The Pitt News
The independent student newspaper of the University of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com | February 13, 2018 | Volume 108 | Issue 110
Candidates debate for SGB presidency Biden
brings book tour to PGH Laura Howe Staff Writer
Student Government Board presidential candidates Saket Rajprohat (left) and Maggie Kennedy (right) took part in Monday night’s SGB presidential debate in the William Pitt Union. Thomas Yang | VISUAL EDITOR Tabitha Barnes, vice chair for SGB elections, and Henry Glitz, opinions Maggie Kennedy and Saket Rajprohat editor at The Pitt News, moderated the met Monday night to debate for one of debate in the William Pitt Union. Along the most influential student leadership with the presidential candidates, each positions on campus — the Student Gov- slate had three minutes to give opening ernment Board presidential seat. The statements and two minutes for closing duo showcased their knowledge of the statements. Legacy slate mentioned safety, health Pitt student community along with their and wellness and 582 Bridges talked qualifications for holding office. about improving the Wi-Fi system and
Madeline Gavatorta Staff Writer
SafeRider. Kennedy, SGB’s current Wellness Committee chair who is running with the Horizon slate, emphasized the issues of sexual assault and sexual violence. Rajprohat, a junior marketing major running with the Neighbors slate, spoke on gender-neutral bathrooms and male and female hygiene products. See Debate on page 3
In sharing some of what he’s learned over the years, former Vice President Joe Biden said no amount of money can protect from pollution, joblessness or grief. “For me, the way through grief is finding purpose,” he said. “Ted Kennedy was one of my mentors. He died of the exact same cancer that John McCain has and Beau died of.” Fans and supporters of all ages filled Carnegie Music Hall to hear Biden speak about his memoir, “Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose.” Free copies were distributed as attendees entered for Biden’s talk about everything from his family’s struggles of maintaining a positive outlook after the death of his son Beau Biden to his relationship with former President Barack Obama. “I’ve insisted that we’ve maintained the same traditions we’ve always maintained, and it’s hard. It’s really, really, really hard ... that first Christmas, that first Thanksgiving, that first birthday, the first summer, that first whatever it is,” he said. Biden said he wanted to complete the See Biden on page 7
News
Student innovators farm for the future
Brian Salvato Staff Writer
Imagine being able to open a door and go from biting winds and snow to a warm, climate-controlled greenhouse that carries the aroma of fresh tomatoes — being harvested by robots roaming through the aisles. For Brandon Contino and Daniel Chi, this fantasy is turning into a reality through their company Four Growers, as they aim to develop automated tomato harvesting robots to work in greenhouses. Contino, CEO of Four Growers and a Pitt 2016 alumnus, takes the spokesperson role for the company, while senior mechanical engineering major Chi focuses on the technical side. The idea developed in April of 2017 when Contino and Chi began talking to tomato growers and associations. “Dan and I knew we wanted to do something in an indoor farming or hydroponic growing place, so we decided to learn from those who were successful at it,” Contino said. The two saw firsthand the issues facing modern-day tomato growing when they had their first greenhouse visit a month later with MightyVine — a sustainable tomato growing company in the Chicago area. These issues include weather variability, crop loss and population growth. Contino’s conversation with the tomato growers made it clear that greenhouses are becoming the future of produce farming. The pair say greenhouse growing is more sustainable, versatile and efficient than traditional farming. “They require 90 percent less water and provide consistent, yearlong, local, highyield production with near-zero herbicide and pesticide use,” Contino said. “In fact, over 50 percent of fresh U.S. tomatoes are greenhouse grown.” Despite the advantages greenhouse farming can provide, Contino said the largest limiting factors growers face are the cost, accessibility and reliability of their labor force. “There are increasing shortages in work-
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ers, and the workers that they are able to find are inconsistent,” Contino said. “Growers desperately need automation to keep providing healthy, local produce at competitive rates.” This is where Contino hopes Four Growers can provide a solution. Once fully developed, Contino said the automated harvesting robot could replace the role of a human.
able farmers to expand labor resources. “By enabling this industry we’ll be able to increase the amount of fresh, ... pesticide free, local produce greenhouse farms can produce,” Contino said. “It’s a win for the consumer, the greenhouse and the worker.” So far, the company has developed a vision system for the robot that allows it to learn using artificial intelligence as it works.
