Fall 2016 Week 5

Thursday, October 20, 2016

WHAT’S INSIDE

Jerkin’ Around

Pink Tax

Eating jerk chicken at Back A Yard

The real cost of periods

NBA Preview Predicting each team’s success

SCENE, PAGE 4

SPORTS, PAGE 8

OPINION, PAGE 6

Students Respond to Acts of Vandalism

PHOTOS BY ETHAN AYSON

(Above) Students march around campus, protesting the recent acts of vandalism that occurred in Casa Italiana. (Below) Administrators answer questions posed by students, staff and faculty about how the university is responding to the aforementioned acts of vandalism. (Right) Members of the campus community held posters demonstrating their outrage of the recent aggressions towards the LGBTQ+ community.

Solidarity march, forum held in wake of recent aggressions Sophie Mattson

The Santa Clara After a swastika drawn in blood and slurs directed at the LGBTQ+ community were found in Casa Italiana Residence Hall on Oct. 8, members of the Santa Clara campus cried out for justice.

Over 70 students, staff, faculty and administrators marched through campus on Oct. 17 to protest the acts and express their solidarity with members of the community impacted by the vandalism.

Demonstrators wore rainbow armbands and chanted “We are one” and “Love not hate” as they held up colorful signs that read, “Love is the answer” and “Equal,” among other slogans.

One student proudly waved a huge rain-

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bow flag while several students held a banner that read “Solidarity,” leading the group through campus.

“We want to be loud and we want to be proud and we want to showcase that regardless of the symbols of hate and undertone of racism and misogyny and bigotry that exists here on this campus,” said Isaac Nieblas, director of the Multicultural Center.

“We are not going to stand for it and we are going to start moving forward hand and hand,” he added.

The MCC planned the demonstration in conjunction with Santa Clara Community Action Program and other campus groups.

As an unexpected surprise, university President Fr. Michael Engh, S.J., marched in the demonstration alongside the other participants, wearing a rainbow armband to show solidarity.

“It is important that the administration demonstrate that all students are welcome here,” Fr. Engh said in an interview with The Santa Clara. “Any act of aggression that we saw in the two acts of vandalism really don’t have a place on this campus. It violates our

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sense of home.”

Forum Gets Heated To address the vandalism, the university held a forum in Mayer Theatre on Oct. 18 for administrators to provide updates about the university’s response, allow people to vent their frustrations and ask questions.

Tensions flared at the forum as members of the university community demanded answers about whether or not the students would be allowed to stay on campus and if more details about the vandalism would be released.

Many people objected to the language the university used to describe the incidents.

Several members of the university community also stated that the vandalism was indicative of a campus culture that tolerates racism and bigotry.

During the meeting, Assistant Dean for Student Life Lester Deanes said that one of the two students has unenrolled from the university, while the other student is still on campus and attending classes.

Vice Provost for Student life and Dean of Students Jeanne Rosenberger said that the university has involved SCPD in the investigation. Once the investigation concludes, the students will stand before a peer judicial board to determine the repercussions for their actions.

“Part of why we turned this over to the Santa Clara Police Department was to make a determination: was this a criminal act that was motivated by a bias,” said Dennis Jacobs, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “What we are looking for is the designation of a criminal act, which is in the police department’s hands now.”

Although the forum was primarily directed at addressing and responding to the incidents in Casa, Rosenberger also provided an update about the university’s investigation into the earlier vandalism of a memorial honoring 43 missing students from Mexico.

“We have identified a student who we believe is responsible and that judicial process See BACKLASH Page 2

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CAMPUS SAFETY Alcohol Related Medical Emergency Oct. 15: A campus resident was reported intoxicated in the patio area of the University Villas. Campus Safety, SCU EMS and SJFD responded. Paramedics transported her to Kaiser Hospital.

Bicycle Theft Oct. 17: A suspicious male was seen taking a tire from a secured bicycle at the Campisi Residence Hall bike racks. SCPD was contacted and responded. The suspect was found hiding in the shrubs and SCPD identified him. He was released and the tire was taken back to the Campus Safety office for safekeeping.

Elevator Malfunction Oct. 12: A Harrington Learning Commons elevator was reported to be malfunctioning. An elevator technician was contacted to repair it.

Fire Alarm Oct. 14: The fire alarm in Swig Residence Hall was activated by a smoke machine in a resident’s room.

The residents were admonished for using the device in their room.

Oct. 14: The fire alarm in McLaughlin-Walsh Residence Hall was activated by burned microwaveable popcorn. Campus Safety and SCFD responded.

Informational Report Oct. 13: Two non-affiliates were observed dumping several pieces of used furniture in the Performing Arts parking lot before driving off. SCPD was notified and provided with the video evidence. The suspects were cited for dumping and were asked to collect their items.

Oct. 16: A parent notified Campus Safety that her son, a current student, was being robbed at an off-campus location on Washington Street. SCPD was contacted and responded to investigate. SCPD located and arrested the suspect.

Oct. 18: A student reported being a victim of a possible internet-based extortion. SCPD responded.

Backlash from Vandalism Continues Continued from Page I

is underway and has not been concluded,” Rosenberger said.

She added that the investigation into the vandalism of the memorial remains open, and that the university believes that more students are involved.

A major point of contention during the forum was the fact that the university has not referred to the incident in Casa as a hate crime, instead initially calling it a “bias incident” and then an “act of discrimination.”

“It worries me that we are using the term ‘discrimination’ to describe an incident that invoked genocide among specific people and groups,” said senior Nhada Ahmed. “I don’t think that’s discriminatory, I think that’s a threat, and I would like to see the severity of the incidents reflected in the way that we speak about them.”

Transparency Concerns Ahmed and several other students questioned why the university has not released the pictures and exact content of the vandalism directed at LGBTQ+ community to the campus community. “(People) deserve to know what kind of space they are in and what their fellow students are thinking about them,” Ahmed said. “I know that can be triggering information for some people but I think that information should be available for people who want to know.”

Rosenberger said that the university will eventually make the pictures available but not until after SCPD concludes its investigation into the vandalism.

John Loretto, assistant director of

Suspicious Circumstance Oct. 13: A campus resident reported that an unknown person had possibly poured nail polish remover into her fish tank, killing her fish. Campus Safety responded to document the incident.

Trespassing Oct. 14: A group of unauthorized demonstrators were handing out leaflets and protesting at the entrance of the Mission Church. SCPD was contacted and responded.

SCPD cited the protestant leader, who is also an alumnus, and took him into custody for trespassing.

From Campus Safety reports.

Email news@thesantaclara.org.

