Fall 2016 Week 3

Thursday, October 6, 2016

WHAT’S INSIDE Reverse the Curse

Electric Feels

Defining Solidarity

Red Sox and Cubs set to clash in the fall classic

Santa Clara senior drops EP

Prioritizing human experiences

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OPINION, PAGE 6

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President Fr. Michael Engh, S.J.

Mass of the Holy Spirit

An Honest Conversation

as RLC residents,” Datar said.

In spring of this year, senior Kasim Shaikh lived in a home that was converted to a Neighborhood Unit over the summer.

He said that he has not noticed an increased amount of Campus Safety patrol so far, despite the fact that his house has thrown parties.

“We’ve thrown down already this year,” Shaikh said. “We just had 20 to 25 people over and we kept it low-key and inside the house. Campus Safety didn’t bother us at all.”

Jane Barrantes, assistant vice president of Auxiliary Services, said that the university collected a list of student contacts from each house to be given to Campus Safety. If anyone calls with a complaint, Barrantes said, Campus Safety will call them rather than immediately knock on their door.

“They will not be patrolling the area and per say, ‘dreaming up things.’ They will be responding to calls that will be submitted to their office,” Barrantes said.

As with many of us in the University community, I was saddened and troubled by the recent vandalisms of the memorial of the 43 missing students along the path in front of St. Joseph’s Hall.

Such an act violates everything we stand for as a community.

Let me be clear: the denigration of this memorial, and of any aspect of campus, physical or otherwise, is unacceptable and reprehensible.

This act only divides us, harms others and defeats the educational intent of such displays. There is value in these types of public installations: they open us to issues and topics, sometimes controversial, we may have never known previously.

When these types of displays are met in this way, their creators are discouraged from continuing them and that is harmful to everyone.

What does it say about us as a community when we treat the work of others with contempt and disregard?

As members of this University community, we have all committed to the ideals of mutual respect and integrity. That means we stand up to injustice when we are confronted with it.

It means that we hold ourselves and each other accountable. And it means that we allow all persons to express themselves without fear of retaliation from others.

Some members of the community have expressed the idea that this act is symptomatic of a larger problem surrounding inclusion at Santa Clara. Regardless of motivation, we cannot allow this destructive behavior to continue.

The violation of the work, ideas and property of others diminishes trust within our community.

Instead, we must support one another in our individual expressions of who we are and what we value.

This mutual support and celebration of one another reflects an important Jesuit goal of social justice: solidarity. We are one community that seeks to invite everyone to participate and express themselves as equals.

To realize our potential as an inclusive and diverse community requires that as individuals and as a group we work hard to make this dream a reality.

The student-initiated Unity 4 program exemplifies the hard work that goes into creating a climate of inclusion and mutual respect.

Working together with faculty and the administration, Santa Clara students identified the manifestations of systemic injustice on campus and developed specific recommendations to affect positive change.

This collaboration led to the development of Ethnic Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies programs into full academic department status with stand-alone majors, as well as the creation and recent launch of the Diversity and Inclusion Series for each student’s first year.

Such progress must continue, and there is still much work yet to be done to live up to our ideals of inclusion and solidarity. The way forward begins with integrity, integrity in which we hold ourselves and each other accountable for our words and actions. We must all remain vigilant against attacks

See OFF-CAMPUS, Page 2

See A MESSAGE, Page 6

KEVIN BOEHNLEIN — THE SANTA CLARA

In keeping with the Jesuit tradition, Santa Clara University hosted the annual Mass of the Holy Spirit on Wednesday, Sept. 28 at Mission Church.

Hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students showed up to participate in one of Santa Clara’s oldest and most profound religious traditions.

Life in the Neighborhood Units

Administration keeps firm but fair hand on off-campus houses Sophie Mattson

The Santa Clara Santa Clara wants its students to know that it’s all good in the ‘hood.

Last October, the university announced that they were converting over 20 off-campus homes, mainly south of campus, into university-operated Neighborhood Units.

In the spring, students applied to live in the homes through the Housing Office, the units were renovated over the summer and are now monitored by Campus Safety.

Campus Safety’s New Role After the policy was announced, students flooded university forums to voice

Since 1922

their shock, outrage and disapproval of the new policy. Since many fraternity satellite houses were set to be converted into neighborhood units, some feared that the offcampus party scene would be destroyed due to increased Campus Safety surveillance.

According to ASG senate chair senior Neil Datar, the Associated Student Government conducted a poll of nearly 600 Santa Clara students last school year that revealed 90 percent of them disapproved of the new Neighborhood Unit policy.

“Hopefully a productive partnership between administration, students and Campus Safety can help bring that number down significantly,” Datar said.

Datar said that he would like to see a “deeper acknowledgement” of the Neighborhood Units as houses instead of dorms, and wants a “clearer definition” in how Campus Safety will police them.

“They differ from the Residential Learning Communities in important ways and student residents of the Neighborhood Units have an expectation of being treated judicially as residents of houses rather than

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CAMPUS SAFETY Informational Report

Medical Emergency Sept. 28: A student was reported having trouble breathing in Lucas Hall.

Sept. 29: A student was reported having a severe allergic reaction after eating pizza containing peanuts.

He was admitted to Cowell Health Center. SCFD was contacted and responded. Paramedics transported him to O’Connor Hospital.

Sept. 29: A student requested medical assistance for her injured finger. SCU EMS provided care.

Oct. 2: A student was reported to have fallen from a tree at an off-campus location and injured his head.

SCFD was contacted and responded. Paramedics transported him to O’Connor Hospital.

Student Behavior Oct. 1: Three unknown males were reported to be kicking down multiple cut-outs of a display located on Alviso Street. An investigation is in progress.

Oct. 3: A vehicle in the Main Parking Structure was booted for displaying an altered DMV handicapped placard.

Suspicious Circumstance Oct. 2: Campus Safety assisted Residence Life staff to investigate a marijuana smell coming from a resident’s room. A vape pen, but no marijuana, was found inside the room.

Trespassing Sept. 28: A non-affiliate male was found smoking in the middle of the night at the main entrance of Dunne Residence Hall. He was uncooperative when questioned and was asked to leave the property. SCPD responded and escorted him off campus.

Oct. 1: A suspicious male was reported knocking on resident’s doors in the University Villas. Campus Safety responded and located a non-affiliate male who was selling newspaper subscriptions. He was admonished for trespassing and asked to leave campus property.