Senior mechanical engineering major Dan Chi promotes Four Growers, a company started by Chi and his friend Brandon Contino that is devoted to creating tomato-harvesting robots to work in greenhouses. Courtesy of Karen Woolstrum “The tomato harvesting robot is able to go down greenhouse aisles, accurately identify ripe versus unripe clusters, harvest them from the plant without damaging them and place them in a cart to get sent back to the packhouse,” Contino said. The robot — according to Contino’s estimates — will be able to harvest as much as a human, but do it more consistently at a lower cost. While implementing robots could be more efficient, Four Growers also had to consider what it would mean to replace human labor. But they say that their robot would en-
The two are currently refining a prototype, which they hope to test at major greenhouses. “We are working with six different farms who wish to beta test our robot, and these farms collectively represent 20 percent of the U.S. and Canadian greenhouse tomato acreage,” Contino said. For Contino and Chi, reaching the next stage is possible with continued support from Pitt’s Innovation Institute. Susan Dorff — manager for student programs at the Innovation Institute — worked alongside Four Growers since their inception. She said the
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company became involved with the Institute through student programming. “We help [students] practice, learn, compete and get funding to continue with their idea,” she said. Four Growers has been involved with several of the Innovation Institute’s programs, as well as competitions such as the Randall Family Big Idea Competition — an experience-based learning opportunity for Pitt students with big ideas that offers $100,000 in cash prizes. Babs Carryer — the director of education and outreach at the Innovation Institute — said she has noticed distinct qualities in Contino and Chi’s approach between now and when she first met them. “I think that the entrepreneurial lead is really important. I view Brandon [Contino] as sort of the driver of this project,” Carryer said. “A lot of student projects don’t quite have that strong a driver. Brandon’s really committed to doing this.” Carryer said she was amazed by the amount of customer discovery the duo had done and the interest from tomato growers they received. Usually, Carryer sees entrepreneurs get nonspecific, general interest from companies that acknowledge their idea but never move beyond that. She believes the difference in Four Growers is their passion. “They haven’t just been sitting on their laurels thinking about this. They’ve been actually out there really doing the deep work that’s necessary to advance an idea towards reality,” Carryer said. As with any early product, there are still more hurdles on the road to completion. Carryer pointed out the challenge of realistically getting a robot to consistently harvest tomatoes without a problem, as well as Four Growers likely having to expand their team as their idea grows. Nevertheless, she believes in what Contino and Chi can do. “I think they should be one of our leading student spinout companies, and I can’t wait to keep working with them on that,” Carryer said. “They definitely have what it takes.”
2
Debate, pg. 1 Following introductions, the candidates had two minutes to answer each question and debated topics such as the most important duty of the SGB president and advocating for the student body. Kennedy said the top priority of the president is to act as a unifying voice. “I think the most important thing is that that president is someone who is in touch with that student body, knows what students need and is really willing to work with students across organizations, across years, across all sorts of differences to best serve them,” Kennedy said. Rajprohat said it’s important to acknowledge student concerns. He also said it’s crucial for the president to be able to approach the administration about those concerns. “As President, I think the most important thing is to understand that you’re not there for yourself, but you’re there to represent the 19,000 students here and represent their concerns,” Ra-
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jprohat said. Current SGB President Max Kneis said what Kennedy and Rajprohat mentioned go hand in hand with the president’s most important role. “ I consider myself a connector between a lot of different administrative offices and students within SGB. I think both candidates capture the primary role very well,” Kneis said. The moderators also questioned the presidential candidates on how they would advocate for diversity and increase student interaction in SGB. Rajprohat said listening to organizations from the Office of Cross Cultural and Leadership Development, such as Black Action Society and Asian Student Alliance, would help. “It’s moreover for me to listen, for our board to listen ... to those people, and to make sure that we’re able to convey those concerns in an appropriate and proper manner,” Rajprohat said. Kennedy said getting more international students on First-Year Council — a group of first-year students who want to be involved with SGB, improve student engagement and assist committee
members — and other SGB committees would help this. “When we’re planning something for Mental Health Awareness Month, we want to take into consideration how these issues vary across cultural differences and make sure that we’re being accurate, comprehensive and inclusive in our approach,” Kennedy said. Kennedy repeatedly emphasized sexual assault and sexual violence awareness. She said her involvement with the issue stems from her senior year of high school when she lost a close friend to suicide because of sexual violence. “That really hit home for me when I was in high school because this is not just some issue that they talk about in movies or in TV or things like that,” Kennedy said. “It is real, and it happened to my friend.” After the debate, Rajprohat mentioned he did not prioritize one issue over another. When his slate spoke in the beginning, though, he mentioned gender neutral bathrooms and making male and female hygiene products more available. “When I decided to run it wasn’t like
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a calculated thing, it’s just things that ... I heard other students be concerned about,” Rajprohat said. Attending students also posed questions via paper slips available on the table stationed in Nordy’s Place upon entering the debate. One question selected asked how the candidates would handle time management and if they could deal with the workload of the president’s job. Both candidates said they have experiences that have allowed them to develop time management skills. Rajprohat said he realized he needed to make sacrifices such as quitting work to dedicate himself fully to one thing. Kennedy said her involvement with groups like SGB and the Office of Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Education helped her with managing time. This is the second SGB event for this election, and host Andrew Dow from the SGB Meet the Candidates Jan. 31 event, came out because he felt he should get more involved with SGB happenings. He said between Meet the Candidates and the debate, though, he noticed a difference in the candidates. “They seem more serious,” Dow said.
