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Vol. 84, Issue 25

April 4, 2018

MISSOURI STUDENTS ASSOCIATION

MSA senate elects Jacob Addington as speaker Addington currently serves as senate communications director. CAITLYN ROSEN

Assistant Student Politics Editor Missouri Students Association senate Communications Director Jacob Addington was elected speaker in full senate on March 21. He ran unopposed, and his inauguration is set for April 11. This means Addington will preside over senate during MSA presidential elections, which will be held the week of April 16. Addington currently serves as senate communications director, where he is responsible for maintaining MSA’s social media presence as well as the senate website, which includes updating the calendar, senate contact information and senate roster. After he is inaugurated, Addington plans to resign from the position of communications director. Applications for the position opened this week, and he will choose the

new director in the coming weeks. The confirmation process for this position is the same as it is for all MSA senators and officers. Addington was the first student to serve as senate communications director, as defined in bill 57-01. Next year, the position will continue to maintain MSA social media and Addington hopes it will broadcast senate elections because voter turnout for spring senate elections was relatively low. Tim Davis, campus and community relations committee chair, said he nominated Addington for speaker because he wants to leave MSA with strong leadership after he graduates this spring. “I wanted to leave senate with some stable leadership that was able to be approach[ed] by anyone to solve whatever problem they had,” Davis said in an email. “I believe wholeheartedly that Jake is that person. I believe he is going to hold this office to the highest standard that it’s been held in recent years.

MSA senate Communications Director Jacob Addington presents a petition in support of Resolution 57-45 in full senate on March 7, 2018. PHOTO BY MADI WINFIELD | VISUALS DIRECTOR

MSA | Page 4

HIGHER EDUCATION BUDGET

Missouri Senate to vote on restoring higher education funding House members approved the amendments during a final roll-call vote March 29, sending the bill and its amendments to the Senate for hearing and revision. NATASHA VYHOVSKY

Staff Writer

The Missouri House of Representatives passed amendments to House Bill 2003 on March 29, which would move $30 million put into the ACCESS Missouri grant fund over to core funding for higher education, restoring about $14 million to the University of Missouri System. The funding is contingent on colleges’ recent agreements to cap tuition hikes at 1 percent for undergraduate in-state

students for the 2018-19 academic year. Rep. Scott Fitzpatrick, chairman of the Budget Committee, offered the amendments to HB 2003, which would essentially undo all of Gov. Eric Greitens’ proposed $68 million in cuts. He recommended $38 million to go into the core budget for higher education and $30 million to go to the ACCESS Missouri grant fund. Fitzpatrick said he was committed to restoring some funds to colleges’ core funds without a contingency. He wanted to hold some funds back to use as leverage to get schools to commit to capping tuition at 1 percent. The funds for these proposals come from a variety of changes made to the allocations in Greitens’ budget. Fitzpatrick said approximately $80 million became available from the state’s Medicaid budget because of an underestimation in federal

THE BRIEFING

Briefing: MSA special presidential election campaigning starts off slow Candidates chose not to release their platforms during the first week of campaigning. SKYLER ROSSI

Student Politics Editor

funding. “I just felt like in order to maintain the investment in higher education, I wanted to see some concession on tuition from institutions because I thought that would be good for students and families who have to pay tuition in the state,” Fitzpatrick said. “I saw an opportunity to save students

Cuts | Page 4

After the passing of a special election in Missouri Student Association senate on March 21, MSA presidential election campaigning began on March 26. However, there was no word from either of the candidates until the week of April 2. The two new slates are Julia Wopata and Connor McAteer and Robert Schmidt and Alp Kahveci. Wopata and McAteer released their website and platform on Tuesday. They are running under Wopata’s former campaign slogan, “More to Roar.” The “More to Roar”

platform revolves around mental health. “We believe the conversation of mental health permeates all walks of life, cultures, and spheres of influence,” the More to Roar campaign website says. “We also recognize that while two students may both be dealing with mental health challenges, the triggers, manifestation of symptoms, and coping mechanisms may be very different person-toperson and treatment should reflect this.” As of Tuesday, Schmidt and Kahveci have yet to announce their platform. The Board of Election Commissions will host the first presidential debate on April 9. The Maneater and Four Front will host the second presidential debate on April 12. Elections will take place from April 16-18. Edited by Stephi Smith ssmith@themaneater.com

T H E M A N E AT E R | N E W S | APRIL 4, 2018

MARCH FOR OUR LIVES

Midwestern cities hold March For Our Lives rallies

THE MANEATER The Student Voice of MU since 1955

Vol. 84, Issue 25 G210 Student Center • Columbia, MO 65211 573.882.5500 (phone) • 573.882.5550 (fax) editors@themaneater.com www.themaneater.com

Twitter: @themaneater Instagram: @themaneater Snapchat: @the.maneater facebook.com/themaneaterMU The Maneater is the official student publication of the University of Missouri and operates independently of the university, student government, the School of Journalism and any other campus entity. All text, photos, graphics and other content are property of The Maneater and may not be reproduced without permission. The views and opinions expressed herein are not necessarily the views of the University of Missouri or the MU Student Publications Board. “My three favorite things: jazz, journalism, nature. They’re all dying.”

Reporters for The Maneater are required to offer verification of all quotes for each source. If you notice an inaccuracy in one of our stories, please contact us via phone or email. A woman stands and flashes peace signs during a speech from a local teacher at the March for Our Lives in Kansas City, Missouri. PHOTO BY MADI WINFIELD | VISUALS DIRECTOR

Editor-in-Chief Victoria Cheyne Production Coordinator Cassie Allen Copy Chiefs Sam Nelson David Reynolds Anna Sirianni Online Development Editor Michael Smith Jr. News Editors Skyler Rossi Morgan Smith Stephi Smith Sports Editor Joe Noser

Protesters gather under the Courthouse Plaza Columns in downtown Columbia during the March for Our Lives. PHOTO BY NATASHA VYHOVSKY | STAFF WRITER

Dancers from the UM-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance reach out during an original performance at the March for Our Lives in Kansas City, Missouri. PHOTO BY MADI WINFIELD | VISUALS DIRECTOR

A young girl with tiger face paint sits on someone’s shoulders and holds up an Everytown for Gun Safety sign at the March for Our Lives in Kansas City, Missouri. PHOTO BY MADI WINFIELD | VISUALS DIRECTOR

Opinion Editor Hunter Gilbert MOVE Editors Claire Colby Brooke Collier Visuals Director Madi Winfield Designers Hannah Kirchwehm Elizabeth Ustinov Social Media Editor Kaelyn Sturgell Sports Social Media Manager Adam Cole Adviser Becky Diehl

Want to work with us? themaneater.com/workforus

NEWS

Online this week: Shelly Rodgers earns first Kemper Fellowship, MSA election updates and more at themaneater.com.

FIRST AMENDMENT

MU to co-sponsor symposium of journalists and media attorneys The event will be livestreamed on MU’s School of Law and School of Journalism Facebook pages in addition to a live screening in the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute. LAUREN BISHOP

Staff Writer

The first co-sponsored symposium presented by MU’s School of Journalism and School of Law will foster discussions on the First Amendment in the digital age. The Missouri-Hurley and Price Sloan Symposium entitled “Truth, Trust and the First Amendment in the Digital Age” will take place on April 6 in Washington, D.C. MU’s School of Journalism, School of Law and the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute are co-hosting the symposium in conjunction

with the National Press Club and the Price A. Sloan Fund for Media, Ethics and Law at the School of Law. Previously, the MissouriHurley and Price Sloan symposiums were held separately. This year, MU’s School of Law and School of Journalism decided to combine their resources and efforts to create one symposium with multiple viewpoints. Lyrissa Lidsky, dean of the School of Law, said bringing the two schools together for a symposium in Washington, D.C., allows multiple viewpoints to be heard on a variety of complex issues involving traditional media, social media and First Amendment law. “[The symposium] entails pooling our resources to bring high-level journalists and lawyers together,” Lidsky said. “The beauty of an interdisciplinary approach is to get different perspectives on the most pressing constitutional issues of the day.” The event will include a panel discussion with legal