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Since 1922 ••• Volume 96, Issue 5 ••• 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

The university community has begun to mobilize to demand direct action in response to the incidents. Sonja Mackenzie, an assistant professor in the Public Health Program, released a statement on Oct. 17

MarkAnthony Vogel Associate Reporter

In light of recent acts of vandalism on campus, Associated Student Government senators spent a significant portion of their Oct. 13 meeting discussing the appropriate response for their organization to take.

Arguments were made in favor of passing a resolution, or writing a letter that would be signed by all of the student senators. Members of ASG also debated about whether or not they should recommend a punishment for the vandals—some arguing that it is not the Senate’s prerogative to do so.

No vote was held and the issue was tabled for a later meeting.

Prior to this discussion, student John Ferrari who chairs the Healthy Living Committee presented a proposal for the Ed Dowling, S.J., Recovery Residence.

According to Ferrari, the vision for the residence is “to provide a supportive and structured substance free environment for students who are actively engaged in recovery from addiction and seek to learn, live and grow in the Santa Clara

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Joint Response

Student leaders consider a formal response to vandalism, discuss new recovery center

REPORTERS

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Campus Safety, said that because there is an active police inquiry into the incident, putting out the pictures has the potential to hinder that investigation. He stressed that he and other members of the administration have been in constant contact with the police.

One student also asked the administrators about what types of activities would lead to immediate expulsion. Rosenberger said that every student has the right to due process for their cases related to code of conduct violations, and could not provide a specific example of a violation that would cause a student to be expelled.

“I am really horrified about what happened and I am more horrified that these students weren’t expelled on the spot. It’s really upsetting to know that they are still here and they will be here until they are expelled,” one student said. “This is an amazing school, why would you want a racist, anti-semitic or homophobic person on this campus?”

The administrators were also unable to answer whether or not the two students would be allowed back on campus and allowed to live in Casa. However, Rosenberger said that expulsion is not off the table.

“The range of sanctions runs everywhere from a warning all the way up to expulsion,” Rosenberger said. “It’s possible that this investigation could result in suspension or expulsion.”

Senate Recap

Sexual Assault Oct. 18: SCPD advised Campus Safety that a nonaffiliate female was sexually assaulted across from campus on The Alameda. The suspect is still at large. An alert was sent out to the campus community.

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in response to the incidents.

About 25 LGBTQ+ students, staff and faculty helped contribute to the statement, according to Mackenzie. The statement condemns the acts as hate crimes and stresses the need to ensure that the Santa Clara campus remains a safe and welcoming place for all groups.

“We understand these acts as hate crimes, intended to intimidate and instill fear. We opposed vague and inaccurate language of ‘discrimination’ when these acts of vandalism were clearly targeted against the LGBTQ+ and Jewish communities,” the statement reads.

The document contains four core demands, including that the acts be called hate crimes rather than acts of discrimination and that a full description of the vandalism be released to the Santa Clara community.

The statement also demands that the university increase the security of campus surveillance footage to prevent images of hate crimes from circulating around the university and “re-traumatizing” affected communities.

The joint statement also calls for using a “transformative justice” approach in order to hold the perpetrators accountable. This would allow those affected to address the perpetrators directly.

“We need to figure out how to learn from this experience,” Mackenzie said.

“We are calling for a transformative justice approach that demands accountability for the perpetrators but does not do what traditional punitive measures do, which is to just send people away and we think they are going to learn from that.”

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

University community.”

The residence is currently in the proposal stage, and the Healthy Living Committee is awaiting approval from the administration. In the meantime, Ferrari said it is also important to get support from student senators.

“As representatives of the student body, the ASG Senate’s support shows that the student community recognizes the need for a program like EDRR,” Ferrari said.

After Ferrari’s presentation, a resolution was proposed expressing formal support that the administration approve the residence. The resolution was authored by senator Jack Herstam and co-sponsored by senator Margo Gentile.

A vote to pass the resolution was tabled for a later meeting and more details about the residence will be presented pending its approval by the administration.

The guest speaker at last week’s meeting was Jeanne Rosenberger, vice provost for student life and dean of students. Rosenberger gave an informational presentation on the Office of Student Life and their strategic goals going forward.

Many of the goals were surrounding issues of diversity and inclusion.

With local, statewide and national elections approaching, an ad hoc committee is also being established to promote civic engagement on campus. The committee, which is aligning its efforts with the national All-In Campus Democracy Challenge, will be chaired by Senate Chair Neil Datar.

The Senate also voted on whether to approve certain RSOs, including Habitat for Humanity and the SCU Investment Society.

The Senate will meet again on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m.

Contact MarkAnthony Vogel at mvogel@scu.edu.

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Letters can be delivered to the Benson Memorial Center, room 13; mailed to SCU Box 3190 or emailed to: letters@thesantaclara.org.

Our letters policy: ◗ Submissions must include major and year of graduation and/or job title, relation to the university and a phone number for verification. ◗ Letters should not exceed 250 words. Those exceeding the word limit may be considered as publication as an article or in some other form. ◗ Anonymous letters will not be considered for publication.

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The Santa Clara

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Road to City Hall: Local Candidates Debate on Campus Santa Clara political hopefuls contend for councilmember positions Bella Rios

The Santa Clara Candidates running for Santa Clara’s City Council engaged in a lively—and at times heated—debate Wednesday night in the hopes of garnering electoral support. Approximately 75 people turned out for the event.

On Oct. 18 in Locatelli Student Activity Center, members of the campus community and local residents gathered to hear candidates’ stances on neighborhood-University relations, the Levi Stadium controversy, race relations, sustainability, Measure B and campaign conduct.

Neil Datar, Associated Student Government’s senate chair, introduced the candidates and explained the rules of the debate. Candidates had up to 60 seconds per answer and limited use of red challenge cards to respond to an opponent.

Carl Guardino, CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, introduced Measure B early on in the evening. It is a ballot proposal for a half-cent tax raise over the next 30 years to allow the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority to fund transportation projects such as the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) extension, road improvement and increased safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

The majority of candidates voiced support for the measure due to its commitment to traffic reduction and sustainability. However, a few candidates had reservations.

City council candidate Anthony Becker compared approving the measure to “writing a blank check” and “giving a mouse a cookie.”

Also voicing concern was candidate Tino Silva who said that Measure B does not resolve traffic concerns as BART “doesn’t get people to the front door of their job.” Instead, he proposed a county-wide Uber service.

In order to improve student and neighborhood relations, candidates proposed a plethora of options including increased student involvement and more options for student housing.

As a neighbor of Santa Clara students who live off campus, candidate Suds Jain expressed concern about instances of disrespectful student behavior—from loud parties to littering—and acknowledged the importance of neighborhood ambassadors.

Candidate Mohammed Nadeem, a local businessman and parent of a Santa Clara student, worried about off-campus housing options for students due to high prices and limited availability.