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Opinions
column
Climate lawsuits make way for greener future Bryn Manion
For The Pitt News Massive storm clouds raining torrents of water down on lower Manhattan, completely submerging subway cars. Huge plumes of smoke and fire, turning the sky orange over the hills alarmingly close to Los Angeles. The scenes of towns ravaged by hurricanes are reminiscent of an apocalyptic world. Cities across the nation have begun to experience natural disasters at an alarmingly rapid rate over the past several years. Damage on local infrastructure is costly and inconvenient. According to estimates from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the number of deaths reached a staggering 316 from just nine of the worst domestic natural disasters of 2017. It is more obvious than ever that something must change. Some cities have begun to respond to this call to action, demanding financial compensation for climate change-related damages. New York City, for one, identified five oil and gas companies as the collective root of the problem, blaming the damages on anthropogenic climate change resulting from the companies’ carbon emissions. For environmentalists, this is a big step in the right direction. Too often, oil and gas companies skew data and hide evidence that suggests their involvement in climate change. It’s unethical to downplay the negative impact of greenhouse gas emissions, which is exactly what these corporations have been doing for years — and they’ve been getting away with it. An environmental revolution seems to be just beginning. Los Angeles and San Francisco followed New York’s lead, taking legal action against these petroleum giants after
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sponse is long overdue. Environmental activist and author Bill McKibben was especially enthusiastic about the New York City lawsuit. McKibben saw the litigating power of massive city governments like those in New York and Los Angeles as an enormous — perhaps decisive — advantage. “I’ve been watching the climate fight for the last 30 years,” he told The Washington Post in an interview January. “This is one of the handful of most important moments in that 30-year fight.’” Even though the introduction of lawsuits across the country is an important step, that fight against climate change isn’t anywhere near over yet. If they’re successful, the court actions in New York and California would give fossil fuel companies an incentive to help move toward that greener future — by making them pay up if things keep going south. These cities have made the first move, and fossil fuel companies haven’t responded well. Executives at ExxonMobil felt inclined to undermine the efforts of California lawyers by threatening a Liam Mcfadden counter lawsuit in early January, callSTAFF ILLUSTRATOR ing the cities bringing cases against their company hypocritical and claiming those cities infringed upon Exxon’s civil rights. In response to the lawsuits, Chevron spokesperson Braden Reddall suggestwild- ed in an email interview with Bloomberg in fires in early January that legal action would do little California last year to actually effect change. “This lawsuit is factually and legally mercost the state an estimate itless, and will do nothing to address the of nearly $12 billion in damserious issue of climate change,” Reddall ages. Considering the expensive wrote. repercussions of climate change, this reExxonMobil spokesman Scott Silvestri
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also issued a formal statement going even further, calling the lawsuits from the coastal cities too small-minded in scope. “Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a global issue and requires global participation and action,” Silvestri said. “Lawsuits of this kind [...] simply do not do that.” If anything, such a strong response confirms claims of the companies’ underhanded and corrupt behaviors. Fossil fuel companies are unlikely to contribute positively to the issue of climate change until they have a personal stake in the matter — and of course, ExxonMobil and Chevron have a vested interest in not paying up. Fossil fuel companies do have a point that making them pay up to big coastal cities isn’t by itself enough of a strategy to effect significant long-term change. But that doesn’t mean the lawsuits can’t lead to more robust efforts. The lawsuit has inspired others to also demand greater ecological protection, prompting numerous companies to divest assets in the fossil fuel industry. After introducing his grievance against the energy companies, for example, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a plan to divest $5 billion of the city’s fossil fuel investments. Pittsburgh might also benefit from joining in on the fight against high-polluting companies that rely on fossil fuels. The City already has one of the highest annual particle pollution levels for a major metropolitan area in the country, according to 2017 data from the American Lung Association. And incoming industrial projects in the region threaten to worsen air quality significantly. If we want to avoid climate catastrophes like those that have befallen New York and LA, we should think about following their lead. Environmentalists should be optimistic about the potential impact of these lawsuits and hope to see a real change in the fossil fuel industry. We can make a change, now more than ever. Write to Bryn at bem96@pitt.edu.