Oct. 4: In the middle of the night, a non-affiliate male was observed carrying two bolt cutters near the University Villas bike racks. SCPD was contacted and responded. He was admonished for trespassing and the bolt cutters were confiscated.

Theft Oct. 3: A game was reported missing from the Benson Memorial Center patio area.

From Campus Safety reports.

Email news@thesantaclara.org.

Check out the Campus Safety Report online: facebook.com/scucss @SCUCampusSafety

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sophie Mattson MANAGING EDITOR Jimmy Flynn EDITORS News: Jenni Sigl Opinion: Perla Luna Scene: Maura Turcotte Sports: Andrew Slap Photo: Kevin Boehnlein Head Copy: Adrie Christiansen Design: Lena Eyen

Off-Campus Housing Scene Continued from Page I

Sept. 28: A faculty member slipped and fell outside the elevator in Vari Hall. Campus Safety, SCU EMS and SCFD responded. Her spouse transported her to El Camino Hospital.

Sept. 28: A campus resident reported feeling nauseous. Campus Safety escorted the student to Cowell Health Center.

Oct. 1: A campus resident received a prank call regarding Housing rules from a person who identified himself as a Campus Safety officer. He was advised to notify Campus Safety if he receives another prank call.

Since 1922 ••• Volume 96, Issue 3 •••

Thursday, October 6, 2016

“The students imagine that Campus Safety will be patrolling the area, that’s not what they are planning on doing.”

Barrantes said that if someone calls Campus Safety to complain about noise coming from a Neighborhood Unit, an officer will call the student listed as a point of contact in the house and ask them to quiet down. Following the call, Campus Safety will pass by the house to ensure that the students complied.

“It’s nice to have a point of contact instead of having to knock on someone’s door and (making) a situation strained for no reason,” said Callie Rimpfel, the off-campus area coordinator in the Office of Student Life. “We asked for the contact information from one to three people from each house or apartment and we got a response from every place.”

Compared to last school year, Shaikh said that he has not noticed Campus Safety carrying out any additional surveillance of the area around his Neighborhood Unit. He also said that Campus Safety contacted him to inform him about a noise complaint from a neighbor.

“I was at home (one) weekend and I got a call from Campus Safety and they said ‘there was a noise complaint from your neighbor and we just want you to turn the music down,’” Shaikh said. “I thought it was really cool that the cops weren’t called for a noise complaint.”

Improved Living Conditions Housing code violations are rampant in most off-campus houses not overseen by the university, creating risks to student health and safety. Internet cables dangle outside of windows and snake around exteriors of homes, creating massive fire hazards.

Flimsy locks on front and back doors leave students vulnerable to burglaries— laptops, cell phones, gaming equipment and other electronic devices have been frequently stolen from off-campus houses in recent years.

This summer, the university made substantial updates to many of the homes converted into the Neighborhood Units.

They updated electrical wiring, painted the interiors of the homes, installed new carpets and flooring and added new light fixtures. According to Dave Machado, director of Conference Services and Housing Building Operations, the university also installed new interior keyhole locks and exterior electronic locks so students can open the units with their access cards.

Senior Lauren Betschart, who currently lives in one of the neighborhood units, said that her house was practically in shambles before it was renovated.

“My back window was completely a mess and it looked like someone had tried to break into it so they fixed it,” Betschart said. “They also put in all new doors, which is amazing because our front door looked like it was about it fall apart. It had chunks taken out of it.”

Betschart’s house wasn’t the only one that was worse for wear. According to Betschart, another Neighborhood Unit

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Ben Epstein Erin Fox Bo Kendall John Lambert Claire McLoughlin Bella Rios

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ALYSSA LEE — THE SANTA CLARA

A student enters his Neighborhood Unit on Alviso Street (above). Over the summer, the university renovated his home and about 20 others to improve living conditions for off-campus residents.

had holes punched through an entire wall before it was renovated.

Shaikh said that his house was in significantly better condition than the majority of the other homes, but renovations were still carried out. The university added new linoleum floors in the kitchen, installed a new refrigerator and stove and repainted the walls to Santa Clara’s signature off-white color. In addition, carpet was replaced in his bedroom and the hardwood was cleaned and polished.

Housing Office as Landlord Students living in off-campus houses often complain about waiting weeks for their landlords to repair broken toilets and perform basic household maintenance. For those living in the Neighborhood Units, work orders are submitted through eCampus to fix broken appliances and repair leaky faucets.

“Housing has done a great job of fixing things that aren’t working within 48 hours max,” Rimpfel said. “Students wouldn’t have gotten that type of service otherwise without living in a neighborhood unit. It used to take weeks for people to get things they really need.”

Housing will also carry out health and safety checks on the Neighborhood Units like they do in the dorms and the University Villas. However, they will schedule appointments with each house to conduct the sweeps and ensure the homes are up to code.

This policy differs from the health and safety checks that take place in the dorms and the University Villas—housing staff enter student rooms at any point during a several day long period to conduct these checks.

“We make sure there aren’t extension cords all over and that doors have locks on them and make sure people are living in the designated room they are supposed to live in, not a garage or closet,” Rimpfel said.

To cut down on rent, students have been known to dwell in garages, living rooms, crawlspaces, attics and even cupboards in off-campus properties. Two years ago, three students who lived in a converted garage in the off-campus house called “Chalet” on Bellomy Street were displaced after the electrical sockets overloaded, sparked a fire and burnt down the illegal dwelling.

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Because of these concerns, the university wants to ensure that students are living in designated bedrooms.

Consolidating Monthly Costs “What makes the the Neighborhood Units unique is that rather than having every housemate sign a single lease, each student living in the houses signs individual housing contracts,” Barrantes said.

This way, if anyone drops out of the lease, the other students living in the house aren’t burdened with the responsibility of paying the other student’s rent to keep from being evicted. The university is also responsible for the cost of utilities in the units.

“Utilities are paid for. All (we) have to pay for is TV and internet,” Shaikh said.

“It’s a great luxury to have.”

Students have also voiced concerns about being able to get a housing contract for a Neighborhood Unit if they go abroad for a quarter.

Barrantes said that this is possible only if another student is willing to pay for the whole cost of a room while the student is gone.

“Over the next few years, we hope the process will be streamlined to account for student concerns such as the ability to stay in a Neighborhood Unit if they graduate from Santa Clara a quarter early,” Datar said.

Barrantes said that the policy for quarter-long housing contracts is the same as the University Villas.

“We will not hold a space for free for a student. But if one student wants to take a single for a quarter and make it into a double for the second and third quarters, we can do that,” she said.