IMAGE COURTESY OF MU SCHOOL OF LAW

scholars and media attorneys, a panel discussion with journalists from various networks and backgrounds and a keynote address by Floyd Abrams, a senior counsel for Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP. Lidsky will moderate a panel of media attorneys and legal scholars, including MaryRose Papandrea, Judge John J. Parker distinguished professor of law at the University of North Carolina School of Law; Chris Buskirk, publisher

and editor of the American Greatness publication; and Kurt Wimmer, U.S. chair of data privacy and cybersecurity at Covington & Burling LLP. Barbara Cochran is the Curtis B. Hurley chair in public affairs reporting and the Washington program director for the School of Journalism. Cochran has produced and moderated the Hurley Symposium for seven years and worked with Lidsky to co-sponsor the joint

symposium this year. She will lead a discussion with other journalists, including Peter Baker, chief White House correspondent for The New York Times; Dan Balz, chief correspondent at The Washington Post and Brian Stelter host of “Reliable Sources” on CNN. Both panels will discuss topics such as fake news and how to combat it, journalist credibility

First | Page 5

SENIOR PROFILE

MARCH FOR OUR LIVES

MU senior looks ahead to play-by-play career

March For Our Lives rally draws hundreds to downtown Columbia

After placing third in the Hearst Journalism Awards, MU senior Carter Woodiel shifted his focus toward sports broadcasting. CHRISTINA LONG

Reporter

MU senior Carter Woodiel knew he was falling in love with his girlfriend when he realized he thought about her the same way he thinks about baseball. A lifelong sports fan and baseball devotee, Woodiel has done play-by-play for KCOU/88.1 FM since his freshman year. In his four years with the station, Woodiel has called over 40 games for six different MU sports. “I came here for this,” Woodiel said, knocking on the KCOU logo outside of its Student Center studio. “KCOU was the number one reason why I came [to MU].” From prepping notes for big games to producing his sports talk show, “Pinstripes and Checkerboards,” much of Woodiel’s college life has been spent in the KCOU studio. “I’ve spent more Friday nights [at KCOU] researching Division III basketball teams than I have doing fun things, and I’m fine

with that,” he said. Woodiel served as KCOU’s sports director his junior year, a role that allowed him to help staff members learn on the job. He’s also worked as a digital content producer at Newsy and a broadcaster for both Westminster College and William Woods University athletics. Woodiel does more than just call games, however. On March 10, Woodiel received word that he had earned third-place honors in the Hearst Journalism Awards radio news and features competition for work he did for KBIA/91.3 FM. Not a word of his submissions were about sports. “The centerpiece was a 2 1/2-minute feature about a veterans outreach program in Columbia,” Woodiel said of his entries. “It was that and five other 45-second daily stories.” Ryan Famuliner, news director at KBIA, saw potential in Woodiel’s work and decided to enter it in the Hearst competition. “It didn't take too long working with Carter to realize what a strong writer he is,” Famuliner said. “If you listen to the stories that he won for, many are just stories about things that happened at meetings. But the fact that Carter can write so efficiently and so well for the ear make them exceptional examples.”

NATASHA VYHOVSKY

Staff Writer

Carter Woodiel PHOTO COURTESY OF CARTER WOODIEL

Woodiel’s top-five placement earned him a trip to San Francisco for the opportunity to compete for a national championship in radio. Last year, he finished fourth in radio news and features and second in the radio championship. Woodiel is the first MU student to place in the radio division in back-to-back years, according to the Hearst Journalism Awards Program website records dating back to 2001. Woodiel said he wouldn’t be doing this without Famuliner,

Play | Page 5

Hundreds gathered at the MU Francis Quadrangle columns Saturday afternoon for Columbia’s March For Our Lives event, one of hundreds happening around the world, calling upon the public to hold legislators accountable for gun laws in Missouri. People of all ages marched from the Columns, chanting through the streets of downtown to the Boone County Courthouse. There, Rock Bridge and Battle High School students who organized the event gave speeches and testimonies alongside other speakers who were invited. Speakers included students, parents and grandparents alike. March For Our Lives began in response to the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last month, where 17 students and faculty were shot and killed by a former student. The main march took place in Washington, D.C., with sister marches in cities across the country. Many testimonies from the high school organizers focused on holding local legislators accountable for gun laws in Missouri. Many called out senators and representatives by name. Rock Bridge High School sophomore Rachael Erickson helped plan the event. Erickson, 15, said she has lived her entire life “in the context of regular mass murders,” participating in activeshooter drills since kindergarten. “These drills and thoughts are omnipresent in

Lives | Page 5

MSA continued from page 1

I can’t wait to watch [as] he grows and works for the students in the coming year.” When he starts his term, Addington plans to create a liaison program with jointsession student governments by giving them voting seats

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and families a little bit of money.” The Senate still needs to pass the bill with its amendments before legislators can conference and finalize a bill for the governor to sign. “I feel pretty confident that at the very least, at the end of the day, that $68 million dollars will be back in the higher education institutions’ budget,” Fitzpatrick said. The Missouri legislature has until May 11 to finalize a budget for the next fiscal year, which begins in July. If the budget is finalized with these proposed restorations, Missouri public colleges can expect capped tuition hikes and a maintained level of funding

T H E M A N E AT E R | N E W S | APRIL 4, 2018 in senate. He plans to do this to increase representation in MSA. Addington said that as of right now, MSA senate is not representative of all MU students. Bringing in organizations like Missouri International Student Council, which represents international students, will benefit the operation of senate because it will allow

for it to better represent the entire student body, he said. Along with his proposed changes, MSA members think he is well prepared to handle the position. “Over the last year of knowing Jake I have watched him grow from a shy, quiet person to a person willing to stand up for what they believe and lead from the front instead of criticizing

from the back,” Davis said in an email. “He and I have worked closely this year attempting to solve large student problems like the student health center and fee and food insecurity on campus.” Considering his experience as communications director, members also feel he will be able to adequately engage with and recruit students.

“He has really bolstered engagement with senate through the Twitter account, and I think his ability to engage with the students and recruit students for MSA will be beneficial for the association,” current speaker Taylor Tutin said. Edited by Skyler Rossi srossi@themaneater.com

compared to this past school year. “It means that if you’re an in-state undergraduate student that your tuition increase is only going to be 1 percent instead of something that could have been higher than that,” Fitzpatrick said. “We’re providing stable funding to the institutions, and hopefully they’ll be able to maintain the quality of the product they’re providing to you.” MU graduate student Joseph Moore has organized advocacy work against higher education cuts as president of MU Socialists through group meetings and community events like last month’s Stop The Cuts protest. Moore said that, while a reversal of cuts for next year would be good, it is only a temporary fix to a larger funding problem that has existed for years. “I think it’s a positive

outcome; obviously it staves off the immediate threat of cuts,” Moore said. “But I do think that this restoring the immediate cuts is a BandAid on a much deeper wound, which is this chronic issue of the funding of higher education at the state level. It’s a problem that’s going to continue to exist particularly because the legislature has been steadily eroding the state’s revenue base through irresponsible tax cuts.” With Sen. Bill Eigel’s tax code passing in the Senate, individual and business income tax would be reduced to 5.25 percent, further lowering the state revenue base. The Missouri Budget Project estimates this could leave a $500 million hole in the state revenue base. Greitens has also recommended lowering the corporate tax rate to the second lowest in the nation.

