Vol. 105 Issue s 91
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Tuesday, January 13, 2015
MAKING THE CUT
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The Pen is mightier Local satirists’ take on Charlie Hebdo Elizabeth Lepro For The Pitt News
Humor can often be the best avenue to truth, according to local satire writers and experts. Following Wednesday’s terror attack on the Paris-based satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, French and global citizens have responded to the tragic massacre by adopting the slogan “Je Suis Charlie,” or “I Am Charlie,” as a sign of public solidarity. In the aftermath, Pittsburgh’s own satirists have reflected on the value and potential consequences of poking fun in the name of justice. The Pittiful News, which exists as a “nice, crisp newspaper,” says Editor-in-Chief Steven Boyd, is threeyears-old and publishes satirical news articles similar to The Onion and Charlie Hebdo. Boyd has expressed remorse for the victims of the attack, saying, “the Charlie Hebdo shootings demonstrate the risk that comes along with picking battles through print speech.” Paris-born jihadists, now being identified as brothers, killed 12 employees in the office of Charlie Hebdo on Jan. 7 as a way of avenging the defilement of Islam, according to the Associated Press. The satirical weekly had previously featured Steven Kromka, a staff member at Pitt, works on building a struccartoons about Muslim extremists ture for a performance of “The Dog in the Manger” that will open and Islam. in February at Charity Randall Theatre. Nicole Gye | Staff Photographer
Cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo were well-known in France for printing edgy cartoons that humanized the prophet Muhammad, including changing the paper’s name in one issue to Charia Hebdo as a play on the Islamic Sharia law. The Pittiful News, Boyd said, is careful to be respectful of subjects in its satire. “When big-time production writers choose to attack terrorist groups, there is a massive risk,” Boyd said. “We have always amended our practices when issues arise in order to be respectful to the community.” Despite editors’ precautions, the genre will always offend someone, says Mark Kemp, an English academic adviser who has taught satire courses. “People don’t get the point sometimes. That’s irony,” Kemp said. The Pittiful News has touched on serious issues, such as religion on college campuses. With headlines like “Fox News to Offer Degree in Islamophobia,” the paper highlights, rather than perpetuates, the absurdities of racism — a mission well-handled with humor, Boyd said. “In my mind, satire intends to make society confront its values regardless of how sacred they are. In a way, satire is almost like science — everything must be questioned,” Boyd said.
What some W may find provocative, however, others may
find insulting. French officials had previously warned writers at Charlie Hebdo that their digs against Islam were provocative, the AP reported. In 2012, editors printed nude depictions of the Prophet Muhammad, prompting riot police to guard the office. Prime Minister Manuel Valls stated late last year that France was facing “an unprecedented threat” in the face of a rising number of Muslim extremists in France. Writers and cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo, nevertheless, amped up their Islam-related cartoons, and some writers received police protection because of threats. So, is it more the goal of presentday satire to make a stir rather than to question norms? “To be honest, to know that your writing has upset somebody can be very troubling,” Boyd said. “It runs so counter to the mission you have established to give someone something they’ll enjoy.” Regardless of the ethics of controversial satire, the tragedy in France has opened global debate on free speech. American and French citizens have publicly demonstrated their support of satirical press and entertainment recently. Satire is “absolutely essential to any culture,” Kemp said.
Hebdo
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HEBDO “It has always been around and has always been a component of a fair and civil society,” he said. For Hannah Lynn, senior editor and writer for The Pittiful News, this incident isn’t a matter of amendment rights. “A lot of people are angrily calling it a violation of free speech, which it’s not. People tend to jump on the free speech bandwagon without considering what they’re defending,” Lynn said. “Charlie Hebdo had very Islamophobic and racist cartoons.” Lynn pointed to the recent film “The Interview,” starring Seth Rogen and James Franco, as a potentially offensive piece of satire. “The film isn’t a groundbreaking piece of art,” she said. “Maybe it’s satire to make fun of the most brutal dictatorship, but also maybe not,” Lynn said. Pittiful News writer Ben Wahlberg agreed that the staff must take care to not offend. “There’s an important line between being satirical and being offensive. Making jokes at people’s expense is for tabloids,” Wahlberg said.
