

$864

Domestic fall

int’l renewing fall

9/01/19 - 12/31/19

domestic spring/summer

int’l spring/summer

1/01/20 - 8/31/20

$1,726 $1,726 $651

domestic summer only 6/01/20 - 8/31/20

$651

int’l summer only 6/01/20 - 8/31/20

Wednesday, October 23, 2019 | 3

ian everett, EDITOR

THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS

NEWS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

NEWS 713-743-5314

How UH compares to Houston’s uninsured rate i According to a recent study done by Wallethub, Houston is the second most uninsured large city in the United States, with an average uninsured rate of 23.81 percent. How does this measure up to UH’s rate? “Currently, we are unable to determine how we compare to the city average in this regard,” Odom said. “We would need to collect data from a large enough group over a semester basis to approximate our answer to this.” However, Odom said that a small scale survey done by the health center found that up to 30 percent of students surveyed were uninsured. “We have received feedback that most students prefer to retain their parents’ coverage despite the very competitive if not superior features our SHIP offers students,” Odom said. “Based on the percentage enrolled at UH, there still remains a significant portion of the total student population who may not have any health insurance coverage.” Odom encouraged uninsured students to take advantage of UH’s options before it became a significant issue. “There are many factors to consider when selecting a health plan, but it is all based on each individuals’ needs,” Odom said. “Unfortunately, it only takes one significant, unanticipated adverse health event to impact one’s finances. “A minor procedure can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars and a major surgery can yield tens of thousands of debt in dollars.”

How Houston stacks up to other cities

Houston came up as the 2nd most uninsured large city in the US. How does this compare to other large cities? Chicago

Houston

Los Angeles

most uninsured

34th

2nd

26th

-11.25% -7.08% -15.94%

change in uninsured rate since 2010

10.98% 27.31% 12.95% uninsured adults

uninsured adults

4.20%

14.02%

4.16%

uninsured children

13.36% 31.07% 14.34%

uninsured low-income housholds

4.39%

uninsured high-income housholds

uninsured low-income housholds

10.66%

uninsured high-income housholds

uninsured low-income housholds

6.96%

uninsured high-income housholds

Number of students enrolled in the domestic/voluntary plan 2018-2019

426 623

enrolled in fall coverage

enrolled in spring/ summer coverage

enrolled in summer only coverage

933

enrolled in annual coverage

The student perspective on health insurance There are many insurance options for students, including on-campus insurance and family coverage, but there are students who remain uninsured during their college years. There are only 840 students with the on-campus insurance, and 2,988 international students with an “F” or “J” visa plan who are automatically enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan. “I was looking into (the insurance), because technically

I’m from out of the country, but I’m not considered an international student,” said psychology senior Christie Tsao. “The only option that I have is the school health insurance plan.” Tsao said the health insurance for students increases every year by $200 or more. The fee is additional and not a part of her tuition. The Student Health Insurance Plan is something some incoming students are considering for their

time at UH. “For me, I live off-campus with my parents, I live at home, I didn’t even know the campus insurance was a thing,” said accounting freshman Jamie Nguyen. “I might have to look into it, that’s something I’d have to discuss with my parents.” Nguyen said she had offcampus insurance through her parents. There are students who either do not know whether they have

insurance or just don’t have it at all. Political science freshman Naila Hossain said without insurance she overpays any time she does go to the doctor. “I don’t have insurance on campus or off,” Hossain said. “My parents used to take care of everything. We would usually just pay out of pocket, because I didn’t really go to the doctor that much.” news@thedailycougar.com

The Cougar

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About the Cougar The Cougar is published every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters and online everyday at thedailycougar. com. The Cougar is supported in part by Student Service Fees. The first copy is free. Additional copies cost 25 cents.

Copyright No part of the newspaper in print or online may be reproduced without the consent of the director of Student Publications.