“If any version of those bills passes, it’s going to put a massive hole in the state budget, and then the question becomes what are they going to cut next year or the year after that to balance the budget?” Moore said. “And the answer will be most likely higher education because it’s the easiest thing for them to cut … because they know that if they cut higher education, the universities can recoup some of that money through tuition hikes.” Moore said his advocacy work for higher education funding is far from over. MU Socialists plans to meet to discuss the recent developments and its responses. It also plans to look into the status of contracts for non-tenure track faculty that were previously not going to be renewed because of the expected budget cuts. “Now that the immediate, short-term threat is being alleviated, I think people are kind of letting their guard down a little bit,” Moore

said. “But there is this much larger context of a steady erosion of state revenue … and I think people need to be aware of that and not lose sight of, ‘Hey, this fight is not over. We still have to fight for every dime.’” When the contract non-renewals were first announced, MU News Bureau Director Christian Basi said the contracts could be renewed if the budget situation changed. “If the state budget picture gets better [and] if enrollment numbers look better, [for] some of those notices we might go back to those faculty and say, ‘Yes, we notified you that your contract was not being renewed; actually, we are going to need you. Here’s a new contract for next year,’” Basi said. Basi said in an email that MU cannot provide definitive information about the contracts until a final budget is signed by the governor. Edited by Skyler Rossi srossi@themaneater.com

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T H E M A N E AT E R | N E W S | APRIL 4, 2018

FIRST continued from page 3

and the effects of social media on journalism and media law. Lidsky said the guests on both panels will provide a “lively and interactive discussion from a variety of different perspectives.” She said the culmination of elite legal and media advocates will create discussion on salient topics in today’s society. “I'm really thrilled to bring together such great people,” Lidsky said. “In this day and age,

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someone who has had a great influence on him during his time at MU. Famuliner saw Woodiel’s strengths from the beginning. “He doesn't miss deadlines, he communicates well, he understands the job he's tasked with and pulls it off,” Famuliner said. “Those are skills that you really can't teach someone, so all we could really do at KBIA to help him make those skills even stronger was put him in situations where we'd expect him to deliver. And he always did.”

it's still important to get people into the same room so that they can have meaningful discussion about important topics. I'm proud we’re able to do that.” The symposium will conclude with a keynote address by Abrams. He specializes in First Amendment and media litigation, and was co-counsel for The New York Times in the lawsuit regarding the Pentagon Papers. The editorial board of the Missouri Law Review, composed of School of Law students, will attend the symposium and tour the Supreme Court. Additionally,

undergraduate students in the School of Journalism’s assistant professor Brett Johnson’s class will attend the event in Washington, D.C., as well. Cochran said students who attend the symposium may learn what a job working in Washington, D.C., may entail and how journalists are currently doing their jobs. “This [symposium] will give students insight into what it's like to be a journalist covering this kind of situation and how people keep a sense of what their purpose is and keep their ethics and standards about

them,” Cochran said. In addition to educating future journalists, Cochran said her goal for the symposium is for the attendees to learn something new and hopefully have a greater understanding of free speech in America. “I want the audience to come away feeling that they learned something and that they heard some things that they haven't heard before that gave them food for thought,” Cochran said. “I hope that it reinforces the idea of how important journalism is as a pillar of our democracy.” The First Amendment

symposium will be livestreamed

Woodiel took an interest in radio and television journalism, specifically in sports, at the age of 13. “I’m forever grateful to my neighbor Tom Gildea,” Woodiel said of his start in broadcasting. “He gave my mom a call and said, ‘I know Carter likes sports, and they’re doing this thing up in Little Falls where they take kids and they train them for broadcasting.’” Heeding Gildea’s advice, Woodiel attended what was formerly known as the Bruce Beck and Ian Eagle Sports Broadcasting Camp in July 2009. “I remember one of the exercises we did was with a teleprompter,” he said. “They

laid out five scripts on a table. I picked these Yankee highlights, and I just read down the highlights from the teleprompter.” Woodiel said the camp’s namesake, NBC 4 New York’s Bruce Beck, was impressed by his performance and told him he had a future in broadcasting. “From then on, I just wanted to do it,” Woodiel said of the experience. His dedication to sports broadcasting and play-by-play comes from Woodiel’s lifelong love of baseball. “I love baseball more than most people do, but also, I love it more than I love most people,” he said. After attending Yankees

games with his mother as a child, Woodiel credits her with his love of sports and considers her one of his greatest supporters. “She’s the person that I’d go to baseball games with,” he said. “She says that she wants 10 percent of what I get because she’s like my manager. She’s always able to keep me grounded and motivated to work.” After he crosses the stage at graduation in May, Woodiel plans to hit the ground running. He has taken a job as the playby-play voice of the Sioux Falls Canaries, an American Association of Independent Professional Baseball team. “I’m the one-man band: voice of the team, production guy and press box host,” Woodiel

said of his new position. “I’m really excited. It’s a 100-game schedule. I’ll be working hard, but I want to do it.” Woodiel believes his new job will prepare him for his ultimate goal of working for a Major League Baseball team but expects the season to be demanding. “I think we get maybe nine days off,” he said of his new work schedule. “Apparently it’s the worst league for travel because it’s really spread out ... But I’ve never been opposed to bus rides. I’ve got to do work anyway.” Edited by Morgan Smith mosmith@themaneater.com

LIVES continued from page 3

our lives,” Erickson said. “This isn’t something that children can brush off to the side. And yet, our politicians seem to be able to. Yes, they send their thoughts and prayers, but they never think about it enough to want to make some actual change.” MU law student Cat Cojocaru was one of the speakers at the march. She carried a sign that read “NEVER AGAIN” on one side and “Do It For Her” on the other next to pictures of a close friend who lost her life to gun violence while in college. “Every time there’s a mass shooting, I’m brought back to that day where everything stopped,” Cojocaru said. “And as we all know, the frightening pace of these shootings in America hasn’t let up. As a student, my mind wanders when I’m in a large lecture hall, worried that my school might be next.” Parents, grandparents and other family members were in attendance to advocate for the young people in their lives. Some adults, like Steven Mellis, a retired teacher, engineer and Columbia resident, came out to support despite having no kids of his own. Mellis was a student during the Vietnam War era. With the war protests that were common at the time and the resignation of President Richard Nixon, he said his generation thought its job was done.

Protesters stand at the Courthouse Plaza Columns and hold up signs, many featuring red handprints meant to look like blood. PHOTO BY NATASHA VYHOVSKY | STAFF WRITER

“We thought we’d had it,” Mellis said. “We thought we’d done it. We didn’t. We’ve failed.” Kanchan Hans, a Rock Bridge High School student and march organizer, pointed out the voter registration booth present at the march, encouraging all to register so they can hold local government accountable with their votes in November. “[Politicians] are the ones that should be ensuring our safety, and they’re not doing it,” Hans said. “And if they continue to not do it after all of these marches that are happening across the country today, then we’re going to vote them out of office because that’s what we have to do to make sure that we can go to school every day feeling safe and secure.” Edited by Skyler Rossi srossi@themaneater.com

on the School of Journalism’s Facebook page and shared

with the Donald W. Reynolds

Journalism Institute’s Facebook

page, the School of Law’s Facebook page and livestreamed in the Palmer Room in the

Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute.

The

legal

panel

discussion will begin Friday at 8:15 a.m.

Edited by Morgan Smith

mosmith@themaneater.com

OPINION

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

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Submit a letter to the editor by emailing letters@themaneater.com.

THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED BY THE MANEATER COLUMNISTS DO NOT REPRESENT THE OPINIONS OF THE MANEATER EDITORIAL BOARD.

STRESS MANAGEMENT TOOLS

Schools should take more steps to help students combat stress In a world where working yourself to the bone and being overloaded with stress is considered the norm, we need to do something to reverse this problem and take the effects of stress more seriously. MADI BAUGHMAN

Opinion Columnist

Madi Baughman is a freshman journalism and political science major who writes about political and civil rights issues for The Maneater.

