M THE MANEATER The student voice of MU since 1955
Vol. 85, Issue 5
www.themaneater.com
September 19, 2018
SUSTAINABILITY
Picnic raises student awareness of Sustainability Office Students played games, received promotional items and made smoothies by cycling among other activities. LAURA EVANS
Reporter
The MU Sustainability Office threw its first Sustainability Picnic outside its office on the west side of the Virginia Avenue Parking Structure on Thursday. In an attempt to raise awareness and garner student participation for the Sustainability Office’s various programs, the picnic offered food, different activities and information about sustainability. “We thought this would be a great place for incoming students to come in, find out about sustainability at Mizzou and also mingle with other likeminded students,” MU Sustainability Manager Raghu Raghavan said. “So that’s mainly building connections, that’s the primary goal. But the main features are food, conservation and awareness.” Arianna Plaza, a freshman nutrition and exercise physiology major, said that such connections
The MU Office of Sustainability organizes Tiger Tailgate Recycling where volunteers can promote recycling at game day tailgates. | COURTESY OF MIZZOU OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY FACEBOOK
and interactions were a highlight of the event. “I’ve been doing homework all
week, so I wanted to get out,” Plaza said. “It was really close to the dorm, and I love the people that are in it
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CAMPUS LIFE
APPLICATIONS
MU Engage prepares to launch new platform for MU organizations
MUPD hopes introduction of new app will make campus feel safer
MU students and faculty are hopeful for an easy transition from OrgSync to MU Engage, which will act as the university’s new organization management website. TANNER BUBECK AND JESSICA BELLE KRAMER
Reporters
The MU Engage Implementation Team plans on joining two previous programs, OrgSync and Campus Labs, together to create a new platform to help students better connect to campus opportunities: MU
Engage. Their hopes are to have the program released next semester. “MU Engage is a student engagement platform that enables students to connect to campus, discover co-curricular opportunities and develop a portfolio of those experiences including organization memberships, event participation, leadership positions and community service,” Sr. Student Services Coordinator Sara Rubinstein said in an email. According to the Implementation Team’s website, MU Engage will be a combination of OrgSync’s best features as well as newer technology that will act as a tool for students, allowing them to become more engaged in campus organizations and allowing these organizations to
better manage and promote themselves. “It allows MU to better assess student engagement and learning outcomes across campus to ensure we are providing meaningful opportunities that enhance a student’s learning,” Rubinstein said in an email. “It also provides student organizations and programs a suite of userfriendly, management and communication tools.” As a member of the Implementation Team, Rubinstein is eager to introduce some of the newer features of MU Engage to students and looks forward to its release. “Student organizations will now have the ability to create and manage elections within their portals,”
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Rave Guardian is designed to give students a virtual “guardian” to walk with them. WICKER PERLIS
Reporter
MUPD launched the new Rave Guardian app which they hope will lead to a safer campus, department sources said. This free app will give users access to all MU safety services through one easy-to -use interface. Designed by Rave Mobile Safety, the app is used on campuses across the country. In addition to increasing and simplifying access to emergency services, the app also allows users to invite people to be their ‘guardians.’ If a user is ever in a situation where they do not feel safe walking somewhere, their
guardian can virtually walk with them. Guardians will be able to talk on the phone and track the location of the person they are virtually walking with. If needed, the app can call 911 and share the exact location of the user with MUPD. Other features highlighted by MUPD are the ability to store medical emergency information, submit reports of suspicious activity including pictures and more. Public Safety Information Specialist Sara Diedrich said that MU is always working to ensure that students and faculty are safe and comfortable when on campus and that the implementation of the Rave Guardian app is just one step in that process. “Our goal is to continue offering our campus
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T H E M A N E AT E R | N E W S | SEPTEMBER 19, 2018
INSIDE THIS
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MU Sustainability Office hosted a picnic complete with
Notebook: Missouri is preparing to face No. 2 Georgia.
Spending Friday night in an MUPD squad car.
games, food and information for potential volunteers.
The Briefing: MSA confirms 22 positions in first full senate meeting They confirmed 19 at-large senators and three upperlevel positions. CAITLYN ROSEN AND ETHAN BROWN
Student Politics Editor and Staff Writer
The Missouri Students Association elected 19 at-large senators, confirmed three upper-level positions and read various bills including one that would remove the Department of Student Activities from MSA’s constitution in full senate on Sept. 11. This was MSA’s first full senate of the year (aside from their mock senate held Sept. 6). Confirmations
In terms of the executive cabinet position, President Julia Wopata’s chief of staff, Elita Nelson, was confirmed. Sophie Hall was also confirmed as director of student communications. Some senators raised concerns about how Hall might coordinate with Senate Communications Director Abigail Shaw. They said that there is a chance Hall could step into Shaw’s jurisdiction in terms of MSA’s social media presence. Hall was confirmed with 10 yes votes and five abstentions. Senator Solomon Davis was confirmed as the chairman of External Affairs Committee. His confirmation comes after he was initially turned away at the end of last year. Proposed bills Because MSA no longer
funds DSA, a bill was proposed to formally remove DSA from the constitution. According to the proposed bill, the funding “could be used to support organizations at Mizzou who are already providing events for their respective communities.” This bill went through its first reading at the meeting. Cartwright’s guest presentation Chancellor Alexander Cartwright gave a guest presentation during the meeting. He discussed the expected increase in enrollment, aiming for an increase of 5,200 people next year. The next full senate meeting will be held Sept. 25 in the Leadership Auditorium. Edited by Skyler Rossi srossi@themaneater.com
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THE MANEATER The Student Voice of MU since 1955
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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. “As a child, when I thought of God I thought of George W. Bush.”
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. Editor-in-Chief Skyler Rossi Managing Editor Stephi Smith Production Coordinator Corey Hadfield Copy Chiefs Kaitlyn Hoevelmann Anne Clinkenbeard News Editors Morgan Smith Caitlyn Rosen
MOVE Editors Alexandra Sharp Siena DeBolt Visuals Director Hannah Kirchwehm Designers Sara Marquardt Elizabeth Ustinov Emily Mann Isaiah Valdivia Marisa Whitaker Mia Scaturro Sara Stroup
Sports Editor Bennett Durando
Social Media Editor
Online Development Editor Joshua Thompson
Adviser Becky Diehl
Opinion Editor Hunter Gilbert
Madi Winfield
Online this week: Read more about the latest MU trends and events at themaneater.com. POLICE
MUPD officer sheds light on campus policies, student relations in weekend ride-along Stolen vehicles, machetes and french horns are all in a night’s work for these officers. EMILY WOLF
Reporter
Walk down the streets of Greek Town on a Friday night and you’re certain to see houses pulsing with light and sound. Tigers know how to party, but the lifestyle comes with risks. Underage drinking, drug use and driving under the influence are all too common. For the MU Police Department, stopping these crimes is vital to preserving campus safety. A Missouri native, MUPD Officer Zachary Chinea has never had a drop of alcohol. MU’s nightlife — and the drinking culture that surrounds it — is far different than what he grew up with while attending a smaller college. Read along to experience Chinea’s chronological experience Friday night. Chinea’s comments have been edited for clarity. 7:28 p.m. : Traffic stop for an expired temporary license plate. “The most common call we get is checking on well-being or traffic stops,” Officer Zachary Chinea says.. “A lot of the time, we get calls from family who live a ways away,
An MUPD officer talks to The Maneater during a late night ride-along. | MANEATER FILE PHOTO
wanting to check on their relatives’ well-being.” The driver is delivering for Pickleman’s and is aware of their expired status. The driver just wants to make their delivery quickly and is
cooperative. “The color on a [permanent] plate signifies the year the plate expires,” he says. “Yellow, for example, expires in 2019. Colors do repeat over the years, but
there’s no clear pattern that I know of.” 8:20 p.m. : Traffic stop for running a stop sign. “A lot of people don’t make complete stops,” Chinea says. “I’m not looking for everyone
who doesn’t make a perfect stop. I want to get the person who blows right through a stop sign and would have hit
POLICE |Page 5
CAMPUS
UM System president announces $260 million in investments The campuses still face an $80 million shortfall in the coming years. EMILY WOLF
Reporter
UM System President Mun Choi announced the reallocation of $260 million in investments to be spread across all four campuses in his public address, “Excellence Through Innovation: A New University of Missouri
System.” The investments will be implemented over a period of five years. They focus on student success, research and creative works, engagement and outreach, inclusive excellence, and planning, operations, and stewardship. “By cutting and reallocating more than $180 million over the past two fiscal years, we have stated emphatically that the University of Missouri is making bold changes to achieve excellence,” Choi said. “It’s now time to make meaningful investments
to achieve excellence. We will take actions that put Missourians first and invest only in areas that support our new vision for the university.” The one-time money provided by the UM System is expected to be matched by each university. These sums will be used to invest in students, faculty and staff, the UM System said in a news release, and will include: • $100 million for scholarships, $75 million of which will be used to create the “Promise &
Opportunity Scholarships”, which are based on financial need, and $25 million for funding “Next Generation Merit Scholarships” in order to recruit academically outstanding Missouri students. • $50 million for the Precision Medicine Initiative and the Translational Precision Medicine Complex. The goal of this initiative is to provide UM researchers with cutting edge technology to aid their projects and research. • $50 million for
research and creative works; the hope is that this funding will encourage collaborative, multi-investigator proposals, which will then lead to more external research funding. • $20 million for digital learning initiatives, to grow online learning opportunities and reduce the cost of traditional education. • $12 million for Missouri Compact Distinguished Professorships, to help university leaders attract members of the
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PICNIC continued from page 1
and I love what it stands for too.” Since much of the MU community may not be aware of the Sustainability Office, the central aim of the picnic was to familiarize students with the existence of the office as well as its mission. “Our number one goal is we really just want to let students to know that we’re here,” Brock Andreasen, junior environmental sciences major and MU Sustainability Office Intern, said. “We want everyone to know that we have a presence on campus, and we want students to feel comfortable to come and talk to us with any questions about sustainability.” Since the office is located in a parking garage, Andreasen said that it might not be the most comfortable setting for students to come in. The picnic offered a more inviting setting to introduce students to the Sustainability Office. Many of the picnic’s activities tied into the broader cause of the Sustainability Office. For example, attendees could pedal on a stationary bike to make themselves smoothies while learning
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Rubenstein said in an email. “It is wonderful to be able to provide them with these new tools to secure, automate, and expedite the election process within their organization.” As the university has been exploring MU Engage, so have organization leaders. Avid OrgSync users, such as Missouri Students Association members and leaders, will have to learn the ropes to an entirely new website. Among those MSA leaders is Senate speaker Jacob Addington. “Everything that we do, whether it be Senate reports or voting, is done on our OrgSync page… so that’s going to be a bit of a learning curve for us,” Addington said. In an effort to aid in the transition process,
about the Mizzou Bike Share program. The event had a Plinko game where students could win prizes like key chains and T-shirts with information about the Sustainability Office. Also, rather than offering water in disposable cups, the event gave out free, reusable water bottles that went unclaimed in the lost and found and that were professionally cleaned at Sabai. “One of the main things we do is we’re trying to promote sustainability anyway we can,” Andreasen said. “By doing events like these where students are coming to our office -- we’re all interacting, we’re talking about sustainability, we’re talking about our programs, what we do -- that’s just a great forward momentum project so we get people coming here.” The programs that the Sustainability Office currently offers include the Mizzou Bike Share, where students can rent bikes for free; the Bike Resource Center, where mechanics will provide free service to anyone who brings his or her bike to Speakers Circle during their operating hours; Tiger Tailgate Recycling, where volunteers can help promote recycling at tailgating lots; and a Farmers’ Market, where local vendors sell goods on Lowry Mall during certain fall and spring months. The next Farmers’ Market is scheduled for Sept. 20.