Issue staff Closing editors

Michael Slaten Morgan Horst COPY EDITING

Mason Vasquez COVER

Jiselle Santos

Center for Student Media uh.edu/csm

About CSM The Center for Student Media provides comprehensive advisory and financial support to the university’s student-run media: The Cougar newspaper, CoogTV and Coog Radio. Part of the Student Life portfolio in the Division of Student Affairs, the CSM is concerned with the development of students, focusing on critical thinking, leadership, ethics, collaboration, inter-cultural competence, goal-setting and ultimately, degree attainment. While our students are engaged in producing and promoting media channels and content, our goal is to ensure they are learning to become better thinkers and leaders in the process. Center for Student Media

(713) 743-5350 csm@uh.edu www.uh.edu/csm N221 Student Center University of Houston Houston, TX 77204-4015 Advertising

(713) 743-5340 advertising@thedailycougar.com thedailycougar.com/advertising Design Team Ruchi Khakta

4 | Wednesday, October 23, 2019

NEWS ian everett, EDITOR

THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS

NEWS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

713-743-5314

CAMPUS

UT GroupMe cheating scandal causes students to resent app Shockwaves from UT have reverberated to UH, making students second-guess sharing even harmless information

Jiselle Santos/The Cougar

autumn rendall

assistant news editor @autumnrendall

After information about an upcoming test was posted in an introductory anthropology class GroupMe chat, about 70 students at the University of Texas at Austin are facing automatic failing grades or expulsion for being members of the group message. At UH, GroupMe has become a popular way for students to organize study groups and discuss upcoming assignments, class cancelations or any other necessary class updates. Some University students, however, have said this news from UT has discouraged them from using the app altogether. “I think it’s a little ridiculous that two or three people cause the entire class to get in trouble,” said print journalism junior London Douglas. The UT professor accused over half the students of cheating after

he learned of the group chat’s existence, something he said in his email to the students was directly banned in the syllabus, according to the Houston Chronicle. “The rules of the class are clear: students are not permitted to ask about, discuss, or share information related to the exams or labs,” the professor’s email said. Students are explicitly prohibited from discussing the content of exams and labs in “all possible venues,’’ according to the course syllabus. Examples of these “venues” include websites, forums, Facebook and informal hallway conversations. “He’d have no way of making sure people aren’t sharing content about exams face-to-face, so how could he expect to hold up a rule about online information?” Douglas said. A student in the course told the Houston Chronicle that around the time of the course’s second exam in September, a student posted in the

GroupMe asking what might be on the test. Another student responded with a list of all the textbook concepts the class had reviewed up to the exam, she said. A few hours later, the professor’s cheating accusation email was received. “This guy has basically banned collaborative studying,” Douglas said. “I think that it is a ridiculous rule, but I don’t know what students can do if it was in the syllabus.” This is not the first time GroupMe has led to a large amount of students getting into trouble. In 2017, Ohio State accused 83 students of “unauthorized collaboration on graded assignments,” according to The Lantern. Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Paula Myrick Short said any incidents of academic dishonesty in a group messaging app follow the same due process under the

University’s Academic Honesty Policy. The policy outlines the prohibited forms of academic dishonesty at the University, which include plagiarism, unauthorized group work, stealing and abuse of academic materials, complicity and more. Group messaging or social media tools, Short said, can be “useful resources for connecting with classmates as well as receiving notifications pertaining to courses and assignments.” Short said it’s important for students to report incidents they believe to be violations of the Academic Honesty Policy, however, because failing to do so is a “prohibited form of academic dishonesty known as complicity.” If a student is found in violation of the policy, sanctions may range from a zero or F on the assignment or a reduced course grade, or for more severe cases, suspension from the University.

