The story behind the tweets Iowa and Penn State are set to wrestle at 8 p.m. on Saturday evening after their respective coaches set up the dual via Twitter. Page B1.
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Hospitals ready for health act
Iowa hospitals unconcerned about potential patient volume increase. By Daniel Seidl daniel-seidl@uiowa.edu
Top left: 21-ordinance supporters Mayor Matt Hayek and University of Iowa Student Government President Katherine Valde attend a watch party at Bob’s Your Uncle on Nov. 5. The ordinance will remain in effect. Top right: Marvella Lindsey, the mother of murder victim Donnelle Lindsey, hugs friends and relatives as they celebrate the first-degree murder conviction of Brandon Brown in the Johnson County Courthouse. (Brian Ray/Gazette-KCRG) Bottom left: Students walk across Washington on Jan. 22, 2013. The Iowa City City Council passed an ordinance on Sept. 17 that puts strict limitations on several common downtown activities. Bottom right: The demolition of Hancher Auditorium is underway on Oct 10. (Daily Iowan Photo Staff)
The Daily Iowan takes a look back at the news that made headlines this semester. Turn to page 8 for the stories. The DI will resume publishing on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2014. Go to dailyiowan.com for updates during our publishing break.
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Film highlights Hawkeye wrestling By Tessa Hursh tessa-hursh@uiowa.edu
Upon graduating from the University of Iowa, James Drescher and Chad Adams knew they wanted to tell stories. While they originally wanted to create wedding videos, plans changed when they were provided the opportunity to capture an insider’s view of the Iowa wrestling program. The Iowa Way, a documentary following Iowa wrestling, will make its public début this evening at the Englert Theater, 221 E. Washington St., where members of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club, Dan Gable, and Iowa wrestling fans will fill the seats. Drescher and Adams shot video at three wrestling matches and compiled their work into a short 10-minute video they pitched to wrestling program in summer 2012, shortly thereafter receiving a stamp of approval from officials. “Win or lose, it doesn’t matter; it’s all about telling the story,” Adams said. Drescher and Adams spent a large amount of time with the wrestling team last season and in the process were able to learn about the team as a whole. “Watching these kids work as hard as they do is inspiring,” Drescher said.
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Starting Jan. 1, the Affordable Care Act will likely mean hospitals around the country will see more patients, because more will be insured. Many hospitals in Iowa are prepared for an increase — but officials say they are not concerned. Iowa Hospital Association communications director Scott McIntyre said the act will lead to more people being insured, which could lead to more patients in the hospitals. “The tradeoff [was] more people would be insured through Medicaid expansion, meaning less impact on hospital charity care,” he said. “I don’t think we’ll see a lot of unusual populations of people seeking out services from the hospital. Probably the main change is we will see more people because more people will be insured so hospitals need to be prepared … and that’s always a challenge.” Hospitals will have to plan for this increase in patient volume through various means, McIntyre said, one of which could be increasing staff. An increase in staff is something the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics is prepared for, UI spokesman Tom Moore said. “Any new staff or faculty are reviewed [to ensure they are of high quality],” he said. “If there is a need to hire new faculty or staff … we will hire those first-line staff. We are prepared to react to any potential or possible increase to patient volumes should the need arrive.”
IC train decision nears A decision on the Chicago to Iowa City Passenger Rail Project will be reached during the legislative session this spring. By Gabriella Dunn gabriella-dunn@uiowa.edu
ures in the program include Dan Gable, Tom and Terry Brands, as well as former and current wrestlers. After practice earlier this week, the Feller Club Room in Carver filled with current wrestlers and coaches to
An Iowa City official believes the upcoming legislative session marks the last opportunity for a proposed Chicago to Iowa City railway. Geoff Fruin, the assistant to the city manager, wrote a letter to city officials that was included in the City Council’s information packet. Fruin said in his letter a delayed decision has caused an increase in Iowa’s capital costs for the project. The state originally needed to
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Iowa 133-pounder Tony Ramos wrestles Wartburg’s Landon Shea during the Luther Open on Nov. 16 in Decorah, Iowa. (The Daily Iowan/Tessa Hursh) “We wanted to capture the intensity of the sport, how hard these guys work, and to really show Iowa wrestling.” The Iowa Way is a four-part, 40-minute documentary that provides viewers a deeper look into the legacy of the Iowa wrestling program. Commentary from some of the most well-known fig-
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Volume 145 Breaking News Phone: (319) 335-6063 Email: daily-iowan@uiowa.edu Fax: 335-6297 Corrections Call: 335-6030 Policy: The Daily Iowan strives for accuracy and fairness in the reporting of news. If a report is wrong or misleading, a request for a correction or a clarification may be made. Publishing info The Daily Iowan (USPS 143.360) is published by Student Publications Inc., E131 Adler Journalism Building, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-2004, daily except Saturdays, Sundays, legal and university holidays, and university vacations. Periodicals postage paid at the Iowa City Post Office under the Act of Congress of March 2, 1879.
Workers from T&K Roofing and Sheet Metal Co. work at Herteen & Stocker Jewelers on Thursday. (The Daily Iowan/Callie Mitchell)
Heinz Road project may get OK By Megan Sanchez megan-sanchez@uiowa.edu
The Heinz Road Urban Renewal Area Amendment is one step closer to being reality after Thursday morning’s Board of Supervisors hearing. Iowa City’s economic-development coordinator Wendy Ford presented the project during the supervisors’ informal meeting. The amendment would allow the city to complete a third project in the plan, which would spur the creation of 37 new jobs with salaries above the county median. Although the supervisors cannot vote during informal meetings, all of them expressed support for the idea. The Heinz Road Urban Renewal Area was created in 2002 to assist Iowa City’s manufacturing community
by creating economic-development initiatives. Since then, three expansion projects have occurred, two of them being with Alpla Inc., a manufacturer of plastic bottles. The city would like to assist Alpla with a third expansion project, but state law requires an amendment to the renewal program in order to do so. Each of these projects receives state funds as well as tax increment financing. Supervisor Chairwoman Janelle Rettig said she supports the use of TIF in this instance. “You just don’t give away the bank,” she said. “I think TIF is a very valuable tool. This seems like a place it should be used. I have zero concerns, and I am supportive.” The new project, an addition to the Alpla build-
ing, 2258 Heinz Road, will include a $12.2 million capital investment. The investment would create a 10,000-square-foot addition for new technology, two new machines, and assembly equipment. In March 2012, Alpla applied for state funds and presented this to City Council. The company was hoping for matched local funds, and these were granted. The next step is for the city’s economic development to notify all taxing entities in Johnson County, which is what occurred with the supervisors. After this, comes notification of the public. There will be a public hearing on Jan. 21 about this matter. Ford said she was not at all surprised by the support. “I kind of figured, with
an industrial project that is focused on the jobs it creates and the tax base it helps increase, that it would be a fairly appealing project to them, and there wouldn’t be any dissent among them about whether they should go forward with this,” she said. Supervisor Terrence Neuzil said that while the supervisors are sometimes worried about the incentive needed to bring in jobs, in this case, all balances are in check. “In this day and age, city governments are incredibly aggressive in bringing in economic development,” he said. “Sometimes, [the supervisors] have a different definition of how much is too much to give away, but under this circumstance this seems to be the right kind of direction and the right area of the community.”
Iowa City CrimeStoppers is offering a cash reward for information leading to the suspect’s arrest. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact CrimeStoppers. — by Megan Sanchez
IQM2 is a Cloud-based system that provides citizens across the globe to live stream video and audio of meetings from the web or cell phones. As of now, the supervisors will continue to test the system. Therefore, only meetings held in the second-floor ballroom of the Johnson County Administration Building will be available. As the supervisors become more familiar with the new technology, meeting information, audio, and video for other supervisor meetings in other locations will be available. Archived documents are also being transferred to the new site. The county has offered on-demand audio and video recordings of supervisors’ meetings since 2009. However, the old technology required file preparation. This resulted in a several-day delay for the content to reach the website. The new IQM2 technology provides real-time access. In Thursday’s meeting, the supervisors only suffered slight technical difficulties. For example, the system requires a switch in audio file from formal to informal meeting. This took the supervisors about a minute to do, but they say it will get faster as time goes on. — by Megan Sanchez
Five years have passed, and the organization still holds the annual event to support pediatric brain-tumor research and pediatric cardiology research in the UI Pediatrics Department. Mark Reiss, event organizer and father of Sarah Reiss, said he wanted to give back to the hospital that has helped his family. “After experiencing firsthand the outstanding knowledge, care, and compassion from everyone at UI Children’s Hospital, we knew we wanted to find a way to give back and help fund these research programs,” Reiss said. “We don’t want other families to have to go through what we are. It’s personal. We need cures.” — by Lauren Coffey
metro Man charged with forgery A Coralville man has been accused of depositing a fraudulent check. Devontae King, 18, was charged June 23 with forgery. According to an Iowa City police complaint, King admitted under Miranda that he bought one check from an unknown male selling them in the Lakeside Drive area. King reportedly said he had a female friend deposit this check into her account using an ATM in Iowa City. It is unclear where this occurred, because several deposits were made into his account during this time, but King reportedly told officials it occurred in Iowa City. He said the female immediately withdrew $200 from her bank account after she deposited the fraudulent check, according to the complaint. She gave the money to King. King said he did not tell the female the check was forged or stolen. The checks the female deposited were “altered,” according to the University of Iowa Credit Union. The credit union’s total loss was $1,475, but the investigation could only show King was responsible for $200 of that loss. Forgery is a Class-D felony. — by Megan Sanchez
Police seek suspect The Iowa City police are searching for the man responsible for a robbery that occurred just after midnight Wednesday. The police responded to a report of robbery in the area of Wayne Avenue and Essex Street. The victim was walking a dog on the walking path that runs between Muscatine and Wayne Avenues when a subject approached and pointed a gun, demanding money. The suspect is described as a black male, 5-10, wearing a dark-color jacket, stocking hat, and mask. The suspect fled the scene after removing money from the man’s wallet. The accuser was not injured during the incident.