January 13, 2015| The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com There are fundamental differences between the value of free speech in the United States, versus other nations, according to Michael West, an English professor with a background in satire. “France is not the USA. France is not an Islamic society. How far the French value free speech remains to be seen. It’s certainly a cardinal American value enshrined in our Constitution,” West said. The United States holds freedom of speech to a slightly different standard than France. While the European Convention on Human Rights protects citizens’ freedom of expression, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights outlaws “any advocacy of national, racial, or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility, or violence.” Cartoons, flagrant or not, don’t condone the tragic recent events in Paris, Kemp said. Cartoonists and writers can use media to “reproduce the kind of hate speech they abhor,” he said, and the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists went too far. It’s also unfortunate for the Muslim community in Paris, he added, which will now become the target of unwarranted backlash on behalf of the extremists. Local professional cartoonists have also
identified with their overseas counterparts. Rob Rogers, whose popular cartoons in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette have depicted such issues as pedophilia in the Catholic Church, has incited controversy through his work. Last Friday, Rogers printed a cartoon depicting a jihadist, fully armed and standing amid blood and Charlie Hebdo publications, admitting he has never actually read the Quran. “Even before the Charlie Hebdo attacks, I was thinking about the idea of radical Islam and thinking, ‘there’s got to be a way I can talk about the Quran, and the fact that there’s nothing in there that says this is OK,’” Rogers said. A letter to the editor in Saturday’s Post-Gazette fired back at Rogers for defending Muslims, arguing that he wouldn’t do the same for a Christian. Although Rogers receives substantial response from his cartoons, including vague anonymous threats, he has never feared for his life. “It’s my job to push the boundaries,” Rogers said. “Even though I wasn’t doing the exact same kind of political cartoons as Charlie Hebdo, you can support free speech without engaging in the same kind of speech.” Religion is a hot-button topic among po-
litical satirists, and responses to it can vary depending on the demographics of the area in which it’s published. France’s Muslim community has grown in number and so has the number of French citizens being recruited to Jihadism. “In a free society with no established religion, all religions and atheism should be free to publish satiric criticism of each other,” West said. The most common answer from satire experts and writers when asked about the importance of satire is simply that it must exist. In an analogy that describes those in power as a human and those who publish newspapers as dogs, Rogers described the cartoonist as “the teeth that clamp down on the leg.” He added that cartoons offer even the illiterate a chance at fighting injustice, due to the “power of an image.” In the face of international controversy, The Pittiful News staff remains hopeful about the importance of satire and doesn’t foresee an end to the genre. “People are really defensive about satire right now, but they don’t need to be. It should always exist, and it always will, and no one is saying otherwise,” Lynn said.
January 13, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
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OPINIONS
EDITORIAL
For-profit prison infirmaries require reform Clarence Jewett Jr.’s death in the Allegheny County Jail last December marked the seventh inmate death of 2014 at the county jail. The circumstances surrounding his death are still unclear. Jewett was taken into custody on the charge of “disorderly conduct” because of his profane language. However, a series of court cases in 2009 ruled that obscene language was comprised of sexual content, not profanity. Therefore, generally, the city of Pittsburgh is not supposed to arrest citizens for using profanity. Should Jewett have been arrested, then, especially considering that he had schizophrenia? Why was he in jail and not at a medical center? Or, why was the medical treatment he received so inadequate? Jewitt had a “perforated bowel” that infection may have caused, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Such gastrointestinal perforations are considered a medical emergency, but surgeries to correct it have a high success rate. Corizon Health, a private for-profit company, has recently contracted the Allegheny
COLUMNS
County Jail. Since Corizon took over the infirmary in September 2013, the jail has seen mortality rates two times higher than the norm. To integrate perspective, in 2011, 81 percent of jails reported 0 deaths, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Amie Downs, director of Allegheny County’s Communications Division, told The Pitt News that the Allegheny County Jail has created “additional monitoring positions,” which are “currently being filled,” in an effort to improve medical conditions for inmates. Still, Jewett’s death echoes a larger trend of privatization, in which proper health care isn’t a human right but an uncommon occurrence. The heart of this privatization is a “prison culture.” Since 1998, when there were only five private prisons in the country, corporate buy-outs of government-owned facilities have become the norm. In 2008, 100 private prisons were recorded. In addition, the U.S. is responsible for roughly 25 percent of all the world’s inmates, although our country only contains about five percent of the world’s population, ac-