A violation could also result in denial of entry into law, medical and professional schools. “Students should always be careful when using social media,” Short said. Short said instructors are encouraged to make clear to students, in writing, what constitutes academic dishonesty, particularly in those classes where group activities are part of the instructional method. As the ability to cheat using technology and social media increases more and more, Short said UH has made strides to address academic dishonesty in all forms. “While the number of academic dishonesty cases at UH has remained stable, there has been an increase in inquiries focused on how to better address expectations of group work in any medium,” Short said. news@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, October 23, 2019 | 5

JHair rOMerO, EDITOR

SPORtS

tHeDaiLYCOUGar.COM/SPOrtS

SPOrtS@tHeDaiLYCOUGar.COM

713-743-5303

FOOtBall

On short rest, Houston looks to dethrone undefeated, ranked SMU navigating tough schedule

Sophomore quarterback Clayton Tune is likely to return. | Jhair Romero/The Cougar

AnDy yAnEZ

where UH was held to only 284 yards of total offense. Houston’s defense and special teams made crucial plays to secure the win, getting an interception that set up the offense at the 30-yard line that led to a touchdown in the second quarter and two punts over 50 yards. SMU comes to Houston off a dominant 45-21 win against Temple, where junior quarterback Shane Buechele blazed through the Owl defense for 457 passing yards and six touchdowns.

StaFF Writer @aYaneZ_5

With Houston set to take on No. 16 SMU Thursday night at TDECU Stadium just five days after its 24-17 victory over UConn, its first American Athletic Conference win of the season, UH is back to days of short rest. The Cougars, who struggled early in the season with quick turnaround between games, enter the short week following a hardfought grapple against the Huskies

The Cougars faced a grueling schedule to start the 2019 season, and the toll it has taken on the team is evident with its 3-4 record. They also played against three ranked opponents in their first seven games, losing to all of them. In comparison, No. 4 Clemson and No. 1 Alabama, as well as the AAC-leading Mustangs, have only played against one ranked opponent through the first seven games of their respective seasons. Houston is also on short rest, which the Cougars are no strangers to after the 2019 start that saw the first quarter of their schedule played in under 20 days.

behind enemy lines The first-place Mustangs enter TDCEU Stadium with a perfect 7-0 record, which groups them with only nine other FBS teams in the country that remain undefeated. Led by Buechele, who has 2,112 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and six interceptions on the season, SMU ranks No. 7 in the nation in

total offensive yards with 3,648. Senior running back Xavier Jones, a substantial supplement to the Buechele-led offense, leads the team in rushing with 751 yards and 12 touchdowns. Buechele’s top receiving target, junior wideout Reggie Roberson Jr., has 795 reception yards and has caught six touchdowns.

what to watch The Cougars head into Thursday night battered following their first AAC win of the season. Sophomore quarterback Clayton Tune had injury issues after his two games as starter, sitting out in favor of freshman Logan Holgorsen against the Huskies. The Carrollton-born Tune has thrown for 308 yards since taking over for Houston, while Holgorsen has completed eight of 18 for 128 yards in his four appearances for the Cougars. Tune’s status has been questionable since suffering a hamstring injury Sept. 28, but his return has become more likely.

Regardless of who’s been under center for Houston, junior wide receiver Marquez Stevenson has been a reliable target for the Cougars’ quarterbacks, hauling in 445 receiving yards while also catching four touchdowns. Houston’s defense, however, will be the biggest factor determining how successful it is against SMU. Junior safety Grant Stuard, Houston’s defensive leader with 63 total tackles, has been lights out for the Cougars in 2019, and UH’s matchup against SMU will likely require his continued assistance. For just one of his career-high 15 tackles in the game, Stuard staved off a Huskies touchdown by stopping junior running back Kevin Mensah on a 58-yard rush. UH opponents have averaged 475.7 total offensive yards this season. Should the Cougars want to upset one of the country’s hottest teams, their defense must continue to step up. sports@thedailycougar.com

2019 STUDENT FEES ADVISORY COMMITTEE PRESENTATION SCHEDULE

All sessions will be held in the Senate Chamber in the Student Center North building FRIDAY, OCT. 25, 2019

MONDAY, OCT. 28, 2019

TUESDAY, OCT. 29, 2019

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 30, 2019

8:30 a.m.

Committee Business

8:45 a.m.

Committee Business

9:00 a.m.

Committee Business

8:45 a.m.

Committee Business

9:00 a.m.

Dean of Students Office

9:00 a.m.

Student Centers

9:00 a.m.

Children’s Learning Centers

Speech and Debate

Student Governement Association

9:15 a.m.