For these programs and the various other events the Sustainability Office is involved with, student volunteers are needed. Raghavan emphasized the necessity of student involvement in sustainability. “We like to think in this office that sustainability is something that the students cannot avoid anymore,” Raghavan said. “We’re here to support the students as they look for solutions to addressing the sustainability issues, not just on campus, but in the broader community as a whole.” For Tyler Reeder, a sophomore nutrition and exercise physiology major, his attendance to the picnic was largely based around his interest in the cause. Though the picnic was the first experience with the Sustainability Office for both Reeder and Plaza, the two said they would be interested in being further involved with the office. “I love the environment,” Reeder said. “I think it’s super important to take care of it and to think about the people who are coming after us. I feel like now is a time more than ever when we really need people to help conserve the environment and do our best to make sure our carbon print is the lowest it can be. I think this is more of a first step to doing that.” Edited by Morgan Smith mosmith@themaneater.com
MU was sending organization leaders emails with links to tutorial videos, but stopped once they decided not to continue with the transition until the second semester of this year. “We’ll be doing a soft launch at the beginning of next semester, so that way, we can get the kinks out,” Addington said. As they prepare to launch the new system, the Implementation Team is working to ensure the transition from OrgSync to MU Engage will be smooth for student organizations. “The implementation team has been working since this summer to learn the new system and begin setting up our new community, branches and processes,” Rubinstein said in an email. “Our goal is to make the transition as smooth as possible for individual students, organizations and staff.” To prevent complications in the transition process, Rubinstein advises for current
organizations to update any information they currently have to ensure it is correctly transcribed onto MU Engage. “The main thing organizations can be doing now to prepare for the migration is to keep their rosters, events, and portals as up-to-date as possible,” Rubinstein said in an email. “This will help minimize the time needed for data migration and ensure the most accurate information is transferred and available in Engage at launch.” MU organization leaders are unsure how MU Engage will differ from OrgSync, as they have only seen the tutorial videos and haven’t used its interface, but they are optimistic. “The website itself looks a lot cleaner. It’s a lot more user-friendly, but again, you can’t really know those things until you’re actually using it,” Addington said. Edited by Caitlyn Rosen crosen@themaneater.com
APP
continued from page 1 community safety tools that help maintain the security of our campus,” Diedrich said. MUPD Chief Doug Schwandt echoed that sentiment in a press release announcing the new service. “We’re always looking for new ways to update security measures and ensure our students, staff, and faculty feel safe and comfortable on campus,” Schwandt said. While MU is a relatively safe campus for its size, incidents do still happen. On Aug. 19 MUPD received a report of a sex offense at the Welcome Week American Authors concert. Freshman Sofia Voss said there is a clear need for a program like Rave on MU’s campus. “Despite trusting my environment, I still always am hyper-aware of any possible threat, especially with college being so independent and MU being so large,” Voss said. After using the app for a few days, Voss said that it definitely made her feel safe and that she would continue to use it when on campus. “I’m spending more time alone now more than ever and with that increased freedom to do as I please, I also need to be more aware of the real life threats that surround me. That’s where Guardian steps in,” Voss said. One major concern with the app is that many students don’t know what it is, or even that it exists. “The only person I’ve heard about it from is my mom. I don’t think the University has done a great job advertising it,” sophomore Andrew Schlager
GRAPHIC BY ELIZABETH USTINOV
said. Schlager thinks it may be a useful service, but if people don’t download the app, it won’t be able to make a difference. This is especially concerning given that to use the app the University is paying Rave Mobile Safety $8,000 a year, but it is an investment that the administration and police hope will be well worth the cost once word spreads about how useful the app is.
“We decided to invest in Rave Guardian because it allows the MU police department to communicate directly with users and engage with the campus community in a way familiar to most of us – our cell phones,” Diedrich said. The Rave Guardian app is available to be downloaded by anyone for free through the App Store or Google Play Store. Edited by Morgan Smith mosmith@themaneater.com
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T H E M A N E AT E R | N E W S | SEPTEMBER 19, 2018
POLICE
Continued from page 3
“A lot of people don’t make complete stops,” Chinea says. “I’m not looking for everyone who doesn’t make a perfect stop. I want to get the person who blows right through a stop sign and would have hit or killed a pedestrian.” When the driver is approached, Chinea notices a machete in the passenger seat. “Having a machete in your passenger seat isn’t illegal,” he says. “I asked why [the subject] had it and they told me it was for personal protection. We don’t know what might’ve happened to them previously or why they feel like a machete is necessary.” No search or arrest is made. 8:36 p.m. : Traffic stop for two students riding a motorcycle without helmets. The passenger gets off of the motorcycle immediately and turns to face Chinea’s car. The driver remains seated. Chinea exits the car. “When someone gets off/out of their vehicle immediately, as an officer, it makes you expect there to be conflict,” Chinea says. “You start to wonder, what are they so worried about that they needed to get up?” Chinea begins talking with the two students and it
INVEST
Continued from page 3 National
Academies
increase
scholarly
to and
research output. •
$10
million
for
engagement and additional
becomes clear the situation is relaxed. Two other students approach while Chinea is talking to the ones he pulled over. The driver of the motorcycle retrieves a helmet when asked if he has one. “I asked the two others to step off to the side and wait for their friends and they were very polite about it, which is what you want,” he says. “I let the student with the helmet ride the motorcycle and the other student has to walk.” No search or arrest is made. 8:48 p.m. : Traffic stop for no headlights. There are two people in the vehicle. The subject in the passenger seat begins turning their head back and forth to attempt to see where the officer is coming from. “When a [subject] is turning around and trying to determine our location, it ramps up the situation from pretty low to fairly high quickly,” Chinea says. “When someone is trying to find our location, it can be because they want to hurt an officer. That’s why we have the light on the vehicle that we shine when we pull someone over, so they can’t see an officer’s location.” After Chinea approaches the vehicle, the passenger calms down and begins smiling and chatting amiably. The two subjects are watched by another responding
officer, who arrived after Chinea while they search for their insurance. “Most traffic stops are cordial,” He says. “We don’t have the greatest reputation in the media and that can affect the way the interaction goes sometimes. I’m a by-thebook person, so everyone is treated equally.” 9:19 p.m. : Parking lot check. Officer Chinea approaches an MU shed after hearing an odd noise; the noise makers turn out to be several MU students putting away their French horn instruments for the night. Chinea asks the students who was playing and a student points to one of the others. “He any good?” Chinea asks. “I wouldn’t say that,” the student responds. Chinea chats with the students for a minute longer then returns to the car. “I try to have a good interaction with people and get a few laughs out, like when I asked if the student was any good at playing,” he says. “Not all interactions with police officers need to be bad.” 9:52 p.m. : Traffic stop for a motorcycle driving the wrong way down a one-way street. Chinea responds when another officer requests backup. The motorcycle did not have plates and a search
of the vehicle reveals that it had been hotwired. The subject sits on the ground, lights a cigarette and is subsequently arrested. “Someone can be arrested for either stealing a motor vehicle or being in possession of a stolen motor vehicle,” Chinea says. “In order to determine if someone knows they’re in possession of a stolen vehicle, you look at three things. Does the driver have the title to the vehicle? Was it purchased below market value? Does the driver have the keys?” Once the subject is secured in the police car, the officers call a tow truck to tow the motorcycle. They call the owners of the motorcycle according to the vehicle identification number, but are unable to contact them for the night. “Stealing of a motor vehicle is a crime where they will get their photograph taken at the station, because it’s a more serious crime,” he says. 10:21 p.m. : Check subject for a MU student who appears intoxicated. Chinea responds after the two initial officers. The officers separate two groups of students. “The officers initially approached to check the subject because he was acting as if he were highly intoxicated, but when we got there he wasn’t actually that intoxicated,” Chinea says.