cording to ProPublica. To put this statistic into perspective, there are about 762 prisoners per 100,000 citizens in the U.S. In the U.K., there are only 152 per 100,000. This doesn’t add up, especially considering that crime rates have lowered while incarceration rates have risen. Why so many prisoners? It’s all about profit. There is an incentive to keep individuals behind bars, and it’s attached to a dollar sign. Profits attached to private prisons rose 500 percent in the last 20 years, according to Mother Jones, a nonprofit investigative journalism organization. The Corrections Corporation of America, the largest private prison owner in America, receives a large sum of these profits. In 2011, this corporation garnered about $1.7 billion total revenue from 48 states. This sum is accomplished by keeping a high occupancy and, thus, obtaining a large “work force.” Prisoners produce 100 percent of all military helmets, ID tags, canteens and bullet-proof vests. In addition, since most facilities have policies mandating that their
occupancy be at least 90 percent full, there is often an overcrowding problem. This leads us back to the question of health standards in private infirmaries. The East Mississippi Correctional Facility is an extreme example of impoverished inmates. A report by Terry A. Kupers notes that there was one psychiatrist for more than 844 patients requiring medication. The American Psychiatric Association suggests no more than 150 patients per doctor. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Greater Pittsburgh Chapter, in regard to the Allegheny County Jail, has called for some form of sufficient monitoring of the impound to make sure that inmates are treated fairly and the conditions are acceptable. Under the ACLU’s plan, understaffing is merit for fining Corizon. In addition, a “high-level, independent monitor” should periodically report any findings in the medical center. Luckily, it seems the jail has been responding proactively. If Allegheny County takes the proper steps, it could be a break in the cycle of corporate cruelty.
Rise of the androids
Don’t let artificial intelligence technology outsmart you Courtney Linder Assistant Opinions Editor I’ve never really loved smartphones. I’m immersed in a millennial lifestyle at the university level, however, where constant connectivity is an unspoken requirement. I’m expected to check my email 10 times a day and be available to professors, employers and peers at any given moment. The only positive about adopting my Android phone was the SwiftKey keyboard app, which allowed me to barely think as I texted. But, then again — it allowed me to barely think as I texted. SwiftKey’s suggestions were always poignant, almost always correct. It was as if the
app could read my mind and know what I wanted to say next. In essence, it freaked me out. What most users of the popular app don’t realize is that a basic prototype for artificial intelligence is at work behind the scenes of SwiftKey. In the last 20 years, we’ve gone from payphones to handheld devices that can read your mind. Artificial intelligence is fearfully growing at an exponential rate, and, although we should embrace advances in AI, we must be wary of possible and probable negative ramifications. In the short run, AI technology eliminates handfuls of jobs that humans previously completed. Who needs to hire Jane
Doe to do your taxes if we have an intelligent algorithm to do it for us? AI could eradicate the necessity for human work in several fields, namely engineering, law and other areas where algorithms can sift through information more quickly than a human. Some of these algorithms artificially “learn” with time. So, no careers are completely safe, not even the cognitively advanced. Equally troubling, AI increases the likelihood for cyber crime. Criminals who have AI technology at their disposal can use it to commit fraud quite easily. Impersonating a human to gain vital credit card info, social security and more has never been so simple. AI technology does make life easier, though — SwiftKey, created by the Lon-
don-based company TouchType, can make texting up to 50 percent quicker. It predicts most words accurately without even typing a single letter — the keyboard predicts what word you want to insert after the previous one. In some scenarios, though, it takes a whopping 1-2 letters for the app to read your mind. SwiftKey is just a needle in the haystack. In an interview with the BBC last month, Stephen Hawking, a noteworthy English theoretical physicist, discussed the artificial intelligence technology he uses to speak and write. Hawking suffers from an advanced stage of amyotrophic lateral
Linder
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January 13, 2015| The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
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LINDER sclerosis, which has left him crippled and unable to speak. He recently upgraded to a new communication platform called ACAT — Assistive Context Aware Toolkit, after he became too weak to operate his old machinery by hand. A small, black box rests under Hawking’s wheelchair. This container holds a USB hardware key that receives input from an infrared sensor focused on his
eyeglasses. The beam detects changes in light when Hawking moves his cheek. The infrared beam sends input to a hardware voice synthesizer, which creates an artificial voice for Hawking. With the twitch of a single facial muscle, AI technology gives Hawking another chance at speech. Despite successes in the technology he uses to help him communicate, Hawking expresses concern about the future of artificial intelligence. According to Hawking, “the development of full artificial intelligence could spell