Man faces burglary charges A Coralville man has been accused of breaking into Orsheln Farm & Home Supply. Timothy Messier, 31, was charged Sept. 26 with third-degree burglary, second-degree criminal mischief, and possession of burglar’s tools. According to an Iowa City police complaint, officers responded to a burglary alarm at Orsheln, 655 Hollywood Boulevard. While officers were on the scene, a second activation of the alarm was reported. Officers entered the front of the store and observed forced entry into a rear door and window, as well as a crow bar believed to be used to make the entry, and fence that had been cut open. As officers flooded the area, they saw two males running away from the rear of the store. The pursued the males on foot. A codefendant was caught and reportedly admitted to being in the area with Messier. Officers located Messier’s vehicle, which was parked behind the store, and the hood was still warm, indicating it had recently been driven. A search of the vehicle was executed, and officers found bolt cutters, flashlights, wire cutters, and gloves. Messier’s wallet was still in the vehicle as well. Possession of burglar’s tools is an aggravated misdemeanor. Third-degree burglary and second-degree criminal mischief are Class-D felonies. — by Megan Sanchez
Supervisors check out new tech The Johnson County Board of Supervisors launched its new meeting management software system during Thursday’s meeting.
Dubuque ride raises funds for UI hospital An all-day motorcycle ride called Ride for the Kids has raised more than $100,000 for the construction of the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital. The ride event in Dubuque was held earlier this year, and it raised $129,000 through the UI Foundation. Since its conception in 2009, the group has raised $419,600. Ride for the Kids was first created by the families of Sarah Reiss of Dubuque and Matthew Wessels of Zwingle, Iowa. Reiss was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor in May 2008. She died in September 2010 at the age of 22. Matthew, 4, was born with a heart defect that has caused him to undgo three open-heart surgeries.
Man charged with murder to be arraigned in January A Minnesota man charged with first-degree murder in connection with the 1997 slaying of his wife will be arraigned after the New Year. John Bloomfield, 73, of St. Paul (who formerly lived in Iowa City) was charged in November with first-degree murder. Bloomfield called Iowa City police September 1997 and reported he had just returned home from a business trip and found his wife missing. He claimed that his home had been burglarized, according to a press release. Later, near Rockford, Ill., police found the body of his wife Frances bound with ligatures and wrapped in plastic. According to an Iowa City police complaint, Bloomfield had an interest in another woman and was in the Chicago area during the time his wife was killed. Forensic analysis of one of the ligatures used to bind the victim’s body revealed DNA from a male source, which police believe is consistent with Bloomfield’s DNA. The 73-year-old will be arraigned on Jan. 3, 2014, at 2 p.m. at the Johnson County Courthouse, according to online court documents. — by Brent Griffiths
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Correction In Wednesday’s article “Urban development project meets five-year mark” The Daily Iowan incorrectly reported Towncrest Dental is set to open January 2014. The center opened this month. The DI regrets the error.
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iowa way Continued from front watch a private screening of the documentary. “Our main goal in doing this was to make sure that they gave their approval and that it reflected the high level of wrestling that the UI program is made for,” Drescher said. Adams said this goal was met, and the film received positive reviews from the members of the program. “Coaches are very appreciative of what we’ve done for the program,” Adams said. Drescher and Adams al-
train Continued from front match the federal funding by 20 percent, nearly $22 million. However, now the number has jumped to $72 million. “The city of Iowa City will continue to advocate for the project, but it’s a state of Iowa decision,” said Geoff Fruin, the assistant to the city manager. “ Every year, the City Council adopts its legislative priorities, and the Passenger Rail Project has been a legislative priority for the past several years.” The cost increase is due to a range of factors, which include inflation, changes in how the grant was structured and now the fact Iowa’s cost would exceed the original agreement with the federal government. When it comes to the legislature, Rep. Dave Jacoby, D-Coralville, has worked on a bipartisan bill for the Passenger Rail Project with Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton. Jacoby said this coming session will be “do or die” in order for the project to receive federal funding. “Hopefully, we’ll get it through this year, but right now I would put the odds at 50/50,” he said. “but I’m a little more optimistic than others.” Locally, Jacoby said, the rail system could benefit the economy and access to the area. “Obviously, we’re a booming area, but it would further increase economic development and tourisms,” he said. “I think it would draw a lot of young entrepreneurs to Iowa.” However, critics such as Rep. Chip Baltimore, R-Boone, oppose the project. He said he has not been in favor of the project in previous years, and he is doubtful whether the project will pass during the upcoming session. “If there hasn’t been the support there last year, or the year before, or the year before that, I don’t think anybody has been able to convince the majority of the House that this is a project worthy of taxpayer dollars on an ongoing basis,” he said. Proponents of the plan, Baltimore said, have not proved the self-sustainability of the project, and he contended that the system would likely not
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so spoke with the families of wrestlers Tony Ramos, Derek St. John, and Matt McDonough to see what they thought of the solo reels about their sons and said they received a great reaction. Drescher learned the Iowa Way of wrestling was much more than he had previously thought. “Before we jumped in, I thought the Iowa Way was going hard and being the best that you can be, getting scrappy,” Drescher said. “But afterwards, [I learned] the Iowa Way is 10 percent wrestling and 90 percent how to become a good person, husband, and father. These kids grow so much as men, and
they take these skills into real life.” Drescher, in agreeing with Adams, said that in addition to showcasing Iowa wrestling, they also were able to unveil a new style of filmmaking. “We want to show everyone that this is a style [of documentary] that isn’t really out there and we want to be the forerunners,” Drescher said. Because of NCAA regulations, The Iowa Way will not be released on DVD, but Drescher and Adams will have more in store for wrestling die-hards as they will continue their work with the team. They will work on a more intense project in 2014.
Iowa 157-pounder Derek St. John pins Buffalo’s Jake Capana at the 2:02 mark to win the bout in Carver-Hawkeye on Dec. 12. (The Daily Iowan/Tessa Hursh)
generate enough money to fully support itself. In contrast, Johnson County Supervisor Rod Sullivan did not see this as a drawback to the plan. “That argument is ri-
diculous because no road supports itself without taxpayer dollars, either,” Sullivan said. “No form of transportation is unsubsidized.” The benefits of the Pas-
senger Rail Project, he said, would be a great economic development for Iowa. The increased access between Iowa City and Chicago, he said, would benefit locals trav-
eling to Chicago for work as well as students from Illinois. “My daughter goes to school in Macomb, where they have a passenger rail to Chicago,” he said.
“Because there’s a lot of people at that school from the Chicago area, they ride that train like crazy, and I’m sure the same thing would happen here.”
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Winter weather spurs auto-shop business Winter weather brings business to local auto shops. By Megan Deppe megan-deppe@uiowa.edu
Thanks to the early flurry of snow, auto shops in Iowa City have seenbusiness steadily rise in the past few weeks — a contrast to last year’s slower season during a relatively green winter. Some auto shops have seen a sharp jump in their customer numbers. Chuck Smith, the owner of Chuck Smith Body Shop, 126 S. Gilbert Court, said they’ve been plenty busy and it “looks like there’s more on the way.” “With our normal schedule, we may be booked out a week,” Smith said. “Right now, we’re booked out to Jan. 13.” Bill Wagenknecht, the president of Vic’s Auto
Body, 1514 Willow Creek Drive, also said he’s seen a large increase in business over the last few weeks. “It’s almost overwhelming,” Wagenknecht said. “It’s all based on the first snow and how people react to it.” Winter is considered among most auto shops to be one of the busier times of year. Jason Schmidt-Rundell, the manager of Harv’s Auto Body Inc., 423 Highland Ave., said they are seeing more towing and small fender-bender accidents, which is typical for the season. “It usually gets busy right around the first snow,” Rundell said. “Just in time for people to remember their winter driving skills.”