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from the editorial board
Don’t take hugging controversies lightly
With Valentine’s Day being tomorrow, romantic gestures are rapidly proliferating across the country. One particular gesture, however, has been receiving unexpected new scrutiny: the hug. In a piece for The Washington Post this Sunday, reporter Lavanya Ramanathan asked whether some kinds of hugging — an ancient human behavior that’s seen an uptick over the past several decades — should be included in the growing conversation surrounding sexual abuse. Citing a post from the Girl Scouts of America, Ramanathan suggested that forcing young girls to hug relatives fosters a culture of unwelcome embraces. “Reminder: She Doesn’t Owe Anyone a Hug,” the headline read. “Not Even at the Holidays.” In light of 2018’s biggest issues, the
connection to the #MeToo movement seems almost inevitable. Ramanathan’s story also includes evidence from Lizzie Post, co-president of the Emily Post Institute, an etiquette organization, who describes the hug as unnecessarily invasive. “A hug can feel too intimate to some people,” Post said. “Especially now, in an era when we’re illuminating how women feel on a daily basis.” The immediate reaction to handwringing about the state of hugging in America might be confusion or contempt. Hugging is an integral part of our everyday social lives that pointing out the problematic parts of how we do it might seem ridiculous at first. And to some extent, this response is warranted — hitching the issue of aggressive and uncomfortable hugging to the #MeToo wagon could serve to make light of more
serious issues relating to sexual assault. But it’s still worth noting that social hugging has begun to get out of control. Hugging undeniably has a place as a social interaction in today’s America. Hugs play the role here that kissing on the cheek does in parts of Europe, signalling more familiarity and affection than a formal handshake and less than a kiss on the mouth. Organizations at Pitt have used hugs as a means for connecting people from different social groups on campus. What’s more, research has shown hugging holds significant health benefits. A 2005 study from the University of North Carolina showed couples experiencing increased levels of oxytocin — a hormone active in social bonding — and lower blood pressure. Women specifically showed lower levels of stress hormone cortisol after embracing.
However, it should be obvious that people in positions of power can often take hugging too far. Accusations against a member of California’s state Senate, for example, alleged that the lawmaker inappropriately embraced a female member of the assembly. The state senator continued to hold onto her after she asked him to stop, pressing his groin against her. In other words, the hug as it was alleged to have happened was clearly excessive. Everyone has their own individual physical boundaries, something that’s important to remember when determining how much is too much with a hug. It’s hard to say that hugging is a behavior totally devoid of sexual politics and imbalances of power between the genders, even if the issue might nevertheless be too subjective to include in the ongoing public discussion around sexual assault.
The Pitt News SuDoku 2/13/18 courtesy of dailysudoku.com
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February 13, 2018
5
Culture
STUDENTS CELEBRATE SEXUALITY IN 'THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES'
Siddhi Shockey
Senior urban studies and environmental later grew up to discover her sexuality with an studies major and performer Rebecca Zhou older woman. Opening the door to the complexity of said listening to the diversity of experiences Cheers roared throughout the O’Hara such conversations was one of the biggest and topics in the show is critical for underBallroom as the individuals on stage repeated goals for director Lexie Thurston, a junior standing and advancing women’s issues — esthe word “mine” over and over in an effort to economics and communication major with a pecially for those who identify as nonbinary. reclaim their sexuality, prompting the audi“I think it’s a good way to educate people minor in gender, sexuality and women’s studence to join in. who don’t identify as women,” Zhou said. ies. The Campus Women’s Organization’s “Like the couple of topics about vaginal health “A big part of just existing as a female idenproduction of “The Vagina Monologues” — or just the vagina [helped] destigmatize the tifying human is that I never feel like people a play about the reclamation of gender and body confidence in an age of marginalization — took place this past weekend, February 9-11, in the O’Hara Ballroom. Featuring the accounts of women Eve Ensler — the play’s original writer — interviewed in the 1990s, Pitt’s annual performance of “The