9:45 a.m.

9:30 a.m.

Blaffer Gallery

Break

Center for Student Involvement

A.D. Bruce Religion Center

10:15 a.m.

9:30 a.m.

10:00 a.m.

Break

10:00 a.m.

Break

Veteran Services

Break

10:30 a.m.

10:15 a.m.

Homecoming Board

Center for Fraternity and Sorority Life

10:15 a.m.

Intercollegiate Athletics

Women and Gender Resource Center

10:30 a.m.

10:45 a.m.

11:00 a.m.

Frontier Fiesta Association

11:15 a.m.

DSAES IT Services

11:00 a.m.

Band/Spirit Squad

11:30 a.m.

Public Comment

11:30 a.m.

Public Comment

11:45 a.m.

Public Comment

11:30 a.m.

Public Comment

11:45 a.m.

Break

11:45 a.m.

Break

12:00 p.m.

Break

11:45 a.m.

Break

1:00 p.m.

Campus Recreation

12:45 p.m.

Council for Cultural Activities

1:00 p.m.

Center for Student Media

1:00 p.m.

Business Services

1:45 p.m.

Counseling and Psychological Services

1:15 p.m.

Student Program Board

1:30 p.m.

Coog Radio

1:30 p.m.

2:30 p.m.

Break

1:45 p.m.

Activities Funding Board

2:00 p.m.

Coog TV

2:45 p.m.

Health Center

2:15 p.m.

Metropolitan Volunteer Program

2:30 p.m.

The Cougar

Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Services Office

Center for Students with DisABILITIES

Break

3:00 p.m.

Break

2:00 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

2:45 p.m. 3:00 p.m.

LGTBQ Resource Center

3:15 p.m.

University Career Services

Dr. Richard Walker, Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Services

4:00 p.m.

UH Wellness

3:30 p.m.

4:00 p.m.

Urban Experience Program

2:30 p.m.

Adjournment

4:30 p.m.

Cougars in Recovery

Center for Diversity and Inclusion

4:30 p.m.

Adjournment

5:00 p.m.

Adjournment

4:00 p.m.

Adjournment

SFAC is charged with recommending funding allocations for Student Services Fees, making recommendations on behalf of all students. All presentations are open to the public, and a daily time is set aside for public comment. If you require disability accommodations, For more information visit uh.edu/sfac

6 | Wednesday, October 23, 2019

aStROS

ASTROS JHair rOMerO, EDITOR

tHeDaiLYCOUGar.COM/SPOrtS

SPOrtS@tHeDaiLYCOUGar.COM

713-743-5303

WORlD SERiES

astros defense key to holding off nationals JHAIR ROmERO

SPOrtS eDitOr @JUStJHair

With the Astros heading into their second World Series berth in three seasons Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park, this time against the Nationals, there is just one way for them to lose — the long ball. Homering against Astros pitchers has taken the team’s opponents the distance in the 2019 postseason. Kevin Kiermaier and the Rays got close when they faced the Astros in the American League Division Series, where the AL Wild Card winners took the AL West champions the whole nine yards in an eventual five-game Houston win. In a rough Game 3 start for Zack Greinke, Kiermaier and two other Rays hit home runs off the 36-year-old, sparking a series comeback that pushed the Astros to the brink of elimination. The Yankees almost came back, too, in the AL Championship Series. New York almost forced a Game 7 thanks to a two-run, game-tying bomb in the ninth inning off DJ LeMahieu’s bat in Game 6. Of course, LeMahieu’s Houston counterpart at second base, José Altuve, put a stop to the first-year Yankee’s late-game heroics with his own two-run homer a half inning later, clinching the AL pennant. Beating the Houston Astros in October requires home runs. And lots of them. Not even the Rays’ seven or the Yankees’ 10, both of which outnumbered the Astros in their respective series, were enough to take down baseball’s best regular-season team. For the Astros, on both sides of the baseball, the strategy is simple: hit homers, or go home.