The snow is not the only thing bringing in customers, Wagenknecht said — this year, the normal “deer season” has carried over into the snow season, causing accidents from two different sources. “It’s a little unusual to have them both about the same time,” Wagenknecht said. Most deer-related incidents occur in early November, he said, and snow incidents don’t generally begin until later in December. Some shops say the increase in business is normal. Justin Johnson, the service manager of Firestone Complete Auto Care, 231 E. Burlington St., as well as Rick Mascari, the manager of Arena Body Shop, 1933 Keokuk St.,
said while the past few weeks have been their busiest of this year, “it’s been about average” for the winter season. Paul Trombino, the director of the Iowa Department of Transportation, said the severity of accidents usually has to do with what type of winter is happening — with an icy winter causing more chaos than normal. “It’s very hard, depending on the temperature, to even deal with [ice],” he said. “Our focus, ultimately, is getting the system restored as quickly as possible.” Smith said he has seen a number of college students in Chuck’s after accidents during the winter, though the number usually declines over the summer. Wagenknecht, however, disagreed and said his
business has seen a decline in students over the past year. He attributed students biking and taking the bus, as well as not wanting to drive in cold weather. Instead, Wagenknecht said, he sees more student accidents during the summer, when there is flooding, muddy roads, and students out driving for fun all at once. While some shops are using the past few days of relatively sunny and warm weather to catch up on their backload, some find themselves with work for the next several weeks. Johnson said Firestone is only backed up a half a day to a day’s worth of work, while Smith reported backups up to January. “We can only do so much work in a 40-hour work week,” Smith said.
Auto Shops Business has been increasing for auto shops since the first snowfall of the year, and it may be just the beginning of their busy season. • In the 2009-10 winter, Iowa was listed as “high-risk”for icy roads. • In the 2009-10 winter, there were 458 deaths attributed to icy roads. • Iowa had 22 deaths caused by icy-road conditions in the 200910 winter. Source: IcyRoadSafety.com
All shops are ready to work but ask customers to remember to drive safely over the holiday. “We just want people to plan ahead, take their time, and know their route,” said Trombino. “The more we communicate, the safer everyone will be.”
World Many injured in partial London theater collapse LONDON — Hunks of plaster and dust rained down on a packed audience when the ceiling of a London theater partially collapsed Thursday night. More than 75 people were injured — seven seriously, authorities said. The collapse at the Apollo Theatre took place around 8:15 p.m. during a performance of *The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time* at the height of the Christmas holiday season. Plaster and masonry from a section of the ceiling tumbled down, bringing parts of the theater’s balconies down with it onto the audience, police said. More than 700 people were in the theater at the time, according to the London Fire Brigade. Officials said most of the injured were “walking wounded” with upper-body injuries, and that all are conscious and breathing. Police and fire officials said it was too soon to say what had caused the partial collapse of the ceiling, but that a full investigation is being carried out. Dee Stephenson said she was seated near the stage and heard the main actor shout “watch out.” “Then you could feel the debris literally coming down on you, and then I got hit on the back by a large piece,” she told the Associated Press. “It was a complete dust curtain. You couldn’t see.” Scott Daniels, an American tourist who lives in the Dallas area, said he’d managed to buy a last-minute ticket to the acclaimed production just before show time. “I was lucky to get one seat that they had left over,” he told AP. About
40 or 45 minutes into the show, he said, he started hearing noises — and screaming. “I thought, maybe this is part of the play,” he said. “All of a sudden, plaster starts raining down, huge hunks of plaster … The lights went out, and everything filled with dust — everybody was coughing and choking.” He said he made it out with “a couple scrapes,” though he saw others with more serious lacerations. Dust-covered theatergoers, many with bandaged heads, were treated by dozens of emergency workers in the street outside the Apollo and at a nearby theater. City buses were commandeered to usher some of the wounded to hospitals. Injuries ranged from head wounds to cuts and scrapes to breathing problems. Initially, London Ambulance Service said more than 80 people had been injured. But noting that the initial situation was confusing, it later adjusted that number to say it had treated 76 patients, 58 of whom were taken to hospitals. Of those, 51 had suffered minor injuries and seven had suffered “more serious injuries.” There were no fatalities and none of the injuries are believed to be life-threatening, officials added. The fire department said no one was trapped in the theater, explaining that rescuers had helped evacuate some theatergoers who had been trapped “by the nature of their injuries” where they had stood when the ornate plastering came down. Chief Superintendent Paul Rickett said that “so far, we know that a number of items of masonry have fallen down from the ceiling. — Associated Press
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DAILYIOWAN.COM FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2013 Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. — FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE U.S. CONSTITUTION
COLUMN
point/ counterpoint
White, male, and lucky
Best Christmas movie ever?
Jon Overton Jon-overton@uiowa.edu
It’s that festive time of year when everyone feels obligated to list off all the wonderful stuff they’re grateful for, often in the most cliché and uninteresting way possible. Personally, I’m thankful that I’m a white middle-class male at a dandy four-year university. Why? Because the way society is set up, I’ve got it so much easier than minorities, women, the poor, people with less education, etc. I don’t like that that’s how it goes. I didn’t control the situation I was born into, and I feel guilty about it. Sure, I try to work hard, but it’s not as though I deserve the automatic privileges I get. I’m not next in line for the British Crown, nor am I the child of millionaires, so plenty of people are way better off than me. Nevertheless, all of these attributes — my gender, my race, my class, and my education — give me substantially more status and security compared with a lot of other people. Because I have parents who are willing to help cover some of my expenses, I don’t have to work late nights to pay for my education. Because I live in a decent neighborhood, I don’t have to worry very much about getting robbed. (Print readers, the next few parts are well-supported by numerous social-science studies that I link to online so if you want my sources, go there.) Were I a woman, I’d probably spend much more time perfecting my appearance to attract the opposite sex and turning myself into a sex object to be socially accepted. Sure, sometimes I’m irked when
I see an ad featuring some jock with rippling abs surrounded by Photoshopped supermodels. But that’s nothing compared to the extreme sexualization women experience starting shortly after they exit the womb. Women also have to grapple with the infamous motherhood penalty, which has been shown to lead to lower wages and makes moms less likely to be hired or promoted. You also have to act differently if you’re a woman. As a man in a professional setting, it’s socially acceptable for me to get angry. Men are actually rewarded for getting angry. But if a woman does it, she’s an evil witch in the eyes of both genders. Then there’s race. To this day, poor minority children, especially blacks and Latinos, tend to live in the poorest, most crime-ridden neighborhoods, complete with terrible public schools, pollution, and few if any decent jobs. From birth, anyone born into these situations is at a huge disadvantage. These places are called poverty traps for a reason. I, on the other hand grew up in a de facto suburb of a working-class town, got into my school’s unofficial college track, and (big surprise) got into a good four-year university. I’m essentially on track to maintain my privilege. My “people” have been running the world for centuries. We are the ingroup. We have the power. We are in control. If you want to advance your place in society, you typically have to go through us. And that’s great for people like me. But it sure does suck for everyone else. So this holiday season, remember just how our great American society arbitrarily discriminates on the basis of race, gender, and social class. If you came out on top, count yourself lucky.
STAFF KRISTEN EAST Editor-in-Chief JOSH BOLANDER and DORA GROTE Managing Editors ZACH TILLY Opinions Editor NICK HASSETT and JON OVERTON Editorial Writers BARRETT SONN, MICHAEL BEALL, JOE LANE, ASHLEY LEE, ADAM GROMOTKA, MATTHEW BYRD, SRI PONNADA, and BRIANNE RICHSON Columnists ERIC MOORE Cartoonist EDITORIALS reflect the majority opinion of the DI Editorial Board and not the opinion of the Publisher, Student Publications Inc.,or the University of Iowa. OPINIONS, COMMENTARIES, COLUMNS, and EDITORIAL CARTOONS reflect the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Editorial Board.