Stress. It’s a word you’re bound to hear at least once a day when you’re walking around campus. During my college experience, I’ve known many people — including myself — who will work themselves into such a frenzy that they actually become sick from it. Nearly one-third of all Americans say their stress impacts their mental or physical health, and yet it seems like dealing with stress

still isn’t taken as seriously as it should be. In college especially, being stressed out all the time is considered the “norm.” Symptoms of stress often include things that may make you feel sick all on their own: upset stomach, aches and pains, insomnia and low energy, among others. But the symptoms alone aren’t the worst it can get; it can often lead to actually coming down with something. Here’s the science of it: Stress suppresses the immune system, which makes it a lot easier to get sick. Studies done by Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh suggest that increased psychological stress is a very important factor in determining who gets sick when viruses get passed around. The thing is, when people don’t take the concerns of teenagers and young adults seriously, these problems only get worse and can manifest into even more serious problems further into adulthood — anxiety, depression, you get the idea. Long-term stress can take a serious toll on the body and the mind, even after what has been causing the stress is resolved. When steps to combat stress and practice healthy coping techniques are not taken, the risk increases for serious health problems to arrive in the future, an outcome that nobody

GRAPHIC BY ELIZABETH USTINOV | DESIGNER

wants. Fortunately, there are already some resources on campus for students who may be feeling the pressure. The Wellness Resource Center, for example, has lots of wonderful resources about how to deal with stress, as well as many other problems. The people there are doing really excellent work to help out students, but unfortunately,

there are a lot of students who don’t know about them, or any of the other resources on campus when it comes to stress. I think it’s important that we change the way people talk about stress and openly provide resources to struggling students instead of making them search for them on their own, when they already have enough on their plates.

ELECTIONS

Austin Petersen embodies the ideals of liberty set forth by the Constitution BRANDON BARTLETT

Opinion Columnist

Brandon Bartlett is a freshman political science major at MU. He is an opinions columnist who writes about politics for The Maneater. The 2018 midterm elections could have a significant impact on which political party holds the majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Many think the general election for Missouri Senate will be between Attorney General Josh Hawley (R) and current Sen. Claire McCaskill (D), but it might not. There is another GOP candidate running against Hawley, Austin Petersen, who is arguably a better choice for Missouri and the U.S. Petersen was born and raised on a horse farm in Missouri and graduated with a degree in fine arts from Missouri State University. Petersen also ran as a presidential candidate in 2016 for the Libertarian Party. According to his campaign website, he “is a homegrown Missourian with a lifelong passion for liberty,” and from what he has said about policy, it seems this passion is the foundation of Petersen’s political philosophy. Petersen is “pro-life, pro-

liberty, and pro-constitution,” and his priorities are health care, jobs, taxes, government spending, criminal justice reform and foreign policy. Petersen is all for repealing Obamacare. He says this is because regulations on health care reduce the options consumers have and make the options they do have more expensive. According to ehealth.com, since 2013 health insurance premiums have increased by 99 percent for individuals and 140 percent for families. Repealing Obamacare is an important step in opening the health care market to more competition. Petersen holds a similar stance on the jobs as he does health care: He wants the government to stay out as much as possible. During an interview with Frank Camp, who writes for The Daily Wire, he said, “In an ideal world, we would get rid of the income tax. The Founding Fathers didn’t pay income tax, they paid the government through lotteries, tolls, and fines.” While this would be ideal, he also said “The best situation for the United States is to cut the rates to a flat tax of 15% across the board.” He is very opposed to the current progressive tax system, which disproportionately taxes those who are more successful. Petersen said he likes to ask the question “If the cigarette tax is meant to discourage smoking, what is an income tax supposed to discourage

people from doing?” Of course, to be able to lower taxes without plunging the country further into debt, the government needs to cut its spending. He believes “the American people have to balance their checkbooks, and so should the federal government.” The government spends hundreds of billions of dollars every year to pay off a small fraction our now $21 trillion national debt. Petersen says we need a balanced budget amendment added to the Constitution that would make it unconstitutional for the federal government to run annual budget deficits, according to the Peter G. Peterson Foundation. This type of amendment has gained support with some Republicans in the House of Representatives after the passing of a $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill. Petersen sees a great need to reform our criminal justice system by ending the war on drugs and getting rid of mandatory minimum sentences, which infringe on a judge’s ability to sentence a convicted criminal as they see fit. He claims the war on drugs in America has been costly and ineffective because “you can build the tallest wall in history, but smugglers will find a way to get under it, or go around it.” He relates the war on drugs to prohibition and says that part of the reason drugs are so dangerous is because they are made on the black market just

like bathtub gin was. His proposal would be to treat drug abuse as a medical problem that requires a compassionate solution which would push addicts to get help rather than slapping them with a prison sentence. The final priority is foreign policy. He fully believes in standing up to foreign threats to the U.S., its allies and its interests, but only after a debate and vote in Congress as the Constitution intended. Although it isn’t listed as a priority, Petersen is also a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment. He understands that the reason the Founding Fathers included it was to have a last line of defense against a government gone tyrannical. His response when asked about assault weapons bans during an interview with The Daily Wire was, first, to point out that assault weapon is a made up term that can apply to anything used to harm another person and secondly, that we should be talking about advancing our Second Amendment rights rather than restricting them. He thinks the solution to mass shootings such as the one in Las Vegas is to get rid of gunfree zones and to teach kids about guns and how to safely handle them. If you live in the state of Missouri and care about your freedom as a citizen of this country, then Austin Petersen deserves your vote and support.

TASTY

BuzzFeed Tasty’s Nick Guillory serves up social media expertise Guillory talked about his career after graduating from MU and how he ended up becoming Tasty’s social media strategist. EMMA VEIDT

Reporter

When Nick Guillory arrived at his hotel in downtown Columbia on March 22, the employee behind the counter did a double take and said, “Do I know you from somewhere? I swear I’ve seen you on YouTube.” Guillory, BuzzFeed Tasty’s social media strategist and 2008 MU alumnus, came to campus last week as the spring keynote speaker for Online News Association Mizzou. It was his first time back on campus in years. “Even walking around here by myself was super emotional,” Guillory

said. “I actually teared up.” In his speech, which was livestreamed on Facebook, he described how he moved from an unsatisfying first job after graduation to directing social media for the Tasty franchise. He also included GIFs of celebrities like Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj in his presentation. “Can’t you tell I work at BuzzFeed?” Guillory joked with the audience after a Beyoncé GIF. At MU, Guillory studied broadcast journalism and was an anchor, reporter and social media editor for KOMU 8 News. After graduation, he was a reporter for KSLA News 12 in Shreveport, Louisiana, but eventually found that broadcast wasn’t a good fit. “I was not happy at that particular job; it was not what I wanted to do,” Guillory said. “At the end of the day, you gotta do what makes you happy. Every career decision I have made after that has been, ‘How am I going

Nick Guillory, a University of Missouri broadcast journalism graduate and contributing creator of BuzzFeed Tasty, describes his roundabout route to success, laughing at the mistakes he made along the way. Guillory encouraged his audience to take advantage of the MU alumni network, as it has helped him several times during his time in college and beyond. PHOTOS BY LIA WALDRUM | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

to be happy in this new situation?’” Guillory quit and moved to Los Angeles. He advocates for taking risks, but only strategic ones. Starving for food and experience, Guillory wrote for a blog called L.A. Foodie. “Don’t really [take a risk like moving to LA] unless you are rich, you have a family that can support you or you have another job lined up,” Guillory said. “Don’t do that unless you want to struggle. Or, if you are supremely unhappy, like I was.” Later, Guillory worked as a receptionist for Wheel of Fortune, which was filmed on the same lot as The Queen Latifah Show. Guillory loved talk shows and wanted to work on one, so he followed the LinkedIn pages of the staff at The Queen Latifah Show. Through this, he connected with his future boss and secured a coffee meeting with her right outside the Wheel of Fortune set. “If I didn’t do that [meeting], I would not be where I am today,” Guillory said. After the meeting, Guillory became the social media coordinator for The Queen Latifah Show until its finale in early 2015. There, he fell in love with social media marketing. He created campaigns to generate buzz about the show like the #QueenSpotting campaign. After The Queen Latifah Show ended, Guillory wrote community articles for BuzzFeed to get the company’s attention. One article in particular led to an interview and the job as BuzzFeed’s video curator. He wrote and starred in a few videos, but his career changed when he noticed a new trend on the internet: People on Facebook were gravitating from listicles to videos. He urged BuzzFeed to pivot with the audience. “Everyone has to eat [just] like everyone has to die,” Guillory said throughout his speech. “We at BuzzFeed took notice to video really popping off. We thought we should