counts most. Most recently, it was Altuve’s homer Saturday night that sent the team to the World Series. A week prior, it was Carlos Correa, who tied a then-1-0 Yankees ALCS lead with a walk-off home run in the 11th inning at Minute Maid Park. Nationals pitching, however, will not be as kind to the Astros lineup. Washington’s trifecta of Stephen Strasburg, Max Scherzer and Patrick Corbin has consistently been one of the better pitching trios at the major-league level. The Nationals are the only team besides the already-eliminated Dodgers and World Series-bound Astros to have three pitchers rank in the top-20 in ERA. In the regular season, the three combined for a 3.16 ERA. They’re winners, too. The two righties and lefty — only Corbin is the southpaw among them — combined for 43 wins in 2019, a category in which Strasburg and

Corbin also ranked in the top-20 individually, at No. 18 and No. 14, respectively. For the

Co u

rte

sy o

f t us Ho

Astros to win it all s for the second time in franchise history, hitters like Altuve, Correa and Alex Bregman must work their way around the Nationals’ elite pitching. Bregman must return to the potential-MVP form that saw him on

tro

— that distinction belongs to the Twins’ 307 regular-season homers — but the Astros’ batters have gone beyond the wall when it

Defensive prowess Houston’s offense is often lauded as one of the best of all time, but the Astros also have formidable defense behind the likes of Correa, Bregman and Michael Brantley. Brantley, in the ALCS Game 6 win, laid out in left field to catch an Aaron Hicks fly ball, an impressive out in and of itself. The former Indian launched a rocket to Yuli Gurriel at first base, forcing Aaron Judge out for a double play, a staple in the Astros’ defensive capabilities. As a whole, Houston turned 96 double plays in 2019, and given the Nationals’ tendency to hit short balls, it can be useful.

big Three While strange, the ultimatum Houston’s pitching staff has employed of forcing opposing hitters to go yard or bust has been effective. When you have one of the

Super Smash ‘Stros Houston may not have hit the most home runs in the majors

smash 41 homers and 112 RBIs on a .296/.423/.592 slash line. The two-time All-Star and Houston’s first round pick in the 2015 MLB draft has slashed .257/.435/.429 in the postseason as one of the Astros’ best defensive position players.

toughest rotations in baseball in Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Greinke, how could it not be? The trio has let up a combined 86 home runs in the regular season yet managed to go 59-16 together in 2019. Cole, who started 33 games this season, struck out 326 batters and is in the midst of the greatest win streak of the last 107 years. The ace is fully rested heading into the Series, and he will need it against Washington’s hot bats. So far in the postseason, the Nationals, coming off a National League Championship Series sweep of the Cardinals, have hit 43 RBIs and have struck out only 93 times.

Both are better than the Astros’ 36 and 103 in the

respective statistics. Luckily for Houston, Washington has not made a habit of hitting balls out of the park. Instead, the Nationals play small ball: low eﬃciency, high production. Their goal has not been to put as many runs on the board with a single swing of the bat but to wear out pitchers with singles and doubles until runs start pouring in. The Nationals have hit only eight dingers in October but lead the postseason with 79 hits, including 19 doubles. Save for Howie Kendrick’s grand slam in the National League Division Series and a couple more from Juan Soto and Anthony Rendon, they have not made a habit of going long often.

With Cole getting the Game 1 nod from manager A.J. Hinch and Verlander for Game 2, Houston has a chance to jump to a quick 2-0 lead against Washington at home. Afterwards, the Astros take off to the nation’s capital for at least two games. The results won’t be known until the righties take to the mound Tuesday and Wednesday night, but the pitching staff can find comfort in knowing it is one of the best the baseball world has to offer. No one yet knows who will be the AL Cy Young winner, but Hinch and the clubhouse are confident he is an Astro. sports@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, October 23, 2019 | 7