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It’s Christmastime again, which means that people everywhere are enjoying a holiday rite: arguing bitterly about their favorite Christmas movies. It’s a Wonderful Life As we enter the homestretch toward Christmas, it is nearly impossible for someone in this country to not to be exposed to the glut of holiday films populating our idiot-box television screens. It can seem, at times, almost a Herculean task trying to figure out which film is indeed, the best Christmas film of all. Ha-ha, just kidding — it’s clearly It’s a Wonderful Life. This staple of network programming during the holiday season may seem corny and antiquated to the casual observer, but actually, this 1946 classic is a timeless celebration both of the gift of life but also of a certain collectivist spirit that makes a bleeding-heart like mine jump for joy. For the tragically unaware, It’s a Wonderful Life concerns the tale of one George Bailey (played brilliantly by the legendary Jimmy Stewart), an average man from Bedford Falls, N.Y., who, after being financially manipulated by insidious plutocrat Mr. Potter, decides everyone would be better off if he
killed himself or if he just hadn’t been born at all. His guardian angel, Clarence, shows George what the world would have looked like had he never existed, and George Bailey, who saved most of the town from the Depression with his Building and Loan Company and saved his little brother’s life among other deeds, sees just what a wonderful life he really had. All the performances in the film are spectacular, and director Frank Capra really knew how to light a scene. But the true heart of the film shines in its message, which, while clearly championing life, also unabashedly advocates for a certain New Deal, collectivist, “we take care of each other” attitude that is consistently demonized by our individualistic society. Plus how can you not love a film with one of the most heartwarming quotes of all time? “No man is a failure who has friends.” — by Matthew Byrd
Home Alone Christmas movies are, by and large, really bad. This phenomenon is, in my opinion, due to the
genre’s reliance on the cloying twin demons of sappiness and feel-goodery that allegedly appeal to all ages. The menace of Christmas Cheese is evident in such venerable throwbacks as It’s a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street and in the modern proto-classics such as the super-earnest Elf. To make matters worse, ubiquitous Christmas Cheese is also responsible for the growing and insufferable corps of people who count tangentially Christmasy movies such as Die Hard among their favorite Christmas movies. (Sure, it’s set on Christmas Eve, but come on … it was released in July. Doesn’t count.) I content that Home Alone stands at the top of the Christmas movie pile because it eviscerates the central conceit of so many sappy Christmas movies — that family and togetherness are the only necessary and sufficient conditions for a truly great holiday. The McAllister family — the family that accidentally leave behind our protagonist, Kevin, when they jet of to Paris for Christmas — is
particularly loathsome. They are the cause of all Kevin’s holiday angst rather than a source of holiday joy. His parents are stressed and preoccupied by holiday chaos. His siblings are generally cretinous bullies of varying types. His cousin Fuller is a bedwetter. The family’s callousness toward Kevin is exemplified by an uncle’s sneering reaction to a chain reaction of spilled Pepsi: “Look what you did, you little jerk.” It’s no wonder that Kevin’s reaction upon waking up to an empty house is utter joy at the thought of his family having disappeared. If you believe that the movie ultimately absolves Kevin’s family and isn’t totally cynical, consider this: Kevin’s family deserts him at Christmastime and very nearly leaves him to die alone at the hands of the Wet Bandits. Contrary to the cheeseball collectivism of the Byrdman’s preferred flick, Home Alone is testament to the triumph of the individual over holiday adversity. — by Zach Tilly
column
What’s tweeting going to do? Ashley Lee Ashley-lee-1@uiowa.edu
Twitter is a live platform that allows those of us in the margins to be heard — not to fulfill some egotistical desire but to express ourselves on relevant issues in our lives. Our 140-character thoughts may not enact public policy or properly establish a city-wide program, but they allow us to cleverly perfect and deliver a critical and concise argument that can be easily digested in a moment or two as a person skims through their timeline. When talking about social activism, a friend asked, “What’s tweeting going to do?” The physical act of tweeting may not necessarily be a Pulitzer-Prize-worthy move, but it’s certainly a way to effectively communicate and connect with people in
a society in which we are already checking dashboards, news feeds, and timelines several times a day. It doesn’t matter if followers walk away from tweets annoyed, ambivalent, or wanting to commit to social activism. What matters is that, even for a brief moment in their busy lives, people can at least consider an idea, event, or explanation and perhaps apply it to their own lives. You have to meet people where they are; and quite frankly, many of us are found online. This summer, I saw #SolidarityIsForWhiteWomen take Twitter by storm and advance black feminism. Earlier this month, a columnist for Ebony magazine, @ FeministaJones, created the hashtag #RacismEndedWhen to make fun of the GOP’s mistake in a tweet claiming Rosa Parks helped end racism. Last Sunday, #NotYourAsianSidekick had worldwide success. This trending topic was started by writer, graduate stu-
dent, and social activist Suey Park (@suey_park), who clearly had her mind made up when she sparked this online movement. She wants users to know Asians will not be a prop for people to use to diffuse discussions of the difficulties facing minorities in America. What was first meant to discuss Asian-American feminism turned into a topic that explored the Asian-American identity alongside white feminism, patriarchy, LGBTQ rights, and homophobia, the Model Minority myth in relation to anti-black racism, white allies, body image, stereotypes, and cultural appropriation. It’s about time. Often, Asian-American voices are excluded from these topics. Miss Park spoke to this when she tweeted, “Nobody will GIVE us a space. We need to MAKE a space to use our voices, build community, and be heard.” She is unapologetically candid when sharing her beliefs. Her opinions stem from her experiences living in U.S. social systems
that continue to perpetuate Asian stereotypes. We saw this recently with Katy Perry’s American Music Awards performance as she embodied the submissive, Geisha girl stereotype. Plenty of users showed solidarity with Miss Park and her views. A tweet read, “#NotYourAsianSidekick because I’m tired of the patriarchy in Asian American spaces and sick of the racism in white feminism.” Others saw the topic as a personal attack against white people. But the purpose of Park’s trending topic was to give white Americans an opportunity to carefully listen to a racial identity that is frequently ignored in social discourse. Asian-Americans need a space to express themselves and for nonAsians to listen without interrupting. It’s time we stop marginalizing Asian-American voices in pertinent discussions that overwhelmingly rely on black and white identities. Twitter is just the beginning.
families new to Johnson County. Support Family volunteers are friendly, enthusiastic, caring people who are eager to share their insights about leading successful lives in Iowa City. The program is open to all families of any makeup; they may have gone through a similar transition to Partner Families, or they may just want to share insights about living in Iowa City. Volunteering as a Support Family serves as an opportunity to give back to the community, gain insights and perspectives from people of different backgrounds, and make new friends. Families make a commitment to meet for four hours each month for 12 months, working on personal goals, exploring opportunities in Iowa City, and above all, building a trusting friendship. Matches
also attend monthly Family Nights at the Spot for a free meal, free childcare, interactive community-building sessions, and educational programming. We are also looking for volunteers who would like to offer more short-term assistance in the form of transportation to medical appointments, childcare, filling out applications, etc. Family-to-Family has partnerships with a number of community organizations including the Dream Center, Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County, the Housing Fellowship, the Spot, and Shelter House.