Looking ahead, Barrantes said that so far the university has no plans to purchase any additional off-campus houses and convert them into Neighborhood Units.

They are also working on a program that gives students priority registration for the houses if they attend a certain number of university-sponsored events related to off-campus housing.

“I’m very happy to know that the twenty-some houses we have are all safe and sanitary and clean,” Rimpfel said. “I think that’s a huge win.”

Contact Sophie Mattson at smattson@ scu.edu or call (408) 554-4849.

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The Santa Clara

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Election Season Spurs Civic Engagement Campus joins nationwide democracy initiative, hopes to prevent low voter turnout Bella Rios

The Santa Clara With local and national elections rapidly approaching, the Associated Student Government and Center for Student Involvement are all in.

Santa Clara is one of 189 campuses participating in the “ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge,” a nationwide initiative to increase voter participation amongst college students through collaboration with faculty, staff and students. The campus-wide initiative entails debate watching, voter registration, hosting of the Santa Clara City Council candidate debate and setting up polling stations on campus.

“In the classroom we are taught to engage directly with the ideas in constructive and lasting dialogue,” said senate chair Neil Datar. “By getting to vote, by getting to hear the candidates directly and by getting to ask them specific questions, we give students the opportunity to learn what they’ve applied in the classroom.”

ASG President Lidia Diaz-Fong said she understands that students have busy lives and that engagement with the electoral process may not be a priority. However, she said that every vote matters, especially in local elections, since the races can be decided by just a couple hundred votes.

“Engagement with this election is so important because we

have a highly polarizing debate at national level and we also have highly significant issues on the ballot at the local level,” Datar said. “Measure B and the Housing Bond … will have a direct impact on people’s lives here and getting students to participate in that gives them a voice in how we choose a future for ourselves.”

Tedd Vanadilok, ASG faculty advisor and director of the Center for Student Involvement, said that to participate in this challenge a school must develop an action plan to increase voter turnout. In early 2017, data will be compiled about participation rates and awards will be given accordingly.

According to Vanadilok, the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge serves as a “framework” for increasing voter participation on campus. He said that Santa Clara’s participation is not for accolades but rather to “know that we are doing our doing civic duty to get students engaged in the process” and to “(have) that shared experience with other colleges and universities.”

Vanadilok said that low voter turnout amongst college students is often due to forgetfulness, voter intimidation, lack of knowledge about registration and inaccessibility of voting polls. In response to such obstacles, the action plan focuses on accessibility, outreach, education and awareness.

Issues with accessibility are addressed through polling stations on campus, absentee ballots and voting for students abroad. Outreach is manifested through voter registration and increased awareness will be addressed through debate viewing events, including candidates for local city council.

“Though the project may have originated in Senate, the goal of the project is to bring as many people in as possible,” Datar said. “We’re trying to involve as many campus leaders as possible, including our entire organization. We have a representative from MCC on committee and we’re looking to bring

in SCAAP, APB and the other CSOs as well.”

For the first presidential debate, the library partnered with the Social Science Department, the College Democrats and the College Republicans to screen the debate live in the Learning Commons and facilitate a discussion about the candidates and their stances on issues.

Librarian Sophia Neuhaus estimates that 300 people were in attendance for the first debate—an increase in attendance from the previous election, which drew around 200 people.

According to Neuhaus, students were respectful when sharing their views and listening to others’ opinions.

“People are social beings and it’s nice to be in a situation where you can share something together, so you can share your support for a political candidate,” Neuhaus said.

She added that the debate and forum provided students with the “opportunity to be an active participant in the (electoral) process.”

Datar said he is hopeful that the program will continue to garner participants across campus.

“Every vote matters,” he said. “If we bring them the opportunity to vote, the opportunity to engage in dialogue, [we hope] they’ll seize that opportunity.”

A screening of the next presidential debate will be held on Oct. 9 in Daly Science at 6 p.m. The Santa Clara City Council candidate debate is on Oct. 17 in Locatelli Activity Center at 6:30 p.m. The third presidential debate screening will be Oct. 19 in Dunne Commons at 6 p.m.

On Election Day, Nov. 8, a polling station will be set up in the Williman Room of Benson Memorial Center from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Contact Bella Rios at irios@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.

New Forum on Violence ASG Senate Recap

On-campus center hosts weekly discussions on local and global issues John Lambert

The Santa Clara Though the palm-lined Santa Clara campus is a far cry from war-torn countries such as Syria, a new weekly forum is bringing discussions about violence closer to home.

Created and sponsored by the Center for Arts and Humanities, Understanding and Resisting Violence Locally and Globally is a weekly program where students can discuss the ramifications and possible solutions to national and worldwide violence and acts of brutality.

Offered as both a two unit class course and a drop-in lecture series, the forum opens the floor for students and faculty to engage in discourse about a wide range of topics from domestic violence to the use of drones as a military weapon.

“The lectures have been very insightful; they’ve certainly been very informative,” said first-year Alex Skinner, one of eight students currently enrolled in the course.

Dennis Gordon, a professor of political science, came up with the idea for the program after becoming increasingly concerned about international violence over this past summer.

“In a sense, the initial thought was mine,” Gordon said. “But it was based in part on a whole series of programs the university has done over the years on war and the environment.”

Each lecture is put on weekly by a different academic department or organization. Campus Ministry will host an event about viewing aggression through the lens of the Ignatian Examen while the Theater Department will host a student production adapted from the play “Ruined,” based on a 2009 book that won the Pulitzer Prize in the Drama category.

“It’s not designed in the sense that each (session) builds off another,” Gordon said. “It’s different topics as we go along.”

Because violence is such a broad topic, the departments behind each lecture have taken very different approaches to educating students on topics of war and hostility. Robin TremblayMcGaw, a professor in the English Department recently lectured on racial tension in America by calling to reference “Citizen,” an award-winning novel about race relations in the United States.

“The effects of living in a racist culture appear in ways that people are not always aware of,” Tremblay-McGaw said. “The book is an amazing document of that.”

The program has six more sessions this quarter and will go on hiatus for the remainder of the year following the fall term. Although Understanding and Resisting Violence was created with the intention of only 10 sessions, recent feedback from students and faculty has led Gordon to consider rejuvenating the forum for next fall.

“We have some encouragement to maybe try it again,” Gordon said.

Sessions meet at 12:10 p.m. on Tuesdays in Kenna 104 and will run through Nov. 15.

Contact John Lambert at jvlambert@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.