NatiONalS

JHair rOMerO, EDITOR

tHeDaiLYCOUGar.COM/SPOrtS

NATIONALS

SPOrtS@tHeDaiLYCOUGar.COM

713-743-5303

WORlD SERiES

Underdog Washington can topple heavyweight Houston The Nationals, behind Max Scherzer’s seven innings pitched and seven strikeouts, evened the series 2-2 after putting up six runs and allowing just one first-inning home run. Winner-take-all Game 5 was a nail-biting extra-innings win for the Nationals over the Dodgers, who blew a three-run lead late in the game. The Nationals remained scoreless until the sixth inning when Washington got a single run on the board after Juan Soto’s RBI single scored Anthony Rendon. Following back-toback home runs in the eighth from the Soto-Rendon duo, the Nationals tied the game. A Howie Kendrick walk-off grand slam in the tenth inning sealed the coffin of the Dodgers’ 2019 postseason hopes with a Nationals 7-3 win. Los Angeles, NL favorites who won the league’s pennant in 2017 and 2018 but failed to win the Fall Classic both times, found themselves eliminated, while Washington moved on to face the St. Louis Cardinals. Following a quick four-game NL Championship Series sweep that ended with a 7-3 Game 4 win after the Nationals had a seven-run first inning against the Cardinals, Washington advanced. For the first time in their franchise’s history, the Nationals were

Stats based on regular season

KATRInA mARTInEZ

aSSiSStant SPOrtS eDitOr @KatrinaMZ124

of Wa shi ngt on

Game 1 of the World Series is Tuesday night in Houston, and after a quick series against the Cardinals, the Nationals head into their first-ever World Series with a week of rest. The Astros will only have three days to recoup from their challenging six-game AL Championship Series against the Yankees. Washington heads to Houston for Games 1 and 2 as Houston clinched hold home-field advantage through the entire postseason, but the Nationals have proven that they don’t have

In the National League Wild

first time for everything

Washington’s starting pitchers are key to the team’s postseason success. Stephen Strasburg, Patrick Corbin and Scherzer head the Nationals’ pitching rotation. The three led the team to 27 starts without a loss between June and July, earning a 2.55 ERA in that span. The Nationals also became the first team in the MLB to boast three pitchers with at least 222 strikeouts. In the regular season, Strasburg tallied 251 strikeouts, followed by Corbin with 238 and Scherzer with 243. Washington starters had a 1.35 ERA

Cl u

The Road so far

Co urt esy

Strong pitchers

ll eba Bas nals tio Na

At first glance, this year’s Astros-Nationals World Series matchup seems like a no-contest. The Nationals entered the postseason as a wild card with a 93-69 regular-season record that, when compared to the Astros’ 107-55 regular-season record, doesn’t seem to match up. While it may seem like David versus Goliath, Washington has proven that it means postseason business.

Card game, Washington downed Milwaukee in a 4-3 win despite early pitching struggles, moving on to face the Dodgers in the NL Division Series. Los Angeles stood as favorites in the NL with their 106-56 record positioning them as baseball’s No. 2 team during the regular season behind Houston. The Nationals-Dodgers series started off rocky for Washington as the Dodgers won Game 1 6-0, but Washington rallied in Game 2 and conquered with a 4-2 win over Clayton Kershaw and Los Angeles. After suffering a 10-4 loss at Nationals Park in Game 3, Washington shut down the Dodger offense in Game 4.

heading to the Fall Classic.

a problem winning on the road. Both of Washington’s series-clinching wins this postseason were seized during away games. On the road, Washington has an ERA of only 2.20 during away games this postseason, which is less than half of Houston’s 4.50. Washington also has the best batting average in the postseason with a .243 average and 43 RBIs. Compared to Houston’s .208 postseason average and 36 RBIs, the Nationals have a fighting chance to dethrone the No. 1 team of the 2019 regular season. The Nationals have their work cut out for them if they plan to clinch their first World Series win.

during their series against the Cardinals, and the trio became the first in postseason history to

strike out at least 11 batters in three consecutive games. While the National’s starters are a force to be reckoned with, the relief in the bullpen doesn’t necessarily live up to these standards. With bullpen ERAs ranging from 3.91-6.36, it could be difficult to match up against Houston’s pitching lineup. That is where the National’s offense comes into play.