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the end of the human race.” At a certain point, the technology may become too intelligent for our own good. The processes of biological evolution slow human progress over time, but androids don’t have this problem. AI technology could supersede human intelligence quite easily. Once a piece of AI technology takes off, it could have the ability to recreate and redesign itself without a human. The 2014 film “Transcendence,” starring Johnny Depp, reflects this idea. In the film, Depp, a celebrated scientist, uploads
his consciousness to an artificial intelligence system prior to his death. The computer created an android version of Depp. Over time, the system required more and more space to expand, however, eventually becoming manipulative and trying to kill anyone in the way of its expansion. “Transcendence” both intrigued and terrified me. I am fearful that, at a certain point, technology will muster its own form of consciousness. This consciousness would be ever-developing, to the point that it would learn more quickly than its inventors. Read the rest online at Pittnews.com.
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January 13, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
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ARTS and ENTERTAINMENT CINEMA
ʻINHERENT
VICEʼ AN
ENGROSSING FEVER DREAM
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Dylan Gaper Staff Writer There are some writers of fiction whose work has never — and most likely will never — grace the silver screen because their plot lacks the coherent dramatic structure that a good film needs. Thomas Pynchon, considered by many to be the most influential practitioner of postmodern literature and one of America’s most important 20th-century writers, was one of those writers. That is, before director Paul Thomas Anderson was bold enough to adapt Pynchon’s 2009 book “Inherent Vice,” a novel that, although considered light Pynchon, still has enough outlandish postmodernist structural elements, complex themes and weighty ideas to keep any director’s head spinning. If anyone in Hollywood can climb that mountain, the five-time Oscar nominee
would be as good a bet as any. Throughout made in movie heaven. Thankfully, Anderson his successful career, Anderson has dem- doesn’t disappoint, transmuting the Pynonstrated an uncanny knack for viscerally chon tale into an intoxicating and, often, thrilling filmmakuproarious stroll ing that also dethrough the tail “Inherent Vice” serves praise for its end of the 1960s. depth of focus and Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson It follows private complexity. Much detective Doc Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Josh like how Pynchon’s Sportello ( Joasuccess lies in comquin Phoenix), a Brolin, Owen Wilson bining his wit and stoner struggling, Rated R for drug use throughout, in vain, to retain unparalleled way with words with an as much of the sexual content, graphic nudity, engrossing, if not psychedelic ’60s language and some violence highly maddening, as he can before plot, Anderson, too, Manson Family Grade: A wows audiences mania and Nixon with his technical politics thrust virtuosity and decidedly original tales. America into a new, more paranoid age. It would seem, then, that Anderson The film opens as Doc receives a visit adapting a Pynchon novel would be a match from old fling and mesmerizing beauty Shas-
ta Fay Hepworth (Katherine Waterston). If dope fails to get the job done, her intent stare teamed with the soft, melodic rhythm of her voice is enough to throw any man into a hypnotic trance. She asks Doc for help untangling her mess with new love interest and hotshot real estate mogul Mickey Wolfmann (Eric Roberts). Wolfmann’s wife, who has another lover of her own, is threatening to throw him in the loony bin. Before Doc can even ask questions, he gets clubbed over the head, passes out and awakens to the news that both Shasta and Mickey have gone missing. He’s a suspect in the murder of the man he found lying next to him when he woke up, Wolfmann’s body guard Glenn Charlock. Hippie-hating detective and aspiring actor Christian “Bigfoot” Bjornsen (Josh Brolin) questions Doc, and Bjornsen’s aggression
Vice
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January 13, 2015| The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
COLUMN
The name’s May, Aunt May
Have the studios taken superhero universe-building a bit too far? Since their launch to prominence in America during World War II and their cultural takeover from the 1960s onward, superheroes have always represented the best of intentions — whether that’s escapism, entertainment or perpetuating good old American values of bravery and heroism. Superheroes are symbols of American ideology — take Captain America, for example, who famously debuted in 1941 by landing a punch on Hitler’s face. They’ve even offered their own two cents for cultural progression — in 2012, the Marvel hero Northstar became the first openly gay character to propose to his boyfriend in “Astonishing X-Men” No. 50 at a time when gay marriage was first gaining national momentum. Superheroes have tackled everything
from homosexuality to drugs, but you’ll never see them question themselves. In the modern age, it seems that heroes’ transition from paper to film is a survival tactic — there are simply too many other ways to entertain oneself today, compared to the 1950s. But superheroes refuse to fall out of relevancy, and, in doing so, their film adaptations become hollow icons of consumption. This isn’t their fault, obviously — there’s just too much money to be made from a violent and dark summer blockbuster. Remember when the first “SpiderMan” graced our theaters in 2002 and, more importantly, how it didn’t suck? It currently retains an 89 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, but its importance cannot be measured quantitatively. The “SpiderMan” franchise was the first great modern superhero trilogy that included an even better sequel and a decent third film.