“[The other group] were friends of his who had come to walk him home for the night. Once we got it all sorted out, we just talked to the other group about ridealongs.” The two groups reunite shortly thereafter and walk off together. 10:45 p.m. : Check subject for not using a crosswalk in front of car, bizarre behavior. “Jaywalking is a pretty informal term,” Chinea says. “It can mean a lot of different things. Stepping out in front of a car is obviously illegal, but stepping out onto the road without a crosswalk when there are no cars coming is not.” The subject appears to be under the influence, but no drugs are found on their person. They walk off in the opposite direction. The subject is spotted again, going a different direction, when Chinea drives down the same street a few minutes later. “If someone consumed cocaine, it doesn’t necessarily mean [the subject who consumed it] becomes illegal,” he says. “It doesn’t make sense, because then the entire person would be illegal. The act of being under the influence of drugs is not illegal. But if they have it and then try to snort/stuff it real quick, it’s destruction of evidence.” Edited by Morgan Smith mosmith@themaneater.com
industry partnerships. • $8.5 million for inclusive excellence, to support recruitment and retention of faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds. • $7.5 million for faculty and staff success, to improve university culture, establish employee
orientation programs, and develop strong professional development programs. • $1.5 million to expand KCSourceLink to MOSourceLink, in order to connect small businesses and startups in Missouri with resources for success, and $250,000 for a partnership with American Public Square, to provide opportunities for like-minded individuals at the universities to conduct factbased, civil conversations about important issues. Proposals for the funds will be evaluated this fall, and the final selections will be made by Choi, the four chancellors and senior officers of the university. “Through administrative changes at the UM System and good financial management of our investments, we are able to reallocate our funds and focus them on the needs of our students, faculty and staff, directly supporting our teaching and research missions and the Missouri Compact,” said Ryan Rapp, vice president for finance. Additionally, Choi
announced the launch of Missouri Intern Connect in partnership with the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and with support from the Missouri Small Business & Technology development centers. The online portal is designed to create opportunities for students to connect with internships statewide. The EQ Student Accelerator initiative will help students concurrently by providing them with alumni mentors and resources. “Many of these students have to work several jobs while they're going to school,” Choi said. “We want to be able to provide them the support so that they can reduce the amount of time that they have to work so that they can increase the likelihood that they'll be retained and graduate to success.” Choi also announced the appointment of Bill Turpin, CEO of the Missouri Innovation Center, to lead economic development efforts for MU and the UM
System, and the appointment of UMSL CFO Rick Baniak as
UM
System
Transformation
Chief
Officer
to
lead modernization efforts of administrative functions systemwide. Despite the investments, the UM System is expected to face a $160 million shortfall between
now
and
2023,
according to Choi. He said he anticipates about half will be made up through increased
enrollment
and
online education, but that the four campuses will have to find additional ways to make up the remaining $80 million. “We want our universities to be a place where our faculty and staff are proud to attend, civic leaders and communities and proud to support, and businesses are proud to partner,” Choi said. “We will become a stronger UM
System
driven
by
innovation and hard work.” Edited by Morgan Smith mosmith@themaneater.com
6 MUSIC
Mac Miller’s music was about more than sex, partying, money The “Swimming” artist’s songs often contained messages about drug abuse and mental health. EMMA BENNETT Columnist One of the biggest things that connects a
musician with his or her fans is the meaning of
their music. Rapper Mac Miller was exceptionally
about sex, drugs and partying. However, the artist’s
absorbent, endorphin addict/ The evil follow me,
career, he spoke openly to the press about his
the extremity of his issues. Instead of brushing off
work was about more than that. Throughout his struggles with drugs, depression and alcohol. He
never hesitated to include these battles in his music, either. This is what made his music truly special to fans.
One of his songs that referenced his struggle
with depression directly was “The Star Room,” a track from Miller’s 2013 album, “Watching Movies
I got a devil magnet,” it’s clear that Miller knew this knowledge, he recognizes the danger of what
is plaguing him. The phrase, “This rapper life is so
boring,” suggests that Miller does not always enjoy the fun factor of drugs, seeing them as a routine he has to follow. The audience hears this in “What Do You Do,” from his 2015 mixtape “Faces.”
Miller’s death shocked many due to the fact
With the Sound Off.” In the track, Miller mentions,
that he had seemingly been sober for an extended
sweeped the music industry on Sept. 7 when
kinda feel like it’s a purgatory/Dealing with these
addictions. One of Miller’s lyrics even references
Fans of the artist mourned the loss, and there
Miller’s fanbase something to connect to, a feeling
talented at this, filling his songs with hidden
messages about the hardships of life. Sorrow
“But me, I’m still trapped inside my head/It
Miller, 26, died from a suspected drug overdose.
demons, feel the pressure.” Songs like these gave
has been an outpouring of love from his former
that they could relate with.
friends.
This special connection gives more meaning
“I don’t know what to say Mac Miller took me
to Miller’s music. This is exemplified well in the
launch my career he was one of the sweetest guys
own, with these songs I can carry you home/I’m
completely broken. God bless him,” Chance the
only does Miller express the importance of living
on my second tour ever. But beyond helping me
“2009” lyric, “A life ain’t a life ‘til you live it/...My
I ever knew. Great man. I loved him for real. I’m
right here when you’re scared and alone.” Not
Rapper, fellow artist, tweeted.
life to its fullest, but also the idea that his songs
Miller, whose full name was Malcolm James
McCormick, started his career at age 15 with his
provide comfort to his fans.
With lyrics “A drug habit like Philip Hoffman
mixtape “But My Mackin’ Ain’t Easy” in 2007. His
will probably put me in a coffin/ But down the
which was dropped in 2010.
weirder than Austin/ Now it’s 7 in the morning,
first release of note was his mixtape “K.I.D.S,”
slope in my toboggan/ Three day delirium, gettin’
Many of Miller’s songs were full of messages
this rapper life is so boring/ Still at it/ The drug
amount of time, and was working to overcome his the “27 club,” a group of celebrities that have died at age 27, mostly from overdoses. The list includes
Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain and Janis Joplin. “To everyone who sell me drugs / Don’t mix it
with that bulls--t / I’m hoping not to join the 27
club”. What is most chilling about this lyric is that
Miller didn’t even make it to the age of 27; the artist would have not turned 27 until January of
2019. This is directly alluded to in “Brand Name,” a track off of “GO:OD AM,” his 2015 album.
Mac Miller leaves behind a legendary legacy,
one that was not only extremely successful, but affected many, whether it be through his music or connections with fans and friends.
Edited by Siena DeBolt
sdebolt@themaneater.com
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FUNDRAISER
MU Tigers advocate for endangered wild tigers Tigers for Tigers uses education and fundraisers to raise awareness and money for tigers in the wild. SKYLAR LAIRD
Reporter
Since 1890, the mascot of MU has been the tiger, worn proudly on students’ clothes, flaunted at football games and made a symbol of what the school stands for. Yet while students roam the campus clad in tiger gear, the amount of tigers in the wild has been diminishing, leaving them endangered. One club on campus, called Tigers for Tigers, aims to protect this species by making donations to habitat restoration foundations and zoos, volunteer at zoos and tiger sanctuaries and educate the public on what they can do to prevent the extinction of tigers as a whole. Member Jessica Allen has been an avid tiger fan since before attending MU and says that most students on campus, though they are all MU tigers, know little about the animal itself. “We’re a tiger mascot place, and yet nobody can tell you how many tigers are in the wild or where their natural range is, and I feel like that’s necessary,” Allen said. “[It would] be really interesting to go around, say, ‘Hey, what do you know about tigers?’ and most likely, [students] can’t even tell you the basic stuff ... so it’s one of those things where everybody is like, ‘Oh my god, I would so love to take a picture with a tiger,’ but they need to understand the background history on these things.” “Working to ensure there will be wild tigers as long as there are Mizzou tigers” is the club’s motto, said Club President Shannon McKinley. One way this is accomplished is through visits to local elementary schools, a job done by Allen as the education chair officer for two years. Passing a bitten bowling ball and imitation tiger claw around the room, Allen presented both difficult truths, such as habitat fragmentation, and fun facts, like how tigers like to swim, to the classrooms of children. By the end, they would create their own tiger masks, each with a unique pattern of stripes, just like wild tigers possess. “I mainly taught [the students] about conservation. A big thing that came up was soybean oil, so sustainably buying products, which, as you know, with kids, it’s really hard to nail what that means, so my goal was to try and dim it down and say basically, people are cutting down trees and they’re not putting them back up and it’s causing massive habitat fragmentation for
MU organization Tigers for Tigers’ main goal is to help protect Tigers in zoos and conservations. | COURTESY OF MIZZOU TIGERS FOR TIGERS
these tigers,” Allen said. “It was really fun [to visit] and [the kids] all enjoyed it ... and the teachers really enjoyed bringing in that conservation because really, you don’t get much experience with that when you’re a kid.” Education, however, isn’t all Tigers for Tigers does; it also presents unique volunteering opportunities. From participating in habitat enrichment with their own scents to watching practice blood draws performed on the tigers, Allen said the group has offered her many great experiences. “That’s what we really want to provide the students who are coming with us [with]: we want to provide them with the opportunity to see tigers and interact with them and learn more about this species that we really don’t get to see much of because they’re exotic. And so my goal as an event coordinator was just to get them those experiences that they wouldn’t get anywhere else while also volunteering,” Allen said. “These are experiences that we get