make food videos, food hack videos.” When Tasty was born, his boss asked him if he wanted to run it because of his background in food and lifestyle content. Today, Tasty has 135 million followers across all of its social media platforms, Guillory said. The brand has become internationally known and has branched into cookbooks and kitchenware. “Raise your hand if you’ve ever heard of Tasty,” Guillory said. Every hand went up. “Holy shit, wow. OK, damn. OK, that’s so cool.” Guillory was able to come to MU because ONA exec member Kaleigh Feldkamp was watching one of Guillory’s BuzzFeed videos while procrastinating for finals. After reading his profile, she saw he went to MU and wanted to bring him to campus as a speaker. Last week, ONA Mizzou President Abby Ivory-Ganja got to spend the day with Guillory and show him around Columbia. “We did a photoshoot on the quad,” Ivory-Ganja said. “He’s really nice. We’re really excited because he shows you can have a personality and still have a cool job. We’re really excited for everyone to hear from him and see what he has to say. I think [having Guillory] is really awesome because he shows there is not one way to be successful.” When Guillory studied broadcast journalism at MU a decade ago, he thought he would be a reporter. Instead, he followed his passions from one job to the next, became a food blogger and now directs social media for what he describes as the biggest food lifestyle brand in the world. He gave a mouthwatering shoutout in true BuzzFeed fashion to his family at MU: “35 Foods That Will Make You Miss Mizzou.” Edited by Alexandra Sharp asharp@themaneater.com

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LOCAL MUSIC

Navigating the twists and turns of local musician Sammy The MU sophomore released his debut album, Mazes, on March 21. LEO ROCHA

Reporter

The first thing you notice about MU sophomore Sammy Elfanbaum is his hat. It is navy blue with a red bill and the St. Louis Cardinals logo on the front. The top button is missing, and you can tell it has been stretched throughout the years. Elfanbaum never performs without it. “I got [the hat] when I was five,” Elfanbaum said. “It’s awesome. I carry it around to remind myself where I come from. St. Louis gets a lot of slack, but I love my city and I want to represent it.” Elfanbaum writes, produces and performs music under the stage name Sammy. He admits that the naming decision was “risky, but [he] needed something.” He describes his music as “dreampop,” heavily consisting of pop/hiphop production styles and percussive beats. Sammy’s tranquil voice helps cement him into this genre; his songs invite the listener to enter an existential state. Most of his tracks make use of a synthesizer, bass, guitar and programmed drums. Recently, he has performed tracks from his debut album, Mazes, at The Blue Note and places around campus. “It’s such a thrill,” Sammy said. “When there’s more of an audience, I’m more vulnerable, and I move around just because of all of the adrenaline. I let myself go.” Sammy has been surrounded by music for most of his life; his musical roots began with his father and brother, who played guitar and piano and sang as he grew up. This encouraged Sammy to join his elementary school choir and take instrument lessons. “I would always sing with

my friends,” Sammy said. “I would be that kid who would be singing randomly if no one was talking. I would just burst out into song.” In middle school, Sammy had his first experience with writing music. He recorded himself playing the piano using GarageBand. In the same vein as musician Steve Lacy, who recorded his critically acclaimed demo entirely on an iPhone, Sammy produced his entire album in his bedroom at MU’s Phi Delta Theta fraternity house. Much like he did in middle school, he taught himself how to use the computer program Logic Pro X to record his album. The entire process took two months. “I wanted to not depend on other people’s creative input,” Sammy said. “I needed to do this by myself so I could truly say that something is mine.” His fraternity brothers have been supportive, giving him the opportunity to perform at the house and practice his songs. “My inner circle of friends are very honest with me,” Sammy said. “If there’s something that doesn’t particularly click with them, they’ll give me their honest feedback. I really appreciate that, but that doesn’t mean that I’ll change it because I don’t make my music for other people.” Most of the songs on Mazes deal with the idea of independence. The 10-track album offers a glimpse into the psyche of a typical college student; the emotions Sammy touches on are ones almost everyone has experienced throughout adolescence. “Emotions aren’t really something that are easy to describe or experience,” Sammy said. “Each track on the album has a lesson, a maze you have to go through. Some of those mazes are still dead ends to me — I haven’t gotten to the other side yet.” Sammy is a rule breaker. He feels the aim of his work

Sam Elfenbaum interacts with the crowd as he performs at his album release show. PHOTO BY HUNTER PENDLETON | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

is to push boundaries and question the culture of a music industry that requires artists to sign onto popular labels and use expensive production equipment. He follows this philosophy outside of music too; he ended up switching his major from vocal performance to graphic design because he felt constrained in what he could do musically. “I’m very anti-rules,” Sammy said. “Music is the one art form that I truly want to be myself with.”

He will be opening for local rapper Poundgame Addison at The Blue Note on April 7. In the future, Sammy wishes to continue releasing as much quality music as he can. “I get nervous when I say that music is my life, but it is pretty accurate,” Sammy said. “I’m going for the real deal, and I think that it’s obtainable. I’m a heavy believer in ‘If there’s a will, there’s a way.’ And there’s not a will for me for a lot of things in life. When I’m passionate about

something, I’ll work hard. But I’ve never had the same drive for anything else as music.” Mazes is available on Spotify, Apple Music and more. Sammy can be found on Instagram, SoundCloud and YouTube at @officialsammymusic. Edited by Alexandra Sharp asharp@themaneater.com

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Join us! INTERNATIONAL.TAU.AC.IL Sam Elfenbaum, who uses the stage name “Sammy,” performs his final song of the night at his album release show. PHOTO BY HUNTER PENDLETON | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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Review: Steven Spielberg adapts impossible, nostalgic ‘Ready Player One’ JESSE BAALMAN

Columnist

This review contains spoilers. In a techno-futuristic vision of 2045, citizens plug into a limitless virtual reality world called OASIS instead of worrying about overpopulation and climate change contributing to Earth’s corruption. To escape the slumlike city of Columbus, Ohio, 18-year-old Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) spends most of his time as “Parzival” in the digital sphere trying to complete the first level of “Anorak’s Quest,” a game created by the late OASIS founder James Halliday (Mark Rylance). Whoever collects three keys gets to control the OASIS, which sparks a worldwide competitive race including the maniacal Nolan Sorrento (Ben Mendelsohn) and his company seeking control over the gamers’ free paradise. Ready Player One, adapted from Ernest Cline’s modern take on the classic zero-to-hero novel, promises an epic story complete with adventure, romance and corporate overlords. If that sounds like a loaded premise, it’s because it is. At two hours and 20 minutes, the extravagant narrative somehow leaves out plot points from the book while also sagging

toward the end. Although, if anyone could have pulled this daunting assignment off, it’s director Steven Spielberg. His fantasy parade of ‘80s escapism is welcomed with caution considering he’s the one who helped popularize the genre in the first place. After a pitch-perfect introduction and an action sequence featuring the famous Back to the Future DeLorean vehicle, audiences can feel safe knowing the director has several more kingsized stunts up his sleeve. As the keys are collected and Sorrento’s threat looms larger, Watts must connect with his friends in the real world for the first time in order to save the digital one. A girl he has a massive cyber crush on, Samantha or “Art3mis” (Olivia Cooke), is usually one step ahead at all times in her own demanding narrative. In one of many throwback sequences, the duo recreates Saturday Night Fever’s disco dance in zero gravity. “Aech” (Lena Waithe) is Watts’ wisecracking best friend who reveals herself as a woman named Helen when the two finally meet, nodding to the film’s theme of blurred identity. They are accompanied by Helen’s friends “Sho” and “Daito” (Philip Zhao and Win Morisaki), who are relegated to sidekick positions in the group that comes to be known

as the “High Five.” The live-action scenes juxtaposed with CGI hybrids make for underwhelming drama even as engaging performers Cooke and Waithe are introduced to Sheridan to liven things up. He fairs much better than Rylance, who barely delivers in another supporting role while playing a cringe-inducing riff on Willy Wonka and Steve Jobs. Still, this adventure is undeniably entertaining in a way that all of the movies referenced were too. Ready Player One is a guilty pleasure of pop culture production design; King Kong and the Iron Giant are prominent throughout, while an entire scene plays out in an OASIS replica of The Shining. So many nerd dreams come true that it's virtually impossible to catch all the hidden Easter eggs — and all those that were left out. In a slightly hollow ending, a decision is made to shut down the OASIS on Tuesdays and Thursdays because “reality is the only thing that is real.” Whether or not the film answers any questions it asks about the impersonality of global modernization is beside the point; Spielberg has crafted yet another satisfying blockbuster with big-screen spectacle.

Ready Player One PHOTO COURTESY OF READYPLAYERONEMOVIE.COM

Ready Player One debuted at the top of the domestic box office with $41 million, Steven Spielberg’s biggest opening weekend since Indiana Jones

and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in 2008. Edited by Claire Colby ccolby@themaneater.com

PRODUCTIVITY

Improve your life with “one-minute” rule MEGAN OOSTHUIZEN

Columnist

I’ll admit it; I’m pretty lazy. If you ask my mom, I’m the laziest person in the world. I avoid the simplest of tasks for hours, even days on end. Whether it’s hanging up my clothes at the end of the day or even texting someone back (I know, I’m the worst), I’ll definitely figure out how to ignore the most straightforward responsibilities. After entering my dorm one afternoon and realizing I couldn’t see my bed through all the slightly dirty laundry on top of it, I knew I had a problem. Thus, I started my journey into becoming less of a hot mess. Knowing myself, I needed to start out small. After wasting more time than I’d like to admit searching for ways to be productive, I stumbled across a blog post titled “Need a simple and effective way to get your life under control? Try the ‘oneminute rule.’” Productivity in one minute sounded too good to be true, but I decided to give it a try. Basically, the rule states

that if it can be done in one minute, do it. That means rather than putting off doing the dishes with the intent of doing them the next day, just get it done and save yourself some time. Even if the task takes a little longer than a minute, it’s better to get it knocked out sooner rather than later. I immediately decided that this was the productivity hack I needed to try. For me, that meant putting away items directly after use, making my bed before I left for class and taking a minute every day to clean my space. I saw results almost immediately. After a few days, my room was cleaner than it had been in weeks. The simple act of hanging my clothes or even wiping down my desk took little time out of my day yet made a huge difference in the cleanliness of my room. Whether you’re a mess like I am or put together like I dream of being, the one-minute rule is that unbelievably easy productivity hack we could all use in our lives. Edited by Claire Colby ccolby@themaneater.com

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GUEST SPEAKER

Bill Nye talks sundials, climate change and space exploration at Jesse Hall

Nye discussed problems and solutions for global warming and the necessity of space exploration. LAUREN WILCOX

Staff Writer

Bill Nye took the stage to a sold-out Jesse Auditorium on March 16 at an event hosted by Stuff To Do to discuss his father’s love of sundials and sand dials. He opened with how this weird obsession trickled down into his work during his college years at Cornell University and then at Boeing. Nye moved on from sundials to the main point of his talk: climate change. He said there is clear evidence for climate change. He mentioned seeing melting ice caps and rising sea levels during a recent trip to Greenland. The scientists there are currently comparing neutrons in ancient ice to modern ice to understand how ocean temperature has

changed. Nye said if someone thinks global warming is an economic development created by the Chinese, there is only one reaction: “Dude. Dude. Dude, really?” The solution to the problem, in his opinion, depends on humans. Since they have taken control of the Earth, they have to be the ones to change it for the better. Nye could see everyone with renewable energy as early as 2050 if humans come together to preserve nature. He described the three things the world needs people to do to make it healthier. “The first one is clean water,” Nye said. “The second is renewable and reliable electricity, and the third is access to the internet.” Most importantly, his final strategy relies on education. “The best way to change the world is to make the world better for women and girls,” Nye said. “And the way to make the world better for women and girls is through education.” To finish up his talk, Nye

RIGHT: Bill Nye spoke at Jesse Auditorium on March 16, 2018, about the importance of education to shape the next generation of international problem solvers. TOP: Nye told stories of his family, leading to how his father passed on his love of sundials and other anachronistic methods of telling time. BOTTOM: Nye greets the crowd in a “tiger claw” pose during his speech at Jesse Auditorium on March 16, 2018. PHOTOS BY MADI WINFIELD | VISUALS DIRECTOR

discussed the success of SpaceX and the search for water in places such as Mars, Jupiter’s moon, Europa, and Saturn’s moon, Titan. According to Nye, space

The best way to change the world is to make the world better for women and girls. - Bill Nye exploration may be more focused in the private sector, but the human fascination with space will never stop and will help expand society. Nye captivated his audience with his intelligence and goofy jokes but cemented the idea that humans must always keep exploring or they’ll stop growing, thinking and discovering. Edited by Alexandra Sharp asharp@themaneater.com

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GUEST COLUMN

Mizzou Alternative Breaks: inspiration and love in an unexpected place I went to Love in Action Outreach in east New Orleans for my MAB trip over spring break. ARMOND FEFFER

Guest Columnist

Mizzou Alternative Breaks wasn’t exactly on my radar until about a day before we left. All we had were routine weekly meetings that made it seem like the trip was always weeks away with ample time for preparation. The anxiety mixed with the uncertainty of spending a week with 10 strangers was steadily flourishing in my mind. The urge to back out was brimming over until I thought about the regret I would have the next day for selfishly letting my own feelings censor the real intention of the trip. As it turns out, that was easily one of the best decisions I’ve made in my college career so far. Squished into a Ford Flex filled with five other volunteers, I was off to New Orleans. I grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado, a city of half a million people on the front range of the Rockies. Admittedly, growing up in a Caucasian bubble like Colorado Springs blindfolded me to the harsh realities of life that so many people endure without a choice every day. The last place I thought I would find myself on a spring break was at a warehouse in east New Orleans. The neighborhood we volunteered in was predominantly made up of low-income and AfricanAmerican families still scarred by Hurricane Katrina that barreled through New Orleans in 2005. You’d think after 13 years the city would have recovered from the disaster, but in neighborhoods like the Lower Ninth Ward, overgrown foliage and eerie house foundations litter the landscape with a new hurricane-proof house here and there.

The food distribution center we volunteered at is called Love in Action Outreach. It is run by a lady of below-average stature with an amazingly aboveaverage desire to care for her community. Her name is Ms. Gail. Every Monday through Friday you can find her at this rundown warehouse providing produce, snacks, beverages, meat and even pet food to hundreds of people she just happens to know on a first name basis, each and every person. She’ll ask how your grandfather who is in the hospital is doing. She’ll ask you how your daughter did on her spelling test she took last week. Ms. Gail and the other volunteers treat every client like family, and more importantly, like a person. These people who have been disregarded by society can come to Love in Action to find a consistent source of courtesy and relentless kindness. This isn’t just any food pantry; it’s an outlet for people who don’t have the resources to spend $200 at Walmart. It’s a social gathering for neighbors to catch up. It’s a sanctuary of ignorance combined with a refuge of bliss. These people may not have much, but they embrace the simple consideration to genuinely ask you how your day is going. In most cases, my day was probably going a lot better than theirs, but that didn’t matter. It didn’t make a difference if it was the two buses they might have had to take to get there, or the fact they had to accept we could only give them three bananas despite having four kids to feed. They still asked, “How is your day going, sweetie?” MAB gave me the opportunity to meet so many inspirational people. Whether it was the unlikely group of volunteers I feel like are my closest friends after just a week or the selfless people I was given the privilege to serve, I will never forget my experience with the people who made the “Big Easy” feel so small.

