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Wednesday, October 3, 2018
Issue 8, Volume 84
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Battle for Greek Life
Former student pushes for legislative changes regarding hazing laws after spending five days in intensive care for injuries suffered during fraternity initiation. | PG. 4
OPINION #Canceled culture and accountability
The social media movement works to hold artists and celebrities accountable to their words and actions. | PG. 10
SPORTS
The Cougars begin conference play
Houston is looking for revenge against Tulsa for last season’s embarrassing loss. | PG. 9
2 | Wednesday, October 3, 2018
NEWS
MICHAEL SLATEN, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS
NEWS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
ORGANIZATIONS
Academy of Student Pharmacists to bring breast cancer awareness to campus
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ALANA HOWARD
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR @IAMALANAHOWARD
In honor of October being Breast Cancer Awareness month, the UH American Pharmacist Association — Academy of Student Pharmacists — plans to bring awareness to campus through various events over the course of the month. According to Breastcancer. org, breast cancer is the leading cancer in women, in which 30% of newly diagnosed cancers in women is breast cancer. It is important to get checked regularly such as every month through self exams, and yearly exams with a doctor as a precautionary measure towards detecting symptoms early on, UH College of Pharmacy graduate student and president of UH APhA-ASP Kaycie Rathburn said. Two of the events that have been planned to raise awareness include the Silk Rose Jubilee and a Pink Lemonade Stand Informational. Rathburn is one of the main advocates behind these projects and plans to stress to students that early prevention is the best prevention. For those who had breast cancer in the past, it’s important for them to get regular check-ups so they can make sure there are no late side effects from radiation treatment, assistant professor at the University of Chicago College of Medicine Yasmin Hasan said in an interview. Hasan specializes in the treatment of breast cancer. One of the main reasons Rathburn has been devoted to spreading awareness all month is to honor her grandmother fighting breast cancer. Rathburn decided to put these events together because she noticed there is a lack of awareness in women’s health, and she wanted to create events that were catered toward women. However, Rathburn also wants to raise awareness for men because of the outbreaks that occur with men being diagnosed with breast cancer. “If we can at least help educate, help with early prevention and giving facts
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ISSUE STAFF CLOSING EDITORS
Jasmine Davis Cristobella Durrette COPY EDITING
Morgan Horst COVER
Corbin Ayres
i Students can stop by the lemonade stand in front of the Student Center on Oct.16. UH Pharmacy graduate student Kayic Rathburn stressed the importance of getting regular exams for breast cancer. | File Photo/The Cougar
to people, it will help. We felt there was a lack in women’s health information,” Rathburn said. Rathburn hopes students understand that breast cancer is a disease that does not discriminate. “You never know who it’s going to be, but at least we can help give information to people so if the time does come they can relay the message or have it for themselves,” she said. It is vital to take proper precautions toward getting checked, along with not
Center along with stage three breast cancer survivor Bonnie Castle speaking about her experiences with fighting the disease. UH chapter president of Kappa Epsilon — a professional pharmacy fraternity — and third-year graduate student at UH School of Pharmacy, Abigail Wright, is one of the main coordinators that has helped plan the Silk Rose Jubilee since July. “I think it’s going to be a real unique event, it’s going to be something very different for the College of Pharmacy,”
“I think this will be an opportunity for some people to stretch that professionalism and get more empathy and really think about the human that's on the other side of the pharmacy counter or oom. So that's the change I want to see.” Abigail Wright, graduate student at UH School of Pharmacy
being timid about turning to pharmacists as a resource, said Rathburn. The second annual Silk Rose Jubilee event will take place to raise awareness, featuring guest speakers from the MD Anderson Cancer
Wright said in reference to the Silk Rose Jubilee event. Wright hopes this will be an opportunity for more empathy to be put into play on a patient-to-pharmacist scale. “I think a lot of people are exposed to cancer, whether it
be through a family member or close friend,” Wright said. UH’s chapter of Kappa Epsilon is comprised of six graduate students. Wright said Kappa Epsilon was originally founded to promote women in pharmacy and then over the years has shifted toward promoting cancer awareness programs. “I think this will be an opportunity for some people to stretch that professionalism and get more empathy and really think about the human that’s on the other side of the pharmacy counter or room,” Wright said. “So that’s the change I want to see.” “When Kaycie’s organization came up with their new initiative for women’s health, it was the perfect marriage between our passion and their people,” Wright said. The Pink Lemonade Stand Informational will be an event comprised of student pharmacists informing students about cancer and prevention techniques, and it will give students the opportunity to donate to The Rose of Houston organization. The Rose of Houston is an organization focused on providing women that don’t have insurance or access to health care with the proper care they need, Rathburn said. news@thedailycougar.com
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Wednesday, October 3, 2018 | 3
MICHAEL SLATEN, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS
NEWS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
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Game Day Traffic
Tour of Public Art of the University of Houston System Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. Wilhelmina’s Grove Mr. Marmalade Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Studio 208 10-11546 Cougar News September
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Students and faculty can park in lots 4A, 19B, 21A and the ERP all day with any parking pass. Lots 12B, 12A, Stadium Garage vistior and student sections, 16E,16B, and 8A close at Wednesday at midnight and cars can be towed. All other lots convert to cash lots at 4 p.m. on Thursday and students and faculty can park there as normal before then. If you park in those lots before 4 p.m. Cars will not have to moved and will not be towed. Cullen Boulevard will be closed to vehicles between Holman and Cougar place starting at noon and opens again one hour after the game ends. The Cougar Line PGH/Zone E route will alsostop running from noon until Friday morning. Go to www.uh.edu/parking for a full map of gameday parking.