It also opened the gateway for the flood of trash that we’re currently wading through. Recently, Marvel and DC Comics released their planned film schedules through the year 2020, which includes sequels and threequels to movies that haven’t even been released yet, such as “Ant-Man” and “Justice League.” Amazingly, a “Fantastic Four” reboot is already set for May 2015, as well as its own sequel in 2017. The move follows the throw-a-handful-and-see-whatsticks approach
The Pitt News Crossword, 1/13/2015
Jack Trainor Staff Writer
ACROSS 1 Tie with a cord 5 Acute anxiety 10 Miss from Madrid: Abbr. 14 Texter’s “That being said ...” 15 Get on the phone, say 16 Lustful look 17 *Miracle Mets center fielder 19 ‘‘If all __ fails ...’’ 20 Weed whacker 21 Friskies eater 22 “Your choice” 24 Skip over in pronunciation 26 *Creator of Daffy and Bugs 28 Nevada gambling city 29 __ for the course 31 Variety show 32 Dressing component 36 Nav. rank 37 *“Songs About Me” country singer 39 Dashboard meas. 41 Unsettled detail 42 Island near Venezuela 44 Mexican mama bear 45 Official records 49 *He voiced Buzz Lightyear in “Toy Story” 52 European toast 53 Come by 54 Fraternal club member 56 CCV x X 57 Roughly 58 *Three-time Super Bowlwinning Cowboys quarterback 61 Dumbfound 62 Wished (for) 63 Odometer unit 64 Pajama parts 65 Line in a ledger 66 Fret DOWN 1 Pester 2 Peter of “Goodbye, Mr. Chips” (1969)
that Marvel Studios took with the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo is the latest of three actors to play the character since 2003). This shotgun method also applies to actors. Only in the increasingly cheap market of superhero movies can the same actor play different heroes, usually as a result of a poor box office turnout the first time around. Some actors, such as Chris Evans, play different characters in the same universe (the Human Torch and Captain America), whereas others have appeared in both Marvel and DC
May
By Tom Uttormark and C.C. Burnikel
3 Chinese noodle dish 4 Unit of resistance 5 Bay __: Oakland’s locale 6 Tidy 7 Joke 8 Bad thing to make in public 9 Bad thing to get at work 10 Record protector 11 Takes over for 12 Trial in simulated conditions 13 “You __ My Sunshine” 18 Skating surface 23 Large game fish 25 Way in 26 High-level betrayal 27 “You betcha!” 29 __ de gallo: salsa fresca 30 Chevy hatchback 33 [I don’t remember the words] 34 Laudatory poems 35 Swedish furniture giant 37 Good sign from Ebert 38 Fargo’s state: Abbr.
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Monday’s Puzzle Solved
©2015 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
39 Yoga class rental 40 Before 43 They’re waved by conductors 46 Say “I do,” say 47 Husk-wrapped Mexican dish, and when divided in three parts, a hint to the answers to starred clues
1/13/15
48 Never seen before 50 Supple 51 Scandalplagued energy giant 52 Enjoy the slopes 54 Watcher 55 Title for Godiva 57 East, to Ernst 59 Make a choice 60 Metric distances: Abbr.
