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The Student Voice of MSU Denver
Volume 37, Issue 2
August 21, 2014
DENVERITES SEEK ANSWERS, JUSTICE
•3 Kenny WIley, event organizer, speaks to a crowd gathered in Denver Aug. 19 to protest the shooting death of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, Aug. 9 and the subsequent armed police response. Protesters met at Lawson Park, at 24th and Welton, then marched to Civic Center Park. Photo by Trevor L Davis • tdavis84@msudenver.edu
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Denverites march in solidarity with Ferguson By Melanie J. Rice mrice20@msudenver.edu Several hundred people rallied Aug. 19 in solidarity with protesters in Ferguson, Missouri, seeking justice in the Aug. 9 killing of unarmed black teen Michael Brown. The group gathered at Sonny Lawson Park, and then marched to the Colorado State Capitol Building. “We have to show solidarity for what went on,” Jerry Morgan, a senior MSU Denver human services major, said. “We don’t want to come with a violent protest, we want to go back to a nonviolent protest that shows that we’re not happy with what’s going on.” B. Afeni McNeely Cobham, Ph.D., a lecturer in the MSU Denver Department of Africana Studies, said statistics show a disproportionate number of young black men don’t come out of dealings with the police alive. “And that’s scary,” Cobham said. “Every citizen should see that as a problem, because if it’s happening to one community, that means it could seamlessly go into another — regardless of race.” For more Ferguson coverage, see next week’s “Metropolitan.”
Protestors gathered on the steps of the Colorado State Capitol Building Aug. 19 to show their support and express their frustrations over the recent shooting of unarmed black teen Michael Brown, and police response to protests in Ferguson, Missouri. Photo by Melanie J. Rice • mrice20@msudenver.edu
Don’t get burned by heat illness: hydrate By Sarah R. Steele steelesa@msudenver.edu Sarah Steele is a physician assistant at the Health Center at Auraria. Hot temperatures can pose a significant risk to student health. Therefore, it’s important to use caution during the hot summer months, particularly during exercise and exertion. The body loses heat through radiation and evaporation. Radiation of heat requires a cooler outside temperature and becomes ineffective once temperatures reach 95 degrees. Evaporation occurs through sweating, but sweat that drips from the skin has no cooling effect and can lead to dehydration. Radiation and evaporation are not effective at high temperatures and in high humidity. It’s possible for the body to adapt to Photo courtesy of NASA
heat. This typically takes from eight to 11 days in a hot environment and requires one to two hours of exercise per day. The body becomes then more efficient, the amount of sweat produced increases and sweating begins at a lower temperature.
Heat exhaustion has flu-like symptoms • Headache • Poor appetite • Nausea/vomiting • Weakness • Dizziness
Risk factors for heat illness • Age (young or elderly) • Obesity • Decreased fitness level • Dehydration • Hot environment • Body stress (such as exercise or other exertion) • Impermeable clothing • Use of stimulants such as caffeine
If you experience any of these symptoms, stop what you’re doing and rest. Try to get to a cooler environment or an area of shade. Try to cool yourself by loosening clothing and spraying yourself down with water. Drink fluids. Heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency that occurs when the body reaches temperatures above 104 degrees. The hallmark symptoms of heat stroke are an altered mental state and disturbances in balance. This may progress to delirium, seizures, coma and death.
Heat illness can have mild symptoms • Swelling of hands or feet • Muscle cramps • Heat rash • Fainting
Prevention of heat illness • Drink at least one liter of water per hour (more with exercise). • Watered down sports drink (50 percent concentration) will help with hydration and prevent muscle cramps. • Pay attention to the color of your urine. This is a great way to gauge your hydration status. Urine should be clear to pale yellow in color. • A headache should be your cue to drink more water. • Exercise in the early morning or late afternoon when the sun is less intense. • Allow your body time to adjust to hot environments. • Wear lightweight, loose-fitting, lightcolored clothing. • Get plenty of rest. • Seek immediate help if mental state or balance becomes impaired.
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Marchers swarm Capitol to save bees By Melanie J. Rice mrice20@msudenver.edu About 50 people, many dressed as honeybees, gathered at the Colorado State Capitol Building Aug. 16 for a rally called Swarm the Capitol. Rallyers aimed to raise awareness of the importance of honeybees and the dangers they face. Swarm the Capitol was held in conjunction with Swarm the Globe events held worldwide on the same day. The Denver event was hosted by Bee Against Monsanto and March Against Monsanto Denver, chaired by MSU Denver senior Brian Loma. Loma is in the Individualized Degree Program, studying sustainable practices and infrastructure, with a minor that combines One World One Water courses with entrepreneurship. He also serves as president of a campus club, Water Association of Student Stewards Urban Program, that focuses on education and awareness of water issues. Loma helped organize the Swarm the Capitol event and said, “We want to bring education and awareness. We know bees are important …but we don’t necessarily know all the ways that we’re hurting them.” He said he hoped the event would help people realize they could do things differently in their lives to help protect bees. Several groups had information booths in front of the Capitol, including Moms Across America and Right to Know Colorado — GMO, as well as MSU Denver integrated
David Wheeler drums as he leads protesters marching to protect bees in the Swarm the Capitol Rally on the steps of the Colorado State Capitol Building Aug. 16. Photo by Trevor L. Davis • tdavis84@msudenver.edu
therapeutic practices major Courtney Cosgriff, who is a beekeeper. Cosgriff said she would like to start a bee club on the Auraria campus. Mandalay Trudeau, of social justice activist group Denver Light Brigade, said honeybees are important, even to busy college students. “Bees pollinate two-thirds of the fruits and vegetables that we eat,” Trudeau said. “And one of the things that they pollinate is coffee — and as a student, coffee’s kind of important.” Companies like Bayer and Syngenta make neonicotinoids that
agriculture corporation Monsanto uses on genetically modified crops, like corn and soybeans. The particles get in the air, Trudeau said, and damage bees, butterflies, moths and birds. “It’s just downhill from there,”he said. But pollination of coffee and other plants isn’t the only reason bees are important to society. “Bees are like the canary in the coal mine that is our enviroment,” said David Wheeler of Boulder Bee Safe Neighborhoods, who was dressed like a honeybee. “The agricultural world is full of poison.”
Coal miners used to take canaries into the mines where they worked to signal if the environment became too toxic to work in, Wheeler said. If the canary died, they would rush out of the mine knowing that otherwise they, too, would soon die. Unlike the canary in the coal mine, when the bees die, we don’t have anywhere to run to. So, Wheeler said, it’s our responsibility to clean up the environment. Don Studinski, of Honeybee Keep, spoke at the event and said, “Without insects, the entire food
system breaks down.” One-third of our crops are dependent on honeybees, he said, and they face a continuing threat of colony collapse disorder, or mass die-offs — and systemic poisons such as neonicotinoids are part of the problem. Not everyone agrees that agricultural chemicals are killing the bees. The United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service webpage, “Honeybees and Colony Collapse Disorder,” agrees that colony collapse disorder is a serious threat to bee populations, and to commercial pollination operations in the U.S. But, it says, the cause has not been established. The same webpage says current research into the cause of colony collapse centers around four general directions, none of which include agricultural chemical use. Many Swarm the Capitol participants dressed as bees and did what Wheeler called the “waggle dance.” The dance turned “twitchy,” he said, to imitate bees after pesticide exposure, and ended when they collapsed, as if dead. They took to the 16th Street Mall carrying signs. One sign read, “To bee or not to bee,” carried by marchers who performed the “waggle dance” in front of the Denver Post building and down the mall. Loma told the crowd over a megaphone that GMOs were supposed to help growers reduce pesticide use, but that didn’t happen. The group handed out informative pamphlets, some of which told people how their personal choices could impact bees.