that nobody would really ever get anywhere else.” Tigers for Tigers works with multiple tiger sanctuaries, spanning from local to national, including Dickerson Park Zoo, National Tiger Sanctuary and Cedar Cove. Allen said Dickerson Park Zoo is one the group works especially closely with, and, according to the zoo’s website, MU committed to sponsoring the zoo’s tiger exhibit for five years at $10,000 per year. They also offer special opportunities for members of the club. “Dickerson Parks Zoo, they provide facilities on-site, so if we need to stay the night, we can do that for free, which was really nice, especially considering it’s a three to three and a half hour drive to get there in Springfield,” Allen said. “They are also really, really nice people to us. We’ve been contributing some to them, and they, in turn, give back to us as well. So they will also ... get us to the keeper who deals with those animals on a daily basis so we
can ask them questions and interact with the animals if possible, just to get more experience with what we’re interested in. It’s really great.” McKinley said this club is not only about the tigers, but also about the people in it, as it’s a close-knit group of only 20 members. However, the club really finds itself in advocating for the animals found on every logo for MU, hoping that the mascot will not someday become extinct. “I think it’s really important to understand what we’re proud of,” Allen said. “Our mascot and our name, Mizzou, we’re really proud of it, but behind the scenes, we don’t really understand tigers, and I think that’s something [students] should be aware of and it’s something they should understand, if not contribute in a way.” Tigers for Tigers meets every other Monday at 6 p.m. in the MU Student Center St. Louis and Kansas City room. Edited by Siena DeBolt sdebolt@themaneater.com
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ACTIVISM
Activists march for environmental action during 2018 Walk for the Climate “I can’t believe I’m marching for facts,” read one sign held by participant during this year’s Walk for the Climate. MARIANA LABBATE
Senior Staff Writer
Marchers walked down Broadway Street shouting chants like, “This is what democracy looks like!” and “Wall Street, Wall Street, hey you, we deserve a future too!” for the 2018 Walk for the Climate on Sept. 16. Organized by Mid-Missouri Peaceworks, the event gathered Columbia activists at Courthouse Square to rally for climate action. The participants went on a 5K walk through downtown Columbia and the MU campus, holding signs asking for change and chanting for more attention on the issue. This was the fourth annual climate walk organized by Peaceworks, and it had partners such as the Sierra Club, an environmental organization that acts throughout the country, and Mizzou Energy Action Coalition, MU’s activist student group that focuses on getting the university to divest from fossil fuels. “Investing in fossil fuels is investing in profit off of climate
Band of Brothers serenades the rally leading up to the 5K Walk for the Climate hosted by Peaceworks. | PHOTO BY STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER PAIGE SAILORS
change,” Haley Gronniger, president of Mizzou Energy Action Coalition, said. “We sponsored this walk. We’re trying to raise awareness and get the attention of the administration, make them realize that they do need to hear us.” Peaceworks also invited all candidates running for state and federal legislative seats representing Boone County to speak their minds on the issue of climate change before the walk started. Seven candidates were present in the event: Maren Bell Jones, Kip Kendrick, Martha Stevens, Bill Hastings, Adrian Plank
— sent a surrogate for his absence— and Michela Skelton for state seats and Renee Hoagenson for a federal legislative spot. “We don’t endorse or oppose candidates, but we do educate our members and the public on where the candidates stand on the issues,” Mark Haim, director of Mid-Missouri Peaceworks, said. “There are candidates, as far as we can tell, who deny that climate change is real and that’s a problem. We see floods, fires, super storms and extreme droughts. We’re going to see over the course of the next decades many climate
refugees and that’s unacceptable. This has to be a priority issue.” The main goal of the walk was to create awareness and address the participants’ concern on the issue of climate change; however, activists marching the five kilometers could have sponsors make donations to Peaceworks’ education and advocacy programs. “I came out to march today because the climate is something that is dear to my heart," the freshman Barbara Kuensting said. “This is why I’m going to school, for environmental science, and also as a journalism student.” Together, participants made their way down College Avenue, walked by the MU Student Center and Speakers Circle and marched on East Broadway until they got back to Courthouse Square, all while holding signs and banners with sayings such as “Climate Action Now,” “Save The Planet” and “I can’t believe I’m marching for facts.” “We feel that the climate crisis is something that needs to be made very visible,” Haim said. “The main thing is getting people together so they know they’re not alone in their feelings. If they see it in the paper or the news, they know that there are other people that care and it encourages them.” Edited by Alexandra Sharp asharp@themaneater.com
MUSIC
Bad Bad Hats makes stop at Columbia’s Cafe Berlin With instruments in hand and jokes at the ready, Bad Bad Hats played a great performance at Columbia’s Cafe Berlin. MEGAN ALTSCHUL
Columnist
Cafe Berlin, the restaurant-by-day, concert-venue-by-night, welcomed Bad Bad Hats on Friday, Sept. 14. Before Bad Bad Hats took the stage, a local Columbian band called The Adaptation started the show. Singer Kyren Penrose walked on with just his guitar, beginning with a somber piece and joined on stage by the other band members as the song intensity amplified. Their style consisted of a variation of rock sounds, blending grunge and folk into many of their songs. I was reminded of the experimental rock band The Flaming Lips as they played and wouldn’t be surprised if some of their inspiration comes from them or similar 90s bands. I was sitting down for The Adaptation’s set but found myself directly in front of the stage for the next band, Cumulus, standing close enough to make eye contact with the band members. Unlike The Adaptation, Cumulus is the main opening act for Bad Bad Hats’ tour and is led by singer Alex Niedzialkowski. Niedzialkowski urged the audience to get closer to the stage, dance if they want to, and even sing the chorus to
her songs. Before they played their song “Retreat,” Niedzialkowski gave an encouraging speech about the track’s consent meaning and how you shouldn’t be afraid to talk about what you want and don’t want. Bad Bad Hats broke into song almost immediately after setting up, opening with “Makes Me Nervous,” the first song on their new sophomore album “Lightning Round.” I was pleasantly surprised to find that while their recorded songs gave me a more pop than rock vibe, their live performance lived up to their indie rock title. The voice of the front woman and lyricist, Kerry Alexander, sounded as upbeat and sincere as it does on the albums, but the band’s enthusiasm and tenacious instrumentals during the show increased their rock-esque attributes. Alexander’s effortlessly cool attitude was apparent from the second she stepped out on stage in her Hawaiian button-up, but what I didn’t expect, and I’m sure others didn’t as well, was how funny she would be. Filled with corny jokes and stories about a cellphoneinspired song, her drugless life and a strenuous hike up a mountain with a friend who thought she left her phone on it, Alexander kept the audience attentive and laughing the entire time. Arguably her best line in any of her joke-filled speeches was, “When we’re not here we Mizzou,” which earned a lot of laughs and an amused chuckle from myself.
Bad Bad Hats, a Minneapolis indie-rock band, performs at Cafe Berlin on Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. | PHOTO BY SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER EMMALEE REED
For their song “Shame,” all of the band members put on sunglasses, embracing their rock-star personas for a bit. Full of guitar riffs and silly dance moves, Bad Bad Hats seemed to have the most fun playing this song. This is one of my favorite songs by them, so I shared the same potent energy, singing along to the repetitive, love-driven lyrics. The group also played a fair mix of their slower intimate songs like “1-800,” “Things We Never Say” and “Absolute Worst,” but that never stopped anyone from singing or swaying along to the soft melodies. After the band announced they were playing their last song, they ended up actually playing two more, ending with one of their more popular songs, “Super America,” from their EP “It Hurts.” Alexander gave one last speech before the song, explaining how it relates to the
gas station SuperAmerica. Looking deeper into some of the lyrics, though, you’ll find that it’s also about a complicated relationship, filled with the possibility of unrequited love, a common theme throughout their albums and EP. I find that I’m the most content when I’m at a concert, grooving along with my friends or the rest of the audience. With Bad Bad Hats, their obvious joy flowed throughout Cafe Berlin, creating a sense of positive energy that only concerts can generate. Even Cumulus at one point came out and started happily dancing along to their songs, prompting the surrounding people to join her. Many people left the concert with a newfound admiration for Bad Bad Hats, some even buying their merch on the way out. Edited by Siena DeBolt sdebolt@themaneater.com
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THEATRE
Coming out: Playhouse Theatre Company brings ‘Fun Home’ to Columbia The Playhouse Theatre Company of Stephens College opens their 2018-19 season with “Fun Home,” a dramatic retelling of the memoir by lesbian cartoonist Alison Bechdel. JANAE MCKENZIE
Reporter
The Playhouse Theatre Company of Stephens College makes their 201819 season debut with the musical “Fun Home,” based on the graphic novel memoir by Alison Bechdel. The show runs at the Macklanburg Playhouse at 100 Willis Ave. from Sept. 21-23 and Sept. 28-29. The story of “Fun Home” is a documentation and recollection of the childhood of Bechdel, her relationship with her gay father and her discovery of her own sexuality. Told from three different perspectives, Small Alison at 10 years old, Medium Alison during her college years and Adult Alison at 43, she examines her life through song and narration while writing her memoir. Calista Cherches, a sophomore musical theatre student, plays Small Alison in the show. Her role reveals some of the pivotal moments in Bechdel’s life that she overlooked when young, but she recognizes as crucial from an older point of view. “[It shows] her discovering that she is a lesbian through my role,” Cherches said. “I have a song called ‘Ring of Keys’ and that is the moment. She sees a butch woman walk into a diner and she identifies with her, and that’s my main focus of the show.” Lauren Douglas is a junior theater arts acting major, directing student and playwright. She plays Medium Alison, who is embarking on her freshman year at Oberlin College. “[She is] leaping into this new world of queer culture and figuring out her own sexuality, while also kind of realizing some pent-up secrets that have been kept under the rug of her home her whole life,” Douglas said. A character surrounded in tension and controversy is Bruce, Bechdel’s