ETHAN AYSON — THE SANTA CLARA

Civil engineering professor Ed Maurer (above) speaks to members of the campus community about conflict, peace and water infrastructure. His talk is part of the new weekly forum, Understanding and Resisting Violence.

KEVIN BOEHNLEIN — THE SANTA CLARA

From left to right: Gemi Griffin, Lidia Diaz-Fong, Jack Herstam and Carl Guardino. As CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, Guardino encouraged student senators to officially endorse Measure B.

Student leaders host guest speaker at first meeting of the quarter MarkAnthony Vogel Associate Reporter

With local elections just around the corner, the Associated Student Government is already preparing to vote on a resolution that would support a local ballot measure.

Measure B, a Santa Clara County initiative that aims to reduce traffic, increase public transportation and improve roads and funding, was pitched to ASG senators

by Silicon Valley Leadership Group CEO Carl Guardino.

SVLG is one of many that has endorsed and advocated for the measure. Now, he is looking to earn the support of college students across the Silicon Valley.

At ASG’s first meeting of the quarter on Sept. 29, Guardino spoke to student senators about the planned Bay Area Rapid Transit extension to Santa Clara.

The BART station would be built across the street from campus where the current Santa Clara Caltrain Station is located.

The station, Guardino said, would provide students with more opportunities to explore the Bay Area and escape what many refer to as the “Santa Clara bubble.”

After Guardino’s presentation, junior senator Jack Herstam introduced a resolution to endorse Measure B. The resolution

was co-sponsored by ASG president Lidia Diaz-Fong and Gemi Griffin, the at-large senator for city relations.

If the resolution passes, it will be the first of its kind in ASG history.

“If the Measure B resolution passes, then our endorsement of Measure B would be the first time that ASG has endorsed such a measure,” said senate chair Neil Datar.

The resolution will be debated and likely voted on during ASG’s meeting tonight at 7 p.m. Last week, student senators were expected to speak to their constituents and seek out differing opinions.

Following Guardino’s talk, clubs and organizations seeking ASG approval had the opportunity to make their case to senators.

These included Net Impact, Ignite, Curious Catholics, Club Tennis, Students Educating Students and Theta Tau, an engineering fraternity.

Groups with approved constitutions will also be voted on during their next meeting on Oct. 6.

Going forward, Datar says that ASG is seeking to increase transparency and represent a broad range of concerns for all students.

With the local election approaching, ASG is also looking to encourage civic engagement by providing a polling location in Benson.

“We’re looking to increase collaboration between various groups on campus,” as well as “between the branches of student government,” Datar said.

Contact MarkAnthony Vogel at mvogel@ scu.edu.

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Thursday, October 6, 2016

The Bold Art of Physics and Immigration Two new exhibits open at Santa Clara’s de Saisset Museum Madeline White

Associate Reporter Twisting sculptures and vibrant illustrations of Chinese immigrant life, although seemingly unrelated, have both found a home at Santa Clara University’s de Saisset museum.

The first of these two new exhibits, the “Coriolis and Torqueri” series, was created by acclaimed abstract expressionist sculptor Bruce Beasley, whose works can be found across the globe from the Museum of Modern Art in New York City to the Islamic Museum in Cairo.

The artist, who has been involved in the world of sculpture for five decades, created a name for himself with his use of new materials and processes, as well as his examination of forces of motion.

“Coriolis,” Beasley’s first series, is a collection of smaller sculptures which are ambitious in their range of motion. Named after a physics force term, these twisting pieces are formed from a polymer known as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene—the fancy name for the material used for Legos.

The end result is a series of mind-puzzling, contorted, white sculptures. And while these pieces are polished, viewers cannot help but be reminded of squeezed toothpaste or a string of spaghetti.

In the “Torqueri” series, Beasley moves onto bigger and shinier objects. These sculptures, covered by a bronze casting, are all the more impressive than the “Coriolis” series, with their glossy, wriggling exteriors. Slightly imposing in their size and motion, these sculptures leave viewers in awe.

This is not the first time Beasley has been showcased here at Santa Clara. In fact, as mu-

seum director Rebecca Schapp explained, the de Saisset has a special connection with the artist.

“The de Saisset Museum has had a longstanding relationship with Bruce Beasley, through four group exhibitions which have dated back to 1982, and through his work being represented within our permanent collection,” the museum director said.

As Schapp said, Beasley’s unique creative process was one of the main reasons Santa Clara looked to highlight the sculptor once again.

“We offered Beasley a one-person exhibition to highlight his recent work, which is being shown in an American museum for the first time, but which is also being realized through an innovative technological process; computer-aided design and 3-D printing,” Schapp said. “Through this technology he is able to make sculptural forms and shapes which have been difficult or impossible to make through the traditional methods of carving or casting.”

The second new exhibit, “Crossing Cultures: Belle Yang, A Story of Immigration,” tells the story of Belle Yang’s life as a young immigrant from Taiwan through brightlycolored graphic paintings.

“Tadpoles,” a brightly colored painting of a little girl reaching for tadpoles in a pond, originates from Yang’s experience catching these creatures while still living in Taiwan.

“Good-Bye Taiwan” shows the Yang family on the road to an uncertain future in America, with their colorful city in the background and the family on the road in a small wagon.

“Hannah Is My Name” illustrates the Yang family at a vibrantly colored Asian Market in San Francisco with a dull city in the background, always moving, with their young child in the lead.

However, Yang’s pieces are not all bold in their colors. In the graphic story “Forget Sorrow,” Yang employs only black and white drawings to depict the struggles she faced while hiding from an ex-boyfriend-turned-stalker, as well as her experiences with the devastating Tiananmen riots on June 4, 1989.

Schapp said the exhibit caught the museum’s attention because of its incredibly relevant themes.

“This traveling exhibition addresses social issues found within our contemporary society.

It is a story about immigration and adapting to a new way of life and culture,” Schapp said.

“Immigration is currently being discussed on the national stage within this election year and the de Saisset Museum can contribute to this conversation through artistic presentation, insight and reflection.”

Thus, both Beasley and Yang’s different forms of artistic expression exemplify the modern world. Society is always moving forward, as are Beasley’s efforts in sculpture and Yang’s work reminds us of the hard struggles of immigrants—people often deemed unworthy of praise, let alone basic recognition.

Both exhibits will be on display at the de Saisset until Dec. 4.

Contact Madeline White at mwhite@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.

COURTESY OF DE SAISSET

Seen above is artist Belle Yang’s painting, “Up on Granddaddy Hill.” Yang’s vivid pieces, now on show at the de Saisset, depict her life, from her early years in Taiwan through her later immigration to the United States.