AHEC: RTD CollegePass aids students’ commutes By Melanie J. Rice mrice20@msudenver.edu The Denver Regional Transportation District implemented a new CollegePass in January 2013 that enables students to tap their card on readers while boarding buses or before boarding the light rail. Jerry Mason, Auraria Higher Education Center director of student facilities services, said this change was driven by RTD, and that the initial plan was to have this serve as both a student identification card and an RTD pass. “We were hoping at some point to get those to merge,” Mason said. “But that doesn’t look like it’s going to happen very soon.” Mason said there have been challenges with implementation,
but the original plan remains a possibility for the future. “The system that RTD bought doesn’t talk well — or at all — to really any of the colleges’ IDs.” Student IDs are different from the CollegePass and provide access to some campus buildings. They may also be used for access to other services, like the Health Center at Auraria, Mason said. He said students can pick up their CollegePass at the Commuter ID Center, located on the second floor of the Tivoli. Students need to show their current schedule and ID, and there is no cost for the first CollegePass. “If you lose it, there is a replacement fee,” Mason said. Both this week and last week, lines stretched almost to the east entry doors, but MSU Denver
sophomore criminology major Joseph Gonzales said the line wasn’t bad, and it only took him 10 to 15 minutes to get to the front. Continuing students don’t need to get a new CollegePass. Their existing passes are remotely turned on or off based upon enrollment, which the schools forward to AHEC and then to RTD. Mason said students may use their CollegePass to ride buses and the light rail, and they get a discounted fee on the Skyride to Denver International Airport, but it can’t be used for the BroncosRide. The CollegePass is not available for students enrolled in only extended campus or online classes. CollegePasses are paid for by student fees, and the cost varies annually based on ridership. This year, the fee is $89, which Ma-
son said is a substantial savings over pay-as-you-go fares or even monthly passes ($176 per month for the same service as the CollegePass, according to RTD’s website). Students have an opportunity to vote annually on the CollegePass, and Mason said 90 percent of voting students approved the pass this year. The implementation of tap-toride passes has had a few problems. Mason said AHEC fielded many student complaints about cards not working the first year they rolled out. He said AHEC has gotten much feedback recently about a lack of tapping stations, and they have shared this concern with RTD. Getting something done about it is another story, however.
Students who don’t tap may be ticketed, though Mason said RTD has confirmed they have not yet written citations for the tapping issue, but may do so soon. Mason said AHEC doesn’t field too many complaints about crowding on the transit system, but MSU Denver junior Rachael Connor, an art major, said “It can be (crowded) at certain peak times, like when everybody gets off work.” Mason said the pass is a convenience for many students. Sherrydan Carwise, a CCD student majoring in emergency medicine services, agreed. “It’s going to make my life a whole lot easier,” Carwise said. “I can save $39 every month.” The Commuter ID Center is open extended hours during the first week of the semester.
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Denver Public Library lowers fines to 20 cents By Melanie J. Rice mrice20@msudenver.edu For the first time in its 125-year history, the Denver Public Library lowered overdue fines from 25 cents per day to 20 cents per day, effective Aug. 1. “The new circulation policy is designed to reduce barriers to borrowing items from the Denver Public Library,” said Chris Henning, a marketing and public relations manager for DPL. “The new policy makes it easier for some of our customers to return to the library and continue borrowing the materials they want and need.” The new maximum fees borrowers can incur are $3 per three-week checkout period, for a maximum of three checkout periods, or a total of $9 per item. When items are 28 days overdue, they are considered lost and a $17 replacement fee is accrued, in addition to the overdue fines. Jennifer Hoffman, DPL manager of books and borrowing, said in an email to Henning that if a borrower returns overdue materials,
the replacement fee will be waived. At DPL, borrowers are blocked from checkout services when their account fees reach $5. Henning said the reduced fees give an incentive for borrowers to return overdue items and prevent barriers to library use. Unlike DPL, the Auraria Library has no overdue fines. Supak Kerdpanthong, the night supervisor at the Auraria Library, said they discontinued overdue fees in 2010. However, she said that instead of getting more overdue materials returned, she thinks the opposite may have happened. Borrowers are blocked from all Auraria Library services after materials are 15 days overdue. Though there are no overdue fines at the Auraria Library, there is a hefty replacement fee. “There’s a basic $125 replacement fee,” Kerdpanthong said. “But you can replace books without having to pay a fee.” Henning said more changes are in store at DPL and will be announced as soon as they are finalized.
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Roadrunners on the street “What’s your reaction to the email change?”
“I haven’t been able to access my email because of it so far, so I’ve been in contact with tech to get it accessible.” — Khalid Alshami sophomore, marketing
“It sucked, but then it’s cool because I got Microsoft Word and all that for free.” — Gabriella Saragosa, sophomore, business management
“I dislike it. I liked it the way it was; I don’t like it when things change.” — Joe Huntley, sophomore, business management
“I’m just really frustrated because I feel like every year there’s a new change — either Blackboard or email.” — Annie Leak, junior, human services
“I’m pretty upset about it. …Now there’s all these links just to get into my email.” — Kendra Kleidon, junior, integrated therapeutic practices
Check out metnews.org for an interview with incoming Chief of Auraria Police Michael Phipps
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MetStaff Editor-in-Chief Tobias Krause: tkrause3@msudenver.edu Managing Editor Mario Sanelli: msanelli@msudenver.edu News Editor Steve Musal: smusal@msudenver.edu Assistant News Editor: Melanie J. Rice: mrice20@msudenver.edu MetroSpective Editor Angelita Foster: amayer1@msudenver.edu Sports Editor Scott Corbridge: kcorbrid@msudenver.edu Assistant Sports Editor Mackenzie Masson: mmasson@msudenver.edu Photo Editor Philip Poston: pposton1@msudenver.edu Assistant Photo Editor Alyson McClaran: amcclara@msudenver.edu Copy Editors Kate Rigot, Mary Kate Newton Director of Met Media Steve Haigh: shaigh@msudenver.edu Assistant Director of Met Media Jennifer Thomé: jthome1@msudenver.edu Administrative Assistant of Met Media Elizabeth Norberg: enorbert@msudenver.edu Production Manager of Met Media Kathleen Jewby: kjewby@ msudenver.edu Web Editor: Charlie Hanson: chanso12@msudenver.edu Sales and Marketing Manager: Erica Barkley: barkleye@msudenver.edu Distribution Coordinator: Colby Allen: callen71@msudenver.edu
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On police militarization, training and tactics, not tools, are trouble By Steve Musal smusal@msudenver.edu As I’m both a military veteran and a science fiction fan, one of my favorite quotes comes from the 2004 “Battlestar Galactica” reboot: “There’s a reason you separate military and the police. One fights the enemies of the state, the other serves and protects the people. When the military becomes both, then the enemies of the state tend to become the people.” I would say this sums up the situation in Ferguson, Missouri, after the shooting of unarmed black teen Michael Brown and the heavily armed, mostly white police force’s response to peaceful protesters — but I feel this does a disservice to the military. The military operates by far more stringent rules than the police in Ferguson. Soldiers can’t use tear gas overseas, as it falls under the Geneva conventions as a chemical weapon, while the Ferguson police use it like it’s going out
of style. More pertinent to the situation are the rules on “escalation of force.” As I learned in the Air Force, augmenting our security forces (the Air Force version of military police), the proper response to a threat is proportional force. If someone is being verbally abusive, you speak calmly and clearly to calm them down. At no point should you, the officer, escalate force unless they do. If they physically resist, you can use physical restraints (holds, handcuffs). It is only when they are getting severely physically resistant (throwing punches) that you escalate to less-than-lethal force like tasers — and the Air Force, at least, makes their cops experience being tasered before issuing them the stun gun, so they don’t use it with abandon. The only time a military cop is to respond with lethal force is to a lethal threat — a gun or a knife — and then, only as a last
resort. There are no wounding shots or warning shots: unlike police in Ferguson, the military are trained to never point a weapon at anything or anyone they are not prepared to kill. I chambered a round in my M-16A2 assault rifle all of once in five years in the Air Force. A man had a knife, and I was manning an inspection gate in Southwest Asia. Though I was ready to bring my rifle up and shoot if needed, at no time did I point the weapon at him, because all of us — augmentees, not even career cops — could read the situation and realize that he was not a threat, that he was putting the knife down, that shooting him would be a mistake. That’s the difference between the military and Ferguson police: the training, the years of experience and education. For that matter, the military does a better job weeding out nutjobs who just want to terrorize people of a different skin color (some get through, but not on the same level as the police).