At bat The Nationals have 45 runs, 79 hits, 43 RBI’s and eight home runs in their 10 games through the NLCS. Rendon leads the team with a .375 batting average and 12 hits in the postseason, also leading the NL with 44 doubles and an MLB-high 126 RBI’s during the regular season. Soto, who leads the Nationals with two postseason home runs, has contributed nine hits, seven RBI’s and six runs to Washington’s deep postseason run. Kendrick leads the Nationals with nine RBIs in October and hit the fateful grand slam that ended the Dodgers’ season. Kendrick boasts a .344 regular-season average, 11 hits and six runs in the postseason. The Nationals enter the Series with the hopes to bring home their first Commissioner’s Trophy. The team, formerly the Montreal Expos until they moved in 2005, has struggled in postseason play for most of its existence in the nation’s capital, not having won a playoff series until this year. The Nationals have turned a page from their 100-game loss seasons in the 2000s and have proved to be true contenders against the best teams in the majors. Now, the only thing standing between them and a World Series Championship is four wins, a loud and loyal Houston fanbase and a fired-up Astros team. Time will only tell how this story plays out. sports@thedailycougar.com

8 | Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Opinion Maryam baldawi, EDITOR

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city

Houston’s identity threatened by gentrification of Black neighborhoods

Editorial Board editor in chief

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Staff editorial The Staff Editorial reflects the opinions of The Cougar Editorial Board (the members of which are listed above the editorial). All other opinions, commentaries and cartoons reflect only the opinion of the author. Opinions expressed in The Cougar do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston or the students as a whole.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Houston is home to some of the most prominent Black neighborhoods, including The Third Ward in the country, which are under threat from gentrification. | File Photo

Drew Jones

Contributing writer

At the turn of the 20th century, as nearly everyone in America was on the move due to the forces of industrialization, an expanding country and the fallout from Reconstruction, Black Americans set out to create communities for themselves where they could live, work and prosper. Houston, with its ample land and lax culture, became home to some of the most prominent Black neighborhoods in the country. The Third Ward was established as one of the six historic wards and has grown to become one of the largest and most diverse Black neighborhoods in the city.

Independence Heights became the first African American municipality in Texas after residents migrated there in the early 1900s for new opportunities. Acres Homes was formed during World War I as Black residents sought out the land for farming and easy access to downtown. As Houston expands at a blistering pace, these historically Black neighborhoods have experienced the effects of gentrification firsthand. New residents flood into the areas because of cheap land prices, an abundance of space and proximity to centers of work and recreation. The loss of these neighborhoods

would be a blow to the city’s reputation as one of the most diverse in the nation, and the erasure of these communities would be a shame. Houston’s character is so deeply dependent on the contributions made by its Black residents both past and present. Leon Preston II, a pastor at Yale Street Baptist Church in Independence Heights, said the loss of that community, which is rapidly disappearing, would cause irreparable damage to the city. “When we lose this community, Houston loses a limb, a limb that was traditionally there, a limb that was vitally important, a limb that made the city what it was,” he said. Historically Black neighborhoods are as vital to the city as limbs are to the body. When development targets an area for revitalization, little attention is paid to residents who lose property or are displaced. A study by the Kinder Institute at Rice University said residents in the Third Ward pushing back against gentrification in the historic Freedmen’s Town see the issue “as a matter of social justice.” The effects of gentrification aren’t just about diversity for

the sake of appearance. There’s a cost to the city losing its Black opportunity base with “black businesses and communities diminished by highway construction in the urban renewal era, desegregation and sustained underinvestment,” according to the study. The city needs to be investing in historically Black neighborhoods through the creation of affordable housing and tax incentives instead of allowing the private sector to further inequality by pushing longtime residents out in favor of business contributions or profit opportunities. Mayor Sylvester Turner is the product of one of this city’s historically Black neighborhoods — Acres Home. His tenure as mayor is a testament to the kind of results this city can get when its Black residents are given opportunities and investment. As Houston is on the cusp of becoming the nation’s third largest, my hope is this city doesn’t forget its roots. Drew Jones is a print journalism senior and can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

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