Batting a “Million” with Bon Iver’s New Album Celebrated folk group explores new genres in “22, A Million” Bobby Curry

Associate Reporter On Sept. 30, Justin Vernon’s indie folk project Bon Iver finally released their third studio album, a follow up to their critically-acclaimed self-titled record of 2011.

And yes, if you are wondering, this is the same group that made the commercial hit “Skinny Love,” and we can all have our own opinions regarding that. But nevertheless, they are back with an ambitious and far more experimental sound in “22, A Million.”

After teasing long-time fans with singles, street art and scattered news about the album, Bon Iver delivers a new and different style from his past work. Glitchy voices layered over one another fill the tracks as synths make a real first impression upon Vernon’s music.

“22, A Million” is new, but it’s a progression that doesn’t evolve past Bon Iver’s emotive ability. Often times, songs filled with heavy production indicate a lack of attention to unemotional, generic lyrics, or perhaps serve to hide this type of lyricism completely. However, Vernon’s compassion breaks through in every song, even in the transitional bridges of the album like “715 – CREEKS.” Throughout the al-

bum, Vernon’s play with vocal range alongside the sweeping melodies creates an atmosphere rich in beautiful and layered compositions.

One of the more noticeable—and already much talked about—aspects of the record is the cryptic, symbolic infusion into this album’s artwork and tracklisting. The album cover features a slew of bizarre images, such as what appears to be a globe with butterfly wings and a snake with a crutch. Song titles include such mysteries as: “____45____” and “8 (circle).”

While a little gimmicky to me, I can appreciate the time the artwork artist and designer of the album, Eric Carlson, dedicated to trying to symbolize and stylistically represent the songs in this album.

As the artist explained to the Minneapolisbased art museum, the Walker Art Center, he was very much integrated into Bon Iver’s music making process to create the song titles and artwork.

“The songs were all numbers from the start, multiple numbers at first,” Carlson said. “So we would listen to each song, talk about the numbers, talk about the song, watch the lyrics take form, makes lists, make drawings. Real references and experiences are collaged in both the music and the artwork.”

Simply put, this experimental album is a must listen. Bringing in influences from Vernon’s past work with both James Blake and Kanye West, the album ventures into new territory, but again, doesn’t travel too far from the Bon Iver that we want.

Despite its use of sonic glitches and other electronic lurches, the futuristic album still

produces many beautiful and emotional melodies with interesting compositions. “33 ‘God’” will probably be the most popular song off of the record, with its booming drums and highpitched chorus.

However, other tracks deserving of praise are “666 t” and “8 (circle),” with their intro-

spective and digitized croons.

Even if this is going to be your first listen to the group, take a listen to “22, A Million.”

It will certainly impress.

Contact Bobby Curry at rcurry@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.

AP

After a five-year hiatus, Bon Iver finally dropped “22, A Million” on Sept. 30. While the album is much more experimental compared to the band’s past two critically-acclaimed records, the band’s emotional power remains.

Thursday, October 6, 2016

The Santa Clara

Scene / 5

Vibing with Mysicka’s Electronic Pulses

Senior Brandon Mysicka produces electronic-style EP

Lindsay Tenes & Maura Turcotte The Santa Clara

This summer, while many Santa Clara students tested their mettle in the real world with jobs or internships to add to their burgeoning resumes, senior Brandon Mysicka was hard at work on an EP. Mysicka, who grew up watching his older brother play guitar, has always tinkered around with music, whether it be acoustically on the guitar or electronically on his computer.

But it wasn’t until this summer that he ever tackled a full-length project. Moving to a new city prompted the Sacramento-native to think seriously about his passions.

“I went to Portland to focus on myself, it wasn’t to create a masterpiece or anything.

(Focusing on myself ) happens to be writing music a lot, so at the end I happened to have an EP,” explained Mysicka.

Living with his cousin and cousin’s wife in the hipster capital of the world, Mysicka was in a brand new environment that gave him the freedom to be alone.

“When you’re by yourself, you’re listening to the music that you like to hear and only the TV that you want to watch. I came back in touch with a lot of the things I really like,” Mysicka said.

The chance to explore his own interests opened a creative space in which he could dedicate his time to making music.

“Once I made four or so songs that were different but all under the same umbrella of orchestral electronic quality, I thought I should turn it into a project,” Mysicka said.

When asked to describe his style, he told us

that it’s “largely electronic-glitch-style-musicmeets-anime-video-game-soundtrack.” Seeing our two confused faces, he elaborated, “I have a lot of traditional orchestral music from video games and movie soundtracks mixed in with electronic beats and glitch sounds.”

As two people who largely know nothing about electronic music, this sounds more like SNL character Stefan describing a New York club than a music genre. But we’re here to tell you that even to the untrained ear, his music is melodically very pleasing (big music words happening here) and like nothing we’ve ever heard before.

And even though he works within an extremely specific genre, Mysicka believes he offers something for everyone in his music, from atmospheric and hypnotic soundscapes to thunderous warblings.

“I want to create a space and for you to feel like you’re in a different world when you listen to my songs,” he said. “You’re immersed in a physical space, but I also want to tell a story melodically with proper arrangement. I want to create this ambiguous story anyone could interpret differently.”

At the same time that he was defining his style this summer, he began looking for a project in the video game industry. He came across a company called Mutt Studios, which happened to be looking for someone to create sounds for their game, Crucible, similar to the ones Brandon was already making.

“It happened at the same time which was really odd. I didn’t create this music because I was supposed to do it for (Mutt Studios), I was finding my own sound that they also wanted,” he said.

And while, technically, Mysicka majors in Physics Engineering, don’t expect this longhaired blond—often clad in tie-dye of some sort—to suddenly give up music once he enters the real world.

In fact, Mysicka has no plans of pursuing anything with his physics degree, but remains in the major because “knowledge is knowl-

ARTWORK COURTESY OF BRANDON MYSICKA

After a summer dedicating himself to his songwriting craft, Brandon Mysicka recently dropped “breathe.”

The EP, influenced by electronic and video game music, is available for streaming on his SoundCloud page.

edge.” Instead of continuing with physics, he plans on committing himself fully to music.

“My number one goal is to never have a real job. Anything non-music related is a real job. My ideal career would be writing music for video games. Right now I’m on the path to doing all the sound design and foley art for video games and write music,” Mysicka said.

“Ideally, I want to be a touring musician but the music I like to make is too niche—but you never know.”

Before he graduates and can leave the physics world for good, you can catch his KSCU radio show at 9 p.m. on Wednesdays. As the production director of KSCU since May 2015, he’s much too humble to play his own music,

instead using the time to rage it out with punk rock.

When asked about advice he would give to others looking to pursue their passions, he said, “The only thing between you and doing what you love is dedication. Put down the beer die and go do something you love.”

Apparently, even if it has nothing to do with your major.

Check out Mysicka’s EP, “breathe” on his SoundCloud page under the username, mysicka.

Contact Lindsay Tenes at ltenes@scu.edu and Maura Turcotte at mturcotte@scu.edu. or call (408) 554-4852.

OPINION

6

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Perla Luna

Solidarity: A Conversation We Need to Have

S

hutting up or getting called out. It’s a decision students have to make every day. In classes, clubs meetings or over dinners at Benson, students inevitably tense up and become quieter whenever someone points out offensive behavior.

This is an understandable reaction. No one wants the reputation of being an insensitive jerk so we shut up rather than modify our actions–or maybe we shut up because we’re afraid of what we’ll say. Either way, this is absolutely the wrong approach if we want Santa Clara’s campus culture to change and evolve into a more inclusive campus.

As the recent vandalism of the 43 memorial has shown us, our campus has an unfortunate record of students showing insensitivity in the place of solidarity. The disrespect may not necessarily be out of malice, but the lack of empathy and support we show to different cultural groups on campus nonetheless leaves a bitter aftertaste.

Together as a campus and as individuals, we need to define what solidarity means to us. For many, solidarity means prioritizing the human reality of suffering over political back and forth. We can often get so caught up in left versus right that we forget to acknowledge and empathize with the suffering and motivating protesters in North Carolina, France and even here in the Bay Area.

For me, solidarity means empathisizing with people not idealogies, but everyone ultimately needs to define what solidarity means for themselves. It’s important though that whatever definition you decide on carries some weight and intention. Putting a filter on your Facebook profile picture may show solidarity online, but that same type of visibility needs to be seen in real life and on campus. After all, being a visible ally is half the battle and goes a long

way in making a lot of students feel safer at Santa Clara.

Just on campus alone there are a lot of ways and opportunities to show solidarity. Difficult Dialogues, the MCC, SCAPP and the Rainbow Resource Center are just some organizations on campus with weekly events focused on fostering cultural education and support. It may be difficult, even uncomfortable, to actively participate in conversations and events like a Difficult Dialogue on racial profiling. However, facing our ignorance head-on is the only way we can get rid of it.

I want to be clear, however, that solidarity will not always mean flawlessly supporting each other and being up to date on all the politically correct vocabulary and movements. Mistakes are going to happen, but lessons can be learned. The fear of tripping over your own words and opinions shouldn’t stop you from getting involved.

We need to be mindful that solidarity is a freedom of expression we are lucky to have as college students living in the United States. It is not within our power to change the world from the confines of our campus, but it is our responsibility to treat our campus as a microcosm of the real world. Whatever cruelties we instigate here will be echoed tenfold in the real world. Whatever acts of solidarity we involve ourselves in will be echoed too.

Perla Luna is a sociology and English major and is the editor of the Opinion Section.

Articles in the Opinion section represent the views of the individual authors only and not the views of The Santa Clara or Santa Clara University.

AP

The protests in Charlotte, North Carolina over the police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott are the most recent examples of ignorance and confusion trampling the efforts of community leaders to create solidarity in a time of need.

A Message from University President Fr. Michael Engh S.J. Continued from Page I

on open dialogue and civil discourse. We all have a responsibility as members of this community not only to treat others with respect, but to encourage that same treatment from our peers. In instances of injustice or aggression, speak out. To remain silent is to accept these acts as part of who we are.

We also should also continue to gather, reflect and collaborate on further ways to improve the campus climate.

One opportunity to do so is the upcoming

campus-wide Ignatian Examen on Wednesday, campus leadership. Join the dialogue at a UniOct. 26 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., in the ty 4 open forum; I shall be present at the next California Mission meeting, on Tuesday, Room.

Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.

This reflective Pa r t i c i p a t e i n experience allows conversations with “To remain silent is to us to contemplate friends, classmates, accept these acts as part of your RLCs. We must recent events around the country and here continue to work towho we are.” at Santa Clara. I ingether to make Santa vite all members of Clara an institution our campus commuwhere we all feel we nity to attend and participate. belong and of which we can be proud.

Also, I encourage you to get involved in We aspire to promote an atmosphere of

inclusion, one in which we celebrate the differences 0of one another in the same breath as our similarities. We aim to facilitate an environment of respect: of ideas, culture, each other, and the physical space we share. And we seek to create a community of integrity and solidarity, where each of us is valued for who we are. To achieve these goals, we must first start with an honest conversation.

Let us engage in dialogue that is not destructive, but constructive.

Father Michael Eng, S.J, is the President of Santa Clara University.

STANDINGS Men’s Soccer Team Pacific Gonzaga Portland Santa Clara Loyola Marymount Saint Mary’s San Diego San Francisco

WCC Overall 0-0-0 8-2-0 0-0-0 6-3-1 0-0-0 6-3-1 0-0-0 5-4-0 0-0-0 6-5-0 0-0-0 4-5-3 0-0-0 3-4-3 0-0-0 4-5-0

Women’s Soccer Team San Diego Loyola Marymount Brigham Young Pepperdine Pacific Portland Santa Clara Saint Mary’s Gonzaga San Francisco

WCC Overall 2-0-0 7-4-1 2-0-0 7-2-3 1-0-1 10-1-1 1-0-1 6-3-3 1-0-0 1-7-1 0-1-1 6-3-3 0-1-1 3-5-4 0-1-0 2-8-2 0-2-0 4-5-2 0-2-0 4-8-0

Volleyball Team San Diego Pacific Brigham Young Saint Mary’s Loyola Marymount Gonzaga Portland Pepperdine Santa Clara San Francisco

WCC Overall 4-0 13-2 4-1 10-7 3-1 14-2 3-2 8-8 2-2 11-5 2-2 9-5 2-2 9-7 1-3 7-9 1-4 10-7 0-5 4-14

UPCOMING GAMES Men’s Soccer Santa Clara @ San Francisco

Sun. 10/9 7:00 p.m.

Women’s Soccer Santa Clara vs Pacific Santa Clara vs Saint Mary’s

Fri. 10/7 7:00 p.m.

Sun. 10/9 1:00 p.m.