Because we can’t pretend Ferguson isn’t about race. It is. Michael Brown would not have been stopped, would not have been told “get the fuck on the ground,” would not have been shot for “resisting” a verbal command, if he were not a young black man. Because we have a problem in this country, and police brutality is only the armed symptom of it. And I get it. “Not all cops.” I’ve known some great cops, who joined to make the world a better place. But I’ve also known some cops who just wanted to control people. Almost as bad are the ones who join for family tradition, but don’t have the temperament to be a cop. All too soon, they’re brutal as well. But a “militarized police force?” We should be so lucky. No, what we have instead — in Ferguson, and elsewhere — is a gang, with military equipment they’re not trained for, wearing badges and thinking might makes right. We can do better, and we must.
employees, you might as well make money from playing the fantasy game productively. Fantasy football offers free leagues and cash leagues. I’d go with the straight cash leagues, homie. Sure, free leagues are fun for bragging rights, but for the dedicated fantasy footballer, a money payoff at the end of the season in December is the best gift of all and a reward for your hard work. In order to get paid, you must win. Here is the blueprint. It all begins with draft strategy. Standard drafts have 16 rounds. Break the draft down into four quarters. First quarter, rounds 1-4. Second quarter, rounds 5-8. Third quarter, rounds 9-12 and the fourth quarter wraps up rounds 13 through 16. Your first two picks are the most crucial to whether your fantasy football boat will sink or float. Look for superstars and stat leaders, as well as elite talent plus
the individual’s offensive system. Example: Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas is an elite talent at his position, plus he plays in a pass-happy offense. Seek out star running backs, quarterbacks and wide receivers during the first four rounds. The second quarter (rounds 5-8) is where you’ll fill the remainder of your starting roster. A workhorse running back or wide receiver, and a quarterback can’t carry your team by themselves. Pick emerging studs, overlooked veterans and underrated stars during the second quarter of your draft to compliment your heavy hitters. Have your starting spots at QB, RB and WR filled by the third quarter. If you don’t, you should just autopick the rest of your draft because you’ve already lost. Many fair-weather fantasy footballers have no idea who to draft in the later rounds and usually go off of familiar names. Don’t
let this be you. Seek out sleepers in rounds 9-12. Sleepers aren’t the players who will snooze your team into a last-place finish. Instead, they are the guys who can be plugged into your roster when your starter is on his bye week, and the position’s productivity won’t take a dramatic drop-off. If done successfully, you will have the other members of your league saying, “I’ve never heard of Khiry Robinson, and I didn’t know he’d score two touchdowns in Week 7 when Adrian Peterson was on a bye.” But you knew. That’s why you drafted him. Also look for a strong backup QB (if not already drafted in quarter number two). These are three parts to the four-part fantasy football blueprint puzzle for a winning stratedy come draft day.
Fantasy football world is a reality By Mario Sanelli msanelli@msudenver.edu
The Metropolitan accepts submissions in the form of topicdriven columns and letters to the editor. Column article concepts must be submitted by 1 p.m.. Thursdays and the deadline for columns is 9 p.m. Sundays. Columns range from 500 to 600 words. Letters to the editor must be submitted by 5 p.m. Mondays to be printed in that week’s edition. There is a 500-word limit for letters to the editor. The Metropolitan reserves the right to edit letters for formatting and style. All submissions should be sent by e-mail to themetonline@gmail.com. The Metropolitan is produced by and for the students of Metropolitan State University of Denver and serves the Auraria Campus. The Metropolitan is supported by advertising revenue and student fees and is published every Thursday during the academic year and monthly during the summer semester. Opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of MSU Denver or its advertisers.
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The first day of school points to the unofficial end of summer — and fantasy football draft day marks the beginning of the most important season on the calendar. The popularity of fantasy football has grown tremendously in recent years, but don’t take my word for it. Instead, consider this statistic: an estimated 18.3 million employees play fantasy football at work for roughly two hours each week. That number, multiplied by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ $24.45 average hourly wage equates to around $895 million in company productivity lost each week across the United States during the fantasy football season. The total loss for a regular 15-week season would then be $13.4 billion, according to Benjamin Snyder of fortune.com. So, with companies losing that much money off of unproductive
For the full fantasy football blueprint, visit metnews.org
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David Avalos, this year’s Richard T. Castro Visiting Professor, discusses Chicano art with MSU Denver professor Dr. Joan Foster at the opening reception of “In Lak’ech San Diego to Denver: You Are My Other Self” at the Center for Visual Arts in Denver, held Aug. 15. Photo by Trevor Davis • tdavis84@msudenver.edu
In Lak’ech: San Diego to Denver By Tera Coneway tconeway@msudenver.edu “In Lak’ech San Diego to Denver: You Are My Other Self” is an art exhibit featuring artists from California and Colorado currently on display at MSU Denver’s Center for Visual Art. The exhibition explores the past and present of the Chicano movement through art. Exhibiting artists David Avalos and Guillermo Rodriguez are not only artists — they’re advocates for social justice, and they use their art to inform people of current issues. Through their art, they document history and celebrate a rich culture. Along with several other artists, they touch on
Coffee Break By Tobias Krase tkrause3@msudenver.edu As college students, coffee is an integral part of our college experience. All of the late nights, 8 a.m. classes and constant commuting put a great deal of wear and tear on our feeble bodies. Fortunately for us, Auraria Campus is loaded with places to grab a half caff, non-fat latte with extra foam, an extra chocolate mocha, or a regular and always classic plain old cup of joe. Here are five places that will help you get through your day if you’re looking to study, get that expensive latte or how to pinch your pennies wisely, while still getting that caffeine fix. Also, you can save a little bit here and there by bringing your own mug, as many places will just charge you a refill price or give you a discount if you do.
issues such as immigration and race and highlighted current movements. The CVA is an off-campus art gallery in the Santa Fe arts district, founded in 1990. In addition to showcasing contemporary art, it acts as an interactive art lab for MSU Denver students and the larger community. “This colorful painting along the wall is my favorite,” Kota Ryans said, pointing to a piece titled “Aztlan Rising,” by Isaias Crow. “Everyone in the painting was involved in the Chicano movement,” she said. The piece was a three-panel mural — something you would expect to see on the wall instead of paint on canvas. The exhibit featured a mixture of painting, digital prints,
McDonald’s:
Location: North side of campus, outside of
Location: Tivoli food court. Hours: 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. Prices: $1.08 after tax for any size coffee,
the Student Success Building.
Most gourmet drinks hover around five bucks. Taste: Pretty good. Their slogan for the beans they use is “Russian Born, Denver roasted.” Not sure if that’s a good thing, but hey, it tastes good.
Einstein Bros. Bagels: Location: Middle of campus outside of West Classroom and the Arts Building, located in the old Mercantile Restaurant. Hours: 6 a.m. – 2 p.m. Prices: $1.79 - $3.50 for a cup of coffee, four varieties, and most signature drinks are around five bucks. Taste: Decent. You can tell someone put some sort of thought into the roasting process with the result of four flavored coffees.
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video and artifacts, such as traditional hand drums of varying sizes. The focus of the exhibit was not just to showcase a culture, but also to spark a conversation. A lot of pieces were themed around immigration. For example, a piece by Ana Teresa Fernández that combined mixed media digital prints and a video. The video features the artist on a sandy beach with Spanish music playing in the background as she paints to the music. What is most interesting is that what she is painting is a white fence so huge that she has to climb a ladder to reach the top. This takes on a whole new meaning in light of the title of the piece: “Borrando la Frontera,” which translates to “Erasing the Border.” The theme of borders also ran through pieces exhibited nearby that depicted people trying to communicate through fences or border walls. A digital print collage called “Show Me Your Papers,” by Lalo Alcaraz, depicted politicians involved in immigration legislation. Another notable piece was a video of the Chicano Park Mural restoration project, which included still photos and interviews with the restoration artist Guillermo “Cuez” Kuezpalliin Rodriguez. The video explained why the Chicano movement was so important and their role in it. “The movement was a time of energy and reclaiming our culture,” Kuezpallin said. Cuez began school after the military to study mechanics, but said he began studying technical illustration after passing his art classes; soon after that, he started following the farm worker movement. Another mixed media piece, “Color Blind,” was part poetry, art, artifact and installation piece. One of the poems, “Color Blind,” by Adrian Arancibia, includes a Flava Flav quote — “You’re blind baby” — and goes on to talk about living in a colorblind society. Stuck on the wall was a protest T-shirt bearing the word “Justice,” with the last three letters — ICE (a reference to Immigration and Customs Enforcement) — highlighted in blue. The exhibit drew more than 300 spectators. It captured the history of the Chicano movement while also touching on current issues such as gender, race and immigration reform. The exhibit runs at CVA from August 15 to October 4.