Love in Action Outreach, a nonprofit based in New Orleans, serves over 2,400 households in the east New Orleans area. Gail Womack-Murray, the founder of Love in Action Outreach, started the food pantry a few years after her own struggle with food insecurity. PHOTO COURTESY OF TWITTER @MAB_NEWORLEANS1

In the Lower Ninth Ward, Armond Feffer, Lydia Murphy and Isabel Lohman read the sign at the location of the orginal levee break in New Orleans. Though Hurricane Katrina was over 12 years ago, the Lower Ninth Ward is still recovering from the damage. PHOTO COURTESY OF CASSIE ALLEN

During the week-long trip to New Orleans, Feffer’s MAB group visited tourist sites like Bourbon Street and Café Du Monde. PHOTO COURTESY OF CASSIE ALLEN

Love in Action Outreach occasionally receives donations of pet food along with its food and clothing donations. Volunteers distribute these goods in predetermined amounts. PHOTO COURTESY OF CASSIE ALLEN

SPORTS

Online this week: Baseball takes two of three at Auburn, Porter Jr. declares for NBA draft and more at themaneater.com.

BASEBALL

Infielder and pitcher Brian Sharp swings at a pitch during a game against the University of Maryland, Baltimore County on March 4, 2018. PHOTO BY MADI WINFIELD | VISUALS DIRECTOR

A tale of two teams: why Missouri baseball is poised for more success at this point than it was a season ago Even with a 20-game winning streak last season, Missouri’s 2017 team doesn’t stack up to the potential of the Tigers’ current squad. ADAM COLE

Staff Writer

It’s peculiar to think that at this time last season, Missouri baseball

had the exact same record it does this season. As of April 2 — in both 2017 and 2018 —Missouri sat at 21-7 overall, but the st ories of each teams’ record is far from similar. In 2017, after going on what was the longest active winning streak in college baseball at the time, Missouri had won 20 consecutive games. During the streak, the Tigers beat the likes of Eastern Michigan, Eastern Illinois, Appalachian State and Alabama. Heading into its last seven games

before April 2, then-No. 18 Missouri was set to play an unranked Arkansas team and No. 19 Florida — both at home — as well as one home game against Southeast Missouri State. The Gators and Razorbacks both finished last season ranked in the top 20 of Baseball America’s rankings, with the Gators finishing the season ranked No. 1 overall and a national champion. By the end of the seven-game stretch, Missouri had fallen out of its top-25 ranking and dropped six of

the seven games, bringing its record to 21-7. On paper, the differences in this year’s team don’t seem staggering. However, the story of this year’s 21-7 squad appears to be much different. The most notable difference between these teams is both the amount of games played and the team’s record against ranked teams. Last year, the Tigers only played two ranked opponents to this point:

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BASEBALL

Baseball enters top 25 thanks to Auburn series win The Tigers are 5-4 in league play heading into April. JERRY DUGGAN

Reporter

The Missouri baseball team is hitting its stride at the right time. The Tigers are ranked 18th in the nation this week; what’s more, the

team is rising quickly. The Tigers were not ranked in last week’s edition of the poll but moved up into the top 20 thanks to a gutsy series win on the road at Auburn, a team ranked No. 9 in the nation in RPI. The Tigers are finding success by following a relatively simple formula. Quality starting pitching has been the key, and although the entire rotation has had success, a dynamic duo has emerged in juniors

Bryce Montes de Oca and Michael Plassmeyer. The two have started half of the Tigers’ games so far and sport earned run averages of 2.38 and 2.40, respectively. Montes de Oca has had a few particularly good outings when the team needed him most, such as his six-inning performance at Auburn on Sunday in which he allowed no runs and just one hit. On offense, the Tigers have had

contributions from up and down the lineup, but a two-headed monster has formed in right fielder Trey Harris and first baseman/outfielder Kameron Misner. Misner, a Poplar Bluff, Missouri, native, is hitting .371 with four home runs and 25 runs batted in, and is slugging a ridiculous .629. He leads the Southeastern Conference in walks with 32 and is

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TWO

Continued from page 12

No. 9 Florida and No. 25 Houston. The Tigers were 1-3 in those games. Fast forward to this season, and Missouri has played double the amount of games against ranked opponents and its record against them has fared much better. To this point, 2018 Missouri is 5-3 in ranked matchups against LSU and Auburn teams that were both No. 16 at the time of play, No. 20 Wichita State and No. 24 Miami (FL). The Tigers are also posting a better record in SEC play at this point, but only by a game. Missouri is 5-4 against the SEC this year as opposed to 4-5 last year. With a bit of digging, it’s more than apparent these teams are

different. Last year’s squad had a lot of added shock value with first-year head coach Steve Bieser’s team going on a 20-game tear early, but even with the same record, Missouri’s 2018 team is a lot better suited for the road ahead, mainly because of the several names that have stepped up so far. For example, junior Brian Sharp has grown into a dual-threat role for the Tigers. Sharp is listed as an infielder, but he also made appearances on the mound for Missouri last year. In his nine appearances last season, he had a 3.38 earned run average and gave up 11 hits in 13.1 innings. This year, Sharp’s pitched more than he did all of last season, has a team-low 1.20 ERA and also recorded his first career start on the mound this season. He’s also batting .313 and his 31 hits are just 10 fewer than he had all of last season. Household names like senior

outfielder Trey Harris and junior starting pitcher Bryce Montes De Oca have also done their part for the Tigers in more subtle ways. Harris — a normally middle-ofthe-order power hitter — has moved up to the two spot in Missouri’s batting order and found himself in much more of a contact hitter role at this point. He finished last season with a .268 batting average and 49 hits, but so far this season, he’s batting .354 and is already up to 40 hits. Montes de Oca has also elevated his play, overtaking the top of the rotation and filling the void left by the No. 24 overall pick in last year’s MLB draft, former starting pitcher Tanner Houck. Montes de Oca’s ERA to this point, 2.40, is more than a whole run lower than his final ERA from last season, 4.28. With Sharp’s emergence and players like Montes de Oca and

Harris growing into their own and filling holes from last year, the Tigers have multiple names to lean on in the long run. 2017 Missouri finished its last 28 games right at .500, posting a 14-14 record after collapsing over that seven game stretch last year. They played six teams that finished the 2017 season ranked in the RPI top 50, with three of them in the top 25 and one in the top 10. Against those six teams, Missouri posted a 5-14 record. 2018 Missouri only has 26 games left, but it will play 15 of them against another six teams which are currently in the RPI top 50. It’s a similar road ahead for Missouri, but with several names to rely on and some promising wins in conference play, the Tigers are more poised to tackle it than ever. Edited by Joe Noser jnoser@themaneater.com

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Continued from page 12 getting on base at a .522 clip. Harris is hitting .354 and also has four long balls to go along with a team-leading 29 RBIs. Misner has been more consistent, as he had hit safely in eight straight games until Saturday’s contest. However, Harris has come through in the clutch time and time again, with no hit bigger than his grand slam on Sunday at Auburn to put the Tigers up 4-0 and seal a crucial SEC road series win. Brian Sharp, the Tigers’ only two-way player, has contributed on the mound and at the plate and essentially carried the team on offense in the first week of the season, earning SEC Co-Player of the Week honors on Feb. 26. The excitement around the program is palpable. Second-year head coach Steve Bieser has had success everywhere he has coached, winning two state titles at St. John Vianney High School in St. Louis and returning his alma mater, Southeast Missouri State, to prominence. He appears poised to duplicate that success at Missouri, as he has gotten a lot out of this team that, on paper, isn’t very talented compared to its Southeastern Conference peers. The Tigers’ 5-4 record in SEC play is the real reason for optimism given that Missouri has not finished with a winning record in league play since it joined the conference after the 2012 season. Dating back to its days in the Big 12 Conference, Missouri hasn’t finished over .500 in league play since 2009.

Right fielder Trey Harris runs toward home base in a game against the University of Maryland, Baltimore County on March 4, 2018. PHOTO BY MADI WINFIELD | VISUALS DIRECTOR

While this year’s Tigers are clearly much improved from previous seasons, fans would be wise to temper optimism somewhat and take a “wait and see” approach for now. While Missouri’s series win at Auburn last weekend is impressive, a lot of its wins, particularly in the nonconference slate, are nothing to write home about. Series sweeps against UMBC (No. 255 in RPI) and

La Salle (No. 273) aren’t exactly resume builders. What’s more, the Tigers still have a three-game set at Florida (No. 3 in RPI), as well as series against Georgia (No. 8 in RPI), Kentucky (No. 20 in RPI) and Vanderbilt (No. 29 in RPI). The SEC is loaded top to bottom, as this week’s top-25 coaches poll includes 10 SEC teams. No conference has ever had 10 teams

in the poll concurrently. The league is scary deep. For now, Tigers fans would be wise to get excited but fasten their seat belts for a month and a half of SEC play. Whatever happens, Bieser has put a quality product out on the field, and his Tigers sure are fun to watch. Edited by Joe Noser jnoser@themaneater.com

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GYMNASTICS

No. 22 Missouri gymnastics scores 196.1 in SEC championships, assigned to NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional Four Tigers received All-SEC honors for their routines. LIAD LERNER

Staff Writer

No. 22 Missouri gymnastics placed seventh at the Southeastern Conference championships on March 24 with a score of 196.1 points at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis. Mizzou posted 10 scores of at least 9.8, with the high point coming from junior Britney Ward’s 9.9 on beam, earning Ward All-SEC honors. Senior Shauna Miller and sophomores Morgan Porter and Aspen Tucker also received All-SEC honors for their routines on bars. “l was pleased,” head coach Shannon Welker said in a press release. “I thought we were steady all night, not too high, not too low. I thought we started strong on floor and we kept a pretty steady flow all night. I

think we're getting better and they continue to progress, so I feel like our ceiling has not been met yet. I'm excited to play out the rest of the postseason.” Less than 2 points separated No. 2 LSU, who won the team competition with a score of 197.4, and No. 16 Auburn, who finished last, so Mizzou can take pride in its performance on the night. Following the SEC championships, it was announced that Mizzou had qualified for the NCAA Regional for the fourth year in a row, and the 28th time in program history. The Tigers were assigned to the Tuscaloosa Regional as a No. 4 seed and will face off against Alabama, Michigan, Illinois, Georgia and Central Michigan. The meet will take place in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Saturday at 4 p.m. Edited by Kaitlyn Hoevelmann khoevelmann@themaneater.com

Britney Ward competes in a beam routine during the Mardi Gras Invitational in St. Charles, Missouri, on Feb. 16, 2018. PHOTO BY KAYLA LOVELACE | PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT

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NFL

The 2018 offseason quarterback conundrum The Chiefs promote their quarterback of the future, and the Browns take on a financial burden.

3. Sam Bradford to Arizona

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This is so Cleveland that it finally drove out the only consistent star it had: Joe Thomas. Cleveland has had a rotating QB carousel for a while, and Tyrod is simply hopping on, taking his overpaid contract with him. It’s simple: Draft Darnold. He is the answer the Browns have been searching for, and passing over, for decades. Jarvis Landry can beat anyone in coverage, especially short, one-cut routes where the offensive line has to protect the QB for a couple of seconds. If it isn’t a swinging gate, Landry should be open and serve as an easy go-to guy to help develop the young QB. Edited by Bennett Durando bdurando@themaneater.com

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7. Cleveland signing Tyrod Taylor

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The Bills just saved themselves $10.44 million by trading Tyrod Taylor to the Browns. As the Bills’ mafia rejoices, let’s look at the team’s options. The Bills have the 12th overall pick. If Josh Allen is still available at that time, he is a must for Buffalo. Being less than 10 minutes from Canada, with the brutal, windy conditions he will have to play in most of the year, the 6-foot-5-inch, 233pound prototype build is the perfect fit. Coming out of Wyoming, being coached and mentored by Craig Bohl, the same person who molded rookie sensation Carson Wentz, the gunslinging QB would fit well with the downfield threat of Kelvin Benjamin. Their second option is keeping their capable starter AJ McCarron. He was a backup for Cincinnati Bengals starter Andy Dalton for four years and comes from a tough, prostyle offense in Alabama.

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The third option would be to trade up to No. 2 overall in the draft, one before the divisional rival Jets. The Bills could beat the Jets to the punch and take either Josh Rosen or Sam Darnold. The problem is, Rosen said he doesn’t want to play for Cleveland.

6. Buffalo trading Tyrod Taylor

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guilty to nine criminal charges, the Jets need to provide some consistent weapons for whoever is under center come Week 1.

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Kirk Cousins plays against the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 13, 2015. PHOTO COURTESY OF KEITH ALLISON VIA FLICKR

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5. Teddy Bridgewater to the Jets

The quarterback carousel the Jets have going right now isn’t working. Josh McCown isn’t the answer. And in a division where you see Tom Brady twice a year, you better have one. The NFL draft is packed with QB talent. The Jets trading up for the third pick almost guarantees they are taking a quarterback and likely already have one in mind. Coming into Brady’s division and with the Jets trading up, Bridgewater will have to fight hard to stay relevant in the NFL. With the team’s top target Robby Anderson pleading not

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Patrick Mahomes, the new starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, stands at 6 feet 2 inches, weighs 230 pounds and is only 22. A year under veteran Alex Smith helped his play-extending ability, and he posted the third-fastest threecone drill and the fastest 20-yard shuttle the combine. The Chiefs had Smith doing the run-pass option, and now they have Mahomes, who is even more effective in this role. To complement his mobility, his arm is unreal. Whether he’s on the move or in the pocket, it’s a cannon. The addition of Sammy Watkins as a downfield threat on the other side of the field from Tyreek Hill is a nightmare for opposing

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Although I have never been sold on Keenum as a player, I have been sold on his story. Keenum’s story is good. He unexpectedly went from the Rams’ backup quarterback to the Vikings’ starter. Yes, he was the quarterback for a team that went to the NFC Championship last year, and he helped it win 14 games, but he won games relying on the best defense in the league. But no longer will Keenum play half of his games indoors. Instead, he will be a mile high with winds that will affect his already inaccurate arm. Keenum is comparable to Isaiah Thomas in the NBA in that they both have underdog stories. They’re short guys who inspire, and America loves a good story with a happy ending.

2. Chiefs starting Patrick Mahomes

4. Case Keenum to Denver

Minnesota nailed it. The only piece it was missing was a quarterback. The NFC North was and will be a Viking-led division for years to come. Cousins fits the Vikings more than Case Keenum did. With receivers like Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen and a young and upcoming Laquon Treadwell, the pocket presence Cousins brings is much more appropriate than the happy-footed, inaccurate nature of Keenum. This is a huge opportunity for Cousins. Not only will the Vikings be a contender every year, but he’ll get a date with one of the best in Aaron Rodgers twice each season. Besides a chance for a ring, Cousins now has the opportunity to define his career, and ultimately, his legacy.

1. Kirk Cousins to Minnesota

Most offseasons in the NFL feature shifts at the quarterback position between the 32 teams. However, in just the last month, seven different quarterbacks have changed hands. Franchise quarterbacks come at a premium in the NFL. They are hard to find and then develop, let alone protect with a solid offensive line. When a new quarterback is brought into a system, there are a lot of changes: the schemes, the personnel but most importantly, the chemistry. It’s the split-second timing on routes, the trust in one’s receivers. For the offense to work, the quarterback must know the ability of each of his targets. Here’s a comprehensive ranking of these moves in regard to how each one helps or hurts its team.

Can he stay healthy? The question that has defined Bradford’s career surface once again after he signed with the Arizona Cardinals. Bradford will have to play the team that drafted him, the Rams, twice a year. This makes for a hazardous situation, considering the Rams have ended former Cardinals’ quarterback Carson Palmer’s season twice with their relentless defensive line. However, Bradford won the Heisman his sophomore year and has always had a great mind for the game. If the Cardinals were to draft a quarterback who isn’t “NFL ready,” Bradford could help develop him as a player. With so much of Bradford’s career on the sideline, the Cardinals could essentially redshirt a quarterback, let’s just say Baker Mayfield, and develop him for a year or two. Props to the Cardinals for bringing in a QB already familiar with the division.

Staff Writer

secondaries. As a bonus, trading Smith saves the Chiefs $17 million in a year where the defense is being revamped.

JARED MOSQUERA

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