January 13, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com FROM PAGE 6
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MAY
VICE
movies (Ryan Reynolds, who has portrayed Deadpool and Green Lantern). Notice the trend? The first “Fantastic Four” movie, released in 2005, was awful — so was “Green Lantern” (2011). And, both of its stars have returned just a few years later to try their hands at different characters in hopes of monopolizing them, the way Hugh Jackman has done with Wolverine or Patrick Stewart with Professor Xavier. We can only hope that they don’t return for a third attempt if their latest movies tank, simply because of how distracting it would be to have the same face on three different characters. They’d be doomed from the start. If you really want to get a sense of how desperate the film industry is to exploit superhero franchises, look no further than rumors of a new “Spider-Man” movie — about Peter Parker’s elderly Aunt May. The Latino Review reported that Sony, who refuses to relinquish the rights to SpiderMan, is rumored to make a movie exploring Spider-Man’s elderly aunt’s life before she raised Peter Parker. It would include “some sort of espionage story in the vein of AMC’s ‘Mad Men,’” according to the Latino Review. This story also comes in the wake of the announcement that, in 2016’s “Suicide Squad,” Jared Leto will become the first actor to play the Joker since Heath Ledger’s legendary performance in “The Dark Knight.” As in the comics industry, no character stays dead for long when there’s money to be made. The same will tragically apply to Wolverine and Professor X, who the studios will inevitably reincarnate after the actors who have defined them for decades decline to return. But this is inevitable — superhero films deal with real human portrayals that, unlike their inked counterparts, age. It’s the rapid turn-around, the approach to replace these actors or find the next actor-character monopoly so soon after the last one, that’s cheapening superheroes’ brand — some retroactively, such as “Spider-Man,” whose only defense going forward seems to be silence for a while. But if the likes of Ledger’s Joker are so easily replaced and Sony can approve an Aunt May movie without pause, expecting a break is only wishful thinking.
evolves from simple bigotry to a repressed melancholy, indicating that there is more to the man under the flat-top. But, in true Pynchon fashion, no storyline is held onto for too long. Shortly after, former heroin addict Hope Harlingen (Jena Malone) asks Doc to help track down her husband, saxophonist Coy (Owen Wilson), whom she believes to be alive. A mysterious outfit called the Golden
Fang appears to be the great unifier. Much like the muted post-horn in Pynchon’s “The Crying of Lot 49,” the Golden Fang is a variable symbol, which can be anything from a boat, to a high-rise shaped like a tooth, to a front for a heroin cartel. But, figuring out which exactly is useless — it could be all of these at once, or none. The same can be said for a number of characters throughout the film, as everyone from Doc to Coy repeatedly dons different hats. No one is who they seem, and Anderson gives us good reason to doubt both the
7 narrator, Sortilege (Joanna Newsom), and the very images placed in front of our eyes. Like the smoke from Doc’s joint, characters and motivations form and then dissipate in an instant, and answers, once found, only lead to more questions. Doc is about as hardboiled as a kitten, and the film resembles less a 1950s film noir than it does a doper’s fever dream. And, although some plot lines seem to resolve at the end, nothing much really changes. Still, by the film’s end, you can’t help but feel transformed by the experience.
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January 13, 2015| The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
SPORTS
Rookie of the year?