Dazbog Coffee: Hours: 6 a.m. – 7 p.m. Prices: $2.95 – $4.60 for a cup of coffee.
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you know what they say — go big or go home. Taste: It’s McDonald’s — what do you expect for a buck?
Hours: 10:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Price: $1.76 - $2.08 for a standard cup
of coffee. Signature drinks end up being around four bucks. Taste: The best on campus. They use local roaster Pablo’s, which is a treat. Definitely should be your go-to coffee spot.
Intermission Café: Location: Inside the South Classroom and the Science buildings.
Hours: 7:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. Prices: $1.65 - $3 for a standard cup of
coffee, while signature drinks hover around four bucks. Taste: They “proudly” use Starbucks coffee — which can be a good or bad thing, depending on how you look at it.
Confluence Café: Location: Inside of Auraria Library.
Einstein Bros Bagels ranked in our top five spots to get coffee on Auraria Campus. Photo Illustration by Michael Ortiz • mortiz26@msudenver.edu
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Top 10 inspirational sports films 10. Cinderella Man James Braddock (Russell Crowe) was an Irish-American boxer from New Jersey that earned his nickname, Cinderella Man, from his fairytale-like rise from a poor local fighter to heavyweight boxing champion of the world. During The Great Depression, Braddock gave others hope as they saw him through food assistance, picket lines, and manual labor. Even after a broken hand, Braddock finds a way to come back to glory and keep his family together. 9. Remember the Titans Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, this 2000 film is based on the true story of African American coach Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) and his racially divided high school football team. Black and white must come together in 1971 southern Virginia. Coach Boone and assistant coach Bill Yoast (Will Patton) must lead by example in teaching their team what it’s like to look past skin color and to consider the heart and character of the man standing beside them. Director Thomas Carter (left) and Michael Chiklis on the set of TriStar Pictures’ When The Game Stands Tall. Photo by Tracy Bennett
Q&A with Director Thomas Carter By Angelita Foster amayer1@msudenver.edu Award-winning director Thomas Carter has made some inspiring movies, including “Swing Kids,” “Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story,” and “Coach Carter.” The director sat down with “The Metropolitan” to talk about his latest project, “When The Game Stands Tall,” which hits theaters Aug. 22. The Metropolitan: Before we talk about the movie, can you talk about your transition from acting in the basketball television series “White Shadow” to directing? Thomas Carter: I was on that show, which in its own way was groundbreaking — one of the first times when you had African American characters on a television drama week after week in a low income area — and we had a fair amount of honesty in that. I worked with a lot of great young actors, sharing storytelling time. When I wasn’t in the scene, I had a built-in film school. I could access the directors and the cameramen and so I started coming in on my days off. The Met: You had the opportunity to direct four episodes for that series? TC: So, that precipitated a conversation with Bruce Paltrow, who was the executive producer. He invited me into editing, so did that as well. I was on this kind of training program about filmmaking and in the second season he offered me an episode to direct. The Met: You’ve made some sports movies; were you athletic growing up? TC: Not in the traditional sense that I was on my high school teams. I’ve sort of made these sports movies almost by accident. I was much more interested in doing movies about music and dance, and dramatic movies with any kind of idealism. “Coach Carter” happened when the real coach Carter contacted me, saying he was my cousin. He wasn’t my cousin, but finally I did talk to him, and he said, “look, I’ve seen your work, I really think you should do this movie, about me.” The Met: How did you get involved in “When The Game Stands Tall?” TC: This film came about, I think, largely because I did “Coach Carter.” Interestingly enough, these two movies took place in northern California — peo-
ple think I’m the filmmaker of northern California now. The Met: What sets this sports movie apart from others? TC: I knew that we were not going for the traditional ending of “is the team going to win the big game?” I was most afraid of if we were going to pull off a story that was nontraditional, and still have the audience feel satisfied and stay engaged. That was my fear and my challenge. The Met: What inspired you about coach Ladouceur (who led his teams to a 151-game winning streak)? TC: I am really inspired by Bob Ladouceur. You know, we talked a little bit about fears earlier, and I would say my biggest fear was that I’d make a movie that he didn’t think served him and his program in the best way and in the proper way. I’m inspired by his level of commitment and his humility. I’m inspired by the simplicity of his genius, too — understanding what motivates these young people; and he’s a great football mind as well. He doesn’t care about the honors, they go out and win and there is no ornamentation attached to it. The Met: In one word, what makes a good movie? TC: The real key is to begin with a really good story. It’s all about the story, story, story. You have to begin with a good story and tell it well. The Met: What was more challenging — getting the story right, or shooting the football scenes? TC: What was more challenging and what was more important? Telling the story of the coach’s challenge to build responsible young men out of the studentathletes. That story and its facets were the most challenging and the most important. The most challenging because we had so many characters and it’s hard to really detail how those stories unfold, so we worked very hard to do that. That’s not to say that the football was not important — in fact, the football was super important. I was ambitious about the football, and I did want to shoot the best football that anybody had seen. I wanted to go beyond what I had seen of football on screen, and I wanted to make more exciting football games. I wanted the audience to almost forget they were watching a movie and think, “oh my God, this is a great football game.”
8. Glory Road After being appointed the new coach of the 1966 Texas Miners, Don Haskins (Josh Lucas) builds a team on talent, not race. There are some racially tense scenes as the Miners deal with the social and political changes of the time. The team is the first to put an all-black starting line-up on the floor for the NCAA national championship — an epic final game against the powerhouse Duke Blue Devils. 7. Rocky This fairy tale about a down-and-out pugilist getting his chance at the title, won an Oscar for best picture in 1977. Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) is a secondrate boxer who knows how to take a pounding and get back up again. The choreography of the fights and filming of the scenes were innovative for the time, and the first 11 notes of the theme music are better known than the Pope. 6. 42 In 1947, Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) broke baseball’s color line. Even if you’re not a baseball fan, the film will tug at your heart and have you rooting for Robinson to overcome obstacles that racism put in his way. It’s an uplifting tale of courage and determination that is hard to resist, even though you know the outcome before the movie begins. Harrison Ford as the Brooklyn Dodgers’ general manager Branch Rickey is a homerun. 5. The Express Ernie Davis was a gridiron giant for the Syracuse Orangemen during the civil rights movement. Like a train, the running back steamed through his opponents on the field and triumphed over the racism he encountered as a black player. Coach Ben Schwartzwalder (Dennis Quaid) believed in Davis, who became the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy. Shortly after being drafted into the NFL he was diagnosed with leukemia. 4. The Pride of the Yankees The story of baseball great Lou Gehrig (Gary Cooper), who played for the New York Yankees from 1925 until 1939 when he was diagnosed with a fatal neurological disease — now known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. After playing with such greats as Babe Ruth and Bob Meusel, Gehrig said farewell to the game and his fans, ending an emotional speech with grace. “Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.” 3. When The Game Stands Tall This 2014 film is not the typical gladiators of the gridiron tale. It’s about more than 12 championship titles and a 151-game winning streak. It’s a powerful and beautiful story of the human spirit. It’s about how the De La Salle High School coach Bob Ladouceur (Jim Caviezel) taught his players to become men who handled adversity off the field with character, faith, and dignity. 2. Miracle This 2004 Disney film is one of the all-time best hockey films. There is nothing quite as American as cheering for the red, white and blue during the Olympics. In 1980, Coach Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell) handpicked 20 talented young players and created a team — a team that gave hope and pride to a nation during a time of political tension with Russia and economic crisis at home. This team faced the seemingly unbeatable Russian team and achieved the impossible. 1. Hoosiers A small-town Indiana basketball team, loosely based on Milan High School, makes a run at the championship title. What football is to Texas, basketball is to Indiana — a way of life. In 1954, literally everybody and their brother (and sister, and aunt, and nephew) crowded onto buses to follow their teams to nearby towns to cheer them to victory. Basketball was the topic at diner countertops, in barbershops, and at dinner tables. What makes this 1986 film a classic, aside from the David and Goliath theme, is the acting grace of Gene Hackman as coach Norman Dale, and the humanity of Dennis Hopper’s role as the town drunk, which earned him an Oscar nomination. Each of the six players on the team had their own dreams to reach and struggles to overcome, and all triumph in the end.