4 | Wednesday, October 3, 2018
NEWS
MICHAEL SLATEN, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS
NEWS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
713-743-5314
CRIME
'I'm surprised no one has died yet,' hazing victim says Former student seeks lawsuit, fights to end harmful rituals for future pledges across all of Greek life MICHAEL SLATEN & ALANA HOWARD
CAMPUS EDITOR & NEWS ASSISTANT @MICHAELSLATEN & IAMALANAHOWARD
After filing a civil suit against a former UH fraternity in September, a former UH student hopes to become a voice against hazing, having spent five days in an intensive care unit following injuries suffered during his initiation to the organization. Jared Munoz filed a $1 million lawsuit Sept. 19 against the now-suspended Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, of which he was a pledge in 2016. Munoz said he is concerned about the prevalence of hazing around the nation. “The concerning thing to me is Pi Kappa Alpha will be back on this campus,” Munoz said. “We have to do something to stop (hazing) from happening.” In November 2016, Munoz was a pledge with Pi Kappa Alpha. He went through a three-day ritual during which he was forced to roll in human feces and drink scalding hot beer, and it ended with him being tackled and injured in a field where a “glow-stick game” was occurring, according to previous coverage by ABC13. Munoz didn’t report the incident for seven months, until he learned Pi Kappa Alpha has a history of hazing problems. He filed a report with the police and the University, which led the Harris County District Attorney’s Office to indict the fraternity and UH to suspend the chapter for six years. Jason Bergeron, the director for Center of Fraternity and Sorority Life, said the University takes every accusation of hazing seriously and they have many ways in which they teach Greek life organizations the dangers of hazing. “If hazing claims come to us, we cut out a clear and quick process where we can move into investigation quickly,” Bergeron said. Bergeron said they meet with leaders of every fraternity and sorority to talk about what classifies as hazing
and methods of prevention. He said they try to bring awareness to hazing from a university, department and peer-to-peer perspective. “We focus a lot on the establishment of a university community centered around care and respect,” Bergeron said. “So, from that broad perspective talking about here at the University of Houston, these are just things that are not congruent with our value system.” Meanwhile, Munoz does not think sending a representative to talk to a fraternity or sorority works. “Hazing is a secretive thing,” Munoz said. “Just sending a representative down at a prescribed time isn’t going to do the trick. Until we get national reform, until we start seeing reform in our local communities, I’m not going to stop fighting this fight.” Munoz thinks hazing is too broad of a term legally, causing juries to go for the lighter sentence. He also thinks it should be classified as a felony with possible jail time. Right now, hazing is a misdemeanor in Texas, even if it causes serious bodily injury or harm. But, Bergeron said, Greek life does not get the positive representation they need because the media focuses on the negative rap they get. “I think there’s also narrative out there around students that are having incredibly meaningful, impactful, safe, healthy experiences within sororities and fraternities,”
Former student Jared Munoz is suing Pi Kappa Alpha for damages of $1 million related to hazing incident in 2016. He hopes to become a voice for Greek life to eliminate hazing across the nation. | Michael Slaten/The Cougar
“I think there's also narrative out there around students that are having incredibly meaningful, impactful, safe, healthy experiences within sororities and fraternities. I think those unforunately aren't always the stories being told.” Jason Bergeron, Director of Center for Fraternity and Sorority Life
Bergeron said. “I think those unfortunately aren’t always the stories being told.”
Munoz no longer attends UH. He is working and taking online classes at another
college. He said he has seen much good from Greek life himself, outside of hazing. But he said hazing is still happening too often and he wants to lead efforts to stop it. “I’m telling you right now, it’s going on in your backyard, and you aren’t aware of it,” Munoz said. “Pledges go to the hospital every semester.” Munoz was never briefed by the University with his hazing incident, he said. Pi Kappa Alpha’s criminal trial was rescheduled to Nov. 8 after it was previously
scheduled to occur Sept. 27. Munoz said he expects a no contest plea from Pi Kappa Alpha’s national chapter, based in Tennessee. He said he would tell a freshman wanting to join Greek life to stay vigilant, because even small tasks carry risk. “Hazing has been glorified in movies and held to a tradition standard, ‘if we don’t have hazing what are we’,” Munoz said. “That needs to change.” news@thedailycougar.com
Wednesday, October 3, 2018 | 5
MICHAEL SLATEN, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS
NEWS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
NEWS 713-743-5314
CAMPUS
Q&A: Professor’s husband to launch into space next week MICHAEL SLATEN
think the Russians are actually taking up a 3D printer this time. Lots of different experiments going on at the International Space Station to hopefully to teach us more about who we are and help human kind progress.