Brandon Duerr and Alex Fischbein debate the pros and cons of Pitt alumnus Aaron Donald winning it big
Former Pitt defensive tackle Aaron Donald entered the 2014 NFL Draft to a litany of questions about whether his 6-foot-1-inch, 285-pound frame could make the adjustment from college to the NFL. The skepticism soon vanished as Donald thrived for the St. Louis Rams, compiling nine sacks and earning a trip to the Pro Bowl as a rookie. Now, one question remains about Donald: should the NFL name him 2014 Defensive Rookie of the Year? Brandon Duerr and Alex Fischbein discuss heading into the announcement coming on Jan. 31:
Pro Alex Fischbein Staff Writer If a rookie is one of the top players at his position, across all ages, he should definitely be a favorite for one of the Rookie of the Year awards. Donald was one of the best defensive tackles in the league this season, and he’s shown his deservance of the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Selected 13th overall by the St. Louis Rams in the draft last May, Donald had 47 combined tackles, nine sacks and two forced fumbles this season. Meanwhile, perennial All-Pros Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy had 53 and 35 combined tackles, respectively, and both posted 8.5 sacks. Donald is close to Suh in combined tackles and has more sacks and forced fumbles than the two stars, too. Donald matched and exceeded some of the best in the game while only playing 67.5 percent of the snaps on defense — almost 14 percent less than Suh did for the Detroit Lions. If a debate about a defensive player arises, one of the biggest factors is the “game-changing” ability. Donald made gamechanging plays by plugging up the middle of the line and getting into the backfield, blowing up plays before they could even develop. The main competition against Donald is Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley, a first-round
pick out of Alabama. While Mosley had quite a season, there are still players with more outstanding production than his. Donald still had more sacks than Mosley and one less forced turnover. Mosley averaged just one sack per 355 snaps, while Donald was getting a sack for roughly every 79 snaps — even more impressive when compared to Suh’s total of one sack every 100 snaps. The biggest plus for Aaron Donald is that he not only played well, but he also played efficiently. He made sure to use the playing time — a lot or a little. During his last season at Pitt, Donald racked up 11 sacks against the easier competition in the ACC. He was also only two sacks short of that mark while facing much tougher competition in the NFL. Facing off against bigger offensive lines is always a challenge for any rookie defensive lineman, but the undersized Donald didn’t deviate f rom his college production. The only difference between the numbers he produced at Pitt and the numbers he produced this season with the Rams were the snaps. And, after the rookie campaign he just put up, that playing time will
Con Brandon Duerr Staff Writer Aaron Donald has broken into the NFL scene as not only one of the best rookies in the game, but also as one of the best overall defenders in the league
Chris Lee | St. Louis Post Dispatch | TNS
with an impressive combination of pass-rushing ability and a keen nose for sniffing out the run game. While Donald has boasted Pro Bowl numbers throughout his rookie season in the NFL, there are a few players who actually have a better case to hoist the trophy for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. The first is Oakland
Raiders linebacker Khalil Mack. The 6-foot-3, 252-pound Mack has been a defensive stud for the underachieving Raiders team this year. Selected fifth overall out of Buffalo, Mack had 75 combined tackles — 59 of them solo — to supplement four total sacks and a forced fumble. The knock on Mack comes with his team’s record, as Oakland was 3-13 on the season. The Raiders are a relatively young team lacking veteran leadership. The Ravens asked Mack to contribute heavily to the squad’s rebuilding, all while transitioning from college to the NFL like any first-year player. Compared to Donald, Mack anchored a defense that led the league in negative rushes allowed at 69. Mack had 27 tackles for a loss or no gain, which not only led all rookies but also was sixth in the league among defenders overall, behind names such as J.J. Watt and Justin Houston. The second player, the one who I believe should win the award, is Ravens inside linebacker C.J. Mosley. He has burst onto the scene as one of the most complete linebackers in football
and is doing so playing six of his first 16 career games against the rugged competition of the AFC North. Mosley has played the most defensive snaps among rookie linebackers and also leads all rookies in tackles with 117, which was good for seventh in the entire league. Mosley has more tackles, interceptions, defended passes and disrupted more total dropbacks than both Donald and Mack. The young linebacker has also thrived in the clutch for the Ravens this season, making key plays and causing havoc in both the running and passing games. Mosley, unlike Donald or Mack, helped lead his Baltimore team into the playoffs. He produced nine combined tackles in the Ravens first-round win in Pittsburgh against the Steelers and continually pressured the passing game. In the divisional-round loss to the Patriots the following week, Mosely still shined. He combined to produce double-digit tackles with 10 and also forced a fumble on Julian Edelman in the second quarter. Though you can make strong arguments for Khalil Mack and Aaron Donald as Defensive Rookie of the Year, the NFL should award Mosley. Not only was Mosley one of the leading tacklers in the entire NFL, but he also shined as one of the team leaders on a Ravens team that also dealt with many off-the-field issues throughout the season. His pressure on the quarterback from the linebacker position helped speed up the retooling of the Ravens’ defense and was a key factor in taking the Ravens to the playoffs once again.