The debate remained cordial until the subject of Levi Stadium was introduced, igniting a discussion about the relationship between the Levi Stadium Authority and the City of Santa Clara. In 2010, Santa Clara voters approved Measure J, which funded the construction of Levi Stadium and created the Levi Stadium Authority.

The oversight committee, created in part-

ISABEL FERNANDEZ-HERNAIZ FOR THE SANTA CLARA

On Oct. 18, local politics came to campus when ASG hosted a debate for local councilmember candidates.

Among the topics discussed was the town and gown relationship between local neighbors and the university.

nership with the San Francisco 49ers, has been accused of money laundering and wrongdoing in recent years.

Pat Mahan, former mayor of the City of Santa Clara, said the Levi Stadium project was the “best deal a city has ever made in NFL history” and insisted that “there (was) no evidence of wrongdoing.”

Silva rebutted, saying that the Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury strongly recommended an audit due to potential mishandling of stadium money.

Candidates continued to disagree and Mahan urged constituents to read the Grand Jury’s report on the issue.

On the topic of special interests and anony-

“You don’t put meat in the closet because that’s where you have space.” mous campaign money contributions, candidates were on the defensive.

“Campaign finance reform is needed at the national level, as well as the local level. Personally speaking, I am running a very ethical and honest campaign,” said candidate Raj Chahal.

“I’m not running for PAC A, I’m not running for PAC B. I’m running for the residents of Santa Clara.”

Silva questioned Mahan’s campaign conduct by asking why her name was allegedly listed on the website of democratic special interest group, Blue PAC, despite her claim that she is opposed to the group.

“What you are witnessing is Santa Clara’s political theater,” said candidate John McLemore. “Some people are saying that some of us are directly connected to this Blue PAC. It’s an independent expenditure group.”

The candidates discussed the city’s expansion projects and Santa Clara’s strategic plan, which includes the construction of a new law school building, residence hall and STEM complex.

Also in the plans is an increase in the size of the student body.

“We’re going to be adding about 30,000 people to Santa Clara in the next 20 years,” Jain said. “Silicon Valley relies very heavily on having great universities from which to draw out employees. We need to support universities.”

On the contrary, candidate Kevin Park expressed his concern for the potential increased housing needs this could cause.

“You don’t put meat in the closet because that’s where you have space. You put meat in the refrigerator and if you don’t have space in the refrigerator, then maybe you shouldn’t be buying more meat,” Park said. “More housing isn’t going to solve the problem if companies grow at the rate that they do.”

When the conversation moved toward race relations, tensions stirred—especially with reference to Colin Kaepernick’s recent decision to kneel during the national anthem as a political statement against police brutality.

“Santa Clara is a diverse city with a rich mix of people from everywhere in the world, people of all faiths and orientations,” Mahan said. “Institutional racism is often subtle and needs to be called out and to be recognized.”

Mahan also said that there is a flyer in circulation that negatively depicts candidates of color. She described it by saying that the candidates of color are on the black side of the paper, along with those who support them. On the light side of the flyer, Mahan said, are the remaining candidates surrounded by flowers.

Silva disagreed that the flyer contained any overt racism.

“This is so far-reaching it’s ridiculous. You take two shades of colors and you automatically assign racism to it,” Silva said. “That’s one of the fundamental problems we have in our society. We don’t talk about solutions. We don’t come together.”

Candidate Teresa O’Neill said that Kaepernick has engendered a discussion on racial issues on both the national and international level. She suggested a forum to discuss these kinds of “polarizing” issues.

The debate concluded with a conversation on how to make the City of Santa Clara more sustainable.

“We must ensure that Santa Clara natives who love and cherish our city receive the education that can get them into positions of businesses where they can strive for success and innovation in our home city,” said candidate Markus Bracamonte.

Despite differing opinions, candidates expressed their commitment to improve the city and mobilize citizens in the process.

“We live in a great country where we can have freedom of speech,” Nadeem said. “We have to facilitate, involve and engage conversation at the local level.”

The 14 candidates will vie for four open spots on the Nov. 8 ballot.

More information about the candidates and local election can be found on the City of Santa Clara website.

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

Tiny House Builders Bring Home Big Win Engineering students use green building techniques to earn first place in competition John Lambert

The Santa Clara After over a year of imagining, planning and constructing, the Santa Clara rEvolve House team won first place at a statewide tiny house competition in Sacramento, Calif. over the weekend. A group of 27 students successfully constructed a self-sufficient structure and was eager to display their house on wheels in a competition with nine other California institutions.

“I think we all felt pretty good about our chances,” said faculty advisor Timothy Hight. “We thought we built a really nice house and it had some interesting aspects to it.”

Arranged by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) over two years ago, the competition inspired Santa Clara students to showcase elements of sustainability in their own tiny package.

The 238-foot home is less than a tenth of the size of the average single-family American home, but offers all of the features necessary for a fully-functioning living space. Eight solar panels power the home while its unique insulation make the tiny house drastically more eco-friendly than a traditional housing structure.

Student involvement, both at the undergraduate and graduate level, has driven the rEvolve project—the team is made up entirely of Santa Clara students and faculty.

“I was excited to join because I wanted to apply my new

knowledge of engineering to the real world,” said sophomore team member Matt LoGrasso.

Accountability and leadership were crucial to the project’s success, and in the final month before the competition, members of the team labored long hours to put the finishing touches on the already intricate structure.

“Everyone stepped up to be a leader amongst themselves,” said mechanical team leader Marcus Grassi. “We were all on the same page, and we just got it done.”

Project-based learning is being embraced more widely by schools across the nation as students are taking what they learn inside the classroom and applying their knowledge to practical situations they will face in the workforce. “(A) huge skill I have taken away from my participation in Tiny House is being resourceful when contacting professionals regarding certain aspects of design,” LoGrasso said.

In April of this year, the team suffered a tragic loss with the passing of Fr. James Reites, S.J. Reites was a beloved faculty member and an advisor for the rEvolve house team.

“Throughout the competition we’ve dedicated this house to Fr. Reites,” Grassi said. “Losing him was just something that motivated us even further to finish the house. Not just finish it, but to do it to the best of our ability.”

Now that the competition is over, the house will be donated to nonprofit organization Operation Freedom Paws. It will provide the group with additional housing for guests staying at their facility in San Martin, Calif. The charity pairs veterans with dogs with the goal of easing physical difficulties and psychological stress from time in combat.

Faced with adversity following the passing of Reites, the rEvolve team’s resilience was on full display as they captured the touted first place prize. In the coming years, Santa Clara will look to future engineering students to design and lead

similar projects.

“The students develop such a relationship with the project and with each other,” Hight said. “The team becomes the house and the house becomes the team.”