CAMPUS EDITOR
@MICHAELSLATEN
A UH Air Force ROTC detachment commander’s husband will blast off to the International Space Station Oct. 11 on a Russian rocket. Professor of Air Force Science Lt. Col. Mary Catherine Hague’s husband Nick, who is also in the Air Force, is a NASA astronaut who will fly on a Russian Soyuz rocket next week for a six-month stay aboard the ISS. The Hague family will leave for Russia this week in lead up to the Oct. 11 launch. Nick has been back and forth between Russia and Houston for the last two years, training for his mission. The Cougar: Going back a few years, when Nick was applying to be an astronaut, what was going through your mind when he was accepted? Catie Hague: He actually applied three times. Got accepted on his third and I was very excited for him. I know this is what he always wanted to do, but I think I was also a little surprised in a sense. Because I wanted him to get it, but I didn’t realize what all comes with that as far as the support structure behind making his launch a success.
TC: Where will you be next week in Russia when he launches? CH: He’s never launched before, and I’ve never been at a launch in person. From my understanding, we are close enough to watch it launch, feel the rocket and smell the exhaust. We will be right there on the ground as he goes up. TC: Are your children excited for him? What have they been saying? CH: They are very excited. I have an 11-year-old and a 7-year-old, both boys. The 11-year-old is very excited, the 7-year-old is a little nervous. They’ve been waiting for this day for a few years. They’ve been pretty excited to go over and watch it actually happen.
TC: How often will you be able to communicate with him? CH:: I should be able to talk to him almost every day. He’s able to call me. I can’t call him, but he can call me.
TC: How often will you be able to send care packages and what will you be putting in them? CH: We get to send up probably about four or five different care packages in his entire six-month deployment up to the space station. It’s very limited in size, because weight is a problem. We send cards, we will send some cookies, maybe some Tabasco sauce for a little spice and little things like that. It will be fun for him to open those up every once in a while and get something from home. Professor Catie Hague’s husband Nick will go to the International Space Station next month aboard a Russian rocket. He will stay at the ISS for six months conducting experiments. It is his first time going to space. | Michael Slaten/The Cougar Every week, NASA has a really good family support system where they set up video telecoms with us, almost like Skype. We’ll do that once a week so that we can talk to him for 15 minutes or 30 minutes or whatever it is, catch up on the week’s events.
TC: Have you ever been separated from him for six months or longer before? CH: We are both in the Air Force, so we’ve both deployed before. As a matter of fact, he was a stay-at-home dad with our oldest son for an entire year when I was in Baghdad in Iraq. We’ve both done the single parent thing before. We also have jobs where we have been separated at different locations for different months before across the United States or around the world. The Air Force has really prepared us to go through this deployment of sorts at the space station. It will work out pretty well, I think. We have a good understanding of what it takes, to be separated and to maintain that family connection.
TC: How do you explain to your children that flying in a big Russian rocket is a safe procedure? CH: We’ve done a lot of explaining, what it is and how it’s designed. We are big into LEGO, and we did the Saturn V LEGO model. As we did that, we were explaining the boosters and the various stages. I think them
knowing as much as they can possibly know has helped them understand the safe history that the Russian rockets have had over the years. I think that probably has calmed their fears a bit, as it has mine.
TC: With him being away so long, what will be the hardest part for home life?
CH: A lot of research. That’s primarily what it is, (the ISS) is a zero gravity lab. They do all kinds of research testing human physiology. He had a sample of one of his muscles removed so they can look at muscle atrophy. I know they do cancer research. I
TC: Are there any future plans for him to go up? CH: I don’t know. We will see how he does this time. If he does a good job, maybe NASA will let him go again. For right now, this is his first time so he is definitely focused on this mission and very excited for the opportunity. news@thedailycougar.com
CH: I think the holidays will be hard. They are always hard when you are separated from family. Our men and women in the military know that, we live through that all the time. That’s kind of the tough part, especially for the kids. We’ve got lots of family that comes to help us out and lots of support here, with the University of Houston. My staff here at the University of Houston is fabulous. Everybody is pitching in and helping out and making it as easy as possible.
TC: What has your staff been saying to you? CH: The staff is pretty excited. They are going to watch from here. We will have lots of supporters back in Houston watching. The cadets that we teach here, our Air Force cadets, are pretty excited. Many of them will eventually get into space operations when they graduate and commission in the Air Force. It’s a high interest for them, as well. I know a lot of them will be watching and cheering us on. TC: Do you know what he will be doing up there?
The Hague family watching their father Nick in a spacesuit. He will conduct several space walks in his six-month stay at the ISS. | Courtesy of Catie Hague
6 | Wednesday, October 3, 2018
NEWS
MICHAEL SLATEN, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS
NEWS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
713-743-5314
NATION
Social Media Spotlight: #MeToo movement changes perception of sexual misconduct allegations Thursday. Committee Chair Chuck Grassley, R-IA, said on Friday this will delay the full Senate vote for no more than a week, according to CNBC. Following Ford’s accusations, two women — Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick — came forward with their own allegations of sexual misconduct involving Kavanaugh. As of now, the parameters of the FBI’s investigation include only Ford’s and Ramirez’s accusations. A vote is expected this week.