letters to the editor/ Online comments Volunteers Needed As Iowa Citians, we are proud of our open, vibrant, culturally diverse community. We always welcome people from a wide variety of backgrounds at the University of Iowa as well as students new to the School District. It is time for us to broaden our welcome to those of different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. We believe that having a social support in the wider community gives low-income, minority families a feeling of belonging necessary to making Iowa City their home. There are a number of organizations and services in Iowa City that assist low-income individuals new to Iowa City in finding basic resources such as em-
ployment, housing, childcare, education, etc. The Family-to-Family Partnership Program provides more intangible but equally important resources: friendship and a support network. The Family-to-Family Partnership Program is an AmeriCorps Each One Reach One Project of the Consultation of Religious Communities. It is a peer-topeer mentoring program that partners established community families (Support Families) with low-income families new to the Iowa City area (Partner Families). The mentoring program was realized out of the unmet need to help new, low-income and minority families create a home in Iowa City. We are currently seeking volunteers dedicated to improving the lives of
Abby Jessen
program coordinator, Family-to-Family Partnership Program
THE DAILY IOWAN
DAILYIOWAN.COM FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2013
Early law program nets praise, critique By Greta Meyle greta-meyle@uiowa.edu
University of Iowa officials in the College of Law are excited about the potential of a new early admittance program, but some individuals are hesitant about younger students working at such a professional level. This program, “3+3” is being offered at the UI, Iowa State University, and University of Dubuque. Law school Senior Associate Dean Eric Andersen said officials are excited to offer this opportunity to younger students. “We are enthusiastic about this program and look forward to it as a way to benefit students in Iowa who want to pursue a law degree for less money and less time,” Andersen said. Political science Associate Professor Tim Hagle said he believes the implementation of the program is due to a decrease in the number of applications to law schools nationwide, noting that applications to the UI law school are roughly half of what they were three years ago. “It’s one of these things where it seems like the law school is trying to increase the attractiveness of law school — the expense and the job market for lawschool graduates is not as good as it once was,” Hagle said. “Most graduates would work up to 80 hours a week but would be paid a lot … but those high-paying jobs aren’t around as much anymore, so students have more debt.” While Hagle agreed the
Law School The University of Iowa College of Law is implementing a program to allow younger students early admittance. In order to be admitted to the “3 + 3” program, students must: • Be enrolled in any college or university in Iowa, which has entered into an agreement with the College of Law under which the first year of law school satisfies new program would save students time and money, he expressed concerns, saying students may lack the analytical skills and background knowledge to take advanced courses so early. “These days, law schools have encouraged students to take time off to get a job, get maturity as an intern, or do public services, or work in politics before attending graduate school,” Hagle said. “It really hurts those opportunities [which could have added] that experience and maturity, and that kind of runs counter to what law schools generally have been advising.” Second-year UI law student Matt Enriquez said he doesn’t believe a massive number of students would be capable of attaining graduate status as a senior through this program, but noted that if a few students can take advantage of early admittance, it would be a success. “I think the ‘3 + 3’ program is a phenomenal opportunity for a particular type of undergraduate student, but I don’t think it’s
the requirements for the student’s bachelor’s degree. • Apply to the College of Law during her or his junior year prior to the deadline established by the College of Law for that year’s admissions cycle; and • Take the LSAT soon enough to permit her or his LSAT score to be included in her or his application for admission. Source: University of Iowa College of Law Website
a program that’s built for everyone,” Enriquez said. “For a lot of undergraduates, this might seem daunting to plan ahead for, but I think for a lot of students it’s going to be exciting … if I would’ve been a sophomore and knew that I wanted to go [to law school], this opportunity would’ve been incredible.” Andersen said the age of students should not be a factor in consideration, and agreed the program is targeted to students who meet certain qualifications. “We just want to have good students who can study law, and this is a way to make it easier for them,” Andersen said. “We are not after younger students; their age is irrelevant to us, it’s their qualifications and their desire to study that matter.” Andersen noted the program will probably take three years to garner significant numbers, because more students will be able to prepare through the advising of various departments.
NEWS 7A
8A NEWS
THE DAILY IOWAN
DAILYIOWAN.COM FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2013
The DI looks back FilmScene Independent movie theater FilmScene opened up to the public officially in December after a semester of showing movies on a more sporadic basis. The theater is the first regular cinema in downtown Iowa City since 2007, when Campus 3 closed. FilmScene, run by independent filmmakers Andrew Sherburne and Andy Brody, had been in discussions since 2011. It came to fruition in Marc Moen’s two-story Packing & Provisions Building, 118 E. College St. The theater is combined with Bijou, a student organization that showed films on the UI campus until it merged with FilmScene this fall. FilmScene was largely funded by a crowd-funding campaign, in which the group asked donors in the Iowa City area to donate online to reach the goal of $75,000. The group exceeded its goal in its set time frame, and as of Dec. 6, is now showing movies regualrly.
Hancher A victim of the 2008 flood, and after years of sitting abandoned, Hancher Auditorium came down this semester. The building, which had been in use for 40 years, was destroyed by flooding in summer 2008 and was torn down in September. A new Hancher is under construction, and the shape of the building will be completed this spring. Construction is on time and budget, officials have reported. The new building will be completed in 2016.
Library As part of a two-year renovation, the University of Iowa Main Library added the Learning Commons, which was completed in August. The commons includes a new coffee shop, interactive electronic displays, and numerous study rooms. The construction in the library began in 2011 and is part of a three-phase renovation of the facility. The renovation cost $14.5 million to complete the 37,000-square-foot area. The Main Library, whose first part was constructed in 1952, has finished all major construction, but renovations continue.
Brown found guilty Brandon Brown was found guilty of the first-degree murder of 30-year-old Donelle Linsdey on Nov. 20. On June 21, 2012, Brown asked Lindsey to walk with him and after a short distance, the two got into an argument. Brown then shot Lindsey with a handgun several times at close range near Mormon Trek and Melrose approximately at 11:30 p.m. Lindsey was transported to the UI Hospitals and Clinics but was pronounced dead from bullet wounds. Brown fled to Chicago and was apprehended on Aug. 21, 2012, and transported to the Johnson County Jail. Brown’s sentencing is set for Jan. 6, 2014, at 1:30 p.m.
TA scandal This fall, “sexting” was brought to the forefront of discussion after a UI teaching assistant in the Mathematics Department accidently emailed roughly 80 students nude pictures of herself, as well as a video of inappropriate actions.
Cofounders Andy Brodie and Andrew Sherburne cut the ribbon during a ceremony for FilmScene on Nov. 21. (The Daily Iowan/ Tyler Finchum) The students received the email in late October and many turned to social media to share their findings. UI spokesman Tom Moore said university officials would look into the action, and shortly after, the TA was removed from the classroom. While she is still employed for the UI, she does other teaching-assistant duties that do not involve students.
Tuition Freeze/Tuition Cut As many anticipated, the state Board of Regents voted to freeze instate tuition for undergraduate students at the regent universities for the second-straight year in early December. The tuition freeze, pending approval from Iowa legislators, would apply for the 2014-15 school year. In addition, the University of Iowa College of Law tuition was also dropped by 16.4 percent for both in-state and outof-state students. This decision follows a recent decrease in the number of applicants and overall students in the college. Since 2010, the college has seen a roughly 24 percent decrease in the number of applicants.
Ped Mall After becoming a highly contested issue surrounding the homeless population in Iowa City, the Iowa City City Council voted in September to pass the Pedestrial Mall ordinance, which drastically changes loitering policies in the Ped Mall. Many community members saw the change being directed at the homeless population, but city councilors said the new ordinance was directed at anyone who displayed inappropriate behavior downtown. The ordinance specifically prohibits storing personal property downtown, the use of public electrical outlets, soliciting at parking meters and Pedestrian Mall entrances, lying on planters, and lying on benches from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Election Night brings new councilor and keeps 21-ordinance The 21-ordinance was upheld on Nov. 5 with 66 percent support as the 2010 ordinance, which prohibits people under the age of 21 being in the bars past 10 p.m., remained in effect. The ordinance has been voted on three times in the last six years. Iowa City also saw Kingsley Botchway, a six-year Iowa City resident, become the youngest face to join the Iowa City City Council. He came in with 41 percent of the votes for the at-large seat, joining incumbent Susan Mims. The 28-year-old’s platform focused on diversity initiatives and many socioeconomic developments that expand beyond downtown. Newly elected Coralville Mayor John Lundell received a surprise call from Vice President Joe Biden to
congratulate Lundell on the position after controversy swirled before the elections and grabbed national headlines. The debate was over the involvement of the interest group Americans for Prosperity, which campaigned against the city’s debt. The voter turnout was large at 24.36. Lundell received 65 percent of votes and plans to focus on Coralville’s debt. Ludell replaced Jim Fausset, who had been affiliated with Coralville for more than 50 years.
Sexual assaults UI Housing and Dining received three reports of sexual assault this semester, with two of them occurring on-campus. The first sexual assault was reported in August in the area of Byington Road and Melrose Avenue. Two sexual assaults were reported in November: one in a fraternity house and another in a residence hall. All three people who filed the complaints reorted they were assaulted by acquaintances; none of them chose to press charges. The UI officials received flack from some students who said they did not receive warnings in a timely manner, and they said the would continue to try to improve the process.
Shutdown affects Iowa For 16 days, Iowans and people across the country watched as the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate were unable to come to an agreement on funding the government. This disagreement was largely based on the Republican-controlled House insistence to defund the Affordable Care Act. During the first shutdown since 1995, the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library in West Branch was shuttered along with some federal institutions in the state — including the USDA National Resources Conservation Service. The Iowa National Guard furloughed 116 employees who were deemed “nonessential.”
Grassley announces he will run for re-election Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa announced in September he would run for re-election in 2016, which would be his seventh term in the Senate. The 80-year-old senator announced his intentions on the public television show “Iowa Press.” Grassley’s announcement means he will not follow his colleague Sen. Tom Harkin into retirement — Harkin announced he would not seek a sixth term in January. Currently, three members of Iowa’s congressional delegation will change jobs in the coming years. Rep. Tom Latham, R-Iowa announced his plan to retire this week, and Rep. Bruce Braley, D-Iowa is running to replace Harkin in the Senate.
SPORTS
Read inside for the DI’s end-of-season football awards, and stay tuned for coverage of the Outback Bowl over our publishing break. Page 2B.
NATIONAL DUAL FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2013
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Iowa vs. Penn State: The story behind the tweets page 4B
PENN STATE
IOWA HAWKEYES
Photo by Mark Selders, Penn State Athletics
Design by Mercedes Potter
Women’s hoops tries to rebound
Hawks try to seal Hawk-Lion series
Following its second loss of the season, defense is at the forefront for Iowa.
The Iowa men’s basketball team is scheduled to play ArkansasPine Bluff on Dec. 22.
By Jacob Sheyko
By Ryan Probasco
jacob-sheyko@uiowa.edu
Losing to an in-state rival is never easy. But the process of bouncing back may be more difficult. This is the situation the Iowa women’s basketball team faces. After dropping just their second game of the season last week at Iowa State, the Hawkeyes will return home to face Drake on Saturday. “Practice on Friday wasn’t a lot of fun,” head coach Lisa Bluder said. “You have to use it as a motivator. Anytime you lose, I think you need to learn from the experience. But you can also use it as a great motivator.”
Drake at No. 22 Iowa When: 4 p.m. Saturday Where: Carver-Hawkeye Arena Watch: MC22/BTDN
One thing the Hawkeyes are looking to learn from is their defensive performance at Iowa State. While Iowa has given up more than 83 points on several occasions this season, it has yet to send a team to the free-throw line as many times as it See defense, 3B
ryan-probasco@uiowa.edu
With the loss to Iowa State buried in its collective memory bank and finals week finally completed, the Iowa men’s basketball team will square off against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Dec. 22 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The game should serve as a tune-up for the Hawkeyes in every sense of the word. Arkansas Pine-Bluff, on a national scale, is ranked 346th in points per game, 349th in rebounds per game, 296th in assists per game, and 330th in field-goal percentage. It appears the only way Iowa could lose to the Lions is if the loss in Ames did
No. 25 Iowa vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff When: 1 p.m. Dec. 22 Where: Carver-Hawkeye Watch: ESPN3
something to throw off the psyche of the players. But they recognized the benefits of that type of game and are subsequently viewing it in a different light than they did immediately after. See MBB, 3B
2B SPORTS
THE DAILY IOWAN
DAILYIOWAN.COM FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2013
And the Hawk winner is … Fans and DI staffers voted on numerous awards for this past football season. By Ben Ross benjamin-d-ross@uiowa.edu
The end of the regular football season is here, and Iowa fans are aflutter with joy as the team prepares to take on LSU in the Outback Bowl after their squad missed a postseason game following a 4-8 campaign in 2012. To tide spirits over until Jan. 1, The Daily Iowan assembled some end-of-year awards to players, voted on by the fans and DI staffers. As of Wednesday evening, the poll acquired nearly 2,000 votes.
Offensive Player Of The Year Fan Vote: LT Brandon Scherff. (44 percent of votes) DI Vote: Brandon Scherff. This one was pretty easy. Too many running backs got carries for one to set himself apart, and no receiver appeared dominant. Tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz was a beast in the red zone, but that’s about it. Quarterback Jake Rudock isn’t a bad pick here, but you take Brandon S c h e r f f Scherff away, and then the running backs don’t get as good of production, Rudock doesn’t get his protection, and everything falls apart at the seams. Kirk Ferentz has gotta be happy Scherff decided to stick around for his senior year.
Defensive Player Of The Year Fans: MLB James Morris. (48 percent) DI: TIE; James Morris and OLB Christian Kirksey
Morris unquestionably is the heart and soul of this defense. He led the team in interceptions and tackles for loss, and anchored a unit that gave up only five rushing touchd o w n s on the James Morris season. However, Kirksey’s play has been indispensable on the outside as well. Kirksey could likely play all three linebacker positions, but we think that Morris being a homeg r o w n Christian Iowa boy Kirksey could be a reason his praises have been shouted from the rooftop so loudly this season.
Most Improved Fans: DT Carl Davis. (44 percent) DI: P. Connor Kornbrath Davis earned by far the most votes for this category. It’s true, the junior defensive lineman did take his game on the interior to a whole different level this season, but after appearing in just six contests and rec o r d i n g Connor two tack- Kornbrath les in all of 2012, there was really nowhere to go but up for Davis. Remember how many punts Kornbrath shanked last year? The sophomore punter turned from a liability to major asset this season, pinning opponents deep. Kornbrath averaged about 4 more yards per
punt this season, and his total punt yardage per game was 30 yards more this year than last.
Special Teams Player Of The Year Fans: K. Mike Meyer (39 percent) DI: P. Connor Kornbrath Meyer is an easy choice, since his contributions to special teams are the most noticeable, but the senior had some dips in his numbers this year, and he wasn’t the Lou Groza finalist everyone expected. Kornb r a t h Connor bailed Io- Kornbrath wa out of numerous sticky situations with his leg. With Jordan Cotton being almost nonexistent on kick returns, and Kevonte Martin-Manley putting up meager numbers on punt return duty aside from the Western Michigan game, Kornbrath gets our vote.
Newcomer Of The Year Fans: QB Jake Rudock (58 percent) DI: TIE, Jake Rudock and CB Desmond King It’s funny, Rudock had the largest margin of victory for this poll, but it’s arguably the closest race. Rudock was the great unknown going into this season and p l a y e d b e y o n d Jake Rudock expectations. His play kept Iowa close in just about every game and was largely mistake-free save for a
few late interceptions, but that’s expected of a first-year quarterback who had never taken a snap prior to this season. True freshman Desmond King replaced an injured Jordan Lomax in the season opener, and the spot was his to lose from there on out. King m a n n e d Desmond King up on some of the best receivers in the Big Ten and proved to be perhaps the best tackler in Iowa’s defensive backfield.
Team MVP, 2013 Fans: James Morris (28 percent) DI: Jake Rudock Hear us out: The true definition of an MVP is one whose play the team cannot live without. While M o r r i s was absolutely fantastic on the field this year, fellow line- Jake Rudock backers Anthony Hitchens and Christian Kirksey likely would have put up similar numbers at the Mike backer position. Rudock, on the other hand, surpassed James Vandenberg’s touchdown passes from all of 2012 in half the amount of games this year. The sophomore quarterback showed he could make just about any toss asked of him, and can make plays with his feet, too. He missed considerable game time with injuries against Wisconsin and Nebraska this year. C.J. Beathard went in to replace Rudock, and it just wasn’t the same.
Sydney Hoerr performs on the floor in the 2012 women’s gymnastics Big Ten Tournament in Carver-Hawkeye on March 24. (The Daily Iowan File Photo)
GymHawks have additions to 2014 schedule
The Iowa women’s gymnastics team is enjoying an extended break between competitions before officially starting the regular season with a dual meet against Utah State on Jan. 11 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The GymHawks face a tough
schedule this year, adding Georgia, one of the top teams in the SEC, in addition to their competitive Big Ten opponents. All eight Big Ten teams qualified for the NCAA regional competition last year. Iowa will try to make its seventh-straight appearance. The Big Ten Quad Meets are new additions to the schedule this year, in which each Big Ten team will compete in one of two meets.
Michigan will host Iowa, Minnesota, and Penn State in this meet on March 15. The other meet will be hosted by Michigan State and will include the other Big Ten schools. “We are constantly adjusting our championships to coincide with the changes in the Big Ten,” head coach Larissa Libby said in a release. “Previously, seeds were based on rankings throughout the season — your regional qualifying
score placed you in the top or bottom session (of the Big Ten championships). Now, basically the two Quad Meets, like divisions, seed the teams. The top two teams from each Quad Meet will go to the stronger session at the Big Ten championships.” The Hawkeyes will host their first Big Ten matchup against Nebraska on Jan. 24. — by Jordan Bucher
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SPORTS 3B
DAILYIOWAN.COM FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2013
defense
Continued from 1B
did in Ames. Almost half of the Cyclones’ points came from the charity strip — they converted 37-of-49. In comparison, the Hawkeyes went the line 20 times. “We just have to get better at keeping our hands off,” junior point guard Sam Logic said. “Some of them were at the end, when you’re just trying to get back in the game. But still, 49 is a lot to overcome.” More to Logic’s point, 35 of Iowa State’s free throws came in the second half, as opposed to its 14 first-half attempts. But that doesn’t take away the importance placed on the defensive side of the ball this week in practice. “To bounce back after Iowa State, we really knew that defense was going to be a focal point,” Claire Till said. “It was more focus than aspects of defense.” That lack of focus could be somewhat attributed to the Hawkeyes’ playing on the road in front of one of the nation’s most hostile crowds. Last season, Iowa State ranked second nationally in attendance. The crowd lived up to the hype in the Cyclones’ matchup with the Hawkeyes, filling Hilton Coliseum to the tune of 11,543 fans — easily the biggest crowd the Hawkeyes have played in front of this season.
MBB Continued from 1B “We’re a very positive team. We look at it as a learning experience,” sophomore guard Mike Gesell said. “You can’t dwell on a loss like that. Iowa State’s a very good ball club. We have a lot of games left to play, starting on Sunday, and then we get going with the Big Ten.” Senior guard Devyn Marble echoed Gesell and even went as far to say the
Iowa forward Claire Till tries to get into position for a rebound Carver-Hawkeye on Nov. 17. (The Daily Iowan/Margaret Kispert) “We let the environment rattle us a little bit,” Bluder said. “Mostly defense and boxing out.” But fortunately for Bluder’s Bunch, they return home for their matchup with Drake — a team the Hawkeyes are in no way
taking lightly. “They are a really good 3-point shooting team,” Bluder said. “I think we’re a decent 3-point shooting team, but they shoot the 3 very well.” This season, Drake has connected on 36.6 percent of
its long-range attempts, and it has three players who are shooting better than 40 percent from deep. Drake is also riding somewhat of a hot streak. After starting off the season dropping four of their first six games, the Bulldogs have
won their last three matchups by an average margin of 17 points. But the Hawkeyes have yet to lose in the confines of Carver-Hawkeye Arena this season. And while Iowa would have certainly loved to run the table on its
nonconference schedule, the Hawks believe that they’re a better team as a result of their two losses this year. “Winning is fun, you kind of move on,” Bluder said. “But I think you learn more from a loss. We’re moving on to Drake.”
loss was a good thing for Fran McCaffery’s group. “We’ve all been in those situations, and we’re going to be in them more times than not,” he said. “All you do is get back in the gym, work on whatever you need to work on, and get ready for that next opportunity so that when you’re name is called, you can go make a play. “Even though we lost to Iowa State, I was proud of how we played and how we fought. The circumstances, the hectic environment, I wouldn’t say it bothered
us too much. It was good that it [the loss] happened earlier in the year, because pretty much every night out is going to be of that nature in the Big Ten.” The Hawkeyes could get a nice boost for the game, because junior guard Josh Oglesby hopes to return from a broken bone in his foot that’s sidelined him since before the regular-season opener. Oglesby, a 6-6 guard from Cedar Rapids, had surgery on his foot a few days after the injury occurred in practice. After,
he was unable to practice or play for five weeks. Oglesby struggled in his sophomore year, shooting just 26.9 percent from behind the arc. But the junior worked on his jumper for much of the off-season. His skill as a shooter, plus his ability to lock down opposing players on the
perimeter, has teammates excited about his possible return. “His first possession back, we were going up and down, he came off a down screen, took one dribble, and bounce-passed it to Gabe [Olaseni] for a dunk,” junior forward Aaron White said. “He came
right in, and it seemed like there was no rust. “He was making his jumper. I love playing with him. He moves the ball well; he’s a great passer, shoots it when he’s open. He’s a good defender, and I’m looking forward to getting back on the floor with him.”
Iowa guard Mike Gesell lays the ball up against Iowa State in the Hilton Coliseum on Dec. 13 in Ames. (The Daily Iowan/Joshua Housing)
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Tweet Continued from 1B By Cody Goodwin cody-goodwin@uiowa.edu
The first tweet was fired at 11:43 a.m. Sept. 5 from a phone somewhere on American soil. “@TomBrandsHAWK there seems to be something BIG missing on our schedules this year …” it read. The tweet came from Cael Sanderson, head coach of the now three-time defending national champion Penn State wrestling team, who in another life was the most successful collegiate wrestler to ever step on the mat (he posted an astounding 159-0 record and won four national titles at Iowa State). While the schedule had been out for a month, the tweet spurred uproar from wrestling fans all over the country. Message boards exploded. Tweets flew back and forth between wrestlers and coaches and fans. Iowa and Penn State weren’t scheduled to wrestle during the 2013-14 season, so people started asking if Sanderson and Iowa’s Tom Brands could do anything about it. Ten minutes later, Brands answered Sanderson from Belarus. It was his very first tweet. “@caelsanderson yeah. I agree. Let’s do something about it.” Brands wrote. Sanderson responded by asking if the dual could be at Penn State’s Rec Hall. After a half-hour without a response, Sanderson jokingly hit Brands with a stall warning. It took Brands just seven minutes after the “stalling” call to write that Sanderson owed Iowa twoin-a-row at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Sanderson obliged but asked in return if he could have the locker-room with pink walls — a joke, perhaps. Brands guaranteed the pink walls and a soldout arena. The conversation ended with a tentative date for the dual. All the while, wrestling fans around the Twitter-sphere became enthralled by the idea. Collectively, the exchange garnered more than 400 retweets and 350 favorites, while more than 100 others added their remarks. The Brands-Sanderson back-and-forth was the show, and the audience was doing everything it could to find out more. But above all, the tweets between Brands and Sanderson caused plenty of observers to ponder a simple question: Could two of the most powerful coaches in the wrestling world really set up a dual on Twitter? The general consensus was that, no, it probably wouldn’t happen. It was too far-fetched. There was no way a conversation on Twitter could lead to a dual between Iowa and Penn State. The next day, Sept. 6, both schools announced that Iowa would host Penn State in a non conference dual on Dec. 21. ••• Here we are now, just a day away from what people are calling the first wrestling dual to be set up over Twitter. Iowa and Penn State are set to wrestle at 8 p.m. on Saturday. More than three months after the official announcement, the specifics and motivation behind how the dual was scheduled go far beyond social media. It’s a tale that began last spring, was cast aside, and then rekindled again over the summer. There was still some uncertainty in the days leading up to the big announcement that the dual wasn’t going to happen. It seemed silly not to schedule an Iowa-Penn State wrestling match. The two programs, which have met every year since 1982, have combined to win the last six national titles. They topped the charts last year in average attendance for a dual meet, and when the Hawkeyes and Nittany Lions met up on Feb. 1 last season, they brought in 15,077 fans with them, filling Carver-Hawkeye Arena to the top of the bowl. It was a wrong that needed to be fixed if all was to be right in the college-wrestling world. And because of the determination of two of wrestling’s most powerful coaches — and a bit of help along the way — what’s been dubbed the “national dual” will actually come to fruition, an early holiday gift to those who were first upset back in early August. ••• When Iowa’s wrestling schedule was released on Aug. 5, fans responded more because of who wasn’t on the schedule as opposed to who was. Both Penn State and Ohio State were missing while Minnesota and Oklahoma State made the cut. Rather than facing four of the nation’s top six programs in the last few years, the Hawkeyes would wrestle just two — along with a few of last year’s basement-dwelling conference foes. “We knew it was coming. It just didn’t come to our attention. You don’t really look a year ahead, although it was on our radar,” Brands said. “I think it might’ve been mentioned before the season was over. But you don’t really put your attention there. “But the spring meeting of the Big Ten is where we really started to talk about it.” Plenty of obstacles were in the way, though. The first struggle was trying to find a date and location for the dual. Logistics came into play, too, as both schools either needed to drop a conference matchup or wrestle the dual as a nonconference contest. But on top of it all was also an opportunity for both coaches to prove a point. Over the course of the last year, both Sanderson and Brands have been fighting against a proposal to change the national team championship — which is decided through a point system at the NCAA championships each March — to a 16-team dual tournament. The idea behind the movement is to increase attendance for the sport when, according to both Sanderson and Brands, it wouldn’t help at all. Take last year’s National Wrestling Coaches Association National Duals, for example. Just over 2,300 fans were in attendance when the four of the nation’s top-six teams — along with Kyle Dake, the former Cornell wrestler who’s been named one of the best collegiate wrestlers ever (he won four NCAA titles at four different weight classes) — were all in the building. But when Iowa and Penn State met up inside Carver a year ago, the dual attracted almost seven-times as many fans. A dual between Iowa and Oklahoma State, two of the nation’s premier programs, attracted more than 5,500 fans. To attract more fans, Brands says, you needed to pack one arena with two top-ranked teams that had plenty of
DAILYIOWAN.COM FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2013