Stephen’s College junior Lauren Douglas, assistant professor Trent Rash and sophomore Shawnee Richberger rehearse a number from the musical “Fun Home.” This song, “Raincoat of Love,” is a lively song-and-dance number satirizing the Partridge Family and similar acts from the 1970s. | PHOTO BY SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR MADI WINFIELD
father. Played by Trent Rash, an assistant professor of music and musical theatre, Bruce Bechdel is a closeted gay man who is married with three kids. About four months after Bechdel finds this out, Bruce allegedly commits suicide by throwing himself in front of a truck, catapulting Bechdel’s memoir into existence. Bruce is the first role Rash has ever played where he did not like the character. “In the play, we’re only seeing the bad parts of his life, and there were probably good parts,” Rash said. “I had to work really hard to find his humanity and realize we’re all messy humans and we all have our
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demons.” When it came to bringing this story to life from the pages of the memoir, director Trey Compton was at the helm. Transitioning the piece from a full Broadway set, where furniture pieces come up from the ground, to the proscenium stage setup of the Macklanburg Playhouse got Compton’s creative wheels spinning. Compton revisited the graphic novel for inspiration in creating what the audience would see visually. “My job really is to make the audience’s eye go where I need it to go,” Compton said. “We do that with light, we do that with staging and we do that with scenic choices. But understanding when we need to be looking at Adult Alison and when she needs to fade into the background as an active observer, that has been the biggest challenge and also my favorite part of this show.” What strengthens the performance of these actors is truly their personal connection to the characters they play. Rash was able to find a personal, albeit morbid connection to Bruce in particular. “My own father actually committed suicide,” Rash said. “So I think that actually in some ways helped me. It’s kind of cathartic because it’s helped me come to terms with my own personal journey as well to try to put myself into the mindset of what my dad was thinking. There’s a big scene at the end of the show where Bruce sings this big song about whether to live or not, and I think that that was actually the song that was able to help me find my connection to him.” Douglas saw the show four times
before it was announced at Stephens and found herself drawn to Medium Alison from the very beginning. “She’s so much like me,” Douglas said. “My first year going away to college, I came out as a lesbian, and I’m learning that my parents are people and I get this unique privilege that because I’m living away in college, I don’t have to deal with the stuff that’s going on at home. So to get into character? I just exist. It feels like we’re cut from the same cloth. Slipping into this character is like a second skin for me.” Douglas finds that one of the key parts of this story is that it is a true one, a dramatic retelling of the actual life of another human being. “You’re seeing a real human person’s first love,” Douglas said. “A real human person’s first experience with realizing that her parents aren’t just put on a pedestal. She’s actually seeing them as human beings for the first time, and I think going to college we all are like, ‘Oh, God, how did I not even realize until now?’” For people who typically don’t enjoy musicals, Compton wants to remind people that this story is for anyone, that it is about humanity, origins and family. “It is not a dusty old musical,” Compton said. “It won the Tony three years ago. It’s a coming of age story about coming out. Sexuality is an element of it. Suicide prevention is an element of it. But at its core, it’s about finding yourself based on where you came from.” Edited by Alexandra Sharp asharp@themaneater.com
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MUSIC
Mom Jeans., additional bands captivate Rose Music Hall
Eric Butler, vocalist and guitarist of Mom Jeans., sings the closing notes of “Girl Scout Cookies” on Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, at Rose Music Hall in Columbia. The band, formed in 2014, is originally from Berkeley, California. | PHOTO BY SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER JACOB MOSCOVITCH
The Mom Jeans. concert at Columbia’s Rose Music Hall on Sept. 13 featured special guests Just Friends, Shortly and Mover Shaker.
in a way that could have been mistaken for a wild fan. When their booming set was over, my hearing was muffled. I was grateful for the brief intermission that allowed my ears to readjust. Next on was Shortly, a solo project of lead singer Maniak that recently expanded to include a JENNIFER SOMERS full band. While Mover Shaker’s sound was brash Columnist and intense, Shortly’s sound was smooth As I entered Rose Music Hall on Sept. 13 for with somber lyrics that the Mom Jeans. concert with special guests Just cast a grey cloud over Friends, Shortly and Mover Shaker, I was surprised the venue. “Matthew,” to see just how many people had also decided to Shortly’s first single, spend their nights there. was chilling as The small bar room’s scarlet-colored walls Maniak’s soft voice were lined with posters and neon signs. Behind sang, “He was an old the merchandise table stood a man who scarily friend, I saw him on resembled Post Malone, sporting mousy-brown the news / There were pigtail braids, a fanny pack and socked feet in Birkenstock sandals. At the back corner, behind too many needles and the growing crowd, was a modest stage where too many eyesores / a band was setting up their equipment. The Too many people and microphone stands, covered in string lights and fragile words.” Shortly also paper hearts, cast a warm glow on their faces. performed songs like The first act, Mover Shaker, was a barrage “Spare Time” and of long, shaggy hair and electric guitar. The Detroit-natives performed songs from their album “Finders Keepers” from their EP “Richmond,” “Michigania” with plenty of headbanging and which was scheduled to release the following day. screaming. Their closing song, “No Backyard,” Both songs featured the tender strumming of a featured vocals from Shortly’s Alexandria Maniak, guitar punctuated by powerful drumming that had who stormed the stage and grabbed the microphone the crowd swaying gently.
The headliner-worthy set from Just Friends was nothing short of captivating. During the concert, the band explained that they were brought together through public school music programs. Featuring vocals, guitar, bass, drums, trumpet and trombone, their sound can only be described as jazzy punk. Of the two vocalists, Sam Kless takes on a loud, yelling style, while Brianda Goyos León’s voice is powerful and more contemporary. Joined for their entire set by Mom Jeans. members Eric Butler, on trombone, and Bart Starr, on guitar, Just Friends performed crowdfavorites “Welcome Mats,” “Never Gonna Bring You Down” and “Keep Up,” as well as punk cover of BROCKHAMPTON’s “GOLD.” Hyped up by the previous act, the audience was buzzing by the time Mom Jeans. took the stage. Despite not receiving the same level of attention as mainstream artists, the band has built up a following that is passionate about their music. Throughout the set, heads were bobbing, bodies were shaking and mouths were singing along. The crowd even broke into a mosh pit, thrashing into each other. With songs, like “Near Death Fail Comp (Must Watch Til End),” “You Can’t Eat Cats, Kevin” and “Season 9, Ep. 2-3” from their newest album, “Puppy Love,” the band shared oddly-personal and truthful lyrics that their audience was able to relate to. During the high-energy finale, members of Just Friends were brought on stage to croon along. After being called back for an encore, Butler took the stage on his own with a guitar, saying that all the other members were “too sweaty to perform.” In the night’s most intimate moment, he performed a paired-back version of song “Now This Is Podracing.” His heartfelt singing of lyrics “Will you promise to love me more than you might hate me?” echoed through the entire venue. The incredible bond between all four music acts was what ultimately made this concert a meaningful experience. In addition to supporting each other on stage, Mover Shaker, Shortly, Just Friends and Mom Jeans. could be seen cheering from the sidelines throughout the night. At one point in the Mom Jeans. set, a comedic Kless could be seen enthusiastically waving around a broom he found. Despite going into the concert having listened to only a few songs from Mom Jeans. and not knowing anything about the musical guests, I left the show feeling incredibly satisfied and anxious to hear more from each of them. It was a great opportunity for me to discover new music. I highly recommend attending a concert for an unfamiliar artist at least once. You might end up really enjoying yourself. Edited by Siena DeBolt sdebolt@themaneater.com
Throughout the set, heads were bobbing, bodies were shaking and mouths were singing along.
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THE TEA WITH TATY
COLUMN: There is a double standard in tennis - it is time to address it Male tennis players have been given a pass by umpires and it is time to hold them accountable. TATYANA MONNAY Tatyana Monnay is a sophomore journalism major at MU. She is the assistant opinion editor who writes about politics for The Maneater.
At an early stage in her second set at the U.S. Open final on Saturday, Sept. 8, Serena Williams received a warning for coaching. After she received the warning, Williams became upset with the chair umpire, Carlos Ramos. She then had a heated discussion with him. This is where the conflict seemed to end. A few games later, Williams lost her serve at 3-1 up and broke her racket. This is an automatic violation. Since Williams had already received a warning for coaching, the second violation resulted in Osaka gaining one point in the next game. Williams chose to argue with Ramos about the point penalty. Williams said that she did not receive coaching and should not have received the code violations. During the argument, Williams called Ramos a thief for taking the point away from her. This was the final straw and she received another violation. Overall, Williams had an automatic point against her. These three violations, equivalent to her opponent Naomi Osaka acing her four times in a row, cost Williams the game. On top of this, Williams was fined a total of $17,000 by the U.S. Tennis Association. Her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, is responsible for this one. In tennis, it is illegal for players to receive coaching while playing. Even though it is illegal, it is very common for coaches to violate this rule and coach their players during the game. Coaches are often called out on it by umpires. Usually, players will receive a “soft warning” from the umpire. This allows the player to tell their coach to quiet down. For whatever reason, Ramos chose not to give Williams a “soft warning.” After the match, Mouratoglou admitted to coaching Williams during the game and accused Osaka’s coach of doing the same thing. During an after-match press conference, Williams this about the violations: “I can’t sit here and say I wouldn’t say he’s a thief because I thought he took a game from me. But I’ve seen other men call other umpires several things, and I’m here, fighting for women’s rights and for women’s equality and for all kinds of stuff.” Williams is right to say that male players get treated differently in tennis than female players.
Serena Williams was fined $17,000 for three code violations at the U.S. Open on Sept. 8, 2018 in New York City. | COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA
Men get cut much more slack, just in general, and tennis is not known for treating women fairly. And after the discrimination and racism Williams has faced in the game, it’s not surprising she had such an intense reaction to the violations. Since early on in Williams career, she has been subjected to countless racially motivated attacks on her athleticism, appearance and extreme criticism from fans, haters and the media. At the 2001 BNP Paribus Open, Williams said in an interview with USA Today that, “When Venus and I were walking down the stairs to our seats, people kept calling me ‘nigger.’” Her father and previous coach Richard Williams also told USA Today that one man said, “I wish it was ‘75; we’d skin you alive.” In a 2009 column that completely slammed Williams, Fox Sports commentator Jason Whitlock said, “She’d rather eat, half-ass her way through non-major tournaments and complain she’s not getting the respect her 11-major-championships resume demands… [S]eriously, how else can Serena fill out her size 16 shorts without grazing at her stall between matches?” You would think that offensive language like this would stop in 2018. However, in reaction to William’s behavior, Australian cartoonist Mark Knight published a cartoon of Williams’ behavior at the game. The cartoon, which was published in
the Herald Sun, was disgustingly reminiscent of racist caricatures from the Jim Crow era. The cartoon is just another example of the inappropriate and racist coverage Williams receives. Serena got one thing wrong on Saturday. To argue for women’s rights should not be an argument for women and men to have the same bad behavior. It should be for women and men to be treated the same, and for the same bad behavior to not be tolerated - which in a sense, is what Williams is arguing for. Also, maybe it is time to change the rules of tennis. Coaching should be allowed during the games. It is allowed in almost every other sport. Either that, or penalize coaches more harshly to ensure that it stops, rather than the player. Williams wasn’t unreasonable in her anger. It is never appropriate and this is not the time to label Williams with the typically racist “angry black woman” stereotype. Ramos should have given her the typical “soft warning” before she got a real violation for coaching. How would the situation have played out if Williams were a man? Would it have ended differently? It is a shame that Osaka’s first U.S. Open final victory and the history of her win was overshadowed by Williams’ controversial violations.
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BRYCE’S BLATHER
COLUMN: Proposed minimum wage increase not enough and that’s OK Proposition B doesn’t supply a true living wage, but it’s the best option Missouri has. BRYCE KOLK Bryce Kolk is a freshman journalism major at MU. He is an opinion columnist who writes about politics for The Maneater. Proposition B will appear on the Missouri midterm ballot on November 6, 2018 and, if passed, would ensure a $12/hour minimum wage for Missouri workers by 2023. The minimum wage would increase annually, first to $8.60 in 2019, and would increase or decrease after 2023 based on changes in the Consumer Price Index. This is not enough. In one of the wealthiest societies in the world, a $12 minimum wage is still too low. But still, it’s something. The federal minimum wage is at a near historic low, $7.25/hour, when looking at the modern era of American history, adjusting for inflation. The $1.90/hour that a non-farm minimum wage worker netted in 1974 has the same buying power as $10.11/hour today, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ inflation calculator. What is more egregious, however, is contextualizing that number with GDP per capita growth. If adjusted for both inflation and growth in GDP per capita, 1974’s minimum wage would come out to a whopping $21.56/hour in 2018 money, according to the US Census Bureau and the US Bureau
of Economic Analysis. Essentially, if low-wage American workers truly saw the fruits of their efficiency, they’d be paid almost three times what they’re paid today. Suddenly, a $15/hour wage doesn’t seem so socialist. On the human side, according to MIT’s living wage calculator, a Missouri family of two working adults and two children hoping to sustain on a living wage need $15.09/ hour, assuming both parents work. If only one parent earns a wage, while another stays home with the children, the living wage threshold climbs to $25.39/hour. At times in recent history, these scenarios were both attainable for America’s working class, but not in 2018. Despite these statistics, one must remain realistic. Missouri is not going to be paving the way for wage progress in America. Families are struggling to put food on the table and clothe their children, but Missouri remains steadfastly conservative on wages. Going any further than $12/ hour will likely lose support from moderate Missourians. With major companies increasing their starting wage to around $12/hour, it seems to be the most logical choice for Missouri’s state minimum wage. Proposition B is the best solution Missouri has. Pushing for a $15 minimum wage in Missouri is a monumental task. While nobel, it’s a largely futile effort, and one must be willing to compromise. From a place of privilege, however, it is easy to be uncompromising. It can be argued that when one is earning that living wage, it becomes more difficult to see society from the perspective of those at the minimum wage. But any relief from poverty and starvationlabor must be welcomed. Getting all Missourians at a higher, even if too
GRAPHIC BY ELIZABETH USTINOV
low, wage is imperative to improving quality of life. Proposition B will make living in Missouri easier for low-wage workers. Getting Missouri to the goalpost of a $15/hour minimum wage or higher is not going to come from its state legislature or its voters. It will come from a fiscally liberal federal government, whenever that becomes a reality. The idea of an impending “blue wave” is well supported by polling, with Democrats being the clear favorite to win the House in November. Winning the Senate in 2018 is looking unlikely, however, and the presidency isn’t on the ballot until 2020. Still, it is entirely possible that a federal minimum wage increase of more than $12/hour could be enacted before 2023, forcing Missouri onto the federal minimum wage. Sustaining Missourians right now is more important than risking their livelihoods on the unlikeliness of a more progressive agenda in a red state. A living wage will come out of Washington D.C., not out of
Jefferson City. MU’s campus minimum wage would be impacted as well. Campus Dining Services advertises a starting wage of $8.64/hour as competitive. If proposition B passes, Campus Dining Services’ current starting wage would be 81 cents below minimum wage in just over a year. While the realities of student life differ greatly from those of a minimum wage earner trying to make rent and feed a family, both would benefit from an expanded minimum wage. With a higher wage, students can spend more money on the things they enjoy, priming the pumps of local economies. MU students at a higher wage would invest more in their community. Columbia’s downtown would be served well by the influx of capital a $12 minimum wage would bring. A minimum wage increase is desperately needed for Missouri’s working poor. While not ideal, Proposition B should be welcomed with open arms.
ROGER THAT
Column: Newsflash: FAFSA sucks Students who are low income or children of immigrants tend to lose out when it comes to FAFSA. ABIGAIL RUHMAN Abigail Ruhman is a freshman journalism and political science major at MU. She is an opinion columnist who writes about student life, politics and social issues for The Maneater. Filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid sucks. Digging through tax documents and family information in hopes that maybe this year is the year you can afford college tuition sucks. The scary part about the system is that it does not assist those who need it most. For most college students, FAFSA is something we have to do that just is not great. Other students can easily experience a time full of fear and questions of family status. It reveals another layer of confusion to a system that is already complex. At the end of my senior year, my
best friend was attempting to fill out the FASFA Verification Form (or audits) for his university. While I saw the document as a nuisance, he was struggling to find all of his family’s information. That day, for the first time ever, he told me about his parents’ immigration status. The FAFSA requires the student to prove their parents’ residency for in-state tuition. The requirement to prove residency would make sense, but the verification process is where the neediest students lose out. The verification process sounds simple: If you are a “dependent” on the tax year that you use to fill out your FAFSA, you have to prove that the person you are dependent on is in-state. Where it becomes questionable is when that verification creates a hold on the application. That hold can mean that students lose out on the first come, first serve basis. Because my friend’s parents were not citizens, he struggled finding documentation and the required information. For him, there were not many places to find necessary resources. He was afraid that asking for help might be the reason his parents were deported. According to Vox, Donald Trump wants immigrants to be afraid in the U.S. The scary (but not surprising) part: It is working. Trump is hoping
to make immigrants go through a harder application process to use public benefits. It turns out that immigrants are not the only ones who lose out. The lower class in general also tends to be the ones affected by these audits. When these audits target low income students, the burden of filling it out can actually cause students to not receive the Pell Grant (typically awarded to students who show a large financial need based on their Expected Family Contribution which provides an estimate for how much the family can produce) at all. According to the National College Access Network, this can be referred to as “verification melt.” They estimate that only 31 percent of lower income students make it to college with the Pell Grant they are entitled to. According to Time, 90 percent of audits tend to affect low income students. The families that do go forward with the verification are met with a series of excruciatingly tedious tasks. According to the Institute for College Access and Success, 80 percent of aid administrators agree that navigating the verification process is difficult for students and families. They also found that one third of administrators said that almost always or often leaves aid
undetermined even after the semester has started. Additionally, 56 percent agreed that the process prevented eligible students (not just lower class) from getting the aid they need to pay for college. The verification process leaves students in the dark about their college finances. For students stuck in the middle of the painful process, it can add an additional burden to the students and their families. Students often are left with a disadvantage at the beginning of their college career. Disadvantaged students have to consider the massive burden that debt places on their future, how the debt can actually grow larger than what the student owed at graduation and how that debt affects them later in life. For lower income students and children of immigrants, the financial aid system is not just annoying, it is costing them their education. College students have to recognize that we lose out when these students do not attend college. We can learn so much from their experiences and they deserve the same opportunities as all of us. Education and knowledge should not be reserved just for the privileged. The first step to opening these doors for everyone is to stop holding disadvantaged students from receiving federal student aid.
Online this week: Missouri volleyball and more football coverage at themaneater.com. FOOTBALL
Notebook: Missouri keeps level head as it braces for Georgia The Tiger secondary’s lackluster performance against Purdue remains the team’s biggest question mark. BENNETT DURANDO
Sports Editor
If phase one of Missouri’s 2018 season represented a challenge to the notion that Barry Odom’s teams couldn’t put together a strong start to a season, phase two presents a challenge to upend the established order of college football by means of its simplest hierarchical conventions. Call it the impossible month, call it the Big Three of opponents —call it what you want, this challenge will be a bit more toilsome than phase one. Georgia. South Carolina. Alabama. “[Southeastern Conference play] starts fast and furious,” coach Barry Odom said Tuesday. Missouri (3-0) kicks off its SEC schedule and its most difficult stretch of the season by consensus against No. 2 Georgia (3-0) on Saturday at 11 a.m. The only home game of the upcoming trio, this contest will be televised on ESPN from Memorial Stadium in Columbia. Here are some talking points and notes from
Tuesday’s practice heading into the week four matchup. Injury updates Cornerback DeMarkus Acy was listed as a starter on the week four depth chart after suffering a concussion on a head-first tackle in the first quarter against Purdue last Saturday. But he was wearing a red jersey designating no contact at practice on Tuesday. “Acy didn’t miss a snap today in practice,” Odom said. “He should be ready to go.” Acy tweeted after the Purdue game assuring Missouri fans he was OK after the injury. He’s not sure at what point this week the no-contact uniform will be shed, but he too was adamant he’ll be good to go for Saturday. “I rattled myself,” Acy said. “I’m fine right now. I’m good. I’m gonna be good. I’m gonna be ready. I have to.” Senior receiver Emanuel Hall will be greenlighted against Georgia despite a groin injury that left him inactive for most of the night against Purdue. He did appear once in the second half for a crucial 25-yard reception on the game-winning drive, but he said it hurt him to run after making the catch. “I think in football in general, there’s always wear and tear, but the injury stuff I’m not too worried about,” Hall said Tuesday. “I’ve gotta block [lingering pain] out of my mind. I’m ready for Saturday.”
Receiver Emanuel Hall talks to members of the media after practice on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. | PHOTO BY ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR ADAM COLE
Hall will be a vital piece against a Georgia team that he torched last season, receiving a pair of 63-yard touchdowns on the road in Athens, Georgia. Junior offensive tackle Yasir Durant did not practice Tuesday due to a sprained
ankle, but Odom said Durant is expected to be able to practice Wednesday and be ready for Saturday’s game. He’s been part of an experienced offensive line that impressed against its lesser opponents the first three weeks of the season.
Redshirt junior Richaud Floyd also was dressed for practice on Tuesday but was still limited in activity. Floyd was set to return kicks for Missouri this year before a
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FOOTBALL
VOLLEYBALL
Secondary’s struggles concerning for conference play
Deberg has been the surprise star of Missouri volleyball this season
After two straight dominating displays against smaller opponents, the secondary failed its first test against a power five opponent. ANDY KIMBALL
Senior Staff Writer
After two straight strong performances to start the season, the Missouri secondary looked to be on the rise after an up-anddown display last year. Against Purdue, the secondary started on a similar note when junior DeMarkus Acy blew up a screen in the backfield but
went down with a concussion in the process. The unit unraveled from there. After Acy was replaced by redshirt freshman Terry Petry, Purdue quarterback David Blough beat Petry twice for gains of 24 and 50 yards before floating a pass in the corner of the end zone to receiver Terry Wright. In a minute and 18 seconds, Blough, who had 122 passing yards over his first two games, had cut through the secondary like a knife through butter on Purdue’s first possession. The opening drive would be indicative of a poor showing from the secondary, which almost cost Missouri its 40-37 win over the Boilermakers. Defensive coordinator Ryan Walters looked up at the scoreboard to see Blough had finished day with 572 passing yards,
more than any passer against a Missouri defense. “Anytime you look up and you’re like, ‘Holy cow, they just threw for 570 yards,’ you know it’s not going to be good,” Walters said. “There were good moments at times, but I think we ain’t been like that in a long time.” Sophomore Adam Sparks was left alone as the lone starting cornerback after Acy’s exit. “That’s not our standard,” Sparks said. “We feel like we understand what we need to do because we know our standard and we need to get back to that.” Missouri will need to get back to an improved secondary with its three toughest opponents coming up this season in No. 2
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The transfer from Illinois has been the Tigers’ go-to attacking weapon, but what happened to last year’s breakout freshmen? LIAD LERNER
Staff Writer
It seemed obvious. Outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh, coming off a freshman season with 197 kills despite only appearing in 59 percent of Missouri volleyball sets in 2017, was supposed to be the headline of the Tigers’ 2018 season. The 5-foot-8-inch sophomore, who seems to double her height when she jumps, along with her Puerto Rican counterpart on the opposite side–
returning starter Dariana Hollingsworth, who had 236 kills in her freshman season last year–were relative veterans for Missouri, which added seven new faces to the 2018 roster. The hitting duo looked primed to be the explosive offensive weapons that the rest of the team would look to when the chips were down. But instead, one of those new faces has emerged as the star. Sophomore Kylie Deberg, after spending most of 2017 on the bench for Illinois, now leads Missouri in kills, hitting attempts and even serving aces in 2018. “She is a big physical player at the net; she causes mismatches for the other teams with her size,” coach Wayne Kreklow said. “She’s been a big help for us so far and we will need her to
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FOOTBALL
Badie and Hall surprise on decisive drive for Missouri over Purdue Missouri took the game’s final 3:28 on a drive that ended with a walkoff field goal by Tucker McCann. ANDY KIMBALL
Senior Staff Writer
West Lafayette, Ind. — Drew Lock walked onto the field with Missouri tied 37-37 and with 3:28 to work a game-winning drive to beast Purdue. Walking out with him wasn’t a usual suspect. It wasn’t sophomore Larry Rountree III, who led Missouri with 168 yards on the ground, or junior Damarea Crockett, who led Missouri with over 1,000 yards rushing as a true freshman. It was freshman Tyler Badie. Running backs coach Cornell Ford had told Badie that he would take the field for the final drive moments earlier when Purdue tied it up with a field goal. “Tyler is going to be something special for real; he knows what to do in every situation,” Rountree said. “I just said: ‘Do you.’ I know he’s smart. He’s probably smarter than me as a freshman. I was just everywhere. I was like a deer about to get hit.” Badie would unexpectedly spearhead Missouri with 46 total yards on the final drive to set up Tucker McCann for a walk-off 25-yard field goal as time expired. Missouri had escaped Ross-Ade Stadium with a 40-37 victory over Purdue. On the first play of the drive, Lock was faced with pressure from the defense and was forced to throw the ball away, leaving Missouri with a second-and-10. The next play, he took the snap in shotgun received the same pressure. “It was just one of those plays,” Lock said. “I looked at it; both sides, I wasn’t a huge fan of.” Badie was set to be in pass protection, but as Lock was chased, the freshman soon became a safety valve. “I cut the [defender], and the funny thing is he got back up faster than I thought,” Badie said. “So I was just like: ‘I just need to be out there for Drew.’” Looking and seeing nothing, Lock backtracked, rolled right then went back to his left re-approached the line of scrimmage. He spotted an open Badie along the same line and fired across the field as he was brought down. “I was like ‘Alright, I’m going to sit in the pocket. I’m gonna sit and see the side I feel best about, and then work myself across the field,’” Lock said. “That’s what I did, I stepped up and kind of had a guy on me and I was like: ‘Alright, where’s my back?’” Badie was on Lock’s left side, slipping away from pass protection before catching the ball with green grass in front of him and Missouri blockers surrounding him. He raced up the left side for a 20-yard gain, giving Missouri a first down and possession just short of midfield. It was a moment of veteran poise in just his third collegiate game. “It’s different [with Badie],” Lock said. “You normally see young guys eyes light up in situations like that, and his eyes stay the same. He’s really just narrow, level-headed the whole time, and for the situation you’re in, a young me might have been bright-eyed. “But he was a stone-cold killer the whole time.” Missouri then rode Badie for two straight eight-yard gains, giving the Tigers another first down and possession into Purdue territory at the Boilermaker 39. “I was like: ‘Just win the game, just win the game,’” Badie said. “That’s all we gotta do.” After the first down, Lock went back to the air to his favorite receiver, Emanuel Hall.
Players on the Purdue University football team walk off the field as Tucker McCann and the Missouri Tigers celebrate his walk off field goal, which cemented Missouri’s 40-37 win over the Boilermakers on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 | PHOTO BY SPORTS SOCIAL MEDIA CURATOR JARED FISCH
Missouri’s leading receiver had managed an impressive first quarter, with 63 yards on three receptions, but was seemingly out of the picture after he went out in the second quarter with a mysterious injury. When the final drive came along, he couldn’t stay on the sideline. “I had to approach [the coaches] and say: ‘I’m going in. It’s not even an option,’” Hall said. “At the end of the day I’ve gone through three years of losing and I was like: ‘Dude, there is no way we’re losing this game.’” Hall was given a big cushion by a Boilermaker cornerback on the left side on first down, the defense making sure he wouldn’t use his ability as a deep threat to win the game with a long score. So the receiver who had expanded on the route tree this season came off the snap and used the cushion to immediately get open by cutting inside. He was found by Lock on a quick pass outside the left hashmark. Using the speed he had left, Hall looped inside the corner and scooted down to the Purdue 14-yard line. “I think we just executed and on that last drive, we had confidence and were just a totally different team,” Hall said. Missouri had a first down and was deep in field goal range as the clock ticked under two minutes to play. As the Tigers drove down the field, McCann watched knowing he was going to be called on for a late kick. “A bunch of people are coming up to me and telling me: ‘It’s going to come to you,’ but I kind of knew given how close we were throughout the whole game,” McCann said. After Missouri went back to Badie for two more carries that got 10 yards and another first down, Purdue was forced to start using its timeouts. With a Purdue offense that had accumulated 614 yards of total offense, Missouri was content
stalling inside the Boilermaker 5-yard line and playing for a game-winning field goal attempt to be the last play of the game. “I did not want them to have another snap offensively if we could help it,” coach Barry Odom said. “So we took our chances on not scoring and not running a play, because I didn’t want to kick off to them and have time on the clock.” Drew Lock ran to his right and slid down on the right hash to force the Boilermaker’s last timeout before another kneel down at the Purdue seven. Missouri waited and called its last timeout with three seconds left and put the game at the feet of McCann, leaving him alone to focus on his kick. “No one came up to me because they have confidence that I know it’s gonna be a situation where I’m going out there to kick the field goal,” McCann said. “They just let me be and let me do my thing.” A missed kick, like the one McCann had blocked earlier, might have loomed large, but McCann has gained a short term memory over the past seasonplus. “We practice this so much that it really is just like any other kick,” McCann said. “I think I’ve come a long way in being able to refocus on every kick, and I did that on the last one.” Coming out of the timeout, McCann stood in the middle of the field behind the Purdue 15-yard line and to the left of holder Corey Fatony. After the snap from Drew Wise and hold from Fatony were both good, McCann put his foot through the ball and it sailed in between the uprights, Missouri had survived at Ross-Ade Stadium and would go back to Columbia winning its first three games and going undefeated into conference play. “It’s just a big weight lifted off your shoulders,” McCann said. “I knew if I had the opportunity to go kick it, I was going to make it.” Edited by Adam Cole acole@themaneater.com
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broken foot over the summer. “Floyd ran, changed directions; he won’t be ready to play,” Odom said. “But he’s getting closer.” Taking on the SEC’s big Dawg Georgia is the highest-ranked team to come to Columbia since Alabama in 2012, but senior quarterback Drew Lock doesn’t want to know that. “The bigger we make this game, the tougher it can get,” Lock said. That was the veteran mentality employed by him, Odom and others when asked about the importance of the game, and it’s one they’re sticking to as they prepare throughout the week. That doesn’t mean they were afraid to acknowledge Georgia’s top-tier talent, though. “I’d say it’s one of the better defenses that I’ve seen step in here,” Lock said. “They’re extremely athletic in the secondary. They fly around. They’re not gonna let you chuck it deep. It’s almost fun to watch while you’re watching on tape.” Odom heard about Lock’s comment before taking the podium moments later. “I would disagree with that,” he said. “I haven’t found the fun part.” The Bulldogs have allowed just 8 points per game across their first three contests and have averaged 45 per game on offense, and it’s not as
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Georgia, South Carolina and No. 1 Alabama. All three teams are run-first, but often use their quarterbacks to take deep shots down the field. Part of the struggles came from a drastically different gameplan from Purdue, who shifted an offense that lead the nation with 8.1 yards per carry over its first two games to a unit that was pass heavy. “It was different because over the last two years you see DNA of 50-50 run-pass,” Walters said. “That wasn’t the case during the game. In hindsight, you play your third down defense the whole game from the second quarter.” Purdue making that drastic a change to its offense to matchup with Missouri could be concerning, showing that the back end is by far the glaring
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continue to do that for sure.” Not that the 6-foot-4-inch transfer herself is surprised with her rapid rise. “When I talked to Wayne, he said I would be one of the major parts [this season] so I kind of knew that coming in,” Deberg said in a phone interview. The graduations of seniors Melanie Crow and Sydney Deeken last year left two holes in the lineup at the outside hitting position. Member-Meneh was locked in to fill one spot, but throughout the preseason, it was unclear who would take the other. It was a three-way fight between Deberg, senior Paige Perego and junior Sun Wenting, who had played in a combined total of 88 Division I collegiate sets. By last month’s Black & Gold Scrimmage, however, Deberg had emerged as the clear favorite for final starting spot. “I was pleasantly surprised the last two weeks in practice with [Kylie],” Kreklow said after the Hudson, Iowa native finished the exhibition match with a match-high 16 kills. “Players her size usually aren’t as fluid and don’t have that sense that she does. She’s very well skilled for her size and moves surprisingly well. She’s just got a good feel for the game.” But the Black & Gold performance was just a taste of what was to come. Deberg, who has already surpassed her total of 23 sets played in 2017, has led the Tigers in kills in five out of nine matches this season, culminating in a total of 147 kills thus far for the transfer (well ahead the duo of Member-Meneh and Hollingsworth, who total 133 and 86 kills, respectively). But strictly looking at the kills statistics can be misleading in terms of figuring out how important a player is to a team, as there is a certain luck involved in the fact that one’s team cannot control how the opposition defends its attacks from play to play.
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though they haven’t been tested; going on the road against South Carolina week two was a highly anticipated SEC East clash, and Georgia waltzed to a 41-17 victory. “You always want to try to find mismatches,” Odom said, “and there’s not many out there.” It’ll be a new kind of intensity to face on both sides of the ball, a team that “pursues to the ball really well” according to tailback Larry Rountree III and has athleticism on defense that Hall is eager to run routes against. “They have really good corners and I’m really excited about going guys of that caliber, especially [senior] DeAndre Baker,” Hall said. “He’s a really good athlete, but everybody’s beatable.” A lot of the program’s success can be owed to the precedent set by its helmsman Kirby Smart, as Missouri offensive coordinator Derek Dooley was quick to point out. “I’ve known Kirby a long time,” Dooley said. He got his coaching start as a graduate assistant at Georgia in 1996. “In fact, when I was GA-ing, [Smart] was a player, and he was probably one of the best coaches on our staff.” But for all the downplaying of the matchup’s significance, Memorial Stadium is expected to be sold out on Saturday for the first time since 2014. Many of Missouri’s players haven’t experienced a packed Faurot Field while on the team. Lock remembers the ‘Tiger stripe’ game against Connecticut his freshman year as the atmosphere most reminiscent of what he expects this weekend. “It’s definitely a really awesome environment when we can fill that place up,” Lock said. “I’m excited to see what the turnout is.”
##Running back starting job Rountree’s to keep?
weakness on defense season. Teams like Georgia and Alabama could shift to a more pass-heavy approach with quarterbacks Jake Fromm and Tua Tagovailoa, who both can burn Missouri with the deep ball. Last Saturday, the secondary and linebackers got caught several times looking down at the quarterback and biting on play action fakes or coming up early to try and stop the run game. “For some reason we were enthralled at just looking at the quarterback,” coach Barry Odom said. “We were just a little bit unique on some of the things and how we played within out techniques.” Linebacker Cale Garrett said even on one of the defense’s few bright spots, senior Cam Hilton’s interception on a botched Purdue trick play, Hilton had to come over and take someone else’s man. “Just doing our job and maintaining proper eyes is a big thing, just keeping your eyes on your man,” Garrett said. “I fell victim to that a few
times, just letting your eyes drift away from your responsibility a little bit is a recipe for trouble.” Eyes on the quarterback could be an even bigger problem against Georgia this weekend. Georgia is a run-first team that uses the run game to set up play-action throws, the plays Missouri struggled against last week, to gain a lot of its yardage and big plays. Fromm threw for 326 yards in last season’s matchup and had two throws for over 50 yards against the Tigers. The struggles against Purdue are concerning for the secondary, but Sparks thinks the game will help them improve for Missouri’s toughest stretch of the season. “That’s our best way to learn,” Sparks said. “When we have our most mistakes and have our worst games we learn from those. Normally when people have their worst weeks the next week they have their best week.” Edited by Bennett Durando bdurando@themaneater.com
What the team can control, however, is the way in which it attacks each play, which is why Deberg’s domination of the Tigers’ hitting attempts is even more significant than her lead in kills. She has led Missouri in attempts in seven matches this season, including six of the past seven matches; she was second in the remaining three. Deberg’s 395 attempts account for 27 percent of her entire team’s efforts. This means that setters Andrea Fuentes and Jaden Newsome chose to set the former First-Team All-State player out of Iowa almost once every three sets, a huge portion for a team that regularly plays six different hitters. For comparison, in 2017, Kira Larson led the Tigers with 18 percent of their total attempts. This is a huge display of trust and chemistry between the setters and Deberg, and on the flip side it seems curious that Member-Meneh and Hollingsworth have yet to reach the levels expected from them this season. But taken in wider context, it makes a little more sense. Fuentes and Newsome are both new to this Missouri team. They each redshirted their freshman seasons—Fuentes at Missouri and Newsome at Colorado—so they do not have the same established connection with Member-Meneh and Hollingsworth as last year’s setters did. The entire team is forging connections with each other at the same rate, and Deberg’s connections have blossomed the fastest. “Both setters do a really good job of just keeping the ball really consistent no matter where they are from the net,” Deberg said. “During the summer we really worked on it a lot and it was really easy to connect with both of them.” Sometimes the inexperience does show. Her 62 errors–Deberg has the second-highest error percentage on the team–is a testament to the fact that the sophomore is still growing into Missouri’s system. “She’s learning how to transition a little bit stronger and getting in a physical condition where she can last in long matches mentally more than physically,” Kreklow said. But Deberg knows that and is always striving to better herself. She is focused on improving “literally everything” about her game, and her potential is just as high as that of her fellow Tiger
Larry Rountree III and Damarea Crockett have split carries all season for the Tigers so far — as was the plan — but last Saturday marked the first time one emerged over the other so significantly that it could warrant priority from coaches in the future. Rountree ran 23 times for 168 yards (7.1 yards per carry) as opposed to Crockett’s 6 carries for 17 yards. Asked if the discrepancy meant Rountree would be featured more this week, Dooley said it would be a factor, but that doesn’t mean Crockett will be forgotten. “I think every week’s performance is gonna influence what our outlook is going into the game,” Dooley said. “But what matters most is when they get their opportunities, how they take advantage of it … certain players get certain plays, and then at some point in the game you kind of go with who’s hot. And some games, some guys are hotter than others.” Rountree is the hot hand right now, but he said he still relies on the help of Crockett and freshman Tyler Badie when he needs to “tap out.” Missouri’s depth at the position is where he sees its greatest advantage. “We have a good system,” he said. He wasn’t so inclined to linger on his performance against Purdue either in determining who gets more minutes. “That’s last week man,” he said. “That’s last week. This is Georgia.” Edited by Adam Cole acole@themaneater.com
Missouri outside hitter Kylie Deberg has risen up the depth chart in her first season in Columbia after spending last season on the Illinois bench. | PHOTO BY SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER JACOB MOSCOVITCH
hitters. Whether or not Member-Meneh and Hollingsworth gradually become a bigger part of the offense in the future is yet to be seen. For now, Deberg is putting on a show that is just as successful as it is surprising. Edited by Bennett Durando bdurando@themaneater.com
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