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

ERIC BONILLA — THE SANTA CLARA

The rEvolve House beat out nine other California institutions to bring home the first place prize. It was donated to Operation Freedom Paws.

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Thursday, October 20, 2016

Life’s a Beach at San Jose’s Back A Yard Slow-cooked comfort food meets fast casual dining at Caribbean-American grill Jimmy Flynn

The Santa Clara

JIMMY FLYNN FOR THE SANTA CLARA

Back A Yard, located in downtown San Jose, serves Caribbean classics like jerk chicken, beef oxtails and fried plantains—all enjoyed in a laid-back setting.

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As the weather cools and grays here in the South Bay, we are all left looking for a sunny safehaven. Luckily, in Downtown San Jose, Back A Yard offers up a slice of Caribbean paradise.

The layout of the restaurant is bright and cozy—the redorange and green color scheme contrasts the brick walls, which are uniquely adorned with murals. Smiling waitstaff strike up conversations and give friendly suggestions for what to order. Back A Yard’s welcoming atmosphere makes you feel as if you’re actually dining in a friend’s backyard.

But the food is what sets Back A Yard apart from any other backyard cook-out. First and foremost is the jerk chicken, which is intensely flavored with both a wet marinade and dry rub. The usual suspects like allspice and Scotch bonnet peppers are featured, but traditional fall flavors like cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon add a depthful spiciness that is assertive, but not overwhelming. The juiciness of the chicken and fragrance of the spices work together to create the perfect bite of Caribbean flavor.

Back A Yard also tosses their jerk spice on a variety of other meats, including pork and salmon. Customers have the option of ordering multi-meat combo plates, which come with red beans and rice (delightfully flavored with coconut), salad and fried plantains.

The fried plantains are revelatory—caramelized on the outside, pillowy on the inside—and taste like a cross between Bananas Foster and a baked potato. Other side options include creamy macaroni and cheese, cooling coleslaw and collard greens—which are cooked all day and feature a vinegary, peppery flavor profile.

In addition to Caribbean classics, Back A Yard also churns out traditional Southern barbeque dishes. Hot links and chicken get slathered with a sweet and spicy sauce that provides ample moisture and flavor. However, the standout is the ribs. The charred and crunchy crust compliments the smoky meat, which unsurprisingly rips clean off the bone. Pair it with Back A Yard’s house-made hot sauce and you’ll hit every flavor sensation on the rainbow.

For those looking for something outside the box, I recommend the beef oxtails. The fatty, tender meat helplessly falls of the bone, soaking up the savory, slow-cooked sauce.

It’s the epitome of comfort food—a must-have for coldweather food lovers.

Back A Yard’s sweetest surprise of all is their dessert menu. The key lime and pecan pies are perfectly executed, and the pineapple upside down cake is a pleasantly light and airy meal-capper.

Most noteworthy of all is the sweet potato pudding, which is so inexplicably delicious that it confirmed my belief in a divine power. More specifically though, it’s a smooth, sweet and spicy slice of maple and brown sugarinfused bliss. Trust me, it’s heaven.

Nix your usual take-out order and head over to Back A Yard now. The traditional island treats offer an escape from the typical college diet of pizza, beer, ice cream and shame. It’s paradise.

Contact Jimmy Flynn at jflynn@scu.edu or call (408) 5544852.

Thursday, October 20, 2016

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The Santa Clara

Arts on the Rise at Santa Clara Anno Domini University to hold first ever Community Celebration of the Arts Festival on Oct. 22 Madeline White

Associate Reporter Santa Clara’s new Edward M. Dowd Art and Art History Building is a masterpiece to behold. After several years of construction, the building opened this school year as the incredible new setting of the school’s art department.

To celebrate the new building, along with the wide variety of artistic opportunities on campus, the Santa Clara Art Department is hosting the Community Celebration of the Arts Festival on Oct. 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This event has been in the works for some time. Marie Brancati, the brains behind the event, gave credit to the group effort across campus that put the festival together.

As she explained, planning began last year.

“We brought all of the arts on campus together, the academic programs: art, art history, music, dance, theatre, film, creative writing and SCU Presents as an ‘Arts District’ to imagine how we might celebrate the opening of the building and the launch of the arts district.”

The festival, which at least 500 people are expected to attend, is free to the public and begins at 11 a.m. Every facet of the arts—theater, dance, visual art, music and creative writing—will be on display. Events will take place in the many rooms of the Dowd building, as well as in the Louis B. Mayer Theater, the Music and Dance Building, the de Saisset Lawn, the Recital Hall, the Pony Express Stage, the de Saisset Museum and the Mayer Theater Lawn.

Some of the many activities and demonstrations include a show by Santa Clara’s improv group Inoperable Humor, an open rehearsal of SCU Presents’ “Arcadia,” an open dance rehearsal for “Images,” performances from multiple dance groups on campus, a cappella performances, presentations from many visual artists, several art demos, performances from senior songwriter Riley McShane, a crochet jam and a reading by acclaimed faculty author Ron Hansen from his new book, “The Kid.”

And these are just some of the events taking place.

With a plethora of activities offered, people will have to pick and choose which ones they attend.

“Really, when you look at the schedule, you will see that it is like choosing your favorite child!” Brancati said.

Coinciding with the Arts Festival is the Santa Clara Theater Department’s One-Act Festival. In the theater department, after taking a series of classes in directing, upperclassmen have the option to direct one-act plays, overseen by professor Jeff Bracco.

“The one-acts are always the same weekend every fall, so they weren’t made to coincide—but it is a happy accident,” Bracco said.

This quarter’s festival showcases three plays—two of which contain commentary especially pertinent to today’s society.

“In the Beginning” by Neil LaBute, directed by Kirsten Brondial, tells the story of a generational conflict between a parent and child, examining how passion can blind us.

“The Moon Please” by Diana Son, directed by Bryce Webster, is about a young couple with a newborn baby arguing over who should go to work at the World Trade Center on 9/11. The one-act explores how a seemingly small and inconsequential decision can seriously change a family.

The final play, “Less Said, The Better,” by John Milligan, directed by Darrell Hubbard, provides some humorous escapism and audience involvement through the tale of two hit men at a train station who both want to make their mark on the world.

The One-Act Festival takes place both on Oct. 22, the day of the Arts Festival, and Oct. 23 at 2 p.m.

These festivals are an important step in recognizing the artistic community at Santa Clara. In a world in which science and engineering increasingly take first priority—and more so in a tech community like Silicon Valley—it is encouraging to see the university dedicating time to value the arts.

The Community Celebration of the Arts isn’t just time to explore the new art building—the festival is the perfect way to discover the many talented artists here at Santa Clara and those in the greater Bay Area community, displaying what they can do when they are endowed with resources.

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

Downtown San Jose art gallery declares “the second coming of art and design” with new exhibits Max Eberhart

Associate Reporter At first glance, San Jose, a city in the heart of the Silicon Valley, hardly seems like a destination for contemporary art. But Anno Domini, a small art gallery on San Jose’s South First Street proves otherwise with its two current avant-garde exhibits.

Since opening in 2000 in a refurbished movie theatre, Anno Domini has been delivering eclectic works to the public without regard to the distinction between “high” and “low” art—a separation that, in my opinion, only exists because some people are uncomfortable with certain forms of expression. Currently, the two exhibits on display at Anno Domini force viewers to confront that uneasiness.

When you enter the main room, to the left is Leon Ka’s (AKA Kafre) exhibition, “Things, Mereology, and Schemes,” an assemblage of small gold and black occult-ish pieces that combine into larger mystical pieces. According to the artist, the show is an exercise in examining what is natural and unnatural, the play between the parts and the whole and the structure of tables, from their rows and columns to their variables.

In addition to being an artist, Kafre works as a philosopher and mathematician—which is especially evident in this show. By incorporating numerical and geometrical elements into his pieces, the artist questions what exactly is “natural.” For example, in the piece “Quantum Operandi Valet,” Kafre integrates the natural imagery of the sun, trees and animals with “unnatural” things, such as generated wave patterns, perfect polygons, buildings and cryptic symbols.

With the natural and unnatural both boasting symmetry, it becomes clear that the line between the two categories is blurry. And that theme of obscurity transitions seamlessly from the individual pieces to the overall installation, giving the entire exhibit a grander flair.

The second exhibit featured at the gallery is the “International Art of Zines Show & Sale.” A zine (short for “magazine”) is a small circulated work that is often self-published. Anno Domini has a long history with zines and is credited with curating one of the first ever zine exhibits back in 2001.

While Anno Domini has hosted previous zine exhibits before, for the first time the gallery is featuring zines from outside the country and also selling copies of the publications in order to support the artists.

These zines display a wide variety of artistic expression and provide a refreshing glimpse into the works and lives of artists. And the publications touch upon numerous topics, from sexual assault and feminism, to cartoons and poetry.

Some of my personal favorites: a zine with cartoon sketches of dinosaurs, one with beautiful pop photography of animals and textures and finally, a hilarious G.G. Allin Kids Activity & Coloring Book that paradoxically combines an offensive rock and roll star with the innocent pastime of coloring.

The zine exhibition presents a candy shop of sorts—a look into the indulgence that artists wish to take with their work. With these small publications, the artist becomes much like a chef cooking for himself.

And when artists are only concerned with pleasing themselves, they create their best work.

As a whole, Anno Domini’s two exhibits appeal to all of our sensibilities at once. On one side of the gallery, there’s the large geometrical and analytical pieces and on the other, there’s the mayhem of innovation and extravagance. Together, these shows are beautifully cohesive.

Anno Domini is on 366 South First Street in downtown San Jose.

Contact Max Eberhart meberhart@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.

ARCHIVE PHOTO — DANIELLE VELASCO

Seen above is one of the pieces from last year’s “Images,” the annual faculty-choreographed dance performance. Students can watch rehearsals of this year’s upcoming dance show at the Celebration of the Arts in the newly formed arts district on Oct. 22.

Confused? Us too. Place an ad!

6

OPINION Thursday, October 20, 2016

Veronica Marquez

Gender-Based Pricing is Unfair. Period.

A s if shaving almost all my body hair isn’t annoying enough, I am also expected to pay more for my “female” razor, when the only real difference is the color. Same goes for my deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, among other things.

This is a result of gender-based pricing, which means that women’s products and services are more expensive than those for men simply because they are made for women.

If that alone doesn’t upset you, take a look at the numbers.

According to a 2010 Consumer Report, women spend on average 50% more than men on the different versions of the same products.

If I really wanted to save money, I could switch over to men’s products. It would be an added annoyance, but I admit it is possible.

What isn’t possible is to forego all menstrual products. If I could give up getting my period, trust me, I would. But I can’t stop my period, meaning I can’t stop buying tampons, just like I can’t stop buying food and water.

The difference is, in forty states including California, food and medical supplies are considered necessities that are exempt from state sales tax, while menstrual products are not.

Apart from food and medical supplies, some of these taxexempt items include condoms, candy, school yearbooks, farm equipment and garment alterations. In some states, even Viagra falls under this category.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Reese’s Pieces, but this delicious snack is not central to my livelihood. Yet, while it receives a tax-exemption, my menstrual products are given a luxury task.

I am not the only one that is confused by this “tampon tax,” as it is now commonly referred to. President Barack Obama also doesn’t get it.

In an interview with YouTuber Ingrid Nilsen, Obama said “I have no idea why states would tax these as luxury items. I suspect it’s because men were making the laws when those taxes were passed.”

Even the leader of the free world does not support this tax, yet the states don’t seem to get it.

This past January, California assemblywoman Cristina Garcia, in hopes of bringing gender equity to her state’s tax code, announced Assembly Bill 1561. This bill would put an end to the tampon tax.

LILY ROSE THOMAS

Despite efforts to get rid of luxury taxes on feminine products such as tampons in California, no legislation has been approved to correct genderbased pricing. Some argue these prices place an unjustified burden on females simply because of their gender.

According to a newsletter sent out by her office, tampon and sanitary napkin sales in California produce over $20 million annually. On average, a woman spends seven dollars a month for forty years on these products.

My part time job is currently enough for me to get by as a college student, and luckily buying tampons and pads has yet to break my bank account. Many other women are getting by despite the tampon tax. But we should not have to.

Women still make 80 cents to the man’s dollar. The fight for gender equality is not over. Gender-based pricing and the tampon tax are another daily obstacle that women have to face. Somehow, the people in power that are capable of making change seem to think it is acceptable to tax women more

simply because they’re women.

Governor Jerry Brown proved this to be correct. Despite the efforts made by Garcia and many others, earlier this year, Brown vetoed Assembly Bill 1561 because he believes “tax breaks are the same thing as new spending.”

To Governor Jerry Brown, and many others, I would like to say that menstrual bleeding is not a luxury. It’s not even a choice. Treating it as such is just another backwards law that’s sole purpose is taxing women for being women.

If this doesn’t outrage you, then you are part of the problem.

Veronica Marquez is a sophmore communcation and ethnic studies major.

Santa Clara Fails to Acknowledge Prejudice

W

hat do racist slurs posted on Yik Yak, vandalism of the mock border wall, a swastika slathered in blood in an elevator and homophobic and transphobic slurs written on a hallway poster have in common? They have all occurred on Santa Clara’s campus, the latter two in the last few weeks.

Looking back as a senior, these are a few of the incidents that have impacted students during my college experience. Students older than me witnessed some of these acts of discrimination, I have witnessed them and students younger than me will also long after I receive my diploma.

Though the specific acts may change, every student graduates with the knowledge of Santa Clara’s story of discrimination.

A few weeks ago, two female students vandalized the art installation of 43 wooden silhouettes which represented the 43 Mexican students who were kidnapped and presumably killed in 2014. One of the wooden silhouettes was broken in half and the entire display was removed shortly after.

The administration did not alert the students of the vandalism.

Professor Dennis Gordon took it upon himself to send an email to the faculty explaining the situation.

He encouraged the faculty to show support for freedom of expression and “protest against the ignorance and racism which lies behind the vandalism.”

Anonymous student group SCU-

Watch leaked surveillance footage showing scores of drunk students kicking, punching and mowing down the wooden silhouettes over the course of one weekend.

However, this footage is not from the same weekend during which the previously mentioned vandalism occurred. It is telling that even before the display was visibly damaged, students had been extremely disrespectful of the display and insensitive to the meaning behind it.

In response to the vandalism, University President Father Michael Engh, S.J., published an edi-

“Motivation matters and motivation is prejudice.” torial in the newspaper in which he encouraged our campus community to come together in the aftermath of such events. He also said, “Some members of the community” thought these acts were “symptomatic of a larger problem surrounding inclusion at Santa Clara.”

He ended his statement with a plea to the student body to uphold the ideal of solidarity we are so fond of talking about. He wrote, “To achieve these goals, we must first start with an honest conversation.

Let us engage in dialogue that is not

destructive, but constructive.”

To engage in honest conversation, we need an administration that has the courage to be direct and honest with us.

When such blatantly prejudicial acts happen, the students deserve to be promptly notified and made aware of the details. It is one of the best ways the administration can give credit to the severity of the actions and show transparency.

We especially need a president that can openly admit that racism and prejudice are the motivation behind such acts. To blow off the underlying causes of these events is to ignore the root of the problem.

Although Father Engh strongly denounced the acts and promoted concrete ways students can make a change on campus, such as attending Unity 4 dialogues, he would be doing a greater service to the us by being straightforward and open about the source of injustice.

Acknowledging that bias is a problem within our student body is not to the same as saying that it is more prevalent here than anywhere else. Accepting that prejudice exists within our community simply shows us that holding the title of a Jesuit institution does not make us exempt from the intolerance that plagues our society.

When racist and narrow-minded ideologies show themselves in the form of actions, we are forced to reckon with the ugly truth. In order to move towards a more inclusive campus community, we need

an administration that is willing to publicly accept the truth: motivation matters and the motivation is prejudice.

Lindsay Tenes is a senior environmental studies major.

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.

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

Women’s Soccer

WCC Overall 3-0-0 9-3-1 2-1-0 10-3-0 2-1-0 5-5-3 2-1-0 6-6-0 1-2-0 7-5-1 1-2-0 7-7-0 1-2-0 5-7-3 0-3-0 5-7-0

Santa Clara Stays Afloat in WCC Broncos return to winning ways after comeback victory Andrew Slap

The Santa Clara

Women’s Soccer

After falling in straight sets to Loyola Marymount University last Thursday night, the women’s volleyball team bounced back with a convincing win over Pepperdine University the following Saturday.

Santa Clara entered Thursday night on a two game winning streak, but slow starts plagued the Broncos against LMU. Santa Clara found themselves trailing 9-4 early on and never put up much of a fight, dropping the first set 25-14.

“We have to find a way to get to a certain, different level right from the start,” said Head Coach Jon Wallace. “Some WCC Overall teams just start slow, so we’re trying to 8-0 17-2 address it and get it going.”

6-2 17-3 But Santa Clara could never get going 5-3 14-6 Thursday night. They lost the first seven points in the second set, leaving them in a 5-3 11-9 hole too big to climb out of. The Broncos 4-4 11-7 4-4 11-9 outplayed LMU from then on, but still lost the set 25-16.

3-5 12-8 3-5 8-11 The closest Santa Clara got to victory 2-6 8-12 was when they led 16-13 midway through the third. But LMU won the next seven 0-8 4-17 points en route to a 25-19 third set that clinched the match.

Santa Clara seemed out of sync for most of the match. They went through long stretches where they couldn’t manage a point and totaled just 23 kills.

But they didn’t have long to think Sat. 10/22 7:00 p.m. about the loss, as a day and a half later they faced off against Pepperdine. The match was a must win, as Santa Clara couldn’t

Santa Clara @ Pepperdine Santa Clara @ Loyola Marymount

Fri. 10/21 3:00 p.m.

Sun. 10/23 1:00 p.m.

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

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

7 / Sports

The Santa Clara

Thursday, October 20, 2016

WCC Overall 4-0-1 9-3-3 4-1-0 9-3-3 3-1-1 12-2-1 3-2-0 8-6-1 2-1-1 5-5-4 2-2-0 6-8-0 1-2-1 7-4-3 1-3-0 1-10-1 0-4-0 4-7-2 0-4-0 2-11-2

afford to fall to 2-6 in conference play.

Much of the first set was neck-andneck. The Broncos found themselves sitting with a 23-20 lead, just two points away from the set.

But Santa Clara could not deliver the knockout punch, and Pepperdine ultimately prevailed, winning 30-28.

“There was actually confidence after the first set,” said Coach Wallace. “We felt like when we did our stuff we were scoring points and putting them in a bad position.”

After the quick defeat to LMU and a heartbreaking first set, it would have been easy for Santa Clara to regress. It speaks volumes that this team did just the opposite.

“We had two minutes to reset and we all did,” said Senior Nikki Hess. “We understood what we had to do and sort of just let go of the little lull we had.”

That lull vanished immediately. The Broncos jumped off to an 8-1 lead in the second set and didn’t let up on the intensity, winning the set 25-10.

They cruised in the third set 25-11 and won the match after taking the fourth set 25-14.

“It’s always great to get in a little groove and build confidence,” Hess said.

Santa Clara notched 57 kills on the day, with four different players tallying at least nine. “(Balance) is everything for us,” said Coach Wallace. “I thought Taylor Odom and Jensen Cunningham hit for very high percentage and had great kills for us.”

Hess led the attack with 19 kills. She’s carried the offense all season, tallying nearly 40 percent of the team’s kills. “(Hess) was a real warrior for us,” said Coach Wallace Santa Clara will travel to University of the Pacific to take on the Tigers on Thursday, Oct. 20 at 7:00 p.m. before heading to St. Mary’s College for their match against the Gaels on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 1:00 p.m.

Contact Andrew Slap at aslap@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.