‘An awful replay’ Christine Blasey Ford swearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday. She described an alleged assault by Judge Brett Kavanaugh in the 1980s. Her testimony led to many posting their #MeToo stories on social media. There are three other accusations against the judge. | Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
OSCAR AGUILAR
Widespread support
STAFF WRITER @OAGU_16
In 1991, Anita Hill testified in front of an all-white, all-male Senate Judiciary Committee, explaining her accusation of sexual harassment involving thenSupreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas to the entire nation. Almost 27 years later, Christine Blasey Ford sat in front of the same committee — now consisting of four women and 17 men —and sex crimes prosecutor Rachel Mitchell, retelling her experience of sexual assault that allegedly involved Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. “I think what’s changed, whether you can credit the #MeToo movement or other things, there’s a greater awareness now that a vast majority of sexual assaults are not reported,” said UH political science professor Robert Carp. “Many of them are reported but much later.”
Joe Biden, who was the Senate Judiciary Committee Chair at the time of Anita Hill’s testimony, recently apologized for not being able to stop the attacks on Hill, as she was smeared by the media in 1991 after making her sexual harassment allegation public, according to Vox. While Ford’s credibility continues to be questioned, people have supported her across social media such as Twitter, where users protested for a thorough investigation on the allegations. In one post, individuals chanted “we believe survivors” at Sen. Ted Cruz, R-TX, in a Washington D.C. restaurant. After President Donald Trump nominated Kavanaugh, Ford came forward to speak about an incident where the nominee allegedly sexually assaulted her during a party, sparking an FBI investigation after Ford testified
Senator Hatch Office @senorrinhatch
Democrats want you to believe that the role of the FBI investigation is to determine guilt/innocence, analyze 30-year-old yearbook jargon, and determine how much beer Judge Kavanaugh drank in college That’s not how any of this works. Ask Chairman Biden
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The Supreme Court is the head of the judicial branch — one of the three branches of government — and is the final interpreter of the constitutionally of federal laws. The Court is made up of nine justices, all appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Supreme Court justices serve for life unless they retire or Congress impeaches and convicts them. The Senate Judiciary Committee, which contains 21 members, gives a recommendation to the rest of the Senate on the president’s nominee. Three senators remain from 1991’s committee that heard Hill’s allegations — Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-UT; Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-VT; and Sen. Grassley. Although Democrats like then-Senators Biden and Ted Kennedy voted against Thomas’ confirmation during the full Senate vote, the Associate Justice was confirmed under a democratically controlled judiciary committee, according to Business Insider. Jim Granato, a political science professor, said this is the first time he’s seen a sex crimes prosecutor lead the questioning in a confirmation. Carp said there’s a tendency to defer to the committee, particularly along party lines, but said he thinks each senator will vote for themselves in this confirmation. “If you lived through the Clarence Thomas thing, then this is kind of an awful replay of those things,” Carp said. “Unless you’re very salacious, these are things people would rather not have brought out in public. “I don’t think she has anything whatsoever to gain and a lot to
lose,” he said.
Changing tendencies While some people haven’t changed, Carp said there’s a tendency to take women’s charges more seriously than in the past. When he was growing up, Carp said women were generally labeled as troublemakers who exaggerated incidents, and men were believed as long they had good credentials. “There’s less likelihood of giving the man the benefit of the doubt now,” he said. In the past, Carp said people didn’t talk about these incidents when they happened, but now people are willing to talk about it.
own hearing was similar to Kavanaugh’s — “high drama, very, very emotional.” Granato also said Hill accused Thomas of sexual harassment, and Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault. Hill was a coworker of nowAssociate Justice Thomas, Granato said, and she made statements about inappropriate encounters with the nominee while they both worked at the Department of Education. In regard to Kavanaugh’s confirmation, Granato said Sen. Jeff Flake, R-AZ; Sen. Susan Collins, R-ME; and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-AK, are Republican senators
Smash Racism DC @SmashRacismDC
BREAKING. Activists just chased @TedCruz out of a fancy Washington D C restaurant, chanting “We Believe Survivors!” Cruz has been friends with creep Kavanaugh for 20 years. Now Cruz is on judiciary committee hearing his testimony. Fascists not welcome! #CancelKavanugh 16,000
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“Ford came across as credible,” Carp said about her testimony. When a senator asked Ford how sure she was that Kavanaugh was the perpetrator, she answered she was 100 percent sure. “It’s pretty significant to be 100 percent sure,” Carp said. “It doesn’t mean she’s right, but unless you believe she’s a liar, that’s a pretty strong statement.” Granato said Hill’s and Thomas’
that could oppose the nominee’s confirmation. Flake is on the Senate Judiciary Committee. “My guess is that people will go back to their corners and will believe what they believed in the beginning unless there’s something amazing — (a) factually probable thing that could change people’s minds,” Granato said. news@thedailycougar.com
Sen. Ted Cruz meeting with Brett Kavanaugh. Cruz was shouted out of a Washington D.C. restuarant in September. | Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Wednesday, October 3, 2018 | 7
ANDRES CHIO, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/SPORTS
SPORTS
SPORTS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
713-743-5303
SOCCER
Roundtable: Soccer's mid-season MVPs THE COUGAR STAFF @THECOUGARSPORTS
There is one thing that UH soccer fans can all agree on: The 2018-2019 women’s soccer season has been quite interesting so far. Houston started its season poorly but turned things around to achieve a positive record. The Cougars have a 2-1-1 record in conference and a 6-6-2 overall record. In addition, several players have stood out for the Cougars so far this season, with the likes of star forwards sophomore Jazmin Grant and junior Desiree Bowen in the fray. Three of our writers gave their thoughts on who has been leading the Cougars as its most valuable player.
Staff Writer Abenezer Yonas Despite the performances of the forwards mentioned
earlier, my immediate choice for MVP thus far into the season is sophomore Mia Brascia. Her assertiveness in midfield and impressive vision have enabled her to assist on seven of Houston's 25 goals this season. Brascia's striking prowess is to be noted as well, with an additional two goals under her belt, one coming from a crucial 1-1 draw against Cincinnati. She has also been an imposing force in conference games for the Cougars, scoring or assisting in every match this season. No. 16 has been an integral part of the team, and if she keeps performing like she has for the remainder of the season, there is no doubt she will take the season MVP award.
Staff Writer Taylor Hawthorne With six goals on the season and a place in the top four of the American Athletic Conference
for goals scored with two already in conference play, junior Desiree Bowen is a top candidate for MVP this season. Bowen has made her presence known on the field with her speed and her initiative to score. On multiple occasions she has scored within the first minutes of the game and allowed the Cougars to come out strong and fast. Bowen has been a play maker who shows up big in important moments, such as the overtime game against Temple. Despite losing that game, Bowen scored both of the goals, keeping Houston in the running for the win. While still having another year to improve, Bowen is the most valuable player right now. Bowen is a competitor, game changer and team player, all of which make her a prime choice for MVP.
Staff Writer Jhair Romero Houston is home to many great players, but sophomore forward Jazmin Grant has been a game changer for the Cougars. Grant has made an impact in almost every game that she has made an appearance in for UH this season. The Atascocita, Texas native missed the first two games of the season due to injury but returned in a 5–0 rout of Prairie View A&M. She recorded two shots in just 26 minutes that game. Her one-on-one goal versus Incarnate Word showed how much skill she really brings to the team and in only her second game back. UH’s hard-knock offense, led by Grant, who has recorded a shot in all but one of her appearances, has proven to be successful in conference play. Grant scored the first goal for Houston in its conference
opening 3–2 win against UConn at home. She again had a stellar performance against Eastern Carolina where she carried her team to victory in overtime with two shots and the first golden goal of her career. The team has gone 2–1–1, with its most recent game being a tie against the Cincinnati Bearcats, who the Cougars beat last year 2–1 behind an assist from the then-freshman Grant who recorded five shots in Sunday’s 2OT draw. Behind Grant and her teammates, UH is sure to improve on last season’s 7–9–1 record. Houston's next games are against Memphis at noon Thursday and Tulsa at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Carl Lewis Complex on the northwest side of campus. sports@thedailycougar.com
8 | Wednesday, October 3, 2018
SPORTS ANDRES CHIO, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/SPORTS
SPORTS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
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FOOTBALL
Football poised to reach the conference summit ANDRES CHIO
SPORTS EDITOR @CHIOANDRES
Houston enters American Athletic Conference play tomorrow, and its schedule has set the team up to succeed with the other two leaders of the AAC West faltering and the rest of the conference cannibalizing itself. The team started its season 3-1, and while its loss against Texas Tech killed its top 25 hype, there is still a chance for the team to regroup and regain recognition. Houston's No.1 offense in the nation can duke it out with anybody, and its schedule is far from a Murderers' Row. With that said, there are a few major threats and a couple dark horses that could disrupt a perfect conference record.
Warming up The Cougars start the AAC schedule against two of the bottom feeders in the conference, Tulsa and East Carolina. Tulsa's sole win was against FCS team Central Arkansas, and the team has dropped its last three games against Texas, Arkansas State and Temple. After last year's debacle when the 4-1 Cougars went to Oklahoma and were run over by the 1-5 Hurricanes, the team will not take the game lightly. Tulsa's run offense is still top tier, No. 34 in yards per game, but the Cougars' run defense has improved to No. 28 in the nation compared to No. 47 last season and has allowed 24 percent less yards per game. East Carolina does have one blowout win against North Carolina, but North Carolina was the worst Atlantic Coast Conference team last season and does not appear to have improved. The 41-19 win was a glimpse at how the team can play at its peak, which it has not reached since. The team played a nickel and dime pass game with a steady run game that managed to break out for a few big plays. But that short yardage pass and run style will have a hard time keeping up against the Cougars' high-powered offense, and the Pirates might have to get out of their comfort zone and use deep passes to stay in the game. East Carolina started the season with a loss to FCS team North Carolina A&T. Then after the North Carolina win, the team
went down to South Florida, where it lost a close 20-13 game. The team plays 2-3 Temple this week before facing Houston in Carolina on Oct. 13.