Vagina Monologues” reignites conversation about the representation of female sexuality through stories told directly to the audience. The performance began with a monologue titled “The Vagina Workshop,” in which three women discussed their experiences in a class where they were asked to familiarize themselves with their vaginas. The scene featured the actresses fully clothed but physically alluding to bending over on a mat with a mirror to examine themselves. As they spoke, they described the process as freeing yet scary, displaying an otherwise intimately personal mo- Natalie Miller (left) and Savannah Garber (right) perform as part of the act ment in front of a room full of people. “The Lists” while Emily Rush (middle) signs out the monologue. Issi Glatts | ASSISTANT VISUAL EDITOR Other monologues focused on the darker side of the female experience, such as in “NotSo Happy Fact,” which directly addressed are fully listening to me, ever,” Thurston said. word and just makes it easier to talk about.” Thurston also said this show should strike female circumcision. The monologue used “I’d say [to my cast] slow down, get loud, tell a chord with audience members who aren’t fethe story, because this is probably one of the imagery to convey physical and mental pain, male, stretching the discussion from women’s fi rst times people are actually gonna [stop] at one point referencing thorns used to stitch issues to a broader message of self discovery and listen. ” the vagina together. and acceptance. “My Angry Vagina” voiced concerns surSpoken in poetic terms, the emotionally “So many monologues in the show were charged language in “Not-So Happy Fact” told rounding women’s vaginal health — specifiabout that one moment when you woke up cally the lack of accessibility to feminine care the stories of real women losing children and and realized who you were and what you were products and medical equipment that work experiencing other medical complications about, ” Th urston said. “So I think that if anywith varying female anatomy rather than conthat can result from genital mutilation. thing, you should take this space to be on the forming to one standard. Others use more veiled language — such lookout for those moments. ” Other monologues, such as “Th e Woman as “Coochi snorcher” as a childhood eupheTh emes of self realization and acceptance Who Loved to Make Vaginas Happy” and mism for vagina — to express the full array are a common thread throughout the play “Th e Flood, ” discussed taboo issues like the of pain and joy surrounding sexuality. “The itself — a critical aspect for Srinidhi Alur, a female orgasm, the dominatrix lifestyle and Little Coochi Snorcher that Could” described sophomore psychology major and performer insecurities involving vaginal discharge. the sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl who Staff Writer
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in the show. “‘My Short Skirt’ and some of the other monologues out there — it’s kind of sharing that what we wear and what we do is not an invitation for, like, sexual advances,” Alur said. “It shows that a very powerful female movement is necessary.” Alur said such a show seems even more relevant in this day and age. “My Short Skirt” and “The Little Coochi Snorcher that Could” were both monologues that explored sexual violence and the widespread issue of victim blaming in many assault cases. “My Short Skirt” addressed clothing style choices and the role dress plays in victim blaming — holding victims accountable for sexual assault based on the manner in which they present themselves. The monologue encouraged women to dress for confidence and dispelled the misconception that dressing a certain way is an invitation for sex. Financial producer Courtney Smith, a junior cultural anthropology and social work major, said she sees the show as an open emotional outlet for victims and women and even as an educational experience for those who may not identify as female. “In a lot of ways, empowering women through this production reminds them that we hear you, you matter and we understand,” Smith said. “And hopefully it does help to mend some of those things and get people’s eyes open.” According to Thurston, the overall theme for the show reached back to the roots of theater itself — telling stories. It is easy to make issues “clean” for public consumption, but Thurston said the first and foremost goal was to tell a story. In this production, Thurston said she used the body to tell such a story, and as surprising and direct as the monologues may be, they demonstrated just how important it is for every story to be heard. “No, [“The Vagina Monologues”] is not fully encompassing of all experiences, but even if you can get a sliver out there, it blows a door wide open ... everyone’s got a story, and you’ve just got to listen,” Thurston said.