Volleyball Santa Clara @ San Francisco

7 / Sports

The Santa Clara

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Fri. 10/7 7:00 p.m.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK Who’s the best player in the NFL? Tom Brady - Andrew Slap By nature of position, the best player in the NFL has to be a quarterback. And there’s not one out there better than Tom Brady. Four missed games doesn’t negate the era of dominance from the four-time Super Bowl champion. The sixth round draft pick has played with a chip on his shoulder his entire career, and that chip somehow got bigger after the witchhunt known as “Deflategate.” Last year Brady threw for 4,770 yards and 36 touchdowns and should be even better with the additions of Martellus Bennett and Chris Hogan. Jimmy Garoppolo was better than most in Belichick’s offense; Brady will look flat out unstoppable. He’s showing no signs of slowing down and the rest of the league better be terrified when he steps out on the field.

Antonio Brown - Ben Epstein Business is booming for Antonio Brown. The Steelers superstar draws more targets than any receiver in the league and simply plays at a different level. He is an electrifying punt returner who is a threat to take it to the house every play. Last year he was tied for the league lead in receptions, second in yards and had the most 40+ yard plays. He is the greatest deep threat in the league. NFL defenses know this and are still incapable of containing him. Brown is currently sixth in yards and tied for the league lead in TD’s.

Without Brown, the Steelers wouldn’t dream about a Super Bowl; with him they’re in the select company of legitimate championship contenders.

Next Week’s Question Who will win NBA MVP? Send your responses to aslap@scu.edu for a chance to get published in next week’s paper!

Santa Clara Ends Losing Streak Broncos pick up critical win on the road Bo Kendall

The Santa Clara Santa Clara women’s volleyball finally got the conference win they needed to get them back on track. After an 0-4 WCC start, the Broncos defeated the University of Portland in a decisive fifth set.

Freshman Callie Jones led the Broncos with a career-high 56 assists and senior Sabrina Clayton had a great match with a team-high 17 kills. Jones’ success was critical since she’s filling in for the injured star Kirsten Mead. Jones’ assist total was the most for Santa Clara since Mead set 59 in 2014 as a freshman.

The win came at a critical juncture in Santa Clara’s season, after dropping a five-set match to the University of Pacific on Tuesday, Sept. 27 and being swept at Gonzaga University on Thursday, Sept. 29.

A tough road win is exactly the kind of push that the Broncos needed.

“We haven’t dealt with too many losing streaks in my 18 years here,” said Head Coach Jon Wallace. “Just the relief is going to take the pressure off of some of the girls, for them to be more confident and comfortable is going to help for sure.”

A big part of this winning confidence came about through the difficult experience of a harsh defeat in Spokane against Gonzaga.

“After the match we had a discussion, asked ourselves if we liked this feeling, what are our goals, how do we want to play and what do we want to be?” Wallace said. ”The girls did an amazing job of turning that around in a day and a half and coming back and playing hard on Saturday.”

The post-game meeting certainly had an impact on the team. “It allowed us to be more open and get out any problems that we had so we can work together better,” said Clayton.

“We had some hard talks and

we agreed that we need to go all out in every single point.”

Some of that extra effort has come from the play of firstyears like Jones, who’ve been forced to step into bigger roles due to injuries.

“I’ve had so much support from my teammates, they are right behind me every step of the way,” Jones said. “It’s been great having everybody help me out.”

First-years Jones, Taylor Laguero, Taylor Odom, in addition to sophomore Hailey Lindberg who played very little last season, all contributed significantly to the win at Portland.

When these youngsters are thrown in with the veterans

of the team, it can be a bit of an adjustment. “There are some major differences in approaches that are normal when you have freshman and seniors on the court at the same time.

Nikki and Sabrina know the big picture where the other girls don’t,” said Coach Wallace.

“They had a good talk on Friday that really cleared things up and now they are in a much better spot.”

With many of their earlier issues seemingly sorted out, the Broncos will look to put together the start of a winning streak on Friday at the University of San Francisco at 7 p.m.

Contact Bo Kendall at bkendall@scu.edu or call

ARCHIVE PHOTO — MALU VELTZE

Santa Clara found themselves down 2-1 on the road before they rallied to win the next two sets and the match.

The Broncos will look to build on this momentum as they travel to the University of San Francisco this Friday.

Broncos Winless on the Road Offense can’t muster a single goal on the two game road trip Ben Epstein

The Santa Clara The pursuit of an eleventh West Coast Conference title did not start as the women’s soccer team envisioned. The Broncos, who were projected to finish second in the WCC this year, could only manage a draw and defeat from two conference road games last Thursday and Saturday.

The conference opener featured the Broncos against Brigham Young University, the third-ranked team in the nation.

Santa Clara travelled to South Stadium in Provo, Utah, one of the toughest places to play in the country. So to battle to a 0-0 draw in two overtimes against the Cougars, who have only lost one game in 12 contests this season, the Broncos might as well have considered Thursday night a win.

The Broncos controlled the flow of the game and strong possession play kept the dangerous Cougars offense at bay through both overtimes. Melissa Lowder saved all six shots that came her way and Kellie Peay anchored an increasingly consistent defense, shutting down conference standouts Ashley Hatch and Michele Vasconcelos.

“Before each half starts, we get into a little huddle and talk about our keys to the half,” Peay said. “Which normally revolves around proactive and positive communication, leading the team from the back and shutting out the other team from a goal scoring standpoint.”

Riding high from their successful trip to BYU, the Broncos travelled to the University of San Diego on Saturday to take on the Toreros.

Lowder and Peay again lead a strong effort from the back-line, but the performance from San Diego goalkeeper Amber Michel proved the difference. After a mental error on defense put San Diego ahead 1-0 in the 68th minute, the Broncos proved incapable of finding a breakthrough. Michel made eight saves en route to a clean sheet and Santa Clara returned home winless from their road trip.

“A combination of playing a top five team, playing on the road, having to get on a plane the next day and playing overtime—all together took its toll on the team,” said Head Coach Jerry Smith. “In the end we still outplayed San Diego in our game and the reason we lost the game is because we weren’t able to score a couple of goals that we certainly created chances for.”

The Broncos offense is dependent on playmaking from Jenna Roering and

Jordan Jesolva, who have combined for seven of the team’s 10 goals. As evidenced from the consecutive shutouts in the first two conference games, composure in the attacking third is a glaring weakness for the Broncos.

“The coaches have planned on working on our team’s attacking for the next couple weeks,” Roering said. “I think this will help us find the back of the net more often by working on our aggressiveness, attacking movements and finishing under pressure.