List compiled by Angelita Foster • amayer1@msudenver.edu
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“When the Game Stands Tall” By Angelita Foster amayer1@msudenver.edu This sports movie is about more than the victories on the football field — it is about the victory of the characters. The story is about the De La Salle High School football team that won 12 championship titles and had a 151-game winning streak. The ‘streak,’ as it’s referred to by residents of Concord, California, is the longest record for consecutive wins in any American sport. On the surface it looks like a movie about winning a lot of games. In reality this film is about how coach Bob Ladouceur (Jim Caviezel) inspired his teams to personal greatness beyond the end-zone. Coach Lad didn’t expect perfection on the field, but with a quiet intensity, he did demand the ‘perfect effort’ in life. “Commitment. Accountability. Perfect effort. And finally love. This bond is what has led countless Spartans to achieve far more than anyone, including themselves, believed they were capable of,” coach Ladouceur from the movie “When The Game Stands Tall.” The lessons begin when the streak ends. Each player must handle the shame they feel in letting down the people who supported them. The lessons continue with the loss of a teammate, the loss of a coach, and the reconciling of father-son relationships. “It ain’t about the football. It ain’t about scoring touchdowns. It’s about moving you in a direction that can assist you and help you to grow up … so that when you take your place out in the world and out in our community you can be depended on,” coach Ladouceur from the movie “When The Game Stands Tall.” Director Thomas Carter did a fine job at balancing a wonderfully inspirational story with powerful and believable football scenes. This is a must see film, even if you are not a fan of sports films. The movie hits theaters Aug. 22. - A+ Head over to metnews.org to read our review of Lakeside Amusement Park, the new album “The Golden Echo” by Kimbra, and Wiz Khalifa’s new album, “Blacc Holywood.”
“When the Game Stands Tall” Movie poster by TriStar Pictures
“The Giver” By Chris Escobar cescoba@msudenver.edu Phillip Noyce’s “The Giver” provides a solid film adaptation of the classic book by Lois Lowry — but probably shouldn’t exist on the silver screen. The biggest cliché in all of film, the book was better — applies here. As an adaptation, the film does a fine job. Naturally, as with any transition across mediums, changes had to be made. Lowry
“The Last of Us Remastered” By David Tan dtan@msudenver.edu In a struggle for survival, being the last of us might not be a bad thing. Remastered and re-released, “The Last of Us” still holds up as one of the best games of the most recent and current generation in gaming. In this definitive remastered edition, the graphics and visuals have been improved greatly to show off how impressive Sony’s PlayStation 4 graphics are. Facial expressions look more clear and realistic, and the environments show more detail — from cracks on the sidewalks to blood on the wall. In addition to updated graphics, this
“The Expendables 3” By Steve Musal smusal@msudenver.edu What can I say about “The Expendables 3” that hasn’t been said about the first two installments? The theme of the films is
“The Last of Us Remastered” Video game art by Sony
“The Giver” Movie poster by The Weinstein Com-
“The Expendables 3” Movie poster by Lionsgate
told “Slate” about some of the changes made, “it works well.” If it’s good enough for her, then it should be fine with everyone. The problems here lie more in the delivery, since the characters are designed as over-medicated, emotionless planks, the actors have nothing to work with. Knocking the actors proves impossible when acting as anything beyond stiff would hamper the performance. Take Katie Holmes as the mother. Though normally a fine actress, she isn’t allowed to act. Movies need emotional acting. The concept works for the book, but makes a
movie dull. Of course, Jeff Bridges as The Giver did well. Meryl Streep as Chief Elder used everything at her disposal for the limited character she had. The interaction between the two characters, though brief, demands the viewer’s attention. The only actor to really disappoint was Brenton Thwaites as Jonas. Along with Jeff Bridges, he could show emotion. While portraying a sense of awe and wonder somewhat effectively, it didn’t feel natural. He looked like just another plank. For cinematography, the
choices made seem obvious. Even though that contradicts the movie’s message of originality, it wasn’t a bad thing. It still worked, and the memory flashbacks added some depth. “The Giver” adds to the list of teeny-bopper dystopian novelsturned-films, lessening the originality factor. Though fine as an adaptation, film as a medium really can’t do the book any justice — the story and message get muddled along the way. Audio and visual effects aren’t worth mentioning, so save this movie for Redbox. - C
edition includes the “Left Behind” add-on that was sold separately for on the PlayStation 3 version, providing more value to the game. The world of “The Last of Us” is bleak and grim. An epidemic has spread across the globe, turning humans into monsters similar to zombies. The scary thing is, this premise is based on a real world fungus called “cordyceps,” which turns certain insects into “zombies” that spread its spores to other insects. “The Last of Us” shows how lawless and chaotic the world can be if the fungus were to ever evolves to infect humans. Players take on the role of Joel, a smuggler who is hired by Marlene, the leader of an anti-government group called the Fireflies. She wants him to smuggle a young girl named Ellie, who is naturally immune to the fungus and could lead to a cure. Joel takes the job, and both of them set off to travel to
a Firefly controlled medical facility in Utah. During this long journey, players are drawn in by the bond these two develop throughout the game, giving players two relatable characters. Game play mainly consists of gunfights and sneaking around. Sneaking around is incredibly important, as supplies are very limited. Joel and Ellie need to avoid bandits and infected individuals in order to survive their journey. He can sneak up behind enemies to choke them out or brutally stab them with a shiv. However, there are special breeds of infected called ‘clickers’ that are blind but have developed extremely sensitive hearing that can pick up the most subtle of sounds. Stepping on puddles of water or even accidently knocking over a can will alert them and any infected individuals in the area. They serve as an obstacle and a threat when
you have to move noisy objects blocking your path. The pacing of the game is wonderfully done, as it breaks up the tip-toeing sneaking with flight or fight action. It is extremely hard to put the controller down, as I always want to know what was going to happen next. In my opinion, this rivals the thrills “The Walking Dead” offers. With extremely wellwritten characters and story, “The Last of Us” is the definition of story told through video games done right. This is a must-own for any PlayStation owner — as no collection would be complete without it. “The Last of Us” remastered edition is going for $49.99 and is exclusive to the PS4. It is cheaper than most current generation games, making it an easy buy. It will take about 16 hours to complete, and each minute is absolutely worth playing. Don’t be the last to experience this game. - A
still the same: get every action star over the age of 40 (and a few younger ones to balance things out), and run a two-hour action sequence with the vaguest excuse for a plot and more explosions than Michael Bay could ever dream up. Let’s be honest; we don’t see these movies for high art. But writer/director/star Syl-
vester Stallone’s third installment somehow manages to have more charm than the first two flicks put together. Maybe it’s that Stallone and the other stars (including but not limited to Jason Statham and Arnold Schwarzenegger) discard “Expendables 2”’s nonstop parade of call-backs to their earlier films (with the exception
of a heartfelt “Get to the choppah!” from the Governator) and start acting like, well, action stars again. Maybe it’s something else that I just couldn’t see. Whatever the reason, “Expendables 3” is the best in the series so far. It’s violent and funny, and you’ll get exactly what you expect out of it. So go grab a beer and hit a matinee. - C+
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Album art from Communion Records
FKA Twigs - “LP1”
J Mascis - “Tied to a Star”
By Courtney Vogt
By Mariah Taylor
By Tobias Krause
By Tobias Krause