Steep climb After the first two games, Houston will face two of the top teams in the conference in Navy and South Florida. Despite the 2-2 start, Navy is still the same tough team year in and year out. The Midshipmen run heavy offense that makes the most of talent and lower-rated recruits. The tricky offense is simple enough to learn but complex and unique enough that defenses have a hard time shutting it down completely. The key to defeating that style of offense is disciplined defending. Defenders need to stay with their man and not bite on play fakes, something with which the Cougars have struggled. A team that is not struggling this season is South Florida. The team lost its star quarterback Quinton Flowers, but junior transfer Blake Barnett has kept the team in its strong form. South Florida is undefeated so far this season. It is just six votes away from No. 25 in this week's AP Poll and 13 away in the USA Today Coaches Poll. South Florida plays Massachusetts, Tulsa and Connecticut before coming into town to play Houston. The Bulls should be undefeated then and will be the Cougars' biggest in-conference test of the regular season. Both teams have top 40 offenses and bottom 40 defenses, so the game should be explosive. The two toughest tests on the schedule are not the only teams that Houston has to worry about, though.
Rough edges After the two top teams in the AAC, Houston will face three teams on the cusp of being contenders in the conference. SMU started the season with three tough games against North Texas, which has surged into the national spotlight with stellar play, Texas Christian and Michigan. After those three games, SMU opened conference play with an overtime win over Navy and a lopsided win over FCS Houston Baptist. SMU has steadily improved over
The Cougars will start the 2018 conference season by avenging last year's upset loss against Tulsa. Last season, Houston was 4-1 and Tulsa was 1-5 when the two teams met in Oklahoma. But the Golden Hurricanes ran over the Cougars 45-17 with 288 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. | Thomas Dwyer/The Cougar
the years. After it finished 2-10 in 2015, it earned a 5-7 record in 2016 and then 7-6 last season. A problem for SMU is its lack of one explosive, gamechanging player on offense. It has a consistent running back in senior Braeden West, but junior quarterback Ben Hicks lost the starting spot and is competing with freshman William Brown for it. Temple has been a case of right people, wrong scheme for a few seasons. The team has had great recruiting classes over the last four years, but has struggled to get results. This year has been a mixed bag of results for the Owls. The team started the season with a loss against FCS team Villanova but beat Maryland, which beat Texas, and then kept it close against the ACC's Boston College. Just like the Mustangs, a problem for the Owls has been the team's quarterback play. Senior Frank Nutile was injured after the second game, and redshirt sophomore Anthony Russo has not played much better in Nutile's absence. Neither quarterback has played particularly well, so the team needs to figure out which player will start in future games and get itself together. If either SMU or Temple can solidify its quarterback, then the former's consistent rise and the latter's talent level could help the teams keep up with Houston. Tulane is another case of
steady improvement, though not as much as SMU. Except for the game against No. 3 Ohio State, Tulane kept things close in its losses this season. Its win over Memphis was a surprise, as ESPN gave Tulane just a 21.7 percent chance of winning, but it has yet to be seen if it was a fluke or if the team is ready to punch above its weight class. Last season, the Green Wave defeated the Cougars in a lateseason upset, but that was early in junior quarterback D'Eriq King's tenure, and the offense is very different now. The game will also be played at TDECU Stadium instead of New Orleans, and the team's seniors will be sure to work hard to prevent their final home game from being a loss.
Final stop Last but not least, defending AAC West champion Memphis will host Houston in the final game of the regular season. Five weeks into the season, the Tigers have nearly lost as many games as they did last season, and the numbers paint a mixed picture of the team's outlook. Memphis has had issues with play calling, but junior quarterback Brady White has stepped in and filled Riley Ferguson's old shoes well. White has thrown for 262 yards per game, 14 touchdowns and just one interception with 66.7 accuracy. King has thrown for 299 yards per game, 15 touchdowns
and one interception with 62.7 percent accuracy. But a closer look reveals that White's numbers are inflated from playing lower competition. When you take out the games against the FCS team Mercer and the Sun Belt's Georgia State and South Alabama, White's numbers drop to 196 yards per game, two touchdowns, one interception and 52.7 percent accuracy. Meanwhile, without the TSU game inflating King's numbers, he has thrown for 332 yards per game, 12 touchdowns and zero interceptions with 58.7 percent accuracy against a Big 12 team, a PAC-12 team and a Conference USA team. The problem for Houston is its defense has not played much better than the Sun Belt teams', if at all. Memphis' run game was great against Navy, but for unknown reasons, the team did not rely on it against Tulane, which made the team predictable and enabled its defeat. If Memphis can get its play calling straight and White can elevate his game, the final game of the season will be a shootout with the potential to take down Houston. Despite that, Houston has a very winnable schedule. It is within reason to expect a near perfect path to a championship showdown against UCF or USF. sports@thedailycougar.com
Wednesday, October 3, 2018 | 9
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Houston will clash with Tulsa on Thursday night in its American Athletic Conference opener one year after the Golden Hurricanes ravaged the Cougars 45–17. Although the two teams are different this season, the matchup has drawn parallels to last season’s meeting. Just like in 2017, Houston is going into the game with its only loss of the season so far against Texas Tech, while Tulsa is again playing after a tough loss to a team from the AAC. In this case, the loss was to Temple. Despite the similarities, the Cougars are a very different team from last season.
Junior quarterback D’Eriq King has been wheeling and dealing this season, throwing three touchdowns in all four games of the season. King’s performance has propelled the Cougars high in the national offensive rankings. The team's offensive efficiency of 80.6 puts Houston at No. 11 in front of teams like LSU, Penn State and AAC-rival Memphis. The team is No. 17 in total yards with 2,434, and its 609 yards per game are the highest in the FBS. Houston’s offense is also the only one in the nation to go four consecutive games with more than 550 total yards. The game against the Golden Hurricanes is coming at a good time for the Cougars. UH just got
off a bye week and showcased its best offensive performance since 2011 in its 70-14 win against TSU. Tulsa, on the other hand, is led by redshirt sophomore quarterback Luke Skipper and sophomore running back Shamari Brooks. Skipper and Brooks were the difference in last season’s game, and the duo powered the second half dagger that put the Cougars down in 2017. Tulsa's offense has performed well this season, and this could pose a problem for Houston’s defense, which allowed Texas Tech to score 63 points just two games ago. King threw for a career-high 431 yards in the game against the Red Raiders, but lapses in defense caused the team to lose.
Houston allowed quarterback Alan Bowman 605 yards and five touchdowns. Tech’s running back Antoine Wesley had more than 260 rushing yards in the game as well. If Houston's defense allows numbers like that again, it could prove challenging even beyond the Tulsa game. Despite its 1-3 record, Tulsa has proven itself in tough games. It went toe-to-toe in its early season game against No. 18 Texas but lost 28–21. Texas has since gone on to beat USC, TCU and Kansas State. Houston will have to play smarter on the pass than it did last year. The Cougars had more than 100 more passing yards than the Golden Hurricanes, but two interceptions did them in. The offensive line also allowed
three sacks in the 2017 game — something it has not done at all this season. Houston’s offense has undoubtedly improved since last year, but it has shown its imperfections. Houston slowed down in the second half against Arizona and Texas Tech as the defenses started to figure the offense out. Both teams are coming off a bye week, and if the Golden Hurricanes have been able to use that time to figure out the Cougars, the home team may not be able to adjust. The game kicks off at TDECU Stadium Thursday at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN. sports@thedailycougar.com
10 | Wednesday, October 3, 2018
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#Canceled culture fosters society of accountability Women's rights challenges of our times forward-thinking support fellows affordable health care. Foster, pursue these.
WAFA KAZMI OPINION EDITOR
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hen news of XXXTentacion’s death flooded the Twitter feeds of America, war broke out. The nation’s reaction was fueled by “canceled” culture, and the comments that followed are evidence of a divided digital world. Some hailed him as a hero who helped provide comfort through his music. He was unafraid to address mental health issues, and loyal fans mourned the loss of an open artist. Others were less indulgent in honoring his life. He had, after all, been accused of rape, stealing and battery. “Canceled” is a cultural divestment from a person, company or any entity that
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has acted in an insensitive manner. What can be said about a blooming online culture that holds artists accountable for every action and doesn’t easily forgive? Canceled culture definitely has its faults, but it pushes society into having moral standards that have been disregarded for far too long. Our generation has molded the internet into a hearth of knowledge where comedy, current events and sociopolitical injustice can be addressed in a single sentence or meme. In a world of rising social tensions, minorities are getting a voice through social media. The LGBTQ community and victims of assault have a means of expressing the challenges they face to the world. This overall increase
of discourse has made our generation raise our standards. We don’t forgive others who use excuses like “We were young, so we didn’t know,” because we ourselves are young. We understand the importance of political correctness and respecting others despite differences. We expect others to do the same. While the unforgiving nature of canceled culture may seem cruel, it is actually beneficial. Celebrities and influencers in the public eye should understand that being respectful to others isn’t something they deserve praise for, it is expected. If they fail to do what is expected, they will be weeded out. When the story of Melanie Martinez sexually assaulting her friend became exposed,
she was immediately canceled. ABC canceled, figuratively and literally, Roseanne Barr after her racist tweets sparked public indignation. More recently, Laura Lee, a beauty blogger, was dropped by the internet and her sponsors because of racist tweets that had resurfaced. Ultimately, the seemingly cut throat reactions of the internet set an example and a standard. Through “canceling” we are taking charge of who we idolize and showing celebrities that if they want respect, they need to earn it. And it works. More and more celebrities are supporting the BLM and #MeToo movement. Singer Alex Gaskarth was under fire when he tweeted in support of All Lives Matter. Fans were quick to let him know that his music wasn’t enough to save him from scrutiny — he
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had said something offensive and was going to be held accountable. Months later, Gaskarth tweeted, “I didn’t know about the movement or the meaning, but learned quickly and obviously didn’t mean to offend anyone. If you know me, you know where I stand and who I stand with on this. Hope you can forgive.” Some say that canceled culture leads to the capitalization of social movements, but it’s better that way. Through canceled culture, we can enforce the importance of respecting others and make it a norm. Opinion Editor Wafa Kazmi is a communication sciences and disorders junior and can be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com
Gerrymandering has a firm hold on Houston CATHOLIC MASS ON CAMPUS