I think when we become more confident under pressure, we will be able to score more goals.”

The Broncos will look to get their first conference win against the University of Pacific on Friday. The WCC match-up will be played at Stevens Stadium at 7:30 p.m.

Contact Ben Epstein at bepstein@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.

ARCHIVE PHOTO — JONATHAN TADROS

After a tie to BYU and loss in San Diego, the Broncos are still in search for their first conference win.

Santa Clara will have two golden opportunities this weekend as they host Pacific and Saint Mary’s.

8

SPORTS Thursday, October 6, 2016

Claire McLoughlin

American Hero 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has taken to kneeling during the national anthem and athletes throughout the sports world have joined in the movement.

Kaepernick’s peaceful protest has had a divisive effect on the public; some applaud his bravery and voice support while others have labeled him unpatriotic and sent him death threats.

In response to the controversy, Santa Clara students and faculty within the Ethnic Studies department weighed in on the protest and offered their insight.

Dr. Anthony Hazard, a Baltimore native and diehard Ravens fan, believes Kaepernick’s protest is sincere.

“His protest is genuine. The responses from either side say more about us as a country than they do about his actual protest. This protest is a way to signal that something is very, very wrong (in our country). It’s not meant to disrespect the flag itself,” Hazard said. “(And) the fact that he’s willing to further risk his standing in the sports community, in terms of making money outside of the actual football stadium through endorsements, (shows that this is not just a publicity stunt)”.

Senior Nhada Ahmed also thinks Kaep’s protest is authentic. Ahmed hails from Santa Clara and says her family has remained a loyal 49ers household through the team’s highs and lows.

“The entire point of a protest is to bring attention to an issue by disrupting social norms or people’s routines,” Ahmed said. “(Kaepernick) isn’t even doing anything disrespectful or deviant—he’s just kneeling instead of standing.”

It’s hard to ignore Kaep’s protest when it’s being analyzed and critiqued by every media station in the country on a continuous loop. This is why Ahmed said, “There’s no way (the protest) is inconsequential.”

“You cannot turn on the television … without race being discussed,” Dr. Hazard said. “It seems that society is so separated and living in different worlds when it comes to race and racism. The first step would be for people to recognize that this stuff is actually happening and that it’s real and that for some of us it happens every day. You can’t just take off your blackness for a few hours. For anyone who wants to improve the country, the (first step) is to realize what is going on and I think Kaep has really helped with that.”

And as for those who claim Kaep is unpatriotic? Hazard laughed, “The flag represents the founding philosophies (like freedom of speech). Kaep stands on the shoulders of those who created this tradition of dissent that defines our country’s existence.”

In other words, Colin Kaepernick’s protest is about as American as it gets.

Those who disagree might reflect on these words written by Thomas Paine in 1776: “A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom. But the tumult soon subsides.

Time makes more converts than reason.”

Contact Claire McLoughlin at camcloughlin@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.

MLB Playoff Preview

There are constants in this world that give our lives order. The sky is blue, airport food is overpriced and the Cubs will never win another World Series.

Sure, they won 103 games, have a cast of All-Stars along with the next MVP and reigning Cy Young on their team (Kris Bryant and Jake Arrieta). And they supposedly have the best manager in the game in Joe Maddon despite the fact he’s never won a World Series. All of this has made the Cubs overwhelming favorites, but these lofty expectations carry loads of pressure.

You might as well discard the regular season. The playoffs are a whole other animal and Chicago won’t cruise to a World Series. It’s never that easy, especially for the Cubs. They’re brimming with talent, but much of this talent hasn’t stepped up in October. Kris Bryant hit .176 in last year’s postseason; Anthony Rizzo hit .188.

There will be moments when Chicago must prove they can handle adversity and there’s little reason to expect they can deliver. They certainly didn’t show any resiliency last year when they got swept by the Mets.

And sure it’s a new year. But Cubs fans should know better than to believe that the curse can actually be broken.

It’s fitting that David Ortiz will end his Hall of Fame career with yet another World Series. Boston’s talent rivals the Cubs, but the Red Sox alone carry the championship pedigree.

By any statistical measure, Boston has the best offense in baseball. Mookie Betts should win AL MVP and Big Papi is simply absurd. The lineup also consists of young All-Stars Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr. along with Hanley Ramirez and Dustin Pedroia. As a team, the Red Sox hit .283. I know, it’s not fair.

22-game winner Rick Porcello will lead Boston’s rotation. Porcello has limited playoff experience and David Price has even less to be proud of. But neither are asked to carry the team. Price and Porcello should give the Sox plenty of quality innings this postseason and manager John Farrell can always rely on his bullpen in dire situations. Boston’s arms also have the luxury of having the fourth best defense in the league behind them.

The Red Sox have the perfect fusion of veteran leadership and young talent. They’ve been playing their best baseball at the end of the season and it’s only a matter of time before yet another parade rolls through the streets of Boston.

Andrew Slap

The Santa Clara

AP

Red Sox

AP

Cubs Cubs

Red Sox Indians

Giants

Red Sox

Bluejays Rangers

Rangers

The Rangers are essentially a worse version of the Red Sox. Like Boston, Texas relies on their offense to carry the team since outside of Cole Hamels, their pitching is nothing to be proud of. The problem though is their offense isn’t much to be proud of either. Adrian Beltre and Rougned Odor are powerful bats in the heart of the order, but they don’t compare to the sluggers of Boston and Chicago.

The Rangers may be the luckiest 95-win team in history. They somehow finished 28 games above .500 despite having a run differential of +8. But the luck is going to run out.

The Rangers scored 113 fewer runs than the Red Sox over the regular season; their pitching allowed 63 more runs. It doesn’t matter they have home-field advantage.

There’s no reason to believe they can take down the Red Sox in a seven game series.

Dodgers

Cubs Nationals

Nationals

The pieces are there for Washington to end up hoisting a banner. It’s not likely, but it can be done.

They have an ace in Max Scherzer, who’s capable of carrying a team through October like Madison Bumgarner did a couple years back with the Giants.

They have a proven playoff hero in Daniel Murphy, and reigning MVP Bryce Harper could bounce back after a disappointing regular season.

But Washington lacks depth in the bottom half of their rotation and lineup and don’t have that dominant arm at the end of the bullpen, which is critical to a champion.

The Nationals have a top-10 offense and are second in the league in team ERA. There’s no denying they’re a great team, but their issue is there are better teams out there. Washington’s pitching doesn’t matchup to the Cubs; their offense doesn’t come close to the Red Sox.