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Upon hearing about the release of Spoon’s eighth album, “They Want My Soul,” my first thought was: where did Spoon go? The answer to that is: nowhere really. The band members diverged for just a few years to work on other creative pursuits and have resurfaced with what may prove to be their most creative and versatile project yet. The album starts out gritty and loud, yet still danceable, like the Black Keys back in the “Rubber Factory” days. The album quickly transforms to lyrics that showcase introspection set amid both dreamy precision synth-pop-rock and classic rock riffs. The spacey sounds heard on the second track, “Inside Out,” showcase a trippy side of the band. I look forward to hearing them play an extended version of this one at a live show. “Do You,” the previously released single, shines and could serve as an anthem for wandering souls — ”Do you want to get understood? / Do you want one thing or are you looking for sainthood? / Do you run when it’s just getting good?” The title track’s catchy riffs and fun lyrics get singer/guitarist’s Britt Daniel’s point across nicely before the album begins to unwind with a couple of folksy rock break-up and make-up tracks. “They Want My Soul” is an all-around solid album with relatable themes and simple yet thoughtful lyrics combined with the proven mainstream sound Spoon continually delivered throughout the 2000s. Give it a listen and watch it end up on your most played list. - B+
FKA Twigs is like the Rihanna of the indie world. With lyrics that make even this seasoned college gal blush, beats that could make the most temperate of us become aware of our bodies, and style for days, she’s becoming more than just a gorgeous face in the music industry. When I put on her new album, “LP1,” for the first time, it was, quite appropriately, at one 1 a.m. through a decent set of noise- canceling headphones in a dimly lit bar near my apartment. As you can imagine, I became what an old southern woman might call “hotter than the Georgia asphalt.” Lyrics like “When I trust you we can do it with the lights on,” and “You’re the only one that resonates that chaste, mouth open like high,” aren’t even the half of it. But “LP1” has more than just an entertainingly blunt sexuality to it. The album is clever, with complicated beats that move effortlessly from quick to slow, direct to indulgent, and back again. Songs like “Number” are surprisingly moving, explaining a girl’s heartbreak in a way that has never been simpler, while maintaining a strong sense of poignancy. Twigs’ voice is powerful, and her awareness of control is as undeniable as ever. So, if you feel a need to get in touch with your more carnal side for a time, buy “LP1.” If you don’t, go sit in a library and read John Winthrop — but I’m telling you, you’re missing out. - A
“Brilliant” and “dynamic.” Those were the only words running through my head as I listened to “Tied to a Star” over and over. The album is the newest from ‘90s alternative rock legend J Mascis, and has a sense of true American beauty to it. Each and every track provides a sensible and easy, enjoyable listen. Mascis might be most well-known for his work with Dinosaur Jr., but on his newest solo release, he seems to have shed the fuzz-busting, reverb-soaked six-string stylings that Dinosaur Jr. fans have become accustomed to over two decades. A follow-up from 2011’s “Several Shades of Why,” Mascis executes 10 timeless and beautifully constructed tracks that feature his fast-paced finger picking skills, which amplify an epic blend of patently perfect chord progressions that would make George Harrison smile. Mascis’ guitar playing sounds like it’s inspired by a late-‘60s-meets-early-‘70s aesthetic, but plays out underneath a grungy acoustic vibe straight out of 1993. Track three, “Heal the Star,” is a heavier, hard-rocking track that showcases his stoney, slow-paced lyrics. The album flutters from one track to the next and sometimes feels like each song segues into one another, but crosses the folky boundary and runs for the finish line with track nine, “Come Down.” If “Several Shades of Why” is to Neil Young’s “After the Gold Rush,” then “Tied to a Star” is Mascis’ “Harvest.” - B+
Aside from being one of the best bands around, Denver indie powerhouse Tennis do a good job building suspense and anticipation. After a series of viral hints, which included a hotline to call featuring a number of songs that were able to be heard via phone, the band dropped a banger of a single with “Never Work For Free” back in June, and now bring out “I’m Callin’” from the forthcoming album “Ritual in Repeat.” The album serves as a follow-up to their status update, which came in the form of a 5-track EP called “Small Sound.” “I’m callin’” is a three-and-a-half minute little dity that possesses all the necessary qualities that made Tennis so popular in the first place. The lo-fi, down-to-earth production from husband and wife duo Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore is full of positive surfpop vibes, catchy lyrics and a late ‘70s psychedelic feel. One can only hope that the rest of “Ritual in Repeat” will follow suit of the first two singles. The album had a dream team of producers. Patrick Carney of The Black Keys, Richard Swift of The Shins and Jim Eno of Spoon all lent a helping hand. If that doesn’t tickle your musical taste buds, we’re not sure what will. Ritual in Repeat is set to drop September 9, on Communion Records. - A-
Spoon - “They Want My Soul”
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Lady Runners fall in soccer exhibition 1-0, men start strong
MSU Denver Freshman Ethan Ramsey (15) avoids a slide tackle from Hastings College defender during a 2-0 win in an exhibition game Aug. 17. Photo by Mackenzie Masson •mmasson@msudenver.edu
By Mackenzie Masson mmasson@msudenver.edu The men’s soccer team started their season strong in an exhibition game Aug. 17 against Hastings College (Nebraska). The men defeated the Broncos 2-0 with goals by sophomore midfielder Dustin Berg and junior forward Danny Arrbula. The Runners had a young team in the 2013-2014 season with 14 underclassmen and only three
juniors and five seniors. 12 players from last year returning for the 2014-2015 season. Scoring their first goal only 30 minutes into the first half, the Roadrunners stayed focused throughout the duration of the game despite two interruptions due to lightning strikes, which immediately halted the game and required the players to clear the field for a minimum of 30 minutes per delay. The kick-off was delayed by an hour, and the second lightning strike caused a 40-minute delay
just before the second half. Berg had a total of three shots on goal and scored the Roadrunners’ first goal against Hastings, followed by the second goal scored by Arrubla. “It’s always good to score goals, especially early on in the season, get your confidence going,” Berg said. “But you know, the only thing that I care about is winning, so if that means that I have to score a lot of goals to help us do that then I’ll do that.” The men played well in the
exhibition and were able to seal the win, but said they don’t underestimate the amount of work that lies before them in order to succeed in the regular season. “When you play your first game you’re going to get one of two things: You’re going to get either some nervous jitters or a team that wants to play a hundred miles an hour,” head coach Ken Parsons said. “I thought we had both of those in stretches. I don’t think we put our stamp on the game very much, so I would say probably exhibit a little more patience at times and just settle the game down.” The win left the Roadrunners feeling determined and focused on their ultimate goal— to win the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament and make it to the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament. ”I hope I can help contribute to a lot of our goals going forward for us, and I think that will end up helping us also as a team we go forward,” Berg said. “I hope we win the RMAC tournament and I hope we get to go to the NCAA tournament, that’s my ultimate goal.” The women’s team also competed earlier in the afternoon in an exhibition against the U.S. Air Force Academy. The Lady Runners were defeated by the Falcons with a final score of 1-0. Junior goalkeeper Sam McCurley had four saves, followed by freshmen goalkeeper Raeanna
Rosales with three. The offense was led by junior midfielder and forward McKinzie Rieber, who had two shots on goal. Metro played hard and with heart despite the defeat. The exhibition exposed where the team still needs work and has room to improve before the regular season. “We’ve come off four days of two-a-days, so there’s definitely some lethargic legs,” said senior midfielder Abby Rolph. “But we could get a little more combination play up top because we have the ability to do that and just keeping the ball a bit more, not being so frantic on the ball and just be composed.” Despite falling to the Falcons, Rolph has no doubt in the women’s potential and sees promising talent in the team. “The talent on this team is unlike any that I’ve seen in my four years here, we have so much talent to work from. (I) saw some really good stuff and also stuff we need to work on. It’s the first game so (we) can only go up from here,” Rolph said. The Roadrunner’s next exhibition games will be Aug. 22 against Laramie County Community College. Metro will compete at The Regency Athletic Complex. This is the first home soccer game Metro will host at the newly constructed $12 million facility. The men will play at 4 p.m. followed by the women at 6 p.m.