UPCOMING GAMES Men’s Soccer Santa Clara @ Pacific

Volleyball Santa Clara @ Pacific Santa Clara @ Saint Mary’s

Thu. 10/20 7:00 p.m.

Sat. 10/22 1:00 p.m.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK What’s the greatest sports team of all time?

2007 New England Patriots - Andrew Slap Patriots’ fans want to forget about this 18-1 season, but it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Too often in sports we put too much emphasis on championships. Yeah, the Patriots lost to the Giants, but there’s no doubt they were still the better team. Led by MVP Tom Brady and Randy Moss, New England’s offense was essentially unstoppable. At the time, it was the best offense of all time and Brady and Moss set individual records for most touchdowns in a season. Belichick’s defense was nothing to scoff at either, featuring AllPros Vince Wilfork, Mike Vrabel and Asante Samuel.

There was not a weakness on this team—New England had the largest point differential in league history.

One bad game doesn’t erase 18 games of dominance.

ALYSSA LEE — THE SANTA CLARA

First year’s Taylor Odom and Callie Jones go up for the block against Pepperdine’s Heidi Dyer. The Broncos could not be stopped, outscoring the Waves by 40 over the final three sets of the match.

Broncos Can’t Find Back of Net Two crushing losses put Santa Clara’s season in jeopardy Bo Kendall

The Santa Clara “We can still salvage some good pieces of the season, it’s just really tough right now,” said Head Coach Cameron Rast after Santa Clara lost their second game of the weekend on Sunday night.

It is officially salvage-mode for the Broncos, as they fell to 0-3 in conference and 5-7 overall following a pair of 1-0 home losses to Gonzaga University and University of Portland over the weekend.

The loss to Portland was a heartbreaker, as the Pilots scored the game-winning goal in the 83rd minute, despite Santa

Clara controlling much of the game at a rainy Stevens Stadium. The single tally came off a corner service to the back post, which pinballed around before finding the back of the net.

“We had everyone marked up, but then just got a little bit anxious,” said sophomore goalkeeper Dakota Havlick. “We panicked. I wouldn’t blame it very much on us, it was just very unlucky.”

The Broncos best chance of the match came when winger Yoshi Chaffin crossed the ball to freshman Miles Robinson, catching the Portland goalkeeper out of position. Robinson shot while the goalie was trying to get back on his line, only to have it stopped by a Pilot defender, who dropped back into goal to cover his keeper.

“We had good looks but just couldn’t put it away, and then we give up this cheesy little goal at the end,” said Coach Rast. “I don’t think we got outplayed by any means, but it is a matter of scoring goals.”

The main problem for this team is

1980 US Olympic Hockey - Bo Kendall The argument for the most dominant sports team ever could easily be made for the Soviet Union hockey team, who from 1963-84 won 19 world championships including four Olympic gold medals. That is a dynastic stretch unlike any other in modern sport.

But there’s a stronger case to be made for the unlikely ragtag group of college kids from Minnesota and Boston that defeated that team in its prime. They took down the same Soviet professionals that made Wayne Gretzky look silly in international competition. The US team, led by captain Mike Eruzione and late great coach Herb Brooks, created the best sports story in history by achieving the greatest upset of all time.

Next Week’s Question What’s the greatest title run of all time?

Send your responses to aslap@scu.edu for a chance to get published in next week’s paper!

ETHAN AYSON — THE SANTA CLARA

Sophomore Andres Jimenez nearly scored for Santa Clara but ultimately fell short. The Broncos had plenty chances, totalling 13 shots on goal over the weekend, but none snuck past the keeper.

their inability to score goals. Santa Clara’s scored a measly seven goals through 12 games so far this season.

Only eight teams in all of Division I men’s soccer have scored fewer goals than the Broncos.

“We get our chances every game, we just have to put them in the net,” Havlick said. “We’re getting everywhere except the other side of the goal line, but we can’t put our heads down, we just have to keep working at it.”

The defense, on the other hand, has been solid. The team’s allowed 10 goals this season, boasting a 0.82 goals against average, good for best in the WCC. That defense was on display against Portland, allowing just four shots on goal the entire match.

“It was a tough loss but I think it was the best game we’ve played all year,” Havlick said. “Our defense had the best collective effort we’ve had all season.”

The Broncos offense managed some good moments despite not scoring. They put plenty of pressure on the Pilots’ goalkeeper, getting eight shots on goal. But the keeper held strong.

“I said it on Friday night, and unfortunately I have to repeat it again, it’s just a cruel game,” Rast said. “It’s cruel that we can get good looks and we can’t finish it off.”

Although this season hasn’t gone the way they imagined after winning the WCC title last year, Santa Clara still has time to string together a few conference wins to build some momentum for next season.

“In the end, it’s now about our character, our program, and who we are,” Rast said. “I asked them to continue to push and believe and continue to get better.”

Next up for the Broncos is a trip to the University of Pacific on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m.

Contact Bo Kendall at bkendall@scu.edu or call (408)-554-4852.

8

SPORTS Thursday, October 20, 2016

Claire McLoughlin

Reverse the Curse

Claire McLoughlin is a senior English major

EAST

Lebron James and Kyrie Irving have a claim for best duo in the NBA. All the major pieces are back and Cleveland will be staring down Golden State in the Finals when all is said and done.

2. Boston Celtics Brad Stevens now has Al Horford to mix into his brilliant coaching scheme. It’ll be a strong year for the Celtics, especially if Isaiah Thomas can remain an elite scorer.

3. Toronto Raptors Demar Derozan and Kyle Lowry are both back to terrorize opponents. Dwane Casey will have his team ready to make another deep run in the playoffs.

4. Indiana Pacers With Paul George one more year removed from his nasty leg injury, there is a lot to like about this Pacers team. Jeff Teague will now be handling point, and newly acquired Al Jefferson will form an imposing frontcourt with the freakishly talented Myles Turner.

5. Chicago Bulls We will see what an aging Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade can do to help Jimmy Butler redeem last year’s disappointing season. Do the Bulls have enough depth to have playoff success under Fred Hoiberg? It will be difficult, but achievable.

6. New York Knicks The Knicks made a flurry of moves this offseason. If Derrick Rose and other new addition Joakim Noah can stay healthy and hungry, Carmelo and Porzingis can lead New York to the playoffs.

7. Miami Heat Miami seems ready to put the Chris Bosh drama behind them. Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic still anchor a strong core, and Justise Winslow is brimming with potential.

Expect Erik Spoelstra to

lead the Heat to their seventh playoff appearance in the last eight years.

8. Atlanta Hawks Can Dwight Howard revive his career in Atlanta? Now that Al Horford and Jeff Teague are gone he must if Atlanta wants to repeat the success of years past. Coach Mike Budenholzer and Paul Millsap will help Atlanta stay in the playoff picture, but don’t expect postseason success.

9. Washington Wizards Washington’s hopes to avoid missing the playoffs for a second straight year are contingent on their big money backcourt of Bradley Beal and John Wall. It will be a battle for new coach Scott Brooks in a revitalized Eastern Conference.

10. Detroit Pistons The East is much stronger than last year. Don’t expect Andre Drummond and the Pistons to sneak out an eighth seed again this year.

11. Milwaukee Bucks There is so much to like about Milwaukee. Jabari Parker, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greg Monroe are the core of one of the most athletic teams in the league. Yet, they took a huge step back last year and Jason Kidd’s Bucks must prove they’re up for the challenge in the East.

12. Charlotte Hornets Somehow Charlotte made it to the playoffs last year, but don’t expect that to happen again.

13. Orlando Magic Orlando simply does not have the pieces to compete. The decision to trade away Victor Oladipo will haunt them for years.

14. Philadelphia 76ers The 76ers have big men with lots of potential, but not much else. It’ll be exciting to see how Joel Embiid returns from a lengthy injury hiatus and if Ben Simmons was worthy of the #1 pick.

15. Brooklyn Nets Brooklyn’s in for another brutal season.

It’s that simple.

2016-2017

by Ben epstein

1. Golden State Warriors

It’s easy to figure out why Golden State will win the West.

They won 73 games last year and added Kevin Durant. A Finals rematch with the Cavs is all but guaranteed.

2. San Antonio Spurs Pau Gasol is a superb addition to pair with LaMarcus Aldridge in the frontcourt, Kawhi Leonard is lethal and Gregg Popovich is one of the best coaches of all-time. The Spurs are the only team in the West who could realistically take down Golden State.

3. Los Angeles Clippers The Clippers have the talent, but they still need to prove they have the health. This team will go only as far as Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan take them.

4. Memphis Grizzlies New coach David Fizdale has the same core that made Memphis a tough opponent plus the addition of Chandler Parsons.

If health is on their side, Memphis is a tough matchup for anybody.

5. Dallas Mavericks Can Harrison Barnes reach the potential that everyone has talked about? He and Andrew Bogut look to add more punch to Dirk Nowitzki’s Mavs. But Dallas is still a mid-seed playoff team and nothing more.

6. Oklahoma City Thunder Russell Westbrook now has complete control of the Thunder and that should scare every team in the league. Steven Adams came into his own last year in the playoffs and will need to continue to improve to fill the void left by Durant’s departure.

7. Houston Rockets When James Harden is hot, things go very well for the Rockets.

But the rest of the roster doesn’t translate into anything more than a low seed and first round playoff loss.

8. Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trailblazers broke the bank this offseason, but

ended up with a bunch of overpaid players.

Damian Lillard is a fantastic offensive player, but this team can’t matchup with the elite of the west.

9. Minnesota Timberwolves Minnesota is a year away from the playoffs. Tom Thibodeau is one of the best coaches in the league and the Timberwolves can finally make progress with their wealth of young talent.

Karl-Anthony Towns is on the cusp of greatness.

10. Utah Jazz Their playoff bid last year was a fluke. Despite solid play from Gordon Hayward, and the additions of Diaw and Joe Johnson, the Jazz do not have the talent to see the playoffs.

11. Phoenix Suns The Suns have a nice mix of young talent and veterans and seem to be a couple years away from fighting for a playoff spot.

But anything can happen with this team, especially if Devin Booker continues his rapid ascent to NBA stardom.

12. Los Angeles Lakers The Lakers are a mystery. They will certainly improve upon last year’s dreadful campaign with Luke Walton at the helm, but aren’t serious players in the West yet. But if D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle and Brandon Ingram continue to progress, this team will flash glimpes of brilliance often.

13. Denver Nuggets Denver needs Emmanuel Mudiay to continue to progress. But it’s all about the future, as Danilo Gallinari and Kenneth Faried lack the surrounding talent to make Denver competitive.

14. New Orleans Pelicans Anthony Davis is having injury trouble again and the talent is lacking down in New Orleans. But the Pelicans will have to turn things around quickly if they want to keep Davis happy.

15. Sacramento Kings The NBA’s worst franchise will have another rough year.

Expect plenty of DeMarcus Cousins yelling and at least one new head coach by the year’s end.

WEST

The Chicago Cubs, originally called the White Stockings, date back to 1876.

This makes the franchise 140 years old.

The last 108 of those years have been spent in sheer agony as each attempt by the North Siders to claim their fourth World Series title has fallen short.

Their losing streak is the longest in Major League Baseball history and has made them the butt of every joke. But this, this is their year. Why? For starters, they finally don’t suck.

Chicago’s been the favorite to win the Series since the preseason. Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester and up-and-comer Kyle Hendricks shine on the mound and the Cubs have a stellar outfield to back them up, should anyone connect with a pitch (not likely).

With John Lackey, Jason Hammel and Aroldis Chapman ready to do battle incase the series stretches to seven games, the Cubs have no need to sweat about running low on fresh arms.

Their offense is nothing to scoff at either. Kris Bryant may be the best player in the game, and players like Anthony Rizzo and Ben Zobrist will soon get out of their playoff slumps.

Anyway you look at it, the Cubs are the best team in baseball.

And this team has fun. Okay, they’re athletes and they are literally paid to play a game but there’s something different about this year’s squad. They want it more, and the fans can feel it.

Chicago native, diehard Cubs fan and senior communications major James LeClercq explained the hype as only a true Cubbie can, “This team is something special. (It’s) filled with young athletes dedicated to the game.

They aren’t focused on curses or goats, they are focused on the next pitch and the next at bat. This team has more heart than any team in baseball. This system that (manager) Joe Maddon has instilled in his players has revolutionized baseball for centuries to come.”

Chicago is even at two games apiece with the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. They need two more wins to clinch their spot in the World Series, where they’ll face the Cleveland Indians.

But it’s time to stop pretending that the city of Cleveland will win two straight championships after their 52year title drought. It’s time for Chicago’s curse to break.

As a Red Sox fan, it stings to admit that this was not our year. The loss of Big Papi is not something I am comfortable discussing yet. But I’ll admit, it feels good to (temporarily) shift my support to a team that needs a win more than anyone, and deserves a win too.

And I can’t help but think about what a championship would mean to all of the dyed-in-the-wool fans who have borne 100 years of misery and stuck by the blue and red regardless.

“I love this team more than anything in the world and I will cry when they do it,” LeClercq said. “I have saved money from every paycheck for my World Series fund and I will be there, crying with happiness like a baby. This is the year.”

I mean, come on. This drought, this team, this chance—this is what baseball, and life, are all about. This is their year.

Go, Cubs, go!

1. Cleveland Cavaliers