January 13, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
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COLUMN
Heartbreak a perpetual constant for Pitt basketball lately Imaz Athar Staff Writer Academics, party life, location and tuition are just a few factors that teenagers consider when choosing a college or university. Although I took all of these into account, Panther basketball was also a major reason I chose Pitt. As a freshman, I couldn’t wait to rep blue and gold, heckle opposing teams and rattle the Pete as a part of the Oakland Zoo. I fiercely anticipated watching the Panthers take the bright orange court of Madison Square Garden, fighting to the top in the Big East tournament. I’m halfway through my junior year now, and I have quite the collection of happy memories of supporting the blue and gold. I’ve got to admit, though, Pitt basketball hasn’t quite met my expectations. I first saw former center Steven Adams during the first class of my first day at Pitt in 2012. To many in class, he was probably just a super-tall guy trying to fit into one of the Cathedral’s many miniscule seats. The basketball geek in me knew that he was the five-star recruit from New Zealand who would be the heart of the Panthers basketball team that year. He would be the guy who would rebound, block every shot and anchor the team’s blue-collar, hard-nosed defense. He would allow the Panthers to wreak havoc against teams and win a whole lot of games. The Panthers did end up winning a lot of games that year. With a mix of highly touted freshmen and experienced players, they beat some good teams, including Cincinnati and Syracuse, during the regular season. The Pitt offense sometimes couldn’t catch up with the defense, however, and the Panthers couldn’t shoot the ball consistently from the perimeter. The Panthers made the NCAA Tournament, but they lost to Wichita State in the first round by 18 points — a disappointing end to what had seemed like a promising season. Perhaps I thought the season was
disappointing because my expectations for the team were too high. Adams had never played organized basketball in the States before coming to Pitt, and
team in college basketball during the regular season, and the team was a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. However, Scottie Reynolds and the No. 3 Villanova
Many close, hard-to-swallow losses have left Jamie Dixon and Pitt fans wanting more over the years. Nicole Gye | Staff Photographer
the team didn’t have any great scorers. Maybe I could have foreseen their shortcomings. Still, if you look at past Pitt basketball seasons, you’ll see a common trend — the Pitt basketball team always falls just short in the biggest games. Start with the 2008-2009 season: Many considered the Panthers the best
Wildcats left Pitt heartbroken in the final seconds. The Panthers were a No. 3 seed in the 2010 NCAA Tournament after another successful regular season. They lost to No. 6 Xavier in the second round by three points. In the 2010-2011 season, the team was consistently ranked in the
top five in the AP Top 25. Even so, Cardiac Kemba and the Huskies shocked the Panthers in the Big East Tournament at the buzzer, and the Panthers were stunned by No. 8 seed Butler in the final seconds of a second round game in the NCAA Tournament. Last year was also promising, and it seemed like the team had turned things around after they blew out Colorado in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Yet, they then fell to the top-seeded Florida in the second round. It isn’t a fluke that the Panthers lose in big games, because it happens so often. A taste of success is only a taste, and it is nothing the team can savor. There has to be a reason why this keeps happening. Perhaps it’s just the team’s style of play. Jamie Dixon places a significant emphasis on defense, and the team plays hard on that end. But, as we’ve seen from recent NCAA tournaments, dynamic guard play and good shooting are necessary components of championship teams. During the past three years, Pitt hasn’t had a good combination of these components. Perhaps I set my expectations too high and didn’t look deep enough into Pitt’s past to realize that heartbreak was a common thread throughout an otherwise successful string of years. Maybe I overestimated the program based on its high win totals and top seeds, ignoring some of the issues that would eventually plague the team over the next few years. From 2008 to 2011, the Panthers did have good guard play and shooting, so there has to be another reason why the team consistently lost close games. Maybe the teams just weren’t mentally tough enough. Perhaps there’s something about the team’s coaching or players that causes them to crumble under pressure. Maybe it isn’t the style of play or a lack of mental toughness at all. Maybe it’s just luck. They’ve lost close games that could have gone either way, and, I guess, it’s possible that maybe the team is unlucky enough that the ball never rolls its way.