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review
Timberlake tanks crossover in
Biden, pg. 1
‘Man of the Woods’
Zachary Donovan For The Pitt News
Every so often, an established mainstream artist proudly announces they are returning to their roots. In recent years, we’ve heard Lady Gaga trade provocative synth pop for introspective piano ballads, Darius Rucker of Hootie & the Blowfish retire his post-grunge flannel and opt for cowboy boots and Southern charm and Miley Cyrus perform a complete 180 from near-nude faux hip-hop to conservative faux country. When Memphis-born Renaissance man Justin Timberlake made the announcement of his roots album, “Man of the Woods,” we knew that such a transformation could only go one of two ways — it would prove Timberlake to be one of the most versatile artists of the 21st century, or it would be a complete and utter flop. After the album announcement, fans expected pleasant acoustic folk music from Timberlake. When the album was released earlier this month, the lead single “Filthy” was about as far away from that expectation as possible. On this sexed-up track, we hear Timberlake stumble through trite lyrics like “haters gon’ say it’s fake” over a bassy dubstep beat that might have been cool five years ago. The most enticing parts of Timberlake’s artistry, namely impressive vocal performances and sexy dance beats, are nowhere to be found on this track. This single sounds more like a man pushing 40 attempting to connect with the youth than JT’s usual brilliance. The two singles that follow do not offer any more hope for an authentic sound. Further along on track seven, “Supplies” provides a confusing combination of acoustic guitars and trap beats as Timberlake struggles to sound like anything but untoasted white bread while attempting to cop a Migos-esque triplet flow. “Say Something” comes a little closer to the roots sound Timberlake had promised, featuring critically acclaimed country artist Chris Stapleton. Stapleton outperforms Timberlake on this acoustic-driven single,
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breathing life into lyrics that ironically say nothing of substance. Timberlake has always prided himself on being an innovator, from the time he released his debut single, “Cry Me a River,” in 2002. Musical genre fusion is a high-risk, highreward venture — spawning successes like the Arctic Monkeys’ 50 Cent-meets-Black Sabbath album “AM” and Kendrick Lamar’s jazz-infused Gangsta-Funk masterpiece “To Pimp a Butterfly.” It seems on “Man of the Woods,” Timberlake has stepped too far out of his comfort zone, attempting to fuse country and contemporary electronic music. Claiming this album leaves a lot to be desired is a bold understatement. It’s 16 tracks have very few high points and a plethora of lows. Many of Timberlake’s attempts at Southern-charm-meets-hip-hop fail to leave an impression — most tracks are either forgettable or memorably bad. “Man of the Woods” is littered with illplaced samples and spoken word interludes combined with sloppy beats that sound like Florida Georgia Line playing over 808s that belong in a Kanye West track. Songs like “Sauce” and “Wave” are among the most poorly crafted and are almost impossible to listen to. The only perceivable high point of the album is Timberlake’s collaboration with fellow has-been Alicia Keys on the uplifting “Morning Light.” This track is pure pop, reminiscent of a stripped down Jason Mraz song. It’s the only one off the album in which the instrumentals do not distract from the vocals, and both vocalists give commendable performances. As a whole, “Man of the Woods” is a complete misstep for Timberlake. His attempt at a country-electronic genre fusion is disingenuous and a major departure from his prowess as a pop hit maker. The album has nearly none of the appealing elements of JT’s previous work as a rhythm and blues powerhouse, and it could prove to be a fatal mistake in his music career. As the man who once brought sexy back has learned, what goes around does not always come around.
Former Vice President Joe Biden emphasizes the impact an individual person can have in creating change at his American Promise Tour Monday night. Thomas Yang | VISUAL EDITOR book quickly because writing it was so emotional. One of the most important messages he wanted to convey was his son’s sense of duty and responsibility. “Beau’s constant response during his illness was, ‘Dad, you gotta do your job,’ ‘Dad, don’t let anyone know that I’m sick,’ ‘Mom, when they ask you about me, smile,’ ‘Mom, smile let them know I’m doing okay,’ ‘I don’t want anyone feeling sorry for me, Dad’,” he said. The former vice president often struggled with balancing work and family life, which was the main reason for his initial reluctance to accept the vice presidency. He praised Obama for balancing such a heavy workload as he entered the presidency and explained that the two grew close because he often shared that workload. “So many people answered to me because he had so much on his plate, so I couldn’t walk away from it,” he said. “I wrote about it in detail because I wanted people to understand our son.” Biden occasionally charmed the audience to diffuse the tension of heavy topics. He said he was referring to Obama as “Barack,” although he usually calls him Mr. President, because he did not want the crowd to confuse him with President Trump, which drew a round of applause. “Those memes are accurate, by the way,” Biden said to a crowd of laughs, prefacing his close relationship with Obama. Biden went on to talk about the closeness between his family and the Obamas and shared that the night before his vice presidential nomination, his grandchildren and Obama’s children all had a sleepover together. At that moment, he said, he knew he had made the right decision. After Biden shared these experiences, many attendees expressed awe of his stories and work.
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Leah Wilson, 31, of Mt. Lebanon, said she is a longtime fan of his humanitarian work. “I appreciated how he always came back to the same theme of service and doing things for others,” she said. Lindsey Holzer, 26, of Mt. Lebanon, said she has followed Biden’s career for as long as she can remember. She saw him when he came to Pitt’s campus last year — her last year at Pitt’s School of Law. “I think he’s made such a difference, for women especially. So I was just really eager to continue to support him any way I can,” she said. “I think he’s always been very uplifting, even when talking about things that are obviously very challenging, and to see him reminded me of the phrase, ‘If you only remember to turn on the light.’” Brittany Holzer, 29, of Mt. Lebanon, thought all of the speech resonated either directly or indirectly with her. “You can tell he speaks from the heart, so even in situations that haven’t affected you personally, he injects a component that makes you identify with it in your own special way, even if it’s not based on the topic that he’s talking about,” she said. While Biden often focused on the death of his son, he wanted the audience to resonate with his message of hope — using Beau’s hardships as an example of maintaining an optimistic outlook no matter the circumstances. He described wheeling Beau out of the hospital to show him the stars to remind his son that hope is everywhere. “You can’t live without hope,” Biden said. “Even when you’re dying, you can’t continue without hope.”
7
Sports PITT HIRES NEW OFFENSIVE LINE COACH
Grant Burgman
Sports Editor The Pitt football team announced on its website Monday, Feb. 12, that head coach Pat Narduzzi has hired Dave Borbely as the new offensive line coach. Borbely comes over from Maryland, where he has coached the last two seasons. Previously, Borbely has been the offensive line coach at 11 different schools since 1986. His stops include four-year stints at Notre Dame from 1998 to 2001, Virginia from 2006 to 2009 and Louisville from 2010 to 2013. During his time at Louisville, Borbely coached alongside current Pitt offensive coordinator Shawn Watson. The two also previously spent time coaching together at Colorado from 2002 to 2005. Upon announcing Borbely’s hire, Narduzzi mentioned the long-standing relationship between Watson and Borbely. “Dave is an outstanding teacher who knows how to develop players,” Narduzzi said. “He owns a long relationship with our offensive coordinator, Shawn Watson, which will be a major strength for our coaches and players alike.” Borbely said he was excited to join the Pitt football program, citing its history. He specifically mentioned the success of former Pitt offensive line coach Joe Moore who coached at Pitt from 1977 to 1985. “To have the chance to coach at an institution with such rich history like Pitt is a huge honor for me,” Borbely said. “Also, to have the opportunity to coach where Joe Moore started his great legacy as the best in the business is very humbling.”
Find the full story online at
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column
NHL needs to fix rules for goals Max Sirianni
For The Pitt News It is not uncommon to hear boos raining down from the stands when an official makes a penalty call on the ice. Fans are usually just annoyed that someone on their favorite team is headed to the box. But the jeers are because of the controversy surrounding the NHL’s rule of goaltender interference, which allows a goal to be called back if a player makes contact with a goalie in the crease — or the restricted area in front of the net. It is one that has baffled fans, coaches and players alike. According to NHL rule number 69.1, a goal shall be called back if “(1) an attacking player, either by his positioning or by contact, impairs the goalkeeper’s ability to move freely within his crease or defend his goal; or (2) an attacking player initiates intentional or deliberate contact with a goalkeeper, inside or outside of his goal crease.” Basically, the goalie should be able to move about the crease without having to worry about an opposing player obstructing him. Sounds simple enough, right? Apparently not. “I guess it’s discretionary. I couldn’t tell you what’s a penalty and what’s not,” Canadiens goalie Carey Price said to the Toronto Star. Statements like Price’s are becoming more common around the NHL. Fans have been dumbfounded by referees allowing certain goals that seem like they should be called back and calling back goals that looked good. During a matchup between the Los Angeles Kings and the Arizona Coyotes Feb. 3, Kings forward Tanner Pearson skated to the net without the puck and hit Coyotes goalie Scott Wedgewood in the mask with his stick. Only a second later, a shot from the slot, or the area between the two faceoff circles, made its way into the net. The play was quickly challenged and the referee determined that the goal would stand. “I’m lost,” FOX Sports Arizona announcer Tyson Nash said, “completely lost.” This is not the only time this season that an allowed goal has been surrounded by controversy. During a game between the Las Vegas Golden Knights and the Winnipeg Jets Feb. 1, Golden
The Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid (97) reacts after scoring against the Anaheim Ducks during Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals on May 5, 2017. Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times/TNS Knights forward James Neal broke his stick on the mask of Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck as he tried to stuff home a rebound. The Jets challenged the play on the grounds of goaltender interference. The referees apparently saw nothing and the Golden Knights took a 2-1 lead, eventually winning the game in overtime. “I can take a stick to the face. But just because I don’t throw my head back and make it obvious, I feel like I got kind of screwed on this,” said Hellebuyck. Controversial goals being allowed are only part of the problem. Referees reversing goal calls on the basis of goaltender interference has perhaps attracted even more attention. An Edmonton Oilers overtime goal against the Calgary Flames was called back because of goaltender interference Jan. 25. The NHL Situation Room in Toronto, which reviews controversial calls during games, ruled that Edmonton’s Connor McDavid had prevented Calgary goaltender David Rittich from making the save by making contact with his stick and slightly moving it. Looking back at the play, it is clear that McDavid brushed Rittich’s stick. It is less clear if Rittich was unable to stop the puck because of McDavid’s interference. “I think everyone just wants black and white. I think everyone just wants it to be goaltender interference or not,” McDavid told Canadian outlet
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Sportsnet after the game. His frustration reflects the outrage many in the hockey community have expressed over the NHL’s inconsistency on goaltender interference calls. Similarly, Toronto’s Auston Matthews had his goal called off after he swatted a bouncing puck past Colorado goaltender Jonathan Bernier. Minimal contact was made with Bernier, and he was certainly not prevented from making the save, yet Matthews was still denied a goal. Leafs fans were enraged, and Leafs coach Mike Babcock used some choice words to express his anger. Who could blame them? Their star player was ripped off by a rule nobody can understand. The NHL has made it so that nobody knows what goaltender interference is anymore. The inconsistency with this rule throughout this season has created a toss-up each time a coach challenges for goalie interference. Some nights you’re lucky, and other nights a decision could cost your team a win. Until the NHL clears this up, we will continue to hear about blown goalie interference calls or goals being taken away because of an infraction that apparently only the referees can see. It would be worthwhile for the NHL to look into this rule so fans can get back to fully enjoying the game — this time with more clarity and less frustration.
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Blake Zubovic
Alex Lehmbeck Staff Writer
Belle Vernon offensive lineman Blake Zubovic committed to Pitt last June. He was the ninth commitment of the 2018 class. This was a big commitment for Pitt, as it finds itself particularly shorthanded on the offensive line going into the 2018 season. Listed as a three-star recruit by Rivals, Zubovic was ranked as the 18thbest recruit in the state of Pennsylvania. The 6-foot-5, 310-pound offensive tackle chose Pitt in June over in-state rival Penn State, as well as many other Power Five conference offers including West Virginia, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Minnesota. “He fires off the ball well and he is quick with his hands and feet. He shows the ability to scrape the defensive lineman and then target the linebacker quickly on the second level,” 247sports’ Brian Dohn writes. “Zubovic is powerful and often overwhelms when he shoots his hands to the defensive player, but sometimes he leans forward and gets off balance.” Zubovic was drawn to Pitt because it felt like home. His hometown of Belle Vernon is about 50 minutes south of Pittsburgh. “I fell in love with the whole campus,” Zubovic said. “I’ve been a Pitt fan my whole life, so it kind of just felt like the right place.” Zubovic also felt comfortable with the Panthers’ coaching staff. Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi signed a new seven-year contract in December, locking him up until 2024, which Zubovic is excited for. “That was definitely good to see,” Zubovic said. “I’m glad to have him stick around because I trust him to take us to great places.” Belle Vernon High School, where Zubovic graduates from this spring, is the alma mater of a recent Pitt star offen-
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sive guard, Dorian Johnson. Johnson entered Pitt as a five-star recruit by Rivals, ranked second in Pennsylvania in 2013. During his time at Pitt, Johnson earned second-team All-ACC, first-team ACC and first team All-American honors before being selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2017 NFL draft. He now plays for the Carolina Panthers and has served as somewhat of a mentor to Zubovic. “We talked a lot through my recruiting process,” Zubovic said. “I asked him some questions and worked out with him a couple times.” Zubovic said Johnson actually reached out to him, offering to help the Pitt commit with the procedure. “He told me if I had any questions to come and ask him about it,” Zubovic said. “He definitely helped me out and made [the recruiting process] a little bit easier for me.” While at Pitt, Zubovic plans to study business. He noted the role Pitt’s strong business school played in his commitment. “It’s a top-25 business school,” Zubovic said. “I’ve gotten to meet the assistant dean of the business school a couple of times, which is also very cool. I just think it’s a great education. If the football thing doesn’t work out, it’s great to have something like that to fall back on.” Zubovic will have a chance at immediate playing time at Pitt. Not only did the Panthers’ three seniors on the offensive line declare for the NFL draft, but junior Brian O’Neil did as well. O’Neill’s departure means the unit only has two returning starters in 2018: redshirt freshman center Jimmy Morrissey and junior guard Alex Bookser. Zubovic joins Devon Davis, Chase Brown and Jake Kradel as the only four offensive linemen in Pitt’s 2018 recruiting class who will compete for a spot on the line in the fall.
The Pitt news crossword 2/13/18
lines up for Pitt
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I N D E X
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