“King Arthur” takes down longstanding home run record By Mario Sanelli msanelli@msudenver.edu Our No. 8 sports moment in Metro history came May 4, 2013. Senior third baseman/pitcher Jacob Nelson broke the 27-yearold school record for consecutive games with a home run when his streak reached six. Doug Montgomery set the previous school record of five games in 1986. On April 26, 2013, Nelson and the Roadrunners traveled to Adams State University for a fourgame series against the Grizzlies. Nelson was an offensive catalyst over the four games. The left-handed batter began his now historic streak with a two-
run home run followed by a threerun homer during a 7-2 victory in game one. Nelson accounted for five of Metro’s seven runs and finished the game going 3-for-5. The following day, he repeated his performance with another five-RBI game, three of which came from one swing of his pine tar-stained Demarini bat. In the second game of the April 27 doubleheader, Nelson kept his then-modest home run streak alive with a solo shot to right-center field. Game three of the series marked Nelson’s most prolific offensive outburst during his home run record chase. No. 19 put Metro on the board first with a two-run double in the top of the second inning. But two wasn’t enough for “Arty.” Nelson goes by Jacob, his middle name, but the true identity
Jacob Nelson transferred to Metro from the University of New Mexico prior to the 2013 season. Photo courtesy of gometrostate.com
of the Roadrunners’ home run king is Arthur. In his next at-bat following his double, “King Arthur” crushed a grand slam just inside the right field foul pole, finishing the game with six RBIs. The Roadrunners returned home May 4 to open up a fourgame series against the University
of New Mexico-Highlands and conclude the 2013 regular season. Trailing 4-2 in game one of the May 4 doubleheader, Nelson gave Metro the lead with a three-run home run in the bottom of the fift h inning, tying Montgomery’s record at five consecutive games with a home run. Later in the day, Nelson eclipsed the nearly three-decadeold record with a solo home run in his last plate appearance of game two. On May 5, Nelson’s streak ended as he went 0-for-3, but managed to work a walk in his final at-bat of the game. He later scored the tying run off that walk in the bottom of the eighth and Metro added the game winning run the following inning. From April 26 to May 4, the sweet-swinging left y went 14-for22 (.636 BA) with 22 RBIs, 19 of which came from home runs, and
only struck out three times. Metro went 5-1 over the six-game span. Arthur Jacob Nelson finished the 2013 season atop nearly every offensive statistical category for the Roadrunners. A closer look at Nelson’s 2013 season statstics, with team rank in parentheses:
Started 39 of 40 games. .370 batting average (1). 38 runs scored (1). 50 hits (2). 40 RBIs (1). 11 doubles (2). 12 home runs (1), the second-best was five. 97 total bases (1). 26 walks (2). .719 slugging percentage (1). .482 on-base percentage (1). Stay tuned for the No. 7 moment in the next edition, on stands Aug. 28.
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August 21, 2014
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Rowdy brings mystery to the excitement You leave that bird alone
By Scott Corbridge Commentary Sports are an amazing thing. There are so many aspects that allow you to enjoy the full experience. Here at Metro, sporting events really come to life, and there is one person who truly is the embodiment of sports—our mascot, Rowdy. But who is Rowdy? The rambunctious roadrunner is always full of excitement and energy. He brings out the chaotic fan in all of us, yet he always keeps his true identity a secret. I believe that we can find the true origins of this character and figure out just who this “Rowdy” individual is. With in-depth research and the cutting edge technology of the search engines at the Auraria Library, I’ll take you on a journey to discover the truth behind one of the most influential figures at
Metro. All we know about Rowdy up to this point is that he has an affinity for the red and blue and that he has been seen in the athletic complex more than once. For that matter, Rowdy might even be female, not male. That’s what makes the mystery all the more interesting and why that the truth will come out about who Rowdy the Roadrunner is. One thing I do know is that the best time to catch up with Rowdy is during basketball games. Not once have our Roadrunners played and not had Rowdy there to cheer on the team—I’ll use that to my advantage. With the likes of Miles for the Broncos, Rocky with the Nuggets and Dinger with the Rockies, Rowdy is synonymous with Metro. All that’s left to do is talk to the right people and hopefully that’ll lead us in the right direction. What’s so interesting about being a mascot is you can simply be as crazy and charismatic as you want. Sports teams in particular will pick a chararcter that will represent them in a way that the fans can truly connect with. As with the major sports teams in Denver, we can usually expect that the mascot will get the crowd pumped up so they can enjoy the game even more.
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Rowdy is a complex figure that seems to be on top of today’s generation. With both a Facebook and Twitter account, Rowdy is able to connect with the students at Metro—and yet we only seem to find him when he wants to be seen. Rowdy loves to be involved with any event going on at Metro. With an entire year of events, there’s countless possibilities to try and find out who this mascot really is. The only thing left ahead of me is trying to come face to face with the spirit of Metro, and ultimately help lead us to the big revelation.
Rowdy is a complex figure that can be seen all over campus. Photo by Michael Ortiz • mortiz26@ msudenver.edu
By Mario Sanelli Commentary Keep Rowdy’s identity a secret. College mascot anonymity is sacred. There’s plenty of human faces fi lling arenas and stadiums for sporting events, but it’s the mascot at these gatherings that provides an extra dimension to a sports atmosphere and the overall experience of the game. Whether it’s a man or a woman inside the costume, it doesn’t matter. The allure of a mascot’s true identity is the mystique that makes the characters that much more enticing. Revealing the identity of a mascot, whether it’s Rowdy, Miles, Rocky or Dinger completely ruins the anonymity, and the mascot dies. Well, death may be an overstatement, but the mascot’s personality certainly dies.
One night I came across a YouTube video with Clark, the mascot of the Chicago Cubs, strolling around a bar near Wrigley Field. Some guy inside the bar waited for Clark to pass him and then proceeded to lift the mascot’s head off. After being swift ly punched in the face by Clark, it became clear to me that “Clark” was no longer Clark. Instead, it was an older looking gentleman, wearing a blue bandana around his noggin. I’ll never look at Clark the same way again. I can’t, because now every time I see the mascot, I see Clark becoming extremely human in two ways: violently human because of how he reacted in the bar, and just flat out human. As opposed to children, adults know it’s a real person inside the costume. But the anonymity factor quickly sweeps us back into fantasy land, where we view the mascot as just that, a mascot. Take into account another essential aspect of any mascot: the silence. Mascots don’t talk. There’s something intriguing about interacting with a mascot and not hearing a single sound. Quiet those who seek to unveil a mascot’s identity. Mascot anonymity, much like silence, is golden.
Mile High
Events
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Met Sports
8.22: Birch Street with Robby Wicks Band, Tommy Freed and The Sound. Price: $10. Day of Show: $13. Location: The Bluebird Theater Time: 8 p.m. Doors open: 7 p.m.
8.22: Women’s soccer vs. Laramie County Community College (Exhibition). Location: The Regency Athletic Complex. Time: 6 p.m.
Denver Broncos 8.23: vs. Houston Texans Location: Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Time: 7 p.m. Denver Outlaws 8.16: vs. Rochester Rattlers (MLL Championship Game) Location: Fifth Third Bank Stadium. Kennesaw, GA. Time: 5 p.m. Colorado Rapids 8.30: @ Seattle Sounders Location: Century Link Field Time: 2 p.m. 9.5: @ LA Galaxy Location: Stub Hub Center Time: 8:30 p.m. Colorado Rockies 8.22–8.24: vs. Miami Marlins Location: Coors Field Times: 8.22 @ 6:40 p.m. 8.23 @ 6:10 p.m. 8.24 @ 2:10 p.m.
The Metropolitan online
metnews.org
Music
8.22: Men’s soccer vs. Laramie County Community College (Exhibition). Location: The Regency Athletic Complex. Time: 4 p.m.
Pro Sports
f: themetropolitan
Dave Chappelle, above, makes his way to Red Rocks Amphitheatre Aug. 24 for an 8 p.m. show. Photo from gawker.com
Film & Literature 6.6-10.9: Pandas: The Journey Home Location: Denver Museum of Nature & Science Cost: $8 - $10 Time: 11:30 a.m., 3 p.m. & 7 p.m. 6.6-10.9: Island of Lemurs: Madagascar 3D Location: Denver Museum of Nature & Science Cost: $8+ Time: 10:30 a.m. & 5 p.m.