SUNDAYS: The practice of dividing congressional districts to favor one political party marginalizes eligible minority Texas voters. 10:45 AM - Religion Center
JANET MIRANDA OPINION COLUMNIST
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ith the 2018 midterm election less than a month away, key races
6:00 PM - Catholic Center
WEEKDAYS: gerrymandering on the electorate undemocratic, against the values throughout Texas are heating Tuesday—Friday 12:00 Noon CATHOLIC NEWMAN CENTER map and how that can harm of our country, with a primary up. But gerrymandered districts SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE Confession: Before or After Masses Office # (713) 748-2529 minority voters. The effects of goal of creating a legislature around major cities could disrupt First Service: 7:15 am this practice means there is a that does not represent the Democratic victories by diluting Second Service: 9:00 am Third 11:00who am live two-seat Republican advantage realityService: of the people the minority vote. Fourth Service: pm due to manipulation of district in gerrymandered1:00 districts. In The practice of Sunday 9:00 areas, am lines. diverse School: metropolitan gerrymandering is a In the five districts that gerrymandering is undermanipulation of district WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY rest entirely inside Houston, representing minority voters, in boundaries to favor one party 12 noon & 7:00 pm Congressional Districts 2 and over the other. Gerrymandering effect silencing their voice. Sunday Biblestrongholds Class 7 are Republican Although showing no signs of is a long-standing headache that have managed to exclude change, 71 percent of Americans for fair elections and fair minority neighborhoods outside are in favor of ending partisan representation, as Republicans gerrymandering and establishing their boundaries. redraw district maps to favor The state is acting in fair redistricting practices. their party by diluting minority intentional discrimination In deep-red Texas, we votes. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING IN WORSHIP DIRECTORY , when it permits gerrymandered to consider the effect of Gerrymandering is CONTACT Afail SALES REPRESENTATIVE AT 713-743-5356
districts to continue underrepresenting minority neighborhoods. In their quest to control the state, they are violating the principles that this country was founded on and discourage minorities’ intentions of voting when they know their vote is diluted. In the red Congressional District 2, the demographic breakdown is 47 percent white, 11 percent black, 31 percent Hispanic and 7 percent Asian. The city of Houston’s five districts combined shows 43 GERRYMANDERING
Continues on next page
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EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF
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Gerrymandering is when districts are drawn in favor of a political party. This can be seen near Texas' largest cities. | Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/erico
percent black and 7 percent Asian. This disparity shows the disconnect between the minority voters in the city as compared to gerrymandered districts.The University of Houston is in the 18th Congressional District where most residents are minority voters. This distribution is a visible effect of gerrymandering, as urban districts are packed with minorities instead of being spread among districts. This action erodes the voice of minorities overall around the state. Urban districts become concentrated with minority voters as the ruling party gerrymanders the state for political gain. Earlier this year, a Texas gerrymandering case went before the Supreme Court, allowing some disputed districts to be used in the upcoming midterms. Before the case was appealed in the Supreme Court, the three-judge district court agreed the cases were adopted with the intention to dilute minority votes and keep the districts Republican. These unfair district drawing practices bear serious costs to minority voters who feel as if their voice isn’t being heard. This disillusionment leads to a lower minority voter turnout. Gerrymandering leads to real people living in disproportionate districts, causing potential harm to underrepresented minority voters who virtually have no say. The Supreme Court decision could hurt the chances of hopeful democratic races in deeply gerrymandered districts,
effectively turning the blue wave that is predicted to hit Texas into blue raindrops. The fate of Texas come the November election is uncertain with Republicans looking more vulnerable than they have been
in other election cycles. Some political observers believe Republicans will still come out of this election retaining their power, although it is important to observe that gerrymandering plays an important factor, unfairly adding a thumb to the scale. Gerrymandering is not illegal, but intentionally drawing boundaries on the basis of race is illegal. Republicancontrolled state legislature took advantage of their dominance over the state to intentionally gerrymander districts based on race, engaging in the distortion of our representative democracy. It is important to vote, but it is more important to have fair redistricting practices so that our government is of, by and for the people. According to 2017 coverage by the New York Times, California and Arizona are two states that have outsourced their redistricting practices to politically neutral organizations in an effort to minimize the role of partisanship in the drawing of
districts. At the time of the publication of that article, the Oregon and Ohio legislatures were also considering measures that would ideally create a neutral redistricting commission. Florida went a step further and amended the state Constitution to prohibit the role of politics in the redistricting process. The Texas legislature is equally capable of proposing similar measures to make the election process as representative as possible, but has not taken action. While it is understandable that no politician wants to take action that would reduce the power of their respective party, the allegiance of these politicans should be first to their constituents — Texas citizens — and not to their political party.
Opinion columnist Janet Miranda is a marketing junior and can be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com
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