tling team in the country, Penn State, a huge rival of All-American talent. “Coach Brands and I decided, hey, we need to take ours. We had this opportunity, it’s best for the Athletics the bull by the horns,” Sanderson said. “We needed to Department, let’s do it, end of conversation.” With both the graduation ceremonies and a wommake sure this dual meet happens, and reinforce how en’s basketball game now shifted, this allowed for big dual meets are right now. plenty of time to lay the mat “More than anything we down ahead of the wrestling wanted to make sure to put our dual. It was a small example best product out there for our ‘A motivated Tom Brands is going of how close-knit the Universport, and a Penn State-Iowa sity of Iowa community really dual is about as good as it gets.” to get things done.’ is — and it showed how much This year was as good as any – Cael Sanderson, Penn State head coach wrestling really means to the to make it happen. Using Interentire school. Mat, Iowa and Penn State com“We had several things on bine to field 19 ranked wrestlers out of a possible 20, making all but one matchup a campus that were already scheduled,” Barta said. “And to those groups’ credit, they were willing to work with battle between foes among the nation’s top-20. A match such as this, in theory, should help the sport us. “I think everybody realized what a big event it could grow. That’s the ultimate goal, Brands said. So back in the spring, when he and Sanderson were be. Campus worked with us to help us get the arena talking to try to line up an Iowa-Penn State dual, they ready. Lisa worked with us, too, so it all came together. knew in the back of their minds what kind of impres- Had some of those things not come together, we probasion they could make. The early talks eventually died bly wouldn’t have been able to host the event.” down a bit, but they were revitalized again at the 2013 ••• World Team Trials. Brands and Sanderson spoke again when they met up at the Olympic Training Center in There’s been plenty of talk about the dual over the Colorado Springs, and that’s where things got more selast three months. The matchups have been the highrious. light, of course, but it’s hard to talk about an Iowa-Penn State dual without bringing up the potential atten••• dance numbers. Iowa held the record for the largest crowd at a colIowa Athletics Director Gary Barta was first approached over the summer about the idea of an Io- lege-wrestling meet at the start of the season. In 2008, wa-Penn State dual meet. He, like so many other 15,955 people packed Carver to watch the top-ranked Hawkeye wrestling fans, knew that the teams weren’t Hawkeyes beat the second-ranked Iowa State Cyclones, 20-15. That record fell this year, when Penn State hostset to wrestle by virtue of the Big Ten scheduling. Before Brands left for Belarus, he and Barta came up ed Pitt in front of 15,996 wrestling fans. “That’s a big deal,” Sanderson said then. “But I’m with three different options to schedule the dual. They settled on Saturday inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena, but sure the record will be broken again here in two weeks” a few more problems still needed to be solved. Two big — here, he smiled, a not-so-subtle reference to the dual events were scheduled to take place in Carver on that with Iowa. Since then, both Brands and Sanderson have talked day — a graduation commencement and a women’s basketball game — so for Iowa and Penn State to claim with media all over the country, explaining again and again how this dual meet came to be, if this will be an the primetime spot, some shifting needed to happen. “They were willing to modify it just a little bit,” Barta issue going forward, and everything in between. “I can’t really tell you anything that you probably said. “Clearly, that was a campus decision, not an Athletics-Department decision. But my office, not Tom’s, don’t already know,” Sanderson says now. “A motivated worked on it. We have a great relationship on campus.” Tom Brands is going to get things done.” And that’s evident just by looking at Iowa’s coach. SitThe graduation ceremonies for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Tippie College of Business are ting inside the Dan Gable Wrestling Complex one day, now scheduled for 9 a.m. — the original time for the com- Brands finished rehashing the story again. In the story, mencement hadn’t initially been advertised, Barta said. he admitted that his kids set up his Twitter account and Head coach Lisa Bluder’s squad was also slated to that he needed guidance from Sports Information assishost Drake that same day. Barta approached Bluder, tant Chris Brewer to write his first tweet. But above all, you can hear through his voice that proposing that she push the game to 4 p.m., and Bluder he’s excited to wrestle top-ranked Penn State again — agreed to it without much hesitation. Bluder grew up in Iowa. She graduated from Linn- Brands owns a 6-1 all-time record over Sanderson, and Mar High School. While Linn-Mar’s wrestling program a seventh win just might propel his team atop those wasn’t the most successful during her prep days, she meaningless rankings. “That’s really what happened,” Brands said at the still grew up around the sport and knows just how imend of the story. “I was in Belarus, at a training camp, portant wrestling is to the state and its fans. “To us, it was a no-brainer,” Bluder said. “We had a and Cael was back in the United States. “And then he sent me a tweet.” chance for our wrestling team to host the No. 1 wres-
The tweet exchange
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DAILYIOWAN.COM FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2013
Daily Break
the ledge This column reflects the opinion of the author and not the DI Editorial Board, the Publisher, Student Publications Inc., or the University of Iowa.
Life is like a box of chocolates … •
decidedly more expensive the month before Christmas. • sometimes smooth, sometimes sticky, sometimes bumpy, and sometimes you encounter a nut. • by the time you’re done with it, you just want to sleep. • a lot more complicated if you can’t read instructions. • it’ll make you choke sometimes. • more fun coming in than going out. • better with some decent wine. • except that it’s not a box and not made of chocolate. • a surprise gift that’s not always appreciated. • only truly wasted if thrown away before it’s finished. • the fatter you are, the shorter it lasts. • only truly enjoyable for a maximum of three days. • less expensive at Walmart, but also worse. Andrew R. Juhl thanks Mallory Smith, Erik S. Johnson, and David Henkhaus for contributing to today’s Ledge.
today’s events • Call for Artists, the UI Museum of Art seeks 12 artists to create wearable works of art inspired by Jackson Pollock’s Mural. Works will be featured in a fashion show at the Museum Party, April 24, 2014. The Museum Party will celebrate the unveiling of the restored Mural at the J. Paul Getty Museum on March 10, 2014. Design submissions due Jan. 13, 2014: See the website http://uima.uiowa.edu/jackson-pollock/ for details. Submissions, questions: Elizabeth Wallace, elizabeth-m-wallace@uiowa.edu • Friday Afternoon Movies, 1 p.m., Senior Center, 28 S. Linn • Celebrating December Holidays, 2 p.m., Senior Center • Touba, 6 p.m., and Kill Your Darlings, 9 p.m., FilmScene, 118 E. College • Sean Boarini, 7 p.m., Eden Lounge, 217 Iowa
• The Iowa Way, 7 p.m., Englert, 221 E. Washington • A Christmas Carol, City Circle, 7:30 p.m., Coralville Center for the Performing Arts, 1301 Fifth St. • Dennis McMurrin, 8 p.m., Mill, 120 E. Burlington • First Hip-hop for the Holidays Donation Drive, 9 p.m., Gabe’s, 330 E. Washington • It’s About Time for a Dance-Party Extravaganza, 9 p.m., Gabe’s • Indigosun, 10 p.m., Yacht Club, 13 S. Linn submit an event Want to see your special event appear here? Simply submit the details at: dailyiowan.com/pages/calendarsubmit.html
8-9 a.m. Morning Drive Noon-2 p.m. Sports Block 2-4 p.m. Joe Goes to College 4-5 p.m. The Jewel Case 5 p.m. KRUI News 6-7 p.m. Los Sonidos 7-8 p.m. Community Infrared 10 p.m.- Midnight Global Chill
horoscopes
Friday, December 20, 2013 by Eugenia Last
ARIES (March 21-April 19): A change of attitude will give you the confidence you need to make things happen in your life. Explore new people, places, and pastimes, and you will discover something or someone you really enjoy. A little effort will go a long way. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Do your best to make improvements to your domestic situation. Accommodate the people you love, and compromise to keep things running smoothly in your personal life. What you do now will make a difference in the future regarding important relationships. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Re-evaluate how you make money or what your strategy is to improve your earning potential. The solutions you settle on should be using your strongest talents and skills to the utmost. Consider picking up additional knowledge. Self-improvement will pay off. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Get motivated and moving. Don’t let the last-minute changes that someone else makes ruin your plans or your day. Picking up unusual items at a good price will ease the stress that has been building because of family dynamics. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You’ll be feisty and ready to take on whatever comes your way. Plan your day accordingly, and use your energy wisely. Shopping or engaging in other activities will require physical endurance. Playful social interaction will round out your day. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Take care of your responsibilities. Don’t leave room for criticism. Focus on what you can do to help others, as well as making whatever personal changes you want to implement before the year comes to a close. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Make arrangements to travel or plans that include what you are doing during the upcoming festivities. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad about the choices you make. You have to be true to yourself first and foremost. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Emotions will flow, and sharing feelings with someone you care for will let you know exactly where you stand and what to expect in the future. Romantic plans will help improve a relationship that means the world to you. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Present, promote, and make yourself heard. Money matters can be taken care of and changes to the way or where you spend your time look favorable. Don’t let love cost you; it’s what you do, not what you give, that counts. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Ask questions, and stay on top of a situation that concerns you emotionally. A couple of changes may be required in order to please someone you love. Be careful while traveling or dealing with sticky situations. Listen to concerns carefully. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Offer what you can, and follow through with your promises. Consider the changes you want to make regarding your career and your friendships. Re-evaluate what’s transpired, and use experience to come up with a solution and a way to move forward. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): It’s playtime. Have fun with friends, family, or your lover. Expand your interests by trying something new. Get in the spirit of the season, and pick up items that will boost your confidence or please someone you love.
In my country we go to prison first and then become President. — Nelson Mandela