Theater 8.21: Sleightly Impossible Magic and Comedy Show Location: Lumber Baron Inn Mystery Mansion Cost: $10 - $15 Presented By: Sleightly Impossible Time: 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. 8.8-8.23: Packin’ It In Location: Su Teatro Cultural & Performing Arts Center Cost: $15-20 Presented By: The SOURCE Theatre Company Time: Thurs.-Sat. 7:30 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m.
Trending News “Protests growing in Ferguson, Missouri. Officials say protests have been hijacked by ‘criminals.’” (CNN) “Ohio State University quarterback Braxton Miller ruled out for the season after re-injuring throwing shoulder in practice.” (ESPN) “Denver Broncos running back Montee Ball returns to individual drills at non-contact practice just two weeks after appendectomy.” (BleacherReport)
8.22: 1964: The Tribute — Beatles 50th Anniversary at Red Rocks. Price: $32 Location: Red Rocks Amphitheatre Time: 8 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. 8.23: William Topley with Taylor Mesple. Price: $32. Day of Show: $35 Location: The Bluebird Theater Time: 9 p.m. Doors open: 8 p.m.
8.24: Dave Chappelle Price: $70 Location: Red Rocks Amphitheatre Time: 8 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. 8.25: MC Frontalot, with Dr. Awkward, Corn Mo and Hobbes. Price: $8 to $12. Location: Larimer Lounge Time: 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. 8.26: DIGITOUR 2014: Jack & Jack, with special guests Jake Foushee, Sammy Wilk, Kenny Holland and Cody Johns. Price: $25.75. Door price: $30. Location: Gothic Theatre Time: 6:30 p.m. Doors Open: 5:30 p.m.
Auraria Events 8.21: Auditions for “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.” Location: Eugenia Rawls Courtyard Theatre, King Center Time: 4 p.m.
8.27: BYN: Sensory Experience: A Day in the Life Of... Location: Tivoli Multicultural Lounge Time: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Event Type: Diversity/ Inclusivity
Open Air’s Top Five Songs 1. The Voyager, Jenny Lewis 2. Lazaretto, Jack White 3. Built on Glass, Chet Faker 4. They Want My Soul, Spoon 5. Turn Blue, The Black Keys List courtesy of cpr.org/openair
Seven-Day Forecast
“45 production lots of peanut and almond butters recalled from Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s Safeway and King Soopers for a possible salmonella risk.” (The Denver Post)
8.21: Cloudy 86º/61º
8.25: T-Storms 85º/58º
8.22: T-Storms 83º/59º
8.26: T-Storms 83º/56º
@themetonline
“First floor tours of Elvis Presley’s Graceland estate now open to public.” (USA Today)
8.23: T-Storms 85º/56º
8.27: Partly Cloudy 82º/56º
metnews.org
“Samsung to pay $2.3M to settle False Claims charges.” (The Washington Post) Stories streaming at time of print (8/19 - 8 p.m.)
/TheMetropolitan
8.24: T-Storms 77º/56º
Source: www.weather.com
Met
Break
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August 21, 2014
@themetonline
Horoscopes
Riddles
B: What question can you never answer? C: What goes up when the rain comes down?
Answers:A: The Wind. B: What it’s like to be dead. C: An umbrella. D: Alphabet. E: Add a “g” to make it “gone” or an “n” to make it “none.” F: A promise. G: Source: riddles.com
Don’t worry, you’re not the only one who coughed up a ton of textbook money only to use them once the whole semester. You can always sell it back for a quarter of the price.
Pisces
Those aviators won’t deter the fact that you’re wearing socks with Velcro sandals.
Leo
July 23 -August 22 Classes started this week so you better get there before you miss the most important part of class — the syllabus.
Virgo
August 23 -September 22 Virgo (distant noise of uncontrollable swearing).
Aries
March 21 -April 19 Fantasy football is back in full swing and you’ll soon pay more attention to your starting line-up than your homework.
Taurus
April 20 -May 20 You’ll binge watch Robin Williams movies all night and realize how awesome your childhood actually was.
Gemini
May 21 -June 20
Sudoku
You realize how awesome it would be to have Weird Al perform at the Super Bowl. But then you realize it’s kind of tacky.
Aquarius
E: How do you make “one” disappear? F: What is it that you ought to keep after you have given it to someone else?
June 21 -July 22
January 20 -February 18
February 19 -March 20
D: What word contains all of the twenty six letters?
Cancer
December 22 -January 19 It’s the fi rst day of school and you arrive 20 minutes early only to be 15 minutes late because there’s absolutely no parking. Everyone else had the same idea.
Why pour a bucket of ice cold water on yourself when you can dump ten grand instead? Winning.
Libra
Across: 1. Mgr.’s helpers 6. Woofer output 10. Cereal choice 14. Fuel for a debate 15. Brand for Bowser 16. Child’s building block 17. Beth follows it
“Would you look at that line? It’s made up of nothing but bro’s and tank tops.” “I’d get my student ID, but I have a life to live outside of waiting in that line.” “If you’re white and have dreadlocks, there’s a 95 percent chance I hate you.” “This is some real Gary Massaro shit right here.”
September 23 -October 22 Date Virgos. Only Virgos. Only one Virgo. The one writing this horoscope.
Scorpio
October 23 -November 21 Stupid ring. Stupid quest. Stupid fellowship.
Sagittarius
November 22 -December 21 It is never not the right time to buy a longbow, Hawkeye.
Difficulty: EASY
Difficulty: Medium
metnews.org
Overheard on campus
Capricorn
A: I’m as big as an elephant, but lighter than a feather. What am I?
f: themetropolitan
18. Great thing in China 19. Came down 20. Pseudonymous surname 21. Favorite libation of grandmothers? 24. Chicago political name 26. Sent a message the old-fashioned way 27. Nicknaming sportscaster Chris
“It says I don’t have permission to get into my email now. I’m gonna lose it.” “They’re just talking about whatever, so...” “You gotta burn some to earn some. The rhymes are to help you understand.” Hear something that makes you laugh? Shake your head? Roll your eyes or say WTF? Tweet it to @themetonline with the hashtag #overheardoncampus
29. Column in math 30. Light ___ 31. Cursory inspection 36. Kindergarten breaks 37. After the deadline 39. Morally reprehensible 40. They might cause unglamorous hands 42. Gave up, as land 43. “The Farmer in the Dell” syllables 44. Odalisques’ places 45. Word with high, low or user 49. Turn a deaf ___ (ignore) 50. Maps to places one might hear “Bolero”? 52. Word found on a dipstick 55. “I’ll take ___ a compliment” 56. “. . . unto us ___ is given” (Isaiah) 57. How some shares are purchased 59. Highlander 60. Long, narrow shoe size 61. Smelling a rat 62. Designer Schiaparelli 63. Historical periods 64. Bridge seats
Down: 1. Not much 2. Fledgling pilot’s challenge 3. Fast numbers by Will Smith? 4. Word to the wise
5. Rhodes, for one 6. Off-color 7. “There oughta be ___!” 8. Hair problem 9. Good financial condition 10. World-weary 11. Kick back 12. Quick and graceful 13. Worthy of attention 22. “The Billion Dollar Brain” novelist Deighton 23. “Anything ___?” 25. Pennsylvania Dutch 27. Boston or Chicago, e.g. 28. Morales of “My Family” 29. Common sculpture subject 32. Hard to miss 33. Primates seen on home movie rentals? 34. Before middle sch. 35. Cincinnati’s “boys of summer” 37. Type of pregame party 38. Busch partner 41. Celebrity groundhog 42. Dealer’s deal 44. Own, in Dundee 45. Word with purchase or asking 46. Honey badger 47. Squashed O’s 48. Roman holiday 49. Best, Ferber and Millay 51. Macbeth’s burial place 53. Blowgun weapon 54. Prohibitionists
58. It gets into hot water Source: OnlineCrosswords.net
Answers: